This book is both precious and horny, delightful and strange. It is a tie-in with a D&D actual play. This is the IRL book version of a fictional book that exists in a Critical Role campaign. Even without that context, I think that Tusk Love is a good story. Guinevere is supposed to appear like your standard DID (damsel in distress). However, she also has a magical secret. She harbors an enthusiastic fire spirit that she is able to keep at bay, but does not understand how to wield effectively. Shortly after releasing the fire spirit to burn a pack of bandits to a crisp, Oskar appears to help her sort out the rest of the bandits. Oskar winds up becoming her accidental guardian and guide until he agrees to continue guarding and guiding her to her destination. Guinevere is trying to get across a continent on foot now that her guards are dead, her wagon has burned, and her oxen have escaped.
Guinevere is a wide-eyed debutant human who has seen little of the world but wins everyone over with kindness (unless she kills them with fire). Oskar is a gruff but competent ex-blacksmith apprentice orc who is trying to honor his recently deceased mother’s last wishes to go visit her family. He puts his journey on a pause to help Guinevere cross the continent in the other direction and get to her betrothed, who she’s never met.
There’s some lovely NPCs (non-player characters, or side characters who appear briefly) who appear along the way and help Guin and Oskar navigate their quest. There are several villains who must be vanquished before Guinevere and Oskar can have their HEA (happily ever after). Plus, a respectable amount of banging. All in all, highly recommend if fantasy, D&D, and/or romance are your thing.
CBR Bingo: Or – <spoilers> Throughout Tusk Love Guinevere is on a path chosen for her by her parents. She is traveling to the coast to meet the husband her parents have arranged for her. Only through the course of the story does she realize that she has choices. She can do what has been prescribed for her by her awful parents as she’s done her whole life or she can choose her own path. </spoilers>
