The Orc and Her Bride (The Sapphic Orcs of Torden Book 1)

I treated myself to this tale recently after having it on my TBR since the moment I heard about it, and I must happily say it did not disappoint. Absolutely adorable story, with solid, SOLID "Beauty & the Beast" vibes in ways that feel really fresh, arranged marriage setup with a semi-enemies-to-lovers situation, one charming, heart-of-gold heroine and another that is so fun to hate and even more fun to watch grow into a better person, AND grow into the very sweet romance waiting for her in the form of the other leading lady. Very tantalizing world building too, especially considering the implied differences between the Orc kingdoms mentioned, and many fascinating side characters that absolutely make me want to know more. As a long-term Orc fan and a long-term romance fan, seeing an Orc romance that was sapphic-focused is also a breath of fresh air. One ticket to Torden, please!

Take seriously the warnings that the protagonist of this book is unlikable because, for the first half of the book, she is indeed terrible. It was fun to read, though. Elketh, an elven princess, finds herself engaged to an orc princess and is told that she has to go to the orc country to meet her to-be bride the same day. We can expect how well that's going to go. Elketh, despite a warm welcome from her future bride, Ruga, doesn't want any part of the arrangement. To her horror, however, her family abandons her in the orc country right after dinner and forbids her to return home unless she is willing to marry. Somebody's not getting a Family of the Year prize. Having no other choice, Elketh decides to do what she does best - throw a tantrum so big the orcs will send her home. This goes on for the whole first half of the book, despite Ruga's many attempts to make sure Elketh is comfortable. Bratty, I think, is a little bit of an understatement when it comes to Elketh's behavior. She goes from whiny to downright cruel and manipulative, using many different tactics to force the orcs to send her home, even though nobody is forcing her to stay in the castle. It takes a good moment and Ruga's neverending well of kindness and patience to make her get a hold of herself. Ruga herself is the complete opposite of Elketh. A sweet and patient woman with a love for all hobbies that take a lot of time and precision, she is often forced to adjust to other people's needs at the cost of…

I want to say that I usually don't read romance stories of orcs and elves, but this story was so entertaining to read. I really liked the main characters, Princesses Elketh and Ruga. It's a story where you are rooting for Ruga to get Elketh to reconsider marrying her. There were scenes that just broke your heart for Ruga. Where she's in love with Elketh and Elketh is oblivious, or just doesn't want to admit it. Ruga is a kind orc that does everything she can for her people. I enjoyed reading the ending. I was a great read. I would totally recommend this book to everyone that loves a good romance between species.

If you want a sweet, fluffy sapphic arranged marriage romance between a butch orc and a femme elf, this book delivers exactly what is promised, with a decent amount of spice (we could always use a little more). Don’t come looking for detailed worldbuilding or deep character study, but everything works and the writing is solid. Check it out if that appeals to you! I’m glad I read it.

Lila Gwynn has done it again and crafted a world I want to live in. The opening novel of her Sapphic Orcs of Torden series is romantic fantasy at its best, masterfully using some traditional tropes and tossing others on their head. Elketh is a petulant, elfen party-princess who just wants to get married so she can take over her father’s kingdom. Her bride-to-be, Ruga, is a gentle, vegetarian orc who will selflessly do whatever she can to help her people. Neither woman is what the other expected, but they have more in common (and chemistry) than either can deny. Except, Elketh does deny her feelings (because, deep down, she fears change), so Ruga spends most of the book melting her heart. The slow burn of their relationship is pure magic, with a conclusion that’ll give you a warm, fuzzy feeling for days. I can’t wait to read the next Sapphic Orcs of Torden novel. In the meantime, I’ll re-read this and pretend a nice orc-lady is romancing me in her rose garden.