An Offer to the Orc

Monster Brides #4

by Tracy Lauren

Spurned by her cruel lover, Rowena is left heartbroken. But she isn’t one to sit around crying. The young woman abandons all to search the Perished Woods for a curse that will right the wrongs committed against her. She’ll need help if she hopes to succeed; she’ll need someone willing to accept her offer.

Arron has spent the last three years enslaved. Having lost all hope for liberty, he can hardly believe it when a beautiful human comes to his aid. In exchange for freedom, the girl wants more than a guide—what she needs is a husband .

A tale of two kindred spirits on a journey of revenge, but the paths of the Perished Woods can be winding and they may find more than they bargained for at the end.

Arron and Rowena's tale is 4 in the Perished Woods series.

Monster Brides is an all-orc collaboration featuring one of the best romance tropes in existence— arranged marriage . Explore exciting worlds of science fiction and fantasy from Rena Marks, Zoe Ashwood, Sandra R Neeley, Tracy Lauren, Alana Khan, Jessica Grayson, and Liz Paffel.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Monster Romance, Paranormal, Historical, Fiction

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2023

About the author

Tracy Lauren is a loving wife to her gorgeous but weird husband Greg, and a dedicated mother to her two wonderful children. She has her M.S. in Clinical/Counseling Psychology and during her time as a therapist she provided counseling services specializing in grief and trauma as well as attachment focused parenting. She is now taking time off from her career to focus on her family and explore life as an indie author.

Tracy’s interests have always been in the human experience, and in her writing she aims to capture just that. If you love the thrill of adventure to go with your science fiction romance, then Tracy’s books are for you.

Reviews

[Poppy || Monster Lover]

I lost interest about halfway through. The FMC was annoying me.

[Lissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, the only reason I'm giving this book two stars instead of one is because of Arron (the MMC). I loved him.

I hated Rowena (the FMC). She was incredibly gullible and stupid (too stupid to live, to be honest). So she falls for a man who cheats on her and treats her like shit for years. Nearly everyone in her village TELLS her what a loser this guy is, but she's in love and she won't listen to reason...at least until she finds out that he's been cheating on her and gotten an STD in the process. Then she decides to sell everything and seek out a witch for a curse in the Perished Woods. But in order to get the curse, she needs a husband, and to navigate the Woods, she needs a guide.

Enters Arron, who was trapped by a wizard and made a slave after the events of the past book. He marries Rowena and becomes her guide, with the promise that she will free him once she gets her curse.

Arron treats her better than John (the loser) ever did, and Rowena finds herself liking him...maybe a little too fast. After a day or two together, she's calling Arron her best friend, but she's still seeking her revenge curse. And I mean, I guess I could have gotten behind the revenge plot, because who doesn't like a little revenge against someone who has done you wrong?

Oh, but guess what the curse is! Guess the revenge she has in mind for this loser who cheated on her, treated her like shit, stole from her, berated her, etc. The "curse" is actually a love spell. She's going to the witch to have her cast a spell so John will fall in love with her and marry her. And the "revenge" part? She thinks that making him fall in love with her, a woman so defective that she can't win this guy's heart, is "revenge." WHAT?!?

She doesn't grow as a character AT ALL in the whole book.

Fortunately for her, Arron (for some reason I don't really understand) falls in love with her and tells her so. She decides to switch allegiances like that, because she HAS to get married like...right now...for some reason, so she'll just swap them out and marry him instead. But if Arron wasn't willing to marry her, she was going to keep walking right into this plan of making John fall in love with her and marry her. LOL What the actual fuck.

Also, it is NEVER explained why she needed a husband in the first place. Something to do with the "curse" she wants, but it's never explained why she needs a husband she doesn't love for the spell. Is he supposed to be some sacrifice or something? I don't get it.

Man, I really loved the second book in this series, but the other three have been disappointing. I'm not sure that I'm going to pick up another book by this author.

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - 47% Not a huge fan of the revenge against an idiot man but I did like Aaron so read further than I probably would have otherwise

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arron!

I was really looking forward to Arron’s story and it did not disappoint. It was very sweet. Not as intense as Thorn’s story, but I enjoyed it very much. I really enjoy the Perished Woods series and really hope for more. I really want to now what happened to the witch and who the mage is that Irini messes with. He has been mentioned in previous books, but not much more is known about him.

[Nina Diab · Rating 3 out of 5]

'I was a fool, but I am a fool no more.'

I thought the concept of this story was interesting and a journey I was definitely curious to see where it would go. But overall I thought Rowena was toxic. Initially she is a caring woman- a healer who would do anything she can for anyone in need. She was in a relationship with a man (who people knew wasn't good enough for her) who'd cheated on her, possibly gave her an STD, and didn't really care for her at all. She was one of those women blindly devoted to her man, would do absolutely anything and everything for him. Now she felt hurt, taken advantage of, and unappreciated. Instead of falling apart and crying, she got angry and wanted to get revenge by means of a curse. This is where she felt toxic to me.

She didn't care what cost she had to pay, sold everything she owned save the clothes on her back, gave up everything and abandoned all of her patients who needed her, to take a dangerous journey all to obtain a curse to make the man who betrayed her suffer. It just felt foolish and honestly pathetic to me and definitely not a good way to heal and move on. I also didn't like that she was too impatient (and/or stupid) to follow instructions from someone who knows better to broker a fair deal from a bad wizard to purchase his orc slave. I could never warm up to her after this. She just rubbed me the wrong way too much.

I really liked orc Arran. He was worked and abused and knew he would never be free to live any kind of life. When Rowena and Hugo come to barter for him and she asks him to marry her as part of the condition for the curse, he's so sure he's dreaming, he puts his hand in the fire to wake himself up.

Unfortunately I ended up stopping 40% through the book. As much as I liked Arran, I just didn't want to read about this foolish heroine anymore. 3 stars.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowena and Arron's Story . . .

Rowena is inexperienced in love and made the mistake of being involved with a jerk who broke her heart. We have all been hurt by love at some point; it is part of growing up and learning what you want to look for in someone who will treat you right. The bad part was having Rowena seek violent revenge against the man who dumped her. He was cruel and hurtful. But she should have just walked away and found someone better to help her heal. And to drag a good person like Arron into her retaliation plans was not fair to him.

At any rate, if we ignore the vengeance theme, the rest of the story lets the reader follow what happens between the human Rowena and Arron, who is an Orc. Rowena agrees to marry Arron if he will help her find a way to gain her revenge by locating a witch to provide a curse on her cruel ex. Will she find what she thinks is “justice”? Or will their journey through the Perished Woods help them find the real goal they should be looking for?

[Trixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to like this book, the FMC was too gullible and too naive. So besotted to a man who does not deserved her and who is making a fool of her. I've wanted to knock some sense into that woman. Well, someone did, thankfully!

But she has gots which led her to the Perished Woods and thus begun her adventure, to finding the truth and finding her dreams. I liked her in the end though, when she finally regain her senses. 😂

We saw the bad and the good side of being kind. She is both naive and a fool, but it's what she is, That naivety made her believe in the good side of things, and that foolishness made her steadfast in the belief that there is always a good side.

I loved the MMC, and he more than deserved the FMC. Thanks to unexpected friends, the FMC and the MMC got what they dreamed of.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Accept My Offer

‘I realize grimly, his life is torture. And I am a helper, am I not? Don’t I butt in when and where I see help is needed? Even when it’s difficult. But here, here is someone who needs my help and damn it all, I need his too. “Tell me, orc, will you accept my offer?” His brows lift, but his hard face remains impassive. “For marriage?” I nod severely, wishing he would feel this intensity that I’m feeling. “Something is happening right now. I am trying to strike an accord that will change our lives forever.”

I love reading Tracy Lauren!

In An Offer to the Orc, we again meet Arron, who has become a prisoner slave to Ramauld, and his nly hope for freedom comes by way of Rowena, who is seeking magic to curse the man she has held in her heart. The man who cheated and showed no concern or care for her.

Arron is a gentle giant, unless he is protecting those he cares for. And Rowena becomes his beacon of life.

[Adrianell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arron surprised me once again. I didn't expect him to be such a gentleman, I thought he would be growly and commanding, but he was such an awkward, unsure cupcake when he started feeling something towards Rowena. Of course he had a few growly moments, he is still an orc and a male, but he was the most wholesome love interest ever. I was also a little surprised that he was described as green, I thought the orcs from the Perished Woods were pale, grey skinned? Weren't they in the earlier books, weren't the trolls green in this world? And one of the orcs in the inn was described as grey.
Rowena was fine for the most of the book. I liked her kindness and humor. Her depression and selfdoubt after how Jon treated her were believable. But the plot twist at the end made me furious with her, Jesus how an otherwise sensible woman could have such a stupid idea?
I enjoyed the story, but mostly because of Arron and a few great background characters.

[Caz · Rating 1 out of 5]

The orc Arron was sympathetic and interesting, and was the only thing that got to me to the 50% mark before giving up because the MFC was so foolish and grating. She's astonishingly naive and gullible at the beginning, and then heedless, stubborn and self-pitying after being dumped. Any (admittedly faint) sympathy for her didn't last long once she set out on an obsessive out-for-revenge scheme - 21 chapters and she's still whining about how cruel the heart-breaking ex is. That she tries to defend herself with "I don’t mean to be so ugly. I promise, I’m usually awfully kind-" to Arron is telling. Perhaps by the end of the book she's gained some badly-needed emotional maturity and perspective by having her quest for a curse against the ex backfire, but I wasn't enjoying it (and certainly not her) enough to continue reading.

[Karen Nastasio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out as revenge on an ex that had treated you badly and cheated and leaves you heart broken. Rowena is a human that has just came out of a relationship that was hell and has left her heart broken and she is angry and wants revenge and is told that if she went to the Perished Woods to find the witch she could help with a cures but she can’t do it alone and needs help. Arron is an enslaved Orc that has given up hope when a gorgeous females saves him by marrying him and taking him away from Romauld but he must help and protect her and he agrees to the mission but neither of them thought that the longer they are together they start to fall for each other. How does it all work out and can falling in love change what you thought you wanted in the beginning.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[kymagirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rowena (h) is heartbroken after being spurned by her cruel lover and is determined to seek revenge. She embarks on a journey through the Perished Woods in search of a curse that will right the wrongs committed against her. Along the way, she encounters Arron (H), an enslaved orc who becomes an unexpected ally. Their encounter sparks an unusual deal: Rowena offers marriage in exchange for Arron's help in her quest for vengeance and together, they set off, but the Perished Woods hold surprises and challenges they never anticipated. Rowena seemed somewhat gullible, frustrating, and naive in the beginning but does gain clarity and redeems herself. Arron is sympathetic, interesting, and brigs depth to the story. Their relationship helps to balance the darker themes of revenge and betrayal.

[Stevie Bullock · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so so good

Roweena is a woman scorned and needs a guide through the perished woods to get a curse from a witch. The curse also requires a husband which she finds in Arron, the Orc. Once a Warrior and the right hand of the Orc king, now a slave to a cruel little wizard, he is surprised when the most beautiful girl he had seen comes to the wizard with a bargain to attain him as her husband. Once he was free they travel through the Perished Woods and start to feel things for one another. Yall it's so good. Found family, friendships that last a lifetime, and a good therapy session lol. This is going to be a reread for me

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly three stars for Arron. He was the best and broke my heart with his dreams and his thoughts that he was too ugly to find love.
Then there’s Rowena, and oh boy I have never disliked a MC so much before. She was so kind it became pathetic (with Jon) and then the fact she was set on revenge (but actually forcing a love spell on Jon). She made me pity her for how sad she truly was. There wasn’t much about her I liked except that she was kind to Arron and Francis.
Francis and his joy at seeing Rowena in the end might’ve made me teary. And the HEA was nice.
Not sure if I’ll continue this series. Maybe if the MC isn’t so pathetic. And if the story was more spicy.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 3.5
I didn't realise that this book was a spinoff from Captured by the Orc King, which I haven't read. This might be part of a multi author collection, but it's not a stand alone. It is actually book 4 in Lauren's very good Perished Woods series.
It meant that for me the first two chapters were like being thrown into a story half way through. After that though, the rest of the story was OK. The characters were good, the plot was pretty straightforward but well executed. It was shorter than the other books in this series I think. Sweet hero.

[Sydnee Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting story. I was so happy that Rowena goes off on a journey to get revenge on her now ex. His used her for to long to just let it stand. Arron also needs a rescue that happens by chance. The two of them go off on a mission to find her revenge over her old love. They fall closer together as they travel deeper into the Perished Woods. Till the end and whole the truth comes out. Now they just need to trust in love to get a happy ending.

[Mattie Baptiste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

I enjoyed this one. It was a sweet love story. The hero Arron was so in love with Rowena, but he thought he was undeserving since all his life he saw himself as a ugly monster. Which couldn't be further from the truth. Rowena was kind to a fault which made people, especially the man she thought she loved take her for granted, but Arron showed her what truly being loved was all about.

[She Dreams In Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adventure!

This is the first book I have read by Tracey Lauren. I know there are other books before this but I just had to with the Monster Brides series just coming out. An Offer to the Orc is brilliant! Arron is such an adorable Orc. Rowena is always caring for others. Their story is a wild ride through the Perished Woods. Loved it!

[Kat Soyka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was un-put-down-able! It's sooo good I was annoyed with everything that was interrupting my reading (like work, sleeping, my husband...)
My first book from Tracy, but certainly not the last! This is part 4 of the Perished Woods series (yes, I started from the end... oh well, sorry, not sorry!) and I've already gotten myself books 1-3 to read :)

[Danii · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main reason for going into the Perished Woods is initially understandable, but disappears fast like the fear and restraint to Arron. In the course of their travel they find each other and theirselves. Sometimes lengthy.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

couldn’t finish

I have to be honest I made it about halfway through this book but I just could not stand Rowena. Aaron was okay but she just grated on my nerves. I even jumped ahead thinking she would somehow redeem herself but she just never did for me. This book just wasn’t my cup of tea. Someone else may enjoy it.

[Kala Brazell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sub-par

This is my final orc book ever because I have disliked the last 4 I've read. This book was too long with not a lot happening. The plot was bland and the characters blander. The second epiloge was the best part and she didn't even know the children's names!

[Jesse Balgaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Names not Jesse

This is my husband's account but I loved this book. Lots of laughs, great characters and a fun, touching story. Will be reading this authors other books. Hard to find one like her in this genre!

[J Bully T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, but the FMC really worked overtime to make sure I didn’t. FMC that do stupid things that go against everything common sense tells them not to do, is a trope that needs to die in a fire.

[Lisa Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Green Lump Of Love

This book was very enjoyable to read. The action scenes were amazing. All the characters were awesome. My favorite scene is when the Orc realizes he can be free at last. Excellent reading.

[jdcruzan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

I guess there are really people that insecure out there but both fmc and mmc are to deep in the weeds of having no respect for themselves. Not my cup of tea for a book I want to escape in.

[TalkPlantyToMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

This series is brilliant and I adored the slow-burn. The writing was top notch and I really loved the romance and humour.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arron is the definition of cinnamon roll

[P.A. Eastwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful series

I love the Perished Woods series. I like the way you meet different characters and they are all the guy you would love to have only in monster form:)

[Alex Silver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost no spice but I sure do like this author. 5 ⭐️
And double sunshine cinnamon rolls? Come on. Too cute.