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The Shades of Sanctuary #2
On the Care and Keeping of Orcs
Stealing some horses from a magical fortress should be easy after raising twins and enduring two weeks with the orc that broke her heart.
Catrin's half-orc children are going through a difficult... growing phase. But since their orcish father left while she was pregnant, she doesn't know how to help. When Torsten, the first orc to break her heart, swaggers back into her life, he's got all the answers she needs.
Torsten has always regretted what happened with his best friend's sister when they were kids, but he had no choice. After fifteen years away, he's returned with no direction, no ties, and every reason to explore where they went wrong. A ridiculous horse heist might just be the perfect time to figure out what he wants in life… and it might involve an adorable rabbit-shifter and her orcish children. After all she's suffered, Catrin can't weather another heartbreak, but can she afford to miss out on a second chance at true love?
For fans of plus-sized heroines and golden retriever orcs, On the Care and Keeping of Orcs is the second standalone in The Shades of Sanctuary, where the vibes are cozy, the heat is high and the mates are monstrous. Grab a cup of tea and snuggle in, because while there might be some angst along the way, the burn is fast, the stakes are low, and the HEA is only a few hours away!
Catrin's half-orc children are going through a difficult... growing phase. But since their orcish father left while she was pregnant, she doesn't know how to help. When Torsten, the first orc to break her heart, swaggers back into her life, he's got all the answers she needs.
Torsten has always regretted what happened with his best friend's sister when they were kids, but he had no choice. After fifteen years away, he's returned with no direction, no ties, and every reason to explore where they went wrong. A ridiculous horse heist might just be the perfect time to figure out what he wants in life… and it might involve an adorable rabbit-shifter and her orcish children. After all she's suffered, Catrin can't weather another heartbreak, but can she afford to miss out on a second chance at true love?
For fans of plus-sized heroines and golden retriever orcs, On the Care and Keeping of Orcs is the second standalone in The Shades of Sanctuary, where the vibes are cozy, the heat is high and the mates are monstrous. Grab a cup of tea and snuggle in, because while there might be some angst along the way, the burn is fast, the stakes are low, and the HEA is only a few hours away!
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2024
429 people are currently reading
2107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
January 29, 2024
Meh idk this book gave so much extra information I didn’t care about and no information on what I did care about.
Maybe it’s my own fault since I didn’t read the first book but the lore and world building is just bonkers (and not really in a good way)
Would have been nice if there was a flashback scene to when Cat confessed her love to Tor and he blew her off. Or maybe snippets of the letters they wrote to each other? But also, why did her parents intercept their letters? What was their motive? It was never explained, but there’s 4,000 literal footnotes on bullshit.
If book was more straightforward with Cat and Tors backstory and their thought processes in the now I would’ve enjoyed it more. There was just so much extra nonsense it made the plot murky.
Maybe it’s my own fault since I didn’t read the first book but the lore and world building is just bonkers (and not really in a good way)
Would have been nice if there was a flashback scene to when Cat confessed her love to Tor and he blew her off. Or maybe snippets of the letters they wrote to each other? But also, why did her parents intercept their letters? What was their motive? It was never explained, but there’s 4,000 literal footnotes on bullshit.
If book was more straightforward with Cat and Tors backstory and their thought processes in the now I would’ve enjoyed it more. There was just so much extra nonsense it made the plot murky.
January 13, 2024
Kass you've done it again. I think Catrin and Torsten are my favorite now. Besides being a strong and loving single mom, Cat is fierce. She is loveable and a wonderful FMC. I love her shifted form being so similar to how she truly feels while she is strong on the outside for everyone. I don't want to give anything away but her children were so special and fun and there's a very special story within a story there. Torsten. Whew. sunshine, cinnamon roll, "just let me be there", handsome, pierced and uncut and MASSIVE. Everywhere. Cat and Tor's love story was one I want to read forever. AND BERNE AND SIRIN'S LIFE PROGRESSION THROUGHOUT ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I sobbed (happy tears) nearly the entire second half. The spice was SOOOO Hot and delicious. Cat is a potter and let's just say she's really good at crafting replicas.... *wink wink* and absolute must read AND you get it earlier than expected on 1/25! Truly beautiful read. Kass has such a magnificent writing style.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 26, 2025
Spicy? Sure, but also full of as much heart and plot and characters as the first book in this series if not more.
January 31, 2024
ARC Review
If you like romances that include lots of plot, lots of world building, lots of family time and spice, this will be your jam! I always love to see chubby heroines as well!
I was rather surprised at how much of the book, especially the beginning chapters, revolve around the children and they remain very much in the heroine's mind for the rest of the book as she doesn't want to mess up by bringing potentially the wrong guy around them. I skimmed past most of the kiddy parts.
Once the couple (they know each other somewhat from being prior acquaintances) start to have feelings, there's a lot of fretting and denying of the attraction. Once they do become intimate it's supposed to be a casual hookup thing, I'm just personally never a fan of the steam happening before the bond or love. The later scenes are eventually more and more into their admittance of loving each other. The hero talks so cute to her a lot of the time which I love but in the next breath he's being quite cussy, the difference between tones was a bit like whiplash at times, sweet and tender then coarse and aggressive, I wish he'd been one way or the other. There are quite a lot of spicy scenes included!
I think there's probably about equal parts smut and plot, I don't know what it was for me but I didn't get into the story at all, I didn't really connect to these characters, I think maybe it was too 'single mother and kids centric' for me, I just found myself skipping around a bunch looking for important relationship moments. The writing is good, there's a ton of heart and passion and emotion in this book and for some reason it just didn't click with me, maybe I was in a funny mood or maybe I thought it would be cozier and cuter than I found it. But please still check it out if it's on your TBR, I felt this way about another book which everyone else gave rave reviews to!
If you like romances that include lots of plot, lots of world building, lots of family time and spice, this will be your jam! I always love to see chubby heroines as well!
I was rather surprised at how much of the book, especially the beginning chapters, revolve around the children and they remain very much in the heroine's mind for the rest of the book as she doesn't want to mess up by bringing potentially the wrong guy around them. I skimmed past most of the kiddy parts.
Once the couple (they know each other somewhat from being prior acquaintances) start to have feelings, there's a lot of fretting and denying of the attraction. Once they do become intimate it's supposed to be a casual hookup thing, I'm just personally never a fan of the steam happening before the bond or love. The later scenes are eventually more and more into their admittance of loving each other. The hero talks so cute to her a lot of the time which I love but in the next breath he's being quite cussy, the difference between tones was a bit like whiplash at times, sweet and tender then coarse and aggressive, I wish he'd been one way or the other. There are quite a lot of spicy scenes included!
I think there's probably about equal parts smut and plot, I don't know what it was for me but I didn't get into the story at all, I didn't really connect to these characters, I think maybe it was too 'single mother and kids centric' for me, I just found myself skipping around a bunch looking for important relationship moments. The writing is good, there's a ton of heart and passion and emotion in this book and for some reason it just didn't click with me, maybe I was in a funny mood or maybe I thought it would be cozier and cuter than I found it. But please still check it out if it's on your TBR, I felt this way about another book which everyone else gave rave reviews to!
January 29, 2024
When Catrin’s childhood crush returns home after breaking her heart fifteen years ago, she somehow gets roped into traveling across the continent and stealing a few horses alongside him.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Tropes:
Grumpy (her) x sunshine (him)
Forced proximity
Childhood crush
Brother’s best friend
Only one cave
Only one horse
Boatload of angst
This book was firing on all cylinders! The characters are incredible. The world-building is amazing. The romance is swoon-worthy. The plot is engaging and easy to follow. I enjoyed every moment of this read.
Catrin is an awe-inspiring female lead. Burdened with abandonment issues and familial trauma, she still works hard every day to be an incredible single mother to her children. She is fierce and brave despite her flaws. Her character development was such a joy to watch. I see so much of myself in her, and she makes me feel valued and heard.
I usually steer clear of high angst levels in my romance reads, but the angst in this book was written wonderfully well. I enjoyed the way these two complex characters navigated their feelings towards each other while trying to be respectful of the other’s wishes and protect their own hearts from harm.
Again, I find myself fascinated with the side characters that make brief appearances and I crave more stories from this world!
I would highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoyed A Polar Expedition! It is a phenomenal second installment. And there’s quite a bit more spice in this one as well. 👀
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Tropes:
Grumpy (her) x sunshine (him)
Forced proximity
Childhood crush
Brother’s best friend
Only one cave
Only one horse
Boatload of angst
This book was firing on all cylinders! The characters are incredible. The world-building is amazing. The romance is swoon-worthy. The plot is engaging and easy to follow. I enjoyed every moment of this read.
Catrin is an awe-inspiring female lead. Burdened with abandonment issues and familial trauma, she still works hard every day to be an incredible single mother to her children. She is fierce and brave despite her flaws. Her character development was such a joy to watch. I see so much of myself in her, and she makes me feel valued and heard.
I usually steer clear of high angst levels in my romance reads, but the angst in this book was written wonderfully well. I enjoyed the way these two complex characters navigated their feelings towards each other while trying to be respectful of the other’s wishes and protect their own hearts from harm.
Again, I find myself fascinated with the side characters that make brief appearances and I crave more stories from this world!
I would highly recommend this read to anyone who enjoyed A Polar Expedition! It is a phenomenal second installment. And there’s quite a bit more spice in this one as well. 👀
January 12, 2024
- second chance
- single mom
- brother’s best friend
- close proximity
- 🪢ing
On the Care and Keeping of Orcs was my first read by Kass (and book 2 in The Shades of Sanctuary series), and was honestly so freaking cute!
Catrin is a divorced single mom of two, whose childhood crush Torsten is back in town after fifteen years away. The pair parted on pretty awkward terms, but mend their friendship after being roped into an adventure by Catrin’s older brother Berne.
Catrin has always carried a torch for Torsten, who basically falls in love with her instantly upon his return. Things heat up between them rather quickly, but Catrin is hesitant after being burned by her ex.
Their story is cozy and cute and oh so steamy, and I adored Torsten so much. He’s a total cinnamon roll but has the filthiest mouth, which I was not expecting 🤣
- single mom
- brother’s best friend
- close proximity
- 🪢ing
On the Care and Keeping of Orcs was my first read by Kass (and book 2 in The Shades of Sanctuary series), and was honestly so freaking cute!
Catrin is a divorced single mom of two, whose childhood crush Torsten is back in town after fifteen years away. The pair parted on pretty awkward terms, but mend their friendship after being roped into an adventure by Catrin’s older brother Berne.
Catrin has always carried a torch for Torsten, who basically falls in love with her instantly upon his return. Things heat up between them rather quickly, but Catrin is hesitant after being burned by her ex.
Their story is cozy and cute and oh so steamy, and I adored Torsten so much. He’s a total cinnamon roll but has the filthiest mouth, which I was not expecting 🤣
January 19, 2024
“On the Care and Keeping of Orcs” by Kass O’Shire
4⭐️/5⭐️
4🌶/5🌶
“You are my home. You are my direction.”
-This book is so dang cute. I really enjoyed the previous book, “A Polar Expedition”, and was very curious as to what readers could learn more about in regards to the world building in this new installment. I’m pleased to say the author expanded the setting in such a wonderful way, full of depth and charm.
-Compared to the first book, the sequel is even more angsty, but not in a soul crushing way. You’ve got Cat and Tor, childhood friends who were separated before their mutual affection could develop into a true romance. They lost contact, but the feelings between the two of them were never resolved. Tor is back at the Sanctuary, after fifteen years, and Cat quickly realizes she still has very strong feelings for him. The big dilemma comes from whether Tor shares those feelings, and if he does will he give up his independence to stay in Sanctuary with Cat and her children? She feels like it’s asking a lot, so there is a little bit of miscommunication in terms of withholding feelings and thoughts.
-The two main characters are an absolute delight. Tor is not like a typical orc and doesn’t really fit in with the rest of his orc community. He feels listless, and like he’s still searching for that community where he can fit in. Cat is a single mom to two children (twins), and has essentially put her personal/romantic life on hold so she can care for them. I think this is a case of being so entrenched in your current predicament that you can’t see all of the possibilities in front of you, she can’t even fathom changing her life for HERSELF because it’s so different from what her kids are used to.
-The spice was so freaking hot; Tor has a dirty mouth! I loved how expressive and vocal he was, he definitely laid on the praise, which was exactly what Cat was missing from her life. He’s attentive, generous, and puts Cat’s pleasure first. Meanwhile, Cat is making up for lost time, she’s finally able to express a part of herself she’s kept bottled up.
-It’s a bit of an adventurous story mixed with their romance (oh no, there’s only one horse!), but I really appreciate how Tor and Cat’s task never took away from their relationship. They have a very satisfying conclusion, and I loved the epilogue. I also really appreciated the inclusion of Berne and Sirin in so many scenes; I adore those two!
-Overall, I highly recommend reading this book if you’re on the lookout for a monster romance. It feels like such a unique addition to the paranormal romance subgenre (how many other gaslamp monster romances are out there??), and you can really tell the author has put so much heart into not only the setting but also the characters.
4⭐️/5⭐️
4🌶/5🌶
“You are my home. You are my direction.”
-This book is so dang cute. I really enjoyed the previous book, “A Polar Expedition”, and was very curious as to what readers could learn more about in regards to the world building in this new installment. I’m pleased to say the author expanded the setting in such a wonderful way, full of depth and charm.
-Compared to the first book, the sequel is even more angsty, but not in a soul crushing way. You’ve got Cat and Tor, childhood friends who were separated before their mutual affection could develop into a true romance. They lost contact, but the feelings between the two of them were never resolved. Tor is back at the Sanctuary, after fifteen years, and Cat quickly realizes she still has very strong feelings for him. The big dilemma comes from whether Tor shares those feelings, and if he does will he give up his independence to stay in Sanctuary with Cat and her children? She feels like it’s asking a lot, so there is a little bit of miscommunication in terms of withholding feelings and thoughts.
-The two main characters are an absolute delight. Tor is not like a typical orc and doesn’t really fit in with the rest of his orc community. He feels listless, and like he’s still searching for that community where he can fit in. Cat is a single mom to two children (twins), and has essentially put her personal/romantic life on hold so she can care for them. I think this is a case of being so entrenched in your current predicament that you can’t see all of the possibilities in front of you, she can’t even fathom changing her life for HERSELF because it’s so different from what her kids are used to.
-The spice was so freaking hot; Tor has a dirty mouth! I loved how expressive and vocal he was, he definitely laid on the praise, which was exactly what Cat was missing from her life. He’s attentive, generous, and puts Cat’s pleasure first. Meanwhile, Cat is making up for lost time, she’s finally able to express a part of herself she’s kept bottled up.
-It’s a bit of an adventurous story mixed with their romance (oh no, there’s only one horse!), but I really appreciate how Tor and Cat’s task never took away from their relationship. They have a very satisfying conclusion, and I loved the epilogue. I also really appreciated the inclusion of Berne and Sirin in so many scenes; I adore those two!
-Overall, I highly recommend reading this book if you’re on the lookout for a monster romance. It feels like such a unique addition to the paranormal romance subgenre (how many other gaslamp monster romances are out there??), and you can really tell the author has put so much heart into not only the setting but also the characters.
January 25, 2024
KASS DID IT AGAIN! ANOTHER BANGER WITH BEAUTIFUL STORY, LANGUAGE, CHARACTERS, AND DIRTY SPICY GOODNESS.
"After my last work, I was contacted by concerned individuals to inquire if my work needed to be *quite* so explicit to illustrate my point, and such, this book is even more explicit"
AND OH BOY SHE AIN'T LYING!!
I went in with little expectations, just with a gargantuan excitement for Catrin, the hare shifter, and for some good ol' breeding. Yes, I did get that, but fuuuuck did I get so much more. This book had so much heart, you could feel it.
Catrin.
Catrin as a woman, as a mother, as a partner is explored so thoroughly. It made me so fucking happy. I have found it really refreshing reading older FMCs and MMCs who have children but do not have life figured out. Your life is not over because "you're an adult now" or "you have kids now". It is both realistic and so comforting. I releated to Cat a lot more than I expected. She was emotional, horny, anxious, and just wanted the best for her family.
"On any other night, if she were wound up like this, she'd masturbate her brain into submission and get to sleep in a timely fashion."
The first inimate scene was so fucking good. Catrin thinking Torsten was alseep 🥵. Catrin SHIFTING AS A COPING MECHANISM JUST HIT HOME. Making yourself small to feel safer is a feeling a lot of women know too well.
I fucking ATE up the story between Cat and Torsten. Second chance is not always my thing, but when it is paired with childhood friends to lovers, I absolutely melt. And on top of that their parents kept them apart!! I have to know why 😭
"When it came to Catrin, he could feel something. A beginning, perhaps, or hope. Cat would never treat him like a quick fuck, or if he could get through to her, he thought it might be his first chance at somethign real. He wouldn't get anything real though if he didnt show her he was worth it."
Torsten.
I will never love an Orc like I love Torsten. He is my Orc and nothing can change that. I love how soft he was. He was open with his emotions and never really hid anything. He just sometimes felt quite insecure. Which made him so much more real for me. He dirty talks, he praises, and more imporantly he supports his woman. I mean his dirty mouth alone created 80% of the quotes I pulled. Which there are more here:
"I am going to devour your needy little cunt. I want to hear your noises. I want to hear you scream my name, and I dont want you holding back." He sucked her bottom lip in his mouth and she let out a whimper. If he didnt touch her soon, surely she would die.
"I don't know what the fuck I did to deserve this," he said. "But I must have been a very, *very* good boy. You taste just as good as I imagined. Better, because I know that this is all for me. I know that this needy little cunt is dripping, because she wants what I can give her."
When Cat whimpered, he chuckled darkly. "Oh don't worry kitten, Im going to give her everything she needs."
Working lower, he pressed his fingers into her hips, smiling at the dimples they made. "Better than I imagined." He nuzzled his nose into her soft tuft of hair, whispering sgainst her, "This is the altar where I worship. This is where I kneel."
"She tasted like every bright summer day, every happy memory, every lusty dream he'd ever had. She'd become his everything."
Also can I just say
Torstens confidence WAS SO FUCKING HOT. When Cat was dressed hot as fuck and people were lookign at her, he just took pride in that she was *his* and found it hot they could not have her. AND THEN CHERRY ON TOP HE FUCKS HER OUTSIDE IN THE ALLEY TO REMIND HER SHES HIS AND NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE HER 😭 SHE IS SAFE AND HIS. HE EVEN CONFIRMED IT WAS WHAT SHE NEEDED.
PS.
Kass how tf did you get Torsten to make lacation sexy? Goddamn!!! 😍
PPS. Tor is most definitely not a bore (iykyk)
"After my last work, I was contacted by concerned individuals to inquire if my work needed to be *quite* so explicit to illustrate my point, and such, this book is even more explicit"
AND OH BOY SHE AIN'T LYING!!
I went in with little expectations, just with a gargantuan excitement for Catrin, the hare shifter, and for some good ol' breeding. Yes, I did get that, but fuuuuck did I get so much more. This book had so much heart, you could feel it.
Catrin.
Catrin as a woman, as a mother, as a partner is explored so thoroughly. It made me so fucking happy. I have found it really refreshing reading older FMCs and MMCs who have children but do not have life figured out. Your life is not over because "you're an adult now" or "you have kids now". It is both realistic and so comforting. I releated to Cat a lot more than I expected. She was emotional, horny, anxious, and just wanted the best for her family.
"On any other night, if she were wound up like this, she'd masturbate her brain into submission and get to sleep in a timely fashion."
The first inimate scene was so fucking good. Catrin thinking Torsten was alseep 🥵. Catrin SHIFTING AS A COPING MECHANISM JUST HIT HOME. Making yourself small to feel safer is a feeling a lot of women know too well.
I fucking ATE up the story between Cat and Torsten. Second chance is not always my thing, but when it is paired with childhood friends to lovers, I absolutely melt. And on top of that their parents kept them apart!! I have to know why 😭
"When it came to Catrin, he could feel something. A beginning, perhaps, or hope. Cat would never treat him like a quick fuck, or if he could get through to her, he thought it might be his first chance at somethign real. He wouldn't get anything real though if he didnt show her he was worth it."
Torsten.
I will never love an Orc like I love Torsten. He is my Orc and nothing can change that. I love how soft he was. He was open with his emotions and never really hid anything. He just sometimes felt quite insecure. Which made him so much more real for me. He dirty talks, he praises, and more imporantly he supports his woman. I mean his dirty mouth alone created 80% of the quotes I pulled. Which there are more here:
"I am going to devour your needy little cunt. I want to hear your noises. I want to hear you scream my name, and I dont want you holding back." He sucked her bottom lip in his mouth and she let out a whimper. If he didnt touch her soon, surely she would die.
"I don't know what the fuck I did to deserve this," he said. "But I must have been a very, *very* good boy. You taste just as good as I imagined. Better, because I know that this is all for me. I know that this needy little cunt is dripping, because she wants what I can give her."
When Cat whimpered, he chuckled darkly. "Oh don't worry kitten, Im going to give her everything she needs."
Working lower, he pressed his fingers into her hips, smiling at the dimples they made. "Better than I imagined." He nuzzled his nose into her soft tuft of hair, whispering sgainst her, "This is the altar where I worship. This is where I kneel."
"She tasted like every bright summer day, every happy memory, every lusty dream he'd ever had. She'd become his everything."
Also can I just say
Torstens confidence WAS SO FUCKING HOT. When Cat was dressed hot as fuck and people were lookign at her, he just took pride in that she was *his* and found it hot they could not have her. AND THEN CHERRY ON TOP HE FUCKS HER OUTSIDE IN THE ALLEY TO REMIND HER SHES HIS AND NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE HER 😭 SHE IS SAFE AND HIS. HE EVEN CONFIRMED IT WAS WHAT SHE NEEDED.
PS.
Kass how tf did you get Torsten to make lacation sexy? Goddamn!!! 😍
PPS. Tor is most definitely not a bore (iykyk)
January 14, 2024
An easy 5⭐️
I received this ARC early (since the author received it back early) and absolutely devoured it. I am once again intensely enamoured with the way these books are “written” by Sirin (our researching FMC from Book 1), and include foot notes that add little tidbits and hints for upcoming storylines (?)
Torsten and Cat were a lot of fun to read about. Seeing them get their second chance whilst on their “quest” brought a lot of laughs, some heartache and a whole lot of love. Torsten really has a mouth on him too 😳
I can’t wait to continue with the Shades of Sanctuary and to learn more about its going ons.
You can look forward to On the Care and Keeping of Orcs releasing January 25th, and thank you so much again to Kass for letting me be part of the ARC team
I received this ARC early (since the author received it back early) and absolutely devoured it. I am once again intensely enamoured with the way these books are “written” by Sirin (our researching FMC from Book 1), and include foot notes that add little tidbits and hints for upcoming storylines (?)
Torsten and Cat were a lot of fun to read about. Seeing them get their second chance whilst on their “quest” brought a lot of laughs, some heartache and a whole lot of love. Torsten really has a mouth on him too 😳
I can’t wait to continue with the Shades of Sanctuary and to learn more about its going ons.
You can look forward to On the Care and Keeping of Orcs releasing January 25th, and thank you so much again to Kass for letting me be part of the ARC team
January 16, 2024
I LOVED this book to BITS! 😩💚💚💚
"You're thinking too much. You want to stop thinking, kitten? Say the word and I'll make sure you can't think at all."
----------------------—
Story rating: 5.0 ⭐️
Romance rating: 10.0 ⭐️
Spice level: 3.5 🌶️
Smut frequency: 4.0⏳
----------------------—
Tropes:
👀 Brother's best friend
✨ Kinda second chance
🐴 Going on an adventure together
🐇 Curvy human, single mom of 2 FMC
💚 Super sweet, flirty (and pierced) orc MMC
📏 Size difference
----------------------—
~ STORY & PLOT 📝 ~
I said it for A Polar Expedition, and it's true for this book too: I adore the footnotes. They add a little je-ne-sais-quoi that makes me excited when I see the little number that indicates there's one. 😂✨
Here I was expecting a cozy story much like book 1, and I got on the roller coaster holding for my dear life 🤣! How many emotions can you experience at once??! (Disclaimer: half of those emotions were maybe due to Tor calling Cat "Kitten”... I am a mere human. 👀😮💨)
This book was just me being giddy one second, hot the next, and heartbroken the one after... on repeat. Until the end. 😂
Seriously tho, I can't begin to say how much I loved it. The pace is perfect, all the characters are chef kisses, and the story in itself is simple & yet so marvelous. 💚✨
~ ROMANCE & MAIN CHARACTERS 💖 ~
First, I didn't know I could love more Sirin after her OWN book AND epilogue, but I guess, here I am??
But to go back to our MCs:
Catrin is amazing, heart on her sleeve (even tho she tries not to 😂), an incredible mom, and her journey through this book is just the best kind of healing 😌🦋
Torsten is the orc we all want I'm telling you! Playful, flirty, with a DAMN mouth on him and, well, all the other orc things that make us read monster romance hehehe😈❤️🔥
Never been more happy about a HEA than theirs I swear. 😩✨
~ SPICE 🌶️ ~
The spice begins quickly enough and then is steady until the end 🙌🔥
If you're reading this book, you'll be in for:
💚 knotting
💚 c*m appreciation
💚 size difference
💚 he's pierced in all the right places
💚 a lil' of breeding kink
💚 plus size body appreciation
----------------------—
This is an arc review. Thanks to the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖
----------------------—
"You're thinking too much. You want to stop thinking, kitten? Say the word and I'll make sure you can't think at all."
----------------------—
Story rating: 5.0 ⭐️
Romance rating: 10.0 ⭐️
Spice level: 3.5 🌶️
Smut frequency: 4.0⏳
----------------------—
Tropes:
👀 Brother's best friend
✨ Kinda second chance
🐴 Going on an adventure together
🐇 Curvy human, single mom of 2 FMC
💚 Super sweet, flirty (and pierced) orc MMC
📏 Size difference
----------------------—
~ STORY & PLOT 📝 ~
I said it for A Polar Expedition, and it's true for this book too: I adore the footnotes. They add a little je-ne-sais-quoi that makes me excited when I see the little number that indicates there's one. 😂✨
Here I was expecting a cozy story much like book 1, and I got on the roller coaster holding for my dear life 🤣! How many emotions can you experience at once??! (Disclaimer: half of those emotions were maybe due to Tor calling Cat "Kitten”... I am a mere human. 👀😮💨)
This book was just me being giddy one second, hot the next, and heartbroken the one after... on repeat. Until the end. 😂
Seriously tho, I can't begin to say how much I loved it. The pace is perfect, all the characters are chef kisses, and the story in itself is simple & yet so marvelous. 💚✨
~ ROMANCE & MAIN CHARACTERS 💖 ~
First, I didn't know I could love more Sirin after her OWN book AND epilogue, but I guess, here I am??
But to go back to our MCs:
Catrin is amazing, heart on her sleeve (even tho she tries not to 😂), an incredible mom, and her journey through this book is just the best kind of healing 😌🦋
Torsten is the orc we all want I'm telling you! Playful, flirty, with a DAMN mouth on him and, well, all the other orc things that make us read monster romance hehehe😈❤️🔥
Never been more happy about a HEA than theirs I swear. 😩✨
~ SPICE 🌶️ ~
The spice begins quickly enough and then is steady until the end 🙌🔥
If you're reading this book, you'll be in for:
💚 knotting
💚 c*m appreciation
💚 size difference
💚 he's pierced in all the right places
💚 a lil' of breeding kink
💚 plus size body appreciation
----------------------—
This is an arc review. Thanks to the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖
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January 12, 2024
How adorable was this?
Cat was a single mom of 2 half orc children and a lot of emotional baggage. Torsten was her brother’s best friend and was lonely AF. They were so tender with each other, and the kids.
I’ve enjoyed that even though this series is gaslamp, it is not inundated with purity culture or homophobia. It’s all been very sex positive. The writing style with the footnotes is unique and took a minute to get used to, but O’Shire hit their stride in this book.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: sexual harassment, divorce (off page), absent father, grief, childhood neglect (parents of MC), indentured servitude (off page)
Cat was a single mom of 2 half orc children and a lot of emotional baggage. Torsten was her brother’s best friend and was lonely AF. They were so tender with each other, and the kids.
I’ve enjoyed that even though this series is gaslamp, it is not inundated with purity culture or homophobia. It’s all been very sex positive. The writing style with the footnotes is unique and took a minute to get used to, but O’Shire hit their stride in this book.
Spice: 5/5
Triggers: sexual harassment, divorce (off page), absent father, grief, childhood neglect (parents of MC), indentured servitude (off page)
October 10, 2024
“But, I don’t want you to promise anything because I’m sick of broken promises.”
Segunda parte de la saga “The shades of Sanctuary”. Me ha gustado, pero tampoco fascinado. Siento que el punto fuerte de esta saga es la pasión que le pone la autora y el mundo que ha creado. Sin embargo, en cuanto se refiere a personajes siento que le falta algo de desarrollo. Supongo que me esperaba más
Segunda parte de la saga “The shades of Sanctuary”. Me ha gustado, pero tampoco fascinado. Siento que el punto fuerte de esta saga es la pasión que le pone la autora y el mundo que ha creado. Sin embargo, en cuanto se refiere a personajes siento que le falta algo de desarrollo. Supongo que me esperaba más
January 15, 2024
3.5 ⭐️/ 3 🌶️
I read the ARC version of this and it’s super cute and steamy. I liked that it went back and forth between Cat and Torsten so I could see both perspectives. The world building was a bit tough for me, but the footnotes were really helpful in providing more context.
Edit: This book was described as a standalone, but is the second book in a series. The first book filled in a lot of the questions/gaps in story building for me.
I read the ARC version of this and it’s super cute and steamy. I liked that it went back and forth between Cat and Torsten so I could see both perspectives. The world building was a bit tough for me, but the footnotes were really helpful in providing more context.
Edit: This book was described as a standalone, but is the second book in a series. The first book filled in a lot of the questions/gaps in story building for me.
January 23, 2024
I received an ARC of On the Care and Keeping of Orcs from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It was a cute read but I found myself skimming through the first 5 chapters instead of reading fully reading them.
The last half of the book was better but I did find it kind of slow.
I wish the author the best of luck with her future books!
"This is the altar where I worship. This is where I kneel."
It was a cute read but I found myself skimming through the first 5 chapters instead of reading fully reading them.
The last half of the book was better but I did find it kind of slow.
I wish the author the best of luck with her future books!
"This is the altar where I worship. This is where I kneel."
February 4, 2024
As many of you know I absolutely adored the first book in this series, A Polar Expedition: and Other Stimulating Research Opportunities. Whew, I love a long winded title for book, they make me giggle. When I found out Kass was looking for permanent peeps for her arc team I applied so fast and thank you SO much Kass for letting be apart of your team. Also, thank you so much for your understanding and patience. It took me a bit to read this book because my kids occupy so much of my time.
With that being said I read 50% of this book in one night because I decided to stay up late and now I’m done and queue me kicking my legs and smiling. This series is a gaslamp monster romance story about Cat (the MMC from the first books sister) and Torsten. He’s the brother’s best friend, and sort of the one who got away. She fell in love with him at a young age and feelings weren’t necessarily reciprocated, I suppose this romance is also a second chance romance in a way.
One of my favorite things about the first book, and this book is the world building, and the footnotes. I just really love the added world building/background that is provided to the reader about a scene or maybe a situation or maybe a certain word or Country even, etc. Even though the story is first and foremost a romance, I really appreciate the time the author takes to build a rich environment to fall in love with.
Cat is a single mom to twins and is such an incredible woman. She’s strong, resourceful, and loves with her whole chest but because of her past with her twins father and some issues with her parents, she doesn’t seem to see the value in herself. So there’s a lot of growth you see with her throughout the book. Torsten is loyal through and through and absolutely adores Cat. The minute he sees her again, he knows he has to have her and will do anything to keep her. The story had the perfect amount of angst without driving you insane. Then the spice comes into the picture and it’s steaming hot.
I don’t really want to spoil any of the story for any of you who may be interested in reading this book which why wouldn’t you be? But I will leave you with some of my favorite tropes that are in this book.
-Only one Cave
-Only one Horse
-Brothers best friend
-Childhood crush
-Forced Proximity
-Single Parent
-Friends to Lovers
-Top tier dirty talk
-Hare Shifter
-Orcs, knots and copious amounts of fluids.
-Sex Positive
-Trans rep
PS: I can’t wait for Aegir’s story.
January 24, 2024
First off I would like to thank Kass O’Shire for an arc of On The Care and Keeping of Orcs for exchange of my honest review.
Trigger or content warning? Included in book under the Content Advisory.
Details?
The FMC’s name is Catrin, and she is 27 years old. The MMC’s name is Torsten and he is 32 years old.
Catrin confessed to being in love with Torsten when she was 12 years old and he was 17 years old. He was horrified (she was just a kid and he obviously didn’t see her that way) and left for the Orchish Armies.
During the separation he’s been with others, all one night stands. Catrin has been with one other man, and it is her Baby-Daddy (Edrigu). She slept with the OM, and got pregnant with twins.
Catrin has 5 year old twins. One child is cisgender and the other child is transgender. Majority of the book her son is misgendered unknowingly, but it is cleared up at the end and he chooses his proper name and tells Catrin what’s been going on.
My thoughts?
It’s a bit funny because most second chance romances I dislike when the MMC is more sexually active than the FMC, and that she was heart broken while he was not. It’s actually a dynamic I try and avoid when possible but I didn’t mind it in Catrin and Torsten’s book. He may not have been heart broken, but he was deeply upset to see her so upset. He loved Catrin, he just wasn’t in love with her.
Catrin is the younger sister of Berne (the MMC from the first book in the series). Berne is the same age as Torsten. So Catrin had always been the younger sister following along, and getting herself stuck in places where Torsten would need to help her. Which is a bit hilarious considering he calls her Kitten because of that. Torsten has watched her grow as a baby into a child and loves her, but is not in love with Catrin. Thank. Goodness. I would have been very disturbed if a 17 year old would have been romantically interested in a 12 year old. It would have been an automatic DNF if that was the case, but thank the gods, it wasn’t and I continued on with reading.
When he comes back to the Sanctuary, Catrin is now grown. A woman he can see in a new light. Curves, curls, and a stubbornly protected heart. I think she would have gone easier on him if he would have wrote back to her letters, but after leaving Catrin heartbroken he also never wrote to her nor wrote her back. So not only did she have her 12 year old heart broken, but the platonic love they shared also withered from lack of contact. The combination of what happened with Torsten, and what (more) recently happened with Edrigu has left a scar on her heart in regards to romance. Edrigu seemed like a breath of fresh air in a place she had lived all of her life, and not going to lie I don’t blame her for jumping that Orc when given the chance. It did end with Catrin being even more wary of people leaving, which is definitely a hurdle she’s trying to get over during the book.
Then on the family side of things, Annika disappeared 13 years ago. Annika is the middle child and Catrin looks exactly like her. In their parent’s grief, they’ve turned into real assholes. Berne doesn’t get the brunt of it, but Catrin does. They cherry-pick the parts that they want from Catrin, but show no actual support in her life and for her children. I really thought that there would be more of a confrontation. There is no satisfyingly “stick it to them!!” moment that I was craving after reading about the negative impact they’ve had on Catrin’s life (also Catrin and Torsten’s relationship over the past 15 years). They played this background villain that came to no head, which was painfully realistic for how most family conflicts play out even if it was unsatisfying.
I have to emphasize that Catrin does have bright spots in her life though. She has a strong bond with her older brother Berne, and by extension now a strong bond with his mate Sirin. Berne has an active roll in the twins lives and it was cute to read how much they love him and he loves them. The twins are also two bright spots in Catrin’s life, and keep her going from day to day. Having twin 5 year olds is definitely keeping her on her toes. Berne is still head over heels (or paws heh heh heh) for Sirin, and that plays into the heist Torsten and Catrin pull off. Catrin’s talented artistically, and is a wonderful potter for the town with more than enough orders to keep her being a busy-body.
It was interesting to read about an orc having a special *clears throat* package. It definitely made for some intense spicy scenes. There was also an interesting play on having sex toys, and how Catrin made hers in…Torsten’s likeness. Which I honestly thought was amusing because it adds another level of being dicked-down so good that it wipes your mind. Making the orders! she should have been? Nope. Dickmatized so good she recreated it? You’re darn right.
Overall, I did really enjoy their story even if I wanted to clack Catrin and Torsten’s noggins together at points. So if you’re looking for: I-tried-to-do-no-attachment-sex-and-I-failed, childhood-friends to grown-up-now-lovers, both-have-experienced-some-shit-in-their-lifetimes, and we-went-on-an-adventure-and-now-have-to-be-around-each-other in your reading, I would definitely suggest checking this out.
Trigger or content warning? Included in book under the Content Advisory.
Details?
The FMC’s name is Catrin, and she is 27 years old. The MMC’s name is Torsten and he is 32 years old.
Catrin confessed to being in love with Torsten when she was 12 years old and he was 17 years old. He was horrified (she was just a kid and he obviously didn’t see her that way) and left for the Orchish Armies.
During the separation he’s been with others, all one night stands. Catrin has been with one other man, and it is her Baby-Daddy (Edrigu). She slept with the OM, and got pregnant with twins.
Catrin has 5 year old twins. One child is cisgender and the other child is transgender. Majority of the book her son is misgendered unknowingly, but it is cleared up at the end and he chooses his proper name and tells Catrin what’s been going on.
My thoughts?
It’s a bit funny because most second chance romances I dislike when the MMC is more sexually active than the FMC, and that she was heart broken while he was not. It’s actually a dynamic I try and avoid when possible but I didn’t mind it in Catrin and Torsten’s book. He may not have been heart broken, but he was deeply upset to see her so upset. He loved Catrin, he just wasn’t in love with her.
Catrin is the younger sister of Berne (the MMC from the first book in the series). Berne is the same age as Torsten. So Catrin had always been the younger sister following along, and getting herself stuck in places where Torsten would need to help her. Which is a bit hilarious considering he calls her Kitten because of that. Torsten has watched her grow as a baby into a child and loves her, but is not in love with Catrin. Thank. Goodness. I would have been very disturbed if a 17 year old would have been romantically interested in a 12 year old. It would have been an automatic DNF if that was the case, but thank the gods, it wasn’t and I continued on with reading.
When he comes back to the Sanctuary, Catrin is now grown. A woman he can see in a new light. Curves, curls, and a stubbornly protected heart. I think she would have gone easier on him if he would have wrote back to her letters, but after leaving Catrin heartbroken he also never wrote to her nor wrote her back. So not only did she have her 12 year old heart broken, but the platonic love they shared also withered from lack of contact. The combination of what happened with Torsten, and what (more) recently happened with Edrigu has left a scar on her heart in regards to romance. Edrigu seemed like a breath of fresh air in a place she had lived all of her life, and not going to lie I don’t blame her for jumping that Orc when given the chance. It did end with Catrin being even more wary of people leaving, which is definitely a hurdle she’s trying to get over during the book.
Then on the family side of things, Annika disappeared 13 years ago. Annika is the middle child and Catrin looks exactly like her. In their parent’s grief, they’ve turned into real assholes. Berne doesn’t get the brunt of it, but Catrin does. They cherry-pick the parts that they want from Catrin, but show no actual support in her life and for her children. I really thought that there would be more of a confrontation. There is no satisfyingly “stick it to them!!” moment that I was craving after reading about the negative impact they’ve had on Catrin’s life (also Catrin and Torsten’s relationship over the past 15 years). They played this background villain that came to no head, which was painfully realistic for how most family conflicts play out even if it was unsatisfying.
I have to emphasize that Catrin does have bright spots in her life though. She has a strong bond with her older brother Berne, and by extension now a strong bond with his mate Sirin. Berne has an active roll in the twins lives and it was cute to read how much they love him and he loves them. The twins are also two bright spots in Catrin’s life, and keep her going from day to day. Having twin 5 year olds is definitely keeping her on her toes. Berne is still head over heels (or paws heh heh heh) for Sirin, and that plays into the heist Torsten and Catrin pull off. Catrin’s talented artistically, and is a wonderful potter for the town with more than enough orders to keep her being a busy-body.
It was interesting to read about an orc having a special *clears throat* package. It definitely made for some intense spicy scenes. There was also an interesting play on having sex toys, and how Catrin made hers in…Torsten’s likeness. Which I honestly thought was amusing because it adds another level of being dicked-down so good that it wipes your mind. Making the orders! she should have been? Nope. Dickmatized so good she recreated it? You’re darn right.
Overall, I did really enjoy their story even if I wanted to clack Catrin and Torsten’s noggins together at points. So if you’re looking for: I-tried-to-do-no-attachment-sex-and-I-failed, childhood-friends to grown-up-now-lovers, both-have-experienced-some-shit-in-their-lifetimes, and we-went-on-an-adventure-and-now-have-to-be-around-each-other in your reading, I would definitely suggest checking this out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-finish
April 28, 2024DNF at 11%.
This book is annoying me. So many footnotes that make no sense. It seems like it's supposed to be cute and make you think someone wrote this as a history. If it were written in first person it might work. Or if it were written as a history, maybe. But it's written with all the internal monologuing.
This book is annoying me. So many footnotes that make no sense. It seems like it's supposed to be cute and make you think someone wrote this as a history. If it were written in first person it might work. Or if it were written as a history, maybe. But it's written with all the internal monologuing.
January 17, 2024
Arc review: Holy crap that was amazing! I loved it! The story is so cute and well smutty. But it’s a monster smut book so I thought I was ready but that was totally different but enjoyable. I fell in love with the main characters and will admit I teared up a little towards the end. I absolutely enjoyed this book and recommend to anyone looking for their next monster smut book!
January 18, 2024
Cat and Tor.. omg my heart. I cried, twice at least. Possibly more. I’m obsessed. All the feelings, the tropes: second chance-ish, brothers best friend, friends to lovers. The kiddos, the inclusivity. Ugh just everything about the story. This story was everything. Give me more.
I need to go read the first book in this series immediately. Anything else Kass has written. Give it to me. I won’t go on without it. Take my money. All of it. Now. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Goodnight. 😂
I need to go read the first book in this series immediately. Anything else Kass has written. Give it to me. I won’t go on without it. Take my money. All of it. Now. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Goodnight. 😂
January 30, 2024
I think we all need our partner to talk dirty to us the way Tor does. This book is my new standard for dirty talk and I will accept nothing less!
Seriously though this book had it all, excellent characters, expanding on the incredible world introduced in the first book, adventure, delicious tension, spicy scenes that will be living rent free in my head for ages, humor, just enough angst to hit you and the feels, and Cat’s adorable children to warm your heart.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
Seriously though this book had it all, excellent characters, expanding on the incredible world introduced in the first book, adventure, delicious tension, spicy scenes that will be living rent free in my head for ages, humor, just enough angst to hit you and the feels, and Cat’s adorable children to warm your heart.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 2, 2025
I was knot disappointed 😏
a couple of horny dummies being dumb and horny for the plot; what more could you ask for?!
a couple of horny dummies being dumb and horny for the plot; what more could you ask for?!
January 27, 2024
Listen, I loved Berne but Torsten is *chefs kiss*
Cat is a lucky lady.
This was such a joy to read. I really enjoyed the family aspect and I am always a sucker for deep mutual pining.
The way the author wrote the twins was so wonderfully done and handled with care. I really enjoyed those added bits to the story.
And the spice…was awesome. They were so much fun!
Cat is a lucky lady.
This was such a joy to read. I really enjoyed the family aspect and I am always a sucker for deep mutual pining.
The way the author wrote the twins was so wonderfully done and handled with care. I really enjoyed those added bits to the story.
And the spice…was awesome. They were so much fun!
January 13, 2024
I adored this book! The spice to story ratio is on point! It also gave me lots of feels, in a good way. I didn’t realize it was the 2nd book in a series so I read it as a standalone but I’ll definitely be going back to read the first one now.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the queer-normative world. There’s a coming out storyline (not the main characters) and it’s so beautiful.
As someone in their 30s, it was really nice to read a book with protagonists my own age. I could really relate to both main characters.
Def recommend & will def be reading more of Kass’s work!
(I received an arc of OTCACOO but my review is honest & unbiased)
One of my favorite parts of this book is the queer-normative world. There’s a coming out storyline (not the main characters) and it’s so beautiful.
As someone in their 30s, it was really nice to read a book with protagonists my own age. I could really relate to both main characters.
Def recommend & will def be reading more of Kass’s work!
(I received an arc of OTCACOO but my review is honest & unbiased)
July 31, 2025
3.5 stars! I really think this book improves a lot on the first installment.
The characters were more fleshed out and the plot feels like it was designed with a novel length in mind (not much filler and steady pace).
Some of the “tropes” and such weren’t my favorite though. The spice is also more present (almost too spicy for me but probably perfect for others). Each scene was meaningful in the character development but it did tend to run together for me.
I think the angst was a little high for a truly “cozy” read but the book has some great messages. I liked the body positivity and the acceptance of one side characters transition as well as the normalization of the identity of several others.
The characters were more fleshed out and the plot feels like it was designed with a novel length in mind (not much filler and steady pace).
Some of the “tropes” and such weren’t my favorite though. The spice is also more present (almost too spicy for me but probably perfect for others). Each scene was meaningful in the character development but it did tend to run together for me.
I think the angst was a little high for a truly “cozy” read but the book has some great messages. I liked the body positivity and the acceptance of one side characters transition as well as the normalization of the identity of several others.
January 31, 2024
I gotta admit that I did not expect that anything would top Berne and Sirin’s story for me..but here I am saying Kass did it again!! Beautifully written with the fun footnote experience that is unique to Kass’s story telling, this was like a warm horny hug in the middle of winter, and I loved it so much!
I just wanna climb Tor like a tree and have him call me his kitten and tell me I’m taking him so well 😭 I can see why Catrin was such a goner for him. The entire time I wanted to smack them both upside the head so they’d realize what dummies they were being! It took some forced proximity over the course of a couple of weeks on the road, for them to realize just how perfect they were for each other, but it had always been undeniable to everyone around them. They (let’s be honest, mostly Catrin) continued to put up a fight and so their insecurities almost cost them their forever.
Single mom, absent baby daddy, found family, cute af orc kids, big burly orc, pierced peen, alley banging, love letters, and a sprinkle of lactation shmink..this one has got it all! And because I am a sucker for an angsty second chance romance, I bawled my eyes out. But their HEA made it so worth it! Also—I can’t stress this enough but, orc kids> human kids in books all day every day. Read this!
I just wanna climb Tor like a tree and have him call me his kitten and tell me I’m taking him so well 😭 I can see why Catrin was such a goner for him. The entire time I wanted to smack them both upside the head so they’d realize what dummies they were being! It took some forced proximity over the course of a couple of weeks on the road, for them to realize just how perfect they were for each other, but it had always been undeniable to everyone around them. They (let’s be honest, mostly Catrin) continued to put up a fight and so their insecurities almost cost them their forever.
Single mom, absent baby daddy, found family, cute af orc kids, big burly orc, pierced peen, alley banging, love letters, and a sprinkle of lactation shmink..this one has got it all! And because I am a sucker for an angsty second chance romance, I bawled my eyes out. But their HEA made it so worth it! Also—I can’t stress this enough but, orc kids> human kids in books all day every day. Read this!
dnf-or-hell-no
March 17, 2024DNFing about a fourth of the way in for second hand embarrassment and cringe.
February 25, 2024
Honestly not great? Kind boring and nothing happened
February 3, 2024
On the Care and Keeping of Orcs by Kass O´Shire
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️🌶️🌶️*
“You are my home. You are my direction.”
Q: Have you ever read a monster romance?
Would you go on a mission with an attractive orc who broke your heart when you were children? Would you sleep next to them in a tiny cave? - Well, I’m glad Cat did.
Cat is a wonderful and caring single mom to two little Orc children. But besides that, she’s fierce and determined to not get her heart broken again!
But here comes her childhood crush Torsten. A literal cinnamon roll, who’s giving golden retriever vibes. Besides being an attractive, handsome orc, he´s caring, soft and always comforting Cat.
Their love story was wonderful, they were cute, they were funny, they were sexy!
The pace was really good, it wasn’t too fast or too slow. The main AND side characters were *chefs kiss*! 🤌🏼
„Either talk dirty or shut the f*ck up, Tor.“
Oh, the spice was spicy. The first scene.. omg. No spoilers here but if you know, you know. He´s attentive, flirty, playful and putting her pleasure first.
And well, there are those other things why you would read an orc romance.. 😮💨
If you’re looking for a monster romance, this is a good book to dive into it!
The world building is good and smooth and there are footnotes!
tropes:
- brothers best friend
- curvy human single mom
- horse heist
- forced proximity (one horse & one cave)
- he´s pierced (in all the right places)
- knotting
- size difference
*spice level:
This book has a loooot of spicy scenes. They’re open door with detailed descriptions and explicit language.
Pages: 296
This book was read as an ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️🌶️🌶️*
“You are my home. You are my direction.”
Q: Have you ever read a monster romance?
Would you go on a mission with an attractive orc who broke your heart when you were children? Would you sleep next to them in a tiny cave? - Well, I’m glad Cat did.
Cat is a wonderful and caring single mom to two little Orc children. But besides that, she’s fierce and determined to not get her heart broken again!
But here comes her childhood crush Torsten. A literal cinnamon roll, who’s giving golden retriever vibes. Besides being an attractive, handsome orc, he´s caring, soft and always comforting Cat.
Their love story was wonderful, they were cute, they were funny, they were sexy!
The pace was really good, it wasn’t too fast or too slow. The main AND side characters were *chefs kiss*! 🤌🏼
„Either talk dirty or shut the f*ck up, Tor.“
Oh, the spice was spicy. The first scene.. omg. No spoilers here but if you know, you know. He´s attentive, flirty, playful and putting her pleasure first.
And well, there are those other things why you would read an orc romance.. 😮💨
If you’re looking for a monster romance, this is a good book to dive into it!
The world building is good and smooth and there are footnotes!
tropes:
- brothers best friend
- curvy human single mom
- horse heist
- forced proximity (one horse & one cave)
- he´s pierced (in all the right places)
- knotting
- size difference
*spice level:
This book has a loooot of spicy scenes. They’re open door with detailed descriptions and explicit language.
Pages: 296
This book was read as an ARC.
January 29, 2024
So hot! So right! So utterly perfect!
Quote:📖
"This is the altar where I worship. This is where I kneel."
Thoughts: 💡
Holy shit my dudes, this was so freaking hot!
Kat’s books are always fun and forward thinking. I love her spirit and her voice. These characters will make you laugh, cry, cheer them on, and maybe want to punch them a time or two.
Writing Mechanics: ✍️
There are minor formatting errors but over all the writing and characters are wonderfully compelling and the smut is 🔥. I enjoy these books and highly recommend them if you love a good orc or shifter smut filled fantasy.
Fun Bits:
🌬️ Exhausted single mom
💚 Orc "brother's best friend"
🐇 Shifting as an avoidance tactic
🌞 Grumpy/sunshine where he's sunshine
🐎 A horse heist
🗻 There's only one cave
🥵 "We aren't together, we are just 🍆🍑"
😈 A lactating smut scene🥛💦🍆
Important Note:✨
This is the second book, in an interconnected standalone series.
Full Content Warning:⚠️
This work contains: Explicit sexual content, mentions of breeding, mentions of pregnancy, children, parental abandonment, lactation during sex, loss of a sibling (historical), minor violence, and spousal abandonment (historical). It also follows the story of a transitioning child, but I thought it was handled beautifully.
Stats:📊
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: 💙💙💙💙💙
Gaslamp Fantasy Romance: Monster Love, Shifter/Orc Romance, Second Chances, Single Parent, Shenanigans
POV: Dual 👩❤️👨
⚠️ Loss, Abandonment, Violence, and Monster Smut
Quote:📖
"This is the altar where I worship. This is where I kneel."
Thoughts: 💡
Holy shit my dudes, this was so freaking hot!
Kat’s books are always fun and forward thinking. I love her spirit and her voice. These characters will make you laugh, cry, cheer them on, and maybe want to punch them a time or two.
Writing Mechanics: ✍️
There are minor formatting errors but over all the writing and characters are wonderfully compelling and the smut is 🔥. I enjoy these books and highly recommend them if you love a good orc or shifter smut filled fantasy.
Fun Bits:
🌬️ Exhausted single mom
💚 Orc "brother's best friend"
🐇 Shifting as an avoidance tactic
🌞 Grumpy/sunshine where he's sunshine
🐎 A horse heist
🗻 There's only one cave
🥵 "We aren't together, we are just 🍆🍑"
😈 A lactating smut scene🥛💦🍆
Important Note:✨
This is the second book, in an interconnected standalone series.
Full Content Warning:⚠️
This work contains: Explicit sexual content, mentions of breeding, mentions of pregnancy, children, parental abandonment, lactation during sex, loss of a sibling (historical), minor violence, and spousal abandonment (historical). It also follows the story of a transitioning child, but I thought it was handled beautifully.
Stats:📊
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: 💙💙💙💙💙
Gaslamp Fantasy Romance: Monster Love, Shifter/Orc Romance, Second Chances, Single Parent, Shenanigans
POV: Dual 👩❤️👨
⚠️ Loss, Abandonment, Violence, and Monster Smut
October 9, 2024
I was in the mood for something cozy with monsters and I knew from previously reading Kass that she would get the job done and done right with On the Care And Keeping of Orcs. I don’t wanna pat myself on the back here but….I was right of course.
Catrin is a single mom of twin half orc daughters. Their father really isn’t in the picture so poor Catrin is feeling overwhelmed and in the dark when it comes to dealing with her daughter’s orcish traits. No one has taught her orc child care so she’s doing the best she can but some days are really hard.
Enter Torsten: her brother Berne’s best friend and the man she had professed feelings for years and years ago. He left and broke her heart but now he’s back. To make matters worse, she’s brought into her brother’s scheme to go steal back some horses for his mate Sirin. So next thing Cat knows, she’s on a journey alone with Torsten and old feelings and hurts resurface.
Side note: there is a scene where a character comes out as transgender and the scene was written so well. It was a moment full of love and support for this character and I just wanted to mention it because it was so well done.
What to expect:
Single mom
Extra Dirty talking orc
Sexy cave time
Plus size FMC
He’s pierced
Knotting
Horse stealing
He calls her “precious” and “kitten”
Using her panties as a gag
One horse
She makes a replica of his 🍆 for personal use
TW/CW
Mentions of breeding/pregnancy/children,
Parental abandonment, past loss of a sibling, minor violence, past spousal abandonment, explicit sexual scenes,
Catrin is a single mom of twin half orc daughters. Their father really isn’t in the picture so poor Catrin is feeling overwhelmed and in the dark when it comes to dealing with her daughter’s orcish traits. No one has taught her orc child care so she’s doing the best she can but some days are really hard.
Enter Torsten: her brother Berne’s best friend and the man she had professed feelings for years and years ago. He left and broke her heart but now he’s back. To make matters worse, she’s brought into her brother’s scheme to go steal back some horses for his mate Sirin. So next thing Cat knows, she’s on a journey alone with Torsten and old feelings and hurts resurface.
Side note: there is a scene where a character comes out as transgender and the scene was written so well. It was a moment full of love and support for this character and I just wanted to mention it because it was so well done.
What to expect:
Single mom
Extra Dirty talking orc
Sexy cave time
Plus size FMC
He’s pierced
Knotting
Horse stealing
He calls her “precious” and “kitten”
Using her panties as a gag
One horse
She makes a replica of his 🍆 for personal use
TW/CW
Mentions of breeding/pregnancy/children,
Parental abandonment, past loss of a sibling, minor violence, past spousal abandonment, explicit sexual scenes,
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