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Orc Sworn #6.5
Tryggred by the Orc
He’s supposed to run… but he wants to be caught.
In a world of orcs and men, Eben of Clan Ka-esh is shy, awkward, and desperately lonely. No one notices the sickroom’s quietest scholar, not even when he’s saving lives, or offering up decadent pleasures in Orc Mountain’s darkest depths.
Until Tryggr, of Clan Skai. A tall, shameless, laughing orc warrior, who can have anyone he wants...
And Tryggr keeps looking at Eben. Seeing Eben.
But Skai are risky, reckless, dangerous — and all his life, Eben’s been taught to run from them. To hide safe and quiet and alone. Or else he’ll be forever crushed and conquered beneath a deadly Skai’s claws and teeth…
But maybe Eben wants to be conquered.
And maybe Tryggr is just the conqueror he needs…
_____________________
A dark, angsty MM fantasy romance novella. Best read after The Maid and the Orcs, but also reads as a standalone. Happily ever after guaranteed.
In a world of orcs and men, Eben of Clan Ka-esh is shy, awkward, and desperately lonely. No one notices the sickroom’s quietest scholar, not even when he’s saving lives, or offering up decadent pleasures in Orc Mountain’s darkest depths.
Until Tryggr, of Clan Skai. A tall, shameless, laughing orc warrior, who can have anyone he wants...
And Tryggr keeps looking at Eben. Seeing Eben.
But Skai are risky, reckless, dangerous — and all his life, Eben’s been taught to run from them. To hide safe and quiet and alone. Or else he’ll be forever crushed and conquered beneath a deadly Skai’s claws and teeth…
But maybe Eben wants to be conquered.
And maybe Tryggr is just the conqueror he needs…
_____________________
A dark, angsty MM fantasy romance novella. Best read after The Maid and the Orcs, but also reads as a standalone. Happily ever after guaranteed.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2024
212 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
Finley Fenn
21 books1,362 followersFinley Fenn is “the queen of dark orc romance” (Virgo Reader), and her ongoing Orc Sworn series has been praised as “sexy, romantic, angsty, and captivating … utter brilliance” (Romantically Inclined Reviews).
When she’s not obsessing over her stories, Finley loves reading, drooling over delicious orc artwork, and spending time with her incredible readers on Patreon, Discord, and Facebook. She lives in Canada with her beloved family, including her very own grumpy, gorgeous orc mate.
News, free stories, and artwork: www.finleyfenn.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Finley-Fenn/e/...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/finleyfenn
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/finle...
Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorfinleyfenn
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/finleyfenn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/finleyfenn
THE ORC SWORN SERIES
1. The Lady and the Orc
1.5: Offered by the Orc: Free with signup at www.finleyfenn.com
2. The Heiress and the Orc
3. The Librarian and the Orc
4. The Duchess and the Orc
5. The Midwife and the Orc
6. The Maid and the Orcs
6.5. Tryggred by the Orc
7. The Governess and the Orc
7.5. Yuled by the Orcs
8. The Beauty and the Orcs
9. The Widow and the Orcs
10. The Artist and the Orc
THE ORC FORGED SERIES
1. The Sins of the Orc
2. The Fall of the Orc
THE MAGES SERIES
0.5: The Mage's Maid
1. The Mage's Match
1.5: The Mage's Groom: Free with signup at www.finleyfenn.com
2. The Mage's Master
When she’s not obsessing over her stories, Finley loves reading, drooling over delicious orc artwork, and spending time with her incredible readers on Patreon, Discord, and Facebook. She lives in Canada with her beloved family, including her very own grumpy, gorgeous orc mate.
News, free stories, and artwork: www.finleyfenn.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Finley-Fenn/e/...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/finleyfenn
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/finle...
Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorfinleyfenn
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/finleyfenn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/finleyfenn
THE ORC SWORN SERIES
1. The Lady and the Orc
1.5: Offered by the Orc: Free with signup at www.finleyfenn.com
2. The Heiress and the Orc
3. The Librarian and the Orc
4. The Duchess and the Orc
5. The Midwife and the Orc
6. The Maid and the Orcs
6.5. Tryggred by the Orc
7. The Governess and the Orc
7.5. Yuled by the Orcs
8. The Beauty and the Orcs
9. The Widow and the Orcs
10. The Artist and the Orc
THE ORC FORGED SERIES
1. The Sins of the Orc
2. The Fall of the Orc
THE MAGES SERIES
0.5: The Mage's Maid
1. The Mage's Match
1.5: The Mage's Groom: Free with signup at www.finleyfenn.com
2. The Mage's Master
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
October 7, 2024
This is my favorite pairing: the confident one vs the shy introvert. Who will come out on top! Short, sweet, adorable, and a collar. Perfection
November 25, 2024
This was bloody adorable and I enjoyed every second of Eben and Tryggr's story. It's M/M and a novella but is longer than most novellas so a pretty decent length and it's all told from Eben's POV.
This one is going to greatly appeal to readers who are familiar with and invested in this series and are aware of what to expect from it. There are some minor spoilers for other characters within the series, nothing major but if you're a fan you'll have already read about them so it just provides something extra.
It's graphic and filthy and everything I've come to appreciate about this series but it was also filled with such heart and Eben himself is a complete sweetheart. I want to wrap him up and put him in a box just to protect him. I love how much Tryggr appreciates and sees him especially when he's been overlooked and underappreciated by everyone around him for so long. I also adore their dynamic together and these two managed to completely melt my heart.
We also get to see other characters from the series. Alma and her mates make an appearance and Tryggr's dad's who also have there own novella as well so it was lovely to interact with them all again here. I enjoyed this one and loved getting to know these two better.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
October 3, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I have been itching for Tryggr and Eben's story since I first scented them in Yuled by the Orc, and I was not disappointed!
To finally see how this "Skai f*ckboy" landed his sweet, scholarly mate was such a joy.
Still sticking to her usual gritty, angsty, dark plot, Fenn was able to paint a sweet love story and the journey of finding one's self, one's self-worth and contentment in a life that had previously been filled with hurt, dissapointment and misery.
A hurt/comfort trope through and through, there's a very mild third act breakup, but a HEA as per usual.
As with all her novellas, I am in awe of Fenn being to pack that much of a story into a tasty little 200-page snack!
A literary goddess, I always HIGHLY anticipate her next new book and am never disappointed!
I have been itching for Tryggr and Eben's story since I first scented them in Yuled by the Orc, and I was not disappointed!
To finally see how this "Skai f*ckboy" landed his sweet, scholarly mate was such a joy.
Still sticking to her usual gritty, angsty, dark plot, Fenn was able to paint a sweet love story and the journey of finding one's self, one's self-worth and contentment in a life that had previously been filled with hurt, dissapointment and misery.
A hurt/comfort trope through and through, there's a very mild third act breakup, but a HEA as per usual.
As with all her novellas, I am in awe of Fenn being to pack that much of a story into a tasty little 200-page snack!
A literary goddess, I always HIGHLY anticipate her next new book and am never disappointed!
October 3, 2024
I was blessed by Skai-kesh with an ARC of Tryggered by the Orc, Orc Sworn 6.5. A short-ish book (by Finley standards) about Skai fuck boy Tryggr and Eben of Clan Ka- esh. This book was truly full of so much heart. Sometimes in Romancelandia, we tie up all of a MCs problems with a neat little bow and everything is solved by that good D. This story didn't feel that way to me. In Tryggred, Eben has really low self esteem, and I think many of us will find his inner voice relatable. We may relate to his thought patterns and tendency to repeat to himself what was spoken to him in the past. Tryggr is so encouraging as the relationship builds and when these two realize they both want the same things it's so tender. I just know these two could sustain a beautiful relationship, helping each other realize their self worth and working as a team in the mountain.
October 20, 2024
When the author writes a full length novella about the side couple that won your heart with their 5 minutes of page time 💕
Tryggred by the Orc takes us back to the characters and events of The Maid and the Orcs (my fav of the Orc Sworn saga) but this time from the perspective of lil'Eben and his Skai playboy protector Tryggr.
Tryggred by the Orc takes us back to the characters and events of The Maid and the Orcs (my fav of the Orc Sworn saga) but this time from the perspective of lil'Eben and his Skai playboy protector Tryggr.
October 1, 2024
Happy Orc-tober! Orc Sworn is back with this lovely novella featuring boisterous Tryggred and shy Eben!
Sweet, shy Eben of Clan Ka-esh works in the sickroom with Efterar and mostly keeps to himself. There’s a deep sadness in Eben that is just heart-wrenching as the reader; Eben looks for pleasure from others to fill the void in his heart but no one can bring him out of his darkness. 💔
When Eben meets Tryggred, he is immediately enraptured by him. Tryggred is good-natured, loud, and described by many as a Skai f_ckboy 😂 The two bond over watching over Alma and develop a friendship while falling for each other. I loved the moments they had in the scullery together when Eben started to gain his confidence and get validation that he was a worthy member of their community.
I loved the pull Eben and Tryggred had to each other and how much Tryggred cared for Eben. Tryggred was the voice Eben needed when he was too timid to stand up for himself. They balanced each other so well and Tryggred brought Eben out of the darkness that was consuming him day after day. 🥺
This novella is a standalone but The Maid and the Orcs is heavily entwined with this story - I’d recommend reading Alma, Drafli and Baldr’s book before this one! We also had some great appearances from other characters in the series, like Kesst & Efterar and Killik & Ulfarr.
While Eben and Tryggred’s relationship was a slow burn, we didn’t have to wait for the spice to show up in other places at Orc Mountain 😮💨 But building up to the moment between Eben and Tryggred that we know and love from Alma’s book was absolutely worth the wait!
Also, can a girl get Gareth’s book? 😳
I also just really loved Eben - being shy and timid aren’t characteristics we typically pair with Finley’s orcs, but he was so lovely and his personality was a great change up. All the Skai protecting the sweet, pretty Ka-esh, I am so here for it 🥹🫶🏻
Tryggred by the Orc releases on October 3rd! I hope you love this one as much as I did! Thank you so much to Finley Fenn for this ARC 🩷
Sweet, shy Eben of Clan Ka-esh works in the sickroom with Efterar and mostly keeps to himself. There’s a deep sadness in Eben that is just heart-wrenching as the reader; Eben looks for pleasure from others to fill the void in his heart but no one can bring him out of his darkness. 💔
When Eben meets Tryggred, he is immediately enraptured by him. Tryggred is good-natured, loud, and described by many as a Skai f_ckboy 😂 The two bond over watching over Alma and develop a friendship while falling for each other. I loved the moments they had in the scullery together when Eben started to gain his confidence and get validation that he was a worthy member of their community.
I loved the pull Eben and Tryggred had to each other and how much Tryggred cared for Eben. Tryggred was the voice Eben needed when he was too timid to stand up for himself. They balanced each other so well and Tryggred brought Eben out of the darkness that was consuming him day after day. 🥺
This novella is a standalone but The Maid and the Orcs is heavily entwined with this story - I’d recommend reading Alma, Drafli and Baldr’s book before this one! We also had some great appearances from other characters in the series, like Kesst & Efterar and Killik & Ulfarr.
While Eben and Tryggred’s relationship was a slow burn, we didn’t have to wait for the spice to show up in other places at Orc Mountain 😮💨 But building up to the moment between Eben and Tryggred that we know and love from Alma’s book was absolutely worth the wait!
Also, can a girl get Gareth’s book? 😳
I also just really loved Eben - being shy and timid aren’t characteristics we typically pair with Finley’s orcs, but he was so lovely and his personality was a great change up. All the Skai protecting the sweet, pretty Ka-esh, I am so here for it 🥹🫶🏻
Tryggred by the Orc releases on October 3rd! I hope you love this one as much as I did! Thank you so much to Finley Fenn for this ARC 🩷
May 17, 2025
A delicious story of discovery
This Orc Sworn novella is clearly meant to be read after The Maid and the Orcs (book 6 of the Orc Sworn series). It moves in tandem to events of that book and is told from the perspective of Eben.
He’s a sweet, hardworking, and shy Ka-esh who, against the wishes of his prominent Ka-esh father, has shunned the typical ways of his clan and decided to study medicine. And, unlike most of the orcs we’ve met in the series so far, he has no interest in finding a woman or having a son. All he’s after is a firm hand, a parter who can give him that “perfect mingled pleasure and pain.”
When Eben has a chance encounter with Tryggr, a laughing, beautiful, and deadly Skai scout he’s both terrified and enthralled. What ensues is a sweet tale in which we get to see Eben realize his own self-worth and finally shed the shadowy guilt he’s carried surrounding his own life choices and the disappointment of his father.
I loved the feel of this novella. It’s the first time we’re given the experience of being inside the headspace of an orc. Seeing Orc Mountain, and orc culture, from Eben’s perspective was a rare treat. Reliving events of Alma, Baldr & Drafli’s story from this unique angle gave a fresh perspective as well. I particularly loved the moment when Drafli tells Tryggr how special Eben is, how he helped him in a time of need and saved him from a terrible wrong. Oh! I was done for!
Eben’s journey is one of both self-discovery and forgiveness. He has to unlearn some prejudices surrounding the other orc clans and, in doing so, find his heart’s mate. And when Eben and Tyggr finally come together… ach! It’s perfect. It’s a sweet & total surrender, it’s demanding & controlling, it’s everything Eben has ever wanted. And we get to go along for the ride.
This Orc Sworn novella is clearly meant to be read after The Maid and the Orcs (book 6 of the Orc Sworn series). It moves in tandem to events of that book and is told from the perspective of Eben.
He’s a sweet, hardworking, and shy Ka-esh who, against the wishes of his prominent Ka-esh father, has shunned the typical ways of his clan and decided to study medicine. And, unlike most of the orcs we’ve met in the series so far, he has no interest in finding a woman or having a son. All he’s after is a firm hand, a parter who can give him that “perfect mingled pleasure and pain.”
When Eben has a chance encounter with Tryggr, a laughing, beautiful, and deadly Skai scout he’s both terrified and enthralled. What ensues is a sweet tale in which we get to see Eben realize his own self-worth and finally shed the shadowy guilt he’s carried surrounding his own life choices and the disappointment of his father.
I loved the feel of this novella. It’s the first time we’re given the experience of being inside the headspace of an orc. Seeing Orc Mountain, and orc culture, from Eben’s perspective was a rare treat. Reliving events of Alma, Baldr & Drafli’s story from this unique angle gave a fresh perspective as well. I particularly loved the moment when Drafli tells Tryggr how special Eben is, how he helped him in a time of need and saved him from a terrible wrong. Oh! I was done for!
Eben’s journey is one of both self-discovery and forgiveness. He has to unlearn some prejudices surrounding the other orc clans and, in doing so, find his heart’s mate. And when Eben and Tyggr finally come together… ach! It’s perfect. It’s a sweet & total surrender, it’s demanding & controlling, it’s everything Eben has ever wanted. And we get to go along for the ride.
October 1, 2024
PERFECT!!! 5 STARS!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Eben and Tryggr’s story is easily my new favorite. I need everyone to read Finley Fenn’s Orc Sworn series if you want to know what happiness feels like. These novellas seamlessly fit in the storylines and world that we already know and love, and whatever she has next I know it will be just as perfect.
PS: please please please give us a Gareth book, my souls needs it!
PS: please please please give us a Gareth book, my souls needs it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2024
I would've liked it even more if we got Tryggr's pov as well but it was a solid read for what we got.
October 25, 2024
4.25 stars✨
That was actually so cute and pretty sweet omg
That was actually so cute and pretty sweet omg
November 7, 2024
Talk with each other. Use your mouths. Without this tedious misscommunication trope there would be no plot... Und omg "pet"???? Uhhh....not my jam... 🤔😅😳🙄
March 17, 2025
I promised myself no more orc books but here I am BACK IN THE BUILDING
October 8, 2024
Finley Fenn does not miss. I loved seeing a bit of behind the scenes from other books. You know there’s delicious miscom throughout and yummy tension making the HEA all that much sweeter! Thank you for continuing to make me feral or orc mountain Finley!
October 7, 2024
Tout d’abord noté bien que les événements de ce tome se tiennent après The Maid and the Orcs et avant The Governess and the Orc. Les événements chevauchent ceux du tome 6.
Eben est un guérisseur (assistant de Efterar, le personnage principal de The Sins of the Orc) et un érudit du clan Ka-esh passant sont temps à aider les autres mais qui reste malheureusement invisible pour tous.
Eben rêve d’être choisit par quelqu’un dont les goûts correspondent au siens dans la chambre à coucher (notamment son côté voyeur, c’est toujours les plus discrets dont il faut se méfier😅).
C’est pourquoi son intérêt se porte instantanément sur Tryggr un orc qui fait parti du clan Skai connu pour sa réputation sombre et violente, même parmi les autres clans d’orcs.
Malheureusement Eben a tellement peur de finir seul, que personne ne veille de lui, qu’il a des standards très bas et grappille la moindre miette d’attention.
La relation entre Eben et Tryggr est complètement déséquilibrée. Triggr prend toutes les décisions et Eben s’y conforme sans qu’ils en aient parlé ou qu’il ait pu donné son avis.
Comme le fait qu’il s’accouple pour la vie (équivalent du mariage pour eux), Tryggr assène ça comme un fait après l’avoir présenté à ses parents et on a juste le monologue intérieur d’Eben "hein, quoi?!".
Et quand Tryggr se rend compte qu’il a oublié de lui demander son avis, il nous sort cette perle🥲: “Just — it’s not a small thing, for a Skai to take a pet, ach? An’ a mate don’t seem much different, does it?”
Bien sûr que Tryggr voit un compagnon de vie comme un animal de compagnie!🤬🤮🚩
Mais j’ai constaté plus tard vers la fin du livre qu’en réalité l’auteure ne se rend pas compte de ce qu’est vraiment une relation équilibrée. Lorsque Eben est présenté aux pères de Tryggr il constate par leurs odeurs que l’un d’eux entretient également une relation sexuelle régulière avec une femme et l’autre non. L’auteure écrit: It suggested at least some degree of inequality in the relationship, or perhaps even some unpleasantness on Tryg’s part.
Et c’est là qu’est le problème: le fait qu’une relation soit équilibrée ne dépend pas du fait que tout le monde couche avec tout le monde. Si le sexe est pour l’auteure l’élément clefs dans une relation amoureuse, je comprends que ses romans soient aussi mal construits.
Il y a des relations polyamoureuses dans lesquelles les personnes sont toutes romantiquement impliquées les unes avec les autres et d’autres où ce n’est pas le cas, d’autres encore entretiennent des relations intimes les unes avec les autres ou au contraire ont complètement rayé le sexe de l’équation.
Il existe une infinité de possibilités selon les individus, et ce n’est pas l’implication sexuelle régulière qui détermine l’équilibre d’une de ces relations.
L’équilibre c’est entre autres choses de respecter son partenaire en ne balançant pas dans la conversation en le présentant à ses parents que son partenaire est une bonne baise et qu’il va faire un bon animal de compagnie…😒
“An’ the cleverest, and bravest, and a right dream to fuck, too. Gonna make me a real good pet, I ken.”
Il n’y avait pas suffisamment de romance ou d’intrigue à mon goût. Et je n’ai pas vu où était le trope "found family".
En outre, il y a beaucoup trop de répétitions (le MC répète que le love interest a des cicatrices sur son engin 5 fois un chapitre et demi). Et on nous rabâche 24 fois en 16 chapitres "Never trust a Skai"… je pense qu’on a compris.
Enfin, la misogynie intempestive de l’auteure m’a rendu malade.🤢 C’est du niveau "trad’ wife++".
Les personnages secondaires masculins traitent le personnage secondaire féminin comme une esclave et sa seule réponse c’est "oui, je suis seulement bonne à faire plaisir au maître, car je suis une faible femme et que c’est ma seule valeur".🤯🤬
Autre exemple, le fait que Tryggr dise que faire la lessive est "dégradant" pour un guerrier mais que c’est parfaitement "normal" si ce sont les femmes ou les bottoms qui s’en occupent…😒
Le personnage secondaire féminin projette de s’enfuir (alors qu’elle est enceinte, donc elle ne discute même pas avec les pères et ne prend en compte la sécurité de l’enfant…😒🚩) et la réaction d’un de ses amants c’est de charger quelqu’un de redécorer la cuisine, comme si changer le papier peint ou lui acheter une machine à laver allait faire oublier à bobonne ses malheurs.🤦
“But now she’s planning to run off again too!” Tryggr continued, his voice more agitated than Eben had ever heard it.
[…]
“Boss told me to stay stuck here on my arse, again, and fix up the scullery! Make it real nice and new for her, he said!”
L’histoire principale tourne autour d’un couple gay mais c’est exactement la même merde. Le pauvre petit bottom est le faible guérisseur, donc bien sûr, il vit pour plaire au guerrier fort qui le veut dans la cuisine.😤💥
Eben est un guérisseur (assistant de Efterar, le personnage principal de The Sins of the Orc) et un érudit du clan Ka-esh passant sont temps à aider les autres mais qui reste malheureusement invisible pour tous.
Eben rêve d’être choisit par quelqu’un dont les goûts correspondent au siens dans la chambre à coucher (notamment son côté voyeur, c’est toujours les plus discrets dont il faut se méfier😅).
C’est pourquoi son intérêt se porte instantanément sur Tryggr un orc qui fait parti du clan Skai connu pour sa réputation sombre et violente, même parmi les autres clans d’orcs.
Malheureusement Eben a tellement peur de finir seul, que personne ne veille de lui, qu’il a des standards très bas et grappille la moindre miette d’attention.
La relation entre Eben et Tryggr est complètement déséquilibrée. Triggr prend toutes les décisions et Eben s’y conforme sans qu’ils en aient parlé ou qu’il ait pu donné son avis.
Comme le fait qu’il s’accouple pour la vie (équivalent du mariage pour eux), Tryggr assène ça comme un fait après l’avoir présenté à ses parents et on a juste le monologue intérieur d’Eben "hein, quoi?!".
Et quand Tryggr se rend compte qu’il a oublié de lui demander son avis, il nous sort cette perle🥲: “Just — it’s not a small thing, for a Skai to take a pet, ach? An’ a mate don’t seem much different, does it?”
Bien sûr que Tryggr voit un compagnon de vie comme un animal de compagnie!🤬🤮🚩
Mais j’ai constaté plus tard vers la fin du livre qu’en réalité l’auteure ne se rend pas compte de ce qu’est vraiment une relation équilibrée. Lorsque Eben est présenté aux pères de Tryggr il constate par leurs odeurs que l’un d’eux entretient également une relation sexuelle régulière avec une femme et l’autre non. L’auteure écrit: It suggested at least some degree of inequality in the relationship, or perhaps even some unpleasantness on Tryg’s part.
Et c’est là qu’est le problème: le fait qu’une relation soit équilibrée ne dépend pas du fait que tout le monde couche avec tout le monde. Si le sexe est pour l’auteure l’élément clefs dans une relation amoureuse, je comprends que ses romans soient aussi mal construits.
Il y a des relations polyamoureuses dans lesquelles les personnes sont toutes romantiquement impliquées les unes avec les autres et d’autres où ce n’est pas le cas, d’autres encore entretiennent des relations intimes les unes avec les autres ou au contraire ont complètement rayé le sexe de l’équation.
Il existe une infinité de possibilités selon les individus, et ce n’est pas l’implication sexuelle régulière qui détermine l’équilibre d’une de ces relations.
L’équilibre c’est entre autres choses de respecter son partenaire en ne balançant pas dans la conversation en le présentant à ses parents que son partenaire est une bonne baise et qu’il va faire un bon animal de compagnie…😒
“An’ the cleverest, and bravest, and a right dream to fuck, too. Gonna make me a real good pet, I ken.”
Il n’y avait pas suffisamment de romance ou d’intrigue à mon goût. Et je n’ai pas vu où était le trope "found family".
En outre, il y a beaucoup trop de répétitions (le MC répète que le love interest a des cicatrices sur son engin 5 fois un chapitre et demi). Et on nous rabâche 24 fois en 16 chapitres "Never trust a Skai"… je pense qu’on a compris.
Enfin, la misogynie intempestive de l’auteure m’a rendu malade.🤢 C’est du niveau "trad’ wife++".
Les personnages secondaires masculins traitent le personnage secondaire féminin comme une esclave et sa seule réponse c’est "oui, je suis seulement bonne à faire plaisir au maître, car je suis une faible femme et que c’est ma seule valeur".🤯🤬
Autre exemple, le fait que Tryggr dise que faire la lessive est "dégradant" pour un guerrier mais que c’est parfaitement "normal" si ce sont les femmes ou les bottoms qui s’en occupent…😒
Le personnage secondaire féminin projette de s’enfuir (alors qu’elle est enceinte, donc elle ne discute même pas avec les pères et ne prend en compte la sécurité de l’enfant…😒🚩) et la réaction d’un de ses amants c’est de charger quelqu’un de redécorer la cuisine, comme si changer le papier peint ou lui acheter une machine à laver allait faire oublier à bobonne ses malheurs.🤦
“But now she’s planning to run off again too!” Tryggr continued, his voice more agitated than Eben had ever heard it.
[…]
“Boss told me to stay stuck here on my arse, again, and fix up the scullery! Make it real nice and new for her, he said!”
L’histoire principale tourne autour d’un couple gay mais c’est exactement la même merde. Le pauvre petit bottom est le faible guérisseur, donc bien sûr, il vit pour plaire au guerrier fort qui le veut dans la cuisine.😤💥
October 30, 2024
As far as Orc and MM novellas go, this one wasn't horrible. But if you do decide to read this one, get ready for the slowest burn ever (the characters don't get together until like 75% into the book) and a whole lot of miscommunication and mixed signals. The story seems to revolve around another throuple's story, with Tryggr and Eben's story as kind of an addition to the other. I suppose that makes sense since this is #6.5 in a series of Orc stories, and that reading the series might have made the rest of the content make more sense. There is a lot of terminology and differentiation of Orc clans that also would have made more sense if I had read some of the other books in the series instead of jumping right into the series three-quarters of the way in with a novella. And while I'm sure Alma's story with her two Orcs is very interesting, it's not really what I wanted to know about it. If I really wanted to know her story, I would read that book. I was hoping for more focus on Tryggr and Eben, since I picked this book for its MM storyline. Once the two of them do finally get together, the story is 10/10 and I loved it. But since so much of the story is the two of them dancing around one another and working through Alma's shit, a lot is taken away from their story.
Despite the main characters not getting their freak on until most of the way through the book, the reader still gets to experience a moderate amount of spice in other ways throughout. Eben has a whole lot of fantasies that are imagined, and neither one of them is necessarily celibate before they get with one another. Apparently, Orc culture is very sexually fluid and unrepressed and there is a whole lot of public claiming (we see Tryggr partaking in this) and Orc "seed" is medicinal. So a lot of Orc's get sucked off in a public setting ... ya know, for science. There are also a lot of pleasure halls for various interests, which Eben is a frequent flyer of, and there are several scenes where Eben visits the pleasure hall.
If you ignore the rest of the book and focus only on the last 25% of the book, it's 5/5 stars and the spice is up there too. Tryggr and Eben together are fantastic and they both get what they need from one another and have a ton of sexual chemistry. There's kind of a dom/submissive vibe from them. Eben is Tryggr's "pet" and Eben calls Tryggr "sir." Tryggr is also extremely possessive and claims Eben publically several different times, which includes some of that seed milking. What's best about them finally getting together though, is that Tryggr makes sure that all that Eben does is recognized and he's finally seen by his other clan members. And we love an aware King who knows exactly what he has and how lucky he is.
I don't always encourage people to make sure they sign up for the newsletter to get the bonus epilogue, but it's definitely worth it to see a little bit more of Tryggr and Eben's HEA! It's not only v spicy, but it's kind of romantic too ... in a kinky way.
If you can hang on to get to the actual relationship of Tryggr & Eben, it's definitely worth the read. And the book isn't that long to begin with, only like 180 pages. So it's worth it to hold on and make it to the good stuff.
Despite the main characters not getting their freak on until most of the way through the book, the reader still gets to experience a moderate amount of spice in other ways throughout. Eben has a whole lot of fantasies that are imagined, and neither one of them is necessarily celibate before they get with one another. Apparently, Orc culture is very sexually fluid and unrepressed and there is a whole lot of public claiming (we see Tryggr partaking in this) and Orc "seed" is medicinal. So a lot of Orc's get sucked off in a public setting ... ya know, for science. There are also a lot of pleasure halls for various interests, which Eben is a frequent flyer of, and there are several scenes where Eben visits the pleasure hall.
If you ignore the rest of the book and focus only on the last 25% of the book, it's 5/5 stars and the spice is up there too. Tryggr and Eben together are fantastic and they both get what they need from one another and have a ton of sexual chemistry. There's kind of a dom/submissive vibe from them. Eben is Tryggr's "pet" and Eben calls Tryggr "sir." Tryggr is also extremely possessive and claims Eben publically several different times, which includes some of that seed milking. What's best about them finally getting together though, is that Tryggr makes sure that all that Eben does is recognized and he's finally seen by his other clan members. And we love an aware King who knows exactly what he has and how lucky he is.
I don't always encourage people to make sure they sign up for the newsletter to get the bonus epilogue, but it's definitely worth it to see a little bit more of Tryggr and Eben's HEA! It's not only v spicy, but it's kind of romantic too ... in a kinky way.
If you can hang on to get to the actual relationship of Tryggr & Eben, it's definitely worth the read. And the book isn't that long to begin with, only like 180 pages. So it's worth it to hold on and make it to the good stuff.
September 28, 2024
Eben is an orc with almost epically low self-esteem. Disowned by his father for not going into the family business, under-appreciated at work, painfully shy and unable to speak up for himself, and self-punishing and submissive. Oh, and he has a life-long fear of trusting Skai installed by his Bad Dad, which, to be fair, the Skai are until recently pretty egregiously were pretty "bang anything/consent optional/no fidelity" even by orc standards.
Tryggred is a confident fighting orc, working for the ruler's left hand, and seemingly everything Eben has been warned against. So of course when he gets a glimpse of him taking another orc in the hall Eben is immediately obsessed.
This book was originally a Patreon release, and was probably written as a reward for readers who really like a certain aspect of life on Orc Mountain (hint, also known as Splash Mountain for a reason). Even with all of Fenn's backlist under my belt I was a tad taken aback, especially as Eben was maybe not using it as a heathy release. In fact, Eben was a tough read in this book. He's unhappy and trying to find something to take his mind off it in a way that even his friends and partners are expressing concern. And his inner voice is just so sad and mean, like when Tryggred find him after a rough night and yells at his friend for not taking better care of him after an attempted SA, Eben immediately translates that to "Oh. Oh no. No, no, no. A weak small Ka-esh. Reeking of fear and despair."
Anyway, Eben decides he's going to shoot his shot with Tryggred through his love language of acts of service, they become friends, they both are pining like the forest around Orc Mountain, and there's a misunderstanding that is keeping them apart (of course). But this book is mainly about someone who is under-appreciated and unsure of himself finding his confidence and his community, and finding a partner along the way. The reader, of course, can see how many supportive friends and colleagues and would-be partners Eben has always had, but he's blinkered by the buttons installed by his Bad Dad and lack of confidence. I would only sidebar to say that the misunderstanding seems to have stemmed from a joke made by the mountain's most annoying resident, and Tryggred wasn't there when it was made, so not entirely sure why he's so confident in the scent-based assumptions he's making from that point on.
Just in the last couple books of this series I've started to feel like their epic length (700+ pages) were dragging and felt padded. It was nice to have a little 200 page book, which was still enough to get the whole story told.
This might have been three stars except I did low-key cry a couple times? I don't know how she does it, but Fenn gets real emotion and stakes in these books. I came to this series because @Toriloveshea's told me to read one and the rest just followed in quick order. If you enjoyed the others of this series (and I generally very much did) you'll like this too.
Tryggred is a confident fighting orc, working for the ruler's left hand, and seemingly everything Eben has been warned against. So of course when he gets a glimpse of him taking another orc in the hall Eben is immediately obsessed.
This book was originally a Patreon release, and was probably written as a reward for readers who really like a certain aspect of life on Orc Mountain (hint, also known as Splash Mountain for a reason). Even with all of Fenn's backlist under my belt I was a tad taken aback, especially as Eben was maybe not using it as a heathy release. In fact, Eben was a tough read in this book. He's unhappy and trying to find something to take his mind off it in a way that even his friends and partners are expressing concern. And his inner voice is just so sad and mean, like when Tryggred find him after a rough night and yells at his friend for not taking better care of him after an attempted SA, Eben immediately translates that to "Oh. Oh no. No, no, no. A weak small Ka-esh. Reeking of fear and despair."
Anyway, Eben decides he's going to shoot his shot with Tryggred through his love language of acts of service, they become friends, they both are pining like the forest around Orc Mountain, and there's a misunderstanding that is keeping them apart (of course). But this book is mainly about someone who is under-appreciated and unsure of himself finding his confidence and his community, and finding a partner along the way. The reader, of course, can see how many supportive friends and colleagues and would-be partners Eben has always had, but he's blinkered by the buttons installed by his Bad Dad and lack of confidence. I would only sidebar to say that the misunderstanding seems to have stemmed from a joke made by the mountain's most annoying resident, and Tryggred wasn't there when it was made, so not entirely sure why he's so confident in the scent-based assumptions he's making from that point on.
Just in the last couple books of this series I've started to feel like their epic length (700+ pages) were dragging and felt padded. It was nice to have a little 200 page book, which was still enough to get the whole story told.
This might have been three stars except I did low-key cry a couple times? I don't know how she does it, but Fenn gets real emotion and stakes in these books. I came to this series because @Toriloveshea's told me to read one and the rest just followed in quick order. If you enjoyed the others of this series (and I generally very much did) you'll like this too.
October 4, 2024
Trust Fenn to write a book that hits me right in the feels. I knew Eben and Tryggr already from before, as the Maid and the Orcs is one of my absolute favorite books of the series and probably my whole life, and I still didn't expect Tryggred by the Orc to hit like that – but before I knew what was happening to me, I was bawling my eyes out. I identified so much with Eben: he struggles exactly with my brand of childhood trauma and all the consequences of it, never feeling good enough, wanting to earn love and be worthy by pleasing others… Feeling like you don't deserve love if you're not doing xyz thing. Watching him heal throughout the book was everything.
I feel him so much on his journey to self love and self compassion. He starts out believing his father's words uncritically and indiscriminately: if his hateful words about the Skai are true (and as readers of the series we know that to some extent, they are), then his opinions of Eben must be true, too, right? But then this beautiful Skai comes along, and Eben starts questioning everything. To me, this is the most beautiful part of this story, and it had the biggest impact on me and my emotions.
Of course, if you don't like miscommunication and misunderstandings as a plot device, this might not be the book for you, but I love it. I love the angst. I love the tension. And
As readers we know relatively quickly what's up, even with the single POV that keeps Tryggr's perspective somewhat shrouded in mystery, but the reward is really in the journey here (and when you've read TMATO, or Yuled by the Orcs, you already know what's going to happen, but you don’t have to have read them to enjoy this one).
This book is a gift and a gem, and even though it triggered me (hello, daddy issues), it warmed my heart like hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. 💚💚💚💚💚
I feel him so much on his journey to self love and self compassion. He starts out believing his father's words uncritically and indiscriminately: if his hateful words about the Skai are true (and as readers of the series we know that to some extent, they are), then his opinions of Eben must be true, too, right? But then this beautiful Skai comes along, and Eben starts questioning everything. To me, this is the most beautiful part of this story, and it had the biggest impact on me and my emotions.
Of course, if you don't like miscommunication and misunderstandings as a plot device, this might not be the book for you, but I love it. I love the angst. I love the tension. And
As readers we know relatively quickly what's up, even with the single POV that keeps Tryggr's perspective somewhat shrouded in mystery, but the reward is really in the journey here (and when you've read TMATO, or Yuled by the Orcs, you already know what's going to happen, but you don’t have to have read them to enjoy this one).
This book is a gift and a gem, and even though it triggered me (hello, daddy issues), it warmed my heart like hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. 💚💚💚💚💚
September 29, 2024
Read Tryggred by the Orc and expect to see…
🍎 M/M Orc X Orc Romance
🍎 Wallflower X Extrovert
🍎 Several “just kiss already” Moments
🍎 Found Family and Hurt/Comfort
🍎 Soft Power-Play Dynamic
~ I was given an ARC of Tryggred by the Orc in exchange for my honest review and opinions! ~
💘Romance: 4/5
🌶Spice: 5/5
🏃♀️Pacing: 4/5
🎭Plot: 4/5
🗺Worldbuilding: 3/5
👀Perspective: (3rd) / Singular POV
I wish this book was longer!! I couldn't put it down! And now I've finished it... 🥲
I loved Eben’s internal turmoil!! There’s something about a character who doesn’t think they're good enough, but then finds their other half and realizes their inherent value that just speaks to me. 😍
The writing, pacing, and angst in this book was superb. This is one of those books you read or reread to get you back into the reading spirit. Short, Sweet, and full of DRAMA!
The spice was spicing. Like it was giving everything I wanted it to in terms of kink, care, and power-dynamics. 😆🌶
What I really liked was that nothing was predictable (aside from the HEA). I felt shocked and had realizations at the same time as Eben! I love when it feels like characters are living in the world instead of random things happening just so there can be conflict for the characters to overcome. Also, Finley Fenn always shocks me with twists, turns, and dilemmas that I can never predict!! Idk what else to say other than I ATE UP everything this book had to offer!
Overall, this book had me kicking my feet and rolling around through all the ups and downs of Eben and Tryggr’s relationship progression. Perhaps I’m being greedy because Finley has already blessed us with this book, but I want more Eben and Tryggr content! Every new release in the Orc Sworn/Forged series gets better and better, and I stand on that ten toes down.
As always, happy reading! 🧺
🍎 M/M Orc X Orc Romance
🍎 Wallflower X Extrovert
🍎 Several “just kiss already” Moments
🍎 Found Family and Hurt/Comfort
🍎 Soft Power-Play Dynamic
~ I was given an ARC of Tryggred by the Orc in exchange for my honest review and opinions! ~
“Tryggr had defended him.
Tryggr had noticed his work.
Tryggr had noticed his pretty little arse.”
💘Romance: 4/5
🌶Spice: 5/5
🏃♀️Pacing: 4/5
🎭Plot: 4/5
🗺Worldbuilding: 3/5
👀Perspective: (3rd) / Singular POV
I wish this book was longer!! I couldn't put it down! And now I've finished it... 🥲
I loved Eben’s internal turmoil!! There’s something about a character who doesn’t think they're good enough, but then finds their other half and realizes their inherent value that just speaks to me. 😍
The writing, pacing, and angst in this book was superb. This is one of those books you read or reread to get you back into the reading spirit. Short, Sweet, and full of DRAMA!
The spice was spicing. Like it was giving everything I wanted it to in terms of kink, care, and power-dynamics. 😆🌶
What I really liked was that nothing was predictable (aside from the HEA). I felt shocked and had realizations at the same time as Eben! I love when it feels like characters are living in the world instead of random things happening just so there can be conflict for the characters to overcome. Also, Finley Fenn always shocks me with twists, turns, and dilemmas that I can never predict!! Idk what else to say other than I ATE UP everything this book had to offer!
Overall, this book had me kicking my feet and rolling around through all the ups and downs of Eben and Tryggr’s relationship progression. Perhaps I’m being greedy because Finley has already blessed us with this book, but I want more Eben and Tryggr content! Every new release in the Orc Sworn/Forged series gets better and better, and I stand on that ten toes down.
As always, happy reading! 🧺
December 17, 2024
If it's possible to have an Orc Sworn book be sweet and fluffy, this is probably the one that you could call that.
Eben is a Ka-esh medic who is pretty quiet and shy and kind of blendy in with the background- except in the "den of orcly pleasures room" or whatever it's called
Anywho, one day when out delivering medicine or something, he comes across a Skai f-ckboi named Tryggr doing what he does best in the hallway, and Eben is smitten.
Of course, he doesn't think the resident hottie would be interested in his brainy ass, but Tryggr is all about it.
This is definitely a lower angst, lower drama book in the series, so if you're looking for something that won't make you want to smack an orc when he's being a dumdum, this is probably the one for you. I know it happens concurrently with The Maid and the Orcs, but I only vaguely remembered Eben and Tryggr in that one .....ok, yeah, I only remember them banging on the washing machine in that one.....so I think it's possible to read this without going through every book in the series.
Eben is a Ka-esh medic who is pretty quiet and shy and kind of blendy in with the background- except in the "den of orcly pleasures room" or whatever it's called
Anywho, one day when out delivering medicine or something, he comes across a Skai f-ckboi named Tryggr doing what he does best in the hallway, and Eben is smitten.
Of course, he doesn't think the resident hottie would be interested in his brainy ass, but Tryggr is all about it.
This is definitely a lower angst, lower drama book in the series, so if you're looking for something that won't make you want to smack an orc when he's being a dumdum, this is probably the one for you. I know it happens concurrently with The Maid and the Orcs, but I only vaguely remembered Eben and Tryggr in that one .....ok, yeah, I only remember them banging on the washing machine in that one.....so I think it's possible to read this without going through every book in the series.
September 13, 2024
"Never trust a Skai."
These are the words Eben has heard echoing around him his whole life. So why can't he stop thinking about the handsome Skai who seems to actually see him?
This book was about finding your own self worth, about never really being seen for who you are or what you do, about living life in the background. And then someone actually sees you and sees your worth, and they give you the support you need to see it for yourself. Eben's struggles with anxiety were so very relatable. That feeling where nothing you do and nothing you are is ever good enough. And who doesn't dream of a partner who really sees through to your core and finds you worthy?
Watching Eben find his voice and his courage is a highlight of this novella. His journey felt really personal and the representation of anxiety was so well done and sensitively handled. He finds his courage, his voice, and his HEA and I am here for it.
There were so many obstacles to Eben and Tryggr finding their happiness, but watching the two overcome them together was just so satisfying. And I loved getting a peek at what was happening behind the scenes during the fraught time when Alma arrived at Orc Mountain (The Maid and the Orcs). If you read it and wondered about the shy, quiet Ka-esh working in the sickroom, you will love this story. Plus, it wouldn't be a trip to Orc Mountain without lots of steam to go along with all that longing and angst.
No one takes me on an angst filled journey to happiness like Finely Fenn, but I trust her to see me through and she never disappoints. The emotional catharsis from reading her books is second to none.
This book is for everyone who feels invisible, who longs for a partner that sees their worth without wanting them to change, and who loves lots of heat and a story with a happy ending.
These are the words Eben has heard echoing around him his whole life. So why can't he stop thinking about the handsome Skai who seems to actually see him?
This book was about finding your own self worth, about never really being seen for who you are or what you do, about living life in the background. And then someone actually sees you and sees your worth, and they give you the support you need to see it for yourself. Eben's struggles with anxiety were so very relatable. That feeling where nothing you do and nothing you are is ever good enough. And who doesn't dream of a partner who really sees through to your core and finds you worthy?
Watching Eben find his voice and his courage is a highlight of this novella. His journey felt really personal and the representation of anxiety was so well done and sensitively handled. He finds his courage, his voice, and his HEA and I am here for it.
There were so many obstacles to Eben and Tryggr finding their happiness, but watching the two overcome them together was just so satisfying. And I loved getting a peek at what was happening behind the scenes during the fraught time when Alma arrived at Orc Mountain (The Maid and the Orcs). If you read it and wondered about the shy, quiet Ka-esh working in the sickroom, you will love this story. Plus, it wouldn't be a trip to Orc Mountain without lots of steam to go along with all that longing and angst.
No one takes me on an angst filled journey to happiness like Finely Fenn, but I trust her to see me through and she never disappoints. The emotional catharsis from reading her books is second to none.
This book is for everyone who feels invisible, who longs for a partner that sees their worth without wanting them to change, and who loves lots of heat and a story with a happy ending.
February 9, 2025
The more I read Finley Fenn's wonderful M/M novels, the sadder I get about her M/F ones. The difference is so massive.
It's a fascinating, intricate world that I love to hear about. It has complex, interesting men.
In this romance, like her other M/M ones, both men get to be complex characters with deep inner motivations beyond being crazy for orc seed. They are both treated with respect by each other. Their opinions are valuable to each other. They consider the wants and needs of their partner. They treat each other like equals in the relationship, even if one is submissive to the other- it's still emphasized that they can say no, set terms, that they have just as much weight in the relationship and can dictate and change its terms.
It was a wonderful romance. But being set against the backdrop of The Maid and the Orcs, where the FMC very much DOESN'T get this treatment, just reinforced how differently women are treated in this series.
The women in this series are betrayed, lied to, gaslit, degraded (not in the fun way), humiliated (again not in the fun way), insulted, abandoned, sold to the enemy, terrorized, assaulted, blamed for all relationship problems, harassed- all by their OWN PARTNERS, REPEATEDLY. And by the resolution of the books, the women always come back to them after the most MID grovel, and of course accept most of the blame for what happened to them because it's "orc culture".
Why can't the rest of the series be like her M/M works? Why can't we get a single male protagonist who's actually decent and respectful to his woman, like ALL the male protagonists in the M/M novels? At this point, it kind of feels like the author hates women.
I would have loved this book more if I wasn't reminded of how poor Alma was treated in The Maid and the Orcs constantly. Having the relationship of this book compared with that one just highlighted how the women are accepting crumbs from their orc men, while orc men are getting the whole feast from their orc partners. It just kept pulling me out of my enjoyment of the book and making me mad. This book would have been 4 stars easy if it weren't for poor Alma getting abused in the background.
I can't keep reading the M/F novels and getting disappointed.
It's a fascinating, intricate world that I love to hear about. It has complex, interesting men.
In this romance, like her other M/M ones, both men get to be complex characters with deep inner motivations beyond being crazy for orc seed. They are both treated with respect by each other. Their opinions are valuable to each other. They consider the wants and needs of their partner. They treat each other like equals in the relationship, even if one is submissive to the other- it's still emphasized that they can say no, set terms, that they have just as much weight in the relationship and can dictate and change its terms.
It was a wonderful romance. But being set against the backdrop of The Maid and the Orcs, where the FMC very much DOESN'T get this treatment, just reinforced how differently women are treated in this series.
The women in this series are betrayed, lied to, gaslit, degraded (not in the fun way), humiliated (again not in the fun way), insulted, abandoned, sold to the enemy, terrorized, assaulted, blamed for all relationship problems, harassed- all by their OWN PARTNERS, REPEATEDLY. And by the resolution of the books, the women always come back to them after the most MID grovel, and of course accept most of the blame for what happened to them because it's "orc culture".
Why can't the rest of the series be like her M/M works? Why can't we get a single male protagonist who's actually decent and respectful to his woman, like ALL the male protagonists in the M/M novels? At this point, it kind of feels like the author hates women.
I would have loved this book more if I wasn't reminded of how poor Alma was treated in The Maid and the Orcs constantly. Having the relationship of this book compared with that one just highlighted how the women are accepting crumbs from their orc men, while orc men are getting the whole feast from their orc partners. It just kept pulling me out of my enjoyment of the book and making me mad. This book would have been 4 stars easy if it weren't for poor Alma getting abused in the background.
I can't keep reading the M/F novels and getting disappointed.
October 4, 2024
I devoured this novella that follows along the same timeline as Maid and the Orcs (one of my favorites of the series) so characters from that book and plot points will be present in the book so if spoilers are a concern read that one before. Tryggr and Eben are the MCs in this novella and they were such a sweet pair of characters on Orc Mountain.
Eben has focused his life helping out in the medical ward of the mountain preparing tonics and helping taking care of the various patients that come in from the different clans that all live on the mountain. But his life is missing something and he seeks out pleasure and pain but the relief he feels is always so temporary. It’s not until he crosses paths with Drafli, one of most fearsome Skai on the mountain and his mates that things take a different turn and brings him into contact with Tryggr.
I enjoyed reading the dynamic between these two characters. Eben is so unsure and uncertain and although Tryggr has a confidence and swagger about him, he also has this uncertainty where Eben is concerned. Seeing them dance around each other and their interactions even though others in the scullery can scent the truth was such an interesting read, I could not put this book down.
I loved the ending for these two especially Eben who has spent so much over the years trying to find his place on the mountain. He hasn’t always received the praise he rightfully deserves for his work and finally finding that support and someone looking out for him with Tryggr made me so happy for him.
Eben has focused his life helping out in the medical ward of the mountain preparing tonics and helping taking care of the various patients that come in from the different clans that all live on the mountain. But his life is missing something and he seeks out pleasure and pain but the relief he feels is always so temporary. It’s not until he crosses paths with Drafli, one of most fearsome Skai on the mountain and his mates that things take a different turn and brings him into contact with Tryggr.
I enjoyed reading the dynamic between these two characters. Eben is so unsure and uncertain and although Tryggr has a confidence and swagger about him, he also has this uncertainty where Eben is concerned. Seeing them dance around each other and their interactions even though others in the scullery can scent the truth was such an interesting read, I could not put this book down.
I loved the ending for these two especially Eben who has spent so much over the years trying to find his place on the mountain. He hasn’t always received the praise he rightfully deserves for his work and finally finding that support and someone looking out for him with Tryggr made me so happy for him.
October 3, 2024
Tryggred by the Orc, aside from a great wordplay title, is an insightful portrait of an orc couple who up to this point have been on the sidelines of the main Orc Sworn books by Fenn. The focus here is on Eben, an insecure Orc of the Ka-Esh clan who isn’t working in their traditional research/scribe/smithing jobs—instead, he’s the orc equivalent of a medical technician. And insecure is probably an understatement. Eben has been devalued since childhood by first his father and then (if indirectly) by those around him. It’s only when he becomes interested in Tryggr that his life begins to change.
Tryggr is Eben’s opposite—confident, in a high position in the Skai clan, and cocky. But he’s intrigued by Eben and pursues a hookup type of relationship. Like all things in the Orc Sworn world, the physical relationship between the couple drives their character transformation. Tryggr becomes the caring person Eben needs, and Eben…well, Eben simply blossoms.
This is truly Eben’s journey from hiding in the shadows to standing in the sun. Seeing him form a last mating with Tryggr from their initially casual interactions is the heart of this book. Fenn nicely keeps this to a short length, and the story zings along. It’s an enriching addition to the glorious world of the Orc Sworn books.
Tryggr is Eben’s opposite—confident, in a high position in the Skai clan, and cocky. But he’s intrigued by Eben and pursues a hookup type of relationship. Like all things in the Orc Sworn world, the physical relationship between the couple drives their character transformation. Tryggr becomes the caring person Eben needs, and Eben…well, Eben simply blossoms.
This is truly Eben’s journey from hiding in the shadows to standing in the sun. Seeing him form a last mating with Tryggr from their initially casual interactions is the heart of this book. Fenn nicely keeps this to a short length, and the story zings along. It’s an enriching addition to the glorious world of the Orc Sworn books.
October 4, 2024
Eben is a kind sweet soul but it seems as though everything terrifies him, including the mysterious orc in the mountain’s passageways. He watches from afar and dreams but he has huge reservations, not surprising really considered the horror stories he has been told. The reservations though, they take root and grow into something ugly and even kore terrifying until he becomes reckless. Having put himself in danger going too far with his partners he realises that the very thing that he is worried about might actually be perfect for him. Tryggr fights in the arena and wants a sweet orc with an even sweeter rump and takes good care of what is his and he has decided that he is taking ownership of the good sweet orc that he helped nurse.
It was lovely to read about two Orcs who are happy with each other without the love of a human too, these two utterly broke me with their sweetness and left me feeling a little weepy sometimes. I loved the HEA which left my heart feeling so full for them.
This is a short, sweet novella from the Orc Sworn world. It’s got lots of past characters in so I would definitely recommend reading in order so you know where each character fits. It’s full of sweet, spicy moments that left me feeling quite warm and as always still questioning who is in charge of the clean up operation each day… several times a day.
It was lovely to read about two Orcs who are happy with each other without the love of a human too, these two utterly broke me with their sweetness and left me feeling a little weepy sometimes. I loved the HEA which left my heart feeling so full for them.
This is a short, sweet novella from the Orc Sworn world. It’s got lots of past characters in so I would definitely recommend reading in order so you know where each character fits. It’s full of sweet, spicy moments that left me feeling quite warm and as always still questioning who is in charge of the clean up operation each day… several times a day.
October 11, 2024
It's Orctober! And you know what that means? I'm going back to Orc Mountain. 🤩
Tryggred by the Orc is book 6.5 in the Orc Sworn series by Finley Fenn. It is a short story (182 pages) and its timeline is the same as The Maid and The Orcs, from that same series, and we do get to see a lot of the MCs from TM&TO, as both stories are intertwined.
I went in knowing I was going to get some spoilers from TM&TO but that didn't make ny difference in my appreciation of the book and can confidently say that this short story really can stand alone.
What a sweet treat this was! I love those little stomach flutters I get when the tension builds and this book delivered on the flutters. I was hanging on the edge of my seat, waiting for Eben and Tryggr to finaly get their heads out of their sweet orc bums! Every time Tryggr would say no to Eben, I was internally crying (but loving every minute of it). And I knew that they would eventually find their way to each other properly but I still got super nervous that Tryggr would go and do something stupid 😬. That's how invested I was in their happiness.
These two were absolutely adorable. The size difference and opposites attract and the hurt/comfort was chef's kiss. I wouldn't have changed a thing! I also loved to see my two favourites Kesst and Eft from The Sins of the Orc. I had missed them deeply.
Tryggred by the Orc is book 6.5 in the Orc Sworn series by Finley Fenn. It is a short story (182 pages) and its timeline is the same as The Maid and The Orcs, from that same series, and we do get to see a lot of the MCs from TM&TO, as both stories are intertwined.
I went in knowing I was going to get some spoilers from TM&TO but that didn't make ny difference in my appreciation of the book and can confidently say that this short story really can stand alone.
What a sweet treat this was! I love those little stomach flutters I get when the tension builds and this book delivered on the flutters. I was hanging on the edge of my seat, waiting for Eben and Tryggr to finaly get their heads out of their sweet orc bums! Every time Tryggr would say no to Eben, I was internally crying (but loving every minute of it). And I knew that they would eventually find their way to each other properly but I still got super nervous that Tryggr would go and do something stupid 😬. That's how invested I was in their happiness.
These two were absolutely adorable. The size difference and opposites attract and the hurt/comfort was chef's kiss. I wouldn't have changed a thing! I also loved to see my two favourites Kesst and Eft from The Sins of the Orc. I had missed them deeply.
October 3, 2024
Orc Mountain’s shy medic finds a Skai warrior of his own…
📖 Single POV, third limited, past tense
✨ Synopsis:
Ka-esh medic Eben has always been told to stay away from Skai orcs — they’re dangerous and can never be trusted. So why can’t he keep his eyes off outgoing Skai warrior Tryggr?
✨ Review:
This book. I devoured it in one sitting.
Yes, you can read it as a standalone. But I urge you to read The Maid and the Orcs first. First, because there are spoilers, but also because there are subtle nuances and many ‘behind the scenes’ scenarios that will be much greater appreciated if you’ve read TMATO first.
OMG! I loved everything about this. Eben and Tryggr are delightful and I loved watching them circle around each other while getting to know one another.
Eben is such an intriguing character. He may be shy and blend into the background, but he’s passionate about his beliefs, is brave enough to challenge those in the wrong, and has a secret kinky side (he spends his free time in the Ka-esh pleasure room).
Tryggr may have a reputation as a f*ckboy, but once Eben catches his eye, he only has eyes for him. Unfortunately, the path to true love isn’t smooth.
This was such a great read. There are dark moments (grief, being disowned) that are handled well, but overall it’s a very uplifting story that will give you the warm fuzzies.
Overall Rating: 🥭🥭🥭🥭🥭
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
~ Special thanks to Finley Fenn for the ARC ~
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📖 Single POV, third limited, past tense
✨ Synopsis:
Ka-esh medic Eben has always been told to stay away from Skai orcs — they’re dangerous and can never be trusted. So why can’t he keep his eyes off outgoing Skai warrior Tryggr?
✨ Review:
This book. I devoured it in one sitting.
Yes, you can read it as a standalone. But I urge you to read The Maid and the Orcs first. First, because there are spoilers, but also because there are subtle nuances and many ‘behind the scenes’ scenarios that will be much greater appreciated if you’ve read TMATO first.
OMG! I loved everything about this. Eben and Tryggr are delightful and I loved watching them circle around each other while getting to know one another.
Eben is such an intriguing character. He may be shy and blend into the background, but he’s passionate about his beliefs, is brave enough to challenge those in the wrong, and has a secret kinky side (he spends his free time in the Ka-esh pleasure room).
Tryggr may have a reputation as a f*ckboy, but once Eben catches his eye, he only has eyes for him. Unfortunately, the path to true love isn’t smooth.
This was such a great read. There are dark moments (grief, being disowned) that are handled well, but overall it’s a very uplifting story that will give you the warm fuzzies.
Overall Rating: 🥭🥭🥭🥭🥭
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
~ Special thanks to Finley Fenn for the ARC ~
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October 3, 2024
I love all of Finley’s books, especially The Sins of the Orc and The Maid and the Orcs. But when I read this one, it immediately became my fav of Finley’s and absolutely landed a spot on my all time favs list.
Eben is so sweet and shy and kinky and anxious and honestly just very relatable. He has the tendency to fade into the background and isn’t very used to being seen for who he is. That is until he crosses paths with resident Skai f*ckboy Tryggr, who accepts and loves him just as he is, without wanting or expecting him to be someone he’s not.
Major themes of the book include love, self discovery and acceptance, finding your voice, and healing. I’d honestly call this a pretty slow burn and had so much hurt/comfort 🥹 The kink and power dynamics were so good omg. It was just flawless. I also LOVED the behind the scenes look we get at The Maid and the Orcs 👀 But make sure you read Maid and the Orcs before this one!
And I was really going to try to not mention Gary for once, but I just can’t help myself. Gary is THE BEST omg the day we get his book will be the day I can die a happy person. I’m picturing Gary x grumpy sub Skai aka that one from the beginning of the book. That’s the vision.😍
Eben is so sweet and shy and kinky and anxious and honestly just very relatable. He has the tendency to fade into the background and isn’t very used to being seen for who he is. That is until he crosses paths with resident Skai f*ckboy Tryggr, who accepts and loves him just as he is, without wanting or expecting him to be someone he’s not.
Major themes of the book include love, self discovery and acceptance, finding your voice, and healing. I’d honestly call this a pretty slow burn and had so much hurt/comfort 🥹 The kink and power dynamics were so good omg. It was just flawless. I also LOVED the behind the scenes look we get at The Maid and the Orcs 👀 But make sure you read Maid and the Orcs before this one!
And I was really going to try to not mention Gary for once, but I just can’t help myself. Gary is THE BEST omg the day we get his book will be the day I can die a happy person. I’m picturing Gary x grumpy sub Skai aka that one from the beginning of the book. That’s the vision.😍
October 4, 2024
✨ 𝑻𝒓𝒚𝒈𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒓𝒄 ✨
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ✨
💚 MM
💚 warrior and scholar
💚 shy scientist
💚 bossy f–kboy
💚 hurt, comfort, & healing
💚 “good pet”
💚 copious fluids
💚 found family
“𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒕. 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆, 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈– 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆?”
✨ 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ✨
Two and a half years. That's how long I've been waiting for the story behind dear, sweet Eben and the reckless Skai who quite literally steal the screen, as well as each other, in an unforgettable scene in The Maid and the Orcs. Not only am I selfishly ecstatic she brought this story to the public but I also believe it only adds a richness to the world that the other novellas do as well. Like a sprinkling of sugar, spice, and everything nice about our beloved orc mountain.
As always, our Orc Mother never does us, or our favorite characters wrong and this sweet little gem is no exception. I was laughing, I was crying, it's everything you love about the orc sworn series in bite size form. There's character growth between both of our boys, cameos from orcs in the past, and what might be considered a slow burn romance of Finley Fenn level proportions.
When our Orc Mother hits she never misses.
Trygg and Eben might be one of my favorite couples yet.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ✨
💚 MM
💚 warrior and scholar
💚 shy scientist
💚 bossy f–kboy
💚 hurt, comfort, & healing
💚 “good pet”
💚 copious fluids
💚 found family
“𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅, 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒕. 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅. 𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆, 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈– 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆?”
✨ 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ✨
Two and a half years. That's how long I've been waiting for the story behind dear, sweet Eben and the reckless Skai who quite literally steal the screen, as well as each other, in an unforgettable scene in The Maid and the Orcs. Not only am I selfishly ecstatic she brought this story to the public but I also believe it only adds a richness to the world that the other novellas do as well. Like a sprinkling of sugar, spice, and everything nice about our beloved orc mountain.
As always, our Orc Mother never does us, or our favorite characters wrong and this sweet little gem is no exception. I was laughing, I was crying, it's everything you love about the orc sworn series in bite size form. There's character growth between both of our boys, cameos from orcs in the past, and what might be considered a slow burn romance of Finley Fenn level proportions.
When our Orc Mother hits she never misses.
Trygg and Eben might be one of my favorite couples yet.
October 4, 2024
Spicy MM Orc Romance
Whenever I pick up a Finley Fenn book I know I’m in for a treat and this book, Trygrred by the Orc was no exception.
Set in Orc Mountain and at the same time as The Maid and the Orcs, this MM novella packs a punch and offers all the feels. It can be read as a standalone but for a richer experience I personally recommend reading The Maid and the Orcs first.
Trygrr is a bossy, feisty, self confident warrior orc . He is a bad ass protector and gets things done. Eben is shy, lacking in self confidence and dealing with ongoing emotional trauma from past and present experiences. He is however, eager to help others by studying medicine and working on ways to improve the health of orcs and their mates.
A chance encounter leads to these two orcs embarking on an emotion filled journey to find love. I laughed, I cried and felt anger at what Eben especially, was experiencing at times. Trygrr was like a sexy whirlwind on a mission to help Eben on the road to happiness.
I loved this book and can’t wait to reread and enjoy for a second time.
Be aware that there are trigger warnings due to the dark themes within. It’s very spicy with a definite HEA. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Whenever I pick up a Finley Fenn book I know I’m in for a treat and this book, Trygrred by the Orc was no exception.
Set in Orc Mountain and at the same time as The Maid and the Orcs, this MM novella packs a punch and offers all the feels. It can be read as a standalone but for a richer experience I personally recommend reading The Maid and the Orcs first.
Trygrr is a bossy, feisty, self confident warrior orc . He is a bad ass protector and gets things done. Eben is shy, lacking in self confidence and dealing with ongoing emotional trauma from past and present experiences. He is however, eager to help others by studying medicine and working on ways to improve the health of orcs and their mates.
A chance encounter leads to these two orcs embarking on an emotion filled journey to find love. I laughed, I cried and felt anger at what Eben especially, was experiencing at times. Trygrr was like a sexy whirlwind on a mission to help Eben on the road to happiness.
I loved this book and can’t wait to reread and enjoy for a second time.
Be aware that there are trigger warnings due to the dark themes within. It’s very spicy with a definite HEA. 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
December 13, 2025
Tryggred by the Orc
These are definitely the sweetest two Orcs yet in the series. Most of these Orcs have a fair amount of assholeness to them (looking at you Drafli). I appreciated getting the POV of Eben (usually we don't get an Orc’s POV). He's a heartbreaking, beautiful submissive and I'm so glad that Tryggr saw the strength and brilliance in him.
““Ach, I ken,” he murmured. “You deserve kindness, and honour, and respect. Deserve to have your wishes heard and followed and protected. An’ if some snippy Ash-Kai or fool Ka-esh starts barrelling over you, or giving you grief, you deserve to have your Skai backing you up and hurling daggers.”
Somehow it totally fit that Tryggr didn't know Eben’s name until after he had totally fallen for Eben. And I loved how even though Tryggr might be the warrior dom in the relationship, it's Eben that grounds him when needed,
“I ken this work has not been easy for you,” Eben continued, steadier now, his eyes intent on Tryggr’s face. “But amidst it, you have again and again shown Drafli he can trust you. You have kept his woman safe, you have granted her much help, you have offered her laughter and relief. You have been a good, faithful Skai. You have done much good work, sir.”
They make such a lovely pair.
These are definitely the sweetest two Orcs yet in the series. Most of these Orcs have a fair amount of assholeness to them (looking at you Drafli). I appreciated getting the POV of Eben (usually we don't get an Orc’s POV). He's a heartbreaking, beautiful submissive and I'm so glad that Tryggr saw the strength and brilliance in him.
““Ach, I ken,” he murmured. “You deserve kindness, and honour, and respect. Deserve to have your wishes heard and followed and protected. An’ if some snippy Ash-Kai or fool Ka-esh starts barrelling over you, or giving you grief, you deserve to have your Skai backing you up and hurling daggers.”
Somehow it totally fit that Tryggr didn't know Eben’s name until after he had totally fallen for Eben. And I loved how even though Tryggr might be the warrior dom in the relationship, it's Eben that grounds him when needed,
“I ken this work has not been easy for you,” Eben continued, steadier now, his eyes intent on Tryggr’s face. “But amidst it, you have again and again shown Drafli he can trust you. You have kept his woman safe, you have granted her much help, you have offered her laughter and relief. You have been a good, faithful Skai. You have done much good work, sir.”
They make such a lovely pair.
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