The Ex and the Orcs

Orc Sworn #11

by Finley Fenn

She made a family with a monster. And now he’s come home…

In a world of orcs and men, Raye will never forgive Kalfr. The tall, handsome orc who gave her a perfect son, and a happy ending…

Until she learned the horrible truth.

Kalfr wasn’t just hers. He was bound to another orc. To Gaelfr. A huge, hostile, dangerous monster.

In the seven years since, Raye has fought to erase Kalfr from her life, and protect her precious son. But she’s sinking into poverty and danger, with no one she can trust…

Until Gaelfr shows up at her door.

He’s still huge, vicious, and hateful — but once he sees Raye’s plight, he refuses to leave. He claims that due to his unbreakable vow with Kalfr, Raye is now… his.

His to protect.
His to feed and support.
His to touch, and taste, and tend however he sees fit…

And if that wasn’t enough, Gaelfr swears to bring Kalfr back home. To make them a family again.

It’s an appalling plan, and one Raye would never accept… right?

But maybe it’s already too late. She’s already made a family with her ex, and a monster.

And now, they’re both coming home. Forever.

_____________________

A dark, angsty, enemies to lovers fantasy romance. Comes after The Artist and the Orc, but reads as a standalone. Happily ever after guaranteed.

Final release date to be confirmed.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Monster Romance, Second Chance Romance, Fantasy Romance, M M F, Enemies To Lovers

778 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 12, 2026

About the author

Finley 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
Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/orcsworn
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.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
11. The Ex and the Orcs

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

Reviews

[Barbarzynka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uwielbiam tę serię 🥹 niekoniecznie za seks na ołtarzach, z udziałem widowni, orgie itd.... niekoniecznie za to że na niemal każdej stronie leją się milkshaki 😂 autorka zbudowała świetny, spójny świat, znakomitych bohaterów, do których chce się wracać 🥹🥹🥹 czekam na kolejną część, gdzie będzie jeszcze bardziej obsceniczne!!!!
MMMF 🥹 dajcie mnie to 😂

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite series and I absolutely devour every new book and they are lengthy beasts. This latest one despite being around the 800-page mark I actually managed to finish in a day. If that doesn’t speak to how bingeable I find these then nothing will. So this one had some previous set-up and I was incredibly excited to learn more about Kalfr and his estranged mate and son. It’s a second chance romance which I’ll be transparent is usually one of my least favourite tropes. Well, here I ate that shit up. It seems there is nothing this particular author cannot serve me up that I won't end up bloody loving.

As in previous books anything goes so this has a MMF set-up. We get a brief rundown of how exactly shit went down. The root cause of all Raye’s anger and resentment and just why she then decided to raise her son alone. Then we start seven years later Raye is raising her son attempting to scrape a living with her weaving but it's not going well for her. Enter Gaelfr the catalyst for all of Raye’s hurt and disillusionment. He stayed away to give Raye and Kalfr a chance and he had no idea they’d been separated this entire time. Now he is back and is determined to protect Raye and her son in his bondmate's stead. He is also determined to fix what has been broken and that means getting Raye where she can to make amends.

I loved the set-up of this one you know who I also adored Gaelfr he was such a ferocious teddy bear. Despite Raye’s first initial impression of her mate's bondbrother that he was vicious and hostile and dangerous he actually comes across like a giant cinnamon roll. How could Raye not fall deeply under his spell? The way he takes care of both Raye and her son was bloody adorable.

This series despite being at times such pure filth also has so much heart this is why I think it works for me so well. Alongside the x-rated explicit sexual liberation, this also has such great world-building and a huge sense of found family and this one delivered for me in every single way. I also appreciate how flawed and imperfect the characters all are it makes it that much more relatable.

So yeah safe to say I raced through this in record time if you like filthy talking Orcs, found family, great world-building, and some serious sexual shenanigans where anything goes and I mean anything then this series is for you. Be aware it is all incredibly descriptive and totally explicit and though each book focuses on a separate family unit they do need to be read in order as there is an ongoing story woven throughout. As for me, I’m gonna keep reading these as long as they’re written I devour each new one so yeah keep them coming.

(Review of advanced reader copy)

[Bea Oh · Rating 5 out of 5]

THESE BOOKS ARE FILTHY!!
Full of 'Orc Seed!'

Story line for each book is fantastic, layered, sooo much spice!

The male narrator is filthy delicious!!

[Dreamflower · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another MMF book where the MM couple is prioritized. Fucking hate authors who write crap like this, fucking stick to writing MM when that's obviously what you're interested in writing.

[Britt ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“‘Mine to guard…Mine to command. Mine to tend and feed and fatten as I see fit. Mine to touch, and taste, and keep.’”

*SWOON*

Ugh, I just adore this series so much and I love me a second chance romance!!! Finley Fenn does it every 👏🏼 damn 👏🏼 time 👏🏼 when she reached out to ARC read, I fangirled so hard and of course I couldn’t deny the queen. I absolutely DEVOURED all 700+ pages of messy, angsty, orc drama and loved getting to meet new orcs and check in on old orc friends and their mates (and some orclings!) speaking of orclings, I LOVED Svein and his sweet little self so much. I love pregnancy and babies and children in books, IRL - don’t ask me a damn thing about children but book babies have my whole heart. Getting to know him and seeing his relationship and love for his Mama and Papas was everything.

Raye was such a raw and relatable FMC. Her doubts and feelings felt so honest and that’s what I love so much about Finley’s characters, they aren’t perfect and have flaws but that makes them feel so much more three dimensional. Raye, Gaelfr & Kalfr had such a lovely relationship dynamic. I loved seeing the bits and pieces of their past love but I also liked how it didn’t overshadow their current story. These orcs are so big and bulky but they become melted butter for their FMCs which I LOVE.

And our Bautul band of orcs!!! I had a blast getting to know them and seeing the different orcs come together. And those tidbits of potentially more stories to come 👀 looking at you Othan…mayhap someday BUT Finley does give us a peek of where she’s going next and I absolutely cannot wait. I won’t give it away but I would stay tuned if I were you.

Thank you SO much from Orc Mountain and back for the ARC, Finley, and I hope you have a wonderful release day with lots of sweetcakes 🫶🏻

[DelightfullyRuth · Rating 5 out of 5]

* MMF
* Second chance romance
* Rejected mates
* Exes to lovers
* Grumpy x Grumpy x Grumpy
* High angst

The Ex and The Orc is the 11th in the Orc Sworn series by Finley Fenn, it’s a second chance romance, and it feels as if we have been teased with hints of what could have possibly happened with Kalfr and his son’s mother, to lead to their breakup, for half of the series at least. At the end of the last book, Kesst (one of my favourite characters in the series) and Daisy took matters into their own hands and sent Gaelfr, another one of Kalfr’s exes, a portrait of poor sad looking Kalfr. Suffice to say, as an avid fan of this series, I have been counting down the days until I could get this book in my hot little hands.

Raye is a struggling single mother, living in a country on the edge of war. It was only a handful of years ago since humans and orcs were at war against each other, and Raye is raising an orc son, Svein alone, surrounded by people who consider him the enemy. She has been so deeply wounded before by Kalfr, that she has been on the offensive ever since to protect herself and her son. Leading to her being isolated and alone, doing her best to raise her son, her orc son, in a land that is still distrustful of orcs.
The three of them are stubborn, and one of the big lessons from the book is them learning to communicate to one another.
Kalfr had failed to mention to Raye that he was already in a relationship when they got together, with Gaelfr, and he hadn’t told Gaelfr about Raye either. When Raye discovered that Kalfr was already taken by an orc, she immediately cut all ties with him. But cheating is not a trope within this book, so if you actively avoid it (like I do), you are safe here. Gaelfr had a very different reaction when he had discovered about Raye, that same night:

“For this was settled with our vows, many moons past,” he went on, a soft taunting caress. “It was sworn into sacred laws before the goddess. Kalfr is my ástvinur, and you are his mate. And thus” – a low satisfied growl – “you are mine.”

Somehow, eleven books in the world building continues to grow richer. That there is still new things to discover about our goddess loving Bautul orcs. The warrior clan, that is also passionate about gardening. We get to discover so much more about them, and the clans history.

The three main characters in this book were surprisingly similar, they were three stubborn lonely fools, who needed their heads knocking together to finally make it work. Ironically, Gaelfr, the reason Raye and Kalfr broke up last time, is the glue that this trio needed to make this work. They each had complex feelings about each other, but mainly about themselves. Having the main FMC hit especially hard, being one myself, and some of her anxieties and intrusive thoughts hit me hard. I’m a discerning reader when it comes to high angst. I get easily emotionally invested when it comes to well written books, it’s one of the reasons I mainly stick to books with HEA. Finley Fenn is one of the few authors I trust my emotional wellbeing when it comes to high angst, as she always makes the payoff worthwhile.

I cannot finish this review without mentioning Svein in more detail. He was such a sweet, adorable boy, with the inherent ability to be more aware of what is going on than you would expect, but also that skill all children possess of turning up when they are least expected. His Clan Terror now exists in Orc Sworn lore and will never be forgotten.

***
Random thoughts

On an even more fun note, we are still discovering new properties of orc seed, it seems to be similar to breast milk, adapting to what the mate needs. It’s noted at the beginning of the book it is noted that Raye is malnourished, and so Gaelfr and Kalfr’s acted like the opposite of Ozempic!

Anyone else picture that when an orc orgasms it’s like a nuclear blast going off inside. So when they are mating, it’s like a mushroom cloud of sperm coating everything.

Now it could be possible to read this as a stand-alone, but you would be doing yourself a great disservice. So many threads that are woven into this story comes from earlier books in the series. Particularly from The Midwife and the Orc, The Fall of the Orc (from Orc Forged), and Offered by the Orc. But I would also argue that you benefit from having read The Artist and the Orc, as it was Daisy’s portrait that started the events that led to this book, and the book that she and Rosa worked on together gets mentioned so often by Svein. Just do yourself a favour and enjoy all of Finley Fenn’s orc books first, you can thank me afterwards.

I received an ARC of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ex and the Orcs is the 11th full book in the Orc Sworn main series, a dark monster romance with more fluids, domming, and emotional pain and trauma than other orc romance series and that’s what makes these books great. Technically, this a stand alone book, however the series is best read in order, so you can read how the world and characters have developed over the many many books. Ok, onto the review!!

Raye is a weaver and single mom to the cutest seven year old orcling, Svein. She left her orc mate Kalfr because he sprang his other mate, Gaelfr on Raye and she gave him an ultimatum to give him up for her. The ultimatum backfired and it turns out that all three of them, Raye, Gaelfr and Kalfr have all been suffering alone for the last seven years. Raye has been barely able to survive by weaving cheap plain cloth to sell and Kalfr leaving small gifts of food, gold, or furs at her door as child support. But she hasn’t received any gifts in a long time and she and Svein are slowly starving despite her best efforts. To make matters worse, humans have been upping their aggression towards Raye and Svein and have threatened to burn down her house and harm them. Gaelfr returns and literally barges into their life and drags them to Kalfr and Kalfr’s orcish bunker (not a metaphor). Can the three of them overcome their past pain and misunderstandings and be together or will orcish pride and secrets hold them back?

Oh my god, so much drama in this book. For a series that is unexpectedly emotional, this book hit me very hard. All of the MCs have their own secrets they have kept from another and those secrets kept them apart for so long despite the fact that they are still (literally) bonded together which causes them physical pain to be apart. Raye is a very sympathetic character, because although she has been working so hard and trying her best, she feels like she is constantly failing at life and failing her son. Gaelfr for being a super tough fearsome warrior is actually the most sweetest caregiving orc seen thus far on Orc Mountain but also because he has tremendous guilt and trauma. We get to know Kalfr who we meet in earlier books (The Maid at the Orcs and the Artist and the Orc) a lot more. We finally get to find out why he is so sad and it’s also because of secrets and trauma. I really liked the opportunity to read more about Kalfr even when he made choices that I wanted to slap him over but it’s not an Orc Sworn book if you don’t want to slap a character at least once in the book.

I really love these books. On the surface they sound like they would merely be monster smut but they also cover serious topics such as war, racism, sexism, persecution, sexual violence, child abuse (like all the abuse), and much much more but it’s been so interesting to read how orc society was shaped by the atrocities of their recent past and how they have been addressing a lot of those issues in the last few years–largely due in part to some very strong human women and the orcs who love them. Each book is built on an emotional core that usually has me crying by the end of the book if not sooner.

So in conclusion, The Ex and the Orcs is really good. I think you need to read the earlier books to get the most out of it but you can enjoy it on its own too. Crazy dark things happened and will continue to happen in the book. They don’t always deal with their emotions in a healthy way. I don’t know how every surface of Orc Mountain isn’t a sticky mess but goddamn these books are like a direct shot to my lizard brain.

4 out of 5 stars

TW Listed here: https://finleyfenn.com/books/the-ex-a... (there are many many trigger warnings)

Thank you to Finley Finn for all of my favorite broken orc boys and the ARC (but I also bought it because I love the series so much).

Reviewed on June 13, 2026

[JouJou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listen I love this author. Love. I have read a ton of the Orc series, I have special editions of some of them and genuinely am addicted. So this is such a painful review. I rounded up for Goodreads but this is really a 2.5 star for me.

This chick here. Raye. Cannot stand her. She's the first FMC that I so actively hate that I was literally screaming at her for most of the book while reading and wishing desperately that these two amazing orc's did not end up with her. For much of the book Raye is a selfish, jealous, vindictive woman who brought so much of her suffering on herself. Maybe all of it. She jumps to conclusions (mostly wrong or, if not wrong, there is endless repetitive inner thought on it). The worst thing is she also condemned her son to suffer as well. Kalfr and Gaelfr had their own challenges for sure - and they certainly aren't perfect and the lack of communication was glaring-even given the history that eventually comes out near the end- but the way Raye behaved was something different entirely. I didn't feel sorry for her at all. I felt sorry for her son. Finally at nearly the end she got a bit better but it was just too late for redemption in my eyes.

The other issue is there is just to much sex in this book and it's just too long. The sex is near on constant - more erotica than story and the plot and characters suffer for it. We don't get near enough info about either of the orc's past -until way too far in to the book (like 80%) and instead we have to watch as this insufferable female gets pleasured and is the focus of so much attention - and she engages in this repetitive inner dialogue that is nails on a chalkboard to read. So much woe is me, and crying and crying about how awful she has been and how they don't trust her and I was like that's right you are and they are trying- all she does is doubt, jump to conclusions, and question them constantly - instead of communicating. All the sex meant that the communication that should be happening did not. Amongst any of them. I do understand this is bautul which have a very unique way of bonding but - I was skimming/skipping the sex after a while.

I was wishing this book did what so many MMF do and kind of ignore the woman or she feels like a third wheel. I see some people say they felt that here but I didn't. Unfortunately. It felt like they were hyper focused on her most all of the time - even though their bond was much older and they had more time together.

I wish there had been way more MM scenes!

I did enjoy what we got of Orc Mountain again and seeing a few of the other characters I love. I liked the Bautul fort idea and how it was described and so many of the interactions. I loved the son - what a ray of light (no pun)

Overall - I did finish. Some of the others in this series and the MM series are re-reads multiple times - I just love them so much. This one had some moments but overall I just struggle to like a book when I really dislike the FMC and the length did not help either.

[Natalie]

I read about 75% then I skimmed the ending so imma count this as a book read. First off way too long omg. The issues with Sybil don’t even get resolved until like chapter 70 which is like 5 chapter before the ending. It just was to long and went on for to long. My main issue was with how they treated raye. Yes raye was wrong for putting her son in a position of poverty when she had her babydad willing to be apart of the kids life but let’s actually look into why she cut Kalfr off. He lied about having another mate which was someone whom he was sexually involved with. He didn’t tell her the full scope of his relationship with Gaelfr and yes knowingly omitting the truth is still lying. Then when they reunite everyone and I truly mean everyone blames raye. Just because she didn’t wanna deal with a liar… all the orcs/humans on orc mountain made her out like some crazy women when again it was Kalfr who withheld the truth. I am mad at raye though cause all I could think was your a bird brain. Please set boundaries but nope. Mind you Gaelfr whom is the mate Kalfr lied about ran away from Kalfr to basically whole other country. Yet he is the victim. Also on top of all that Kalfr slept with another women even though he was still mated. Raye and Gaelfr didn’t sleep with anyone else… and if the orcs actually care about the relationships why did they allow Kalfr to do that Imo I still consider that to be cheating. Gaelfr could literally still smell her in him. On top of the cheating Kalfr puts targets on raye and her sons back because Sybil the one he slept with was out to kill him. His son smells like him and yet he never went and warned raye or protected her. You’re telling me gaelfr could barge in and help but Kalfr wouldn’t. He was a coward. Again raye was a bird brain too but like be serious. I hate books like this where there is a mmf relationship but the women is just being used to further the mm relationship. Men already get enough in this world. They also constantly degraded her, barely stood up for her and were just all around disrespectful to the mother of their child. I think the thing that really upset me was kalfr was so quick to forgive Gaelfr for leaving him and moving so far away that he couldn’t feel the bond but forgiving raye for the act of kalfr lying was so out of the box. Mind you if he was just honest at the beginning then raye could have made a better informed decision before she got pregnant. Also he “mated” her but didn’t do any of the tribes traditions so it’s like they weren’t really seen as mated. So why pursue the relationship at all kalfr… and I can’t imagine the lies he told his other orc mountain members about raye for them to not like her when she was just setting boundaries. Also orcs are known for kidnapping the sons and just using the women which seems to be the case here as well. Also they never groveled they made raye do all the grovel it was so icky

[Chelsea Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Spice
Monster Romance | Second Chance | Betrayal/Angst| MMF

The Ex and the Orcs by Finley Fenn was a messy, emotional journey of redemption and finding home in someone(s) who have betrayed you.
We have the romance/relationship plot, and we have the 'enemy of the orcs plot, where some humans are still targeting the orc clan. A lot was going on in this book. There were many ups and downs, and in typical finley fenn fashion, A TON of angst, yearning, and spice. I also found a single mom who would give anything for her son. Raye is one of Finley's most devoted FMCs to date, where she didn't give push or pull, she threw herself full force into being a good mate.

Gael is my new favorite MMC of the Orc Sworn series. He is a solid place for Raye (and Kalfr) to land. He was a steady, solid character who always showed up for his mates.
Kalfr had been through a lot, so his character changed pretty quickly due to the "betrayal." He seemed colder, more reserved, and it was hard to gauge him at times. I appreciated that Finley didn't have a quick resolution to Kalfr and Raye's situation, because then it wouldn't have been authentic, realistic, or have that raw heartbreaking intrigue. However, Kalfr's anger seemed directed at Raye, while he appeared much quicker to forgive Gael. That threw me off, considering Gael had also left for years and abandoned their bond

Overall, I would recommend The Ex and the Orcs! I devoured the book in one day, which was not easy at a cool 800 pages. If you want a story with betrayal/miscommunication, devoted mates who will do anything for one another. It's so easy to get lost in this world, and it instantly grabs your attention and makes you want to stay there. Finley's writing is just that good!

Spoilers Below:
For example, when they reunite with Kalfr, he is reserved and cold towards G and R, but a few scenes later, he is embracing G and giving him the welcome I expected him to also give Raye. Instead, he tells her there's nothing she can do to earn his forgiveness. He withholds affection from her for a long time while Gael receives it much more freely. At times, it felt harsh. Raye even acknowledges in her POV that she feels like she's being punished, as though she's being put in her place. Since jealousy was already established between the three of them regarding Gael and Kalfr's relationship, I wanted more reassurance that Raye was equally wanted and valued. That feeling carried into the ending for me, especially when Gael initially didn't want to sleep with Raye because he didn't want to have a child with her. A little more reassurance and balance in those moments would have made this a full 5-star read instead of a 4.5-star.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of hate Raye. No, I do hate her.

(Below contains mild spoilers, but nothing specific for the plot of the book)

Listen, every other woman in this series I am behind 100%. They did nothing to deserve how they often get treated and I don't think they should have forgiven their orcs by the end of their books most of the time.

And yet here is this selfish cruel brat, and she gets treated with nothing but sweetness and kindness when she did very little to deserve it.

Did Kalfr screw up with Gael and Raye in the beginning? Yes. But nothing, NOTHING he did warranted Raye not even giving him a chance to explain or apologize, barring him from his son's life, burning every letter he wrote, threatening him, and being so cruel to him. If I was him, there was nothing she could do to earn her way back into my life as a partner.

And she is a terrible mother. Because she was jealous of Gaeflr she forced her son to grow up a prisoner. Barely able to leave their tiny house, no friends, no contact with anyone but her. Half starved his entire life bc she couldn't support them. Separated from his own people, his own culture. Not knowing the basics of his own body or how to speak his own language bc his mother was too selfish to even ask Kalfr for help. She was so obsessed with keeping him all for herself and overlooked the horror of a life she was giving him. Would Svein have been in danger with his people during the war? Yes. But the war ended when he was two years old. There was no justification for what she put him through. None. There is no doubt in my mind when Svein grew up and better understood his childhood he would resent his mother.

This all happens before the book even starts btw. Everything horrible about Raye's life, everything she suffered, was 100% of her own making. I don't feel sorry for her at all, only for her son who knew nothing but suffering.

And then near the end of the good she has the NERVE to stand there and tell Kalfr he was manipulative and cruel. After finding out how he'd been forced and SA'd his entire childhood, the horrors he'd suffered, she made it about herself. She took his pain and threw it in his face to twist the narrative and make him the bad guy and her the innocent victim. Fuck her. Seriously.

Apart from Raye the rest of the book was a delight. I love Kaflr. He is so kind and dedicated and generous. Has been the entire series. Is he perfect? Yes. Just kidding, he makes his own mistakes, but overall he is a wonderful person, father, and partner.

Gaeflr surprised me. I really liked him, and how nurturing he is. Kalfr and he are great together, and they deserve better than Raye.

[Anne-Marie Romance Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ach, I ken we must all do this...We must seek to meet each other, learn each other, trust each other. Not as we were, but as we are now."

I love a second chance romance so much! So, when I learned that a favourite author with a favourite series was writing one, I was so excited! Add in that the characters have been apart for years with a lot of drama between them and I was here for it. And Finley Fenn never disappoints, this book was touching, emotional, drama-filled, tense, and super spicy!

Raye and Kalfr have been apart for years. And despite having a son together, Raye is sure she can never forgive Kalfr for his secrets. But when his biggest secret, Gaelfr, shows up at Raye's door she's forced to confront the past and her current danger. Gaelfr says she's his and is offering her a new path, and a chance to confront Kalfr and learn the truth about what happened all those years ago. And a chance for her son to know his father and go somewhere safe. But how can they ever all work out the hurt and damage between the three of them?

The emotional drama and healing journey is the main point of this one, I loved how the author treated it with the care and time it deserved. Their journey was never linear, it was two steps forward one step back with these three, and that made it feel so real and so engaging. And I was so happy to see female characters as complex and messy as the male ones. No one was perfect here, no one was without blame or without hurt, and watching them work it out was so good. There was no one conversation to magically fix everything, and no instant solution to their past hurts. They had to put in the work to get there and that's what made everything feel so real. I cried several times and loved every word of it!

And Raye, Kalfr, and Gaelfr are so right for each other. They may be hurt but they're working towards understanding, and a big part of that is the spicy times together. It would not be an Orc Sworn book without the hottest spice! The Bautul clan connection to nature makes things extra spicy as the story progresses, and Gaelfr is going to make these two self-sacrificing, stubborn grumps see sense if he has to plough it into them himself.

This is the next amazing book in the Orc Sworn saga, and I loved every page of it! It's an emotional ride to the HEA filled with lots and lots of spice and everything there is to love about the series!

[Kimberly Kyna Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★
🍆 🍆 🍆🍆 🍆
🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵
💋💋💋💋💋
💥💥💥💥💥
🫦🫦🫦🫦🫦
⛰️⛰️⛰️⛰️⛰️
💦💦💦💦💦

A Goodreads Review for The Ex and the Orcs by Finley Fenn

I knew this book was going to be a commitment when I saw the page count, but somehow I still wasn't prepared for how completely it would consume my life. This isn't a quick monster-romance snack—it's a full feast, and every single page earns its place.

What impressed me most was how detailed everything felt. The world-building, the relationships, the emotional baggage, the history between the characters—nothing felt rushed. Finley Fenn takes her time weaving every thread together, and by the end, I felt like I'd lived alongside these characters rather than simply read about them.

And then there's Gaelfr.

Listen. I am trying to be a respectable reviewer, but Gaelfr made that impossible.

This orc is possessive, fierce, loyal, protective, emotionally complex, and somehow manages to be both terrifying and completely irresistible. Every time he stepped onto the page, my attention span packed its bags and left. The man—or rather, the orc—had me in a chokehold from beginning to end.

Would I get on my knees for Gaelfr?

Without hesitation.

Without questions.

Without needing further explanation.

Don't Judge Me!!!!!!!

The chemistry in this book burns hot, but what really sold me was the emotional depth beneath all that tension. The characters aren't perfect. They make mistakes. They hurt each other. They struggle. And because of that, every hard-earned moment of connection feels incredibly satisfying.

The banter, the longing, the angst, the possessiveness, the tenderness hidden beneath all that orc-sized stubbornness—it's everything I love about monster romance wrapped into one enormous, deliciously addictive package.

Yes, it's long. (Just howbI like it) **** stop judging me....

But every chapter adds another layer to the story, the world, and especially to Gaelfr. By the time I reached the final page, I wasn't wishing it had been shorter—I was wishing there were another five hundred pages waiting for me.

If you're looking for a monster romance that delivers world-building, emotional depth, unforgettable characters, and an orc hero who will permanently raise your standard.

The Ex and the Orcs absolutely delivers.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Favorite Character: Gaelfr. Obviously. Well duh!!!!

Biggest Problem: Finishing the book and realizing Gaelfr isn't real. Praying to the nearest mountain, that he comes out Stark naked and ready..... (your judging me.....)

Would Recommend: To anyone who enjoys monster romance, emotionally rich fantasy, and orcs who have absolutely no business being that attractive.

I am going to need the address for Orc Mountain like today......

[Mangomartyr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book with the biggest smile on my face.

What I expected was an orc romance with a messy second chance. What I got was a deeply emotional story about three lonely people who have spent seven years hurting, missing each other, and convincing themselves they're better off apart.

They were not. Raye, Kalfr, and Gaelfr absolutely wrecked me.

One of my favorite things about The Ex and the Orcs is that nobody is entirely right and nobody is entirely wrong. Raye's fear and anger made perfect sense. Kalfr's panic and terrible decisions made perfect sense. Gaelfr's heartbreak made perfect sense. Every one of them was trying to protect something precious and ended up hurting the people they loved most.

And somehow Finley Fenn takes all that pain and turns it into one of the most satisfying relationship journeys I've read in a long time.

The communication in this book was especially wonderful. Not perfect communication. These characters are carrying years of guilt, resentment, secrets, and insecurities, but it was real communication. The kind where people stumble, say the wrong thing, hide things they shouldn't, and then slowly learn how to be honest anyway.
Watching them peel back seven years of misunderstandings and finally let themselves be vulnerable with each other was incredibly rewarding.

Gaelfr completely stole my heart. Kalfr broke my heart. Raye made me want to shake her and hug her at the same time. And Svein? I would personally fight armies for that child.

This book is also hilarious in places. Orcs remain gloriously dramatic creatures, and some scenes had me laughing out loud when I least expected it.

And yes, the spice is excellent. This is Finley Fenn. That's a given.

But what made the spicy scenes hit so hard for me was the emotional context behind them. Every intimate moment felt like another step toward trust, healing, forgiveness, and acceptance.

By the end, what stayed with me wasn't even the smut (though there is plenty of that!). It was the overwhelming sense that these three people had finally found their way home to each other.
Messy, emotional, funny, heartbreaking, healing, and incredibly romantic.

I loved every page.

[Chloe Likes to Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review :


Ooooo I can’t wait for you orc daddy loving feins to read this 😭

Review pending : 6/12/26…



We are back at Orc Mountain, but this time we're on the outside, in a small cottage inhabited by the eccentric, orc-loving "witch," Raye.

Raye used to be mated to Kalfr until one night she overheard part of a conversation he was having outside her cottage with his bound brother. After witnessing what appeared to be an intimate moment between them, she interrupted and accused Kalfr of breaking his mating vows. Convinced she had been betrayed, she ended their relationship and forbade him from ever seeing their child again.

Kalfr rejects his own mate and sends him away, choosing instead to care for his family from a distance.

Years later, Raye is approached by mercenaries who have heard rumors about the woman raising a half-orc child. Their constant harassment makes life increasingly difficult for her. One night, Gaelfr arrives demanding entry into her home and begins inserting himself into both Raye's life and her child's. His goal is to convince her to return to Orc Mountain, help their mate, and allow both of them the chance to be the fathers they were meant to be.

The story follows Raye, her son, and Gaelfr as they travel together and learn how to coexist. Along the way, Raye slowly discovers that everything she witnessed that fateful night was actually a massive misunderstanding.

**Initial Thoughts**

Raye made me so frustrated because so much of this situation could have been avoided if she had simply asked questions. Instead of immediately assuming the worst-case scenario, she could have communicated and gotten answers.

Gaelfr, on the other hand, spent a lot of time making demands and striking deals, which definitely didn't make Raye feel any more secure or trusting of him.

And then there's Kalfr, over here acting like the master manipulator of absolutely everyone.

Also, yes, there is a lot of sword-crossing MM content, along with MMF dynamics. It's important to remember that the two main male love interests were already in a relationship before the female main character entered the picture. Because of that, their relationship naturally receives a lot of focus throughout the book. Raye's storyline and personal journey are woven into that existing dynamic rather than replacing it.

[Between pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

The villain this time is a woman, which hits differently. There's a particular kind of infuriation that only another woman can conjure — she had me stressed. But I'll say this without spoiling anything: she wasn't quite as terrible as I thought. Still put me through the entire ordeal of capturing Kalfr and nearly ruining him and his family. I did not appreciate that.

The road to healing that Kalfr, Gafr and Raye went through was absolutely not a walk on rose petals. But they pushed through, and their bond to each other is even stronger than they realise. Being in the front row of the story's voice makes it more distressing — sitting with all their doubts is genuinely painful. But there's also a little cheat in it, knowing exactly what each character truly thinks and feels about the others. The love, the loyalty, the doubts, the fears and the hope all laid bare. It's a lot to hold at once.

And then there's the unapologetic ploughing, feeding, planting, drinking of seed and the worshipping. Jesus. The Bautul goddess knows exactly how to enjoy intimate offering and worship. Beautiful and filthy!

Dear goddess watch my greedy mate laid bare in your altar open and hale🤭.

The amount of worshipping that happens on that Bautul altar is incredibly hot.💦

What I love is that I can sit with the anxiety and heartache now and actually enjoy it — because I trust Fenn completely. The mother of orcs always delivers a warm, touching ending. Always. So I can let myself feel the stress knowing the payoff is coming.

The Bautul clan finally gets its moment to shine and it was so deserved. Other clans get a nod but this one is front and centre. I was here for every second of it, coz i always have this image that Bautul clan don't get that much of attention.

And then my two new fave character— Skirvie and Fengr. The characters, the chemistry, the little hints being dropped. Is Fenn setting up a Skirvie, Fengr and Sybil situation? Because it feels like it. I'm watching closely. 👀

[Tara | Mangoes and Mayhem · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏔️ He’d promised himself to her. She didn’t know he’d also promised himself to another. 🗡️

⭐️ ARC REVIEW ⭐️

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗰𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗲𝗻𝗻
~𝘖𝘳𝘤 𝘚𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘯, 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝟷𝟷~
[MMF Monster Fantasy Romance]

📖 Single POV, third person, past tense

✨ 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀:
When Raye discovers Kalfr’s secret, that he’s bonded to another, she vows he will never see her or their unborn son again. But time isn’t always kind. When Gaelfr, Kalfr’s other estranged mate, discovers Raye and her son living in poverty, he declares her as 𝘩𝘪𝘴, vowing to care for them as a mate should, and seeking to reunite them all with Kalfr.

✨ 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:
Queen of dark orc romance Finley Fenn’s eleventh installment immediately draws you in. Raye’s plight and Gaelfr’s abrupt intrusion in her life are utterly addictive.

There are many things I love about Finley Fenn’s books. The dark, angsty storylines in a historical fantasy setting. The balance of character interiority with a high-stakes plot. The blending of the familiar (characters, places, customs) with fresh discoveries as the lore behind each of the orc clans deepens.

In 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘤𝘴, we return to the Bautul clan, stubborn protectors and fierce warriors whose devotion knows no bounds. The tenuous peace between the orcs and humans is put to the test and Raye can no longer remain on the sidelines. She needs Gaelfr’s help even if she doesn’t want it, for her own sake and for her adorable orc son, Svein.

While there was once love, there is now only hurt, mistrust, and jealousy. But Raye, Kalfr, and Gaelfr must work to overcome their obstacles for the sake of their son and for their safety. Adding fuel to the fire, the cunning and vindictive Sybil (from 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘤) wants revenge and won’t stop until Kalfr pays for his sins in blood.

If you love dark stories with second chances, jealousy, punishment, and atonement, this is for you.

Overall Rating: 🥭🥭🥭🥭.5
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

~ 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘍𝘦𝘯𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 ~

[Valentina Morgana la fata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finley Fenn is probably one of my all-time favorite authors, and *Orc Sworn* is definitely one of my favorite series.
Without straying too far from reality, I’d go so far as to say that I’d happily read even a grocery list if Fenn wrote it.

In these 11-plus volumes (if we count the novellas and the books in the *Orc Forged* series as well), I haven’t found a single one that I didn’t like or that didn’t entertain me.

However, to be honest, my heart clearly belongs to the Skai clan and (partially) to the Ka-esh clan, and the Bautul didn’t win me over as much as I’d have liked, even though the drama was spot-on.
Honestly, for the first time since I discovered the series, I found the novel too long.
As much as I enjoy the misunderstandings and the drama of things said and left unsaid, I have to say that certain situations were repeated far too many times.
If the novel had been even just 100 pages shorter, it would have been better.

Also, I’ll be honest and say that I missed the characters from Orc Mountain; since this book is set outside the mountain, I actually saw very little of my favorites, partly because there aren’t any characters among the Bautul that I really love.
Although I’ve learned to care for them a little more than before (especially Fengr).
I’ll add that I would have appreciated a bit more backstory about the protagonists’ past because, even though the situation has been fairly well explained in other novels, I think there’s still more to be told about how the orcs used to live.

However, the plot actually worked better than in other volumes of the series; I like how the situation with Lord Nash’s lover has evolved, and honestly, I’m really curious to see what Fenn will do with it in the future.

Still, I remain of the opinion that if someone could show me the way to Orc Mountain, I’d be infinitely grateful.

[Iris Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my Gael! What an orc! What an ooey, gooey, cinnamon roll of an Orc! I didn't think I could love an Orc as quickly as I did with Filak, but Gaelfr has given him a run for his money, and has more than proven me wrong! Honestly, I don't know how she does it, but Finley's work, and this world that she has envisioned just keeps getting better and better! The world building is top notch, the characters are multidimensional and endearing, and the plot is complex and engaging! With this book, I think I finally truly understand what it means to be a Bataul, especially in light of the generational trauma that they have endured, and are working to overcome. This MMF grouping is one of the most well matched and balanced groupings that I have seen to date. I love how they each challenged one another, while also helping each other to heal and grow. This was truly a beautiful love story of three individuals coming together to find not only love, but forgiveness, happiness, and peace together! I love how each individual relationship was tended and cared for, while building a truly cohesive and loving family! And, I absolutely adore how this was done in such a manner to bring further growth, love, and healing to the Bataul clan as a whole. And, of course, Finley did all of this while giving us tons of spice, adventure, and more orcs to love. And, she brought back many of our favorites to join in not only the adventure, but also the fun. Now, I can't wait for Rurik and Julian's story! Even though this is her latest in the Orc Sworn Series, I feel that you can enjoy it on its own without having read the rest of the series! So, if you are new, feel free to jump in right here with the rest of us, and then you can go back to enjoy the rest of the series at your leisure.

[Meagan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There was a commercial when I was a kid for the Sears department store. There was a jingle for the commercial that went on about 'the softer side of Sears'.

When I think of The Ex and the Orcs, I think of 'the softer side of Orc Mountain' (and I sing it to that Sears commercial jingle in my head).

I've come to think of Finley Fenn's books as angst filled, sharp and pointy, smut (and fluid) filled. And while this book had all those things, you guys, it had a bit of a softer feel. A little tender moment amongst the usual Orc filled chaos.

This book was more of a finding the way home. And not home in the building or place sense, but in finding your way back to the people you love most. Overcoming past hurt and horrible circumstances, to again find and connect with the beings that give you that reason to carry on, love you for who you are and show you their power and truth. There was no better clan to represent this than Clan Bautul.

We've been waiting on Kalfr's story for so long and it did not disappoint. It was pure joy to finally meet Gaelfr, Raye and Svein. To finally have the whole story. To watch these big, tough Bautul Orcs barging in all over the place and really showing how tender they could be. The whole tone of the book was just sweet and angsty yearning.

I could give 5 stars just for the host of side characters well. The lead up to future books with some of these characters was, as usual, so well done. I cannot wait for the next addition to Orc Mountain!

In the mean time, I'll be nursing a little Bautul hangover and savouring all that good care these books give my soul.

[DemetraP · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a second chance romance full of miscommunication that had to be fixed.

There was a lot of public sex too. The Batuul orc clan likes to watch each other.

Spoilers.
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Years ago, she fell in love with an orc. He told her she was his mate. She didn't know he already had a male orc mate. He told her he had (an orc word) and she did not understand what he was telling her.

She sees them being intimate and is angry he cheated on her, so she tells them both she never wants to see them again. She is pregnant.

He tells her he will never touch his orc mate again. She still refuses to see him or talk to him and she burns any letters he sends to her.

Meanwhile, his orc mate wants him to be happy. So orc mate goes across the sea so he is not tempted to touch his mate. He believes he is living happily with his human mate and their son.

But she never forgave him and she is starving and cold and does not have enough food to feed her growing son.

He has sex with a different woman because she was a spy and they wanted to find out her evil plans. He said it should be him because he already had 2 mates and should not be able to form a mate bond with the spy. His human mate thinks he has moved on from her.

The orcs sent a picture to his orc mate across the sea. He comes home after realizing no one is happy. He wants to fix their relationship and have a permanent threesome.

It takes a lot of talking and having sex and forgiving each other to fix things. Finally she takes both of them as mates. She is pregnant with orc twins.

The evil spy woman has been neutralized.

[Casandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotional roller coaster! Finley Fenn you sure know how to rip our hearts out, stomp on it, and then slowly… over the course of 800 pages, put it back together again. The Ex and The Orcs was such a beautiful story full of deep emotions, Hurt/Comfort, forgiveness, building a home, building trust, worship at Bautul altars and so much tending and good orc seed. As with each new Orc Mountain book, we get more world building and lore and insight into each of the clans. I just love this world so much.

I’m so happy we finally got Kalfr’s story! We’ve been waiting for years but boy was the wait worth it! This sweet tortured orc just wanted his family back and to care for his people. To make them better. To make a home. And who knew such a sexy and commanding personality was hiding under that beautiful sweet Bautul?

Our FMC, Raye, was such a relatable character. Just a mom trying so hard to do her best for her son. To protect him and feed him. The exhaustion and determination to do whatever it took. The constant feeling of failure and mom-guilt. Then Gaelfr barging in and taking over in the most overbearing orcish way possible.

And Gael. I fell for him so fast. He is such a big scary softie who just wants to tend to his Astvinur and his mate. Honestly, he reminds me of a younger Ezog, and Ezog is my all-time favorite orc.

And the teaser for the next book?! Leave me on the edge of my seat why don’t you!? How can I possibly wait that long!?

As with every other Orc Mountain book, 5 stars. Highly recommend. Will be reading again.

[Mary Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ex and the Orcs is a gem, just a gem, in the Orc Sworn world. All three of its protagonists have major failings towards one another that they have to overcome. This is a trio that’s put blinders on about themselves and each other, and it takes a grave risk to Kalfr to bring his mate Gaelfr back into his orbit and make Gaelfr realize that Raye, the woman Kalfr loved and had a son with, is now in danger—and basically starving.

What stood out to me about this book was its portrayal of community. In much of Orc Sworn, we see humans work to learn about and integrate with clans. And that happens here, but in a special way—by building a community outside of Orc Mountain entirely made up of Bautul clan members. Seeing why Kalfr selected each one and what skills they brought to this fort was fascinating, including Raye’s skills at weaving. Then seeing all these relationships grow and deepen was a fantastic part of this book.

I loved how the three protagonists were all flawed in their own way, and how they had to keep digging down through layers of deception and self-deception to get to the core truth of one another. Add it to it the youthful joy of Svein, Raye and Kaelfr’s son, and a great external challenge to the Bautul and especially Kalfr, and it created a book that had me turning the pages frantically to see what would come next.

Fenn is a master storyteller, and The Ex and the Orcs shows her growing surety. It’s a marvelous addition to a series I love.

[Megan Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this series a month and a half ago and when the author was asking for ARC readers I jumped at the chance! I love this series so much!

This one was a long one but I think I read it in like 7 hours. I could not put it down! There were so many layers the relationships and the hurt that these characters experienced.

Gaelfr and Kalfr are bonded, but Kalfr swore to be Raye’s mate. She has his son, but then told him she wanted nothing to do with him when she found out about the relationship between the two orcs. Kalfr still tried to leave food and supplies for her throughout the years, but then suddenly Gaelfr shows up looking for him. He forced himself in Raye and Svein’s lives and said that because she was his bonded’s mate, she was also his.

Gaelfr was the glue that helped get the three of them together and he was so much sweeter than I expected him to be. The connection between him and Raye felt real and not forced. He was the one to comfort her throughout the journey and love him.

I loved reading about the connection between Raye and Kalfr and their relationship before everything happened. It was sweet and easy. But I loved the relationship the three of them shared, especially once everything was worked out. It was a long journey, and there were so many secrets revealed that impacted their lives and decisions they made, but it was so worth it.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for (Orc Sworn-11) The Ex and the Orcs by Finley Fenn


Tropes-

Dark
Enemies-to-lovers romance
angsty
HEA
M/M/F

Man, where have I been with this series? My first book by Finley Fenn in the Orcs series. I couldn't read this fast enough, and this book is long lol. My family knew not to interrupt Mommy, lol. I loved these three. Kalfr, who gave Raye a son. She had been so happy with her Kalfr, which became hers. She had been so happy till the night she overheard her mate talking with another Orc. This is the first time she sees Gaelfr, whom she finds out is Kalfr's other bondmate. She didn't have him to herself. She didn't share well at that time. Gaelfr seems so angry just hearing him talk to Kalfr. That same night, she runs. She spends years trying to start over, to take all her memories of Kalfr and bury them. All she wanted to do was give her son a safe life at any cost. As time goes on, it becomes increasingly difficult to survive with her and her son. In walks Gaelfr, who is a huge, angry Orc that says he will take care of her because he has the right since she is his as much as she had been Kalfr's. I can't say enough about this book. Believe it or not, I wanted this story to be longer lol. I fell in love with these characters. All I know is I want to read more of Finley's Orc series, as well as other works of hers.

Nicole Harvey

[Danny Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. While I did enjoy it, I find myself not enjoying this author's MMF books as much as her MF and MM. I still find the FMC to be a third wheel or just a baby maker. This one was especially tough for me. I really did like the characters individually, but it took a while for me to like them together. Or truly believe they also loved the h Raye because the bond between the orcs was much stronger. Though I appreciated there were more intimate scenes between all three then prior MMF books. But my fav MMF so far is still Maid and the Orcs. The FMC just felt more seen there. Also, this author's sex scenes are definitely escalating. A lot more orgy than romantic now. Which I enjoyed more in the beginning of this series. Sometimes it just becomes tiring to read. Lady and Heiress are still my top 2 and always recommend people to read. I must mention these can not be read as standalones. All the characters are connected. The author has done a fantastic job with the world building and descriptions to where you can most definitely have a clear image in your head. Overall I do recommend this series. Especially the beginning books. The later ones are a lot more OTT when it comes to orc orgies. And more focused on the relationships between the males. 😅

[Jade Moreno · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read one of Finley Fenn’s books in this series and world, I fell in love with the complexity of the characters, the political scheming between humans and orcs, and the rich culture she created. The author has continued to build upon these unique cultural elements and weave new storylines seamlessly throughout each book. I could not have been happier or more privileged to read this new release, which explores how healing and finding one’s family can be a long journey that requires facing difficult truths. Raye is a complex female character and a mother who wants to protect her son, even if that means working alongside her estranged mate and his bond brother, whom she trusts even less. Her journey shows how both Raye and her orcs have grown over the years, leading them to the events of this story and allowing them to create a family that is safe for their clan, women, and sons. They have built a beautiful new band of orcs that truly demonstrates how each member has a purpose and contributes to the story. I hope you choose to give this book a try because it is a beautiful, heartfelt, and rewarding read.

[Jes · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You should look fetching in colours, sæta,” he said firmly. “Just as another bloom in our garden.”

This book was a good one, but a long one, and I have to say the beginning and ending carried the book for me! I quickly became invested in Raye's character and really sympathized with her being a single mom protecting her child from essentially everything. The pacing in the beginning was good, but it felt really slow in the middle for me.

The middle of the book allowed us to see the progression of the characters' relationships which was super cute and very needed, but I feel like it could have been a bit more condensed or had a few less intimate scenes to speed things along.

The ending tho!! I was on the edge of my seat! When Raye locked in and stood on business I was like “Yes finally! Get em girl!” The ending was so exciting, sweet, and wholesome and wrapped everything up nicely!
That said, I’m so so so very excited for the next book!! Ugh I can’t wait!! It looks like my exact cup of tea!! As always, happy reading! 💚

~ I was given an ARC of The Ex and the Orcs in exchange for my honest review and opinions! ~

[Merry One Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A complex mating and triad

This is a standalone book but part of an Orc series from Finley Fenn. I am enjoying reading these books as they are family- mate oriented with fierce feelings and emotions plus spicy.

In this book we begin with Falfr, from the Bautul Clan, finding a beautiful human female named Raye. Falfr cannot believe his fortune to find such a loving woman, who wants a commitment and relationship from him. The issue is that Falfr is hiding his Bautul Orc culture of having a bond brother named Gaelfr. Falfr does not know how to communicate all the details to either of his partners.

I did enjoy this book and the main characters Falfr, Raye, Gaelfr, Svein plus more. The storyline kept my interest to find out what happened. However, our main characters had such struggles with fully communicating that it became tiresome. I did appreciate how Raye grew to accept the various aspects of Orc culture. In this Bautul clan, they enjoy the brawling to stay strong and alive. Their resolution did not occur until the end of the story. I wish they would had the heart to heart sooner. There is a happy ending. Read On!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited for the next book in this series. I generally really enjoy Fenn’s books, but this one felt like it could have used another round of editing. There were several instances where the same idea was repeated in slightly different ways, which made parts of the story feel repetitive. (For example, I felt like I was half way through the book when I was only at 25%)

I also noticed a heavy reliance on em dashes. And don’t get me wrong, I love an em dash as much as anyone, but there were a lot of them. The prologue has 18, chapter one has 24, chapter three has 16, chapter five has 24… you get the idea. It became very distracting. Another editing pass could have helped some of the repetition and add more variety to the sentence structure.

Because of that, this one was a bit of a struggle for me to get through, which is unusual since I normally fly through her books.

(Also Raye is described blinking so much (girl, do you have dry eyes? I think Efterar can help with that!!))

That being said, I did enjoy seeing more of Clan Batuul!