Liar's Mark

Orcs of the Severed Tusk #2

by Lia Frost

I forged a letter, stole a seal, and talked my way into an orc trade caravan as a diplomat I invented three months ago.

The commander looked at my letter. Looked at my hands. Included me anyway.

Gurn doesn't talk. He grunts. One-word answers. I've been reading people since I was fourteen, and he's the first person where the surface and the interior are the same thing.

I can't read him. I can't stop watching him.

Every night the best portion of meat arrives at my place by the fire. He caught me on a mountain ledge and held on longer than the catching required. And when I stop performing long enough to sit beside him in silence, he says one word.

Better.

The lie is going to collapse. When it does, and the commander asks who I am, my answer is the worst one possible.

I don't know.



✓ Con artist heroine in over her head ✓ He knew the whole time ✓ Strong, silent, touch-starved hero ✓ One-word love language ✓ Forced proximity on the march ✓ Slow burn to explicit ✓ He says "mine" and means it

For fans of Finley Fenn and Ruby Dixon who want a hero built from silence and a heroine who's never met a truth she couldn't outrun.

Gurn's story. Book two in the Healer's Debt world. Can be read as a standalone.

Heat Explicit First person, heroine HEA

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Monsters, Monster Romance

153 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2026

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Con-artist. Grifter. Liar. Diplomat?!😮‍💨 Daigh wears many names, labels, in her life's existence, but the fact that this woman maneuvers where the situation takes her, doesn't make it easy to like her. I didn't care for her. There's no real backstory aside from her having an identity crisis b/c she doesn't know who she is anymore. Not due to illness or amnesia. No. She lost track of herself in the shuffle. Mentally.😳

This story drags itself through the mud and murk as Daigh, a name that isn't revealed till Chapter 8, she has a long list of aliases, slithers her way into an orc caravan with a forged letter. Why? To hide from authorities? People she stole from? I have no idea. I'll be honest, I don't know what the point of the story is. And Commander Gurn, an Orc, is a guy of very very few words. He mostly grunts. The story is told through Daigh's POV which works against the story instead of for it. It's too slow. It got boring. No direction. I lost interest quickly. There's no cute bantering unless what's your favorite weather counts as being cute.🤨🤔 She likes to play games, test Gurn, she can "read" people. Then they got involved. Whyyy? There's no attraction anywhere.🤥

What am I reading?😒

The only character I liked is Lurok. Sweet natured happy go lucky orc dude. Till Daigh took some of that innocence away by showing him what some people can be capable of.😨 Is that good or bad? You can decide for yourself. I didn't like this story. Maybe other readers will. Good luck. Shout-out to the pack animals. RIP to an unnamed horse.🥀🐴 Happy reading.*•>§<•*🤎🤎🤎

🚩🚩18+ read.🚩🚩

👤📜🧌Thank you to Ms Frost and Booksprout. The opinions shared here are my own.👤📜🧌

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't for me. I was confused, I thought maybe this wasn't a standalone and I came in in the middle of a series. I felt like we got zero backstory, no world building, minimal romance. Just lots of odd facts about FMC (many names, no name, then finally Daigh) and her ability to read people, repetitively. Both MCs fell flat. MMC Gurn, said so little it mostly left him unremarkable. There were random bits of information that were brought up, like Daigh's lack of menstrual cycle, then just ignored later. Like why even bring it up. I finished this book knowing the exact same amount as when I started the book.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why did I finish this dry book.

[Heather · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Holy moly. I don’t know how this was so bad when the first book was so good.
The follows the warband commander and a woman pretending to be a trade envoy. She’s a con artist. The thing is you never really understand why she was posing to be this person. The purpose was never really clear.. she just was. Then commander Gurn maybe said all of 3 sentences through the whole book, and otherwise just grunted. It was slow burn, but we are supposed to be watching these characters fall for each other. This was not it for me. The man never truly delved or told much of anything about himself at all. It just felt awkward and unrealistic. I didn’t enjoy this at all. Gurn felt too caveman. Communications by grunts when he could clearly speak. It fell short.

[Krissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book and was happy that Gurn would get a book. However, it fell kind of flat for me. He was mostly a series of grunts, rather than words. It felt like he said more in the first book, so I was excited to get more from him, with this one. It just didn't happen. None of the characters ever get really worked up, which is fine. But, they also give very little in other ways. I do wish both books had a dual POV, so we could get a better read on the men. But, if you're looking for a relatively short and calm read, this would be it for you. You don't necessarily need to read the first book, in order to read this one. But, it'll make things click into place easier if you do read the first one.

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

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

She built her life on lies. He chose to protect her anyway.

Daigh survives by becoming whatever a room needs. A forged identity gets her inside an orc trade caravan, but Gurn, its silent commander, is the first person she can’t charm, manipulate, or properly read. Worse, his steady attention keeps finding the pieces of her that are real.

As the caravan pushes toward a gathering that could shape the clan’s future, Daigh’s carefully built deception starts cracking under scrutiny. Gurn seems to know more than he says, yet instead of demanding answers, he quietly protects her, feeds her, watches over her, and offers care without asking for anything in return.

Forced proximity turns fascination into hunger, but intimacy is harder for Daigh than deception. She’s spent years performing every version of herself, including desire, and being truly seen feels more dangerous than being exposed. Gurn’s patience gives her space to discover what she wants when no one is asking her to pretend.

As the truth closes in, Daigh has to face a harder question than whether her lies will survive: who is she when there’s no role left to play? Gurn can’t answer that for her, but his quiet devotion makes honesty, vulnerability, and staying feel possible for the first time.

Daigh slowly stops using charm and desire as survival tools and begins making choices because they’re genuinely hers. Gurn lets more of himself show beneath the restraint, while their wary attraction deepens into intimacy built on patience, consent, trust, and the freedom to choose each other without pretending.

An ultra-steamy, slow burn, forced proximity, orc romance with a con artist heroine, a strong silent protector, secret identity, he falls first devotion, and love expressed through quiet acts of care. It’s about survival, trust, vulnerability, identity, belonging, and the difference between performing for acceptance and being chosen as you are.

The Elevator Pitch: A gifted con artist joins an orc trade caravan beneath a stolen identity, only to become fascinated by the silent commander she cannot manipulate or read. As proximity turns suspicion into trust and desire, the woman who survives by becoming whatever others need must confront the terrifying possibility of being wanted without performing for it. With every mask beginning to slip, staying may prove far more dangerous than any lie she has ever told.

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥 Ultra-Steamy / Erotic Romance

[♡《bookbaddie》♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was absolutely no details in this book. Why was she a grifter? Why does she not know her real name? Why was he so quiet and closed up? They spoke maybe 10 words to each other this whole book. Nothing happens in this book. Quite boring and just nothing there.

[Leessah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very dry, bland read honestly. The premise was interesting but like most of the reviews mention, there is no backstory to the fmc or other information apart from her not knowing who she really is. The pages have no depth because we don’t feel anything for any character, including Gurn. He is the same character we knew from the first book, which isn’t great since we knew nothing about him then. The grunting silent character still needs some voice to him through action or anything else but we don’t get a chance to know him at all. Why does she do the job she does, why does she hide all these things from other people? Just what is her purpose at all? You never find out, the first page is just as the last.

[Kristin · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The author had a weird cadence in the writing that I did not like.

[Michelle Baker · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is so dull, the writing is stilted, just like the very limited character development. I am bored. DNF

[Lisbeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring, nothing really happens. All the characters were acting like robots, even when the masks came off, the whole book was void of everything. Meh from me.

[Michelle Frater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who is Daigh? A diplomat? A merchant’s daughter? Or someone else entirely? The worst part is that even Daigh no longer knows. She’s been playing roles for so long that she can no longer remember which one was supposed to be real—or even her real name. But there’s one thing Daigh excels at: reading people and using what she learns to her advantage. She knows exactly what others want to hear, and she’s always careful to move on before anyone gets close enough to spot the lie. Talking her way onto an orc trade caravan is simply the next step in her journey. Except for one rather large complication...Gurn. The orc commander is unlike anyone Daigh has ever encountered. For the first time in her life, she can’t seem to read the person standing in front of her. Which might have something to do with the fact that there’s very little hidden beneath the surface. What you see is what you get with Gurn. He’s almost painfully honest and doesn’t hide a thing—well, apart from the pain in his shoulder. Gurn may communicate primarily in grunts, but somehow, it’s his silences and his patience that speak louder than words. It becomes increasingly clear that he knows Daigh isn’t who she claims to be, yet he never pushes her for answers or tries to expose her deception. Instead, he quietly becomes this warm, protective presence at her side, and Daigh slowly begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself and her life. The lies become harder to force past her lips as she starts wondering what it might be like to belong somewhere; to be part of a close-knit group like Gurn and his crew, rather than always looking over her shoulder and planning her next escape. One of my favorite characters, apart from the leads, was Lurok, who still saw the world through distinctly rose-coloued glasses. There was something a little sad about watching Daigh teach him that people—and life—aren’t always what they seem. Yet, despite everything, Lurok ultimately stayed true to himself, even if he emerged from the experience with a little more caution. Which, to be fair, is probably a good thing when facing the big, wide world. Overall, I think this story could have really come alive even more if we’d been given some insight into Gurn’s POV. Everything is told from Daigh’s perspective, so the experience relies quite heavily on how you feel about her as a character. And, truthfully, I sometimes found her a little frustrating as she circled the same dilemma (who am I if I’m not a con artist?) over and over again. If you’re looking for sparkling banter and witty back-and-forth, then this probably isn’t the book for you. But if you’re interested in a woman having something of an existential crisis, and how a virtually silent, three-grunt orc helps her discover what really matters in life...well, welcome to Gurn and Daigh’s story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pranav Bhatnagar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar’s Mark completely captivated me with its beautifully restrained storytelling, intricate character work and the extraordinary tension created between a woman who has spent her life becoming whoever she needs to be and a man who seems almost impossible to read. Daigh immediately fascinated me because of the way she observes everything around her. She notices expressions, movements, weaknesses, silences and tiny changes in people's behavior because reading people has always been how she survives. Yet Gurn is the one person who refuses to become a puzzle she can easily solve, and I absolutely loved that. His quietness, physical presence and almost startling honesty create such a compelling contrast with Daigh's carefully constructed identities. Their relationship develops with remarkable patience, and I adored the way trust grows through tiny gestures rather than grand declarations. A hand offered at exactly the right moment, a protective movement that is never announced, a few carefully chosen words those moments carry enormous emotional weight because Daigh understands how rarely anything in her life has ever been genuine. The trading corridors, caravans, political negotiations and different clans also create a wonderfully immersive world, but the heart of the story remains the question of identity. Who are we when we stop performing the person everyone else expects us to be? I was particularly moved by Daigh choosing her own name, because after a lifetime of borrowed identities, something as simple as naming herself becomes profoundly meaningful. Gurn's inability or unwillingness to play the same social games makes him feel almost revolutionary to someone who has survived through deception. I loved the contrast between polished people who know exactly what to say and a man whose few words carry far more weight because he actually means them. The romance is intense, but what made it truly powerful for me was the emotional vulnerability underneath it. Daigh is slowly discovering what it feels like to be known rather than merely understood, while Gurn becomes someone she can trust without needing to perform for him. The writing is atmospheric, intelligent and wonderfully observant, and I found myself paying attention to every small detail because the story rewards that attention. A Lia Frost has created a deeply intimate fantasy romance about deception, identity, trust and the terrifying beauty of finally being seen as yourself. I didn't simply enjoy Daigh and Gurn's story I became deeply invested in the fragile, hard-earned truth they find in one another.

[RB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why I finished this book. During at least three points my frustration was great enough to stop. But I continued because the first book was really good, and I thought this one would flower open into the same kind of story. In the end I was wrong.

First, the leads. The FML was completely unclear to me, especially because she was the focus to such a degree on every page as well as the narrator. What was she? A thief? A con artist? And why? What was her purpose? What was her goal, what was she trying to achieve? She clearly didn't acquire gold, at least none beyond a subsistance temporary life. She never gained status enough anywhere to stay or make a place. Why did she approach the caravan to begin with? She clearly faked a documented role, as this trade envoy. But why? For what purpose? I have no greater idea how to answer these questions because I finished than if I'd stopped halfway through, which I now wish I had. I don't know this character or her purpose, nor why.

The MMC...he was a thread in the first book and I really wanted to know about him. He's probably the most frustrating and undefined character I've read in some time. Quite literally, he barely spoke ten whole sentences in this book. He never reveals a backstory, a history, a past, of any kind. His only defining character traits are an old shoulder injury and his chosen form of communication, grunting. And long before the end of this story, I hated him for that. It wasn't charming, or revealing, or revealing of anything.

These two had absolutely no chemistry of any kind. I couldn't tell you a single reason they were drawn together. Maybe this was supposed to be a slow burn. I can't say that was true for me.

Because the FML was never defined but served as narrator, the plot never formed. I couldn't get a bead on the deceptions, the real reason the camp moved, why parts of the group moved, the competition for goods and services, the strange conversations with other tribe's characters. Every time I thought I had a bead on something, the story shifted somehow or the language drew me right off another cliff.

That leads me to the language. Many times, the author used words with a specific meaning as other words with other intent. While this could be great, it didn't work a lot of the time. It often left me wandering off trying to guess at the author's intent.

This story left me with a lot of mysteries and not in a good way. I really enjoyed the first one in this series, as well as others by this author. This one? I mostly feel a lot of frustration and irritation over something that felt deliberately obtuse with no payoff.

[Carolee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar’s Mark by Lia Frost is the kind of book that makes you grin, lean closer, and immediately start rooting for the messiest possible plan to somehow work out. From the very first setup—Daigh bluffing her way into an orc trade caravan with a forged letter and more nerve than good sense—the story has a deliciously playful hook and a wonderful sense of momentum.

Lia Frost’s writing is sharp, warm, and wonderfully character-focused. Daigh’s voice has confidence and vulnerability in equal measure, and Gurn is a fantastic contrast: quiet, steady, observant, and impossible not to love. I especially enjoyed how much emotion Frost can pack into silence, small gestures, and a single perfectly placed word.

The romance has such a satisfying slow-burn charm, with forced proximity, trust, and tenderness unfolding in a way that feels both fun and heartfelt. The dynamic between a heroine who survives by performing and a hero who seems to see right through performance gives the story real emotional pull without ever losing its adventurous spirit.

If you enjoy fantasy romance with big feelings, protective quiet heroes, and a heroine who is learning what it means to be truly seen, this is an easy five-star recommendation. Lia Frost has created a vivid, lovable read that feels swoony, and deeply satisfying from start to finish.

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

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This paranormal orc romance is an interesting read, but it definitely requires some concentration. There are quite a few characters, connections, and backstories to keep track of, and I found that taking too long of a break between reading sessions made it surprisingly easy to get confused about who was who and what had happened previously.

The romance also takes more of a back seat during parts of the story. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, as there is clearly a larger story being developed, but it adds to the complexity and means this isn't really a book I would recommend for casual, on-and-off reading.

I did find the overall story interesting, and there is plenty going on to keep you engaged if you pay close attention. However, I would definitely describe this as a demanding read rather than something you can pick up for a few minutes, put down for several days, and then easily continue.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it required considerably more concentration than I was expecting. If you like detailed paranormal romances with a larger cast and plenty of backstory, this could be a good fit, but I would recommend reading it fairly consistently so you don't lose track of the details.

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

[Morally_Gray_Nola · Rating 4 out of 5]

LIAR’S MARK is a nice way to spend 3 hours. Daigh is a liar. She’s a professional fleecer, a woman of many, many names—so many, she . . . I can’t spill on this one. 😉 Commander Gurn is a quiet mountain of an Orc. Instead of talking he watches, reads through lies. He reads through Daigh’s lies. He lets her through the gates and allows her to travel with his caravan anyway. The road to their HEA is not loud, or bloody, or violent. But, it is deeply felt—to the very soul.

Author Lia Frost does a fine job bringing so much life to this softly spoken love story. Told from a single POV—I would have enjoyed dual more. There are a few repeated brief bits of information throughout. Overall, really liked LIAR’S MARK.
*** Recommended ***

MMC:
✨Gurn
FMC:
✨Daigh
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨Book 2: Healer’s Debt series
Tropes:
👉monster romance
👉orc war chief x con artist human
👉forced proximity
👉he falls first
👉touch her and die
👉doesn’t know who she is - fmc
Triggers:
💥18+
💥sex, 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, mf, open🚪sex
💥profanity
💥violence.

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

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daigh and Gurn . . .

A human female who has used so many different names that she doesn't know her real name, eventually identifying as "Daigh", gets by with her excellent skills of "reading" people. She forges a letter and sort of just talks her way into becoming part of an Orc trade caravan as a diplomat. The 7-foot tall caravan commander, Gurn, looked at her letter and made the decision to take her with them anyway since he is also skilled at reading people and noticed the details of her hands that did not support her identification. Not the talkative type, Gurn is nevertheless clearly understood regardless of the grunts and one-word comments he relies on to communicate. Daigh also "reads" people but is surprised that Gurn's outside and inside secrets are the same. So she just watches him, and he provides her with the best portion of meat, protects her, and appreciates it when she simply sits beside him. She may not be able to tell him who she is, but it seems he may accept her however she presents herself. Where will this respectful stand-off take them? Or will she simply leave the caravan behind and move on with her life?

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar’s Mark is a steamy Orc romance and the second book of the Orcs of Severed Tusk series and a standalone.
This newest follows MMC Orc Commander Gurn and the Human female that enters his world with forged papers, and managing to get herself on his trade caravan as a diplomat.
As the journey advances so does the slow burn between the two and I enjoyed their interplay.
Gurn doesn’t say much because he doesn’t have to, and when later on he asks her name she doesn’t even know, and the one she finds Daigh somehow feels just right and hers.
Loved the story and it’s eloquently written first person POV, well crafted characters, action, adventure, intrigue, steamy passion, and emotion.
A good story that satisfied this bookworm all the way to it’s HEA.

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

[AvidReader23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

This is the second book of the series.

Gurn is grumpy, monosyllabic, quiet, pragmatic, a matter of fact orc.
He does not miss anything though, he is very observant.

Daigh is a con artist with a fake letter - the goal is to infiltrate the orc trade caravan.

You will follow the caravan during their long trip, stops and negotiations along the road.
Gurn starts a very quiet, unorthodox and subtle courtship despite seeing the true Daigh.

I personally liked the first book more.
This one plot is slower, a little more contemplative and descriptive of the surroundings.

Enjoyed the cameos from the first book.

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

[Callie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar’s Mark is a slow burn; he fell first orc romance and book 2 of the Orc’s of the Severed Tusk series. This was a really great read. As the woman came to the gates where the orcs stood, she pays attention, she does her best to not draw unnecessary attention to where they looked too closely. She had a goal and wanted to meet it. The storyline was really interesting and made you pay attention, so you didn’t miss anything. To come up with this story, the author had an amazing mind and thought process. The characters were amazing and you wanted to know about them and what they were going to do next. Grab this book and the rest of the series and enjoy!.

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

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This novella is female lead POV, well written, and a faked identity, desperation driven, forced proximity, size difference, fantasy romance between “Daigh”, the female human con artist lead, and Gurn, the male orc war band leader. I empathised with Daigh’s history that had led her to the path she was currently walking. I enjoyed the personal growth she underwent and her growing confidence at being recognised and accepted. I enjoyed the recognition that Gurn had his own traumas and habits and the patience they displayed with one another. I appreciated the relationship development over time.

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

[Catherine O'Ciarmacain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar’s Mark was a great read! Tight writing that was often beautiful and an interesting cast of characters (I was fond of grumpy, suspicious Vrekk!). Gurn didn’t chase Daigh, he put the ball in her court, which felt refreshing and very hot.
I really felt for Daigh. Sometimes writers with criminal characters treat it as a quirky fun thing (which I don’t hate!), but Lia Frost took it more seriously, giving us an exhausted, lonely con artist just trying to stay one day ahead of the authorities. The romantic build between the two leads was very satisfying.

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

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first impression of the heroine turns out to be misleading, as I initially thought she might be a spy or something. Her lies are probably about survival. With the group of orcs she travels with, more or less attachment develops, and with lies, it can get emotionally harder to go further, leading to confusing times ahead. She could be seen as a traitor when she warms her way into this group.
With the Warchief, there's hot and cold treatment for various reasons, involving courting. There's a lot of growing and changing to find oneself and a way to each other.

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

[Daniell Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected

I gave this a 3 stars as I can't do half stars, but for me, it was closer to 2.5 stars. I really liked the first book, so I was looking forward to a quick read that was good. This just wasn't it for me. When I got done, one of my first thoughts was that it was even written by the same person. The interaction wasn't there between the main characters. Multiple times, the same sentence was repeated, just a couple of paragraphs later. She was so in her thoughts and going over her thoughts that the connections were lost. I did finish the book but will not be recommending this book as I did the first.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an edition to this series. I think what I liked most about this story is that nothing came easy. Just as in real life there are consequences for Daigh, consequences that don't just affect her. Gurn is an orc of few words, however his actions ring loud and true. There were times I doubted we could get an HEA from this couple or what it might look like, but, Lia gave a very satisfactory one. One with a true character arc.

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

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of Orcs of the Severed Tusk. Can be read as a standalone.

'The lie is going to collapse. When it does, and the commander asks who I am, my answer is the worst one possible.
I don't know.'

The characters were very appealing and complex and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and exciting and well paced. World building was solidly drawn and impressive. All in all a great addition to the series. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

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

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you do when you've lied so much you can't even remember who you are? When you happen across the consequences of one of your cons? When you find a place, a person, a clan you wish you could stay and figure it out? He already knew, from the start, but still didn't turn her away

This is not Lia Frost's best book but I still enjoyed reading it.

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

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liar's Mark shares the story of 'Daigh' who is becoming whoever she needs to be to survive. When she meets Gurn's company along the way she presents paperwork that's old but they accept it. Along the trade route Daigh helps Gurn at every turn and Gurn is not the only one trying to figure out who this woman is... I really enjoyed this slow burn story because Gurn barely talks and the journey speaks for itself.

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

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was amazing. I loved the characters, not just the main 2, but all the orcs in the band. They had distinct, interesting personalities. And this author's way of describing things is so imaginative and creative, it really helps to immerse one in the world. It's hard to imagine a main character who hardly talks as having a strong personality, but Gurn does. I just loved everything about this story!.

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