A review by thelittlefoxlair
A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie

adventurous emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie is a fantasy romance that follows two battle partners, Kat and Emory, on a friends-to-lovers journey. In a transitional time between war and peace, the soldiers navigate a future they never expected to live to see. They also begin to learn their place and purpose within the new, peaceful world forming around them. 

When I first heard about this book, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of a Dungeons and Dragons-inspired fantasy romance. I unexpectedly have grown to be a huge Bards of New York fan over the last two years, and it prompted a lot of research on my part into the D&D game world. I recently watched an outstanding interview with Deborah Ann Woll and John Bernthal where she briefly explains to him how the game is played. When John asks her if the goal of D&D is to win, she responds and says, “The goal is to tell a great story.” When I finished A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace, I felt like Emily Skrutskie truly achieved that objective when she took her inspiration from the game table and turned it into a novel.

Skrutskie writes such a tender account of the camaraderie and familial bond that forms between her characters while at war. We see all sorts of relationships play out in this story; however, the display of love and loyalty in the friendships is so comforting. The main characters have depth to their backstories, and the supporting characters are complementary and endearing.

The romantic storyline between Kat and Emory elicits a feeling that is very difficult to put into words. They have such a perfect blend of warmth, wit, and strength, and it is easy to root for them throughout the entire book. There is also a quiet yearning between them that I find to be very patient and sweet.  In addition to their pairing, there is LGBTQIA+ representation within the story, and the world is presented as one of inclusivity when it comes to love.

For a heartening novel, there are some weighty themes Emily Skrutskie addresses in her writing. Personal choice and obligation to country and family is discussed extensively. There is also substantial focus on class disparity. One’s social standing in Telrus hinges upon whether a person possesses magical tokens, how many they have, and how much wealth they come from. As a single-token magic wielder from a modest upbringing, Kat finds herself caught between the life of a common citizen and the life of a magical elite. As she drifts between fighting alongside the infantry and also helping the royal prince, we see the inequalities, problems, and choices that the people of Telrus face because of this divide. 

I highly recommend A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace for anyone looking to read a feel-good book with a side of suspense. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how much depth and emotion is packed into this stand-alone fantasy romance. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Emily Skrutskie for allowing me to read this copy in advance.

A full review can also be found on The Little Fox Lair Blog: https://thelittlefoxlair.com/p/book-review-a-legionnaire-s-guide-to-love-and-peace-by-emily-skrutskie