A review by babygotbook
The Orc and the Innkeeper by Cora Crane, Cora Crane

2.5

not a fan of bully romance (non-dark because dark bully romance has its own rules) where the bully doesn’t even go out of their way to apologize! They just  happen to land in a situation that forces the other person to accept their presence and magically (no actual magic used here) the bullied party starts having “feelings” and thinking “wow maybe they’ve changed” no just no. At this point in the book he has not even apologized once and we have had multiple remembrances of how terribly he treated her both emotionally and physically harmed her. 

Also I can’t wrap my head around him going to this much trouble to go into business with an obviously horrible bigot of a human. 

43% in he realizes he’s in love with her…what? Excuse me?? He does not know her at all. Like has not asked her a single fucking thing about her or her life after they parted ways in high school. There is not one conversation between them to this point where she tells him anything about herself except the immediate money/infestation issue with her business which is the reason for the fake dating deal. I just can’t with this. 

Strike 3: when asked why he bullied her so terribly in school…he uses the good ole boy “I had a crush on you” excuse. I think this type of plot point in books is just not a good look. He horrifically emotionally and PHYSICALLY tormented her all through school (this was specifically stated by both parties and observers many times in the book) as well as lead a mob of other students to also terrorize her….for years!

One point I will give is I did get petty enjoyment out of the scene where he says I’m sorry over and over while going down on her…of this I approve. 

So the last half of the book was better. Still that 3rd act break up was mighty cringe with it being heavily involving the very likely and plausible “ex slips on water and into the MMC’s arms right as the FMC walks in the front door.” Yup that feels right. Anyways she breaks up with him. He apologizes one more time and she sends him on his way. A month passes and she thinks maybe she judged him too harshly. SHE apologizes to him for overreacting and they live happily ever after…I think I enjoyed side character Richard’s arc more than anyone one else in the book and I gotta say that’s odd. 

Funny story I’ve already read the 2 other books is this series (out of order because I’m a chaos gremlin) and I enjoyed them. If this was the book I read first I likely would not have continued on in this series.