A review by bookishkb
The Orc and the Innkeeper by Cora Crane

lighthearted

4.5

📖 Bookish Thoughts
This was such a sweet and cozy orc monster romance. Honestly, it was the light-hearted book I needed today. I listened to the audiobook while following along on my Kindle and the experience was perfect. 

I’m not usually a fan of bully romances, but this one really worked for me. Thorak was Mariah’s high school bully, and now they’ve ended up in a fake dating/engagement scheme. This forces him to not only face his feelings for her but also take accountability for how he treated her in the past. 

Even though the story is light and fun, it touches on some heavier topics and handles them with care. I do wish Thorak had stood up to his parents a little earlier, but I was happy with where things ended. The whole vibe was very low angst, and now I absolutely want to visit Elderberry Falls. 
 

 🍂 What You Can Expect
• Former bully
• Enemies-to-lovers
• Fake fiancée
• Forced proximity at the inn
• He falls first
• Redemption arc
• Low angst
• Small town magical charm
• Orc brewmaster

✨ Favorite Quote
It’s a strange kind of magic, this: the power of sincere words spoken by someone you never thought capable of them. 

____

📖 Final Score: 4.5 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 5 stars
🎧 Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.