Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?
A low-stakes gem where a chatty sylph slowly dismantles the walls around a silent orc's heart - one flat-pack bookshelf at a time. The chore play trope hits different when it's two monster boys finding love through acts of service.
book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden
At a Glance
If you need a palate cleanser that's basically a warm hug in novella form, this is it. Beryl talks enough for two people and Kjartan barely says a word, but the way they communicate through building a home together will wreck you in the gentlest way possible. Rhea Fox does cozy monster romance like nobody else - low stakes, big heart, and an orc who falls so quietly you almost miss it.
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Book Details
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Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?
Romantasy
PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.
M/M
POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).
Dual POV
Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.
Medium Burn
CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.
reveal ending
AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
No audiobook yet
TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.
World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.
urban fantasy
Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.
A cozy small-town setting with shared home improvement projects and a coffee shop backdrop
Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.
RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.
M/M romanceneurodivergent charactersLGBTQ+
Reading Context
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.
