Games with the Orc was the first orc book I ever read, so it felt fitting to reread it and finish my rec list with this one. This one is a journey of sexual discovery and is filled with steamy moments. Both the mcs are great characters who are well-matched, and even though this begins as a professional arrangement, it’s easy for the lines between fantasy and reality to become blurred.
Affiliate Disclaimer: I participate in the Amazon Affiliate program. As such, if you make a purchase through one of my links below, I’ll earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Games with the Orc by Kathryn Moon
🥭🥭🥭🥭.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
(you can find my rating and spice system here)
POV & Tense: Dual POV, first person, past tense
Genre: MM Monster Romance, Erotic Romance
Tropes/Themes: Sex Worker, Exploring Fantasies, BDSM, Aftercare, Catching Feelings, Body Positivity, Fated Mates, Primal Play, Fancy Peen, Forced Proximity
Synopsis:
Reeling from a break-up and no longer satisfied with her vanilla love life, Sunny hires a professional through the Monster Smash Agency. Buff orc Khell’ar is good at his job and soon unleashes and explores Sunny’s darkest desires. It’s supposed to be a business transaction—five days only. Neither Sunny nor Khell’ar expect to catch feelings.
My Review:
Games with the Orc by Kathryn Moon is smoking hot, from their sex dungeon meet-cute to the role-playing, to the list of things Khell has planned for Sunny based on her intake questionnaire.
But let’s back things up a little. The story begins with Sunny and her live-in boyfriend, Harry, having dinner at a restaurant. He proposes, and Sunny’s life flashes before her eyes. All along, she’s been playing it safe and hiding her true desires because her relationship is comfortable, if a little boring, and she isn’t sure if her fantasies are more than that. Maybe they just are fantasies. But the proposal brings everything to a head, and she can’t do it. She can’t commit to a lifetime of subpar romance.
I’d spent three years trimming little pieces of myself away to fit into a life with Harry. Not because he’d asked me to, but because I was scared of what I secretly wanted. Because what Harry offered was safer, simpler.
Monster Smash Agency
I love the idea of a multi-species escort agency. Sunny’s best friend suggests she hires a professional to try out her fantasies and see if it’s something she likes. The Monster Smash Agency has high ratings and provides a quality service ensuring their clients’ safety and privacy. Sunny is terrified—because the experience could be a huge mistake, or even more terrifying, exactly what she needs—but books five days with an orc. I love the safety measures they’ve taken, from the monitoring systems within the cottage to the safe words, and electronic band each client wears so they can sound the alarm if they ever don’t feel safe. It’s all guaranteed to provide a safe, sane, and consensual experience.
“I said I wasn’t sore.”
His eyes weren’t as vivid in daylight, and it was easier now to see the way his irises spread brightly out in dark orbs, shades of gold and copper.
“You said, not really. Women spend too much time pretending to be comfortable.”
Orc Bait
Khell’ar’s hander warned him in advance: his new client is orc bait. But he’s never caught feelings before. Work is work, and he expects this to be no different. But Sunny is open to new situations, and her sexual appetite rivals his own. He soon throws his carefully crafted plans out the window to give in to his own pleasure. The one thing he needs to avoid is forming a mating bond—more easily said than done. There are a lot of different scenes throughout the book and each scenario feels fresh and new. I loved the variety and how well Khell looked after Sunny.
She was a dangerous little creature. And I was finding myself far more defenseless than any orc had a right to be.
Fantasy vs Reality
Throughout their time together, both Sunny and Khell make an impression on one another. But there is much room for self-doubt as each remembers they’re playing a role. Sunny paid for an experience and once that experience is over, she’ll move on with her life. Khell is a professional. He may act like he’s in love, but that’s the role Sunny has paid him to play and he’s good at his job. It’s so easy for the lines to become blurred and things get messy for sure. I don’t want to give anything away, so that’s all I’ll say, but this is a romance, so we all know we’re guaranteed our happily ever after.
“You surrendered to my control, now surrender to my care too,” he said, but it was gentler than the commands he’d made in the basement.
Games with the Orc by Kathryn Moon (Monster Smash Agency Book 1)
Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed this one a lot, from the variety of scenarios and role-playing to the two main characters catching feelings, and the set-up for future books. Along the way, we get to meet Khell’s friends and fellow co-workers from the Monster Smash Agency, and I would be interested in reading about all of them. Book two, Howl for the Gargoyle, releases in December 2023 and I’m so excited. This one follows Khell’s gargoyle friend, Rafe, and a newly turned werewolf named Hannah. [UPDATE: Read my review of Howl for the Gargoyle here.]
Author Stalking (but not in a creepy way):
Kathryn Moon is the author of steamy paranormal and sci-fi romance.
Website
Patreon
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
Bookbub
Banner Image Credit: Trees
~~If you like spicy books with orcs, check out my Orc Rec List ~~
Leave a Reply