Melanie Garcia is on page 40 of 512 of Notre-Dame de Paris: I’m a bit lost already 😵‍💫

"At 502 pages before notes and printed in a very small
font, this was a challenging read.

Rich in detail and well researched, it gives a true look at a lifelong passion, respect, and devotion between Catherine II of Russia and Grigory Potemkin.

Grigory died from typhoid fever in 1791. He contracted the illness while traveling to Jassy for peace talks. The infection led to bronchopneumonia.

He was 52 years old. Through time, there have been historic love affairs between Titans of power be they man or woman.

Napoleon and Josephine, Cleopatra and Antony, Henry Tudor and Ann Boleyn.

Catherine II of Russia was a Titan of mental steel and power. A survivor surrounded by plotters and traitors.

She began a 2yr physical whirlwind of sexual passion with Grigory Potemkin in 1774.
She was 44 yrs old, and he was 34 yrs old at this time.

He was a marvel of a man. Tall and muscular. He was known for his striking good looks. Women were drawn to him like a magnet.

The sexual relationship between Catherine and Potemkin ended in 1776.

He formed a devotion and bond to her that forged a partnership that never failed until his death.

In all things Catherine could trust Potemkin. He played a key role in the annexation of the territories of Crimea and the southern Ukraine with his military skill and advocacy on foreign policy.

Catherine had multiple lovers. While accounts vary, it's estimated she had between 12 and 22 lovers during her reign. These relationships were often for pleasure but also for political gain, as she used her lovers to consolidate her power.

Potemkin was different from all others in their shared respect and trust.

His loss in death was devastating news. She was never the same.

It is said with his death, "The golden age of her reign died with him".

Five Stars

I"

"I'm ready to accept that I don't really like romance and that's fine!

I think the best part about Tusk Loveis its place in the metanarrative of Critical Role. Folks, this is an actual romance book, set on the fictional world of Exandria. I feel like if this was what all romantasy was like I would have far less problems with the genre. Except... this is not romantic fantasy, this is fantasy romance.

Thing is, I don't really like romance as a genre, and I think this book kind of sedimented that for me. I don't think I would have ever considered reading this if not for the Critical Role element, and I definitely would not have finished it if not for the fantasy element. But it was fun for what it was!
The main thing that took me out of it was...the tropes were over-troping, so to speak, to a point where I could not even tell if it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek or taken at face value. Much as I enjoyed Oskar, I am self-aware enough to recognise the traits of ye olde man written by a woman. Ooohhh he's so bigly big and manly and gruff, but so sweet and emotionally intelligent, not talkative but knows exactly the right thing to say at the right time, self-serving and self-sufficient but upends his entire life to help a woman he just met out of the goodness of his heart... But also because she's beautiful and unique and smally small, and sheltered and inexperienced but soooo filled with love for life and wanderlust!
Like... Yeah, I get it.

Overall this was a moderately fun romp to read with my brain absolutely shut down, but I wouldn't re-read."