Romance Spotlight: "Under the Oak Tree" (Vol. 1) by Suji Kim
A detailed high fantasy world and a romance for the ages!
As someone with a love/hate relationship with romantic fantasies, Under the Oak Tree by Suji Kim blew me out of the water. This romantic fantasy has it ALL—a detailed high fantasy world replete with magical creatures and political conspiracies, and most importantly, a romance for the ages.
Stuttering Maximilian Croyso may not be your typical “badass” romantasy heroine, but her character development is the ultimate underdog story. Sir Riftan Calypse’s unhinged devotion to Maxi (and pure alpha-ness) had me on my knees. Their love punched me in the throat (in a good way).
“If you ever speak about my wife that way again,” Riftan spat out each word with blistering menace, “I will slice you open from mouth to groin.”
🫠 (me melting)
Lady Maximilian is the daughter of the powerful Duke Croyso, but she is rarely allowed outside her family’s sprawling castle for fear that her stutter will tarnish their noble name. When she is forced to marry Sir Riftan, a lowborn knight caught in one of her father’s schemes, Maxi doesn’t dare hope for happiness, let alone love. Her stumbling communication and his gruff manner sour their relationship before it can begin, and Riftan leaves without a word the morning after their vows are exchanged.
Now, three years after their disastrous wedding night, Riftan has returned as a war hero. To Maxi’s surprise, despite rumors that he was offered marriage to Princess Agnes, a beautiful and renowned sorceress, Riftan still wants Maxi for his wife. And when he comes to claim her, his longing becomes a desire that bewilders Maxi, even as she is overcome by the scorching heat that Riftan’s presence ignites within her. As she learns to navigate the intricacies of her new life, Maxi will find herself and her courage, and discover that she is anything but powerless.
The Basics
Subgenre: Romantic Fantasy; High Fantasy
Published: Volume 1 was published on November 5, 2024.
Under the Oak Tree was originally published as a webnovel in South Korea (and later in the U.S.) before being picked up for traditional English publication by Inklore. While only Vol. 1 is currently available in the U.S. via Inklore, you can read the ENTIRE webnovel (and comic book!) through the Manta App.
Page Count: 488
Heat: HOT
Tropes: tortured FMC, shy FMC, virgin FMC, insta-love, virgin MMC, knight/warrior MMC, alpha MMC, class divide, arranged marriage.
Content Warnings: mental abuse, physical abuse, and dubious consent. There is a “wedding night” scene between the MCs that is off-putting to many readers (readers get more context into this scene when we read Riftan’s POV later on in the series, but it is still a source of heated debate amongst fans).
Art
Art to help you visualize the fantastic characters of UTOT. All credit goes to the artists listed.
Have you read Under the Oak Tree? Did you love it as much as I did?
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I love Under The Oak Tree! I read most of the manhwa while it was still coming out and it was so beautiful and such a good story. There are also equally beautiful small animations and songs for it💕
I started reading the webcomic of this a while back and fell in love so when they announced a novel version I RAN to pick it up. I ADORE this story.