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I rarely read romance novels, so they rarely stay with me. But Under the Oak Tree by Suji Kim remains an underlier. Her novel won the Romance Webnovel Award from the South Korean ebook platform RIDI, and its webcomic adaptation has earned global acclaim. The novel is hard-hitting and evocative, cutting right to the heart of many sensitive subjects in a way that’s both beautiful and tasteful.

 

But before we dive any deeper into Under the Oak Tree, might I draw your attention to this conveniently located “hiring” sign? Yes, that’s right, Myths & Mischief is looking to welcome new faces to our crew of creatives. If you’re an artist, writer, social media maven, coding genius, or graphic designer who prefers to work remotely, we’d love to meet you!

 

 

The story tells the tale of Maximilian “Maxi” Calypse (née Croyso), the eldest daughter of the Croyso family. Growing up, she was brutally abused by her father for having a stutter and for other imperfections he perceived her to have, making her a very meek and mild person. This also leaves her with an inferiority complex. 

 

To keep his men from fighting the Red Dragon Sektor at the King’s behest, Maxi is married to a low-born knight, Riftan Calypse, putting all of his responsibility to fight the dragon on Riftan.

 

Now, I will be honest, dear reader: this book is not for all ages, as it contains smut and other sensitive material. Our dear Maxi has her first night with her husband, not knowing what to expect. In the morning, she finds him gone, off to the Dragon Campaign.

 

Three years later, Riftan emerges as the hero of the Dragon Campaign, having slain the Red Dragon Sektor on his own. Leading the Remdragon Knights, he comes to pick up Maxi from Castle Croyso. This is where our story begins, with Duke Croyso worried that his son-in-law will divorce Maxi to marry the Princess of the realm, a wedding that was offered to Riftan. Duke Croyso angrily tells Maxi she had better win Riftan over,  or he would do more than just punish her.

 

Riftan returns to find Maxi trembling in her room, mistaking it for her fear of him or her finding him horrendous. They leave Castle Croyso and head toward his land, Anatol. 

 

Now I won’t go much further in the story; I will leave that for you to enjoy. But I will offer you my opinions on it.

At first glance, this looks like a traditional medieval fantasy romance about a shy noblewoman in an arranged marriage to a legendary knight. But beneath that premise is a story about trauma, healing, finding a sense of self-worth, and two deeply broken people learning (often painfully) how to love each other.

Maxi is, without a doubt, the heart of the series. Watching her grow from a woman who has spent her entire life believing she was worthless into someone who discovers her own intelligence, magic, and courage is one of the most satisfying character arcs I’ve read in a romantasy novel. Her progress never feels rushed. Every small victory matters because author Suji Kim understands that years of abuse don’t disappear overnight. Healing is messy, non-linear, and frustrating, and the novel never shies away from that reality, ever.

 

Riftan is equally compelling, though I found him far more divisive. He is fiercely devoted and protective, but is also stubborn, emotionally repressed, and oftentimes terrible at communicating. His inability to express any vulnerability creates a great deal of the conflict throughout the series. That said, this is not a story about perfect people and their perfect love. This story is about flawed people carrying enormous emotional baggage and slowly coming to understand one another. As frustrating as their misunderstandings may be, they are rooted in believable psychological wounds rather than manufactured drama.

 

I think my favorite aspect of the series is that it refuses to fall into the trope of romance = personal growth. In fact, it refuses to let romance overshadow personal growth. Maxi doesn’t become stronger because someone loves her. She becomes stronger because she slowly learns to value herself, and the romance just kind of happens along that journey rather than replacing it.

 

The supporting cast deserves praise as well. The Remdragon knights bring warmth, humor, and camaraderie that balance the heavier emotional moments, while expanding the political conflicts, monsters, magic, and military campaigns, making the world feel genuinely alive rather than existing solely as a backdrop for the romance. Ruth is a particular favorite character of mine, as he is always ready to match Maxi’s energy and is the closest person to a best friend she has.

 

As I said above, this series isn’t for everyone. Readers should be aware that it contains depictions of severe emotional and physical abuse, coercive sexual situations early in the story, explicit sexual content, war, and the lasting psychological effects of trauma. Those elements are central to the story and have been the subject of significant discussion.

 

What ultimately makes Under the Oak Tree special to me is its emotional sincerity. It isn’t interested in fairy-tale perfection. I couldn’t be bothered with that. Instead, it asks whether two people who have spent their lives believing they are unworthy of love can learn to trust not only each other, but themselves.

 

By the final pages, I wasn’t invested because of dragons, magic, or politics. I was invested because I wanted Maxi to keep believing in herself, and I wanted Riftan to learn that love cannot survive on protection alone; it also requires honesty.

 

For me, that’s what sets Under the Oak Tree apart from other fantasy romances. It isn’t simply about falling in love. It’s about becoming the kind of person who can accept love in the first place.

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Works Cited

 

Kim, Suji. Under the Oak Tree: A Novel. Volume 1. Inklore, 2024.

Kim, Suji. Under the Oak Tree: The Novel. Volume 2. Inklore, 2025.

Kim, Suji. Under the Oak Tree: The Novel Volume 3. Inklore, 2026.

“Suji Kim.” Penguin Random House Publishing, penguinrandomhouselibrary.com/author/?authorid=2300262. Accessed 5 July 2026.

“Under the Oak Tree (Novel) Series by Suji Kim.” GoodReads, www.goodreads.com/series/339570-under-the-oak-tree-novel. Accessed 5 July 2026