Wow. I adored this book so much! I already ordered the hardback!

This story is about Edwina and William. Edwina is a romance author of spicy books who has been offered a chance of a book tour in Faeywethr. For reasons she is late and so another Author has joined the tour which is meant to be solely hers. William is a Fae and is the author of a book of poetry which seems to be more popular than Edwina’s book. They are rivals to secure a book deal from the publisher and for reasons they enter into a questionable bet and the winner will secure the deal.

Now, let me start by saying that I absolutely adore all the characters in this book. Our MMc and FMC are fully fleshed out and I loved watching them go from begrudging rivals to friends to more. Their banter is perfect, I love the playful teasing from William and Edwina’s unrelenting stubbornness.

The side characters are wonderful. I especially can’t wait to read the next book and learn more about Monty and how he is. Even Jolene, who we meet early on and I expected to hate simply because she is competition I ended up loving.

I’d never read anything by this author before but I can say I will be reading all the other books with certainty. The author has a way of writing that is both accessible and supremely fun.

The plot is good, focused mostly on the bet and how they go about trying to win, whilst accidentally falling for each other and has a satisfying conclusion.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys rivals to lovers, fae romance and romantic comedy. Truly a wonderful book I adored and probably my favorite so far in this genre.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the Arc ! These opinions are my own and I am sharing them voluntarily.

I will be sharing my review on my Instagram, Goodreads, Waterstones and Amazon.

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
World Building: 🌏🌏🌏🌏

Wow!!!! Thanks NetGalley for this ARC to read and review!

This story was just so fun, beautiful, cozy and spicy!!!!! I absolutely love our two main characters. Their personal growth and love story are truly special. I adore how they grow to love each other but not squash each others careers or dreams. The side characters are all so wonderful and bring so much to the story. I love the regency feel mixed with a Fae world. I wish there was little more magic in the story.

This was beautifully written and so witty!

I absolutely adore the cozy feel plus the toe curling spice!!! Such a fun book!!!

'But if she falls, I'll fall deeper.'

This world might be my new obsession.

A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette is a slow burn, enemies to lovers, fantasy romance that focuses on Edwina and William, two auhors who are competing for a publishing contract they both desperatley need. William needs it so his sister, the person he loves most in the world can have the future she deserves. Edwina needs it so that her career as an author can blossom. Thier deal? Whoever can bed the most lovers before the end of their book tour wins the coveted contract. It should be easy. Except the more time they spend together, the more they find themselves together, the more they find their love story is writing itself.


Edwina and William are incredibly well written. Odette does a fantastic job of developing these characters, making them relatable and endearing. Their initial rivalry had me laughing out loud at points where they were trying to one up each other, and trying to convince themseleves that they weren't falling for each other. The slow burn felt like a real enemies to lovers story, which is something I had really been missing.It really managed to avoid the cliches in this genre. The change in their inner thoughts were subtle enough that though you could tell their feelings were changing, it felt more authentic that they realised it so slowly.

I wasn't expecting this to be a dual POV book, but when it was used, it was used so well. Rather than having it change chapter by chapter, which works sometimes, it always came at a time that had me thinking, 'I wonder what William is thinking' or 'I wonder how Edwina would react.' Their persepctives were so distinctive to each character that it was enjoyable to read from each perspective. Edwina's quirks made her so endearing and fun that she really felt relatable (not to mention the way she recacts to William). I really loved the passion she had for her work, and how much she wanted to chnage the perspective of media written by women, and it being reduced to 'smut and drivel'. It really reflected societies perpective of romance books, and it really made me root for her. William on the otherhand always coming across as suave and cool, made him seem like the perfect tall dark and handsome fae, that always added to his intrigue. This contrasted with the way his mind worked when thinking about Edwina, made him swoon worthy. This coupled with a 'he falls first and harder' trope made him so captivating, I could have read about him falling for Edwina over and over again.

The secondary characetrs really shined, and I found myself engaged with Daphne and Monty as much as I was with Edwina and William. I googled what a pine marten was about halfway through the book, and it made Daphne that much more entertaining. I loved how they were portrayed through each charcters eyes. Daphne really gets more of a chance to shine through Edwina's persepctive, whereas we see more of what Monty is like through William's eyes, when he isn't trying to accomodate being a gentleman. Their arc was so satisfying, but it did leave me wanting more from them. They are getting their own story and I cannot wait to read it.

As well as the characters are written, this book shines in its worldbuilding. Whilst this isn't the first book set in Faerwyvae, its the first book I have read set in it. There is such care taken with making sure new readers understand the way the world works, and what the history is, but theres not so much that people who are familiar with the world feel bored. Fantasy is not a genre that I read a lot of, however this was so well crafted, yet had enough held back that it makes me want to go back and read the rest of the stories set in this world.

The main issue I had with this book is the characters outside of the main four characetrs. Between Jolene and Zane, it felt as though it was little repetative, they get to new stop on their tour, they meet someone who decides to tag along with them, and it causes issues between Edwina and William. The only difference was Jolene wanting to be with William, whilst Zane was pushing for William and Edwina to be together. It felt as though Jolene was there mostly for the reader to root against, whilst we were supposed to agree with Zane. Other than this though I didn't have anything to complain about.

Tessonja Odette's ability to craft a riveting story with memorable characters and a well written dual POV makes it such a good read. Character development, with a captivating romance makes this book a 4.5 star read for me.

ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, thank you for the opportunity to read this early copy, all thoughts are my own.

‘A Rivalry of Hearts’ follows two rival writers vying for a prestigious publishing contract, and is a novel full of swoon worthy romance, fluffy love interests and amazing banter! It is also incredibly character driven, which I absolutely adored. The story follows two rival writers vying for a coveted publishing contract in a daring tale of hearts and seduction, where steamy romance author Edwina Danforth finds herself trapped in a magically binding bet during her first visit to the faelands with a dashing fae poet, William Haywood.

The challenge pits them against each other in a game of seduction – whoever seduces the most lovers during their month-long book tour wins the publishing contract. Despite her experience in writing scintillating romance, Edwina's real-life experience pales in comparison. However, her rival, William Haywood, is not only very experienced, but he’s infuriatingly handsome too and won’t back down without a fight—unless it’s a different kind of going down, where he's game ;)

He writes bittersweet poetry whilst she writes steamy romance novels. As their rivalry heats up along with the stakes of their bet, both writers find themselves questioning their hearts and desires. In this game of romance and seduction, what happens when they become each other’s primary objects of desire?

This book has become my favourite cosy fantasy of this year, no doubt. The dynamic between ALL the characters, the tension and pining... all SO incredibly entertaining and made for such an addictive reading experience. This book was so incredibly written, with the perfect amount of tenderness, swoon worthiness and comedy. I devoured this book! I feel like it’s the sort of romantasy that you could just get lost in, and never want to find your way back to reality because it is THAT good.

I adored Edwina and all her awkwardness, and I feel like everyone will love her because she is literally every introverted, socially awkward book girlie out there – her character resonated with me so much that I feel almost exposed by Tessonja AHAHA. I mean, she writes and loves ‘smut and drivel’, gets distracted easily, is in her head 90% of the time, seems like she could have ADHD, is very introverted and can’t talk to people in real life… and did I mention that she’s socially awkward?? She is me; I am her. I LOVED HER.

As for the dashing William Haywood, I am utterly in love with him. I loved the way that he was portrayed, and I felt that he was always so respectful of Edwina, especially in their moments of intimacy and vulnerability. PLEASE someone talk me out of getting a tattoo with his name on it on my buttcheeks because I need a Will Haywood in my life. He is on my top tier list of favourite book bfs, up there along with Roman, Zizi, Cardan and Bambleby. He's mysterious and brooding but is also such a gentleman and breaks a lot of stereotypes! Since this is a dual pov, we also get a glimpse into his head and oh my, oh my - the thoughts in his head are delicious and at times a little scandalous to read about.

Also, the characters of Monty and Daphne, the banter between the four of them and just the vibes of this whole cast of characters? IMMACULATE. I fell in love with Monty and Daphne too and I think I may also be in love with Monty as much as I am with William?!!! He’s just so HILARIOUS, HOT and TORTURED?? Maybe even more tortured than William? I have a feeling that Monty will also probably make everyone fangirl over him.

This is a must read if you love;
-Cosy fantasy with low stakes and high swooning & pining (plus giggling, squealing and fangirling over William Haywood)
-‘she’s mine’, obsessed with her, would 100% grovel at her feet
-Divine Rivals (work place rivalry with the best banter) X Emily Wilde (cosy fae vibes & adorably awkward FMC ) X ACOTAR (obssessed, sexy, steamy and brooding faes & strong-willed FMC) X Jurdan (banter, pining and rivalry)
-He’s younger than her and is not a 1000 year old fae but he has more experience than her because she’s a
-The best side characters who have the funniest and most endearing banter
-Standalone but part of an interconnected series
-SPICE (the best kind where he respects her sooo much and is the greenst green flag when it comes to being a lover)
-HEA ofc

Overall, I feel like this book, whilst reminiscent of so many amazing books like DR, Emily Wilde, ACOTAR and TCP, is an incredibly distinct and wonderfully unique cosy romantasy with an amazing cast of characters you will adore, and some great spice and smut ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC!

This book was such a pleasant surprise! The characters and the world was so cute and charming. A magical isle that has an appreciation for the arts, faes and humans coexisting, good food, and cozy towns and bookstores? Sign me up for a visit!

I will admit, I had some reservations initially about the story based on the premise. I wasn’t super keen of a plot about two rivals competing to see who can sleep with the most people. But don’t let the scandalous premise fool you- this story was so funny and adorable! You’ve got Edwina, the bumbling, clueless, prideful author that unabashedly writes smutty romances. Then you’ve got William, the dashing, enigmatic, lovable Fae poet who woos everyone he meets and always knows just how to get under Edwina’s skin. The banter and chemistry between the two rivals was such a hoot! I loved the way they riled each other up but still looked out for one another when it truly mattered.

I did find Edwina’s character annoying and insufferable at times, but she grew on me by the time the story wrapped up.

This fae romcom is a must-read if you’re looking for a hilarious story and a fun time!

This book was not for me. The comedic undertones were too ridiculous and made me not enjoy the story as much. The setting and overall plot were not bad, and the characters and romance were cute, but the silliness really dampened my enjoyment of the book.

This was SO much fun! Nothing felt rushed. If I could give 10 stars I would. I laughed out loud, was blushing and kicking my feet , and most of swooning for William. I’m already wanting to do a re read. I haven’t stopped talking about it

A Rivalry of Hearts is the first instalment in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series and it is a light-hearted and funny fantasy rivals-to-lovers romance with Bridgerton vibes as it is set in a loosely Regency-inspired world with Fae and humans. As it has sexual tension and sex scenes, it is meant for an adult audience.

The following review might contain spoilers.

PLOT
Edwina is a struggling author in her home country of Bretton whereas she is a popular romance author in Faerwyvae, which leads to her having her very first book tour there. Well, until outside circumstances (ship drifts off course, immigration issues, ...) cause her to share her tour with up-coming poet, and Fae, William Haywood. The grand prize of the tour? Securing a lucrative publishing contract with the publisher in Faewyvae, which both need desperately. The original threshold for winning was: book sales during the tour. However, on the evening after the first signing, they end up in a bet and make a fae bargain: the one who seduces the most partners wins the contract.

WORLD-BUILDING & MAGIC
The world is loosely inspired by the Regency era (in terms of clothing, especially for Bretton). Generally, the world is set in the UK (Faerwyvae) and France (Bretton) with Faewyvae split into courts (11 courts concerning the 4 seasons, 4 elements, and then for the sun/moon/stars). The human world and the Fae world are separated by a magical wall after a war that ended 24 years ago. The court system and the separation reminds me greatly of ACOTAR but Odette is more consistent in terms of how the wall works, and the courts are more developed (incl. a ruling system etc). The Fae world has a more modern touch in terms of behaviour, clothing etc. but it might feel like it because Edwina always thinks slightly negatively about Bretton due to her publisher there.

In terms of the Fae, aside from the court system, the author implemented the Seelie/Unseelie parts of Fae stories. Here, a Fae can have two sides: a humanoid-looking side (the Seelie) that was developed by the Fae after getting in contact with humans, and the wild side (the Unseelie), which are either animals/spirits/elements etc. Each court has a Seelie and Unseelie ruler to represent all Fae in a court.

CHARACTERS
The cast is utterly delightful with Edwina and William as main characters, and several side characters (who will become the main characters in the upcoming books).

I haven't read another Odette book before this one but I will continue with the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series and might pick up another series as William, the male main character, isn't the perfect tall, dark and handsome male Fae who is rich, strong and cannot do anything wrong. He has his flaws, he is utterly dedicated to his family (to the point where he ignores his own needs), and he is a struggling poet/actor with a ton of debt. Also, he is a bi-/pan-sexual male lead who is younger than the female character, so no "tall, dark-haired, straight, centuries-old" Fae.

Edwina is equally flawed as William. She doesn't sacrifice herself for the greater good (unlike all the 19-year-old teenagers with superpowers). She is 29 years old and has a family that supports & loves her but she acknowledges that it isn't a perfect relationship with them either. (Plus: her parents are actually alive, which is a nice change for once.) She wants the grand prize and is willing to do a lot to get it: including fulfilling the bargain/bet that she made with William despite being not as experienced in terms of sex as she claims to be. And while she fights for the contract, she also acknowledges that William's reasons for wanting it as just "as valid as hers". The author implemented the issue that's still prevalent in the publishing industry with Edwina: it is tough as a woman who writes romances. Her publisher in Bretton would prefer her to publish literacy novels under a male pseudonym. Yes, her ideals are posing an issue in the last third of the book but that's rather human, I think. Sometimes you defend your own ideals to the point that you expect others to follow them even if their situation is different.

As for the side characters: Monty is such a messy character. We get the "son of an aristocrat who doesn't want to be associated with his father" with him in the next book. He's a comic relief in this book but there are enough hints that there's more to him than just being addicted to drugs/alcohol and having fun. Daphne is equally fun and I can't wait to learn why she struggles with her Seelie side. She's also centuries old while I feel that Monty is young in comparison. The two other side characters, William's ex-lover and best friend, Zane (non-binary opera singer), and William's sister Cassie, only appear in the later third of the book but I liked Zane and their scheming (especially together with Monty). I suspect that they will either become a couple or get their own romances in books 3 and 4.

ROMANCE
It is a cute romance with witty banter and it develops throughout the tour. Of course, there's a hint of insta-attractive/insta-love on William's side but it's very doable. The romance's cuteness is the kind where you giggle and kick your feet while reading. (Yes, it might be too fluffy for some but if you're in the mood for something like it: read it!)

The romance is based on the rivals-to-lovers trope and a fae bargain (including a "free pass" chip between the main characters). While the fae bargain sparks the romance, it gets relatively quickly abandoned - even as a pretence - and I think it could have been handled better as Edwina argues that she is "doing research" by trying to fulfil the bargain.

For the sexual content. While Will and Edwina have a lot of sexual tension from the start, and there are scenes of an orgy, the actual sexual content between them is relatively mild. I would rate it: 🌶️🌶️.

TW & CW
I will combine the general TWs with the sexual ones as the latter aren't very extensive: general sexual content, explicit language, overindulgence in alcohol, drug use (fantasy drug), smoking, chronic illness of a family member (with poor prognosis), death of a parental figure (mentioned, in the past), public displays of sexual activity, voyeurism, intended sexual assault/taking advantage of an inebriated person (person is stopped before it happens), vaginal and oral sex, hand job

TL;DR
A delightful, fast-paced fantasy romance with Bridgerton vibes. Very relatable protagonists and a good cast of supporting characters. The romance is tooth-aching cute and made me giggle a few times. In general, very funny as the book also pokes fun at some book tropes (e.g., only bed) but also highlights actual issues that women face (e.g., in publishing, being dismissed when they are romance authors, career vs. marriage & children, ...).

Title: A Rivalry of Hearts
Author: Tessonja Odette
Publication Date: June 12, 2024
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Thank you Victory Editing, Netgalley and Tessonja Odette for an advance copy of A Rivalry of Hearts in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:
-Two rival writers
-One prestigious publishing contract
-A bargain of hearts and seduction

Let me just say, this book has an absolutely stunning cover.

In A Rivalry of Hearts, Edwina Danforth, a romance writer, is in need of a publishing contract from the fae realms of Faerwyvae, but so is William Haywood, the charming and irritating fae poet with whom she is forced to tour for a month. Now with a fae bet of seduction mixed in, Edwina and William both realize it's more difficult to follow through on seducing someone in order to succeed when they end up drawn to one another.

Their relationship dynamic was so hilarious, Edwina with her tenacity and William's grumpiness was a perfect recipe for rivals-to-lovers. The tension and build-up between the two main characters was flawless. I was laughing hysterically at their back-and-forth antics, clever remarks, adorable nicknames and stubbornness.

A well-paced plot and endearing characters make this a delightfully cozy read. This book will definitely get you through over and under if you enjoy enemies-to-lovers, spice, and bouts of laughter.

If you're looking for a Fae romance that's cozy instead of the usual epic fantasy Fae books then this one is for you.
I loved it and this book made me laugh out loud of several occasions. This is Bridgerton meets fantasy.

Who doesn't love a bit of banter and rivalry?

What to expect:
🩵 Cozy Fantasy
🩵 Minimal Worldbuilding
🩵 Rivals to Lovers
🩵 He Falls First
🩵 Found Family
🩵 Slow Burn
🩵 Dual POV
🩵 LGBT Representation

Edwina is hilarious and quirky, she really made me like her immediately. She is striving for her own place in the world writing smutty romance and I love her dedicated fan base.

William is multi layered and a super interesting character and I love his banter and protective nature.

This book doesn't have a lot of world building but her backlog explains the world in much more detail and I immediately downloaded it. The pacing was excellent and apart from a tiny bit of miscommunication between the characters I couldn't fault this book!

4.25 ⭐️

I will be posting on my Instagram @blonde.reads.fiction soon.

This was exceptionally cute. A Rivalry of Hearts is the second book in the series, and we get to meet Edwina and William, who end up on a book tour together. Edwina is a romance author and William writes poetry. They enter into a binding fae bet in which the person who sells the most books will get the coveted contract. Edwina wants it so that she can move away from home and overbearing parents, and William wants it to pay for his ill sister’s university costs. They can’t seem to fight their growing attention though.

I was a little worried because it seemed very Victorian-era, which is not my usual vibe, but this book was so cute and so funny. The spice was perfect. I’m quickly going to read book one, and I will absolutely download book three. The friend group offered great banter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tessonja Odette for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

💞𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎💞
𝐀 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬
𝐅𝐚𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
by 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐚 𝐎𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞
A Rivalry of Hearts is a spicy standalone adult fantasy rom-com in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series.
Here we follow Edwina Danforth, a human romance writer, in her first tour promoting her books in faelands doing the first thing she was warned against beforehand, making a bet with a Fae! A Fae who is no other than her companion to this tour and rival for a big publishing contract, her fellow writer/poet/actor William Haywood. And a really seductive bet!
The dialogues are full of fire and wit and the world really lovely. You travel with the heroes in this magical land and live the intoxication of the fae festivities and beverages and everything they entail...
Every book in the series can be read on its own in any order and ends with a HEA.
🔥S̲o̲m̲e̲ ̲m̲a̲i̲n̲ ̲p̲o̲i̲n̲t̲s̲ that I believe will make you wanna pick this fantasy rom-com up when it comes out on June 12:
✨Rivals to lovers
✨Betting while competing ❤️‍🔥
✨Bargain with Fae
✨Fae/human relationship
✨Strong/quirky female character
✨He falls first
✨Fae with relationships' "dysfunction"
✨No worries regarding the feelings, HEA
✨Wonderful scenery
✨Secret revealed
✨Found family
✨Side characters with stories of their own
🔥A̲n̲d̲ ̲s̲o̲m̲e̲ ̲q̲u̲o̲t̲e̲s̲:̲
"The smell of books is universally loved and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise!"
"Who the f@ck am I when I'm with her?"
"Yes. For whatever reason, I want to bed my rival"
"You want a fling with a fae lover and a point in our bet? I'll give you both. A free pass. Just say those two words, Weenie. Free pass."
“Fine.. Let's...perform an act of physical intimacy."

It's got 5 🌟 from me!

❤️‍🔥Fellow fantasy romance readers this series is here for us, do you agree?!❤️‍🔥

ARC provided by Victory Editing @netgalley Co-op, thank you!
#ARivalryofHearts #NetGalley #arcreading #arcreview #booklover #instabook #argyrousareading #fantasyromancebooks #lovereading #romancebooks #loveatfirstsiteblog #lafsb

Unfortunately, if this wasn’t an ARC, I would have DNF’d this book. The narration style isn’t my cup of tea and I felt that the world building was pretty weak. I’m aware that there are other books the author has written that take place in Faerwyvae (also I’m, sorry I hated this name) that probably aid in filling out the world, but even with that being said, I don’t have any interest in pursuing these novels further. As a standalone novel, I shouldn’t have to go and read all of these other books in different series to get the full picture of the world and the magic system (another really undeveloped aspect of this book). The character building was rather surface level, and the bonds formed between the group just weren’t believable. I didn’t buy into the attraction that Edwina and William had for each other due to the author doing a lot of telling rather than showing. I *HATED* every time William referred to Edwina as “Weenie.” Super cringe for me. I really didn’t like the bet Edwina and William made, it felt very wattpad-esque. By the time we got to the spice, I was very much over the book and found myself rushing through it to just get it over with. I was interested in this story because I felt like it had a lot of potential but it really missed the mark for me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Rivalry of Hearts is a cute little romance featuring 2 writers, Edwina, a human, and Will, a fae. They are on a book tour and develop an instant rivalry. It takes place in the same world as Odette's other novels, but you don't need to read the others to understand the setting.

I could not put this book down. Odette's writing is beautiful and I enjoyed every minute of it. It is dual POV and each voice feels distinct and fleshed out.

The book is more character-focused, so the plot isn't needlessly complicated and there aren't any crazy late game twists. It's just a fun, steamy romance. Will definitely pick up a physical copy when it releases.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley got an advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

5⭐️

Edwina is an quirky romance author going on her first book tour. Things transpire to delay her arrive for the tour, so she's forced to share her tour with William, a poet who believes Edwina's books are nothing but "drivel". The two enter a bargain of seduction when they realize their publisher will only extend a contract out to one of them at the conclusion of the tour.

This is a cozy fantasy with rivals to lovers and it is done SO WELL.

I fell in love with the characters the most i learned about their personalities and motives. These are not perfect characters, I thoroughly enjoyed how "real" they felt despite this being a romantic fantasy. William is a struggling poet & actor, not a rich fae like most are portrayed in other novels. Edwina is trying to prove to her family that she doesn't need to marry and can have a career. I loved that both had valid reasons to work for the publishing contract and I am glad that one wasn't prioritized as "more important" than the other.

✍️ Dual POV (mostly FMC though)
✍️ Kick your feet screaming cuteness
✍️ Sweetest romance
✍️ Humor & Witty banter
✍️ Standalone romance
✍️ Rivals to lovers
✍️ Fae Bargains

Thank you to The Nerd Fam, NetGalley & Tessonja Odette for an eARC of A Rivalry of Hearts.

A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette🩷
Book One of the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series
My thanks to NetGalley, ARC/Victory Editing and the author for providing me with an advance copy for my unbiased review.

A Rivalry of Hearts is a steamy and romantic fantasy story, set on the Isle of Faerwyvae, where humans and Fae live together. Wildly imaginative (and easily distracted) romance author Edwina Danforth travels to the Isle on a monthlong tour to promote her new steamy novel. Arriving after a shipwreck, late and frazzled, Edwina discovers her publisher has added another author to co-tour with her: the rakish Fae poet William Haywood. When they discover they are rivals for a publishing contract, they decide on a bet: whoever can seduce the most people by the end of the tour wins the contract. Of course, Edwina isn’t exactly the wanton sexual creature she made out and William has hidden depths beneath his flirtatious exterior. And with the competition hanging over their heads, who will triumph?

From the very beginning of this book, where there is a dedication to Anne of Green Gables, I was enraptured. Early pages read like a travel brochure for Faerwyvae, and I loved the ‘How to’ chapter blocks. There is also a thoughtful trigger warning list for readers, and some adorable character art.
Odette unwraps the Fae world with perfect pacing and without info dumping, and it’s hard not to be charmed by the pastel buildings of Floating Hope (yes, that's right, the place names are whimsical AF) or the Flight of Fancy Bookshop and cafe with its enchanted paper birds flying on the ceiling. The Fae themselves weren’t revolutionary, but I liked the variety of Courts and fae characteristics (probably a throwback to my childhood love of Care Bears/My Little Pony/Captain Planet and my adult love of A Court of Thorns and Roses). Spice lovers will be delighted with things heating up between the two MC’s and there is simmering sexual tension throughout the story.
Written from William and Edwina’s POV, we get to experience firsthand the enemies to lovers trope and some sinfully steamy moments. I loved this bookish, fanciful story and can’t wait for more in the series!

✨This book is a perfect read if you are looking for a rivals to more! Tessonja does a wonderful job creating a world around two writers on a book tour!

✨Edwina, a stubborn independent human, is a writer who pens the most salacious books in the name of romance.
She goes on a book tour with an handsome Fae author where first impressions are disastrous.

✨William, a Fae poet, embarks on a book tour with Edwina, who drives him crazy. The back-and-forth between them is delightful and hilarious. He finds himself frustrated with the feelings she invokes on him because he doesn't know what to do with them.

✨They are both running for a very prestigious contract that only one can obtain while both keeping secrets that could jeopardize their chances. They place a friendly bet and they are off to the races.

✨I laughed out loud at the "nicknames" they had for each other and her questions regarding all things Fae. 🌸

✨Edwina's imagination is her greatest strength and downfall when it comes to personal relationships. William is no exception, even in the name of research. ❤️‍🩹

✨ I loved Monty & Daphne, and I can't wait to read their story next!

✨Read this if you want cozy romance meets book tour shenanigans, witty banter with a dash of spice. A fantastic read for all book-loving hearts. 🩵

✨Thank you Net Galley for this lovely book! 🫶🏼

This review will be ran today, May 26, 2024 on my Goodreads account!

4.25/5★

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC copy! This book was by far one of my favorite ARC's that I have received so far.

Let me start off by saying I am someone who prefers fantasy stories with bits of romance rather than romance that has bits of fantasy, but this book has turned that idea right on its head. <i>A Rivalry of Hearts</i> is a wonderful and adorable story between two authors--Edwina, a human who is a quirky romance author, and William, a stoic fairy who is a poet. These two's dynamic was actually hilarious with their constant snippy yet playful banter. William was so head over heels for Edwina, constantly teasing and flirting with her, and she was simply too flustered at any and all points to do anything but retort--it was wonderfully fluffy and cheesy and so beyond sweet!

I will say that I was not sold on this story initially because I just could not get over the main propellant. In vague terms, Edwina and William form a bet that would award the winner a lucrative publishing contract. Now I won't say exactly what this bet entails but I literally chuckled out loud at the absurdity of this bet--I could not believe it! I can't lie though, once I accepted that this was the new state of things I ate it up, plus this scene is hysterical and really was the point that solidified my love for Edwina as a MC.

Edwina and William were such an amazing pair for this story as they were both incredibly endearing to me. Edwina was a loveable and dorky mess which, same girl! She acknowledged her mistakes, but also was not afraid to stand up for herself when she was not the cause of her problems. I also th0ught that she really held her own against the stoic and teasing William. I have to be so honest, I much preferred William's POV chapters over Edwina but that is simply because i LOVED his character. William is outwardly stoic but on the inside is so deeply into Edwina RIGHT from the start! One of initial chapters where he explains his side of the bet, was so funny--he was both enamored and bamboozled by Edwina at the same time and I ate it up!.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody looking for a cheesy, sweet, and sometimes smutty romantasy book. Throughout the book, there were elements of grumpy-sunshine dynamics, examples of him falling both first and harder, and just overall tooth-rottingly sweet romance! If any of those appeal to you, I cannot recommend <i>A Rivalry of Hearts</i> enough!

Firstly thank you to NetGalley and Tessonja Odette for providing me an ARC copy of this book.

I really don’t have words for how much I loved this book. While in a fantasy world there are no high stakes it’s just a beautiful cozy romance about to people falling in love.

Our main characters have flaws but they never get too annoying, they are forced to open their world views and understand each other - it’s sort of enemies to lovers but more rivals to lovers so a different kind of energy.

The support cast will steal your heart and they feel dimensional- not just plot points but people whose stories I would like to know

I hadn’t read any of the authors other work so it is a true stand alone - but I’ll now be checking out her back catalogue

This was such a cute feel good fantasy read! It felt like a romcom and just made me happy. The only downside was when it was over because I would have gladly read more.