This was a very unique and cute read. I love the whole fae world creating and the blending of old and modern in it. The main characters were both very loveable and had great chemistry together. I also really enjoyed the relationships of the whole group (main and side characters) and am very interested in getting to read the others stories.

A Rivalry of Hearts was such a fun read!! I am so glad I got this arc from NetGalley.

If you love the Fae but maybe don’t want a whole fantasy book or world to dive into (but still want the world set in a world of magical creatures), this is such a different and great choice. It was light, fun, and still felt unique from other romcoms or even fantasy romances! I can’t wait for the next one.

“A Rivalry of Hearts” 5/5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book!

I had so much fun reading this book! It was such a breath of fresh air. I enjoyed getting to know Edwina, William, and their world. The poet x author dynamic was so cute.

“A Rivalry of Heart” has:
-rivals to lovers 📖
-fae 🧚🏻
-cozy vibes 🤍

I highly recommended to any who loves romantasy🫶🏻

*Thank you to NetGalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review*

I haven't read anything by this author but this book was really good. I'm not a fan of fae world yet I wanted to read more. It had a fair share of cheesy lines and cliches than I preferred but overall it was a great experience. I want to read more of this author, and I highly suggest this book.

I am so excited for Tessonja to be reaching new levels in her career and have the chance to become more widespread. I have had the honor of following her almost since the beginning and I love her work now just as much as I loved her first works which have since been unpublished. And what better way to jump off the next stage of her career than this incredible book focused on a publishing contract? Edwina and William are such fun characters and their bet is so ridiculous. I love the theme of smut and drivel throughout, which is surprising because it's usually my least favorite part of any book, but it's done rather tastefully in my opinion. William is actually quite the gentleman about it, especially when not under the influence, and it gives the reader a fair warning. It is so hard to word reviews for fantasies like this without giving something away, and I always feel the need to explain my reasoning, which is something I've been working on especially because it gives away spoilers. I loved William's twist and while it's not something I expected, it didn't surprise me for some reason, but it just seemed so fitting. As for the end, I did kind of call that, but I would have been more upset by some twist and I think it's only because I know this author so well. I can't wait to see what's to come in My Feral Romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley and Crystal Moon Press in exchange for an honest review.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading (and swooning) over Tessonja Odette's Entangled with Fae series, I knew I had to get this one as an eARC.

A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette is a fantasy romance novel about an author and a fae. They say never bargain with the fae. They also say don’t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she’s trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man she’d be happier to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long dueling book tour wins a coveted publishing contract. The win should be easy for Edwina. She’s known for penning scintillating tales of whirlwind romance. There’s just one problem: her imagination vastly exceeds her bedroom experience. But when failure means plummeting her career back into obscurity, losing isn’t an option. Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his own reasons for playing to win, and he won’t go down without a fight. Unless, of course, it’s a different kind of going down. In that case, he’s fair game. Edwina and William clash in a rivalry of romance. But what happens when their objects of desire…turn out to be each other?

A little spicer than I like, but was still a decent read.

A Rivalry of Hearts follows two rival authors fighting for a writing contract in a whimsical, Regency-inspired fae world. Unfortunately, I liked the idea of this story better than the book itself.

As always, I love the world Odette has created and her take on fae. However, this reads more like a cozy rom-com than her previous, more plot-heavy fantasy romance series.

If you love rom-coms, you may love this. Sadly, I do not love rom-coms.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

"A Rivalry of Hearts" is an enchanting and compelling read that masterfully intertwines romance and competition. The author brilliantly captures the tension and passion between the protagonists, making their journey from rivals to lovers both believable and deeply satisfying. The story is rich with vivid descriptions, witty dialogue, and emotional depth, ensuring that readers are fully immersed in the characters' world. Each twist and turn in their relationship keeps you eagerly turning the pages, rooting for them to find their happily ever after. It's a delightful and heartwarming tale that will leave you smiling long after the final page.

Reading a romance book about a romance author should be on everyone's 2024 Reading Bingo, and this is the perfect book for such a prompt.
With a drunken poetry battle, an epic orgy, and a competition with hearts on the line, A Rivalry of Hearts is the perfect cozy fantasy with a generous helping of spice. The seduction bet between Edwina and Will was such an interesting and fun use of traditional fae bargains and I love their approach to steamy scenes was with curiosity and consent (and competition). I also appreciated the queer characters and the reflections on sexual attraction without having to define labels, which I relate to as someone on the acespec.
I'm now having withdrawals from Tessonja Odette's captivating words and ready to explore the extensive back catalog (including more books from this world) while anticipating the next Fae Flings and Corset Strings book, My Feral Romance (yay for Daph and Monty!).

Absolute heartwarmer of a love story! The perfect low-stakes, cozy, fantasy romance for lighthearted escapism, when you just want to curl up with a cup of tea and forget about everything but the possibility of happiness and love. Rivals to lovers, with the best dash of spice, this is such a magical romp through the faelands.

A Rivalry of Hearts is the first book I've read by Tessonja Odette but after this read I look forward to reading more.

Edwina is a human from the human town of Bretton. She is visiting Faerwyvae, a land where humans and fae live together, on a book tour to promote her Fae romance novel. On arriving (late) for her book tour she discovers that she is now touring with a second author, William.
Soon after arriving she learns that the author with the most sales will get an amazing contract with their publisher which leads to a drunken bet with William about seducing strangers for points.

Unfortunately the hate at first sight becomes something more and they have to decide what's more important the bet they both need to win the contract or the love they are feeling for each other.

This is a spicy human/fae romance set in a very interesting land of things powered by fae magic. I loved the 2 povs of William and Edwina as they both fought their own feelings but still gave into temptation.
A fun romance novel for anyone who loves a hate to love trope.

I’ll be back with a full review… but holy crap. I already miss the characters and the world! Weenie and Willy forever ❤️

And... I'm back! This entire book is living in my head rent free. Rivals to lovers authors, William and Edwina, compete to win a publishing contract in the faelands. This book was heartfelt, sexy, and incredibly endearing. I hope you pick this up and fall in love with the world and the characters as much as I do.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing!

This book had so much potential, but at the end just fell a little flat for me. I felt like this book had room to have so much more depth, but was trying to force itself into the "cozy" category. On top of that, I just could not connect with the characters. I will be giving the next book a chance and hoping the author can find her footing in this new series.

Paused @ 47% I'm putting this down and waiting for the audiobook.
On paper, I should love this. Bridgerton vibes with RIVAL writers hello! He falls first! She's a romance writer!
Something about it just wasn't hitting how I expected, so I want to try again when the audio is available in September.

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Victoria Editing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Edwina, a romance novelist, finds herself entangled in a magical bargain with a captivating yet infuriating fae rival, William. Their competition for a publishing contract takes a turn when Will proposes that they compete in a seduction competition. Rom-com meets fantasy in this fun little standalone that packs a lot of heat and charm. Sexy and whimsical, A Rivalry of Hearts is a lovely summer read!

I really really loved it!! It's the perfect fae x human, enemies to lovers, steamy romance!! The romance gets cut off multiple times because of the stubbornness of Edwina, which made me longing for the next time they both would give in to their feelings for each other! I don't know if I really needed Will's pov to clear certain things up, I don't really think it added to the story, but I did enjoy it nonetheless.

thank you to netgalley and victory editing netgalley co-op for this eARC!

i really enjoyed this book! it was definitely a little different than i was expecting in terms of writing style, but not necessarily in a bad way and it didn’t distract much from my reading experience. overall, i liked the characters and i liked the relationships! the plot was pretty solid, if a little predictable at times, but it definitely kept me reading. i will say that i didn’t anticipate the main “plot twist” of his sister having written the book. i think that’s partially because i just wasn’t thinking about it but i think it was still a solid plot point. the only thing i’d say about it is that the reveal was pretty close to the end of the book and the conflict and resolution felt a little bit rushed to me. the only other note i have is about the frequent referencing to “poet william,” “actor william,” and “will” felt a little excessive to me. it was, in my opinion, a case of telling not showing. i think it would have played much better had there been different cues in his internal dialogue that showed the transition from one mask to another, and by the end of the book i was a bit tired of it. it just read a little weird to me and i think there could have been a more subtle and less awkward way to accomplish the same thing. all in all though, i didn’t go into this expecting literary genius or anything and it definitely was an enjoyable read, which at the end of the day is all i really care about!

I absolutely loved this book. I knew pretty much nothing going into this and decided to read it on a whim. I was instantly hooked and almost finished it in one sitting. The characters are loveable and relatable but the world building was next level. I was so enthralled with the fae world and found myself transported there. I loved the yearning and longing and the will they won't they nature of the leads and was so excited every time they got closer to each other. I really loved this and can't wait for the next one.

Edwina and William are in the race for a book deal that could turn their lives upside down. On a drunken night they make a bet; whoever wins the bet gets the book deal. The bet opens a whole world of rivalry and tension, keeping you interested until the last chapter.

A rivalry of hearts is the perfect book with all of my favorite genres in one. A cozy fantasy romance I couldn't put down once I started reading. Edwina and William quickly became comfort characters to me. This book and the world building were just so cozy and lovely. I just love this book a lot.

Thank you Netgalley and Victoria Editing for the e-ARC.

I absolutely loved every single moment of this book. A Rivarly of Hearts is my first book by Tessonja Odette but it’s not going to be my last i can’t wait to go back and read her previous books.

It was so whimsical and magical, I loved the world building and every character had so much uniqueness and charm and the main thing I absolutely loved was the tension between Edwinna and William every moment was filled with sizzling chemistry and exceptional banter and some very well written spice. It is one of those books that makes you swoon and giggle and just kick your feet with happiness and also one of my favourite things in ‘He falls First’ I couldn’t put it down.

I highly recommend if you love a cosy fantasy with banter, sizzling chemistry and light hearted stories filled with humour. I’m really looking forward to the next book as it’s about Daphne and Monty who were such wonderful side characters in A Rivarly of Hearts.