This is a cozy fantasy romance with just the perfect amount of spice, and it was absolutely one of the best books I’ve ever read. Oh was this book so magical and fun!! Rivals to lovers done exceptionally well, and I fell in love with every single one of the characters. I was literally giggling and kicking my feet the whole time.

This book has everything you want in a cozy fantasy rom: witty characters, immaculate vibes, fae creatures, good supporting characters, banter between the characters, nice paced relationship build up, etc. I will forever recommend it!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

A Short Synopsis 📑
Two rival writers.
One prestigious publishing contract.
A bargain of hearts and seduction.
They say never bargain with the fae. They also say do not get drunk on fae wine. Yet spicy 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 is eager to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long book tour wins a publishing contract they do not want to lose. Their rivalry for the price is great. No one will seize any means to get it. Losing is not an option. Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, a poet, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his reasons for playing to win, and he will not back down without a fight. Unless, of course, it is a different kind of going down. In that case, he’s fair game. They eventually clash in a rivalry of romance, but what happens when their objects of desire turn out to be each other? 😉

My Thoughts 💭
I loved the book so much, especially the characters and their unique traits. There were so many moments that made me giggle, and their rivalry was portrayed so well. I couldn't stop thinking about the memorable moments and quotes from the book. If you've read "Divine Rivals" and "Emily's Encyclopedia of Faeries," as well as "Bridgerton," you'll find that it gives off similar vibes with its charming banter and the dynamic between the grumpy and sunshine heroines. The dialogue is funny, and I adore their witty comebacks. This isn't my first time reading this author's work, and it certainly won't be the last. I'm eagerly looking forward to exploring more of this world and the characters in the next installment. If you're still not convinced, I urge you to give it a chance and fall in love with the story and its characters. It truly encapsulates everything you could hope for. Please consider giving it a chance; I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Tropes:
✨ Rivals-to-Lovers
✨ Reverse Grumpy X Sunshine
✨ Slow-Burn Romance
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Fluffy Banter


I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook of this book in exchange for an honest review. (Reviews were posted on Goodreads and Instagram as well)

This book is my new obsession! Never have I fallen in love so quickly.

It was cozy, cute, and it gave me so many butterflies. Edwina and Will were swoon-worthy, and their chemistry was undeniable. Will was such a funny and charismatic MMC. The world-building was beautiful and detailed, and it worked so well in this story. I loved Edwina so much, and I found her so relatable. Her story and growth was so fun and engaging to read. I wasn't sure the low-stakes fantasy would work for me, but I was so obsessed with it. The spice was also such a fun treat, and I loved all the tropes that were featured throughout.

This book went above and beyond my expectations. It was more than I could've ever expected and hoped for. It took my breath away and had me captivated from beginning to end! 1000% would recommend to anyone looking for a whimsical and lighthearted fantasy romance. I will reread this title time and time again.

I would like to give a huge thank you to NetGalley and Tessonja Odette for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 5/5

A Rivalry of Hearts is a whimsical and romantic tale of loving and being loved just as you are.

Edwina Danforth is a human romance writer whose books have yet to gain traction in her homeland, but are surging in popularity in the Fae realm. Her publisher requests that she tour the fae lands and meet her fans at a series of signings. The catch, she unknowingly has a fellow writer on tour with her - the handsome yet prickly poet, William Haywood. Edwina and William get off to a ricky start, but over the next few tour stops, Edwina finds herself falling for the Fae lands, and also perhaps her fellow author. William can't deny his attraction to Edwina, but falling for a human has its own complications. When an ill conceived bargain over which author is better at seduction goes awry, with a future publishing contract as the stakes, William and Edwina must decide which is more important - career success or love.

I adored this book so much! The wit! The banter! The tension!! It was all done so well, and I had such a tough time putting the book down, I finished in less than 24 hours. Edwina is adorable -imaginative and firey, she underestimates herself so much, while William sees it all and more. William is a complex character as well, an actor who writes poetry, with a complicated past. He cares deeply, and the risk of losing it all is what worries him the most. The side characters also have stories to tell, and I have a feeling we will be seeing more of these characters is future stories in this series. I loved that this was a standalone - it was easy to read and fall into, and wrapped up William and Edwina's story nicely. I really enjoyed this book so much, and I look forward to more from this author and series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tessonja Odette for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

DEVOURED this book in 2 days. This was my first time reading a book by Tessonja Odette and I fear I’m gonna go down a rabbit hole and read everything she’s ever written.

I loved the writing style, the pace and world building of this book, it kept me captivated at all times. I was genuinely giggling and kicking my feet from chapter 2 because of how OBSESSED Will was with Edwina. I loved their chemistry, the banter,THE PALPABLE TENSION. Everything down to the spice level in this book was absolutely fae-tastic and so easy follow. Also he falls first and hard so I was sold from the get go.

If you’re looking for a fluffy and cozy romantasy to get you out of a reading slump/ just an easy read, definitely read this book, you will not be disappointed.

I left a review on my good Goodreads and Instagram.

Thank you Tessonja and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this incredible ARC

This was SUCH an enjoyable read, I couldn’t put it down and fired through almost 70% in a single sitting. With charming characters, witty banter, a period setting and a touch of scandalous spice, A Rivalry of Hearts was the perfect cozy fae romance.
It has a ton of the tropes we love - rivals to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first and a modern take on period romance… but make it fae!
The dual POV was a delightful surprise. I loved hearing from both Edwina and William, with their conflicting opinions of each other that constantly yoyo’d back and forth. The bet added a fun element to their rivals story and I just LOVED the humour in this book. I chuckled my way through this read and have immediately sought out Odette’s other books!

A drunken bet between rivals leads to a whole lot of spice and feels. Edwina has finally arrived in the land of fae, and even better, she's there to lead her own book tour, things are looking up! Or, they were, until she's informed she'll now be CO-leading the book tour with William, a poet who makes it clear he thinks very little of her writing. Forced to compete for a new publishing contract, Edwina realizes she can't leave this decision up to fate and her books sales, and William - confident in both his sales and skills - agrees to a wager. Whoever seduces the most lovers by the tour's end will win the contract.

This is a fun, flirty, rivals-to-lovers tale that gave me Pride & Prejudice vibes. I found the cast of characters to be charming and the bet was entertaining - overall an enjoyable read!

5 stars!
I absolutely adored this cozy romcom, where bridgerton meets fae, magic and a beautiful whimsical world. I am a sucker for he falls first, and a man who says "love". This book had me smiling, gushing and having strong feelings over the plot of will they, won't they whilst being rivals in the book world for a publishing contract. The romance and banter was so sweet. I can't wait to read the next book!

I knew from the blurb that I would like this book, but I am BLOWN AWAY! This had everything I was looking for. While it is maybe a touch spicier than I normally read, it had a great balance of spice and plot, along with fun and emotional characters.

The story follows. Edwina and Willam, rivals on a shared book tour in an attempt to get a three book contract. Both have their own reasons for wanting it, and as they get to know each other, reasons, lust, and love get woefully intertwined. A diverse cast of supporting characters and a vividly described world allows you to fall into the action.

I’d describe this as incorporating elements of Bridgerton, Anne of Green Gables, Pride and Predjudice, and ACOTAR (particular the setting descriptions). It is a blend of what works well in each of these individual stories and winds them together.

This book was such an easy but grabbing read.

I loved the tension between William and Edwina and I loved their immediate attraction to each other and how they tried to avoid it for so long 🤭

As much as this book was low stakes. It was so entertaining! I would definitely be interested in checking out more books by this author!

Add a romance writer, a fae opposing author, and a spicy contest between them as part of a book tour competition, and you have a unique and charming romantasy tale that Bridgerton fans will adore. Enjoy!

Published via GoodReads on 5/17/24

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for granting me access to this ARC copy!

I thought that this story was super sweet and had just the right amount of humor with this stance of rivals to lovers. I liked the dual first person POV where the reader can clearly see how the FMC and MMC navigate their inner thoughts and feelings with this fun bet. I did find that some parts of the story had me more hooked than others, but I did love the twist of conflict towards the end of the book.

Overall, this was a feel-good fantasy read and I look forward to reading the next installment!

I want to crawl into this world and never leave!

Fantasy Romcom is an itch I never knew that I needed to scratch. It has the fantastical world of the fae with a human world element without the heaviness of a Romantasy epic.

We follow Edwina, a human novelist, who is doing a book tour in a world that is known to be the only place where fae live. Edwina instantly gets her feathers ruffled by fae poet, William Haywood who now shares her coveted book tour. The two become quick rivals and enter into a bet to win a final prize at the end of the tour.

Edwina is stubborn, fantastical, whimsical, and delightful. She is awed by this glorious world that is so different from hers, she will do anything to stay there.

William is brash, prickly, and holds a lot of secrets in his past. He has built up a lot of walls, but those walls are at risk of crumbling where Edwina is concerned.

Watching Edwina and William go from rivals to lovers while navigating tricky contracts, past insecurities, and some damning secrets is so many things...Delicious, juicy, captivating, spicy, and ohhhh the second hand embarrassment in several scenes is so real!

I caught myself outwardly grinning, would have to peek through my fingers to read, and kicked my feet giggling at several scenes.

Such a fun, fun read!

Overall, highly recommend!

If I was perhaps in the mood for a romance, I would have enjoyed it more but alas i think this leans too much into cozy romance than cozy fantasy. definitely recommend it to romance readers. It's more apt to that genre than fantasy in how it is written.

I freaking love this book! It is utterly adorable! I love Edwina “weenie/Ed.” With her wistful up do and wire rimmed spectacles!

It’s so cute, with a side of magical and fanatical.

And what better to read about than a romance/smut author finding romance!

It’s funny, it’s witty and a must for anyone who loves a regal, romantic, fantasy story.

Romance author Edwina Danforth and her fae rival William Haywood enter a magical bet to win a prestigious publishing contract by seducing the most lovers during a month-long book tour. Despite Edwina's inexperience, the competition heats up as their rivalry intensifies, complicated by their growing attraction to each other. "A Rivalry of Hearts" is a standalone spicy fantasy romcom featuring enemies-to-lovers dynamics, quirky characters, and work place romance.

Tessonja is an auto buy author for me, so I was really looking forward to this book. Plus, I loved the cover – it was giving regency or bridgerton vibes to me. This book was a cute romansty book that was also light and funny. I really enjoyed this book! I can’t wait for Daphne and Monty’s book.

Thank you to the author and publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story served as a much-needed palette cleanser from all the dark and brooding romance books I typically read. But, as much as I love a good dose of angst and drama in my reads, sometimes I need a break from all the heavy stuff.

Edwina Danforth, romance author extraordinaire, finds herself in a bit of a pickle. Cue the magical mishaps and the fae wine-induced escapades! Next thing you know, she's in a wager with her arch-nemesis, William Haywood, to see who can bed the most lovers during a book tour.

Edwina is like a tornado in a teapot… William is the charming fae with a smirk that could charm the pants off a statue.

The banter between Edwina and William is pure gold. It's like watching a rap battle between two wordsmiths, but with more flirty vibes. Their chemistry will have you hooked faster than you can say "publishing contract."

We've got rivalry, desire, and self-discovery—all set against the backdrop of the magical faelands. Edwina's journey from prideful to introspective is something we can all relate to, and it's what makes this book so darn special.

And don't even get me started on Odette's writing style. The dialogue crackles with wit, the humor almost had me snorting my drink out of my nose (hey, it’s a hazard of the trade.) It's "The Office" meets "Pride and Prejudice," with a sprinkle of fae magic thrown in for good measure.

So, if you're like me and find yourself craving a change of pace from all the doom and gloom, then "A Rivalry of Hearts" is the perfect palate cleanser. Sometimes I have to remind myself that sometimes, it's okay to just sit back, relax, and enjoy a good old-fashioned romp through the faelands.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the gifted ARC.

This was a super cute and fast read for fans of Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte who want a fantasy spin!

Edwina is living her dream—her book is super popular in the land of the fae, and now she’s off to lead her very first book tour. But when she gets delayed due to travel complications, she’s forced to share her tour with William. Who happens to be the worst and thinks her books are “drivel.” If you’ve read Pride and Prejudice, you know where this goes.

This was a pretty standard romance novel with the story following predictable paths and an HEA is given. But the first half of the book was super fun for me, and I was very invested in the “bet” Edwina and William end up making.

But after that halfway mark, the story fell off for me. The bet was introduced just to be made moot, and the whole idea of Edwina doing “research” was abandoned immediately—even as a pretense. I was starting to get bored by the end, especially knowing where the story was going to go. But I definitely still enjoyed it overall, and am looking forward to the next installment!

Thank you, Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication!

Cute and witty. I absolutely loved the banter between the characters in this. I loved their relationship and the progression they made to get to be with each other rather than it feeling like it was an instant love thing. I'll definitely be going to read the other books in the series and looking forward to the next one!

Defenetly 5 stars read for me.
I've got an ARC from NetGalley of this book and here is my review.

What do we have? We have the Regency era, but without the typical limitations of books in this genre: no strict rules of the ton, no restrictions on men talking to women without an escort, no balls, and no marriage seasons.
So, what do we have instead? Faes in human and non-human forms, a little bit of magic (but not too much), and a traveling woman who writes smut (yes, she's a queen).

I loved how the author explored the topic of smut. Does an author of smut experience everything they write about in real life? Is smut always considered writing for stupid people ("smut and drivel," as Will calls it)? As a reader of smut, I must say - we need to read about these things.

Of course, there is lots of fun. The voyeurism scene is my favorite. Every movement and decision Edwina makes is contrary to what William tells her. And, of course, every scene where we have the words "free pass" is awesome (I still get goosebumps when I see those words). I loved the elevator scene so much!
The book is steamy, with smut, but it also has a very good story and character development. All the smut scenes are a great addition to a perfectly composed plot. I cannot say that you can remove the smut scenes and the book will be the same, because the main heroine is a smut writer, and of course, these scenes should be there. But if you ask me, I would say that the book has a perfect balance of plot and sex scenes.
I also loved that the secondary characters are perfectly developed too. I'll be waiting for Monty and Daphne's book, the second in this series, because I loved both of them. That scene when Daphne arrives in her human form - ooooh, she is so cute and shy. There is just some innuendo for their future interaction, but I cannot wait to read about it.

Now when I've reached the end of this book, I'm buzzing to read every book by Tessonja Odette. She is definitely my author.