Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eARC!

2.5⭐️ Cute, cheesy and fun (but also intermixed with a healthy dose of adult content). The dialogue was well executed and I did enjoy the character dynamics, although I must say I found the bet at the center of the plot hard to take completely seriously!

The prose was slightly simplistic for my liking, however. Pacing also felt jilted, mostly due to the long passages of exposition in the middle of chapters, which broke the flow - however, I am aware that this is a particular gripe of mine (I’m personally not a fan of “explain, not show” in novels) so I’d imagine this won’t be an issue for most readers.

Overall, this was fun and it’s clear that it will be popular and loved by most; but sadly it did miss a beat for me.

Such a fun read! The chemistry between our FMC And MMC was incredible - it had me giggling and kicking my feet.

I can't wait to read more books in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
What an adorable read! Two authors that are forced to tour together and try to get a contract for their writing. The catch? There’s only one contract and two of them. The characters were so well written and hard not to fall in love with. Edwina and William had such a fun enemies to lovers story. Definitely looking forward to the next book!

Such a cute read it literally had me blushing and kicking my feet!! 🥰 It's perfect slow-burn enemies/rivals to lovers that feels perfect for the spring! Edwina and Will are so tender with each other and have tons of witty back and forths that make the book super fun to read.

This was my first book by Tessonja Odette set in the Faerwyvae world, a magical Jane Austin coded Island inhabited by Fae and humans alike, and I already know it won't be my last! I was in love with Faerwyvae from the first chapter and I only fell deeper as I got to discover the different courts alongside Edwina. I can't wait for the next book in the series featuring Monty and Daphne's love story!

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing, the publisher, and Tessonja Odette for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! 💖

I have always been drawn in by a beautiful book and Tessonja's are always that. She has been on my TBR forever and I just didn't make the jump to read so when an ARC came up on Netgalley I thought it was the perfect time to try!

I understand that this is part of a world that another series is based in and maybe I needed to read that first because this book screams contemporary romance to me and it's one genre I generally stay away from.

It didn't feel like a fae world until Daphne pops in or certain descriptions are brought up so for the most part it just felt like another set of "normal" couple of characters for me.

Aside from that bit, I really did enjoy this!
The banter and chemistry between Edwina and William was super enjoyable even when Edwina was being a pain.

They are from different worlds and it's reflected in their actions. I'm glad William has the patience and understanding that the way she was raised and where she from shaped her into the person she is. He sees that she is more open-minded than other humans, so I like to think it helped.

Edwina wants what she earned, and so this book tour is super important to her, and she is willing to do everything possible to come out on top.

And if course, William has his own reasons as well.

Who's to say one is more important than the other? That's for them to decide.

This book is simply one of the cutest things I've read in a while! When a human author goes on a press tour for her romance novel in Faerwyvae, she is delighted... until she meets the other author on the tour.

Edwina and Will are the perfect couple who open up to one another and care deeply about each other. They might try to deny their feelings for one another and brush off their mutual attraction, but they're fooling no one.

This was such a happy read that I flew through! Was I screaming at them to stop being idiots about the bet they placed? Yes. But, I forgave them in the end!

Thank you, NetGalley for letting me read this story!

Review posted to Goodreads 5/11/2024
Review posted to @ evelynlainebooks TBD

A human enters the fae world for a book tour and meets her book tour partner, a fae man who writes pretentious poetry; she can’t stand him.

People are going to LOVE this book!!! It is a perfect slow burn of enemies to lovers and the characters are so good! Edwina and Will are such dynamic and fleshed-out characters that it is so fun to be in their minds with the duel POV. There was never a time that I was upset when the POV switched because I was usually dying to know what the other one was thinking.

The world is so cool, I just wish it had been fleshed out a little bit more because there were definitely some things that didn’t seem clear to me. The language was very modern, which many people enjoy when reading a period piece because it is easier to understand, but for me, I usually prefer a mix of both. I found that the modern language was taking me out of the story sometimes. The clothing and references that they made were very accurate though which I appreciated.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a slow burn, spicy, fae, rivals to lovers period piece. Super witty and smart characters that you will fall in love with!

Infinite stars. An absolute masterpiece.
This cosy, slow burn, enemies to lovers is the perfect Romantasy for ANY Romantasy lover. A perfect mix of Pride & Prejudice, Bridgerton and ACOTAR, this will have you hooked from the first word.
The tension and the relationship between the two mcs was absolutely electric and had me giddy and kicking my feet the entire read 😍

The storyline was perfectly developed. I loved the idea of the battle between the two writers for the contract. And the additional bet was a perfect way to spice it up and add depth to an already impressive plot. I also absolutely adored Edwina. She was just the epitome of strong female lead. Paving a way for herself which went against societal norms?! Immaculate. And I definitely related to her in the disheveled, pushing-glasses-up-her-nose, wild hair appearance 🤣 PLUS she writes ‘smut and drivel’ which I happen to absolutely adore 🤣

Lastly may I introduce you to 2024 book boyfriend, William Haywood. The snarky, arrogant, tall dark & handsome Fae ‘poet’. His mouth knows no bounds and I am well and truly on my knees for this fictional man.

The spice was spicing in this one. It was definitely more of a slow burn but when it got to it, whew was it worth it! 🥵😮‍💨

It wrapped up nicely but I must say I’m DEVASTATED there won’t be more because I need more and I’m not sure how to cope without Weenie and Willy 😭😭

4.5✨✨✨

Oh my god, this was so cute! Okay, so we have:
⤷ Rivals to lovers
⤷ A LOT of banter and tension between the MC
⤷He falls first
⤷Spicy bargains

This had my attention from the start: a romcom set on a fae island where he is fae, and she is human. They start off hating each other, but he falls for her super quick, and she's totally clueless about it...
Edwina is just adorable, quirky, and she couldn't care less about what anyone thinks of her. And William? He's just so sweet and caring, they're such a perfect match!

Oh, and Monty and Daphne? They were the cutest! I really wanted to hear their side of the story, so I was stoked to find out this is part of a series! I just hope we won't have to wait forever to catch them in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was just pure fun from start to finish. It had me laughing, kicking my feet and giggling like a school girl, and smiling so. much. Just an absolute JOY to read.

This book features:
Fae Actor/Poet x Human Romance Author
Magically binding contract
Rivals to Lovers
He's secretly obsessed with her
Forced Proximity
Dual PoV (plus bonus epilogue)
Cute flirtatious note passing
Protective older brother MMC
Constantly daydreaming of her next Work in Progress FMC
"You are beautiful" speech by MMC when FMC is feeling anything but
Abysmally vague flirting gone wrong

Content Warning: drinking, recreational drug usage, magically binding bet made while inebriated by fairy wine, *thwarted* taking advantage of woman in inebriated state, *rgy at college off campus party, smut daydreaming, explicit s*x, strong language, bet related to s*xual acts, using other people physically (kissing publicly) to make other person jealous

Character-driven plot about two rival writers (one human, one fae) competing for a prestigious publishing contract. Interesting things happen along the book tour… a spellbinding bet is made, connections are made, and romance is had. This book reads more like a romance novel but littered with fantasy attributes like the description of the various parts of the faelands, and the seelie vs. unseelie forms. The world building was easy and fun and the pace was perfect for this type of book.

Edwina and William’s journey was magical, filled with teasing, seduction, and true connection. Some of Edwina’s choices at the beginning of the book bothered me but I enjoyed her character growth throughout the book. This dual POV, rivals-to-lovers romantasy is filled with eccentric secondary characters, witty banter, seduction that will make your head spin, and a HEA.

Lovely read. I gave it 5 stars... such an amazing book and the plot is fabulous... never read a book so well written like this one.

This book was so delightful. Beautiful banter and the tension!!! Edwina is a romance author going on tour if she can get there to start. Arriving very late, she is now sharing the book tour. William is a pretentious poet with his own agenda. Thus, a beautiful rivalry begins. Academic and, as the title reveals, of hearts. As the tour progresses, a bet is made. The bet may be the best and worst thing to happen. There’s spice, there are fantastic side characters. Daphne is my absolute favorite. Also, don’t go into the north wing. 🫣

A Rivalry of Hearts is the newest fantasy rom-com from Tessonja Odette and a standalone book in a series of interconnecting standalones. I always know I’m in for a lot of fun with Tessonja’s books and this one was no different, I loved it and already can’t wait for her next book!

Edwina is a human and a popular romance author and when she goes on a book tour that takes place on a Fae island, she definitely doesn’t expect to be forced to compete for a publishing contract with William, a handsome Fae and poetry writer. Being rivals forces them to be close to each other and one drunken night leads to a bet: whoever seduces more people gets the contract. But what seemed to be an easy win soon proves to be more difficult than they imagined especially when they realize the only one they want to seduce is each other.

A Rivalry of Hearts was everything I hoped it would be and more, it was interesting, it was funny, it was swoony and spicy and I loved every single page. While the plot, the world building and the magic system were really fascinating, I definitely loved the romance the most. Edwina and William had such a beautiful relationship with a great banter that had me laughing out loud and root for them and I loved all their conversations and scenes together and when they finally gave in to their attraction, the spicy scenes were *chief’s kiss*. They were truly amazing main characters and it was difficult for me to choose who I wanted to win their bet because they both had their reasons but the way it was resolved was really great. I also liked all the secondary characters, especially Monty, Daphne, Zane and Cassie and I can’t wait to see them in the next books in this series.

A Rivalry of Hearts was an amazing fantasy rom-com with interesting plot, incredible characters and beautiful romance that I really enjoyed and definitely recommend to everyone. The next book can’t come soon enough!

— 4.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 407 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Tessonja Odette
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Crystal Moon Press
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 12 June 2024

What you can expect:
— Adult Fantasy RomCom
— First Instalment In An Interconnected Standalone Series
— First Person X Dual POV
— Academic Rivals-To-Lovers
— Hate-To-Love
— Forced Proximity
— Reverse Grumpy X Sunshine
— Found Family
— Fae Bargain Of Seduction
— Slow-Burn Romance
— Open Door Spice

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: sexually explicit content (including public displays of sexual activity and voyeurism), alcohol and substance use, adult profanity, death of a parental figure (past, mentioned), chronic illness with poor prognosis, intended sexual assault of an inebriated person (non-explicit, perpetrator is stopped before the attempt).

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
A Rivalry of Hearts is the first instalment in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series by author Tessonja Odette. Two rival writers. One prestigious publishing contract. A bargain of hearts and seduction. 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 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?

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:
A Rivalry of Hearts is giving 'Divine Rivals meets Emily Wilde's' in the best possible way. Featuring a grumpy heroine with a compelling narrative voice and a dashing Fae rival that will get reader's heart racing... this is not a romantic Fantasy romcom to be missed in 2024. I went into the tale ready to be swept into a funny and banter-filled dialogue, and I was not left disappointed. This book delivered in everything that I hope it would, and I swear there is not better feeling as a reader. Author Tessonja Odette delivers on the whimsical and romantic setting which was further supported through the narrative of our heroine, Edwina, as she discovers the isle of Faerwyvae for the very fist time. A Rivalry of Hearts felt well-paced as it fairly balances the authentic relationship development with the sexually explicit content, and as this is my introduction to the author I look forward to going back and reading their earlier works. The story read with ease and before long I realised how quickly I had devoured its contents, and I look forward to the continuation of this standalone series with Daphne and Monty's story.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
The overall plot in A Rivalry of Hearts was a lot of fun whilst leaving room for suspense and a keenness for more. The bet itself was a bit ridiculous in a quirky and comical way, especially in which the circumstances of the bet is established. Following Edwina and William as they traverse around Faerwyvae for their joined book tour created a beautiful and immersive setting for the plot as the reader is granted a deeper insight into the lifestyle of the fae and the differences to their courts. Rivals-to-lovers is a timeless-feeling trope and is one of my absolute favourites to explore across all genres, and it felt written to perfection between our two main characters. The best way I can summarise the plot is that it felt like a feel-good story with its themes of ambition, sense of found family and character growth. What's not to love about following two stubborn rivals who are determined to be come out on top as the declared winner, who in return find an unexpected love along the way with a guaranteed happily ever after?

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
I cannot begin to articulate how much I adored both main characters in A Rivalry of Hearts, and I'm beyond thrilled that we were granted an intimate insight into the inner workings to their thoughts in this dual-POV tale. Edwina felt raw and relatable as we follow her on her journey as a struggling and ambitious woman in a male-dominated field. Her unwillingness to publish under a male pseudonym, regardless to the fact that it would serve to further her career, was commendable as she continued to challenge a woman's role and ideals in society. Edwina writes sex-positive romances in a world where human woman are still expected to maintain their propriety and become dutiful wives, mothers and homemakers. She continues to challenge those ideals simply by her way of life, and I found myself riveted by Edwina's passion and determination to make a name for herself as she truly is. Her flaws made her a raw and relatable character, and I was proud of Edwina's growth as she held herself accountable whilst acknowledging the luck she has in life by being born into a wealthy family. Edwina's ambition success is entirely her own, but that doesn't disregard that her awareness that she has a life to fall back on which is more than what many can relate to. Her prickly, prideful and quick-tempered wit around her nemesis was a delight to follow, as was her inner turmoil as those feelings of resentment gradually developed into something more. Edwina Danforth was a wonderful main character to follow, and I'm happy to end her tale with a sense of gratification and pride for her overall development.

Edwina's first impression of William Haywood is not the best as he came across as arrogant, all-knowing and boastful. I found it really interesting to learn about the multiple layers that William possessed as we divulged past the façade he presents and got to know the 'real' Will. At his core, William is a family-orientated driven character that will go to any lengths to protect those that he loves, which is trait that is as admirable as it is formidable. His flirty persona and dedication to riling up Edwina was hilarious, and it was far too easy to fall in love with him as a reader. Will's protective instincts towards Edwina was everything and frankly, very much needed. Edwina's often displays a lack of consideration for herself in an unfamiliar setting, so despite their rivalry and original dislike towards one another, William often stepped up in defence of her when it was required. I enjoyed getting to know Will's character in a more intimate nature as the story progressed, especially the limitations he faced and the detrimental impact that had in his original career choice. I felt really bad for him, however I admit to enjoying those limitations as they worked in the favour of his relationship progression with Edwina. William's steamy lines and willingness to please as a lover made him the ultimate book boyfriend, and I couldn't love him any more.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
The development between Edwina and William in A Rivalry of Hearts was written to perfection and is what makes this story what it is. Their rivalry was immediate as they were quick to discover the high-stakes that was placed upon the success of their joined tour, and it was a lot of fun following the chaotic pair as they scrambled to best one another during their bet. Tensions were high, academic and sexual alike, and I really enjoyed following our two main characters as they develop from dislike to friends to... more amdist their rivalry. The longing and tension was had me screaming in delight as I eagerly awaited the 'first move' during their slow burn romance, and I definitely found it worth the wait. I adore how author Tessonja Odette navigated the spicy scenes and their underlining intimate nature. The emotions that surface during these moments added an emotional vulnerability that helped to further the romantic development, and I adore how well Edwina and Will compliment one another despite being opposites. Will's understanding and unwavering acceptance of who Edwina is was such an important distinction, as growing up Edwina constantly felt under pressure by her peers to conform to societal standards. His willingness to work with her when her creative mindset took control and his gentle approach to bringing her back to the present... this man can do no wrong. Edwina's keenness to learn about the way of the fae was endearing and enriching as the reader is also on this journey of learning along side her. Her main want being to know the real Will underneath the 'roles' that he plays, and her dedication to showing how treasured he is. Edwina and Will are so perfectly matched, and whilst they are faced with their struggles surrounding the impending contract and secrets, I was thrilled to see them prioritise communication and better as a couple in return.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
I adored the first instalment to the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series, and I couldn't recommend it any more. It was fun and slightly chaotic. Unbelievable in a humorous way with a strong cast of endearing side characters that I cannot wait to explore in future instalments to this series. This is my first Tessonja Odette read and it will absolutely not be my last.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲.

A Rivalry of Hearts by @tessonja

✨Pre-release ARC review✨

•Rating: 5/5⭐️ (crème de la crop!)
•Spice level: 2.5/5🌶️ (NA)
•Burn pace: 1.5/5🔥 (slow burn)

Edwina is a romance author traveling to Faerwyvae for her very first signing tour. But when she shows up - two weeks late - she finds that she’ll be sharing the spotlight with William: fae, poet, a$$hole, and unfortunately the most ~beautiful~ male she’s ever seen.

What I liked:
•I mean, it’s Tessonja Odette. You literally just can’t go wrong with her books. I’ve never met one I’ve rated below 4⭐️ and I’ve read almost all of hers!
•The writing draws you in so quickly
•I love how forward-thinking her books are, which is again reflected in this standalone
•The PERFECT length
•Fantastic amount of angst. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and had to keep taking deep breaths to relax my body 🤣
•The romantic tension is delicious
•Holy hell y’all, she’s not lying when she says rivals to lovers
•So many Easter eggs to her other books!

What I didn’t:
•The beginning was really similar to Divine Rivals. However, this does change about 25% of the way thru the book!

I recommend this book for readers 17+ who enjoy slow burns, lots of seggsual tension, TRUE rivals to lovers, and PLENTY of romantic angst!

This was cute and fluffy, and loaded with some cheese (fitting for a romcom set in a fantasy world). I had some minor gripes, but I think overall this was great! Looking forward to the 2nd stand alone installment!

I loved this so much! I was so anxious for the mc for the first 20%. Don't worry--you're supposed to be--she was making questionable decisions for pride, but the way it made me squirm is indicative of how quickly I was drawn into the story. The chemistry between these rivals was wonderful, and the second we switched from prideful boasts to starting to see the person behind the bets, I was absolutely hooked. I finished it from 30% forward in a day :)

Sugar, spice and everything nice! What a swoon-worthy book! It has everything I want in a fantasy rom-com with high stakes! I loved all the characters and how everything came along together. The banter, the camaraderie, the tension is just incredible. Tessonja, you have stolen my heart and soul yet again. Edwina and William are made for each other!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author and the publishing company for this E-ARC 🫶🏼

FREE PASS PPL FREE. PASS.
I’m screaming. I loved this book so much. I never once got bored or tired. From the start, this book introduces you to interesting and unique characters in just as interesting and unique situations. If you enjoy historical romance, fantasy, and rivals to lovers, READ THIS. The sexual tension is so good in this book 😭😭😭 I literally had palpitations while reading certain scenes between Edwina and Will. It was so cute, but so nastyyyyy 😏😏 I’m in love.
I CANNOT wait for Monty and Daphne’s story omgggggg. Their characters are so cute and funny; I need their book yesterday.

**Blessed with this ARC by NetGalley**