- NetGalley review
This was so damn cute! I loved the pacing of this story and how it effortlessly flowed, the plot was perfect for a cosy romance story! I loved the dual POV throughout making the story feel so much bigger. I had never read a book by this author and it certainly isn’t my last! The way how the story followed the characters with a few twists and comedy woven throughout, this was the perfect book to sit down with after a long day! I’m pretty sad that this book is over because I devoured the plot and the story during my travel and breaks and didn’t want to put it down! A story where he falls first in the perfect magical setting. What a book :)

Thank you NetGalley for the early read!

Exactly as described…it’s cute, it’s cosy with a sprinkling of spice.

Tessonja is a brilliant writer who continues demonstrating in this book exactly why we love what she does.

It was full of laugh out moments and also dragged my heart along on a string.

Really really lovely. Thank you so much for allowing me to read.

Thank you for the eARC! I have read nearly all of Tessonja Odette’s books and I have loved every single one! I thought that the overall plot for this was very intriguing, going from a book sales competition and evolving to a bet towards who could seduce the most people. What a wild concept, but in the best way! I have to say, though, as much as I loved Weenie and Will, Monty and Daphne were my favorite parts so I am extremely excited for the next book. I already loved Monty after A Dream So Wicked, so to see him again was so exciting! Thank you again for the opportunity to read this early!

Perfection from the very first sentence! Pride & Prejudice meets fantasy, with a dash of delicious banter. What more could you ever freaking want?!

Tessonja Odette has created the perfect main characters in Edwina and Will. They give Lizzie and Mr Darcy vibes, but spicy! I loved the banter, the tension, the fighting, the flirting, the talking (Will’s mouth, my goodness), and every single thing about them.

I could not put this down. And I want more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tessonja Odette, and the publishers for allowing access to the e-Arc.

4.75 stars

I knew that this book was going to be a fun time. But I love this book so much. I love the way the FMC approaches situations on a more academic level. The chemistry between FMC and MMC was amazing. I also loved all the side characters which makes me want to read their stories. I can’t wait for the next book!

I highly recommend it!

I have been excited for A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette since I caught a few chapter sneak peeks on their newsletter.

Once I got it, I couldn’t stop reading it. There are certain books where I would be in the middle of eating, watching a show, or at work and think, “I rather be reading x book right now.” Or sneak a few sentences in every chance I could get. This book is one of those books. I definitely kicked my feet and squealed many times throughout.

Odette did a great job in bringing me into the world of Faerwyvae, to look around and see, smell, and taste the same things the characters do. I usually prefer books written in the third-person, but the first-person view in this didn’t bother me. In fact, I loved it! Especially since the book is a dual-POV story.

“Shut up. Things are about to get smutty.” Is probably my favorite line. Not because of the significance of the line, but because of the situation and because of who said it. Absolutely hilarious. And I loved the banter between the main characters.

The FMC’s auction item had my heart. In fact, this whole story had my heart. It was endearing and funny, sweet and sexy, and I can’t wait to get a ticket back into the world of Faerwyvae! And I can’t wait to read the next couple’s book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Five stars! Highly recommend to anyone who likes fantasy rom-coms, cozy regency-era stories with slow burns, and the rivals-to-lovers trope.

4.5⭐️

**ARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This book was such a fun read! Despite the maturity of the content, I think it was hilarious. I had a really good time reading it. There were a lot of creative details and unique scenes. I loved that the lightness of the plot didn't diminish the quality of the book itself. Honestly, I can't think of anything bad to say about it. It has encouraged me to read more Tessonja Odette books.

I would describe it as a low-stakes romantasy paired with characters with emotional depth and an enjoyable and amusing plot line.

The review will be published via Goodreads today.

this was my first book by tessonja odette - and it's safe to say it will definitely not be my last! because holy moly guys this was GOOD. like where to even begin?
this has literally everything i've ever wanted in a book:
~ enemies to lovers
~ he falls first
~ fae/human (and he's not weirdly old!!!)
~ coziness
~ amazing background characters
~ plenty of spice
think regency romance meets fae world (which is so cool and fun and i need to read more books set in this asap) meets work rivals and you have this. and it's just as good as it sounds.
and the writing!! this was so good ya'll. the witty banter was everything i needed and more. i was giggling and kicking my feet the whole way through.
huge thanks to netgalley and tessonja for the arc!

First, as always, I want to thank NetGalley for providing an electronic ARC of A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette. I binged this story in one sitting, staying up way past my bedtime and have absolutely no regrets.

Let’s layout the characters and quick synopsis and then I can give my thoughts. In A Rivalry of Hearts we meet our heroine; cute, quirky, small, little human weirdo, Edwina. She is a proficient, if not entirely well-known, author of ‘smut and drivel’ as her rival would put it. Her rival being a very handsome and accomplished fae poet William Haywood who incidentally enough has procured part ownership of her very first book tour since she was inexcusably 2 weeks late for the start of the tour and the publishers chose William as a stand-in. This book tour is taking place in Faerwyvae, a Fae and human land that Edwina has set her newest novel in, though until now she has never actually visited.
Edwina, to her dismay, learns that she and William are being thrust into a competition of book sales during her (now their) book tour and the winner will receive a three book contract and nice monetary advance for the winning author. Both are determined to win, each of them having strong legitimate reasons to succeed, her the acclaim and ticket to in Faerwyvae for at least a year, him the money he needs to help his family out of crippling debt. So begins a charming and moderately spicy rivals to lovers story that made this reader kick her feet and squeal in delight.

-Now for those who love tropes lets list a few found in A Rivalry of Hearts-
Rivals to Lovers (true and ACTUAL rivals to lovers)
Polished hero vs Quirky heroine
Fae loves human
Guy falls first
You’re Mine (subtle and from both characters about each other)
Multiple POV
Spice
Miscommunication trope (though done, in my opinion, very well and moved the plot along)

My thoughts? Loved it. This is my first Tessonja Odette novel and I am so happy to have found this author and this world that she has created. The characters (even the Fae ones) felt fully fleshed out and like they could be real people. They were full of a range of emotions, desires and characteristics that made them relatable yet unique. Not only our main characters but the supporting ones as well. It was delightful to see a budding romance happen as a side plot that is to be the next book! The rivalry was believable and the decisions each of the characters had to navigate that caused tension and angst were not simple nor easy to solve. As a reader, I was torn alongside our protagonists hoping that they would find a resolution that would be satisfying for their careers and their romance. The world building felt natural, the writing well done and not just a bunch of info dumping. I giggled and squealed and like I said at the beginning of this review, I binged this in one night desperate to see William and Edwina find love and happiness together. A perfect cozy romance full of light-hearted wit and charm.

The perfect cozy fantasy romance to read all year around! I loved the rivals to lovers trope and i'm so glad that as a reader, we got to see a glimpse of what it's like to be part of the publishing industry. All the characters had their quirks and the main love interests were both likeable. We need more cozy fantasies like this!!

Stunning from start to finish, this book is a masterclass in storytelling. The blend of historical and fantasy elements creates a captivating world that I couldn't get enough of. The characters are richly drawn, with layers that unfold beautifully throughout the story. The main characters, Edwina and William, are a delight to follow, and their journey from rivals to lovers is both heartwarming and thrilling. The side characters are equally engaging, adding depth and dimension to the story. I particularly appreciated the representation of gender identities and sexual orientations, which added an important layer of diversity to the narrative. The romance is beautifully written, with just the right amount of tension and emotion. The bet between Edwina and William adds a fun twist to the story, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how it would all unfold. The ending was incredibly satisfying, tying up all the loose ends while leaving me eager for more. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone looking for a captivating and heartfelt story. Highly recommended!

I really liked this book! The transition from dislike to love was done perfectly, and I really enjoyed the glances and witty remarks between Edwina and William. They had great chemistry, and the buildup was totally worth it.

Edwina is a bit of an unusual main character, so it took me a few chapters to warm up to her. She can be proud and judgmental, but she's also good at admitting when she's wrong. I grew to admire her curiosity and determination. She's passionate and sassy, which pairs well with William. And William! I was smitten with him right away. His playful attitude and smirks were captivating, and he was also respectful and caring. Even though Edwina annoys him at times, he's always there for her. I just loved seeing them together!

The storyline about the bet seemed a bit strange to me. Why would someone gamble their career on how many romantic encounters they can have? It felt unrealistic, but it was my only complaint about the book.

Overall, I had a blast reading "A Rivalry of Hearts," and I can't wait for Daphne and Monty's story. The hints we got about them... I'm speechless!

Big thanks to the author for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

A charming, low-stakes, rivals to lovers fantasy rom-com that's both steamy and sweet!

This book was such a joy to read. It's delightful and funny, has lovable characters, AMAZING banter, and somehow managed to be both silly and heart warming. It felt like a mix of Bridgerton and Divine Rivals in the best way.

This was my first book from Tessonja Odette, and I am an instant fan.

oh i loved this, it was so cozy and just what i needed! i think the mixing of different genres works so well here.

all of the characters were so unique and likeable, but they were also flawed and this made them feel very real.

i was so happy with the little cameos of characters from previous books, and it made me so excited for the next book in the series!

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

THIS BOOK WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!!

This is a perfect little cozy fantasy read! Its so hard to find like a cutesy romantasy book, especially a stand-alone. This book was quite everything I could ask for. I am now diving down a Tessonja Odette rabbit hole and reading all her books!

A Rivalry of Hearts is a spicy, cozy fantasy that hits all the right notes for a truly enchanting read. This book has so many of my favorite things: fae, rivals-to-lovers, dual POV, and a Regency-era setting—what more could I ask for? The banter between Edwina and William is sharp and witty, adding a delightful touch of humor to the story. If you love books that make you giggle and kick your feet while reading, this is perfect!

Thank you to NetGalley for approving me for this ARC. I was so excited to see Tessonja say these were available on her Instagram and applied right away, and feel grateful I got accepted. This is the first book I’m reading of hers but she’s been on my radar for a while now.

This reads like a regency romance in a fantasy fae setting with spice. I loved the writing and how the world building was done. I liked our main characters, Edwina and William, and we meet a cast of supporting characters early on that helped enhanced the book, especially with a hint of a potential new couple towards the end. Daphne intrigued me the most as a character and she really grew on me throughout the story.

I do know this is an adult book with spice but I wasn’t quite expecting an orgy! I found the open way they spoke about sex jarred slightly with this regency-replica time period. I also found Edwina and William got a bit too familiar too fast, and had too many intimate confessions early on. This let down the romance slightly for me as it felt rushed. I didn’t think they really knew each other well enough to do so.

I loved Faerwyvae as a place. It felt so quaint and fairytale like, and I’m glad she has more books set in the same world. I especially liked getting to tour Faerwyvae with Edwina and seeing the different courts through her eyes. The romance felt a bit too hasty and out of character at times so this fell short for me. It did improve later on and I did enjoy the banter between Edwina and William. I loved Tessonja’s writing and will be reading more of her books. I think I’ll read the Fair Isle trilogy next, which is also set in Faerwyvae, and leans more YA which I think I’d personally prefer.

Rated 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Gosh! This book actually had me giggling and kicking my feet from the start. The romance is so well written and the pining is just... MWAH chefs kiss. This was such a cute read and I cannot wait to read more from this series and this author!

All the characters were so likeable and I would read spinoffs of literally any of them. The world building was really good and easy to follow.

I would seriously recommend this to anyone who loves a good rivalry romance, even if fantasy isn't your cup of tea!

I absolutely loved this book! The enemies-to-lovers was well-written, the banter was perfect, and the spice was incredibly fun. I already plan to preorder a beautiful hardback signed copy, and tell everyone I know to read this book!

The world was beautiful and the characters were a joy to read. I can't wait for the next one!

Absolutely delightful cosy romantasy with plenty of spice to boot.

Edwina and William are rival authors on a book tour of the fae Isle. Edwina is a human from Bretton who writes romance novels, and becomes an accidental hit in the land of the fae. William is a fae who writes poetry. Both are up against each other to win the coveted three book deal which will go to whomever sells the most books during the tour. To make things extra spicy the pair make a deal that whoever can take the most lovers will take the contract.

This rivalry spurns on a amusing tale filled with pining, jealousy and love. It's cosy and funny with well-developed secondary characters. There was just something about this story that kept me smiling and constantly rooting for the main pairing.
I cannot wait to read the rest of this series.