I did not finish this book as I did not find it engaging enough. I read 50% and it did not hold my interest.

A perfect mash-up of Divine Rivals, Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries, and Bridgerton.
We follow Edwina, a human, as she embarks on a book tour in the land of fae. Her tour is stolen by William, a fae and poet, when she fails to turn up for her first two signings. Chaos ensues as this workplace rivalry becomes a lot more when a bet is made on a drunken night out.
This was such a hilarious and delightful read. The author’s descriptions of the fae, towns, the magic system, and the clothes, provided a vivid image of the world.
The chemistry between the MCs is very well-developed, and well-paced, and induces a lot of kicking and giggling. Edwina and William are so alike in their ambition and stubbornness, I thoroughly enjoyed following both POVs as they navigated their way through their book tour and their silly bet for the publishing deal.
Overall, a charming and cozy fantasy rom-com. The book cover is absolutely gorgeous too!
This was my first Tessonja read & I will be reading more!

Two rival authors, one prestigious publishing contract, and a bet to see who can seduce more people... yet the only ones being seduced are each other. Edwina Danforth is a romance author, she loves writing smutty romance novels and finds joy in them but she has yet to actually make a penny despite writing over 17 books. When she is late for her latest tour stop she arrives only to discover that they've also brought in another author... who is now also going on tour with her, the handsome William Haywood. The moment Will and Edwina meet is not great to say the least, with him calling her work "romantic drivel." Will and Edwina do not get along, and when they both find out that the person who sells the most books on the tour will be offered the new publishing contract, tensions only rise. One night out at the bar they come up with a bet: whoever can seduce the most people wins... and a deal with the fae is binding. Edwina, despite writing smut and romance, has actually had very little experience but her pride won't let her stop the agreement. Meanwhile, Will's attempt to tease and actually flirt with Edwina ends up with her misunderstanding and proposing the bet... and now they both are competing...yet the only people they seem to be seducing and wanting to go to bed with is each other. But if they admit to their feelings so much is at stake and their game could end up with one of them losing everything, with both of them having their own desperate reasons for winning and dealing with the feelings they are both trying to fight, can this book tour be a success and can they actually make a romance happen or was it doomed from the start? This was a really fun read and I liked the competitive game between the two. The rivalry was cute and honestly, Will was such a sweetheart. He was constantly looking after Edwina and trying to show her how much he adores her, Edwina was so stubbornly prideful and set in her judgements it made me want to shake her at times. It's a really fun read and I had a blast reading it and can't wait to see where the second book with the second couple goes!!! If you like fae realms, romance, and fun characters I would absolutely recommend this!

Release Date: June 12, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Okay Tessonja Odette.... you officially have my attention. I am intrigued.

Lately I have been in such a mood for a light, happy romantasy with a bit of whimsy, and A Rivalry of Hearts ABSOLUTELY delivers. I savoured every page of this story, not wanting it to end. If you are in the mood for:
- lighthearted fantasy
- descriptive world building
- whimsical characters
- enemies to lovers
- fun banter
then you will thoroughly enjoy this!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Oh what a beautiful and delightful read this was. this was my first book by this author but it definitely won’t be my last! I absolutely adored this . What a clever and witty writing . The banter was top tier . This was such a refreshing and fun read and I recommend it wholeheartedly!

Can’t wait for the next book!

A regency fantasy in a world with both humans and fae, a Rivalry of Hearts follows Edwina, a human romance author, on her first book tour in the fae isles. Little does she know she has to share her tour with the insufferable Williams Haywood, a pretentious poet who looks down on Edwina’s “smut and drivel”. So ensues a rivalry between the two, made worse by a drunken bet turned fae bargain.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s one of my top reads of 2024 and I can’t say enough good things about it. The world building was great, just the right mix of enough information to make the fantasy world make sense while not getting lost in heavy lore. The author has another series set in this world 20 years prior which I’m sure would further enhance the setting, but you don’t have to read them first (I’m off to read them asap!).

Edwina and William are both such beautiful characters. I love that Edwina is firey and stubborn, not your typical human damsel that you sometimes find in fae fantasies. I also loved that Williams is beautiful and alluring, but also flawed. No untouchable fae males in this story!

The banter between Edwina and William is top tier. They are both witty and so funny. There were multiple times I laughed out loud, while their romance and taunting had me kicking my feet and giggling like a school girl.

If you’re looking for a light hearted romantasy with light academia and traditional faerie vibes, this is it!!

MTwo Authors with the same end goal, get a publishing deal. The thing is they don’t write in the same genre & one drunken night Edwina makes a fae bargain. This is a cute rom com & rivalry to lovers. Edwina writes romantic fae novels while being a human & William is fae and a poet. These two are constantly clashing & it seems everyone but them can see the sparks between them. You need a pick me up? This is the book for you. I’m incredibly excited to read the rest of the books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

I really enjoyed this book, I read it in 24 hours. I didn’t want to put it down. I just wanted to be reading it and see how the romance would play out.

I loved that it was based around books, this is hard to do but it was well written and executed. I felt really attached to the characters, both William and Edwina were themselves the whole time and it was clear to tell how well the whole team worked.

I felt the chemist was obvious and it was more than just a physical connection. I loved the different like high plot points added into the narrative to add some more angst.

I highly recommend this book and already need a physical copy for my shelf. So excited for Monty and Daphne’s book! A solid 4.75 stars that I may make 5 stars!!

This book was so adorable. I was as captivated as Edwina was with Faerwyvae. Enemies to lovers between competing authors? Traveling on a book tour? Both trying to one-up and seduce each other? Taking on a bet? Surrounded by fae influences? This book had all the right elements and I gobbled up each and every one. Plenty of classic romance novel tropes in this book, but none of them felt stale or overplayed.
Edwina and William - Weenie and Willy, I mean - had the perfect blend of tension and spice, of fantastical and down to earth, of awkwardness and perfection. Seriously, yall, he leaves her a love note in a book! It’s the dream.
If you’re a fan of classic romance novels, this book is totally for you. Plus that opening line - you know exactly what you’re getting into this one.

"Those closet to me have always said my imagination would be my downfall. They might be right if it wasn't also the very reason I'm here. I was invited to the isle of Faerwyvae because of my imagination. Or, more accurately, the books it helps me produce."

"I hate being misunderstood and struggle not to defend myself. Yet I've learned time and time again that I'm better off being patient and expressing myself clearly, slowly and concisely."

"The smell of books is universally loved and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise."


GENRE: Cozy Fantasy with Romance
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: eArc from the Nerd Fam
Would I recommend to others?: YES! This is another automatic 5 star for me as a mixture of cozy fantasy & romance!

Review:
AHH, A Rivalry of Hearts truly had me giggling and checking in excitement throughout the book! I was initially super excited about this book as I love Gaslamp Fantasy and it looked like the perfect book for me. I'm so glad I wasn't wrong about that.

In this book, we follow Edwina & Will throughout their book tour in Faerwyvae and get to learn more about them and more about the romance that sparks between them. I loved Edwina as the FMC as she was bold and strong, while still stubborn and held on to her pride. She is different than the others in her community as she prefers her work over people who do not understand her.

And Will, our MMC is just a perfect Fae who is a gentlemen. Even though we started off with him acting as an arrogant Fae, I quickly came to love him even before we fully get to know him and know his background and what makes him, him.

And the combination of the FMC x MMC here reminds me so much of another roman empire book of mine: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and there is no wondering that A Rivalry of Hearts has became a roman empire novel of mine. I think Odette includes a good amount of background stories of both the FMC & MMC, while introducing us to the Fae world of Faerwyvae and making me want to pack my backs and move there. I loved getting to know about the Seelie vs Unseelie forms and seeing how Daphne is much more comfortable in her unseelie form.

This story also delves into how we continue to act and pretend to be people we arent because society does not accept us for who we are very easily. You can see both the FMC and the MMC go through this in the book. There is an interesting twist on Fae deception in the book with Will, which I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how he unwinds from acting and becoming the real him.

Also, Edwina is horrible at being on time, which is so like me and the author quoted this and this is legit how I feel for the days I am on time LOL:
"Being on time is -unsurprisingly- a rather serene experience. There's no rushing. No running. No pleading with fate to turn back the hands of time."

All in all, I loved this book and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves romantasy & cozy fantasy. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

Thank you to Nerd Family, NetGalley & the author for a copy of the eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I absolutely ADORED this book! It’s such an incredibly cute and cozy fantasy rom-com!

The story is rivals to lovers and it is absolute perfection. Edwina, the FMC, is a romance author with a penchant for bad luck on her journey to Faerwyvae - the home of the fae. She’s landed a month-long tour to promote her latest release, a fae romance novel. What she didn’t expect is that her delayed arrival would result in the addition of another author to her tour - the handsome and renowned poet, William Haywood.

With a publishing contract now on the line, these rival writers impulsively invoke a magically binding bond to compete for the career-securing prize. The only problem? Things aren’t always what they seem, and there be more important things than winning a contract.

I absolutely loved the chemistry between Edwina and William! Their banter was phenomenal. I also loved how sweet and protective William was - he’s such a witty cinnamon roll!

I found myself smiling and laughing over and over throughout this book! I absolutely adored the supportive characters, too - especially Daphne and Monty! They were also incredibly lovable, witty, and fun!

Overall, I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a cozy fantasy rom-com to give you all of the good hearted feels with a sprinkling of spice!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Like Biting Into Fairy Fruit!

From the moment that Edwina steps off the boat on the Fae Isles, which was the first page, this book absolutely swept me away. It is definitely one of my absolute favorite tropes, rivals/enemies to lovers, and it was funny, heartfelt, and oh so so spicy! But you could probably tell that from the synopsis.

Edwina is a spicy romance author, and William Haywood is a poet. The tour was supposed to only be for Edwina, but complicates on her voyage made her miss at least two weeks of the paid tour. Now, she's sharing the tour with the infuriating Haywood and there are stakes: the person who sells the most books during the tour will win a three book publishing contract. They both have their own desperate reasons to win. However, during an ill fated evening that included a fae drink that had the potential to cause an inflated ego and Edwina's all too human constitution, they find themselves in the middle of a fae bargain. The bet? Which one can bed the most people throughout the tour.

The problem is, Edwina's books are less based on experience and far more on flights of fancy. And Haywood? He's hiding his true self under a mask that his desire and care for Edwina can't hide. He has secrets that he can't let get out, but he also doesn't want Edwina to get away.

Honestly, the SPICE and the tension between Edwina and William are absolute *chef's kiss* material. I was hooked from the first page to the last. I honestly have a mind to read this a second time and I NEVER do that. This was my first Tessonja Odette book and I am chomping at the bit to get into more of her work!

Thank you to Victory Editing, Tessonja Odette, and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for the above partial review.

This book was super cute & cozy!

I like the mix or otherworld with old times.

Whitty banter
He falls 1st
Funny size characters
Competition

Overall a good time!!!

A Rivalry of Hearts was an overall fun, entertaining and flirty story.

I loved the rivalry between the main characters - very much in the way of Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables. Their chemistry was undeniable and they formed an unexpected and entertaining, sweet pair.
I liked the tenderness in the way William expressed his feelings towards Edwina.

The different side characters added so much to the story, contributing to the outcome of Edwina and William’s “cat-and-mouse game”.

I very much enjoyed Tessonja writing style and the way she described the various settings of the different courts of Faerwyvae.

The spice felt appropriate and added to the overall tension and chemistry between the characters.

✨💫Book Review💫✨A Rivalry of Hearts by @tessonja was such a fun, quirky, and refreshing read. I found myself squealing and giggling nearly every page. This is a cozy romantasy/fantasy romcom (yes, a fantasy romcom, folks!) with fun banter and spicy spice. I absolutely loved this book and I am so excited for the second book in the series to be released. I think you will enjoy this book if you love:

💫Spice 🌶️🥵
💫Found Family
💫Only One Train
💫Rivalry/publishing competition
💫Sassy and witty banter
💫Cozy and sweet world building

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Highly recommend!


#theromantasylibrary #romantasy #fantasy #Arivalryofhearts #netgalley #ARCreview #tessonjaodette #readersupportingauthor #fantasyromcom #rivalrytolovers

Anyone wanting to read a spicy enemies to lovers with bridgerton vibes? 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️

Join Edwina, a shy yet quirky human author with a penchant for writing spicy novels involving fae. When she receives the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Faerwyvae, home of the fae, on a book promotion tour, she is beyond ecstatic. Unfortunately, weather delays her crossing, and she arrives to find her tour taken over by a stoic yet incredibly sexy fae poet with a secret.

As they compete for the same publishing contract, I bet is made of the spicy variety, and tempers and and pheromones will flair!

Check out “A Rivalry of Hearts” by @tessonja released today! Available on KU and Amazon.

#faecore #faebook #bridgertonvibes #momswhoread #spicyfaeromance

I absolutely adored this book, it was so much fun, dare I say a perfect read for me, yes, I’m saying it. A perfect blend of shenanigans, charm, wit and steamy slow burn, this book ticks all the boxes.

To say I’m obsessed with William and Edwina is probably an understatement, I love with all my heart how weird Edwina is (and I mean that as a complete compliment) and how she gets so inside her own head sometimes. Her passion for writing and her love of smut honestly made me love her so much more. She is the perfect combination of confidence and timidness, and watching her find her and William find their way throughout this story is amazing.

The antics and shenanigans were incredible and made for the most amazing humorous aspects of the story. Beneath this is all there is at the heart of the the most beautiful steamy love story of two individuals whose bet to try and win a writing contract gets so in the way of their feelings for one another. I feel like Tessa really put it all into these characters and it shows, and this include side characters like Monty and Daphne.

There is phenomenal world building, having the characters travel as part of the book tour through the different areas of Faerwyvae means that you get to experience the nuances of each location bringing an absolutely charming aspect to an already amazing story. The pacing was excellent and the story felt so fluid it flew by, this book made me cry, gasp and grin like an idiot.

I really enjoyed this cute rom-com fantasy. It's the first book I read by Tessonja and I loved discovering the fae world through the eyes of Edwina the romance writer. She's one of the two authors competing in the tour of Hearts to win a very coveted contract. William, a fae poetry writer is the other author competing for the contract. Queue a rivalry with some amazing banter, or is it flirting?
This book was so cute and makes me want to read the rest of her books.

I was quite disappointed by how average this book turned out to be. It was supposed to be such a cute and original idea, a fae romance but between two authors, who also compete with each other and the attraction to one another, all in Victorian-like universe. It delivered exactly that plus some spice. A OK love story, some expected open doors scenes, third act breakup drama where both characters (but especially FMC) are insanely unreasonable, few unnecessary characters added to the mix and we have a bit mediocre novel. I spend a pleasant evening with A Rivalry of Hearts but it was not very memorable read. It didn’t stand out enough for me.

3,5/5 rounded down

Oh my goodness, I loved this book!

It read like a RomCom but is definitely a fantasy novel. It was so fun to read. The obnoxious nicknames were purposefully obnoxious. There was pining and longing. There was banter and Fae deals. There was some spice (open door and explicit) but the plot and characters reigned supreme. I was giggling, cringing, and shrieking on almost every page. This was a delight to read.