This book was a cute and simply delightful fantasy romance book! It had been a while since I read a fantasy story, and the author did not disappoint with this fae setting!

This is the most perfect rivals to lovers story, with our main characters two authors - each of their own genre - that want to get a publishing contract by the end of their joint book tour.

I loved William and Eduardina’s character, their growth and how we see the romance between them flourishing.

For me, the part that I struggled with was the bet. The plot of rivals to lovers would flourish as well without the need for that foolish bet.

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Ending for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

“Shut up, things are about to get smutty”

Edwina is a romance author. William is a poet. Edwina is human. William is fae. Two people who couldn’t be more different are forced to work alongside AND against each other. Will they ever be able to see eye to eye?

I cannot say enough wonderful things about this book! I knew within the first couple chapters that these characters would have me giggling and kicking my feet and I was SO right! There’s something about the way this story is written and the effortless dialogue between the two main characters that made me feel comfort and joy from the start. Edwina is immediately likeable and relatable as an awkward yet self-assured woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to work for it. William is suave and charming and annoyingly beautiful and that translates perfectly to the reader.
I LOVED the banter between these two. The teasing between them and the palpable sexual tension that shows up early on in their relationship is just incredible. I was hooked the whole way through. And when I got to the parts with all the “smut and drivel” I couldn’t put it down!!!
I just loved everything about this book and how it made me feel! Vibes were great. 10/10 will recommend to everyone!

Tessonja does not disappoint with her books, I love how she writes, her books are beautiful, she has very light writing and characters along with stories that captivate you, that you don't want to stop reading.💗

Ok to start, I LOVE dual POV, did I already say I LOVE dual POV? It's perfect, this way I know both characters more🤍, Edwina and Will are so beautiful, from their first interaction haha, their “enmity”, their rivalry and banter, EVERYTHING was very fun, I love their personalities, individually they are amazing and as a couple even better, they complement each other and understand each other very well.💗
I have already read other books by Tessonja, but this one is 🔥 OMG, the Will and Ed scenes, 1000/10, excellent service.💗🫦💗
I was afraid there would be a miscommunication or something, but no, the whole drama and situation was perfect, just the way I like it.🙈

I love this group (Will, Ed, Monty, Daph and Cassie), they are so fun, I loved their friendships, I miss them already, I can't wait for the next story (M&D) I NEED IT URGENTLY!!!!😩💗

If you are looking for a rivals to lovers, fae romcom, smut author vs arrogant fae poet, enemies with benefits, standalone book, cozy urban fantasy, dual pov, a light and very fun story, steamy, he falls first, MMC Bi, banter and more…., YOU HAVE TO READ THIS!!!🙈💗

Release: June/12🤍


Thanks netgalley and Tessonja for the arc

This was such a cute and entertaining read! It was super original too.

This book started with two "enemies," Edwina and William, on the same book tour, both competing for a contract. They each had their reasons for wanting to win, and they did NOT want to back down.

They ended up playing a little game to see who would win—and their terms ended up making them both jealous! It was such a fun journey!

This book was really easy to follow for a fantasy book and is the perfect "palate cleanser" type of book that leaves you feeling good and entertained!

The chemistry between Edwina and William was so fun to watch, but I enjoyed that even though they liked each other, the book still kept a "slow burn" (my fav!!!).

Thank you, NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5⭐️
This book was delightfully charming and swoon-worthy!

I had wanted to read this author for a while. I had heard great things about her writing so I was very excited about this ARC! The description sounded right up my alley! Also, the cover is super cute! I’ll definitely be reading more of this author’s books. I loved her writing style!

The world-building was fairly simple and easy to follow, but at the same time seems pretty well-developed (not super complex in this book, but I know this is set in the same world as some of her other series so I’m sure this world is more we-developed than it may seem in just this standalone. It was thorough enough for the purpose of this story though. Faerwyvae was such a cozy and charming world! The way the author described everything made it feel very immersive. I enjoyed learning about the different types of fae and their series vs unseelie forms, the various courts in this world, the dynamics between humans and fae, etc. I definitely want to check out her other books set in this world now!

The pacing of the story was well-done. It had such a good flow to it! I had a hard time putting this one down! It pulled me out of the reading slump I’ve been in lately.

This book is lighthearted & cozy but featured the perfect amount of spice for me. The spice was well-balanced and well-placed within the story. It was also well-written! The spice had me blushing and the romance had me swooning. The tension was soooo good! The banter was great too!

The MCs did lust after eachother pretty early on so I was a little worried that the romance would be overly lust-driven for my preferences; however, the way the romance was written was really well-done. The slow-burn allowed for them to gradually learn about eachother and come to love eachother in convincing way.

The book features flawed characters that you can’t help but root for. Edwina was a bit quirky, stubborn, and a bit of a hot mess at times which made her feel relatable. I liked that she was someone who was able to own up to her mistakes, stand up for herself, and chase her dreams. I also appreciated that she was 29! William was such an easy MMC to fall for. He comes off as this arrogant and snarky playboy, but he is actually such a devoted sweetheart at his core. I loved how he was so protective over Edwina and enamored with her.

I really enjoyed the dual POV! It was the perfect storytelling choice for this story. William’s chapters, in particular, were absolute gold. I love a He Falls First trope and his chapters really highlighted that! I also appreciated that the author made their personalities distinctive in their respective chapters (as some authors do this better than others when writing dual POV).

The side characters were interesting and quite likeable. I’m definitely looking forward to reading Monty and Daphne’s book when it comes out!

My only complaint really was that the bet between them wasn’t super believable to me since most people who are truly passionate about and proud of their work, I imagine, would not stake their career on such a ridiculous bet of seduction rather than letting their work speak for itself (to be fair, it was due to drunken shenanigans at first haha). It almost made me respect Edwina a bit less for sticking to it as long as she did; though, I do understand her reasoning. That said, I recognize that the bet kind of drove the plot and relationship forward and created some tension for the MCs so it’s not a major complaint. Plus, it’s a rom-com, so we have to expect that the plot/situations won’t be entirely realistic anyway haha.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

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

Huge thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I initially requested this book thanks to its stunning cover, but I was immediately captivated by the story and - most importantly - the electrifying chemistry between our two main characters!! Tessonja Odette has clearly mastered the art of banter.

THIS is how you write rivals to lovers! Their (Edwina & William's) dynamic is sizzling right from the get-go, and I was absolutely GIDDY whenever the two were on the page together.
Sure, the bet idea is a bit "silly" but given the circumstances and the characters, I loved it! It gave us such good tension and jealousy, knowing they really wanted each other.

Edwina is a brilliant goofball, I loved her personality. She's strong-willed and incredibly stubborn, as we see early on; it went perfectly with William's personality, his own stubbornness made for such good wordplay. Their relationship is both passionate and believable!

I wanna touch on William for a moment—my demisexual KING. He's witty, sexy, and with a heart of gold. His dedication to his sister and the way he ends up supporting Edwina through it all adds such depth to his character, you can't help but love him.

As someone that easily cringes at intimate scenes, I am happy to report that I was not only pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed these moments, but that I wanted even MORE!!

We even have lively, fun supporting characters that I didn't dread to see on the page... I really didn't want this book it end! This isn't just another fae romance; it's a very unique premise that pulled me in completely.

I haven't read anything else by Tessonja Odette, but I'm already itching to start more of her work! Highly recommend!

Big thanks to the author/Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Two rival writers, Edwina Danforth and William Haywood, face off in a steamy contest for a prestigious publishing contract. Edwina, a romance author, finds herself trapped in a magic-fueled bet with William, a man she’d rather forget. The challenge? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long book tour wins the contract. Edwina, known for her scintillating romance tales, faces a tough battle since her imagination far exceeds her bedroom experience. But losing isn’t an option, as her career is on the line. William, with his perfect looks and impressive track record, is determined to win for his own reasons. Their rivalry heats up, but as sparks fly, they might just find themselves falling for each other.

This was my first Tessonja Odette book and I’m hooked—I’ll be diving into their backlist ASAP. The story is a cozy yet spicy mix, with light world-building that hints at a larger universe. The setting feels like Victorian England meets the courts in ACOTAR, and it's enchanting.

Edwina is quirky and gets lost in her writing, often losing track of time even when they make her late to things. She wasn't a "woah is me" FMC who felt like she needed to sacrifice herself for the greater good. She knew what she wanted and knew how to get it. The sex positivity in this story was also quite refreshing. William was definitely the more mysterious of the two, and I liked that he was younger (by 3 years) than Edwina and not a centuries old fae. The side characters, like Monty and Daphne, were delightful, and I’m eager for their stories.

Overall, this book is fun, sweet, funny, and cozy. with a lot of tension! I laughed out loud many times. While not overly explicit, the steam and slow burn were perfect.

Read this if you like:
-Dual POV
-Academic rivals to lovers
-Forced proximity
-Slow burn
-Victorian England x ACOTAR courts

Overall Rating: 4.75 stars, 2 chili peppers

This is a such a fresh multilayered story and exactly what I would expect from Tessonja Odette, she is such a great storyteller, building intrigue from the get go and engaging her readers with her loveable characters. I so loved reading it.

If you love cozy fantasy romance this book is for you!

The author Edwina Danforth gets invited to the Isle of Faerwyvae for a booktour. Here she meets the arrogant fae poet William Haywood. They are sharing this booktour, but there’s a rivalry between them from the start. A boozed night ends in a drunken bet; whoever seduces the most lovers by the end of the booktour will win the publisher’s contract.

This book is a bit spicier than I normally read, but it surprised me in the best way! The vibe is really enchanting and the characters absolutely delightful so I totally got sucked in right from the start. The blend between humour, fantasy and romance makes it the perfect romcom romantasy! I loved the witty banter and the chemistry between Willy and Weenie and the side characters are really loveable and interesting too. 🥰 I’m excited for the next book in this series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much @netgalley and @victoryeditingngc for the given chance to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏼

A Rivalry of Hearts proved to be the perfect cosy fantasy for any Bridgeton-loving, Fae-obsessed reader in need of an easy way to spend their day. This was my first book from Tessonja Odette, and I’m so glad I picked it up because it definitely won’t be my last!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - exactly the kind of “smut and drivel” I was hoping for!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley, Crystal Moon Press, and Tessonja Odette for the eARC! I am honored to read and review this book.
I loved loved this book!! This was a fun rivals to lovers book, and reminded me of Divine Rivals but in a publishing setting! In this "he falls first" story, I was enthralled with the character development, especially with William, who does not have the greatest first impression. As the story progresses, we are thrown into his back story more and more and has pieces start to get put together, him and our loving FMC Edwina come together to make quite the pair.

I loved the competition between the two characters, the quips, the snarls, THE ANGST, and it was an interesting read given that William is a fae. With two individuals who are both so different (and yet similar) the respect that grows before the love is very sweet and captivating. This book fits very well into the Bridgerton hype that is going around right now, and one can never have enough swoon-worthy romance, right?

This story was witty, creative, spicy and sweet, light, fluffy, and a great adventure into a new magical world. I cannot wait to read more of Tessonja Odette's books!

A Rivalry of Hearts, the first of the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series, by Tessonja Odette is a light and funny enemies- to- lovers, cozy fantasy. The witty banter between the two main characters - along with the nicknames - will keep you grinning.
Edwina and William start as rival authors on a book tour, competing for a publishing deal. But as the tour progresses, so do their feelings for each other. Soon, they must prioritize each other or the book deal. With so much on the line, it's quite the impossible choice.... but won't you won't regret reading about.
Thank you, NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for an advanced readers' copy of A Rivalry of Hearts in exchange for an honest review.

review
looking for a new cozy fae world to enter that gives a hint of bridgerton vibes? look no further than a rivalry of hearts. we have edwina who is a 29 year old human author from bretton who writes romance novels so much like the ones we enjoy reading. she is not wildly popular in the human lands of bretton, but in faewyvae? she has the interest of someone high ranking. she’s invited to visit on a book signing tour by the publishing company but her trip there is anything but smooth and makes her two weeks late causing the publisher to add another author to this signing, who happens to be a purebred fae man who writes poetry. in this academic rivals to lovers book we see the relationship between edwina and william shape and form into something more that neither of them saw coming. the constant tension and banter between them had me hooked throughout the book. we see a competition between them, as there was one condition they were unaware of: only one author on the tour can get the signing deal & it’s dependent upon their book sales… which are not evenly matched… until they are. the growth that these characters have is honestly so well written too. this book gave my all the cutesy feels that i needed!!! i need the next book ASAP

she’s considered a spinster but she’s choosing herself over finding a husband who will then make her give up her dream of writing books.

A world full of Fae, Magic, romance and books? Yes please

I was so lucky to receive an ARC of this book and it literally was a joy from page one to the very last line. A book of total escapism, the loved the Banter between Edwina and William, I loved the magical setting and the kooky characters. But the slow burn…it was burning…

Tessonja Odette creates the most magical world that I want to move to immediately! All her books give me the same happy flutter and I can’t wait to read the rest of her books!

This was a fun read and I loved the world building! I also found the plot clever and original. While some of the dialogue fell a little flat for me, and some of the side characters got a little lost in the story, I really enjoyed reading Will and Edwina's story! I definitely think I would revisit this world in the other books in this series.

So, funny story, I actually bought a book by Tessonja on TikTok shop because she likened it to a Beauty and the Beast retelling, which is my absolute kryptonite, before realizing I had this book approved through NetGalley. Once I the math started mathing - I knew I needed to read this book...and I'm so glad I did.

A lot of the story - including the opening line - made me think of Pride and Prejudice. From the absolute beginning, I adored William. He was swoon-worthy, respectful, but also slightly cocky...just...amazing. Edwina took a little bit of time to grow on me, but by the middle of the book, I was rooting for their relationship, without a doubt. I'm also a complete SUCKER for when the love interests give each other nicknames, and the fact that William called her "Weenie" was too funny.

I am so happy I was approved to read this book, and now I'm just mad I have to wait for the next in the series. Bummer!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Tessonja Odette for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 4.75

"Use me like you did in the north wing. You want a fling with a fae lover and a point in our bet? I’ll give you both. A free pass. Just say those two words, Weenie. Free pass."

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Review:
Wow this book was great! The cute cover definitely does not match some of the content in the book 👀. Like in a good way ofcourse 🩷.
This cozy fantasy romcom about Edwina and William was very unique and fun. So if you are looking for a book with fae, academia vibes, humor, romance and smut.. don't look any further. This is the one for you!

I also have a feeling I highlighted more quotes and dialogues than normal because I liked so many of them. 😇

Tropes:
- Rivals to lovers
- Smut author vs arrogant poem
- Steamy
- Dual POV
- Romcom
- Fantasy
- Academia vibes
- Fae
- Forced proximity
- Bargain / competition

I can't remember the last time I felt so heavily like the target audience for a book.

As a Pride and Prejudice girly and an ACOTAR girly, this scratched a crossover itch I didn't even know I had.

A lot of the Romantasy books I've read are a lot more fantasy-forward than romance-forward, and while I love them, the worldbuilding at the beginning can be hard on my brain. Faerwyvae never feels overwhelming, but I can picture the world so clearly, it really feels like the reader is experiencing the same wonder and awe that Edwina is, and it's such a nice change that it feels *safe* - in spite of Edwina's visitor's handbook advising her of all the dangers humans can encounter, it's great not to have to worry that our heroine is in any mortal peril. This was a lovely low-stakes read in the sense that our main characters aren't forced together out of shared trauma, but instead we get to experience them slowly transition from rivals to reluctant colleagues to respectfully-wanting-to-tear-the-other's-clothes-off. William stole my heart alongside Edwina's - no man in real life could get away with calling my romance books "smut and drivel" or using "Weenie" as a term of endearment, but I have to admit I was putty in this fae's hands. Edwina is simply iconic - running from intimacy to write a story, seeing the North Wing as purely academic research - I adored her. The tension between the two was delicious and I would have happily lapped up an even slower burn just to enjoy them for longer. I also adored the side characters, I loved Daphne and Monty and am extremely intrigued to see more of their dynamic. I want Zane to be my bestie.

A Rivalry of Hearts was my first book by Tessonja but most definitely will not be my last! Her writing style is extremely compelling, the dialogue was top-tier and there were so many occasions where I found myself actively smiling while reading. The tropes in this book didn't overwhelm the story itself and you can tell that the author put so much love and care into what she was writing. AND THE SPICY SCENES 🥵

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC, I will be preordering a physical copy immediately and vibrating with anticipation for the next installment, and working my way through the author's other books to busy myself in the meantime <3

A rivalry between authors takes a spicy twist when they fall for each other during their book tour!

She writes human/fae spicy romance. He writes heartbroken poetry. They couldn’t be more different from each other. But when Edwina and William make a bet to see who will win the coveted publisher contract at the end of their tour, their heated rivalry turns to steamy romance and perhaps something even deeper.

This was my first Tessonja Odette novel, and I can see why she is so popular among the booktok community. This was the perfect introduction to her Fae series as it is a stand alone novel rather than being connected to the plots of the other novels. It also includes Edwina’s first visit to Faereyvae so we (the readers) get to experience everything first hand with her. It was a lovely introduction to the world Odette has built.

The romance was a bit of a slow burn (even if the attraction was instantaneous), but I wasn’t disappointed as the banter between Edwina and Will had me laughing out loud so many times. Edwina is spunky and enthusiastic, proud but compassionate. She was the perfect protagonist. I especially love how she got lost imagining scenes at the strangest possible moments—anyone who writes knows that inspiration waits for no one and if you don’t write it down right then you will forget it later! Will was a little harder for me as much of his persona is an act to promote and sell his books. After we learned the truth about his past and he opened himself up to Edwina I liked him a lot more.

The side characters were incredible as well. Jolene is the fangirl we have all been before and Queen Gemma’s bookclub just sounds amazing! I loved Monty and his mysterious quirks (from the author’s note at the end I discovered he is a character in one of the other novels so now I need to go read that!). But the one that really stole the book for me was Daphne. I am so excited that they will be the next couple featured.

Anyone looking for a fun romcom ala Divine Rivals with banter-filled dialogue and some spicy authorial Fae research will love this book!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy for my honest opinion!

It pains me to only give 3 stars to this book because it really did start off full of potential. I loved the idea of Faerwyvae and the Fae/human lore. Also loved that the FMC and MMC were both in the literary/arts world.

Usually I read more fantasy forward romance, but this book seemed to lean more romance forward than fantasy. But, I still appreciated getting to learn about the unique lore of this world of fae. The witty banter between the characters had me giggling so hard at times!

However, I did feel like something was missing. I felt that every character had some element that left me wanting, and some plot points that left me wondering “how did we get here?”

Because of that, I could not buy into the romance and the camaraderie between the characters. I also found that not much was done with the Seelie vs unseelie fae forms and it really felt rather unnecessary - like it drew away from the focus of the book: romance and also friendship. Which brings me to the friendship, I couldn’t buy into the friendships either - it was one of those plots that went from A to Z too quickly. How in the world did Jolene and Edwina end up being friends? It didn’t seem likely…

This book was still enjoyable enough that I would love to check out the sequel and encourage everyone to read and form their own opinions!

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