First, I want to extend infinite thanks to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and the author for access to an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I could not have been more excited to be granted access to this book since I had already preordered a copy!… needless to say my expectations going in were high.

4.5⭐️ This book was pure magic! It met my expectations in every way. It was the *perfect* combination of rivals to lovers banter, regency romance, cozy fantasy, and spice within a book about books!! It was like a turducken of romantasy and I gobbled it up!! The characters were feisty and fun, the pacing was consistent, the world building was excellent, and the writing was evocative. It was just an absolute delight. Don’t pass this by if you have enjoyed other books by Tessonja Odette, Olivia Atwater, and Heather Fawcett.

Story: 5⭐
Spice: 2🌶
Vibes: 10⭐

This was such an adorable read. The dynamic between the two main characters was perfection.

Truth time, I requested this book based solely on the cover. It's freakin' gorgeous. I give you permission to judge this book by its cover. The insides are just as good as the outsides. Thank you so much for the approval!! 😉

If you are looking for a fantasy based romcom with rivals to lovers; where a human woman who writes steamy romances is pinned against (literally and figuratively) a fae male who writes poetry in a contest of sales, to win a book deal. Then look no further.

The stakes are high, and the hem lines are low. (Don' t mind me..... they pay me the big bucks.)

You will fall in love with the banter, sweat from the tension, and need a cold show once the spice hits by the end you will be completely satisfied with this standalone happily ever after.

A Rivalry of Hearts is my second book by author and I LOVED it! It was such a light hearted and fun story. From start to finish, every page was a joy to read.

Here are a few things I loved about this book:
- The main characters! Edwina and Will had such great banter and jokes throughout the story. I loved Edwina's determination and passion and Will's ability to be vulnerable in the end.
- The secondary characters! I enjoyed all the supporting characters and look forward to seeing some of them again in book 2.. There was a fun pop out of characters from a previous book. I love when authors write surprise appearances from past characters.
- The world the author has created is cozy and magical.
- I enjoyed reading about the love of books in this story.
-Spice! There are some great spicy scenes in this book. The main character writes smutty romance books, so you get a lot of fun conversations about smut.

Read if you love:
-Rivals to lovers
-Fae world but not overly complicated
-Regency era vibes
-Fun bet between MMC and FMC
-He falls first
-Sexy rom-com
-Humor
-Spice

Overall, this book made me excited to read more from this author. I cannot wait for book two in this series!

A Rivalry of Hearts is a love letter to all the romance readers out there, this book will make you feel seen. It is the perfect combination of rom com and fantasy. I laughed out loud and swooned my way through this one. The world and writing are beautiful and I was rooting for the characters the whole time. You also get dual POV which is always a plus. As soon as I finished it I had to check and see what other books this author has written because I need more!

''𝐴𝑚 𝐼 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔? 𝐼𝑠 𝑠𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝘩𝑖𝑛𝑔?''

Two rival writers: Edwina, quirky, witty, clumsy, she who writes steamy romance & William, arrogant, rude, seductive, he who writes bittersweet poetry. Only one of them who can win a prestigious publishing contract. And then there's a bet, one that becomes so much more than just a bet. A bargain that will have feelings of the heart involved. A clash in rivalry and romance.

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

''𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑊𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝐷𝑖𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑎𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑦𝑣𝑎𝑒: 𝐴𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐹𝑎𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑒𝑡 𝐸𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.''

This was a very cute read with great chemistry. I couldn't stop reading! I was hooked on the characters, their story, the charm of the book, and the plot twists here and there. I found myself barely being able to keep my eyes off the pages, and while reading I felt all warm and fuzzy while swooning and smiling. 𝐴 𝑅𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 is described as a cosy, low-stakes fantasy romcom and it is. It had a historical feeling with a touch of whimsical fantasy with fae. A concept of Seelie and Unseelie fae, meaning that the fae has two forms: the Seelie form which is their human form and their Unseelie form, which is their animal, elemental or spiritual form. The author also included a list of content warnings which I appreciated.

I found the characters to be very likeable. I usually write down notes on my phone about my thoughts while reading, and around a bit over the middle of the book, I had written down that I thought that the characters didn't have much backstory and felt a bit flat. We didn't know much about them other than some small hints about their past and how they were in the moment, and I wanted to learn more about them. However, reading further and further, I erased that note. There were deep conversations, plot twists here and there, and inner thoughts, that suddenly gave the characters so much more depth and layers. And looking back at that, I admire that. We got to know the characters in such a natural flow, slowly. At first glance, we get to see a quite quirky, clumsy, bit judgemental, curious Edwina, 'author of smut and drivel'. We see William, who writes bittersweet poetry. We see his charm, his arrogance, rudeness, and seductive grins. But later in the book, we get to discover that there's more than what meets the eye. Inner struggles, fears, complications, and so on. And it was beautiful to see how Edwina and William trusted each other with those feelings, how they reassured one another that everything would be okay, that they gave safety and comfort to each other, how careful they were with each other's vulnerabilities.

''𝐼𝑡 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑜 𝑓𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑙𝑒,'' ℎ𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠, ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒. ''𝐼 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝐼'𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒-''

''𝑌𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑢𝑝𝑠𝑒𝑡. 𝐻𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘, 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛, 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑢𝑠.''

''𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘,'' 𝐼 𝑠𝑎𝑦. ''𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘. 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑔𝑜 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡'𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑓𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙.''

As much as I would love to talk about that all more, I won't, because I don't want to spoil anything, and it's so much better to find that out on your own. But, because of that, the reader gets to see the character in a whole different light, and I liked that, as well as the dual pov's. The side characters were a delight to read as well. I especially really liked Daphne. She often stays in her Unseelie form, a pine marten who often makes snappy remarks, and who struggles with when she is in her human form, the discomfort of it. She piqued my interest and curiosity, so I'm happy she will get her story told in the second book, alongside Monty. And then there was Cassie. I admired her optimism and strength even going through all that she was going through.

The interactions between Edwina and William were so cute. In the beginning, there's tension and rivalry, but then when they get to know each other and see glimpses of one another, there's also angst, longing, pining, lingering gazes, pinkies touching, holding hands through gloves, soft smiles, going over into touches and kisses and giggles, missing each other and loving one another. I loved that all.

''𝑇𝘩𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐼'𝑚 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩 𝘩𝑖𝑚, 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝘩𝑖𝑚.''

''𝐼'𝑚 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝑇𝘩𝑎𝑡'𝑠 𝑚𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛.''

What I liked as well, is that their rivalry didn't suddenly stop with their love. No, their determination to win the contract remained. They didn't give that suddenly up. Both had their valuable reasons to win it, and that feeling didn't suddenly disappear because of their feelings for each other. There was no hatred, also not when one of them won, no, there was respect the whole time for each other and themselves. They supported each other so much, and even were rooting for one another. It made it all feel so much more real.

''𝑇𝘩𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑎 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑒.''

''𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡.''

The writing style was very whimsical, witty, romantic, and easy to read. And, oh, how I would love Faerwyvae to be a real location! *heart eyes*.

The reason I didn't give this more stars, is related to the steaminess (there was a lot and sometimes a bit too much for me). Some scenes for example that had a deep layer, or deep conversation, then drifted in a rush-like manner into a spice scene. There was a constant undertone of sexual tension and continually spicy remarks were being made that, in my opinion, felt a bit off and unnatural at times. At some point, I felt like all became about sex instead of the loveliness. Also, I didn't feel comfortable with the whole idea of the bet, I was able to get over it though, but this is my own opinion and preference, so if you don't mind all that, then I think that won't be a problem for you. I do however appreciate how respectful the characters were to each other and their boundaries, checking in if what they were doing was okay for the other person and so on. And then, the last thing I found a bit off was the ending. It felt very grand how feelings were declared, so open in public. But also, that's my opinion. I was found the very ending very cute, with how Edwina was feeling and speaking about it all. And I did like the two bonus epilogues! And oh, I didn't see the plot twists coming at all.

So overall, besides that what made me uncomfortable, I found this to be a cute, romantic read with the small enchanting hint of some fantasy elements and with like-able layered characters. I think you'd like this if you'd like a light-hearted historical rivalry-to-lovers romantic read with a quirky heroine and a fae poet who isn't who he seems to be and falls for her first, with delightful side characters, witty banter & dual pov's, and all the cosiness, whimsy, and if you like it, spice. This book made me smile, swoon, and feel warm and fuzzy.

''𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑠, ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝐼 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛.''

''𝐼 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝐸𝑑𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑎. 𝐸𝑥𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒.''

˚ ༘♡ ⋆📖｡˚ ❀ I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author, for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review. ˚ ༘♡ ⋆📚｡˚ ❀

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was so much fun; a very cozy rivals (definitely not enemies because they are smitten with each other fairly quickly) fantasy novel. The FMC being a ~*smutty*~ romance novelist was hilarious. Also WILLIAM MY BELOVED!!!

This is my first Tessonja Odette book & I'm a fan now; I'm already dying to read the next book in the series!

I was really looking forward to this having finally arrived in my romance era.

It had all the right things; authors on a signing tour, strange publishing assistants, fae, woman from a repressive society, a hidden magic island and it was doing all so well until about half way through.

Good characterisation, great banter, he falls first, enemies to lovers, slow build.

But then it all got a bit samey and could have done with probably having a third trimmed as the pace just became like treacle for me.

Good and I know many customers who will love it but it missed a beat for my liking.

- 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.