My Feral Romance by @tessonja is a heartwarming (or maybe heartworming is more apt?), spicy tale of family secrets and fae bargains full of so much spicy tension 🥵 as these friends grow separately and together that will have you laughing over their dialogue and antics, then crying because it's just so beautiful.

This series is quickly coming to be a comfort read for me. Comfort, but make it spicy.

I knew from reading an ARC of this book that I was going to love the audiobook, and oh how I loved it! The narrators were well chosen and reflected Daphne and Monty perfectly! The audio is crisp and clear, and a true joy to listen to. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's somewhat like a fantasy romance comedy version of Bridgerton, in the vibes. If you enjoyed Bridgerton, I think you would love this book (and the series).

📖 I couldn't have loved reading My Feral Romance more. The plot is exquisitely crafted. You get twists and turns, both mental and physical, as well as a very surprising reveal, and so many chuckles along the way.

I love how Tessonja worked in mental health. Highlighting not just how it can impact the individual, but also those close to them.

✍️🏼 Tessonja writes beautifully with rich descriptions and excellent phrasing. It reads smoothly, and flows so well.

The dialogue is witty, actually funny, and fits the characters. It reads as natural.

The bookworm jokes were an excellent addition, and tie-in.

⏳️ I thought the pacing was excellent. Time for development and enrichment, but no lackadaisical meandering or pointless scenes.

🗺 The bulk of world building is in A Rivalry of Hearts, but Tessonja does expand and enrich the world beautifully. With rich descriptions and

🔮 The magic system development and explanation mostly occurs in previous installments, with this book expanding and enriching.

👥 These characters, oh how they have my heart. They're beautifully developed with intricate and interesting backstories, full of personality and nuance. No one could possibly convince me they're not real people, nor would I want anyone to even try. Let me have this, please. 😆

Ari isn't burdened by societal expectations, and I love that so much for her, and for all of us. I couldn't possibly be more excited to get her story.

💞 The friends-to-lovers romance is beautifully done. You're treated to a rekindled friendship that is wild(🦊) fun, but nothing more than good friends helping one another out. Until it's more and that kindling catches fire. 🔥

🌶 The spice is spicy! The tension builds and builds and then 💣. I love the way Tessonja built the tension up, it makes for such a fun read. The scenes are well timed and placed, as well as realistic.

📚 If you like Bridgerton (books or show), any of Tessonja's other books (A Rivalry of Hearts 😍), or the Stay A Spell (Juliette Cross) then I think you would love this.

Many thanks to @tessonjaodette @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC and be a member of her team. All opinions expressed are my own.

I think Tessonja Odette is officially an auto buy author for me. Her books are so cozy to read and they put me in the best mood. This book is a cozy romance with the perfect amount of spice. Daphne and Monty have great chemistry and you will be rooting for them from the beginning.

Another delightful entry into this series. As much as I did enjoy the first book, I actually think I liked this one even more. Daphne and Monty as a couple are so much more enjoyable than I thought they would be after the initial introduction to them in the series. Monty is actually quite a bit deeper of a character, and Daphne’s growth into herself without changing who she is was really nice. This series does a great job of balancing some plotlines for each of the main characters with their main romance plotline, with a sprinkling of some side characters like a certain hilarious bookworm. I am normally not a huge fan of miscommunication and I think this book does a great job of having things that neither character knows about the other while still making the conflict something that can’t be solved by a simple conversation, which I enjoyed.

As far as the narration goes, I thought this duo did a great job. The voices worked well together, I really liked the alternating chapters (and how different the two POVs sounded). I particularly found the female narrator to be expressive in a way that really brought out the quirky nature of Daphne, though I also enjoyed the male POV narrator as well.

Can’t wait for book 3!

So thankful to receive an audiobook arc of book 2 in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series. These audiobooks are pure gold. The narrators bring what is already such a fun, cozy, and deceptively spicy story to life. Daphne and Monty's story starts in A Rivalry of Hearts (so I recommend reading that first) so we already love them going into book 2. It was so fun to watch these two absolute idiots in love (one of my favorite tropes) bumble around their feelings for each other and ignoring their internalized trauma and repressed emotions. Even though this is a historical-like romance set in a fantasy world with fae shifters, the emotions, feelings, and politics/events discussed in the books are very relatable and feel particularly timely with everything going on in the world. Dual narration is the absolute best, and these narrators truly capture the quirky essence of these two lovable characters. Highly recommend this series. This will be one of those series I will reread over and over again.

I fell in love with Daphne and Monty in A Rivalry of Hearts and was so excited to see their story continue! This book did not disappoint! I loved learning more about each character, seeing Daphne come out of her shell and embrace herself, and Monty open up. The pacing of this story, as well as their bargain made for an enchanting, delightful, and fun read that I wholeheartedly enjoyed!

Tessonja does an amazing job of incorporating feelings and emotions into the plot. There is growth from both MC's and witty storytelling with subplots that keep you entertained and the story connected.

One thing I enjoyed about A Rivalry of Hearts and My Feral Romance was the worldbuilding. This fantasy world is unlike any other that I've read before and I was in awe of it in the first book. This book picks up with the world-building from two unique characters that help immerse us into the universe.

I adorned the first book in this interconnected standalone series, so I was surprised to find I loved My Feral Romance even more. I really enjoyed both Daphne and Monty in A Rivalry of Hearts, so I knew I had to read this one after learning they would be the main couple. I’m a huge fan of Daphne’s feisty character including her love of snack bacon. I also appreciated how Odette navigated Daphne’s awkwardness. Daphne and Monty also had great chemistry and banter. The other suprising element of this story for me was how often I ended up laughing out loud. Monty’s advice column is definitely a stand out feature of this book — “perplexed by plural penises” will live rent free in my head for quite some time. I also appreciated that Odette took on the concerns regarding book banner with the modesty committee protests. I combo read this via ebook and audiobook. Both were enjoyable formats. I especially loved the audio with usual dual narrators. Dani Cochrane and Rusty Mewha did incredibly well with the characters. I especially gravitated towards the narration for Daphne since the narrator did so well bringing her character quirks to the forefront. There was just so much energy and emotion in general making it a thoroughly engaging experience. Overall, this book was a pure delight, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Quick Summary: A fae fantasy romance

My Review: My Feral Romance by Tessonja Odette is book #2 in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series.

About the Book: "A painter in need of a model. A matchmaker seeking a subject. An arrangement that will tangle their hearts."

A human-fae matchmaker with a secret identity and a fae shifter who longs to be free of a marriage of convenience work together to meet the terms of their unique circumstances.

About the Characters:

Monty - > A man of honor who does not recognize his own worth; driven as a protector; faithful as a friend; broken and imperfect yet entirely redeemable

Daphne - > A fae who has dreams and aspirations for herself; not willing to settle; learns and finds her voice in a significant way; happens upon her humanity in the best way

About the Conflict - > There were a number of conflict points. Compiled together, they made for great reading. At the core of it all lay secrets, betrayals, wrongs, mistakes, choices, and connections.

My Favorite Scenes (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

My Little Pet
Umm...Is This Art 101?
The Apple
Ceremonies from the Heart
A Rather Convenient Affair to Remember
I See You
This is Us

About the Narration: This novel was narrated by Dani Cochrane and Rusty Mewha. The duo did a wonderful job. They evoked just the right voice and emotions for each character. I could see everything in my mind's eye, with all of the colors they presented.

My Final Say: I loved it!!! I am all about this novel. Might I have more? I will definitely need to play catch up on this series. I am hooked. How many books will there be? Please and thank you.

Other: Readers who enjoy playful fantasies where second chances and a bit of fae fire are the orders of the day will really adore this story.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ✨⭐️💫
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley. Thank you so much for granting access to an ALC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. I confess that I thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience. I look forward to hearing more from this writer.