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A review by mspilesofpaper
A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
A Rivalry of Hearts is the first instalment in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series and it is a light-hearted and funny fantasy rivals-to-lovers romance with Bridgerton vibes as it is set in a loosely Regency-inspired world with Fae and humans. As it has sexual tension and sex scenes, it is meant for an adult audience.
The following review might contain spoilers.
PLOT
Edwina is a struggling author in her home country of Bretton whereas she is a popular romance author in Faerwyvae, which leads to her having her very first book tour there. Well, until outside circumstances (ship drifts off course, immigration issues, ...) cause her to share her tour with up-coming poet, and Fae, William Haywood. The grand prize of the tour? Securing a lucrative publishing contract with the publisher in Faewyvae, which both need desperately. The original threshold for winning was: book sales during the tour. However, on the evening after the first signing, they end up in a bet and make a fae bargain: the one who seduces the most partners wins the contract.
WORLD-BUILDING & MAGIC
The world is loosely inspired by the Regency era (in terms of clothing, especially for Bretton). Generally, the world is set in the UK (Faerwyvae) and France (Bretton) with Faewyvae split into courts (11 courts concerning the 4 seasons, 4 elements, and then for the sun/moon/stars). The human world and the Fae world are separated by a magical wall after a war that ended 24 years ago. The court system and the separation reminds me greatly of ACOTAR but Odette is more consistent in terms of how the wall works, and the courts are more developed (incl. a ruling system etc). The Fae world has a more modern touch in terms of behaviour, clothing etc. but it might feel like it because Edwina always thinks slightly negatively about Bretton due to her publisher there.
In terms of the Fae, aside from the court system, the author implemented the Seelie/Unseelie parts of Fae stories. Here, a Fae can have two sides: a humanoid-looking side (the Seelie) that was developed by the Fae after getting in contact with humans, and the wild side (the Unseelie), which are either animals/spirits/elements etc. Each court has a Seelie and Unseelie ruler to represent all Fae in a court.
CHARACTERS
The cast is utterly delightful with Edwina and William as main characters, and several side characters (who will become the main characters in the upcoming books).
I haven't read another Odette book before this one but I will continue with the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series and might pick up another series as William, the male main character, isn't the perfect tall, dark and handsome male Fae who is rich, strong and cannot do anything wrong. He has his flaws, he is utterly dedicated to his family (to the point where he ignores his own needs), and he is a struggling poet/actor with a ton of debt. Also, he is a bi-/pan-sexual male lead who is younger than the female character, so no "tall, dark-haired, straight, centuries-old" Fae.
Edwina is equally flawed as William. She doesn't sacrifice herself for the greater good (unlike all the 19-year-old teenagers with superpowers). She is 29 years old and has a family that supports & loves her but she acknowledges that it isn't a perfect relationship with them either. (Plus: her parents are actually alive, which is a nice change for once.) She wants the grand prize and is willing to do a lot to get it: including fulfilling the bargain/bet that she made with William despite being not as experienced in terms of sex as she claims to be. And while she fights for the contract, she also acknowledges that William's reasons for wanting it as just "as valid as hers". The author implemented the issue that's still prevalent in the publishing industry with Edwina: it is tough as a woman who writes romances. Her publisher in Bretton would prefer her to publish literacy novels under a male pseudonym. Yes, her ideals are posing an issue in the last third of the book but that's rather human, I think. Sometimes you defend your own ideals to the point that you expect others to follow them even if their situation is different.
As for the side characters: Monty is such a messy character. We get the "son of an aristocrat who doesn't want to be associated with his father" with him in the next book. He's a comic relief in this book but there are enough hints that there's more to him than just being addicted to drugs/alcohol and having fun. Daphne is equally fun and I can't wait to learn why she struggles with her Seelie side. She's also centuries old while I feel that Monty is young in comparison. The two other side characters, William's ex-lover and best friend, Zane (non-binary opera singer), and William's sister Cassie, only appear in the later third of the book but I liked Zane and their scheming (especially together with Monty). I suspect that they will either become a couple or get their own romances in books 3 and 4.
ROMANCE
It is a cute romance with witty banter and it develops throughout the tour. Of course, there's a hint of insta-attractive/insta-love on William's side but it's very doable. The romance's cuteness is the kind where you giggle and kick your feet while reading. (Yes, it might be too fluffy for some but if you're in the mood for something like it: read it!)
The romance is based on the rivals-to-lovers trope and a fae bargain (including a "free pass" chip between the main characters). While the fae bargain sparks the romance, it gets relatively quickly abandoned - even as a pretence - and I think it could have been handled better as Edwina argues that she is "doing research" by trying to fulfil the bargain.
For the sexual content. While Will and Edwina have a lot of sexual tension from the start, and there are scenes of an orgy, the actual sexual content between them is relatively mild. I would rate it: 🌶️🌶️.
TW & CW
I will combine the general TWs with the sexual ones as the latter aren't very extensive: general sexual content, explicit language, overindulgence in alcohol, drug use (fantasy drug), smoking, chronic illness of a family member (with poor prognosis), death of a parental figure (mentioned, in the past), public displays of sexual activity, voyeurism, intended sexual assault/taking advantage of an inebriated person (person is stopped before it happens), vaginal and oral sex, hand job
TL;DR
A delightful, fast-paced fantasy romance with Bridgerton vibes. Very relatable protagonists and a good cast of supporting characters. The romance is tooth-aching cute and made me giggle a few times. In general, very funny as the book also pokes fun at some book tropes (e.g., only bed) but also highlights actual issues that women face (e.g., in publishing, being dismissed when they are romance authors, career vs. marriage & children, ...).
A Rivalry of Hearts is the first instalment in the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series and it is a light-hearted and funny fantasy rivals-to-lovers romance with Bridgerton vibes as it is set in a loosely Regency-inspired world with Fae and humans. As it has sexual tension and sex scenes, it is meant for an adult audience.
The following review might contain spoilers.
PLOT
Edwina is a struggling author in her home country of Bretton whereas she is a popular romance author in Faerwyvae, which leads to her having her very first book tour there. Well, until outside circumstances (ship drifts off course, immigration issues, ...) cause her to share her tour with up-coming poet, and Fae, William Haywood. The grand prize of the tour? Securing a lucrative publishing contract with the publisher in Faewyvae, which both need desperately. The original threshold for winning was: book sales during the tour. However, on the evening after the first signing, they end up in a bet and make a fae bargain: the one who seduces the most partners wins the contract.
WORLD-BUILDING & MAGIC
The world is loosely inspired by the Regency era (in terms of clothing, especially for Bretton). Generally, the world is set in the UK (Faerwyvae) and France (Bretton) with Faewyvae split into courts (11 courts concerning the 4 seasons, 4 elements, and then for the sun/moon/stars). The human world and the Fae world are separated by a magical wall after a war that ended 24 years ago. The court system and the separation reminds me greatly of ACOTAR but Odette is more consistent in terms of how the wall works, and the courts are more developed (incl. a ruling system etc). The Fae world has a more modern touch in terms of behaviour, clothing etc. but it might feel like it because Edwina always thinks slightly negatively about Bretton due to her publisher there.
In terms of the Fae, aside from the court system, the author implemented the Seelie/Unseelie parts of Fae stories. Here, a Fae can have two sides: a humanoid-looking side (the Seelie) that was developed by the Fae after getting in contact with humans, and the wild side (the Unseelie), which are either animals/spirits/elements etc. Each court has a Seelie and Unseelie ruler to represent all Fae in a court.
CHARACTERS
The cast is utterly delightful with Edwina and William as main characters, and several side characters (who will become the main characters in the upcoming books).
I haven't read another Odette book before this one but I will continue with the Fae Flings and Corset Strings series and might pick up another series as William, the male main character, isn't the perfect tall, dark and handsome male Fae who is rich, strong and cannot do anything wrong. He has his flaws, he is utterly dedicated to his family (to the point where he ignores his own needs), and he is a struggling poet/actor with a ton of debt. Also, he is a bi-/pan-sexual male lead who is younger than the female character, so no "tall, dark-haired, straight, centuries-old" Fae.
Edwina is equally flawed as William. She doesn't sacrifice herself for the greater good (unlike all the 19-year-old teenagers with superpowers). She is 29 years old and has a family that supports & loves her but she acknowledges that it isn't a perfect relationship with them either. (Plus: her parents are actually alive, which is a nice change for once.) She wants the grand prize and is willing to do a lot to get it: including fulfilling the bargain/bet that she made with William despite being not as experienced in terms of sex as she claims to be. And while she fights for the contract, she also acknowledges that William's reasons for wanting it as just "as valid as hers". The author implemented the issue that's still prevalent in the publishing industry with Edwina: it is tough as a woman who writes romances. Her publisher in Bretton would prefer her to publish literacy novels under a male pseudonym. Yes, her ideals are posing an issue in the last third of the book but that's rather human, I think. Sometimes you defend your own ideals to the point that you expect others to follow them even if their situation is different.
As for the side characters: Monty is such a messy character. We get the "son of an aristocrat who doesn't want to be associated with his father" with him in the next book. He's a comic relief in this book but there are enough hints that there's more to him than just being addicted to drugs/alcohol and having fun. Daphne is equally fun and I can't wait to learn why she struggles with her Seelie side. She's also centuries old while I feel that Monty is young in comparison. The two other side characters, William's ex-lover and best friend, Zane (non-binary opera singer), and William's sister Cassie, only appear in the later third of the book but I liked Zane and their scheming (especially together with Monty). I suspect that they will either become a couple or get their own romances in books 3 and 4.
ROMANCE
It is a cute romance with witty banter and it develops throughout the tour. Of course, there's a hint of insta-attractive/insta-love on William's side but it's very doable. The romance's cuteness is the kind where you giggle and kick your feet while reading. (Yes, it might be too fluffy for some but if you're in the mood for something like it: read it!)
The romance is based on the rivals-to-lovers trope and a fae bargain (including a "free pass" chip between the main characters). While the fae bargain sparks the romance, it gets relatively quickly abandoned - even as a pretence - and I think it could have been handled better as Edwina argues that she is "doing research" by trying to fulfil the bargain.
For the sexual content. While Will and Edwina have a lot of sexual tension from the start, and there are scenes of an orgy, the actual sexual content between them is relatively mild. I would rate it: 🌶️🌶️.
TW & CW
I will combine the general TWs with the sexual ones as the latter aren't very extensive: general sexual content, explicit language, overindulgence in alcohol, drug use (fantasy drug), smoking, chronic illness of a family member (with poor prognosis), death of a parental figure (mentioned, in the past), public displays of sexual activity, voyeurism, intended sexual assault/taking advantage of an inebriated person (person is stopped before it happens), vaginal and oral sex, hand job
TL;DR
A delightful, fast-paced fantasy romance with Bridgerton vibes. Very relatable protagonists and a good cast of supporting characters. The romance is tooth-aching cute and made me giggle a few times. In general, very funny as the book also pokes fun at some book tropes (e.g., only bed) but also highlights actual issues that women face (e.g., in publishing, being dismissed when they are romance authors, career vs. marriage & children, ...).