Review of Married by Scandal by Tessonja Odette

Synopsis:
She’ll marry a prince if she must.
But fall in love?
Never.

The first time Amelie Fairfield fell in love, she started a war. Now, the part-human, part-fae fashion designer has sworn off romance to focus on her career. But when her name makes headlines in the worst possible way, there’s only one thing she can do to escape scandal—marry a human prince and make everyone forget about the career-killing rumors.

To solidify peace between the humans and fae, Prince Albert must take a fae bride. As sister to the fae queen, Amelie is the perfect candidate. If only she could say the same for the rakish prince she’ll have to marry. At least his devilish charm and good looks keep society fixated on him and not her.

But scandal becomes the least of Amelie’s worries when she embarks upon an engagement tour. She’ll need to convince the aristocracy that her arranged marriage is a true love match…without falling in love. Just when she thinks she has it all under control, the prince reveals a secret that suggests he might not be the man she thought. In fact, he might not be a prince at all…

Can Amelie juggle a world of fashion, unexpected espionage, and dating her not-so-fake fiancé? Or will her closed-off heart prove to be her biggest hurdle yet?

Married by Scandal is the third book in the Arranged Marriages of the Fae series, a multi-author collaboration of romantic fantasy stand-alone novellas, designed to be read independently. Together, they feature arranged marriages in fae fantasy and offer complete romances while also allowing the reader to enjoy a variety of tones and approaches. Perfect for romantic fantasy readers with busy lives who love swoony romance.

Married by Scandal is set in the same world as The Fair Isle Trilogy and the Entangled with Fae series. Journey back to Faerwyvae or start your adventure here for the first time!

Review:
The tension! The heat! This is certainly my favourite Amelie book! I wasn’t sure I’d like it as she isn’t my favourite character in The Fair Isle Trilogy by far but this surprised me. We got a deeper look at her and she got more than she had bargained for. This book… oh my goodness. Having Amelie face her trauma and learn to move past it, trust herself, let herself feel… it was just perfect. Loved how Amelie continued to be more than a pretty face, and it was refreshing to understand WHY she wanted to be accepted so badly by humans, and of course… her not-so-fake fiance- definitely made this a must read! I absolutely love all of the fancy events that Amelie attends to show off her outfits, and how obviously based on human things they are, especially the conversation between she and her “prince” at the races! Absolutely adored this one!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of To Spark a Fae War by Tessonja Odette

Synopsis:
No one dreams of starting a war.
But without a fight there can be no revolution…

I used to protect lives. Now I’ve ended more than I’ve saved. But after being betrayed by the humans I trusted, I have no choice but to fight.

And the battle has begun.

With the truth of my fae heritage exposed, the line between friend and foe is blurred. The human and fae councils are out for blood and will stop at nothing until I, my mate, and my rebel allies are defeated.

If we lose the war, everything I’m fighting for—love, freedom, the fae I’ve sworn to protect—will be destroyed. At least there’s one thing my enemies have underestimated…

Me.

To Spark a Fae War is a romantic fantasy perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince, ACOTAR, and Kingdom of the Wicked. If you like snarky fae, brooding royals, sizzling romance, and fierce heroines, you’ll love this thrilling tale.

*NOTE: This series is Upper YA/NA and contains sexual situations, moderate steam, and some violence and gore.

To Spark a Fae War is the final book in The Fair Isle Trilogy. Start with book one, To Carve a Fae Heart, and continue with book two, To Wear a Fae CrownThe Fair Isle Trilogy is set in the same world as the Entangled with Fae series and takes place twenty years earlier.

Review:
This book tied up all the loose ends! There were a few twists and turns that I didn’t expect, but it lacked the spark that the first one had. I find I much preferred the Entangled with Fae series by the same author, but that may be why I was unable to fully focus on this series as I tried to remember things from future books(The Entangled with Fae series) and who it might relate to that I was seeing in this series.

It WAS good to have Evelyn finally remember her head and to use her mind instead of allowing herself to become easily overwhelmed with “this is all my fault”. I do like that Odette’s characters do not merely forget or forgive what’s happened instantly, however there are some cases where the need for revenge seemed to outsource anything remotely sensible. The amount of times that Evelyn decides to go off on her own without cluing in Aspen make it hard to trust they have the type of amazing bond that makes them such a special couple. That being said, they do work to have all their limited time together count. The ending was sweet and not quite what I expected. All in all, the first book was the standout of the three, and I much prefer the one book retellings of Entangled with Fae she released later.

Edit: January, 11, 2023- Forgot to mention; anyone surprised that someone named Evelyn with the nickname Evie turned into a fox? I sure wasn’t!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯