arranged marriages of the fae Archives

Married by Fate (Arranged Marriages of the Fae #2), by Jenny Hickman (Romantic Fantasy; September 16, 2022)

Note: I received an ARC and this is an honest, voluntary review.

I’d never read a book by Jenny Hickman before, and I’m now a fan! Married by Fate was an awesome enemies to lovers fae romance, with similarities to Tessonja Odette’s To Carve a Fae Heart.

The magic in this story is limited to the far and fits more of a low fantasy model. The character dynamics are so well-executed, and it’s easy to root for the two leads who are drawn to each other despite themselves. There’s even an optional spicy scene offered in a link at the end!

This a true romance, with no strong external conflict to make up the climax of the book, focusing more on the couple and their relationship as it develops. The writing in Married by Fate was great and the story carefully crafted, and I practically cheered at so many moments.

My rating:

 5/5

To learn more about the Arranged Marriages of the Fae event, visit arrangedmarriagesofthefae.com.

To learn more about this author, visit jennyhickman.com.

Married by Wind (Arranged Marriages of the Fae #1), by Angela J. Ford (Romantic Fantasy, Fantasy Retelling; September 9, 2022)

Note: I received an ARC and this is an honest, voluntary review.

Married by Wind is my definition of cozy fantasy. With a unique take on the tale of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp and djinn, the story is pleasantly familiar as we see two characters on a romantic collision course undertake a dangerous journey through the desert.

I was so pleased to see this series start out with a second chance love story. This made the characters’ feelings very believable despite the brevity of the story; they had three months together to develop feelings before the story even began! Note that the marriage is more of necessity due to circumstances, rather than an arranged one, and you shouldn’t expect the spice you may be familiar with in Angela J. Ford’s other romantic tales.

Another caveat: If you’re expecting fae from this story (as I was, based on the series title), you’ll only encounter any in a roundabout way. Instead, Married by Wind focuses on deities, sacred places and a cursed lamp. I did wish Vinn’s character, who has a long backstory that’s mostly just alluded to, was more fleshed out, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

My rating:

 4/5

To learn more about this series, visit arrangedmarriagesofthefae.com.

To learn more about this author, visit angelajford.com.