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!
Tessonja Odette is a Seattle-based author of fantasy romance, epic romantasy, and fairytale retellings. Her different series range from cozy fae romcoms to dark and twisty fantasy. In her books you’ll find witty banter, sizzling romance, and breathtaking magic. When she isn’t writing, she’s watching anime, squeezing her pets, or dancing to the music only she can hear.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Married by Scandal is officially released! It is now available in Kindle ebook, Kindle Unlimited, paperback, and hardcover. Check out the pic to see what the hardback looks like with the character art on the naked hardcover! (It's the standard hardcover edition, so no matter where you get the book, it will have the character art.)
This is a standalone novella in the Arranged Marriages of the Fae series, but if you're familiar with my other books, you may recognize the main character, Amelie Fairfield, from The Fair Isle Trilogy and Curse of the Wolf King.
Amelie has been through so much, especially when it comes to love and heartache. One of the most common requests I received from readers after they finished The Fair Isle Trilogy (second only to "give Franco his own romance with a HEA" which, of course, I did in Heart of the Raven Prince), was to write a story for Amelie. I'm so happy to finally have been able to make this wish come true!
Married by Scandal is perfect for fans of: -Fae -Arranged marriage -Fake dating -Hidden identities -The guy falls first -Who did this to you? -Touch her and die -Bridgerton vibes -Novellas and short novels
... I was no longer the simpering, lustful girl that would risk everything for romance. That was why I told Evie she could marry me off. I figured it didn't matter if I was ever forced to wed. Love was meaningless, and I'd do anything for my sister's reign.
This is my first read from Odette, although I've been seeing her name popping up quite a bit on my Recommend Authors list on Amazon. All of her books covers are LOVELY. It's very sad that I didn't like this one.
First, WHAT I LIKED: The setting/world. Odette blended together a mesh of magical/shifting fae + humans + halflings + modern technology + emphasis on fashion and clothing making + references to the epic war history of this author's other serie/s. I don't see this very often and it feels like a steampunk style of fae. It may sound wild but thumbs up for the blend. The writing is easy to read - it's not my favorite sort, being a contemporary/modern sort of dialogue and all, but I could get through it with no problems, so that's good. There is a good message in here about letting other help you even though you want to be and are independent, which is nice as well.
Now, WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The story is just... too simplistic and too much focus on lust for me to enjoy. I could understand the characters but not really feel deeply for them. They do develop, and there's backstory, but I don't really feel any solid chemistry there (other than the usual, shallow stuff). The banter is also there, but not what I'd say is clever or particularly distinctive or of the sort I enjoy.
Overall, quite sad because I REALLY wanted to like this but turned out to not. ;(. If you're looking for something short and achingly sweet and beautiful, I'd recommend reading the other book in this series: MARRIED BY WAR by Sarah K.L. Wilson.
Content: PG-13 for strong sexual content - I'd probably not really recommend the content to anyone under 18 :P Only read if you want to be a bit spoiled for those sort of scenes: kissing, involving some descriptive intense makeout involving, well, fondling a woman's breast, and a fade to black scene that gets descriptive before the fade.
A homosexual fae couple is mentioned, one of whom is in the supporting cast of the story.
Thanks to the author/publisher for giving me a free ARC of this book. I am under no obligation to write a review or ensure my review is positive in exchange, nor am I compensated in any way. All opinions in this review are my own.
Thank you for reading! Please like this review if you’ve found it helpful, and feel free to leave a comment with any questions/comments.
I’m a sucker for forced proximity so it’s no surprise I enjoyed this book. When reading the fair isle trilogy I didn’t like Amelie at the end because of what she did to Evelyn. Although I’m glad that she got a happy ending, I just don’t really care about her enough to love this book. I did however love Dante. He was the main reason I enjoyed this book.
Married by Scandal is the third book within the Arranged Marriages of the Fae series.
In this, you will meet Amelie and Prince Albert. She is half-human and half-fae. He's, well, a prince really. Or is he? At first, there was obvious tension between these two. Then of course, things weren't always adding up to the image the tabloids had. So, when certain secrets came out to play, well - okay, I wasn't really shocked.
Then after meeting the real guy, she's supposed to be engaged to? Meh, he was lame in comparison. No sparks and he kind of felt like a ... well... a fuckboy lol. Not a full one but definitely doesn't want to commit to anyone just yet.
Other than that, the drama came and went and I'm glad that we got our little HEA. These two definitely deserved it and I can't wait for the next book in this series!
I have the first two books of the faerie tale retellings series by this author on the shelves. I just haven't read them yet. So, when I started this series and saw that one of the books was written by Odette I knew I had to get and read that book as soon as possible. Especially because it's set in the same world and stars one of the characters of the original trilogy. It sounded like the perfect way to figure out if those books really are for me and if I'd like the writing.
It was love at first sight. I loved the writing and I most of all loved the setting! And even though this book does completely spoil a lot of plot elements of the trilogy I still feel quite excited about reading it. And that's mostly because the world sounds so interesting and complicated and most of all original! It felt different then every other Fae world I have ever read about, more modern, more a mix of the well known and the endless possibilities of the unknown.
Even though I never read another book by this author and even though there was a lot of information and explanation coming my way in the beginning I grew quite invested quite soon. I don't know all the details of what happened to our heroine, but I liked how she seemed to be this perfect mix of fae and human, of extraordinary and flawed. And in a way I also really recognized myself in her. She's gonna break my heart in the original trilogy, isn't she?
The plot of this novella was in a way predictable. After all, it seems like this novella is a romcom with a little bit extra. And having characters state that they're totally okay with an arranged marriage because they're never gonna fall in love again is also giving away the end already. However, the author does have a few surprises ready and I loved each and every one of them, especially how connected some minor events eventually turned out to be.
Why do I only have money at the end of the month to get myself the original trilogy? I NEED IT NOW!
Arranged Marriages of the Fae is a multiple-author series that centers on, of course, fae marriages. Tessonja Odette is one of my favorite authors and her contribution to the series is Married by Scandal which is the third book in the series. If you read The Fair Isle Trilogy then you might have wondered what happened to Queen Evelyn's big sister, Amelie, after the war well this is the answer and it was fabulous. Even if you've never read the series, no worries because it's written with that in mind as well, a perfect standalone.
Amelie is a fashion designer, it's her burning passion and while she gets recognition for her fae fashion she thinks it's mostly because of who her sister is. Amelie is determined to win over the humans on her own merit. She's so stubborn about everything but her stubbornness comes from a place due to her traumatic past (the Fair Isle Trilogy). She doesn't want help, doesn't want love, and resists her fae half. However, as things go along Amelie is changing, dropping her walls and becoming a better version of who she was, before the trauma. I like Amelie, her passion, her courage, and even her stubbornness, sometimes and I'm glad she found her way back to herself in this book.
Tess is a genius when it comes to unique romance, this is an arranged marriage, proximity situation, and while Amelie thought she knew what to expect the prince was a refreshing surprise. They clicked, had strong chemistry, and were able to relax around each other, connect, have fun, and open up. Of course, there was a plot twist but the potential for more was there, the excitement, the angst, and the love. I will admit I didn't trust the prince at first but after everything came out I was won over. He was there for Amelie, expressed his passion in so many ways, and won her heart. It was a great romance story.
If you ever read Tess's work you realize she has a magical way to tell a story. Her current series, Entangled with the Fae, is still set in Faerwyvae but are fairytale retellings and are fantastic, Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid, and more. While this book is a part of another series it totally fits in with what she is doing now. It took me a moment to figure out what fairytale she was retelling but once I did I was ecstatic. It's a lesser told fairytale but done with Tess's whimsical flare. The glitz of the red carpet, the gossip papers, fancy balls, cameras catching compromising photos, stylish cars, and the fashion were unreal, and all of it mixed with the magical flare of the fae.
Tessonja Odette has created another incredible fairytale, I absolutely loved it. The characters both familiar and new, the world-building, and the grand descriptions all help create a fantastical escape. I can't wait to see what fairytale Tess takes on next.
There’s no way—not a single chance—that I’ll ever fall in love with my husband.
this was a super cute end for amelie after everything she went through in the fair isles trilogy.
i loooooove me an arranged marriage trope, but this also had some fun takes on it (i shan't say anymore cause spoilers!). albert was so endearing as the prince who puts on a faux rake persona (and charming). i enjoyed how it made amelie loosen up and lift her out of her fear.
“You try leaning across a table in a corset and dinner gown.” He waggles his brows. “If that’s what gets you going, I will, although you’ll find I look better naked.”
“Did no one tell you I’m only a quarter fae?” “A quarter fae and one hundred percent beautiful? Nope. No one said a damn thing to warn me about you.”
“The only acting I’ve done is pretending you don’t completely disarm me.”
short and sweet, as a novella it was more than enough. this also goes into odette's more recent series tone of a regency romantasy-first, which is so fun to read. it just makes me all the more excited for her next fae flings and corset strings book!
I loved this. It is so cute! The writing has such a warm feel to it that I was genuinely feeling so happy when I was reading it. It was just what I needed after reading some heavier sci-fi.
As it is a novella, the romance happens pretty quickly. I typically like a more slow-burn romance, but I honestly feel like this has a slow-burn feel to it despite the story taking place in just a week's time. Sure there is an instant attraction, but you also get to see how the characters develop feelings towards each other and the push and pull that came with it. There's definitely a buildup to their romance, and it was so good! Every little hand touch and lingering gaze felt so impactful. Dante is going on the book boyfriends shelf immediately. His dimpled smile mixed with a bit of a close proximity trope was a recipe for my heart's demise.
Besides the cute romance, the story has a deeper intention. It is heavily centered on Amelie's attempts to move past the trauma she experienced in the novels of The Fair Isle Trilogy . I admit that I have not read that trilogy, but I don't think you need to in order to enjoy this novella. The author doesn't let you go in blind and offers quick explanations throughout that keep you in the loop. In the beginning, Amelie is closed off to the idea of love. Love to her is destruction, and her journey throughout the novel is a very healing one that made for a lovely HEA. I think it was done very well, and if anything, left me craving more. I hope to see them in future stories of Faerwyvae.
I did receive an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.
2,5 stars ⭐️ Bof... l'histoire était bien mais pas mémorable. Je ne sais pas... je m'attendais à plus. Surtout parce que le début est super prometteur, mais bon...
I think at this point I would read a grocery list from Tessonja Odette. This was, once again, a lovely book! I wish I would have read The Fair Isle trilogy closer to starting this book for more context, but it is not necessary. I loved Amelie's redemption story! I loved her character and seeing her interact with her love interest. It was awesome seeing hints of our previous favorite characters.
This was the perfect, feel good, happy, romance that I think everyone will enjoy. It was a little short, but that's the nature of the game. It was still a fully fledged story. I didn't feel rushed at all.
Another absolute joy from Tessonja Odette. I just adore the world of Faerwyve.
I love that these books are standalone but when you read all of them you get such a rich flavor of the world she’s created.
I am so excited to read the other novellas that are apart of the Arranged Marriages of the Fae.
I received An ARC and was over the moon to read this early!
Amelie makes an appearance in Odette’s Curse of the Wolf King.
Amelie thinks she will never allow herself to love again. She agrees to an arranged marriage to salvage her reputation and pay penance for her previous indiscretions.
seems like its one hit (heart of the raven prince) and three misses with tessonja odette. most of her work feels like fanfiction but with original characters.
it wasn't the worse book but it was a been there done that scenario. felt long for it's length. love a spy twist but ofc the prince was a coward, a buffoon etc. to make him less appealing lol another miss
Moderate steam This is the first book that Ive read from this author, though I’ve had several of her other works in my TBR for a few years now as she is active in the Swoony Romance Group on Facebook
Even without having read the other books to understand the backstory and the lore, it was easy enough to grasp the backstory and still feel the anguish and pain, and then the redemption for Amelie.
I’m not usually a fan of fake-relationship romances, but this one was done well.
This book was a wonderful contribution to the Arranged Marriage multi-author series as well as gave me a curiosity about Ms Odettes other’s works. They maybe creeping further up the TBR pile as I write this review. I am rather intrigued to learn Evie and Apsen’s story after the hints dropped in this story.
Tropes/ what to expect - hidden identity - plot twisting endings -broken heart reborn - arranged marriage or not - force proximity - handsome mmc "touch her and die" - talk to her again or else vibes - independent badass finding herself fmc - old characters making scenes in the book
Characters OMG AMELIA MY BESTIE I LOVE YOU!!!!!! I feel so horrible for her. Because I remember in the first trilogy what she went through AHHHH like a dagger to the freaking heart!!!!! I am happy we got glimpses from the trilogy and how much I hate HATE but love sorta Cobalt. Anyways I'm so extremely happy for her ending it was so good. And I was happy that she was able to find herself throughout the hardest times. Not to mention the way she's so content with her simple life. ngl if that was me in her shoes i'd be jealous af about her sister. But nope she's humble and perfectly content with her life which I love!!!!
The love interest in this story made me want so much more!!!! I wished we got his perspective in this book but well maybe next time I guess. But I really love the chemistry between the two. I will say I hate relationships that complete after 10 days or smth. But this was perfect he as perfect!!!!!!!
overall thoughts the Plot was very cool and I wish we got more detail with it sadly we didn't. But I will say I love this author's writing so incredibly much .How she can be vulgar but not like spicy type. Like just dark out of pocket type jokes in her books are amazing. I love this author's character developments as well. I wish we got more with the love interest since we got so much information about Amelia. I also wished that we got scenes of the two being vulnerable with each other's past. especially the love interest is past seems so interesting and I just wanted the protective reaction to when Amelia talks about her past. But overall amazing story telling especially for a book with only 200 pages or smth.
quotes ♡ What a fool! My eyes haven't swum with love in over twenty years, and if they were ever to do so again, it would be over a fine garment, not a man.
♡ A quarter fae and one hundred percent beautiful? Nope. No one said a damn thing to warm me about you.
♡ You're so bold and bright, Amelia. Don't let society dim your light no matter how much you want to earn their respect for your career. You shine bright enough with or without their approval. Yo're like a dazzling gemstone amongst unpolished rocks.
♡ Were I not a spy but a man you met by happenstance, I would give anything to be burned by you.
♡ "You may not need saving, but you are worthy of it nonetheless. YOu deserve to be defended by your fiance." "You're not my fiance." "Trust me I know."
~~~”Amelie Fairfield,” Evie interjects, “when are you going to get it through your head that it’s all right to be saved?” She takes a step closer, hands on her hips. “It’s all right to get help. With your life, with your career, with your heart. There isn’t anything wrong with being saved.”~~~
I’ve loved Amelie Fairfield since I first met her in “Curse of the Wolf King”, Tessonja’s Beauty & The Beast retelling in the Entangled With Fae series.
I backtracked and read her difficult story in The Fair Isle Trilogy and To Kill A Fae King. Always hoping that one day she would find her Happily Ever After. Married By Scandal is her long awaited HEA!
This story is highly recommended for fellow Amelie lovers, those that love arranged marriage, hidden identities, and fake-dating tropes, and for those that love a survivor’s story.
Hence my chosen quote because all too often survivors try to manage on their own and I love how this book shows that we all need help in dealing with our traumas and how asking for and receiving help is never something to cause shame.
My only complaint is that I wanted more! Tessonja gives us such an amazing slow burn filled with anticipation of combustible smexy times only to leave us with a nice but abrupt ending.
I know from previous books that these scenes are within the realm of her writing and I’m a little sad that she didn’t give Amelie a proper conclusion to such an incendiary build up.
However, Married By Scandal is still an excellent story and I loved Amelie’s HEA and seeing favorite characters again. And I’m hoping that we’ll see Amelie and her beau in future Faerwyvae books!
Thank you to the author and Book Funnel for my advanced copy. This review is completely voluntarily given and I will be purchasing the gorgeous hardcover for my collection.
For a short story, this one sure did pack a lot in! It was like Bridgerton with fae and I loved every minute.
If you've read the Fair Isle Trilogy, you'll remember Amelie, the hapless sister of Evie, who is now Queen of the Autumn Court. After the events of the war, Amelie has sworn off love and thrown everything she has into her career as a fashion designer. When she is caught in a compromising position with a married client, Amelie does the only thing she can to salvage her career and reputation; she agrees to marry a human prince to foster peace between the fae and human kingdoms.
While this book can be read as a standalone, I really feel like it packs more of a punch knowing Amelie's past. She is such a great character, so outwardly sure of herself, yet nursing deeply hidden pain and guilt. I love watching the budding relationship between her and the prince. Even though the book was fast-paced, it felt like they still took time to get to know one another. I really hope I get to see more of them in future books!
I loved this story. It really gives the perfect ending to Amelie's story. She has been through so much heartbreak and this was nearly more, but they saved it at the end.
Tessonja Odette never ceases to amaze me. I absolutely adore her way of storytelling and Married by Scandal, this multiple author series, is no different. I’m so honored to have received an ARC copy of this book, I loved the Fair Isle trilogy as well as her Entangled with Fae. This made my heart warm because of the all the nostalgia from the OG trilogy characters coming back, however also bringing in some amazing new characters. I loved Amelie character and I’m so glad she got the redemption love story she deserved.
I've recently seen someone else's review that perfectly summarizes my feelings about this book: This was incredibly cheesy, but fuck if I didn't enjoy it anyways.
This book had me giggling and grinning the entire time! Amelie is the QUEEN of witty comebacks the growth she endures through this story is great! And Dante is so swoon worthy, if I found a man who describes me with half the quotes Dante describes Amelie with I would marry him on sight. Moral of this review is pick it up.
Married by Scandal is the third part of a new series by several authors, which is called Arranged Marriages of the Fae series. This book is also a spin off by The Fair Isle Trilogy by Tessonja Odette. If you would like to know more about the main character called Amelie, I highly recommend you to read this trilogy first. However this book can be read as a standalone. I always love the books by this author, but what will I think of this part?
Such a delight! I love each and every book set in Faerywae and this is no exception. My only complaint is that I wanted more! Tessonja packs a punch in a short novella. We get fake dating, arranged marriage, spies and hidden identities, and lots of our favorite characters from The Fair Isle series! Plus of course, Amelie gets her well-deserved HEA. I had a grin on my face for so much of the book, and Dante is absolutely swoon-worthy! I would have definitely read twice as much about Amelie and Dante! Highly recommend!
Tessonja Odette is one of my favorite authors and I have read all her books. I absolutely love the Fair Isle Trilogy, so anytime we get a story that takes us back there, I’m so excited for it. This particular story was much anticipated, for fans of Amelie Fairfield anyway. I loved it!
Thank you, Tessonja, for trusting me with an ARC and allowing me to be among the first to read this fantastic story.
Married By Scandal takes place after the Fair Isle Trilogy ends. We find Amelie Fairfield trying to make a name for herself in the human fashion industry. The events from her past have left scars on her heart and she has vowed to never let herself fall in love again. But scandal forces Amelie to marry a human prince, not only to untarnish her name but also to garner peace between Faerwyvae and Bretton. Nothing is ever as simple as that, though. And, aren’t we all glad of it!
I really love Amelie’s journey. She starts out in such a low state of mind. You just hope that something will go her way and soon. At every turn, though, it seems like she’s never going to find happiness. She has set herself against love, not willing to allow for possible heartbreak again. She is singularly focused–become a famous designer in the human fashion design industry. Matters of the heart aren’t so easily ignored, though, are they? This marriage to Prince Albert may be just the thing Amelie needs.
This story was such a fun and romantic read. I loved seeing some characters from The Fair Isle Trilogy. Foxglove is here! I have such a soft place in my heart for Foxglove. I also love the Bridgerton vibes. Tessonja has created a new world that is connected to a world we already know (if you don’t, you totally should!) and transports you to a time long ago. Back when automobiles first came on the scene and people still used elegant carriages to get around. The gowns and top hats, promenading with a beau, fancy balls, and Victorian atmosphere.
There are a few twists, one you won’t believe is even real. It all comes to a satisfying happily ever after, even if it’s not what you were expecting it to be. This one made me cheer (I can’t tell you why.)!
I highly recommend Married By Scandal, and this whole amazing series, to fans of fantasy romance, romantasy, swoony romance, novellas, short stories, fake dating, Bridgerton vibes, and happily ever after stories.
It's my first read from the "Arranged Marriages of the Fae" series. Since I'm rather well acquainted with Tessonja's books, I decided to start with this one. It's a very short story, hardly 200 pages and I consider this fact as the biggest flaw of this book. It took me slightly more than one day to finish it up but it was a fine read anyway.
This book includes Amelie Fairfield's story whose character was primary presented in "The Fair Isle Trilogy". To be honest, I haven't read this series but gonna fix it so soon! Nonetheless Amelie seemed very interesting what made me want to get to know her story from the very beginning. Here she tries to salvage her career from a scandal and strives to gain human clientele. They best way to do so is marrying a human prince. She's reluctant because of her adamant attitude concerning love caused by a bad experience from the past. It changes over time when a certain man with blue eyes and blond hair steps in. I also liked her relationship with Evie and the fact that Amelie learns to accept other people's help which she previously rejected for the sake of her independence.
I enjoyed "Married by Scandal" but wish it could be a more developed story. Still, it was a pleasurable read and I can recommend it to everyone who seeks a simple novella with a romance but without big sparkles. If you need something complex and more emotional, I don't think the book will meet your expectations.