A Fellowship of Games & Fables

Adenashire #3

by J. Penner

When cold rivalry becomes a warm heart.

Jez, Adenashire’s resident grumpy Fennex, wants nothing to do with the snow or silly winter games. Instead, she’d rather curl up for a nap. Unfortunately, a drunken boast lands her in the middle of the festivities and fake dating her friend, Taenya.

Plagued by chronic fatigue and past heartbreak, Jez has long guarded her heart. (Not to mention the secret she’s been hiding from her friends.) Yet, Taenya’s enthusiasm for the Yule competition and sweet knitted mittens begins to melt Jez’s icy exterior and their pretend relationship spurs feelings beyond friendship.

Amid the winter festivities and with the support of her community, Jez discovers that genuine acceptance is within reach… even for those who would rather hibernate in the shadows.

Genres: Fantasy, Cozy, Romance, Cozy Fantasy, Romantasy, Fiction, Magic

295 pages, ebook

First published November 26, 2024

Reviews

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sapphic Cozy Fantasy

☕ Bookish Thoughts
I absolutely adore this series. A Fellowship of Games & Fables is pure cozy fantasy comfort filled with warmth, gentle magic, and that perfect read under a blanket feeling. Jez and Taenya completely stole my heart. 🥰 🥰 🥰

I will never say no to a fake dating romance and this sapphic story delivered in the sweetest way. Low angst, soft love, and all the cozy charm I could want. Five stars all around.

🤎What to Expect
• Cozy fantasy
• Sapphic romance
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Winter festival
• Found family
• Chronic illness rep
• Fake dating
_ _ _ _

⭐ Final Score: 5 stars
📅 Pub Date: September 9, 2025 (Deluxe Edition)
📝 Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jez is a crabby fennix, one of a group of friends (including orcs, elves, and gargoyles) in Adenashire. After too many glasses of rum, she makes a bet that she can win the Yule games. Her friend Taenya the elf will partner with her, and they decide to pretend that they are a couple since cute back stories generate more crowd support. Jez hates the spotlight and the cold, but she doesn't want to let Taenya down. Often it's tough to understand why anyone would bother with Jez, but her friends prove Mr. Rogers's observation that "people can like you exactly the way you are." Will Jez and Taenya be able to complete the competition, despite a huge misstep by Jez? Will the fake romance become real? The world building in this cozy fantasy is so enjoyable--a visit to Adenashire is a wonderful escape, and recipes are included. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.

[SJARR ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wholesome and cozy little romantasy read!

Great if you love:
- Sapphic romance
- Slow burn romance
-Fake dating
- Low stakes
- Wintery/Christmas Vibes

This story features Jez- a somewhat grumpy Fennex (Think human & fox combined), and Taenya- a bright and happy woodland elf.
In the town of Adenashire, the famous Yule games are set to start soon. In this competition, teams compete against each other in a bunch of winter themed challenges.
Jez has absolutely no interest in playing games, but ends up teaming up with Taenya, and accidentally becoming her fake girlfriend.
Now the two must keep up their appearances, fake-dating to win the tournament. But they may just win over each other instead.

This was a very simple and quick read.
While it is fantasy, it does not have the typical heaviness that you usually get from the genre. Personally, I really love this.
I think this is perfect if you are looking for something light, cozy and comforting! Especially for the upcoming holiday season!
The romance is clean and pretty adorable, and I so so so loved seeing Taenya take care of Jez!
She was so kind and gentle, even when Jez was being a bit grumpy, and I thought it was so cute.

I do think that the characters could have been a little bit more developed.
I have not read the other books in this series, but I do believe this acts as a stand-alone, so I am not sure if reading the others first would help or not.
It really was not a problem, I just think I would have connected to them more if it was a bit less surface level.

I did really enjoy it though. I thought the energy and warmth was great and I will definitely be reading the previous 2 books!

Thank you to Netgalley, Poison Pen Press and author J. Penner for providing me with the eARC of "A Fellowship of Games & Fables", in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: September 09, 2025

[Stuffl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy read, perfect for a day on the couch. A beautiful magical world with many different creatures: orcs, dwarves, elves, humans,.. and a fennex. In addition to a sweet romance between the fennex lady Jez and the elf Taenya, the story also revolves around the famous Winter Games in Adenashire.

The games were really fun! The various competitions were original and funny. Baking is also a big theme, and I was especially happy about the great recipes at the end!

But I also liked the message: it's okay to make mistakes and you can make up for them. And also that friends are always there for each other. Oh, just great!

The love between Jez and Taenya was very slow burn based on fake dating. One of my favorite tropes! I liked Jez's grumpy nature and Taenya's patience and the time she took to help Jez recognize her feelings. That was really sweet. I missed the tingling and longing a little.

If you like romantasy, sweet love, and holiday vibes, this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[TrixieB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was lovely!

Penner does a really good job showing how isolating disability can be.

This series, every book, is so full of love and found family it's wonderful. They're all wonderful.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute, so well done, everything I needed it to be. I might love this one as much as the first one.

[Kassyreadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: A fellowship Of Games And Fables

Author: J. Penner

Synopsis: Jez, a grumpy fennex, wants nothing to do with the cold, snow or bustling winter games descending on the charming town of Adenashire. She’d rather curl up for a nap. But a drunken boast lands her smack in the middle of the festivities and, even worse, fake dating her friend, Taenya, a woodland elf.

Plagued by chronic fatigue and past heartbreak, Jez has long guarded her heart. Not to mention she has a secret she’d rather not share. Yet, Taenya’s warmth and patience begin to melt her icy exterior. Together, the two women tackle challenges (from ice sculpting to scavenger hunts) and their pretend relationship sparks genuine feelings.

With the unwavering support of her friends, and amidst the cozy, festive cheer of winter, Jez discovers that love and acceptance are within reach, even for those who would rather hibernate in the shadows.

Escape to Adenashire for a heartwarming tale of friendship, romance, resilience, and the magical spirit of the season.

Review: I’m so happy we got a book on Jez and was happy to see her story! I’m a sucker for winters settings but it could be because I was born in the winter so I might be biased! It was cute and fluffy! The found family aspect is chef’s kiss! This series overall is like having a warm hug with lovable characters!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not even know that A Fellowship of Games and Fables was out, let alone that it appears it was published last year?! I missed a memo

This is the third book in a cozy fantasy series - each book follows a character from a found family, and how they find love. A fellowship of games and fables features the grump/sunshine pairing, as well as the fake dating trope!

I liked the competition throughline of this story, as Jaz and Taenya compete to win and grow closer. It was fun, visualizing all the winter festivities with warm baked goods and tea.

I am a big fan of communication between love interests, and this book gets an A+ from me

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great addition to the Adenashire series. I loved following Jez and Taenya in this story as they fake dated and competed in a winter games competition. I enjoyed this book as much as the other two books in this series. This was a wonderful grumpy/sunshine romantasy and perfect if you are looking for a cozy read.

Read this if you like:

📖 Cozy romantasy
📖 Fake dating
📖 Grumpy/sunshine
📖 Winter vibes
📖 Lgbt reps

[Christine]

I'm not interested in same sex romance. Marking this one now.

[Mela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third instalment in the Adenashire series and I was heavily waiting for this to get to know Jez and Taenya better.
In this story we follow Jez as she plans to avoid the Yule games at all costs. However after a drunken night out she bets she can win and who’s supposed to be her partner if non other than Taenya. I really enjoyed having the Yule winter games as a background because they were super fun. However the love story was the weakest one so far which is slightly disappointing since we had glimpses of these two in the first few books. I wish we had the revelations about the past earlier on so to focus more on the relationship the rest of the book. It felt like Jez was defat he’d the entire time and then suddenly changed her mind at the end.
Nevertheless this still is one of my favorite cosy romantic series. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review

[Kip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again this was a cute cozy read and this whole series for the most part has been relaxing and enjoyable. My complaint in the last book was even less present in this one so I give it a 4.5 star so I rounded up. I do like that the author didn't do the expected when it came to Ronan and the bet. Both Ronan and Jez where drunk when they first met and where hot headed and or obnoxious and as the book progresses it is nice to see how reality isn't always what is expected or perceived. Kind of like in the first book with Taenya. Once again the group dynamics of the friend group was great. Getting to see why Jez was so grumpy and stand-offish really explains her attitude throughout the series. This was a very enjoyable book.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this third installment of this series! as always, Penner produces cute and cozy adventures. I really enjoyed the games and how the main character gained a sense of self. The representation in this book was very refreshing as well.

[Stacey Beane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just adore this little series & all our little friends & this book is no exception! If you love super cozy fantasy then you just need to read this series! That’s all ☺️

[Julia Clopton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gonna be honest, this was an extremely rare Did Not Finish for me. I tried, I really did, but 50 pages in and I'm throwing in the towel. I love the Great British Bakeoff show and having a whole fantasy world revolve around that theme was such a lovely invention by the author. But this book... ugh... The protagonist here, Jez, was a favorite supporting character from the first two books. Came across as grumpy but having a heart of gold. However, once we get to this book and you know what her thoughts actually are, she becomes really unlikable. The grumpiness doesn't seem to cover affection like I'd previously assumed. Instead she's whiny, insecure, keeps unnecessary secrets, and has been deliberately making her life much more difficult for *no good reason*. Also the set up for her romantic attraction to another of the former baking competition gals is laughable. It's truly a feat for the author to have made a crush/set up for a love story less believable than than the existence of the wizards, dragons, elves and talking cats that exist in this novel. So... maybe it gets better, but I think I'm done with the series now. Book 2 was fun, book 1 was a slog, and book 3 was a DNF. Time to find another author to read.

[Becky Hogle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the first book in the series, the second was ok, and this one was by far the worst. It feels very rushed and like it wasn't edited in places. For example, characters seemed to have been mixed up in a few places (Ervash and Verdreth were both described as sliding first in the sledding competition for example, despite being on the same team). The story line is rushed and honestly, feels a little phoned in like the first book did so well the author is trying to keep the narrative going even though it doesn't need to.

[Dayna Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure what I was expecting this book to be, but it definitely didn't appeal to me. I should have read the dust jacket a bit more thoroughly. All of the anthropomorphism of fennex, fox, gargoyles and such is just not my style. Too fantasyland for me. Upon further consideration of my review I have decided that this book not only had interesting illustration, it had good speech syntax and interesting descriptions etc. Basically good writing. It just wasn't my pic of genre.

[Becky Dalessandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love this adorable series but the books need better editors 🙄

[Jaclyn Workentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few typos but love the vibe!

[Katie Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a complimentary early release copy of A Fellowship of Games & Fables by J. Penner.

I was very excited to get reintroduced to the world of Adenashire, I really missed these characters and their cozy fantasy world! I was very excited for book three: A Fellowship of Games & Fables in particular since it focuses on a Sapphic pairing! I enjoyed this addition to the series, the Yule competition games were fun and interesting to follow. I liked how the characters played the games and supported one another during them. It’s always so sweet to see these characters come together, I truly adore this found family group of friends.

The fake dating troupe between Jez and Taenya made for an interesting addition to pair with the Yule games. I like the idea of these two together, they have a bit of a polar opposites type of thing going on and I enjoyed it. They have some cute scenes together and I was definitely routing for them.

I did find that during my read Jez’s character did annoy me a bit, there were some times that I just thought she was being a little too snappy or avoidant about things. I do understand it’s in her nature but it did become a bit repetitive. Taenya did a good job with Jez, I felt that she was very understanding, patient, and a good listener. I am very happy with how things had ended between them and I’m curious to know how their relationship will develop in future books. I was kind of hoping to get more of Jez’s backstory in here, when it does come up I feel that it’s a bit last minute but I’m hopeful that it will come up again. I liked the bonus chapter included, this little snippet into Jez’s life was interesting and cute. I’d love to see more of her family and how they are doing!

These cozy fantasy stories have all been very pleasant and I’m always excited to see what the next book is going to be about! The epilogue definitely has me intrigued for the next installment in this series! If you love cozy low stakes fantasy centered around baking and a loving found family that you’d never forget I’d recommend the Adenashire series!

[Heather Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this third book in the “A Fellowship…” series!!! Again, it can be read as a standalone but is just more fun if you have read the previous books in the series. Full of humor, heart, & acceptance. Fantastic world building and wonderful characters make this a greatly entertaining novel. I cannot recommend this series enough-you will smile, laugh, and will totally relate to these characters! TOP book and a favorite fantasy of the year!!!!! Bummer though….now I have to wait for the next book in the series!!!!! Argh!

“Jez, a grumpy fennex, wants nothing to do with the cold, snow or bustling winter games descending on the charming town of Adenashire. She’d rather curl up for a nap. But a drunken boast lands her smack in the middle of the festivities and, even worse, fake dating her friend, Taenya, a woodland elf.
Plagued by chronic fatigue and past heartbreak, Jez has long guarded her heart. Not to mention she has a secret she’d rather not share. Yet, Taenya’s warmth and patience begin to melt her icy exterior. Together, the two women tackle challenges (from ice sculpting to scavenger hunts) and their pretend relationship sparks genuine feelings.” (From the book blurb)

[Annemieke / A Dance with Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.

A Fellowship of Games and Fables is already the third book in the cozy fantasy Adenashire series. It focuses on the group of friends that meet in the first book. This one focuses on Jez, a grumpy fennex (humanoid fox).

What I liked about this book was that we went a little deeper into Jez. Her need for naps is more explained. Her magic overwhelms her but shutting out her magic also overwhelms her. She struggles to find a balance. A lot of her experience seems to be similar to those who are neurodiverse. I certainly saw some of myself in her.

Her backstory however, the reason that she left and has not at all returned to her family, is flimsy at best. Because it was all in her head. I don't think this part was done justice. I did appreciate the small look back at the second book, where she was very very suspicious of her friends love interest and wasn't very nice because of it. In this book she actually connects as friends with that person and I thought that was a great step forward for Jez.

Having said that, this wasn't really my book. I didn't care much for the actual plot of the competition. It is not an element in books that I enjoyed. The romance was also one that didn't really care for. The author already tried to set it up in the previous book but it was still a little flimsy in places. There were also things that were being said that didn't make sense. Like they are friends, good friends is alluded. And then one says: I'm finally getting to know you better. Like aren't you already good friends? And if there is a reason to feel like that, please explain it.

It was a decent read but I wanted a little more out of it.

[Pattea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the third in the Adenashire series by J. Penner. It is also the third time I have fallen in love with Adenashire and the characters within it. I honestly bought the first three in the series going based off the covers, but they have been the best books I have experienced in a long while. This one did not disappoint, in spite of the high expectations set by the previous books. I fully recommend this for anyone looking for something with beautiful writing, characters that feel like friends you have known forever, and/or a comforting and cozy storyline that is set in a fantastical world that feels like something out of a dream. I cannot wait for the next in the series. Thank you for an amazing read!! 

[L & J Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet cozy low spice fantasy featuring Jez, the Fennex baker from the previous books and the winner of the previous Baking Battle, the woodland elf Taenya. After Jez has a few too many rums, she ends up betting a human, Ronan, who was trying to entice Taenya to compete in the Woodland Games that she and her girlfriend Taenya would beat him and his brother in the Games. Of course, Jez previously had no interest in competing but now she is stuck- and she made up the fib that Taenya was her girlfriend to stop Ronan from bothering Taenya but Taenya decides they need to lean into it to win the Games.

[Symantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

I love this little world and I am honored to receive another ARC in this series. Third times the charm. That being said, I felt like most of this book could be summarized with character 1 saying: I really like you, then character 2 saying: gosh idk why they would like me, I'm not very likeable. Then we get to the actual competition/games in the last 10% of the book. I wished there was more of the games in this book like others in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is so fun and cute. It's like a big hug in book form, making it perfect if you want something easy but sweet.

I loved finding out more about Jez and seeing her relationship develop. I would have liked to find out more about her family but appreciated the focus on the games.

You can easily read this book as a standalone, but I'd say it's worth giving the first two a try as well. As with the previous books, this is a quick read and you get exactly what you expect - super cosy vibes with very low stakes.

This book was exactly what I needed right now and I enjoyed every page.

[Sophie-Louise McKenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this cosy read! However I felt like the pay off wasn’t there for me. I wanted the tree root explained and I kind of wanted them to discover the brother of Ronan had been cheating or something.
For that it’s a 3 star for me. Otherwise, once again, a really nice world to relax into. Love Jez and Taenya!

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I spent the last two books thinking Jez was a fully feline cat person, until I saw the alternate book cover for this book and no, she’s just a cute girl with cat ears and a tail. But I find that more boring, so I went right back to picturing her as a Khajiit from The Elder Scrolls. Second of all…this is easily my least favorite of the Adenashire books so far. It was nice getting some perspective from Jez, that she’s not just “the grumpy one” of the group, and her chronic fatigue is revealed to be actually a result of trying to suppress her magical abilities. But the plot was not so interesting, and the events that lead to the “fake dating” scenario were so contrived (Jez was drunk so she just randomly says they’re dating and now they have to play it up for reasons). And Taenya hasn’t been an interesting character since the first book. AND the ending was pretty abrupt. I wish the epilogue had been spent on wrapping up this book rather than to set up the next one.

One more thing that I hesitate to even mention l, because it’s more of an editing issue than anything to do with the story…I don’t know if it’s just the Kindle version I was reading or what, but there were multiple typos, including calling characters by the wrong name or pronouns, and misspellings. I probably wouldn’t have noticed except there were several of them. A bit disappointing.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third instalment of this delightful series didn’t disappoint. Lots of charm and lightness as has been the vibe of whole series as well as some really good character growth that hope to see continue through next couple books. Quick, fun and cosy. Perfect books if want something easy and sweet.

[Madeline Koning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuteeeeeeee. The ending was a bit abrupt but what a cozy read