The Mage's Match

The Mages #1

by Finley Fenn

The world’s greatest air-mage has lost his magic. And only she can bring it back…

Once, Regin Agmund was the realm’s greatest lightning-caster — rich, famous, arrogant, and deadly.

Until he lost his magic.

Even the best experts can’t understand it, and Regin is furious, miserable, and desperate enough to do anything… or anyone.

Even if it’s a poor, unfashionable commoner…

Selby Seng is a simple, plainspoken pedlar, who practices an illicit branch of earth-magic.

She's shocked when she’s confronted with an astonishing claim: she has a deep magical affinity with the great Regin Agmund. An affinity strong enough to bring his magic back.

The catch? Affinities work through closeness. Proximity. Touch.

It means moving in with the realm’s richest, most notorious celebrity, and serving his every whim.

Even if he hates her. Even if he’s cold and selfish and cruel. Even if he can barely look at her while he’s taking his due…

But in Regin Agmund’s volatile world of power, privilege, and danger, maybe an honest, grounded pedlar is just what he desperately needs…

Unless he destroys her first.

_____________________

A dark, angsty, enemies to lovers fantasy romance. Reads as a total standalone. Happily ever after guaranteed.

Genres: Fantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Forced Proximity, Paranormal

472 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2019

About the author

Finley Fenn is “the queen of dark orc romance” (Virgo Reader), and her ongoing Orc Sworn series has been praised as “sexy, romantic, angsty, and captivating … utter brilliance” (Romantically Inclined Reviews).

When she’s not obsessing over her stories, Finley loves reading, drooling over delicious orc artwork, and spending time with her incredible readers on Patreon, Discord, and Facebook. She lives in Canada with her beloved family, including her very own grumpy, gorgeous orc mate.

News, free stories, and artwork: www.finleyfenn.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Finley-Fenn/e/...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/finleyfenn
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/finle...
Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorfinleyfenn
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/finleyfenn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/finleyfenn

THE ORC SWORN SERIES
1. The Lady and the Orc
1.5: Offered by the Orc: Free with signup at www.finleyfenn.com
2. The Heiress and the Orc
3. The Librarian and the Orc
4. The Duchess and the Orc
5. The Midwife and the Orc
6. The Maid and the Orcs
6.5. Tryggred by the Orc
7. The Governess and the Orc
7.5. Yuled by the Orcs
8. The Beauty and the Orcs
9. The Widow and the Orcs
10. The Artist and the Orc

THE ORC FORGED SERIES
1. The Sins of the Orc
2. The Fall of the Orc

THE MAGES SERIES
0.5: The Mage's Maid
1. The Mage's Match
1.5: The Mage's Groom: Free with signup at www.finleyfenn.com
2. The Mage's Master

Reviews

[Ruby Dixon]

So clearly I'm a Finley Fenn fangirl, and this one worked for me. The heroine, Selby, is a delight and her magic and how she uses it is fascinating. I loved the world building and the way it was set up. The hero is absolutely a jerk hero with a potty mouth, so this might not work for a lot of people (fair warning).

[Jac K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked certain parts of this. It’s a smutty plot which shouldn’t be a surprise since the blurb tells us that Selby is being brought on to have sex with Regin so he can get his magical powers back. Selby is a poor peddler which is basically scum of the Earth, and Regin is like their Brad Pitt… if he was a powerful wizard. I love a jerky H, and a jelly ex, so I was LOVING the first half, but then things started going downhill a smidge.

I found Regin quite immature, and his “mean friends” side-plot felt juvenile. It started to drag, 400 pages is a lot for smut, and it does have more to the plot… but, we got stuck in a loop (sex-H cruel-sex-H cruel-h hanging w/ secondary characters-sex) for like 150 pages, and I’m an impatient reader.

Bottom Line- Pretty good PNR romance. Angst from Regin acting like a twat. Loads of sexytime that you may or may not find sexy. (the you're a slut, whore, get on your knees variety) I thought it was very unique plot, and I did really enjoy the bickering dynamic. The h was vulnerable in showing that he upset her, but didn't really take his shit. IMO, there needed to be a better balance of the cruel vs. loving feelings. We get a lot of the jerk face, but very little warm fuzzy feelings. It would've helped (me at least) if the epilogue had shown this (loving feelings & HEA) rather than a raunchy anal scene with little affection.

[Kay ❣ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know how it's possible, but they managed to have a ton of hate-sex without any chemistry. "Enemies to lovers" should easily have heat, but there was none?? There's plenty of smut scenes, but they are worthless because he mostly lays on the bed like a starfish. Never any foreplay, but she goes down on him often and sometimes comes during sex, but not always. She's not getting much out of this deal monetarily or otherwise. Girl you deserve better than this!

I saw glimmers of him becoming more enthusiastic but then he would go back to starfishing again. He finally shows his enthusiasm in the epilogue...by trying dry fuck her ass?? It felt so out of character but then again, he never stopped being an entitled male, so it drove home the fact that I should have listened to my instincts and given up reading this book a long time ago

[Serial Romance Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** Book Q & A***

* How did the book make you feel?: I could not put this book down. It was so engrossing.

* How do you feel about how the story was told?: I loved the world building. The characters were all well-developed. I loved the angst and mystery. It was such a great book.

* What did you think about the main characters?: I loved Regin. He was absolutely horrible to Selby and he treated her like trash, even though his attraction to her was undeniable. Their relationship continued to develop and Regin fought it tooth and nail. He was cruel to her basically until the climax, and I was there for it all the way because I love that stuff. I wished Selby had had a bit more of a backbone instead of submitting so readily to Regin’s every whim.

* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: Regin was so mean to Selby, it was OTT—especially over her stuff. I really felt for her. There were two other scenes—the first where Regin attempts a do-over and the second where Regin acknowledged that Selby deserved better. Those were great.

* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: enemies to lovers, evil ow, h paid for sex, forced servitude, mystery romance

* What did you think about the ending?: The ending is the only reason I subtracted a star. I needed a grand gesture, some grovel from Regin and we didn’t get it other than a few words. Things remained the same with Selby submitting to him in every way. Although Regin’s character developed and changed throughout the book, I was never convinced he truly loved her more than he needed her. I also wanted an extended epilogue with a baby and happy family!

* What is your impression of the author?: I have read other books by this author and I am always so entertained and in awe of the world building.



Possible Triggers and Safety: slut shaming, h is called a whore throughout the whole book, h is basically forced into sexual slavery

[readabookonce · Rating 5 out of 5]

perhaps the least romantic romance I’ve read, and yet…

MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Selby Seng (23) | Regin Agmund (26)

FEATURES
∘ fantasy romance (both are mages)
∘ contractual agreement
∘ contempt/dislike to lovers
∘ caretaking scene (she gets sick)
∘ class difference

REVIEW
I don’t think I’ve ever hated and loved a character so much at the same time.

Regin said he was sorry a lot, but he would show the same disrespect and disregard for Selby all over again. I found myself not liking him, yet rooting for him to be better and celebrating when he was. For all his shortcomings, Selby’s character made up for in her strength.

Selby was full of kindness and empathy. Through those traits, she softened Regin to the reader and even made helped us understand his motives and shady behavior. She brought a point of view that was open-minded and accepting of all his flaws, yet firm in her feelings and viewpoints, especially when it came to his “job.” Furthermore, her kindness did not make her complacent, and she oftentimes gave as good as she got. Although, she could’ve—and probably should’ve—been meaner.

Selby absolutely deserved better, but she loved unconditionally. I do think that is admirable and so very sweetly romantic as opposed to the severe passion the novel often favored.

The story outside of the romance was interesting and even a little suspenseful. I felt dread and worry for the characters because despite being promised a HEA, you never know what state the characters will be in when they get there (outside of being in love, of course). I see why this book gets recommended so much, and I suspect I will be chasing this feeling for a while yet.

OW/OM DRAMA OW — Regin ended a two-year long relationship for this agreement
|||
OW — Selby can read thoughts and see flashes of the past through touch. She sees Regin being intimate with other women while being with her (he also thinks about his ex during at a few points)

CHEATING no
THIRD ACT BREAKUP no
ENDING HEA — near future epilogue; bonus epilogue of 5 years later available

POV mostly singular (Selby) ; some from Regen / third person
SPICE LEVEL 4.5 / 5
RATING 5 / 5

[Missy Ekika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally had to give up at about 50% into the book.

There were already approximately 10 on-page sex scenes and each and every one the hero barely touched her or showed her that he wanted or desired her. Instead he constantly made it feel like a chore and treated her like (and calls her) a whore. As we also don’t get his POV, his inner thoughts / conflict on why he does this is entirely missing and he just comes off as unnecessarily cruel.

I went through the first 50% hoping for and imagining a time when his desire would take over and he would flip her over and take charge, show her how much he too wanted her etc. According to other reviews that is never going to happen... So that was the point of no return for me. I love bully romance and cruel Hs but I need there to be a change, a character development or at least a H POV that tells me how he really feels despite his actions.

This book had none of it and with the h falling more and more in love with him despite his horrible treatment and half-assed apologies I just didn’t want to read another 50% of the same thing.

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 5 out of 5]

May 2023 Reread: Have reread the sexy bits a few times since 2021 and am now giving this a full read through. Still holds up. Still fast-moving, interesting lore, and sexy af. I think The Mage series is some of the author’s best stuff. The dirty talk is amazing and the angst is good. I can see how the hero perhaps doesn’t do the grovel the best, considering how he treats the heroine, but I think the author handled it really well. The sex scenes were based off electric physical chemistry but could feel it was deeper for both H+h. It is mostly smut in a really well done plot.

I noticed the interracial coupling in the first read but noticed it much more now. A major conflict is how the hero hates his job, his boss, and his friends, but feels that he loves the magic too much to give it up, and he also convinced himself that the work is important. The heroine basically tells him he is in deep denial and will end up alone later in life thinking about her and how she got away.

I finished the novella in this series, and have noticed that in this series, the heroes are pretty much jerks who are walking red flags but Regin really worked for me. His actions are not admirable but his thinking was consistent for his character and what he had gone through.

The ending showdown is still really hilarious to me.

2021:

Loved, loved, loved this.

Also, thank you Finley Fenn for actually delivering the goods. I honestly didn't think she would deliver on the premise, that it might be fake-out but they did the thing, multiple times. Woohoo!

This completely scratched my itch of fantasy erotica. Lots of sex scenes, but they were all hot, and made me care about the characters. I'm not a fan of erotica across the board, as I find that it can get boring. Hints of YA bully in college vibes as the hero is rude to the heroine and they are in a prestigious magic school and research facility. I liked the dirty talk, which I can be picky about since I sometimes find it embarrassing. As some other reviewers noted, they both talk rudely to each other, including outside of the bedroom. For me, the swearing and the slang sometimes felt tonally off, like it felt too immature and dumb (which is why I think I can't take some YA bully stories seriously), but overall it was fine.

I think I'm going to have to read her orc romance series.

[Preeti ♥︎ Her Bookshelves · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise is good, the world building acceptable albeit a bit limited.
Paranormal meets YA/NA here with the expected themes of school bullying, peer pressure, being ashamed of mates etc.
Add a fairly good suspense thriller to this mix.
And we get a fairly good book. 3.5*

The H is not only the star kid of the Mage academy but also a national hero. He's an air mage with powers to channel lightening and burn forests - and people. He's already killed hundreds, if not thousands (of probably innocents) at the orders of his superiors, the council. Why couldn't he see the wrong in it until the h points it out to him?
And now, he's losing his power.

And by a strange twist, his mentor/handler figures out that he needs someone whose magic aligns with or complements his. So, the poor (literally) peddler h who's an earth mage (with abilities to discern everything about the owner by touching objects) is recruited/coerced/blackmailed to the job.
When she arrives in her ragtail appearance. She becomes an immediate target of ridicule and bullying by the cool crowd, his air-mage friends.

Now how's she to help him?
BY touch. The more intimate the better. Translated - lotsa sex.
There are some ground rules as the H feels better at not forcing her or touching her beyond necessary so the it's the girl on top position for the first half of the book. She gets on top, does the thing while he lies there in a sacrificial mode and then pushes her off asap.
There's angst by how he ignores her, her loneliness, how everyone looks down upon her as the H's whore etc. But, personally the NA/YA way of things do not work for me. And the H's actually not that great because he's too afraid of others' opinions and wants too bad to fit in the cool crowd.
Also there's too much sex. Way too much! Of course, it's supposed to be so but once there were 3-4 consecutive BJs. But as the h says the h proves to be 'firecracker' in bed and 'no starfishing'.

The suspense and the whys and hows of the h's strange illness and the H's magic loss is done well. Although the bad guy/s were very obvious right from their entry into the story.
It's also nice that the ow gets a book of her own. Among the other couples, I wish to see more of Runar and his girl but they don't seem to have a book - yet?

[Misha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked this book in the beginning. It had an interesting premise, and it seemed like an actual enemies-to-lovers story, you know, where they actually hate each other. The hero is an asshole and heroine had some backbone, but also vulnerability. But the story stalls quickly, the heroine devolves into a complete doormat and hero never evolves from an asshole, and it just got extremely repetitive, with the same arguments played out again and again, followed by pretty much the same sex scene again and again. The characters were supposed to be mid to late 20s, but I had a hard time believing any of them were over 20. Since I avoid most teenage romances, it was really off-putting. Also off-putting was the derogatory name calling, which just got more and more cringey as the story dragged on, and the last scene was just... ugh.

[freddie · Rating 1 out of 5]

CAWPILE rating: 0.7/10
STAR rating: ½ star

i think this is the worst book i've ever read

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 3 out of 5]

100% Team Selby. Her magical abilities as an earth-mage were fascinating—her touch allows her to know an object’s origins and a person’s thoughts and history. That is both good and bad. She was a great prickly FMC and I loved that she gave as good as she got. Regin definitely needed someone to put him in his place. I do wish her emotional arc had been tighter. She had no sense of self-preservation and was overly trusting and forgiving, which seemed at odds with her otherwise prickly personality and pedlar background. I didn’t know what we were supposed to take away from that. And yet I was fully in her corner, even while despairing over her choices.

As much as I felt invested in the story, there were a few reasons it didn’t work better for me. Regin calls Selby a bitch throughout the whole story. At first, it’s very much wielded as a pejorative but later I guess we’re supposed to think it’s a term of endearment since Selby still calls him an asshole. But I have a visceral reaction to men calling women bitches and I had trouble getting on board with Regin as a result, especially when he really was a selfish entitled asshole. I didn’t see enough demonstrable change or growth for him. Selby goes missing and he’s frantic about where she went yet still lying to his jerk friends about her. Someone who repeatedly doesn’t acknowledge a love interest, even after declaring feelings, isn’t someone I can root for. Selby deserved infinitely better than Regin Agmund. But they did have hot hate sex so at least there was that. There’s also a great deal of sex worker shaming, even from Selby, and that got very old.

I have big questions about the way race was depicted in this world, mostly in how unclear it is. Selby is a pedlar, something everyone can identify just by looking at her. But I wasn’t sure why—her shabby clothes, the color of her skin, something else? The stereotypes around pedlars reminded me of stereotypes about the Romani. In Selby’s descriptions, it sounded like she might be Asian, but I’m not sure what races exist in this world and it’s never explicitly stated, just that she has brown skin, almost always in contrast to the mages, who are all white and blond, with the exception of Runar, who has dark skin (read: Black). I had no sense of whether there was structural racism in this world or if most of the mages were white supremacists or what we were even supposed to do with the microaggressions Selby experienced. I could be reading this all wrong but it felt pretty muddled to this white reader.

Note: Selby is extremely sick for much of this book and throws up frequently. Exercise caution if this might be triggering for you.

Character notes: Selby is a 23 year old virgin earth-mage and pedlar. She is a Person of Color, possibly Asian or Romani. Regin is a 28 year old white air-mage. This is set in Vakra.

Content notes: death and resuscitation of MMC, enslaved workers forced to cast spell for one year in order to drain MMC’s magic, vomit and nausea (FMC is sick for much of this book turns out she’s being poisoned by earth magic), murdered girl, FMC falsely charged with murder, attempted murder Morley was trying to poison Regin in order to kill him, she tries to kill him and FMC once FMC is imprisoned; Ketill also attempts to kill FMC in order to control Regin, abduction and imprisonment, flood/near drowning, MMC has killed many people on behalf of the government/Coven (basically a sniper using lightning), microaggressions, bullying, classism, racism, heavy use of female pejoratives by MMC, on page nightmares, on page panic attack, suicidal ideation (MMC), sex work (three month sex contract), past arson (shop wagons burned and they lost everything), dubious consent (related to contract), sex worker shaming (not countered), slut-shaming, on-page sex, hate sex, humiliation kink, anal play without lube, alcohol, inebriation, misogynous secondary character, brief fat-shaming, discussion of MMC’s weight loss related to depression/suicidal ideation, ableist language, gendered insult, hyperbolic language around suicide, brief necromancy, mentions of brother having bad lungs, references to past death of father

[Jennifer Kae · Rating 1 out of 5]

No

The author informs us that the MCs are older. Yet they’re in an academy. The male is supposed to be 28 but he’s crazy immature. More like 17. And the female is no better. Everyone is immature and the plot takes way too long to develop past the weird sex for magic power premise. I had to DNF at 40%. I tried. But no.

[Gypsy Madden · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Graphic sex scenes and definitely not intended for a young audience*. While I was reading this book, it was a solid 5 star. I liked the characters, mostly, (Regin’s attitude did irk the entire way through, though he was hot), it held the interest, it had other things happening in it than just sex, had a strong heroine, a mystery and problems to be solved, an interesting location, plenty of magic, and fun interaction between the two leads. But after I finished it and reflected on it, it’s a four star. There are things that should have happened, that just plain didn’t happen. As in, with all of the hate and trash talk, turning to respect and attitude talk, I waited and waited, eagerly for a tender romance scene between the two leads. And aside from the love word thrown around twice, there was no tender romance scene. There are plenty of sex scenes during this, but at the halfway point, it ceases from being straight sex, to...well...stuff I frankly find gross to read about. On further reflection, the whole story starts feeling more like a male fantasy. In every sex scene, she was the one begging vocally for sex, it was never the other way around. It felt very dominant/submissive (which surprise, surprise, the male always treated the female as his submissive, ordering her around all the time), and with him looking down on her for being a low-born Pedlar (and calling her a W-word all the time -no girl likes being called that), I really wanted her to assert herself over him at least once and get him to beg for it from her. (BTW, the last scene nearly read like a rape scene. She said no repeatedly and meant it, so that bugged me more than a bit). He also never seemed to really take an interest in her (like he never really asked her about her mementos). Yes, I was warned ahead of time about the bad language, so I knew what I was getting into on that front ahead of time. But honestly, I’m not sure why it’s there other than to turn away a portion of readers. I mean, the book would have read fine without it. And you can get points across clearly without resorting to bad language. The other problem I had with this were the ages of the characters. The coven house has a whole private school vibe to it with the students staying in dorms and having faculty. Not to mention that all of the characters act young (the bad language actually is one of the factors making them all sound in the teenage years), so I was pegging Selby for 15-16 and Regin as being 17, so it shocked me when it was mentioned he was 28. Even after that, he never really sounded or acted 28. The both the mains and all of the fellow students acted like over-dramatic teenagers, especially with all of the high school bullying going on. I did love all of the discussions and hashing it out between the two leads, and trying to redefine their relationship through all of the red tape of the contract and really figure out the motives. And I did love the mystery. In all, this is an addictive read, and the trash talk between the two is amusing to listen to.

[Aou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting piece!

[Fatima Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole. Bitch.asshole.

Oops! My apologies I wasn’t supposed to give spoiler, but accidentally I told you half of the story- BECAUSE IN EVERY FREAKING LINE THERE WAS ONE BITCH AND ONE ASSHOLE! I thing these two are the favourite syllables of our author.
Our M characters were horny teenagers who fucked every opportunity they get, it was really good until 60% but suddenly they went mad! The smut become repetitive and boring! The banter was good, they literally disliked each other which I crave in my ETL books, The MMC was as toxic shitbag as they come. Overall I wouldn’t say I really enjoyed it🙂

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to series about mages. They live in a world where the dominant are corrupted by power. The H is great - he's so awful. Unhappy, mean and cruel to the h. She is being blackmailed to help him regain his powers. Lots of interesting characters who treat the h badly. He falls for her and he ultimately becomes a better man. Loved it, but thought the steamy scenes became boring.

[Lazyhazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the premise. An air mage loses his powers, and the only way to get them back is the power of banging. Yes, to all of that.

I just did not like the male lead. Regin is 28 years old and very concerned with what his friends think of him. He can't be seen with Selby because they may make fun of him. :c :c :c Or something. This characterization made his character read very young. Tangentially related, I didn't like the "bully" aspect of the main characters' relationship, but I can't say if that was because of the writing or because that's not my particular cup of tea.

Some scenes were quite lovely. I could have skipped the epilogue entirely though, but, again, maybe it's because certain kinks are not my cup of tea.

[BG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!❤️ Saw a request on reddit for books with an Enemies with benefits trope and this was recommended. Fit the bill so good now I can't get my fill and want more recs for this trope.

Edit: 28/12/23

Reread this bcz I was bored af and well it is as enjoyable and steamy as I remembered

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look, I have an EXTENSIVE history of fanfiction, yaoi, and trash TV consumption. but, no other piece of media has ever jerked me around mentally like this book and its fucking sequel have. This book EPITOMIZES the kind of shit that prompts people to ask if the straights are OK. (I am not exactly straight but I am not ok!!! Not after reading this!)

The characters, the plot, the writing, the sex are all like being strapped to a backyard hyperloop controlled by an ultra baked golden retriever-megalomaniac billionaire hybrid. MMC goes from a starved, wrung-out scarecrow to basically having a shelf butt after an infusion of magical power via sex with FMC. His neck, his penor, the universe are “succulent” and “inexorable.” FMC magically invades his thoughts (is this hacking???). Secrets are hidden, secrets explode. So do an insane number of orgasms. i swear at least 70% of this book is intense arguing interrupted by a blowjob or magic transferral humping. The sentences in the sex scenes run on in a purple stream of consciousness punctuated by mind reading, literal claps of lightning, and degrading dirty talk, ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

absolutely nothing in The Mage’s Match was my fetish. in fact, i personally found it actively *un*sexy - i repeatedly felt a sensation akin to the one i get when i discover my compost has leaked through the bin liner. (not to yuck anyone’s yum, it’s just that cognitive whiplash presided over all other emotions for me while reading lmao). and still…I COULD NOT STOP READING. I YEARNED for more details about the setting. I NEEDED to know how the fuck the entire shebang would end. i even developed an attachment to a side character (I would like that Thora/Runar story!!). Finley Fenn has a once-in-a-century talent, like the writing equivalent of a Chosen One superpower capable of melting the world.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me! Regin was a straight-up asshole who never truly apologized, and I genuinely could not understand why Selby was into him at all. Everything felt really...degrading(?) in a non-sexy way. I really hated the way they spoke to each other, especially during sex. I stuck around to the end because I found the world and the mystery to be interesting, but the dynamics of the relationship were not it.
Sad for me bc I LOVE Fenn's Orc Sworn series.

[Ana Stasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so intensely.... Weird. The hero was an irredeemable asshole like 99% of the times, the heroine was often a doormat, and their entire relationship is based on them just sleeping together and her essentially reading his mind. There were waaaaay too many deus ex machina type moves, where random characters would just have random powers as needed by the MC's at that particular moment in time, with no rhyme or reason. The fact that the heroine is called an Earth-mage had little to no impact on the powers she ended up having. I wish the hero had been redeemed sooner. Even at like the 80% mark, he still wouldn't defend the heroine to his d-bag friends. And there were just way too many times when he would think about his ex while screwing the heroine, with zero apology afterwards. And I reeeeeeally could have done without him calling her a bitch constantly (I know it's their version of dirty talk, but it's just too derogatory in my opinion). Their relationship was intensely toxic overall.

Flaws aside, the writing style was pretty good, and the author seems underrated to me. There are plenty of worse books with better ratings than this. I think it does deserve a higher rating than it has currently.

The book did have some stuff not usually seen in typical romance books, like the hero being under someone's thumb, and him being skinny af at the beginning. I did actually find this interesting and kind of... Refreshing?

[Miranda]

DNF at about 50%. I an just tired of it. There were a lot of sex scenes that were exactly the same with the boring stuff going on. So much repetition and I am burnt out on this book.

I think this was intended to be a YA book but the characters were aged up to include sex. The main characters are very juvenile.

The MMC especially acts like he is 16 and it is very annoying. He is also very stupid. 50% in and he is still treating her like shit. I pity her and it is hard to read a book where you hate one characters and pity the other bc she keeps getting abused with nothing nice or happy happens to her. I like women. I don’t want to read a book where nothing good happens to her.

I really like the idea. But I am just tired and I can’t make myself pick it back up.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mage's Match by Finley Fenn is an awesome story that I read and fell in love with. This is book number one in this awesome series that I fell in love with reading. I highly recommend this story to everyone who love reading about paranormal and erotica romances.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mostly love the banter btwn characters.

I wish Regin and Selby didn't have such potty mouths.

Smexy scenes were delicious. Author got it right.

Tho' there was very little reciprocation initially especially when Regin thought Selby was just a whore. Since Shelby was happy, who can complain...🙄

[Nicole]

I did a safety(for myself) skim and from what I skimmed the MMC is too much of an asshole. FMC gets data on the MMC (anyone she touches) and some of this is his sexual past with OW.
Too much angst for me personally. I did not finish this, so I won’t be rating it.

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

PORN⁉️⁉️⁉️
@ every bitch questioning me bc of the cover: it’s going to continue

[Pene|ope • Temp Hyperfixation: WC & OMV · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give this book zero stars and still have it affect its rating I would. I started it because I was looking for enemies to lovers and someone on reddit recommended it. I wish I hadn't looked it up after that.

There was a point very early on where I was cautiously optimistic. I can take any amount of asshole behavior ✨as long as the grovel is good✨ or if not, then at least as long as the character changes. 

I kept waiting for that happen. And waiting and waiting and waiting. 

Then I was just rage finishing.

‼️ SPOILERS 

Trust me: 

The MMC is not only an asshole, but he gaslights her the entire book into believing he has ✨reasons✨ for the way he treats her, ✨ really good reasons ✨. It's well past 3/4 of the book when he's still asking her to hide so his friends don't see him with a lesser person like her. When he's still arguing with her about his friends and ex gf, who have thrown rocks at her, spread rumors about her (the MMC spread half those rumors to them himself), taunted her, openly trash talked her to him, etc., and somehow this idiot spends the entire book defending THEM when she brings it up to the point that she never brings it up again because "she learned her lesson" each time he turned it around on her and made it her fault for caring how they treat her.

Classic narcissist behavior. 

He also believes everyone around him has his best interests at heart TO A FAULT. No one would dare hurt him until they do, and then it must have been a mistake. No one would dare come for her since she's his, until they do (many times), and then they must have had their reasons. No one would dare use him for his almighty powers until the FMC dares to point out that they've isolated him for over a decade, then the FMC is wrong for even thinking that.

Fucking exhausting, I want out of this relationship and I'm not even in it.

The father of his ex gf (who has demonstrated multiple times that she despises the FMC, but don't tell the MMC that or he'll defend the ex like they're still gonna get back together or smthng) is literally helping to frame her for murder and this guy is still like, there's no way he would do that! He called me son once before I broke up with his daughter! 

Oh honey. I won't hold your hand when I tell you this, but...

I could have dealt with all of this if the FMC had any sort of backbone. She doesn't. She was virgin before she made fucking him her entire personality. She's so sex crazed and into him that every argument ends in sex. And not even good sex. They're going at it multiple times a chapter yet for more than 3/4 of the book, it's just her on top doing her thing while he tries not to touch her and not to enjoy it, because this man literally finds her disgusting until the book needs him not to anymore. Then he taps her thigh and she rolls off him and that's that.

It's completely transactional, something he reminds her of every time because he doesn't want her to think it's anything more but at the same time he resents her for that because he wants her to want him and be willing to service him two or three times a day for free. This is literally a conversation they have more than once in this book.

This book was supposed to be filled with banter, but what all of these reviewers are calling "banter" is just straight up unrelenting degradation on the MMC's part, with the FMC being so turned on by it all the time that even him asking the most humiliating things of her to spare him embarrassment with his friends turns her on. She can't go in and out of his room when he's not there, can't wander the hallways where ppl can see her, can't let anyone know he's fucking her, can't stay in his room while he's gone even though she doesn't have her own room, etc., all of these asshole and contradictory things just turn her on and make her want his dick inside her like she has no other purpose in life.

I can accept degradation when the MMC doesn't actually mean it with his whole heart. When he actually respects the FMC in some way outside of what he's saying/doing. When loving that treatment 24/7 isn't the FMC's entire written purpose.

He never has to apologize for any of the things he puts her through either because every. single. time. she's going to end up servicing him no matter what he says to her or how he treats her because this author has no idea about boundaries when it comes to things like degradation. No such thing as after care because the FMC is so ✨perfect✨ for this asshole who won't provide that anyway that she doesn't want it. He can degrade her inside and outside of the bedroom, most of the time actually meaning what he says to her, and this author has written this woman to accept it all.

Istg romance books like this are just poorly disguised red pill content, and also the reason some people go on to accept treatment like this in irl relationships for YEARS. This is not romance!

Oh, and I almost forgot the way the MMC turned into a whiney deflecting baby anytime he was confronted with his own actions.

- I'm sorry I was an asshole about your and your family's lifestyle, you know I've been really tired lately.

- I'm sorry I got angry when you were upset my friends threw rocks at you and you insinuated my perfect ex gf could have a hating bone in her body, you know I haven't been sleeping well. 

- I'm sorry I got mad at you for questioning my trust in these people who are framing you for murder, you know that I have daddy issues and they've always been there for me.

- I'm sorry I made you finally want to leave, DON'T LEAVE! What about my powers? I thought you really liked me, but I guess that was just a lie?!

These are just paraphrasing what happened, but this is the level of manipulation and gaslighting we're dealing with in this book. And what does the FMC do with each of these excuses to her very valid things she's upset about?

"Oh."
Then she feels warmth in her heart that he cares about her (girl what? Where are you getting that?), and immediately wants to fuck him. EVERY. TIME.

If I could go back and bleach this book from my mind I would. If I could take back whatever money this author gained from the pages I read, I would. Please reset the last 24 hours. 🙏🏽

[Giulia Vasquez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Writing a book is a brave thing to do

but if you are doing it
please
get an editor and a reviewer
ideally someone that will tell you what you need to hear and not simply what you want to hear

this book didnt seem to have any of those.
is was entirely smut scenes without a well delivered plot

magic world? just mentioned in passing....
no world building whatsoever
and definitely no sense of magic

I figured I would not like this book just by the way it opened

the dialogues reminded me a lot of teenagers discovering curse words and wanting to use them in every single sentence thinking it makes them look cool
it doesnt
it's just annoying

also, the book itself appeared to be straight out of high school or middle school
........

the hero and heroine are not likeable at all
again
just annoying
the sex scenes were cringe
their conversations seemed to mirror Riverdale
......


I suspect the author has been taking inspiration from the worst works on tumblr ao3 and wattpad

please,
be inspired by good writing

[DemetraP · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hero is very mean to her for the first few weeks of their deal. He talks badly about her to his friends. He tells her he doesn't want her in his rooms (she has nowhere else to sleep).

He also makes heroine do all the work in the physical intimacy they must share to fix his magic and is very selfish in bed.

Eventually heroine threatens to leave and hero is angry because he needs her to fix his magic. So they start working on being nicer to each other. Hero enjoys calling her bad names during sex and being in charge and calling her a dirty girl, etc.

I was upset that the bad guy took up so much of the story, the last few chapters were completely taken over by the heroine being falsely accused of murder.

[Maria Ines Alvarez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yeah it’s a no for me dawg

“How fucking dare you. You waltz in here and take that money to fuck me, and then you turn around and rail at me about shit like this? News for you, bitch, you’re the one selling yourself to give me my magic back so I can work again! At least my reasons are valid, yours are just about the fucking coin!”


DNF @ 19%