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My Fairy Godlover
Not yet published
Expected 18 Mar 27A fairy godmother is accidentally summoned to help a museum archivist with an unrequited crush, in this cottagecore sapphic paranormal romance from the author of Best Hex Ever and Love at First Fright.
Annie has her life neatly organised. A successful museum archivist, she knows exactly where everything belongs―except her heart. She’s hopelessly in love with her handsome, oblivious boss, and convinced he’s the one missing piece in her perfectly ordered life.
Then Annie accidentally summons Esynne: a sharp-tongued fairy godmother bound by an ancient matchmaking curse. If Esynne can make Annie’s boss fall in love with her, she’ll finally earn her freedom.
But magic misfires. As sparks fly between Annie and Esynne, duty turns into longing, and Annie must decide whether the love she’s been chasing is real… or if her happily-ever-after has been standing beside her all along.
Annie has her life neatly organised. A successful museum archivist, she knows exactly where everything belongs―except her heart. She’s hopelessly in love with her handsome, oblivious boss, and convinced he’s the one missing piece in her perfectly ordered life.
Then Annie accidentally summons Esynne: a sharp-tongued fairy godmother bound by an ancient matchmaking curse. If Esynne can make Annie’s boss fall in love with her, she’ll finally earn her freedom.
But magic misfires. As sparks fly between Annie and Esynne, duty turns into longing, and Annie must decide whether the love she’s been chasing is real… or if her happily-ever-after has been standing beside her all along.
256 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 16, 2027
About the author
Nadia El-Fassi
6 books562 followersNadia El-Fassi is a half-Moroccan, half-Australian author of fantasy, romance and horror. She has written Best Hex Ever, Love at First Fright and upcoming sapphic romance My Fairy Godlover. They have an addiction to iced coffee, period dramas, buying D&D dice and watching horror movies. They live in Hertfordshire with their husband and perfectly round cat Fitz. You can find them on Instagram @nadiaelfassiauthor
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 ⭐
My Fairy Godlover is a contemporary fantasy romance about Annie, a British archivist whose world has been clouded by sadness ever since she lost her beloved mentor and friend, Rita. While carrying out Rita's final wishes, Annie begins cataloging her enormous art collection and accidentally summons Esynne, a fairy godmother cursed to help thirty women fall in love. Esynne needs to help Annie find her happily ever after if she wants one final shot at breaking the curse, except Annie already has a crush on her boss, Max, and Esynne has absolutely no idea how modern romance works. And of course, the stakes get even higher once they realize they're genuinely starting to catch real feelings for one another...
When I read the blurb, I immediately ran to NetGalley to request this book. A sapphic romance involving a fairy godmother? Sign me up. It's definitely not a concept you come across every day, so when I got approved, I jumped straight in. Sadly, the execution didn't quite do justice to such a great premise, and I was left feeling a bit disheartened.
Let's start with what worked for me, because there were definitely some things I appreciated.
The grief storyline was probably my favorite part of the book. It felt so beautifully wistful watching Annie look back on her bond with Rita, especially with how much that friendship continued to haunt the story. We never actually get to see them together because Rita has already passed away before the events of the novel, but she somehow remained incredibly present. Annie's memories made her feel almost alive, and the little gestures that showed just how much she loved and admired Rita were easily some of the most heartfelt scenes in the book.
I also enjoyed the glimpses into Elphame, notably whenever Elm and Esynne were together. Their friendship was quite sweet, and they brought some much-needed humor to the story. Truthfully, I would've loved to spend more time there. We barely scratch the surface of all the magical creatures and possibilities within that world, and I think leaning into the fantasy side a little more heavily would have made this a much more gripping read for my taste.
Now, this is where the dynamics got a bit confusing for me... My biggest struggle was that I just couldn't rid myself of the feeling that the story was being told through a somewhat heteronormative lens. As someone who exclusively reads sapphic fiction, I tend to notice certain patterns in how f/f romances are structured, and there were several things here that made me question how central the sapphic relationship was actually meant to be.
For starters, Max is EVERYWHERE. This man is mentioned what feels like three hundred times, and his role in the story goes way beyond being a simple obstacle. At one point, I seriously worried it was pulling the classic love triangle trope where a sapphic relationship is thrown into a traditional straight romance setup just to create friction. Even once Annie and Esynne's love story kicks up, Max's plot still occupies a huge chunk of the book.
And in all honesty, it didn't help that I didn't like him. His ego is massive, he takes Annie for granted, and there were several moments where I just wanted someone to tell him to go away.
On top of that, the curse itself only added to that exact impression. Esynne's role as a fairy godmother and the actual mechanics of breaking her curse are heavily based on traditional Regency courtship: balls, suitors, gentleman callers, marriage proposals, and all the usual expectations surrounding a m/f romance.
Even when Annie and Esynne finally start falling for each other, she keeps returning to the idea of finding her a new suitor, as if a man is still the obvious answer to the problem. That mindset continues almost all the way to the end, and I found myself wishing the magic system had been reworked more specifically around the sapphic romance at the heart of the story.
Even Esynne's own backstory feeds into this. Her past lover leaves her for a man because that was considered the practical or "real" path, while their relationship is treated as the secret, impossible, doomed alternative. Again, I can't say whether that was intentional, but as a sapphic reader, it was difficult not to notice the pattern.
Another hurdle for me was the contrast in how Annie and Esynne were written. Esynne felt like she had so much more going on beneath the surface. She had a fascinating past, her own powers, her changeling nature, and clear motivations that made me curious about her.
Annie, unfortunately, felt much more superficial to me outside of her grief. She was constantly nervous, constantly apologizing, and seemed to defer to everyone around her instead of standing up for herself. And then there was the BLUSHING.
Oh my god.
Every interaction with Max or Esynne seemed to result in Annie blushing like a teenager. At first, I thought it was cute. Then it kept happening. And happening. And happening. Eventually, I was just like, "Girl, are you okay?" Considering she's nearly thirty, it became such a frequent trait that it started getting on my nerves. Maybe this is just one of my personal pet peeves, but I couldn't get past it.
Annie and Esynne had chemistry, and their banter could be fun, but I never felt that deeper emotional connection developing between them. Their relationship seemed to rely mostly on proximity, attraction, physical tension, and witty exchanges, rather than the kind of emotional intimacy that makes me fully invest in a romance.
Cue the inevitable miscommunication trope... I am already not its biggest fan, but here it felt particularly convenient for the plot while also being completely unnecessary. It was especially frustrating because I sincerely saw a spark between them at first. There were a few early scenes where I was totally on board, but the further the plot went, the more let down I felt by how their love story played out. In the end, I just never quite managed to care about them as a couple as much as I wanted to.
I really respect what the author set out to do here, and the book is packed with some truly wonderful concepts, particularly the exploration of loss and the magical elements. I definitely give Nadia credit for exploring those themes, even if the overall execution wasn't quite my personal cup of tea.
However, I wish the promo had been a bit more transparent about the exact type of story we were getting. I went in expecting the f/f relationship to be the central romantic thread, but the love triangle completely shifted that dynamic. Ultimately, their bond felt more like a subplot than the main event.
When all is said and done, that's just how the book hit me personally. I know everyone’s reading journey is unique, and I'm just sincerely glad this story exists for the audience that connects with it perfectly.
My Fairy Godlover is a contemporary fantasy romance about Annie, a British archivist whose world has been clouded by sadness ever since she lost her beloved mentor and friend, Rita. While carrying out Rita's final wishes, Annie begins cataloging her enormous art collection and accidentally summons Esynne, a fairy godmother cursed to help thirty women fall in love. Esynne needs to help Annie find her happily ever after if she wants one final shot at breaking the curse, except Annie already has a crush on her boss, Max, and Esynne has absolutely no idea how modern romance works. And of course, the stakes get even higher once they realize they're genuinely starting to catch real feelings for one another...
When I read the blurb, I immediately ran to NetGalley to request this book. A sapphic romance involving a fairy godmother? Sign me up. It's definitely not a concept you come across every day, so when I got approved, I jumped straight in. Sadly, the execution didn't quite do justice to such a great premise, and I was left feeling a bit disheartened.
Let's start with what worked for me, because there were definitely some things I appreciated.
The grief storyline was probably my favorite part of the book. It felt so beautifully wistful watching Annie look back on her bond with Rita, especially with how much that friendship continued to haunt the story. We never actually get to see them together because Rita has already passed away before the events of the novel, but she somehow remained incredibly present. Annie's memories made her feel almost alive, and the little gestures that showed just how much she loved and admired Rita were easily some of the most heartfelt scenes in the book.
I also enjoyed the glimpses into Elphame, notably whenever Elm and Esynne were together. Their friendship was quite sweet, and they brought some much-needed humor to the story. Truthfully, I would've loved to spend more time there. We barely scratch the surface of all the magical creatures and possibilities within that world, and I think leaning into the fantasy side a little more heavily would have made this a much more gripping read for my taste.
Now, this is where the dynamics got a bit confusing for me... My biggest struggle was that I just couldn't rid myself of the feeling that the story was being told through a somewhat heteronormative lens. As someone who exclusively reads sapphic fiction, I tend to notice certain patterns in how f/f romances are structured, and there were several things here that made me question how central the sapphic relationship was actually meant to be.
For starters, Max is EVERYWHERE. This man is mentioned what feels like three hundred times, and his role in the story goes way beyond being a simple obstacle. At one point, I seriously worried it was pulling the classic love triangle trope where a sapphic relationship is thrown into a traditional straight romance setup just to create friction. Even once Annie and Esynne's love story kicks up, Max's plot still occupies a huge chunk of the book.
And in all honesty, it didn't help that I didn't like him. His ego is massive, he takes Annie for granted, and there were several moments where I just wanted someone to tell him to go away.
On top of that, the curse itself only added to that exact impression. Esynne's role as a fairy godmother and the actual mechanics of breaking her curse are heavily based on traditional Regency courtship: balls, suitors, gentleman callers, marriage proposals, and all the usual expectations surrounding a m/f romance.
Even when Annie and Esynne finally start falling for each other, she keeps returning to the idea of finding her a new suitor, as if a man is still the obvious answer to the problem. That mindset continues almost all the way to the end, and I found myself wishing the magic system had been reworked more specifically around the sapphic romance at the heart of the story.
Even Esynne's own backstory feeds into this. Her past lover leaves her for a man because that was considered the practical or "real" path, while their relationship is treated as the secret, impossible, doomed alternative. Again, I can't say whether that was intentional, but as a sapphic reader, it was difficult not to notice the pattern.
Another hurdle for me was the contrast in how Annie and Esynne were written. Esynne felt like she had so much more going on beneath the surface. She had a fascinating past, her own powers, her changeling nature, and clear motivations that made me curious about her.
Annie, unfortunately, felt much more superficial to me outside of her grief. She was constantly nervous, constantly apologizing, and seemed to defer to everyone around her instead of standing up for herself. And then there was the BLUSHING.
Oh my god.
Every interaction with Max or Esynne seemed to result in Annie blushing like a teenager. At first, I thought it was cute. Then it kept happening. And happening. And happening. Eventually, I was just like, "Girl, are you okay?" Considering she's nearly thirty, it became such a frequent trait that it started getting on my nerves. Maybe this is just one of my personal pet peeves, but I couldn't get past it.
Annie and Esynne had chemistry, and their banter could be fun, but I never felt that deeper emotional connection developing between them. Their relationship seemed to rely mostly on proximity, attraction, physical tension, and witty exchanges, rather than the kind of emotional intimacy that makes me fully invest in a romance.
Cue the inevitable miscommunication trope... I am already not its biggest fan, but here it felt particularly convenient for the plot while also being completely unnecessary. It was especially frustrating because I sincerely saw a spark between them at first. There were a few early scenes where I was totally on board, but the further the plot went, the more let down I felt by how their love story played out. In the end, I just never quite managed to care about them as a couple as much as I wanted to.
I really respect what the author set out to do here, and the book is packed with some truly wonderful concepts, particularly the exploration of loss and the magical elements. I definitely give Nadia credit for exploring those themes, even if the overall execution wasn't quite my personal cup of tea.
However, I wish the promo had been a bit more transparent about the exact type of story we were getting. I went in expecting the f/f relationship to be the central romantic thread, but the love triangle completely shifted that dynamic. Ultimately, their bond felt more like a subplot than the main event.
When all is said and done, that's just how the book hit me personally. I know everyone’s reading journey is unique, and I'm just sincerely glad this story exists for the audience that connects with it perfectly.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you netgalley for the arc of this book 🧚♀️🦊🐈🌼🩷
⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔
What a magical adventure this was, cozy and very cute to. I love the concept of a fairy godmother who was a changeling turned into a fae after being cursed..
Both the fmc are written so well, from the way whole setting is described till one of the fmc making dresses, and how through the estate they both got together, their adventure towards happily ever after, i adore their bond so so much.
Simply beautiful and enchanting 🤍⭐️
⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ ᧔ෆ᧓ ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔
What a magical adventure this was, cozy and very cute to. I love the concept of a fairy godmother who was a changeling turned into a fae after being cursed..
Both the fmc are written so well, from the way whole setting is described till one of the fmc making dresses, and how through the estate they both got together, their adventure towards happily ever after, i adore their bond so so much.
Simply beautiful and enchanting 🤍⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is one for the readers who YEARN. No one does it quite like El-Fassi. I inhaled this gorgeous sapphic love story. It was the perfect balance of cosy and spice with high-stakes curse breaking and the most tender romance.
The world is absolutely enchanting and I loved our foray into Elphame. I honestly could have read an extra 100 pages of this wonderful story, but the conclusion was perfect. This will definitely be a re-read in the future!
The world is absolutely enchanting and I loved our foray into Elphame. I honestly could have read an extra 100 pages of this wonderful story, but the conclusion was perfect. This will definitely be a re-read in the future!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this!
A sapphic fairy godmother story? Immediately yes! Plus the cover is EVERYTHING to me. My hopes were high from the start with my Fairy godlover. I think when it comes to romantasy lovers, this one might not do it for you, but as someone who isn't a big romtansy reader - I really enjoyed this! It was easy to read, bingable, lighter for the most part, and just fun.
I really enjoyed the grief storyline and the way that the author portrayed this. Annie needed someone like Essence in her life and she brought everything and more you could have wanted. I felt like the story as a whole from the characters, plot and setting was cozy and just warm. I felt immersed into the world without a ton of world building info dumping, and that is everything for me.
What I wanted a bit more of was Essence and Annie. I wanted to see more of their chemistry outside of physical interactions. I felt the tension, I got the sexual chemistry.. I just wanted more of the emotional chemistry to jump off the page. It was there, I just wanted more of it. I wanted LESS of Max. I get the need to have him so present, he was just as important to the overall plot of the story as Essence and Annie, but I think if we would have gotten to the realization that he is skum earlier, we would have gotten more of what I was missing between Essence and Annie and the book would have been a 5 star read for me.
Overall, I had a really fun time. I enjoyed the read, and would absolutely recommend it!
A sapphic fairy godmother story? Immediately yes! Plus the cover is EVERYTHING to me. My hopes were high from the start with my Fairy godlover. I think when it comes to romantasy lovers, this one might not do it for you, but as someone who isn't a big romtansy reader - I really enjoyed this! It was easy to read, bingable, lighter for the most part, and just fun.
I really enjoyed the grief storyline and the way that the author portrayed this. Annie needed someone like Essence in her life and she brought everything and more you could have wanted. I felt like the story as a whole from the characters, plot and setting was cozy and just warm. I felt immersed into the world without a ton of world building info dumping, and that is everything for me.
What I wanted a bit more of was Essence and Annie. I wanted to see more of their chemistry outside of physical interactions. I felt the tension, I got the sexual chemistry.. I just wanted more of the emotional chemistry to jump off the page. It was there, I just wanted more of it. I wanted LESS of Max. I get the need to have him so present, he was just as important to the overall plot of the story as Essence and Annie, but I think if we would have gotten to the realization that he is skum earlier, we would have gotten more of what I was missing between Essence and Annie and the book would have been a 5 star read for me.
Overall, I had a really fun time. I enjoyed the read, and would absolutely recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early.
My Fairy Godlover follows Annie, an archivist at a museum grieving for her older best friend and pining for her boss, and Esynne, a fairy cursed to be a godmother until she sees thirty of her mistresses married.
I really liked the characters and the world! Annie and her relationship with her brother was super fun to read and I enjoyed the scenes they had together as well as Esynne and Elm, another fairy. There was also palpable chemistry between Esynne and Annie which I also enjoyed. I also really loved the flashes of Rita we got and wished we could've seen more of her.
However, I hated that there was a love triangle in this book. I didn't expect it to the level that it was and Max was a terrible character who I hated reading about. I also found that it really messed with the relationship between Annie and Esynne as it cut into the time we could've spent with them.
But I did enjoy the characters and the world.
Thank you again to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the chance to read this early.
My Fairy Godlover follows Annie, an archivist at a museum grieving for her older best friend and pining for her boss, and Esynne, a fairy cursed to be a godmother until she sees thirty of her mistresses married.
I really liked the characters and the world! Annie and her relationship with her brother was super fun to read and I enjoyed the scenes they had together as well as Esynne and Elm, another fairy. There was also palpable chemistry between Esynne and Annie which I also enjoyed. I also really loved the flashes of Rita we got and wished we could've seen more of her.
However, I hated that there was a love triangle in this book. I didn't expect it to the level that it was and Max was a terrible character who I hated reading about. I also found that it really messed with the relationship between Annie and Esynne as it cut into the time we could've spent with them.
But I did enjoy the characters and the world.
Thank you again to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the chance to read this early.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Fairy Godlover tells the story of Annie, a British archivist who accidentally summons Esynne, a beautiful fairy godmother cursed to help 30 women find love. Annie is the final woman Esynne needs to help to gain her freedom, and Annie accepts Esynne's help in winning over her boss whom she's hopelessly in love with. However, maybe what Annie was looking for was standing beside her all along.
Now I don't think I was the right audience for this book, but there were certain aspects I liked. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Annie and Esynne and I wished there had been less of Max. I'm not a fan of love triangles to begin with, and I just felt that his storyline was just a bit too big. I also wish that we could have seen more of Rita's character because that was probably the most powerful part of the book. The book was cute, but not something that I would read again.
My Fairy Godlover tells the story of Annie, a British archivist who accidentally summons Esynne, a beautiful fairy godmother cursed to help 30 women find love. Annie is the final woman Esynne needs to help to gain her freedom, and Annie accepts Esynne's help in winning over her boss whom she's hopelessly in love with. However, maybe what Annie was looking for was standing beside her all along.
Now I don't think I was the right audience for this book, but there were certain aspects I liked. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Annie and Esynne and I wished there had been less of Max. I'm not a fan of love triangles to begin with, and I just felt that his storyline was just a bit too big. I also wish that we could have seen more of Rita's character because that was probably the most powerful part of the book. The book was cute, but not something that I would read again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
October 14, 2026Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this review copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
DNF @ 51%
I was so excited by the premise of this book, and loved the way it handled grief, however the romantic aspects leave much to be desired.
The pacing is sluggish when it comes to the developing relationship between Annie and Esynne, and way too much time of this sapphic romance is taken up by the possible romantic prospect of a man, with how long it takes for Annie to realise he is not the right match for her. Max has way too much of a prominent position in this book.
I found myself not wanting to come back to this story as every time I have tried to get back into the book has been an absolute bore for me.
DNF @ 51%
I was so excited by the premise of this book, and loved the way it handled grief, however the romantic aspects leave much to be desired.
The pacing is sluggish when it comes to the developing relationship between Annie and Esynne, and way too much time of this sapphic romance is taken up by the possible romantic prospect of a man, with how long it takes for Annie to realise he is not the right match for her. Max has way too much of a prominent position in this book.
I found myself not wanting to come back to this story as every time I have tried to get back into the book has been an absolute bore for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2026
This was such a cutie, spicy, fast-paced sapphic romance!
Annie's best friend Rita passes away before the start of the book, and I really loved the depth that Annie's grief brought to her character. That being said, I would have killed for a prologue or a true flashback chapter from Rita's POV
Our main girls had so much chemistry, though I do wish we saw a little less of Max.
If you are in the mood for a whimsical, fun sapphic romance, you definitely gotta pick this one up!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Annie's best friend Rita passes away before the start of the book, and I really loved the depth that Annie's grief brought to her character. That being said, I would have killed for a prologue or a true flashback chapter from Rita's POV
Our main girls had so much chemistry, though I do wish we saw a little less of Max.
If you are in the mood for a whimsical, fun sapphic romance, you definitely gotta pick this one up!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dnf at 20%
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I have enjoyed Nadia El-Fassi’s other works so I was excited about this one. But I could tell quickly that I wouldn’t be able to connect with Annie. Even though this didn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean I won’t give Nadia El-Fassi’s next book a try.
Thank you to NetGalley, Nadia El-Fassi, and Dell for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I have enjoyed Nadia El-Fassi’s other works so I was excited about this one. But I could tell quickly that I wouldn’t be able to connect with Annie. Even though this didn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean I won’t give Nadia El-Fassi’s next book a try.
Thank you to NetGalley, Nadia El-Fassi, and Dell for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2026
3.75 STARS
I have enjoyed this author’s previous work. I enjoyed most of this book. Loved the characters and beautiful storytelling. I look forward to more from this author.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
I have enjoyed this author’s previous work. I enjoyed most of this book. Loved the characters and beautiful storytelling. I look forward to more from this author.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
October 21, 2026
What an adorable romance with so much whimsy and coziness! The fae world mixing with the human world is always one of my favorite things! Our main characters were both so enjoyable to follow in their journeys! Annie with her grief of losing her best friend, dealing with her job, and coming to terms with the fact that she might not be as straight as she thought! Then we have Esynne the cursed changeling having to be a fairy godmother that loves humans, and is struggling thinking a human can accept her for who she truly is! Miscommunication is always a sucker punch but I am glad they could overcome it and truly be together! Max was truly a terrible guy and I hated having to deal with him but I get why we needed to have him in the story! Overall I enjoyed this immensely! I definitely say pick this one up when it releases
Thankful to have received an eARC from Random House and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Thankful to have received an eARC from Random House and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews