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Of All the Odds: A Modern-Day Grimm-Style Fairy Tale
When the fae play such deadly games, falling in love with one of them can have devastating consequences…
Fickle and capricious, the fae lack a true understanding of human emotions. Though they can masquerade as human, their behavior inevitably betrays them as something utterly other. When Ichabod bested him at a card game, Sebastian abandoned his human lover, leaving him only with a cursed deck to keep him alive.
For a hundred years, Ichabod has waited for his fae lover to return to him. Every day to prolong his life, he must trick an oblivious outsider into choosing a card from a cursed deck — a card that spells everything from a stomach full of bees to a full body swap… to death. Having their deaths on his conscience weighs on him, but to fail would mean the end of his existence… and he isn’t ready to let go when Sebastian might return…
Their reunion is as erotic and dangerous as their time together, with the two exploring the depths of dominance and submission, of pleasure and pain, of sadism and masochism. But can one of the fae truly care for a human? Or will Ichabod’s ferocious love for Sebastian prove to be the end of him?
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Of All the Odds is a non-traditional love story and modern-day fairy tale of the Grimm variety. Warnings: unsafe BDSM (in all senses of the phrase), a Master/slave style-relationship, and consensual breath play.
Fickle and capricious, the fae lack a true understanding of human emotions. Though they can masquerade as human, their behavior inevitably betrays them as something utterly other. When Ichabod bested him at a card game, Sebastian abandoned his human lover, leaving him only with a cursed deck to keep him alive.
For a hundred years, Ichabod has waited for his fae lover to return to him. Every day to prolong his life, he must trick an oblivious outsider into choosing a card from a cursed deck — a card that spells everything from a stomach full of bees to a full body swap… to death. Having their deaths on his conscience weighs on him, but to fail would mean the end of his existence… and he isn’t ready to let go when Sebastian might return…
Their reunion is as erotic and dangerous as their time together, with the two exploring the depths of dominance and submission, of pleasure and pain, of sadism and masochism. But can one of the fae truly care for a human? Or will Ichabod’s ferocious love for Sebastian prove to be the end of him?
###
Of All the Odds is a non-traditional love story and modern-day fairy tale of the Grimm variety. Warnings: unsafe BDSM (in all senses of the phrase), a Master/slave style-relationship, and consensual breath play.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2018
44 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
R. Phoenix
80 books564 followersR. Phoenix has an unhealthy fascination with contrasts: light and dark, heroes and villains, order and chaos. She believes that love can corrupt and power can redeem. Her muse is a sadomasochistic slave driver who thinks it's terribly amusing to give her the best ideas when she just got comfortable and warm in bed, and she passes on that torture to her readers. She also tries entirely too hard to be funny, and she mercilessly inflicts her terrible sense of humor upon anyone who speaks to her. She'd love it if you'd say hello!
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 12, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. This dark dangerous fae was so much fun. Looking for more books by R. Phoenix. Funny thing is I said I wasn’t going to read any more books by her. Glad I read this one.
July 4, 2022
M/m, human/fae
For the record this really isn't a romance. It's a story of a fae that became obsessed with a human and a human who wounded the fae's pride and was taught a lesson. Sometimes stories glamorize the fae but this one did not. They're cruel and NOT HUMAN. and yet with their almost human appearance we still seem to assign humanistic characteristics to them.
Overall the story was pretty straightforward. The plot was... There? Somewhere? This is more like an idea of a story than a full fledged story. The ending is open ended but mostly "HEA".
There were a few times in the writing where it seemed to lose place of things that had already been said. Repetition. It became a bit cumbersome.
For the record this really isn't a romance. It's a story of a fae that became obsessed with a human and a human who wounded the fae's pride and was taught a lesson. Sometimes stories glamorize the fae but this one did not. They're cruel and NOT HUMAN. and yet with their almost human appearance we still seem to assign humanistic characteristics to them.
Overall the story was pretty straightforward. The plot was... There? Somewhere? This is more like an idea of a story than a full fledged story. The ending is open ended but mostly "HEA".
There were a few times in the writing where it seemed to lose place of things that had already been said. Repetition. It became a bit cumbersome.
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February 4, 2019Deliciously delightful
Gah this book. Every page was pure poetry and s e x. Ichabod made you jealous yet terrified all at once.
Gah this book. Every page was pure poetry and s e x. Ichabod made you jealous yet terrified all at once.
November 5, 2018
A TALE OF DARKER DESIRES
WOW!! This is a very imaginative tale about the dark Fae. I have always found the Fae to be mystic creatures. Sebastian is a Fae, who seems to have a fascination with humans. Ichabod is a human who caught Sebastian's attraction. Through a series of circumstances they reunite and experience all their darkest desire fantasies. R. Phoenix can weave a tale of darkness AND love, like nothing I've ever read before. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!
WOW!! This is a very imaginative tale about the dark Fae. I have always found the Fae to be mystic creatures. Sebastian is a Fae, who seems to have a fascination with humans. Ichabod is a human who caught Sebastian's attraction. Through a series of circumstances they reunite and experience all their darkest desire fantasies. R. Phoenix can weave a tale of darkness AND love, like nothing I've ever read before. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!
November 24, 2018
Sadly, this was not to my taste. It contained cruelty and sexual acts that were not to my liking. Some may enjoy it. The writing was well done.
Typos: marble door should be floor, missing word (Ichabod's expression ___ from...to...), away for way (got in his away).
Typos: marble door should be floor, missing word (Ichabod's expression ___ from...to...), away for way (got in his away).
March 18, 2022
A dark and twisted fae tale 🖤
Comfort reads are always welcome, even if mine tip into the darker scale. Anything by R. Phoenix is something I’ll gladly immerse myself in, time and time again.
In true Grimm fairytale style, this was a totally different pace for Ms. Phoenix. The dark and cruel mindset of Sebastian, was true to fae character. His inability to judge time in the human realm left Ichabod barely hanging on, pining for him. Ichabod’s life hinged on the daily turn of a card, bringing both pleasure and pain, never ending without his lover.
“𝐼 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓊𝓃𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂. 𝐼 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽, 𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓉, 𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓁𝑒𝓃 𝓈𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒹…” ~ 𝐼𝒸𝒽𝒶𝒷𝑜𝒹
The imagery in so few words of the world rushing by, in Sebastian’s prolonged absence, flowed like poetry. Ichabod’s attempts to placate the volatile fae, only served to push him further. I waited for Ichabod’s breaking point, constantly edged to the point of madness.
“𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝒶𝓀, 𝓃𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝓂𝒾𝓉𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝑒𝓋𝑜𝓀𝑒. 𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓉 𝒮𝑒𝒷𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓃’𝓈 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝒶 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝒻𝒾𝒸𝓀𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔.”
It’s dark and deliciously naughty. The mm and other aspects create the perfect twisted tale I remembered.
Comfort reads are always welcome, even if mine tip into the darker scale. Anything by R. Phoenix is something I’ll gladly immerse myself in, time and time again.
In true Grimm fairytale style, this was a totally different pace for Ms. Phoenix. The dark and cruel mindset of Sebastian, was true to fae character. His inability to judge time in the human realm left Ichabod barely hanging on, pining for him. Ichabod’s life hinged on the daily turn of a card, bringing both pleasure and pain, never ending without his lover.
“𝐼 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓊𝓃𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂. 𝐼 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽, 𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓉, 𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓁𝑒𝓃 𝓈𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒹…” ~ 𝐼𝒸𝒽𝒶𝒷𝑜𝒹
The imagery in so few words of the world rushing by, in Sebastian’s prolonged absence, flowed like poetry. Ichabod’s attempts to placate the volatile fae, only served to push him further. I waited for Ichabod’s breaking point, constantly edged to the point of madness.
“𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝒶𝓀, 𝓃𝑜 𝓁𝒾𝓂𝒾𝓉𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝑒𝓋𝑜𝓀𝑒. 𝐻𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓁𝓎 𝒶𝓉 𝒮𝑒𝒷𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓃’𝓈 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒸𝓎 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝒶 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝒻𝒾𝒸𝓀𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔.”
It’s dark and deliciously naughty. The mm and other aspects create the perfect twisted tale I remembered.
January 7, 2024
This story is pretty dark and twisted. Definitely more like a true Grimm fairytale. Sebastian is a fae and the master to Ichabod’s human slave counterpart. Ichabod is in love with Sebastian, is devoted to him, worships and adores him. Sebastian is fae, so he believes he is better than humans and he doesn’t have human feelings. He is cruel and merciless. This story is dark, it is not a traditional love story, I’m not sure I would even classify it as a romance or a love story. It is dark erotica. It wasn’t my cup of tea, which is shocking cause I love dark erotica but I didn’t connect with the story. And I know that’s me, not the story itself cause I love this author and it was very well written. I think for me it was the lack of the love part of the story, it was too outside a love story for me. Maybe if I went in knowing it was more erotica than not? I still give it a 4 star because it was interesting and intriguing, the world building was great. It was a story I enjoyed reading.
August 11, 2020
Ummm ... where’s the second half of the book ...??!
This was a really nice introduction to Ichabod and Sebastian, but it felt totally incomplete - like the book was just really starting - and then it ended. If the book was just supposed to be an erotica, why shape this incredible backstory about the cursed deck and the 100 years apart? When you do that then I’m not satisfied with “just” a very nice erotica - I want to know what’s going to happen: Will Ichabod live or die? Will Sebastian leave again? Will Ichabod go to the realm? What’s going to be their fate?
Really great writing and concept that left me desperate for more - will change my rating to 4 stars if there is going to be a second book at any point. Because this just felt too incomplete to be the whole story. Hope to see them again soon! ;)
This was a really nice introduction to Ichabod and Sebastian, but it felt totally incomplete - like the book was just really starting - and then it ended. If the book was just supposed to be an erotica, why shape this incredible backstory about the cursed deck and the 100 years apart? When you do that then I’m not satisfied with “just” a very nice erotica - I want to know what’s going to happen: Will Ichabod live or die? Will Sebastian leave again? Will Ichabod go to the realm? What’s going to be their fate?
Really great writing and concept that left me desperate for more - will change my rating to 4 stars if there is going to be a second book at any point. Because this just felt too incomplete to be the whole story. Hope to see them again soon! ;)
January 17, 2021
I am enchanted by this two characters. I loved them so much.
I had a great time reading this book. It had a very high heat level, with some very interesting scenes. Even if I liked that parto of it, what I liked the most about the book were the characters. The internal dialogues were magnificent, especially when it came from Sebastian, whose mind is so dark and intriguing that I couldn't det enough of him.
There were few things I didn't liked about it, but most of all was because I wanted so much more of them. Overall it was a fantastic book. Very dark in some amazing ways.
I had a great time reading this book. It had a very high heat level, with some very interesting scenes. Even if I liked that parto of it, what I liked the most about the book were the characters. The internal dialogues were magnificent, especially when it came from Sebastian, whose mind is so dark and intriguing that I couldn't det enough of him.
There were few things I didn't liked about it, but most of all was because I wanted so much more of them. Overall it was a fantastic book. Very dark in some amazing ways.
August 16, 2023
Beautiful writing, densely complex characters, and so effing dark that I really wanted a room full of night lights while I was reading. I need to be in the mood for this author, and I just wasn't there when I read this, which I regret. I'm sure I would've given it a higher rating if I'd been more mentally prepared for it. The fae are collectively sick bastards...and I need to read something light and fluffy, stat.
July 2, 2019
What happens when a true masochist meets the ultimate sadist?
The action in this tale takes place over less than a day, but the FEEELS! It'll have you tilting your head in WTF moments at times, but the emotions, the needs of the characters are described beautifully, if a little repetitive in places.
Well done!
The action in this tale takes place over less than a day, but the FEEELS! It'll have you tilting your head in WTF moments at times, but the emotions, the needs of the characters are described beautifully, if a little repetitive in places.
Well done!
June 21, 2019
A cruel, capricious fae and a lonely man he has abandoned on a whim make an unusual pair. Their reunion will be passionate and painful because Sebastian is devoid of any human restrictions and Ichabod is ready to do anything to please him.
June 25, 2019
"weaving webs of beautiful lies"
It felt like being in a horrific dreamlike state from start to finish. Sebastian haunted my actual dreams as I fell asleep at the end of the book, trapped forever...
It felt like being in a horrific dreamlike state from start to finish. Sebastian haunted my actual dreams as I fell asleep at the end of the book, trapped forever...
to-be-read
January 1, 2021Content warnings from the author: https://rphoenixbooks.com/where-do-i-...
January 31, 2021
Again R Phoenix writes a perfect book..I loved this...It's told over the course of one day and what Ichabod endures with Sebastian is truly harsh but he wants to be with Sebastian..He needs to be with him..Another great read x
September 15, 2025
Queer dark PNR. Short and very purposefully not sweet. Ends somewhat abruptly for the actual narrative arc for Sebastian’s and Ichabod’s relationship and the fateful card game that led to the schism in it.
Want to read
March 8, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/8/2022)! 🎁
January 7, 2024
great
This isn’t for the faint hearted, it dark and delicious and I absolutely loved it.
A fairy tale between a fae and a human.
This isn’t for the faint hearted, it dark and delicious and I absolutely loved it.
A fairy tale between a fae and a human.
March 16, 2021
What is the world coming to! An R Phoenix book I didn’t love.
This had so much to potential. I’m normally not one to criticize an author for the whole “show don’t tell” thing but ... she fell into that trap. Over and over and over she told us everything we could possibly want to know about the characters. About 40 pages in I knew everything, but the novella just kept repeating stuff. There wasn’t much actual plot and the novella spanned less than twenty four hours. The erotic encounters kept being interrupted by the characters’ thoughts- thoughts and info that we had already been informed about. Look, I think a risk was taken here, with beautiful lyrical writing and a dose of erotic horror. And it was well done, R Phoenix is good at what she does. However, it managed to be an incredibly slow read for me because of the pacing and the repetition of info we already knew.
I was fascinated by the main characters- Ichibod’s subservience and the capricious, cruel fae reunited after years. However, there was very little world building and I felt like what Ichibod went through and what will happen next are too unclear. This novella had so much potential to expand on, so it’s very sad it got bogged down.
This had so much to potential. I’m normally not one to criticize an author for the whole “show don’t tell” thing but ... she fell into that trap. Over and over and over she told us everything we could possibly want to know about the characters. About 40 pages in I knew everything, but the novella just kept repeating stuff. There wasn’t much actual plot and the novella spanned less than twenty four hours. The erotic encounters kept being interrupted by the characters’ thoughts- thoughts and info that we had already been informed about. Look, I think a risk was taken here, with beautiful lyrical writing and a dose of erotic horror. And it was well done, R Phoenix is good at what she does. However, it managed to be an incredibly slow read for me because of the pacing and the repetition of info we already knew.
I was fascinated by the main characters- Ichibod’s subservience and the capricious, cruel fae reunited after years. However, there was very little world building and I felt like what Ichibod went through and what will happen next are too unclear. This novella had so much potential to expand on, so it’s very sad it got bogged down.
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