Arranged Marriages of the Fae is a multiple-author series that centers on, of course, fae marriages. Tessonja Odette is one of my favorite authors and her contribution to the series is Married by Scandal which is the third book in the series. If you read The Fair Isle Trilogy then you might have wondered what happened to Queen Evelyn's big sister, Amelie, after the war well this is the answer and it was fabulous. Even if you've never read the series, no worries because it's written with that in mind as well, a perfect standalone.
Amelie is a fashion designer, it's her burning passion and while she gets recognition for her fae fashion she thinks it's mostly because of who her sister is. Amelie is determined to win over the humans on her own merit. She's so stubborn about everything but her stubbornness comes from a place due to her traumatic past (the Fair Isle Trilogy). She doesn't want help, doesn't want love, and resists her fae half. However, as things go along Amelie is changing, dropping her walls and becoming a better version of who she was, before the trauma. I like Amelie, her passion, her courage, and even her stubbornness, sometimes and I'm glad she found her way back to herself in this book.
Tess is a genius when it comes to unique romance, this is an arranged marriage, proximity situation, and while Amelie thought she knew what to expect the prince was a refreshing surprise. They clicked, had strong chemistry, and were able to relax around each other, connect, have fun, and open up. Of course, there was a plot twist but the potential for more was there, the excitement, the angst, and the love. I will admit I didn't trust the prince at first but after everything came out I was won over. He was there for Amelie, expressed his passion in so many ways, and won her heart. It was a great romance story.
If you ever read Tess's work you realize she has a magical way to tell a story. Her current series, Entangled with the Fae, is still set in Faerwyvae but are fairytale retellings and are fantastic, Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid, and more. While this book is a part of another series it totally fits in with what she is doing now. It took me a moment to figure out what fairytale she was retelling but once I did I was ecstatic. It's a lesser told fairytale but done with Tess's whimsical flare. The glitz of the red carpet, the gossip papers, fancy balls, cameras catching compromising photos, stylish cars, and the fashion were unreal, and all of it mixed with the magical flare of the fae.
Tessonja Odette has created another incredible fairytale, I absolutely loved it. The characters both familiar and new, the world-building, and the grand descriptions all help create a fantastical escape. I can't wait to see what fairytale Tess takes on next.