It isn’t Lennie Martin’s fault her cruise ship left without her... Okay, that’s kind of a lie.
The ship left on schedule, but Lennie is distracted photographing the stunning fjord outside the tiny Norwegian village and loses track of time. Out of luck, Lennie finds herself stranded in town until the next boat arrives.
But not all is as it seems in Skolvik.
When she accidentally punches Espen, a friendly local cop and secret forest fae, she propels herself into a magical mystery the likes of which she never could have imagined. Because that last photograph that cost Lennie her ride? Turns out the silver light she captured was evidence of an illegal magic transfer between fae that could have detrimental effects on the fjord region.
To return home, all she needs to do is survive a week in the village, help Espen with his investigation, and avoid the local grump, Øyvin, who seems determined to make her vacation a whole lot more complicated. Or more fun, depending on how you look at it.
When passion blooms between her and the two handsome fae, and the urge to solve this mystery grows stronger, Lennie is torn between commandeering a boat to run back to her normal life, or becoming part of this hidden society and helping the fae of the fjord.
The Fae of the Fjord is a steamy romantic fantasy set in modern-day Norway, with heaps of humor, elemental magic, and Scandinavian flair. This is a plot-forward why-choose romance.
Hi! I’m Elle Thrasher, an author of romantic fantasy books.
My books are filled with relatable heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, lots of laughs, and locations that will give you wanderlust.
While I’m originally from the UK, and lived in Norway for seven years too, I now live in the US with my husband and one very fluffy dog. When I’m not writing, I can usually be found drinking a cup of tea, staring at my never-ending tbr, or taking a joke waaaaay too far.
Hi, I’m Elle and I wrote this book. Does that make me biased? Obviously, but here is why I think you’ll enjoy this book too.
Adventure – Sweeping vistas, an ice-cold fjord, pines so tall they touch the sky—Norway is our setting and it’s not a bad place to get stuck. At least, that’s what happens to Lennie when she misses her boat. Lennie’s Chaotic Adventure™ ensues from there with fantasy elements thrown into the real world.
Laughs – My goal with this one was to have my readers snort laughing or have their coffee coming out of their nose. It happened to my editors, will it happen to you too? By landing a Midwest girl in small-town Scandinavia, you know those cultural differences are ripe for jokes and laughs. (Respectfully of course.)
Spicy – When I say double the fae, double the fun, I mean it. This is NOT a love-triangle. This is a why-choose. Because Yum. Solid 3 chili peppers. 🌶️🌶️🌶️ For those who read a lot of spice it might feel more like 2, and for those who don’t normally dip their toes in the hottest of sauces, this may feel more like a 4. But, suffice to say, here be SPICY TIMES!
Okay, that’s it for now. If you love the book, let me know by sliding into my DMs! I hope you enjoy Lennie’s story and these Sexy Trolls.
THE FAE OF THE FJORD was a very unique fantasy romance and I loved the setting of a beautiful and isolated Norwegian town. The world of the Fae that Thrasher has created was cool and felt different than a lot of the fae books I've read in the past.
I also liked Lennie as our primary narrator; she's feisty, independent, and seems like a fun person to know. Her counterparts, Espen and Øyvin, were complete opposites and I'll be honest and say I only really liked Espen. He was fun, flirty, and was a great match in energy and personality for Lennie while Øyvin was grumpy, rude, and a loner. All their initial meetings were filled with bickering and dislike so I'm really not sure how that suddenly changed to sleeping together and eventually being in a relationship.
While I felt like the plot surrounding the fae and the illegal transfer of magic was interesting, the romance felt like it took a back seat. There were some spicy moments and zero drama surrounding Lennie dating both guys (which I liked) but I feel like they never moved past the lust stage. We never really saw their relationship developing; where were the conversations about their past and their lives? Where were the moments where they get to know each other outside the bedroom? These things were just missing for me and then the last 30% was so focused on the impending war that there was no time for the romance side of things.
this is a TENUOUS 4… the use of “doggo” and “mo-fo” really killed my vibe
But actually aside from some of the cringey older millennial verbiage I really liked it. I liked how it was fantasy set in the real world, the love triangle without the jealousy and angst, and the overall plot was fun
One of my only other complaints is that Lennie mentioned playing football or fighting and wrestling with her brothers 1928272 times like ok girl we get it… it’s getting weird 😭
~ Why choose/MFM ~ Small town ~ Banter/Laugh out loud
✨My thoughts ✨ This was just so good. I laughed out loud so much. I honestly just want to go visit Norway. I love Lennie so much. She is sassy and funny. She also somehow always finds the chaos in the story. I absolutely loved Øyvin and Espen. I love how one was grumpy and one was sunshine. The banter between characters was so good. I also love getting multiple views to read. Loved the tension and spice. I didn't know that yoga could be so hot... 😏. I didn't expect to fall in love with a certain guard either. My heart still breaks for him. I also loved how this world was set up with the Fae and humans. I think the story was new. I didn't see the betrayal and plot twist coming. I can't wait to see what happens next.
The Fae of the Fjord is book one in The Nordic Fae series. It is recommended for 18+. If you're looking for a new book to make you giggle but also give you a fantastic adventure then this one is for you. I can't recommend this one enough. This beautiful book is out on August 3rd.
✨ I want to thank Elle for an ARC of this book. I am so dang proud of her. ✨
The Fae of the Fjord ARC Review w/Spoilers ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️
I’m not sure is this story had Beta readers. I did enjoy the story’s characters and the idea over all. The plot holes and abrupt change in storyline had me rereading a lot to see if I had missed something. The only reason it’s not getting 4 stars is because 99% of the time I was confused on what the plot was supposed to be. I felt like I was hoping all over the place. Things would just be happening then all of a sudden something else would be taking place.
Lennie: I actually loved Lennie and can relate to her chaos so much. If I was on a cruise I could definitely see me missing my ship too. I could relate to the way her mind works and how she processes things.
Although it was very odd. How just because one photo she took made this human tourist trustworthy enough to know details and be taken to a fae queen. Especially when she didn’t even know what the photo was. Then trusted to leave on a ship in the same week. To me it just didn’t seem like prominent enough reasoning for them to pull her into an investigation rather than just ask for a copy. (What I mean by plot hole/ plot confusion)
Espen & Øyvin : their POVS were short and I feel like didn’t add much too the story. But I enjoyed their characters & differences. Both are unique and attractive in their own ways. However the “why-choose” while it was there, it was lacking in in prescience overall. Espens storyline felt very natural and flowy. It made the most sense and the progression was great. Øyvins on the other hand was meant to be a hate to lovers. This typically being my favorite book trope was hard to read because the hate to love was so abrupt. There was no flow it was literally fighting one second the. to sex the next. Finally, Allie’s/friends/protectiveness. It has the potential to be great just lacks flow.
The details of the Fae is one thing I think was explained thourougly. I clearly understood which fae did what and what their powers were. However, as mentioned their trustworthiness in this human is concerning especially with problems happening. The meetings with the queen all seemed pointless too me and there was not much of significance said. I wouldn’t understand why a Queen was meeting this random human tourist over one photo just to thank her. I kept expecting her to have some bug reveal of some sort.
Anyways over i did. enjoy the story. I loved the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Norwegian landscapes, environment-protecting fae, a sassy photographer FMC, a mystery... just the description had me sold. Sprinkle in the laugh-out-loud banter, the unique magic system, two sexy fae and fast-paced action, and you've got yourself a favourite right here. Thrasher's writing was an easy read, and her tone was refreshing. I thoroughly enjoyed this!
Now, I just have to wait for the rest of the series to come out... the torture!
Note: this is a spicy why-choose romantasy, but it doesn't overwhelm the plot, which I was really happy about. It fit naturally into the storyline without erasing the rest of the situation at hand in the mystery - not cringy at all, which I was worried it could be. Nicely done.
A brilliant to start to what will be an action-packed series full of laughter!
I am obsessed with Lennie. How can I best describe her? Disobedient. Witty. Impulsive. Spontaneous. Sarcastic. Snarky. Sassy. Hilarious. Only this girl could find herself stranded in Norway, find out fae exist, and fall head first into a magical mystery without losing her cool. And don’t forget finding not one, but two, new love interests!
You’ll like this if you like: 🪨Small town 🪨Why choose / MFM 🪨Literally laughing out loud 🪨Magical adventure 🪨Sarcastic banter
Well done, Elle! I loved it.
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2.5-3 stars! Well that was a strange ride This book wasn’t fantastic by any means, but this was a little weird but strangely fun at the same time I had a few problems with this book, particularly the “why choose?” trope and the extremely millennial and off putting writing. Lennie is an okay main character, and i’m super glad she’s above 20-23, she was was wayyyy too sassy and kinda cringe, and then the sex felt really weird to me especially when she supposedly didn’t like Oyvin (I get the hate sex thing it’s just there was no chemistry) I liked Espen better tbh, more chemistry and he was nicer + he got left out of most of Lennie and Oyvin’s endeavors The “why choose” trope is genuinely bad in my opinion, and while this had it I just wanted to finish it for the plot The plot felt kinda weak, but the ending was solid for the plot And the writing was very millennial coded and just off putting to me Overall was okay, a bit interesting but definitely had some cozy vibes lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This has me laughing out loud, it's actually really funny.
Lennie is hilarious, her banter with the boys is on point. I love that she doesn't swoon and get all bashful around them. She's a really relatable character all round.
The banter she has with Øyvin is awesome & now I'm seriously wanting my very own devilishly handsome Fae to hurl insults my way
I was torn between wanting to read as quickly as possible to see what happened next and not wanting it to end
This was a delight! Elle has a great way of writing fantasy reads that are easy to read. I know it helps to have an urban fantasy setting, but her writing is so palatable, that it makes reading it such a joy.
I love Lennie, full stop. Her train of thought and reactions to things had me cracking up. She's an extremely relatable character for me. I also loved Espen and Oyvin obviously (because why have one Fae male when you can have two, right?!)
I think this book did a great job setting up the series - but love that we weren't left on a huge cliffy! There was enough history built into the story to give us background on the world and tensions within the Fae world without it being overwhelming, and I was shocked at whodunit at the end.
Thank you so much Elle for this arc - I can't wait to see what happens next!
What a fun read! Elle really set this up for a phenomenal series.
I cannot stress enough how much I love Lennie. She is an unhinged smart ass and I can’t get enough of her. Also, Espen + Oyvin had me swooning. The “Why Choose” trope is right because why people when you can have charming AND beautifully standoffish, sweet AND an asshole..
I enjoyed watching Lennie’s adventures unfold and learning more about the Fae. I hope in the rest of the series we get to see more of this trio’s relationship and discovering more of Lennie’s finer “points.” IYKYK.. No spoilers here!
ARC provided by Elle in exchange for an honest review.
The plot, setting, and overall vibe of the book was a very interesting premise, but I feel like it was lacking in a couple of different areas overall.
In terms of the romance, we love a good throuple and the spice was definitely spicing. HOWEVER, I feel like we barely dived into these three's relationship at all. There were maybe 2 or 3 heart-to-hearts and overall, it just kind of felt like they were smash-buddies who kind of cared about each other, until plot things happened and they suddenly loved each other.
In terms of the plot, the story and the world of this book were so interesting and unique. The only thing that bothered me a bit was how uninvolved the MC really was with the conflicts going on around her. The whole final fight scene was just her watching and narrating everything going on around her, and when she did get involved a couple times, it only lasted like a page. Would have liked to see more in terms of her involvement.
Overall, I enjoyed reading it and would recommend people pick it up if they're in the mood for a unique fae story, but I probably won't be reading again.
My first book by Elle Thrasher and this will not be the last. Elle has an incredible way of telling a story and it was just such a joy to read. I found this book to be such a cozy fuzzy feeling. The description of Norway and Fjords made me feel like I standing by the sea looking out, I could picture the scenery so well, I could almost smell the coffee, the smell of the first mixed with the smell of the sea. She did such a beautiful job at transporting me there.
Lennie our FMC is funny sassy and has no concept of time. She lands herself in cold fjord water as soon as she realises she misses her ticket home.
And our two boys are just polar opposite from each other that they work so well.
I finished this book in just over two days. I couldn’t put it down. This left me wanting to go to Norway and explore the country and Fjord.
Elle touches on some really important messages as well which gave the story a lovely little edge without taking away from the fun .
The Fae of the Fjord is the first novel in Elle Thrasher's second series. The book centers on our fierce and lovable FMC, Lennie Martin. She is adventurous and sassy. I love her sense of humor! The love interests, Espen and Oyvin, are grumpy sunshine, which is a dynamic I have never read but loved. Lennie stumbles into their lives and disrupts the small town after both missing her cruise ship's departure and witnessing a murder.
Elle does an amazing job integrating a hidden Fae world into a modern day setting. Her world building is unique, thorough, and not overwhelming. There are several plot twists that I did not see coming and just blew my mind. TFOTF is a witty, fun, fantasy, why choose romance, murder mystery! I cannot wait for the next book in this series!
This book was fun, spicy and the ending was satisfying (provided enough material for the series to continue, but no crazy cliff hanger or abrupt stop).
I love Elle’s writing - it’s descriptive, witty banter is well-written and her ability to tell stories set in an environment not frequently utilized (like Norway) is refreshing.
Don’t be put off by my 3 ⭐️ rating - I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did have some criticisms, like I could’ve done with less “yogi-cop-fae” and there were some info dumps, but I definitely recommend this to any romantasy fan. I will for sure be continuing to follow her career and read all her work :)
I met Elle at Villains & Vixens and immediately added her books to my TBR. My husband's family is from Norway on his father's side so I was super interested to read these books after listening to years of talk of the area. I am so glad I did! The Fae of the Fjord was such a great read. I flew through it in less than 24 hours and loved every second. The spice, banter, and plot all blend perfectly to make it an easy 5 star read for me. I cannot wait to dive farther into this series!!
Side-tracked by the beauty of nature? Check. Missing the check-in for her cruise? Check. Stranded for at least a week until the next transport becomes available because small town Norwegians think her situation hilarious? Double check.
🌲environmental fantasy 🌲grumpy AND sunshine love interests 🌲why choose 🌲modern day Fae 🌲Norway setting 🌲forced proximity
Okay I need to out myself on this part because I totally kept mixing up the two male leads’ hair colors 🙈🙈 my brain is completely indoctrinated to think grumpy=dark haired, sunshine=blondie. Actually the sunshine one I had an easier time with; I was totally okay picturing Espen’s darker hair with his flirty personality. It was the broody fisherman that kept throwing me for a loop. I had to remind myself soooo many times that grumpy Oyven was actually very much a blond Norwegian grump, not dark haired.
Outside the picture struggle I was having in my brain, I absolutely ADORED that we had both a grumpy and a sunshine for love interests. Not only that, but they were totally on board with not being the only love interest. No questions, no posturing, no yelling at the FMC or each other really. I actually had to blink a few times at the ease of it. They just accepted Lennie was attracted to both of them and took things in stride. To be fair: they are fae and have seen a few decades (or a lot).
Now the FMC Lennie is a take no nonsense kind of girl and I absolutely love that about her. I mean, she’s kind of had to be as the youngest of four AND the only girl amongst her siblings. Gives one a tough skin, so I’m told. She’s chaotic and adventurous with a wicked sense of humor. It was fun getting to walk alongside her for this adventure and seeing the magic curtain pulled back on the goings-on of this book’s Norway.
The characters were all wonderful, the magic and world immersive and fascinating to read, and the conflict was equal parts nature and mystical which I loved. And if that doesn’t sell you, then I have one thing to say: Halvar. Y’all gotta meet him.
Lennie goes on a discounted cruise ship to Norway and ends up getting stuck because she got too caught up with the scenery and taking pictures.
Loved grumpy Oddvar pretty sure he was one of my favorite side characters along with Halvar!
While taking a picture she comes to discover about the Fae and meets yoga loving cop Espen with his bubbly personality! And she punched him in his gut 😂
When helping Espen is the solution to remain about of Norwegian prison. She does so and also meets grumpy Fjord Fae Øyvin. Their bickering and getting back at each other was amazing! Especially since it let up to hot as hell hate sex!
Spice level is: 🌶️🌶️
This book is more story based and even though it is a Why Choose and she did have sex with the both of them it isn’t clear at the ending if they are together all as a couple. Especially since Lennie has been deflecting towards them every time the subject has been brought up.
Still can’t believe that plot twist but was happy with the punishment Halvar delivered!
Absolutely loved it when Øyvin freaked out and found out Lennie had to remain in the mountain. The possessiveness 🔥🔥🔥
When Espen found out Lennie got attacked and he had a hard time controlling himself when he made her tell him what happened and who did it 🥵
Tropes: - Sassy FMC - Grumpy MMC - Cinnamon Roll MMC - Enemies To Lovers - Friends To Lovers
An unexpected extended stay in modern day Norway with not one, but TWO Fae men? Sign me up.
This book was so much fun!! Lennie definitely stressed me out a little (my anxiety could never), but her inner monologue and sass had me laughing out loud. I love that she’s not afraid to say what she’s thinking! I can’t wait to see where her character development goes.
Øyvin and Espen are literally grumpy and sunshine, and I loved all the interactions with them. The banter between them and Lennie was fantastic. I’m so relieved that it’s a Why Choose, because I don’t want to pick one!!
I’m so intrigued by the world in this book. There’s political intrigue, magic powers, and an absolutely GORGEOUS setting! I can’t wait to learn more about how these Fae operate and all of the character’s backstories. I 100% recommend reading this one!!
Thank you so much to Elle Thrasher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 💚
This book was a delight. I received an eARC from the author, thank you Elle! So we follow Lennie, an American who is venturing in Norway, and in what we’ll start to notice is true Lennie fashion, she misses her cruise ship out of a small Norwegian town. So now she is stuck for a bit until she figures out how or who can get her to the larger port to meet up with her ship, get her luggage and go back home. Exceeeeeept Lennie runs into a few locals and a few… LOCALS.
To not give much more away, we read about Lennie and her new found friends, one of which is sunshine and one of which is grumpy. And Lennie is just the full on sass mouth. Her inner monologue is so good.
If you enjoy:
Fae Why choose MFM Really cool magic systems Mysteries And some spicy 🌶️ goodness
This is for you. I hope to see all of these characters in the next book. But until now I know that Espen and Øyvin are going to be in my dreams for quite sometime. 😉🥵🔥
Lennie misses her cruise and is stuck in a beautiful fjord town. Lennie swears, hates being told what to do, loves photography, and has a knack for trouble. It was like Fae Realism. I loved the mystery, nature, Norway descriptions. I need to visit now.
Lennie meets Espen, local cop and Oyvin, the local grump where spice and friendship bloom.
I loved it. Definitely reading the Christmas Novela next.
It started off really good, with an interesting plot and characters. Then it felt like it was just pushing for a double relationship and threesome for no reason other than adding smut and threw me off. It felt like it was written by someone at the beginning and then someone else in the middle of it. I just finished it cause I hate DNFs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Such a fun read!! I adored main character Lennie’s sass and spunk. Her banter with her love interests is top notch. And the descriptions of Norway gave me wanderlust. Highly recommend this one!
The Fae Of The Fjord is a why choose, fae romantasy.
Evelyn (Lennie) Martin is an avid photographer. She works to pay her bills and save up for trips where she can see, and photograph, the world. On a recent trip to Norway, she gets off the cruise ship in Skolvik and gets so caught up in the beauty around her, that she misses the boat's departure. A kind stranger, Oddvar, takes pity on her, and brings her back to his coffee shop. He makes her a cup of coffee and will then bring her to his friend Solveig's B&B where she can stay for the week. At the end of the week she will be able to board the little supply boat that makes weekly deliveries. That is her only option to get home.
While drinking her coffee at Oddvar's café, she flips through some of the photos she shot earlier in the day. One of them catches her eye as it has a flash of silvery light which is very odd and unnatural. While trying to figure out what she captured, another man enters the café. He's large, grumpy and rude. They aren't officially introduced but this is her first encounter with Øyvin Håland.
On her first day in Skolvik, she sets off back to the same place where she had been hiking in the hopes of locating her missing camera lens cap. It is here that Lennie meets Espen Solbakke. She punched him in the gut when he snuck up on her, following which she realized he was a police officer. She is certain she's minutes away from being dragged off to a Norwegian jail but he agrees to let it go if she shows him the photographs she took there the day before. He is interested in that same photo she was looking at the night before.
Lennie comes to learn that magic is real, that she accidentally caught an illegal transfer of magic in that photograph, and that fae are real and can be found right there in Skolvik.
This book was absolutely delightful. The storyline kept me captivated, wanting to learn more about the fae, their magic and what was behind that magical transfer. Lennie is a witty, sassy, feisty woman who leans into adventure and lives in the moment. She was so easy to love. Layered on top of that are two gorgeous fae men, one who is all rainbows and sunshine while the other is a stoic and loyal grump, and Lennie gets to spend time with both of them! If that wasn't enough, the book is filled with humorous and entertaining lines that kept a smile on my face. This was one of my favourites:
"You'll be the death of me, Lennie." "You had a good run." I smirked.
I had so much fun reading this book! I don't know if the author plans to make it a series, but if she does, I'm all in.
FMC: Lennie MMC(s): Espen, Øyvin Tropes: MFM, Why Choose, Elemental Magic, Nordic Fae, Enemies to lovers, Allies to lovers > Reviewer add: Safer sex, Condom use, Magical Realism, fae politics, fae factions, fae royalty, hate sex Perspective: First, multiple Plot or character driven: Both Spicy scenes breakdown: > Present? Yes > Detailed? Yes. > Multiple, with only one character? No. > Multiple, with both/multiple characters? Yes. > Personal favorite? Yoga time with Espen. > Anything else to note? Burn speed: Medium-fast, first scene @ ~40% Can this be read as a stand-alone: Yes. I believe it’s the first of a series. Re-Readability: Yes. Content/Trigger Warnings/Enticements: Family politics (minor).
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary, honest review.
“Images of the two fae men flitted through my mind: Espen and his beaming smile and positivity, that mop of hair constantly falling across his brow, and Øyvin with his stoic no-nonsense attitude that was fortified by his sense of duty to the fjord. Both of them tugged on something deep inside me.”
Photographer (and somewhat spicy disaster) Lennie misses her cruise ship to the next port of call after she catches some weird flash in the woods. Having to remain in their small town, she befriends some of the locals, and finds there is a lot more here than what meets the human eye.
I liked this. The guys all had distinct personalities, Lennie has a distinct personality and while she might not be graceful, she’s still sure of herself. I found the two different romances very nicely done, and very authentic (one being very much enemies-to-lovers, or at least loathing-to-liking, and one allies-to-lovers). At some points the book did feel a bit slow to me, and I wish the scenes between them had been longer, but that is personal preference. While I have a hit or miss with fantasy at the moment, I’m finding that this new crop of Scandinavian fantasy I really enjoy.
This is a first from this author for me, and I’ll continue with this series.
If you like small town romances with a why-choose flair, a hilarious FMC that will make you laugh out loud and a mystery to solve, this is the book for you.
Lennie, the FMC, is a witty, trouble maker. She is on a cruise when she is taking photos of the beautiful Norwegian scenery when her cruise takes off without her. On her photo she sees what she thinks is a flair of light. Adventure follows. I loved Lennie, her banter made me laugh out loud, but I worried about her and her decisions. I'm a rule follower in my heart and I would shake my head at her impulsivity sometimes. She makes it work for her though and is able to save herself from any situation she gets into, including punching a handsome local cop, Espen. Espen is a friendly and chill MMC and I liked his dynamic with Lennie. He and Lennie had excellent banter and I enjoyed his calm to her chaos. Oyvin, MMC #2, is the local grump and eco warrior that immediately takes a dislike to the adventure seeking Lennie. I enjoyed their interactions, and liked watching them struggle to disagree when they were forced to spend some time together and had lots of things in common. I also feel like the small Norwegian town is a character in itself, I loved the descriptions of the scenery and the residents who inhabit it. It had me googling trips to Norway. You could really feel the love that Elle put into the descriptions of the town, the people and the landscape.
I know that people describe this as spicy, but don't let that scare you off if you like more on the bell pepper spice level. There is a why-choose aspect, but I wouldn't call it too spicy. I do tend to read a lot of spicy books, so perhaps my judgement is kind of skewed. Just don't let it dissuade you from taking a chance on this super cute story either way.
This is a stellar start to a series and I really would love to follow the story further. It's a great adventure, with great characters, an amazing location and so much room for further escapades from Lennie, Espen and Oyvin.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fantastic why-choose romantasy set in Scandinavia. Thrasher seamlessly integrates the existence of Fae into the modern world in a very believable way, and I really felt immersed in her world the whole time.
Our FMC, Lennie Martin, is an independent, creative young woman, with her own way of looking at the world. She’s the baby of the family and only girl, and tends to be a trailblazing, adventurous person, traveling to photograph new and inspiring places. She gets marooned in Norway when she misses her cruise ship departure, and manages to capture an illegal transfer of Fae magic on her camera. When the image is discovered, Lennie becomes involved in a world she never knew existed. Once Lennie actually believes the Fae magic is real, she’s at the center of a potential catastrophe complete with court intrigue, conspiracies, and the real potential for war between kingdoms.
Espen is MMC #1, a Forest Fae policeman/ranger and an overall good dude. At first glance, I can picture him in a Patagonia jacket and skullcap and would believe he’s an oatmilk-in-his-coffee guy who definitely does yoga or Pilates. (Turns out much of this is accurate!). He’s gentle and respectful and enjoys Lennie’s company and perspective.
MMC #2 is Øyvin, and he’s a grumpy stereotypical Viking guy, all rough exterior and wary of outsiders. He’s a protector and a warrior and Fjord Fae, of the water. With him, insults lead to banter which eventually leads to sexual attraction. But how will Espen feel if he finds out Lennie has been with Øyvin?
There is SO MUCH PLOT though, that the why choose aspect, while spicy, is just one factor in everything this town has going on. Great side characters and new environments! If you’re looking for Fae urban fantasy and think a Scandinavian spin on things sounds intriguing, it is as cool as it sounds!
I was thrilled to have received an ARC in exchange for an honest review, and it did not disappoint!
Lennie felt like the most relatable FMC that I have read in awhile. I can’t believe how many times i found myself LOL’ing and nodding my head like “same girl” I feel like I would have acted the same if I was in her position numerous times throughout the story. Her inner monologue was exactly what I was thinking while reading.
The plot was intriguing right away, and the world building was well drawn out and easy to follow. I was having a hard time deciding which Fae world was going to be my favourite, and by the end of the book I still hadn't decided. The mystery surrounding the event from 20 years ago had me so curious, that I couldn't put my kindle down, because I needed to know what happened!
Let's talk about Espen and Øyvin. 2 hunky Fae men, that are fire and water. Espen is goofy and down to earth, and super into yoga, and Oyvin is stoic, broody and kind of an asshole. I love that combination in my why choose novels. The banter and wit between the men and Lennie was top notch, and I couldn't help but chuckle at their innuendos. This wasn't filled with spice, but what spice there was 🥵
I would like to see more of the 3 of them.
This is perfect if you like:
Slow burn Why Choose GrumpyxSunshine Spice Small Town