| Genre | Gay / Urban Fantasy / Immortals / Elves/Fairies/Sidhe / Gods/Goddesses / Magic / Mythological Creatures / Royalty/Nobility / Wizards & Witches / Romance / Humor/Comedy / Mystery/Suspense/Thriller |
| Reviewed by | Serena Yates on 14-May-2020 |
With his heart’s desire at stake, can he resist giving Fate a little nudge?
Half-norn event planner Anders Skuldsson is under strict orders from Asgard not to meddle with Fate. But with Enchanted Occasions’ latest booking—the competition for the hand of Faerie’s one true prince—crashing around his ears, it’s really, really, really difficult to toe that particular line. So… if Andy just happens to pose as a contender for the prince? It’s an emergency, damn it. Besides, it’s only temporary, so Odin can hardly blame him. Right?
If Conall of Odstone hadn’t sworn a blood oath to protect his half-brother, Prince Reyner, he’d murder the idiot himself. Rey was supposed to be here, choosing a mate before being crowned and wed. Instead, he’s disappeared, leaving Con to impersonate him. Again.
But when Con meets Andy, his anger turns to desire… and despair. Even if Andy forgives him for pretending to be someone he’s not, how could a man as appealing and accomplished as Andy—a man who’s eligible for a prince’s hand, for pity’s sake—settle for the court outcast?
As for Andy, his burgeoning feelings for the prince are both unfortunate and hopeless because hello? Half-norn? Faerie prince? Not exactly a match made in Valhalla.
When the Faerie Queen herself hands down an ultimatum, the double deception isn’t their only obstacle. Unless Andy makes the right decision, both their fates could be sealed by… well… Fate.
First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, May 2018.
Sometimes matches not made in Valhalla are exactly what Fate ordered, as this story sets out to prove. It all begins in an Interstitial pocket – a realm between Faerie and our reality where both magic and technology work. The only prince of Faerie has been told in no uncertain terms that he needs a consort, so the Faerie queen sets up a competition unknowingly modeled on The Bachelor. It is organized by Enchanted Occasions, and the already-in-trouble half norn Anders is in charge. Apparently a norn is the Norse equivalent of the Fates and I imagine getting on his wrong side might be a problem. From the start it is obvious that ‘Nudging Fate’ is not just a brilliant title for what is to ensue, but also the description of a comedy of errors that had me laughing out loud more than once. There are numerus stumbling blocks the main characters have to overcome before they can hope to get their happy ending: not just one but two mistaken identities, hilarious misunderstandings, secondary characters with their own agendas getting in the way, and more than one surprise.
Andy, as he prefers to be called, is an event planner who has messed up plenty of times despite (or maybe because of) having the ability to influence fate. Organizing the selection of the consort for the Faerie queen’s heir is his last chance to save his own career as well as ensure Enchanting Occasions doesn’t go bankrupt. No pressure, right?
Conall, who goes by Con, is the famous Faerie prince’s half brother and quite used to impersonating the official heir. He does not, however, expect to take his royal brother’s place in selecting a consort. Said brother leaves him no choice though, and as soon as Con meets Andy, he knows he is in trouble. Andy is his perfect match, but there is no way they can ever be together. Or can they?
As it turns out, there is a little more behind the Faerie queen’s attempts at matchmaking than finding a consort. Politics, balancing various centers of power, and the need for survival all play a role. But that is just the bigger picture and while it is very well done, my interest was just as much, if not more, focused on the characters. Andy has a lot of prejudice to deal with since he is not “Pure” and considered a second-class citizen. Con has the same issue because he is a “bastard” – and yes, Faerie does still use that and many other medieval ways of looking at things. Both Andy and Con have lied and need to deal with owning up to their deception, but in the process they also learn, change, and grow. Despite all the hilarity, the underlying message comes through loud and clear.
If you like your romances with a healthy dose of humor, lots of twists and turns, and more than one surprise, if an adventurous quest for love between the realms is your thing, if you like complicated characters with mysterious backstories, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read set in a carefully developed fantasy world, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. I’m still smiling and can’t wait for the next installment in this series!
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review.
| Format | ebook and print |
| Length | Novel, 161 pages/54000 words |
| Heat Level | |
| Publication Date | 25-April-2020 |
| Price | $3.99 ebook, $12.99 paperback |
| Buy Link | https://www.amazon.com/Nudging-Fate-Enchanted-Occasions-Book-ebook/dp/B087PJLMQH |
