Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett Series: Emily Wilde #2
Published by Random House Worlds on January 16, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
Source: ARC
When mysterious faeries from other realms appear at her university, curmudgeonly professor Emily Wilde must uncover their secrets before it’s too late, in this heartwarming, enchanting second installment of the Emily Wilde series.
Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore who just wrote the world’s first comprehensive encyclopaedia of faeries. She’s learned many of the secrets of the Hidden Ones on her adventures . . . and also from her fellow scholar and former rival Wendell Bambleby.
Because Bambleby is more than infuriatingly charming. He’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother and in search of a door back to his realm. And despite Emily’s feelings for Bambleby, she’s not ready to accept his proposal of marriage: Loving one of the Fair Folk comes with secrets and dangers.
She also has a new project to focus on: a map of the realms of faerie. While she is preparing her research, Bambleby lands her in trouble yet again, when assassins sent by his mother invade Cambridge. Now Bambleby and Emily are on another adventure, this time to the picturesque Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they may find the door to Bambleby’s realm and the key to freeing him from his family’s dark plans.
But with new relationships for the prickly Emily to navigate and dangerous Folk lurking in every forest and hollow, Emily must unravel the mysterious workings of faerie doors and of her own heart.
Book Two of the Emily Wilde Series
*Note: This is the second in the series and it definitely isn’t a standalone so treat yourself and read Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
I can’t tell you how excited I was to delve back into the world of Emily Wilde! The diary entry delivery gives this series a distinctly cozy fantasy feel as the urgency isn’t as sharp as in other stories. This just shows me that cozy fantasy is absolutely my jam because I am in love with this series and Emily is at the top of my favorite FMCs of all time. Somehow, this second installment flew by even faster than the first. Emily redoubles efforts to find the door to Wendell’s kingdom and we are introduced to even more fae and it gets unnerving to say the least.
We are treated to more Emily and Wendell but be forewarned this is a slow burn. A delightful, agonizing slow burn that simmer beautifully in the background while Emily barrels her academic self through obstacles and Wendell remains longsuffering and dramatic.
I was a little miffed that the wrap up felt so quick but I suspect I’d be irritated no matter what because I never want my time to end with these two. Even still, I adore Emily and Wendell and I’m excited to see where Fawcett takes us next!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.