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The Faery & the Halfling
by TJ Bell
Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?
A steamy gaslamp fantasy romance set in 1895 with fae crossing into the human world. TJ Bell delivers snarky heroines, heroes with hearts of gold, and steam that lives up to the pen name. The Victorian setting with fae magic is atmospheric and unique.
Synopsis
The queen of the Seelie has decreed it. It is the winter of 1897, and the new queen of the Seelie has declared that the forgotten halflings residing in the human world should learn about their heritage, possibly even visit their homeland. Chauncy, a full-blooded faery who has never crossed through the veil to the human world, has been assigned the task of seeking out these halflings. But first, he is required to spend a season on Mackinac Island, in the state of Michigan, USA. He will live with a group of previously exiled fae who have resided there for nearly a decade, so they can teach him how to interact with humans. Just as he is ready to start his assignment, he comes across his first halfling. A gorgeous, spirited woman who has been fumbling through life thinking she was a freak, when, in reality, she is a powerful, magical faery. Sparks fly as Chauncy helps Adeline discover this about herself. But there’s a problem. The human who raised her doesn’t want to let her go. She’s too valuable. And this human is willing to go to great lengths to keep her under their thumb. Including exposing the other faeries living on the island. Which could get them all hanged. Fae in the Gilded Age reading The Faery & the Jewel Thief The Faery & the Runaway Heiress The Faery & the Lady’s Maid Bonus The Faery & the Secret The Faery & the Halfling The Faery & the Discovery
At a Glance
4.33 ★ GoodreadsTop TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.
Book Details
Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.
4.33 ★
Page CountHow long the commitment is.
240 pages
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.
2025
Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?
Fantasy Romance
PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.
M/F
POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).
Dual POV
Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.
Medium Burn
AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.
N/A
TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
Mood & Vibe
MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.
FMC: snarky/sarcastic sign in to unlock
intense / passionate sign in to unlock
steampunk / gaslamp sign in to unlock
feel-good sign in to unlock
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