How Does It Feel? by Jeneane O'Riley Summary

How Does It Feel by Jeneane O'Riley is a dark fantasy romance following Callie Peterson, an environmental scientist who accidentally falls through a mushroom circle into the Unseelie Fae realm. After being stabbed and left for dead by guards, she's challenged to three deadly trials by a powerful Fae villain who becomes obsessed with her despite his hatred for humans. The story blends enemies-to-lovers romance with political intrigue in the dangerous Fae court.

Jeneane O'Riley is a #1 bestselling author specializing in whimsically dark and romantic fantasy novels. A hobby mycologist and nature enthusiast from Ohio, she combines her love of fungi and environmental science into her storytelling. How Does It Feel is her debut novel in the Infatuated Fae series, which gained significant popularity on TikTok. Her work features morally gray characters, plot twists, and tension-filled romances that cater to readers who love the villain.

How Does It Feel is ideal for readers who enjoy dark fantasy romance, enemies-to-lovers tropes, and morally complex fae characters. Fans of romantasy with political intrigue, trials, and spicy content will appreciate this book. However, it contains graphic depictions of abuse, sexual assault, and violence, making it suitable only for adult readers comfortable with darker themes. Those who love nature-based fantasy elements and human-fae dynamics will find this particularly engaging.

How Does It Feel is worth reading if you enjoy dark romantasy with intense emotional stakes and morally gray characters. The book offers vivid world-building in the Unseelie Fae realm, a compelling enemies-to-lovers romance, and unique elements like the protagonist's environmental science background. However, readers should be prepared for graphic content and a writing style that some reviewers noted reflects a debut author. The TikTok popularity and series continuation suggest strong reader engagement despite mixed critical reception.

Callie Peterson works in Willow Springs studying luna moths when she searches for rare mushrooms to cure a parasite affecting them. She accidentally falls through a mushroom circle into the Unseelie Fae realm, where guards stab her and leave her for dead. A magical fox heals her, but she's discovered and challenged to three deadly trials by an Unseelie Fae royal who becomes dangerously obsessed with her. Survival means freedom; failure means death in this dark fantasy romance.

How Does It Feel explores several core themes:

• the tension between darkness and light, as captured in the quote "There is beauty to be found in the dark, just as there is horror within the light"
• enemies-to-lovers romance transcending species boundaries
• political intrigue and power dynamics in the Unseelie court
• nature and environmental conservation through Callie's scientific work
• the transformative power of obsession

The book examines hatred converting to desire and the complexity of morally gray characters.

The recurring line "You're like a goddamn Disney princess" in How Does It Feel refers to Callie's unique ability to connect with animals, who consistently help and protect her. This nickname, often used by Cliff, highlights the contrast between Callie's gentle nature and the brutal Unseelie realm she enters. Her animal affinity becomes crucial to her survival, as seen when a fox heals her fatal wound and guides her through danger, making this seemingly whimsical trait a powerful survival mechanism.

The Unseelie Fae realm in How Does It Feel represents the darker counterpart to the benevolent Seelie court, characterized by political tension, power struggles, and deep-seated hatred for humans. This dangerous world connects to the human realm through portals like mushroom circles. The Unseelie court values brutality and power, with royals refusing to touch humans they consider repulsive. The realm's harsh environment creates the backdrop for Callie's deadly trials and the unlikely romance that develops.

Mushrooms serve dual narrative purposes in How Does It Feel. Scientifically, Callie seeks rare toxic mushrooms to kill parasites plaguing luna moths, reflecting author Jeneane O'Riley's mycology background. Magically, mushroom circles function as portals between the human and Fae realms—Callie's discovery of a mushroom ring leads to her fall into the Unseelie world. This connection between nature, science, and magic creates a unique fantasy element that distinguishes the story from typical fae romance.

The Unseelie Fae villain challenges Callie to three deadly trials to entertain his people while determining her fate. These trials test her survival skills and wit in the dangerous Fae realm. If Callie survives all three challenges, she gains her freedom and can return to the human world. However, failure means death at the hands of the Fae who's become obsessively infatuated with her despite his intention to kill her, creating a twisted dynamic of desire and destruction.

How Does It Feel stands out in fae romance through its unique environmental science angle, with the protagonist being a biologist studying moths rather than a typical fantasy heroine. Unlike Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses, which balances darkness with court politics, O'Riley focuses heavily on the brutal Unseelie court and visceral content. The book's mycology elements and nature-based magic differentiate it from traditional fae romances, though it shares the enemies-to-lovers and trial tropes common to the genre.

How Does It Feel contains explicit content warnings including physical and emotional abuse, manipulation and coercion, graphic sexual encounters, sexual assault, and imprisonment. The Unseelie Fae realm is depicted as brutal and dehumanizing toward humans, with violence being a central element. The romance includes dark themes of obsession and power imbalances. Readers sensitive to these topics should approach cautiously, as the book embraces its "whimsically dark" categorization with intense, mature content throughout.