amazing start to a new fantasy series! spicy and sweet! author never fails to disappoint with a romance full of angst, feels, and heartbreak

I could not put this book down- I devoured it within one day. I loved the world building and the characters. Cannot wait to read book 2! Queen of Roses is excellent. Cannot recommend highly enough!

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

“You could tell a great deal by what a monarchy chose to remember about its own history–and even more by what it chose to forget.”

I am pleased to say that I loved this book! Queen of Roses is a loose retelling of the Arthurian Legend and initially I was honestly a little put off by this. I still feel that the plot and characters were strong enough to stand on their own, but the idea did grow on me a little. The quote above really set the scene for the reader to learn what “really” happened in the kingdom of Camelot. Since most readers are familiar with the Legend of Arthur, the author was able to skip over lengthy explanations and world building and jump right into the plot. The beginning of this book was a little slow, but once they headed out on their quest, the pacing was perfect and I was hooked.

For the most part the author wrote her characters extremely well. I loved our hero’s and hated our villains in equal measure. If I could change one thing, it would be to give Morgan a bit more backbone at the beginning of the book. We did see her step out in a small show of defiance, but I think the author could have developed this more. I would have preferred her to have been defying Arthur and helping her people in a more long term way to show that she is deserving of their loyalty. I think we are heading towards her ruling as the true Queen so it would have been nice to see more evidence that she is deserving of that title.

Draven on the other hand was the perfect hero. This is a slow burn enemies to lovers romance. We have yet to see things truly develop between our two MC’s but I have no doubt that it will be an epic love once it gets going. Always happy to find a new book boyfriend!

The next installments are already available on kindle unlimited. Thrilled that I won’t have to wait to continue the series! They have quickly become some of my most anticipated reads!

I was drawn to this because I hadn't read a YA ish Arthurian fantasy romance for a while, and this trilogy was offered as completed. And if there was ever a semi-mythological character who can be bent out of all shape, its King Arthur - usually the worst character in his own tale. He is not the star here, rather his elder sister Morgan, some say Morgana, some say Morgan Le Fae - and I almost stopped there. Because I'll read any old rubbish, but I'm broadly allergic to the word Fae, particularly as a catch all term for magical creatures we are inventing on the fly but will almost certainly be having sex. But I stuck with it to enjoy lots of solid tropes being trotted out.

Old school tropes, well Morgan is good at pretty much everything except she seems to think the guy she is strangely drawn to and describes as being very attractive, is the villain. That's OK, she will make lots of terrible decisions to rile him up as per proper romance lore. More modern trope, Lancelot is not Lancelet, and hot for the queer action. Morgan - being half fae - is passed over for the throne and once Arthur gets in the previous fae loving, genderfluid society becomes all patriarchal and nasty (there's a early doors rape which is heavily trigger warninged). Arthur sends Morgan and Sir Sexyloins off on a quest for Excalibur for - questing reasons - and things get all messed up but a bit sexy, and then it ends with a giant cliffhanger and even though it was quite rubbish I went in hard on the next book.

I haven't read any Arthurian retellings, and this was such a fun and enlightening read. The diverse cast and strong mc's bright life and relatablility. And I really enjoyed the banter between the two mains. The dialog in general is very well done throughout the story. Great world building as well, without it being overwhelming and losing my interest. Honestly such a strong start to a series and can't wait to continue

I really enjoyed this book! It is an Arthurian retelling with a fae twist. Before reading, I did a little research into Arthurian legends and characters so that I could better appreciate all that the author incorporated. There were some twists on characters such as evil King Arthur, female Lancelot (Lancelet), female Merlin, Galahad is a close friend (rather than Lancelot’s son). There is LGBTQ+ representation in this book with both Lancelet and Galahad. I thought the pronunciation guide at beginning was a nice touch!

I really liked the Female MMC. She is strong and resilient, but struggles with her insecurities which makes her quite relatable in some ways. The way that the character was portrayed felt pretty authentic as far as her trauma responses. The male MMC, Kairos Draven, was great. He had the best who did this to you and touch her and die vibes/moments. I was hanging onto his every word. He’s a bit mysterious and I’m excited to learn more about him in the next book, especially after how things ended in this book!!

I loved how the dialogue and the banter between characters were written! Especially between Morgan and Draven. I thought this book had good world-building as well. The explanations of lore/history and the introduction of characters, etc. all felt very smooth and well-done.

This book gave off FBAA vibes. There were several similarities to FBAA, but not in a way where it felt like it was derivative. More so, in that sense that if you liked FBAA, you’d likely like this book too as it had a lot of the same tropes and some similar elements.

Reasons for taking one star off: The romance in this book was definitely more of a subplot and is super slow-burn. My main complaint with this book was that the slow-burn was disrupted by a kind-of love-triangle situation (but not really a love triangle because everything with Draven pretty much stops progressing as she focused on the other guy). It makes sense given how the story goes, but I think I would’ve preferred a true love-triangle where I still felt like things were progressing with Draven or at least felt more tension building between them rather than just pivoting all of her interest to the other guy aside from a few lustful glances. My other small complaint was that certain parts felt a bit slow. That said, that is to be somewhat expected in the first book of a new series due to all of the world-building and set-up.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to those who enjoy Arthurian legend, Fae, forced proximity, true slow-burn romance, bodyguard romance, enemies-to-lovers, banter, betrayal, hidden powers, quests, or those looking for a book with FBAA vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Briar Boleyn, and Starwater Press for providing me with a copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review!

When i saw this book description i knew immediately that i will like this book . It's giving me a vibes of Acotar and that is what i was looking. The world building was very good , i enjoyed the descriptions of places . The book is dark fae retelling of the story of king Arthur .

"Queen of Roses" by Briar Boleyn weaves a tale of a cast-off princess, Morgan Pendragon, whose destiny is entangled with a dangerous mission and a kingdom on the brink of war. Born into a life of duty and sacrifice, Morgan's journey takes an unexpected turn as she embarks on a quest to find a fae weapon of legendary power (yes that one!). The narrative explores a doomed love, a dangerous temptation, and the awakening of a fae kingdom dreaded by mortals. With tropes like slow burn, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and morally grey characters, the story unfolds through Morgan's mostly single POV, revealing the intricate web of lies and mysteries in the fae world.

Readers should be aware that "Queen of Roses" falls into the dark fantasy romance genre, and trigger warnings should be considered (please please check!). As a fan of King Arthur retellings, I appreciated the adult twist on the familiar tale (Merlin fans anyone?) but do not expect the story to stick too closely to the source material (in fact, King Arthur is the villain!). The cliffhanger ending left me eagerly anticipating the next installment, and while the beginning might be slow due to extensive world-building, the well-done descriptions of places added depth to the narrative. On the downside, the abundance of questions posed to the reader at the end, though fitting with Morgan's perspective, left me wanting more closure. Overall, a compelling 4.5 star read, and I'm excited to delve into the next chapter of this enchanting series.

Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Queen of Roses was a fun read albeit I found the protagonist unrealistic. The decisions she’d make, her motivations, didn’t always seem plausible to me. Her love for her awful family was too unfailing, and she was presented as a strong fighting woman who then somehow just let herself be led constantly. The story itself was fun, however, and I still want to read the next book to find out what happens. It got most interesting towards the end, so I’ll keep reading!

I think this was a great romantasy and it gave everything it needed to give. I felt connected to both characters and storyline and enjoyed the writing style and pace as well. There was slow burn and suspense and moments I found myself really rooting for our characters and despising some other ones and it made me feel. Can’t wait to read the next.

It took me a while to get into this book but once I did I couldn't put it down! The slow pace beginning is necessary to the world building and character development. Enemies to lovers trope - a heroine you want to root for and an enemy that you love to hate. Mythical creatures. Magical realms. It's a jam packed book that has the making of something great. It's just missing more in depth character development. I wanted more from these characters, so I'm hoping we see some true development throughout this series as we get to know them better.

Thank you to NetGalley, Briar Boleyn, and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op group for providing me access to this book! I can't wait to dive into Court of Claws!

I really enjoyed this. It definitely had the normal familiar elements of a Romantasy but being an Arthurian retelling added a new twist I haven’t experienced. The plot was a little familiar in some aspects but I think that is just due to the genre. I’m excited to continue reading the series.

I originally picked up this series because I've always been a fan of the TV Show Merlin which is set in Camelot and features the same characters promised by this book. However, this authors new take on the legend of Camelot is perhaps my favourite yet and the inclusion of the fae just makes this a brilliant and gripping story.

Credit must be given to the author for her incredible world building skills. A lot of care and attention has been taken to craft the intricate political system of Camelot and the society in which our characters live. The background that's given to us about Uther, Morgan's mother and the destructive path Arthur is descending down sets us readers up for a gruesome and horrific set of events to follow. I loved the fact that this book included a journey for the main characters when Morgan sets out to find Excalibur. I enjoyed seeing settings outside of the Camelot Castle which kept the plot from feeling stale or monotonous. I also enjoy watching the characters interact with these new surrounding and watch as Morgan discovers that the world around her is a lot bigger than she thought.

I adore Morgan as a character. She is headstrong, empathetic, wise and caring but has flaws like any other human and is not afraid to admit that. The author has made her into a well rounded, fleshed out character that the readers can really relate to and root for as she deals with horrific treatment by her own family. Morgan is also a mystery to us. We are told enough of her background to get a feel for what she has been for, yet we feel right from the beginning that there is something more to Morgan than we have been told. Seeing the way she was treated by Florian made my heart ache for her, yet I really fell in love with her character when she enacted her revenge on her tormenter. Morgan's friendship with Lancelet and the way they fight for one another was another lovely addition to this story and I found that I really enjoyed the fact that the author has chosen Lancelet to be such a strong woman Knight rather than the male Knight usually depicted in references to Camelot.

Draven is an interesting character. He starts of being a villain, a baby killer. Yet, as the story goes on we start to see him be a warm and caring person, albeit a tad bit frosty. It becomes clear that Draven may also not be who he initially seemed. When he kills the man who murdered the exmoors, I realised he was about to be another of my favourite characters. The slow burn romance between him and Morgan, with the touch of enemies to lovers is gripping and enjoyable to read.

I very much enjoyed the start of this series and I look forward to reading book 2. I rated this 4 out of 5 stars overall. Would highly recommend

This was a well-executed plot with well-developed characters.
I loved the developments of Morgan’s character throughout this as she goes from strength to strength.
The mysterious Draven was a good edition, and I have a lot of unanswered questions about him, which I fully understand is intentional by the author.
The sense of adventure in this one is great, the story flowed well.
That ending was insane. I can’t wait to read the next book!

As always, check the TWs prior to reading.

this was such a fun and action packed read! I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this story, but boy was I pleasantly surprised to find a fantastic and dangerous arthurian inspired quest, with a sprinkling of found-family and spice. The magic system, creatures, fae and political turmoil are well expounded on and easy to dive into. This book seems to have something for everyone in terms of mythical and magical and I love seeing the blend of known epic myths/characters and more supernatural elements.

Morgan, eldest daughter of the cruel former king of Camelot, Uther Pendragon, has lived a life in the shadows, doing her best to blend and not draw attention to herself. although the first born, she was cast aside as heir to throne by her father for her “tainted half-fae parentage” (her beloved mother was also a fae). instead, her ungrateful and selfish younger brother Arthur takes the throne and continues to rule as their father did, with an iron fist. Morgan loves her people and wishes she could do more to help them thrive in Arthur’s Camelot, but there’s only so much she can achieve without threatening her own life. her life has been difficult and filled with pain, but she’s still a lovely and hopeful woman.

abruptly sent on a perilous and mysterious quest by her brother, with a new, but handsome and menacing captain of the guard, Draven. Morgan starts to learn more about herself while out from under the palace eye. watching her nurture that strength on her journey was epic and worthy of the arthurian themes! she blossoms into a more confident version of herself, and I liiiive for the little crumbs of tension and banter with our hottie guard. we’ve only just scratched the surface of these two!!!

this book ended on such a good cliffhanger and I can’t WAIT to start book 2 immediately. I’m team Draven & I hope it heats up even more with him & our smart-mouthed Morgan.

Thank you to Briar Boleyn and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Morgan has never been able to choose her own destiny. Her father declared that she would dedicate her life to the three goddesses as a priestess when she was a young child, but that was never the life she truly wanted. When her brother, the king, asks her to take part in a journey to find a weapon to help win a looming war, Morgan has little choice but to agree. But this journey proves to be dangerous, and uncovering the truth about the Fae who were thought to have long ago left the area may prove to be more than Morgan had bargained for.
I really enjoyed this book, and I love how Briar incorporated the King Arthur legends and made a new story out of it. Morgan is a very like-able character and I really love how she grows throughout the book. The chemistry between the characters is phenomenal and I can't wait to read the next book in the series! I highly recommend this book if you enjoy fantasy and fae stories. There is a trigger warning list if you are worried about the content but it is stated that reading the trigger list may cause spoilers.
Thank you NetGalley and StarWater Press for this free ebook in exchange for my honest review.

It took me a minute to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked! A great read, I would definitely recommend it to others! Looking forward to reading the rest of the series

A book that looks at the well known myths and ask what if? The reimagining was a dark and fascinating twist, however; the start and staying so close also caused quite a bit of dissonance too. While plot was predictable the action was engrossing and required big breaths after scenes. Quotable dialogue without substance. Will continue the series as I am curious of the future

First, I want to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read and review this book. I had never read a book by Briar/Fenna, so I didn’t know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised with this book and already downloaded the second one! It gave me Maas and Armentrout vibes. The author does a great job of describing everything in detail and setting the scene in my head. It was more like watching a movie in my mind instead of simply reading words on a screen. This story is full of lies, deceit, mystery, and adventure. It grabbed my attention from the beginning.

If you like FBAA, you will likely enjoy this slow burn enemies-to-lovers series by Briar Boleyn. At first, the similarities with FBAA were almost too similar for my taste, but throughout the course of the book, the differences became more obvious and tasteful. The love triangle in this book was interesting, as it made the reader question what to expect.

I loved the medieval/Arthurian theme of this series, that intertwined some real history with fantasy. I also appreciated a twist on the traditional characters of Lancelot and Merlin being female. The ending of this was a cliff hanger but thankfully I get to jump into my next ARC of this series. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a digital ARC of this series. Please note that all opinions and ratings are entirely my own.