5/5⭐️

Love, love, love!

I am in love. One of the best Fantasy Romances I've read this year! Made me wonder why I hadn't heard of this series earlier.

I loved and despised some characters in equal measure, as intended by the author, I'm sure. The characters were so well sketched out. Each unique and flawed in their own way. I loved the whole world this is set in and could not stop thinking about it long after finishing the book.

Unlike a lot of fantasies, the world-building did not leave me confused. It was lucid and was flowing throughout the book which made me enjoy the book even more. 30% in and I could not put the book down. The spice was spicy and the romance was top-notch!

There's adventure, political intrigue, outcast princesses, found family and a whole lot of slow-burn romance. I am a fan.

I am already starting book 2 as I write up this review.

I received an ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and StarWater Press for the opportunity to ARC read this book.
In this King Arthur/Excalibur retelling, Morgan, a princess born from a Fae mother and mortal King father, witnesses the tragic death of her mother at her father’s hands. 15 years later she’s trying to piece together her history and the plans her brother, King Arthur, has for their city Camelot. Her brother sends her on a quest to find Excalibur, in old fae territory that is believed to be abandoned. Threatening everything she cares for in the kingdom if she fails at retrieving and returning with the sword. Along the way Morgan begins to see herself for who she really is and her history is not as she believed. The ending leaves you needing to know what happens next and what the heck just happened in the first place!

Tropes:
Forbidden Romance
Who Did This To You?
One Bed/Sleeping Bag

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review.
This is a dark romantasy with elements of King Arthur retelling but with fae. This is a true enemies to lovers trope and is a true slow burn. With fae, mythical creatures, a morally grey MMC and our FMC slowly discovering who she really is this story will have you dizzy from all the twists and turns! It’s a slow start with heavy world building, and character development but also comes with plenty of binge worthy plot. Also to mention it holds the “who did this to you” trope and ends in a cliffhanger! I am very eager to read the next book!!

I recently finished reading "Queen of Roses" by Briar Boleyn and I must say, I was thoroughly impressed. The book is a beautiful blend of romance, adventure, and fantasy that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

What I loved most about this book was the author's ability to create a vivid and intricate world filled with magical creatures and breathtaking landscapes. The characters were well-developed and relatable, and I found myself rooting for Rose and Jack throughout their journey.

Overall, "Queen of Roses" is a captivating read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel. Briar Boleyn has truly outdone herself with this one and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I’m so sad I won’t be able to read this. Thank you Briar for the trigger warning list at the beginning of the book. Too many things listed that I’m uncomfortable reading about. Thank you NetGalley, Brair and starwater press for the ARC!

~ Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review ~

This book was a little treat for my English degree. Arthurian legend but make it fantasy romance? I’m skipping with joy, I really am. And the story held up, too, it wasn’t just a thought the author had but they didn’t want to do their research or put effort into anything other than writing a retelling. This is more of an “inspired by” story that has all the research, but also unique ideas and I ate that up. Once I had a moment to actually read this book I went through it really fast, it was a very good read and also easy to get through (if you’re used to fantasy, world building can be a lot to take in but I feel it was done pretty well here).

I love Morgan as the main character, she is so interesting and there is a lot to unpack with her. Well, it sounds like there is a lot to unpack with her whole family. But we don’t have time for that right now. Her father? Horrible. Her brother Arthur? Horrible. Her brother Kaye? My precious little baby. Lancelet and Galahad? I absolutely love it. Draven? My precious boy. I feel like that is a great summary of the book.

But more specifically for Morgan herself, she has personality, she is into fighting but also isn’t just some gifted god at it, she doesn’t immediately fall for the love interest, and she has flaws! I love flaws in a character- give me a young girl making silly little mistakes because she’s still a little naive. Morgan’s 20, I don’t expect her to know everything about everything, especially if she doesn’t have experience. For example, her romantic relationship throughout this novel is something new to her, she isn’t going to be the best judge of character or listen to what other people think of the guy- it’s the first time someone who didn’t hurt her showed interest in her, she’s going to have clouded judgment.

I liked the plot, it kept me intrigued but also left room for some of Morgan’s personal relationships to grow how they needed to. There’s also so many different secrets being kept, but I’m loving it. I would definitely recommend picking up this book, it is worth the read!

Loved reading the mesmerizing and engaging story. When Morgan is sent on a mission with Kairos Draven and Whitehorn, Whitehorn continues to minister the drink to Morgan each evening to suppress her fae tendencies, but Draven notices the ill effect it is having on Morgan. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of suspense and mystery, and a must read riveting story. Can't wait to read the next story in the series by the amazing author, Briar Boleyn!

I'm not usually one for fantasy but I looooved this! It truly was amazing and I'm already halfway through the rest of the series!!

In a world of doomed love, perilous quests, and impending war, Morgan Pendragon, a forsaken princess, seeks to seize control of her destiny. Bound by duty and whispered to possess fae blood, her life is a pawn in the schemes of others. But when tasked by her brother, the king, to retrieve a legendary fae weapon, Morgan sees a chance for freedom.

On her journey, Morgan is ensnared by a band of outcasts led by a captivating warrior. Amidst conflicting desires, they uncover horrors beyond imagination. Meanwhile, a long-lost fae kingdom, feared by mortals, resurfaces, ready to reclaim its power through violence.

As Morgan delves deeper into her heritage, she realizes her blood holds dangerous secrets, making her a target in the brewing conflict. Caught between duty and desire, she faces a destiny more treacherous than she ever imagined.

Some stories pull you in from the start and refuse to let go. This is what happened to me. I started reading and I just couldn't stop, I needed to know what happens next.

My favourite character is definitely Draven. The rude and annoying guy who turns out to be kind and compassionate and much much more.
Then Morgan. Now she at first seemed naiv but I have a feeling she will be fearsome and great.

I loved all the creatures in the story and I hope to know more.
Also immensely curious about the history behind everything.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Queen of Roses
Author: Briar Boleyn
Blood of a Fae #1
Fantasy

Thank you netgalley for this arc! Fun fact: growing up, “Quest for Camelot” was one of my favorite movies 😂. I have always loved King Arthur and the story of Excalibur and everything surrounding that. This is a FAE retelling and it was so friggin good. A lot of world building, and lots of twists and turns, and characters to meet. Our main character is King Arthur’s sister, Morgan Pendragon, who has fae blood in her veins. King Arthur is a D-BAG in this book!!!! He sets her off on a seemingly unattainable quest, which ends up setting off a chain of events that really sets this up for an amazing series. It’s four books and it is complete! So excited to start the next.

The author did an amazing job with this book. I loved it so much. Nothing bad to say. Chefs kiss on this one. More people need to know about this book! I had never heard of it until I saw it on netgalley. Fae and fantasy loving girlies will go nuts over this!!!!

This is a captivating and thrilling fantasy novel that follows the journey of Morgan Pendragon, a cast-off princess who is destined for a life of duty and sacrifice. But when her brother, the king, tasks her with finding a powerful fae weapon, Morgan sees it as an opportunity to break free from her predetermined fate. What follows is a dangerous and exhilarating adventure as Morgan joins forces with a group of outcasts, led by a mysterious and alluring warrior. As they navigate through the treacherous fae world, Morgan must not only confront her own desires and duty, but also unravel the secrets of her own blood that make her a target for the fae kingdom.
Boleyn's writing is enchanting and vivid, painting a rich and intricate world filled with magic, danger, and morally grey characters. The plot is well-paced and keeps readers engaged from beginning to end. The world-building is superb, with every detail carefully crafted to create a believable and immersive setting. But what truly sets this book apart is its characters. Morgan is a strong and determined protagonist, who struggles with her own identity and desires. Her relationship with the enigmatic warrior, whose sharp wit and fierce beauty captivates her, is slow-burning and full of tension. Their chemistry is palpable and adds a layer of depth to the story. The supporting characters are equally well-developed and add their own unique dynamics to the group. Each with their own secrets and motivations, they bring an element of unpredictability to the story. Overall, this is a must read for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Raven Kennedy, and Sarah J. Maas.

"I burn for you Morgan. You've set me aflame.."
"Then let the flames consume us."

After reading this book twice, I realized why I loved it both times! I read it one year ago when it was initially released and immediately was left feeling like I wanted so much more! Of course my TBR list got in the way and I didn't get around to reading the rest of the series, nevertheless I am so excited I reread it! At first I was disappointed there wasn't much spice, however after reading Briar Boleyn's excerpt at the end of the book, I understood exactly why. This is a SLOW burn novel, where the author spends time with the MFC, developing her background, introducing those close to her, and world building. This novel contains characters from the tale of King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table however not a direct retelling of that particular story. The MMC is still so mysterious to me I cannot wait to find out what occurs in the next book between him and the MFC. The shock at the end will leave you with your jaw dropped! There are some scenes where the MFC undergoes assault but do not fear she does get her revenge! It was great to see the MFC have real internal dilemmas about speaking out or acting out. She was not necessarily reckless with her decision making and even expressed her fear of what could happen as she had others to think of. Also, I think the author does an excellent job of really driving home the adversary of the MFC and MMC. Overall, I am so intrigued to see how the rest of the story plays out, I will definitely be reading the series!

This was the slowest slow burn on the face of the earth, with a very well done enemies to lovers! There was a lot of world building, which was amazing but I needed just a little more something firey since it was such a slow burn.
An amazing cliff hanger, which made me immediately look up the next book!

4🌟 1 🌶
Thank you net galley & Briar Boleyn for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book.
It has-
- enemies to lovers
- fae
- camelot setting
- " who did this to you?"
- epic quests
- purring battle cats
-slow burn 🔥
& more
After that cliffhanger I will be going to straight on to book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for the advanced reader's copy of this book!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Queen of Roses. I am by no means an expert in the Arthurian legends, but I appreciated the use of the characters and lore from the stories. So going in most people will have a general idea of characters and items to expect to hear about in the book.

The story was a little slow and repetitive in the middle, but sometimes slower pacing is needed to have explosive scenes in other parts of the book. And those last few chapters of the book were NOT what I was expecting. After reading through the end of the book I had to know more about the world, Morgan (our FMC), and Draven (knight), and continue reading the series.

I really appreciate that the two most stereotypical views of Fae and Faeries is portrayed in the book. We get both the extremely human/classically beautiful as well as the human/animal hybrid interpretations of the Fae. In many Fae inspired books I have read, it seems that the author chooses one or the other, but not both. I hope this dynamic is explored more in the next books in the series.

I can't wait to continue reading this series!

⭐️ Ratings
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Romance: 🌹🌹1.5/5
Spice: 🔥🔥 1.5/5

📝 My Thoughts
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of Queen of Roses.

The longer I think about this book the more I don’t know what to rate it. I was very engaged the whole time, but overall it seemed like the whole book was like a prequel to the actual story.

This is an Arthurian fantasy following Morgan, part-fae Princess on a mission with her gaurd Kairos. There is barely any romance in this one, but I feel like there will definitely be more in the following books. Again, it was almost as if everything written in this was to establish the characters, world, and mission. It didn’t seem like much was going on a lot of the time. I honestly enjoyed the characters and world despite that though, and it was such a short read, so I will definitely still be reading the second book to see there the story goes. I’m hoping for more romance, more action, and MUCH less animal cruelty in the next one!

📝 Favorite Quote
“I felt the fury of a small child who sees the injustice of the world and wants to reach out and stop it any way they can.”

- Dark Camelot vibes
- Forced proximity
- Fantasy creatures
- Twists and turns
- Enemies to ...?

I'm sorry, what just happened...
I devoured this book, I couldn't stand half the characters in the BEST way. Characters felt well developed with meaningful relationships, which made the heartbreak all that much worse.
Loved the beginning of what I'm sure will be such an exciting magical system and world, with fantasy beasts I look forward to exploring more of.
It's enemies to something or other with a twist haha (don't want to give away any spoilers)

The last 20% of this book gave me whiplash with the twists and turns, you're going to want to have the second one ready to go as soon as your done!

Side note: check your triggers

This is a super loose retelling of King Arthur, and focuses on his sister Morgan, who in this story is half fae. I was obsessed with this book!!! Morgan's freaking awesome, she's definitely a bit sheltered but anyone who thinks she's too timid or submissive should remember what happened to Vesper! Draven was incredibly hot, I feel like Briar made him too great haha there is another love interest in this book introduced later but it was too late I was already a Draven girlie and the other guy was nothing! I was surprised by the twist at the end which I usually would've seen coming! The world-building was incredible and I really felt apart of the story!

Listen, I am so not a Camelot/King Arthur person. At all. I literally had no idea what I was getting into here but it ended up being a fun time.
A little wordy at times, but it didn’t bother me. I enjoyed the FMC, it was nice that she wasn’t all fight and witty comebacks. I am excited to read the next ones!

Thank you to NetGalley for the free access to this book in exchange for an unbiased review.