First of all, thank you to NetGalleand the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me tense from the moment Felix was mistaken for a dark wizard. I enjoyed Saskia and Felix's interactions. This book was fun. The found family aspect of this book was my favourite bit, as well as the crow, Oscar.

Would have preferred a little more worldbuilding, but it was scattered throughout.

Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series develops.

Thank you NetGalley & Pan Macmillan for the ARC. DNF @ 50%.

This is a romance that essentially begins with an infatuation that speedruns its way to the first physically intimate scene that occurs before the 50% mark. Simply not for me because I just know I'd actually love this novel as a slowburn. And I mean a proper slowburn where the the couple bonds through multiple scenes where they get to understand each other, rather than like two(?) instances of them talking and then a fastforward of a few months. Individually, Queen Saskia and Felix do make interesting characters; I liked Saskia's assertion & sass and Felix's gentle demeanor. But I can't get past my annoyance of the borderline instalust and I don't want to taint what pleasant experiences I have with these two thus far. Hence the DNF. I do think this will appeal to a lot of readers because the concept and characterizations are really fun.

A fabulous tale where an Archduke, Felix, meets the witch queen Saskia, and finds that she is not the monster she is reputed to be. He comes to offer his self as a hostage and is mistaken for a dark wizard. He is hired as a member of staff. His growing attraction to the witch queen and her interest in him are documented very well. This author is brilliant at telling a good story and making the characters real. I loved the book and would recommend it highly.

I really enjoyed reading about Saskia, the evil witch Queen, and Fabian/Felix a secret royal refugee (Archduke of Estarion), whom Saskia employees to help her organise her magical library as she thinks he is a dark wizard now that she has less time for research since taking back the throne to her kingdom from her evil uncle. I loved the slow burn between the two and that Fabian can really see Saskia for who she is and not who she is pretending to be. I thought it was a really cosy romantasy, and I actually liked in some parts the slight predictability of the plot as I was cheering when things went the right way and it was nice to have a MMC who was confident enough within himself and his title to not be intimidated by the MFC strength and status, and could both see each others vulnerabilities and helped raise each other up rather than tear each other down. Really enjoyable, cosy read and I can't wait to read more.

Wooing the Witch Queen is a fun, cosy romantasy and it is the first book of the Queens of Villainy, a series of standalones. If you love your romance books with a dash of fantasy, you will absolutely adore Wooing the Witch Queen. Stephanie Burgis has crafted a unique, rich fantasy world that does not overshadow the beautiful romance.

This first book focuses on Queen Saskia and Felix (aka Fabian), her new librarian, who is keeping his true identity a secret. I absolutely adored their romance and I spent most of the book grinning and swooning.

I cannot wait to see what Stephanie Burgis has in store for us in the next book of the Queens of Villainy series!

Wooing The Witch Queen

Fearing for himself and others, Félix flees his homeland and plans to throw himself on the mercy of Queen Saskia, the wicked witch Queen that is so feared. Only when he gets there, everyone believes him to be a dark wizard wanting to take up the position of castle Librarian. Unable to tell the truth, Felix finds himself with a new job and a new name - ‘Fabian’ the dark wizard.

Saskia is desperately trying to keep hold of throne she managed to wrestle from her wicked uncle, but it’s not easy when there is war on the horizon. She wants to protect her people but after being called a ‘monster’ for so many years - she feels at a loss. Her only comfort is her friend Fabian. Who she absolutely does not have feelings for…

Felix throws himself into his new role, trying to think of ways to help and protect Saskia and his new friends but when he starts to fall for the feared Queen - how can he even begin to tell her truth?

And what will Saskia do when she learns he’s not only lied to her but that he’s from the land of her enemies? Will their love be able to survive? Or will it all come crashing down?

—-
The first book in the Queens of Villainy series and I am in love with it. Saskia, Felix, Lorelei, Ailana, Mrs Haglitz, Morlokk and of course Oskar the crow - they are all brilliant characters. It’s an enchanting and witty read and I’m so excited to see what happens next.

I’d best describe this book as a slow burn for both myself and the characters. The second half of the book really ramped things up and the action intrigued me. It was well written but I wish I knew a little more about the immediate history of Saskia’s parents and Felix’s story prior to this. A prequel maybe? 👀

Unfortunately, this book didn't work for me. It definitely didn't feel like a first book in a series, there was barely any world building or background information given on anything. Most information seemed brief and felt more like reminders than actually setting up the story properly.

There was too much repetition too - constantly being told about how Saskia is thought of as a tyrant queen, the reasons why people think she's an evil witch, over and over again.

The romance was a big let down too, the attraction shallow, I really didn't understand where the romantic feelings came from and why.

There was some very, very minor longing, then vague smut, the type I dislike - either include spice, or make it closed door, don't give me flowery, weirdly described smut that's over incredibly quickly. This is obviously mostly a case of personal preference, but it truly just didn't fit in this story.

I also noticed a few random perspective changes. The book is written in third POV, but a few first place POV sentences were thrown in, for no reason that I could fathom.

I was also confused about why it was necessary to have a goddess appear in the story, without explanation as to how she fits in the world, which seemed too modern but weirdly also old too. I truly didn't see the point in this.

The only good things I have to say, are about Felix - his powers and kindness, and there were humorous instances, with a few clever, witty moments.

Overall, this was just too bland, and I felt like something was missing the entire time I was reading, not a single aspect was developed enough in any way.

This was lighter in tone than I thought, and definitely more humorous but I enjoyed it immensely. Intriguing world building and interesting back stories for the characters made for an intriguing plot and a sweet but soulful love story. It's a sort of grumpy to sunshine trope with a ferocious (on the outside) queen and a gentle (fountain pen obsessed) librarian and it made a lovely change to have a less than alpha male lead, but one one who was sweet, thoughtful and multi-layered. I loved this cosy romantasy and very much look forward to the next in the series (tempting extract in the back!).

4.5/5⭐

Wooing the Witch Queen is a delightful blend of whimsy and depth, sweeping you away into a world full of yearning, secrets, and enchanting characters. Written in a comforting and easy cadence, it’s the kind of book that wraps around you like a cozy blanket, inviting you to stay until the very last page.

Though the plot itself is fairly simple, this book is rich with moments of unexpected charm and depth. It’s an unconventional, refreshing tale with a diverse cast that turns familiar fantasy tropes on their heads.

The tension between the characters is absolutely delicious, especially that between the fearsome yet lonely queen and her gentle, fountain-pen-obsessed librarian, who slowly befriends her crows and dismantles her emotional barriers. Their slow-burn connection is filled with longing and discovery, and it’s a joy to witness their transformation as the pages go by. But it’s not just the romance that shines in this story. The exploration of other relationships—both supportive and not—is equally compelling. My favourite of these is the chaotic dynamic between the Queens of Villainy.

At its heart, Wooing the Witch Queen is the story of a young woman finding her place in the world and learning to embrace her power and individuality. It is a lovely, heartfelt read that sets the stage perfectly for future books.

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Wooing the Witch Queen in exchange for my honest review.

Title: Wooing the Witch Queen
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Pages: 304
Rating: 4/5


"In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down."

This was such an endearing, funny, misunderstood, romantic trope loving book.
Misunderstood villain - check
Hot librarian - check
Miscommunication - check
Adorable familiars - check
Friendships and found families - check

Oh and tragic back stories!!

Well, you get the picture.

The world building was visual but not too wordy. It was a delight to read and a real feel good book. I'm very excited for book two and what will happen next.

It's a feel good romance with some great characters and backstory!!

You'll love this book if you like
- romantasy
- low spice/ fade to black
- hidden magic
- morally grey
- misunderstood villain
- bookish scenes
- miscommunication

A heartwarming, witty, romantic read. I loved this. I was completely enchanted by the story. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

This book was a breath of fresh air. It was sweet and cozy without being too sugary, and still had a fully realized world within it. It was exactly what I needed when I wanted a break from serious, angst filled romantasy. I can’t wait to read the next books in the series!

This book was a lovely cosy, wholesome, and easy read. As my first read from Stephanie Burgis I wasn't assure what to expect but I found that I quite liked her writing style, she made me feel very 'at home' in a sense that I didn't have to exert myself to know what was going on.

The character's were likeable, I didn't quite click with them. Felix is a lovely warm cinnamon roll type MMC, and Saskia is proclaimed to be an 'evil witch queen' but we don't see anything evil - I would have liked to have seen more actions to back this up rather than a couple of scenes where she was pretending to be something she was not.

The plot was predictable, pacing was good, we don't really see a lot of character development and the tropes were well done.

Overall, this story fell a bit flat for me. It was enjoyable yes, but it didn't bring much to the table in terms of feelings, exciting-ness, or the relationship development between Saskia and Felix.

A lot of readers will eat this up, but it wasn't for me.

This was so very unique and so exciting to delve into! Romantic and surprising, full of magic and surprising turns, this was a great story from the first page to the last and I was sad to reach the end

A well written story full of magic, creatures and fantastical storylines but an enjoyable romp that was a good read

I inhaled this cozy romantasy in one go and really loved the two main characters. For a start, who can resist a sweet, poetry-writing MMC who's pretending to be a dark wizard librarian and befriending the FMC's horde of crows? I loved the reversal of the typical FMC/MMC romantasy roles, and loved to see Saskia take control, both as Queen and in her relationship with Felix.

There's a lovely slow burn here, full of yearning. There is a open-door sex scene but it's not explicit. I'd say it focuses more on the emotion between Saskia and Felix.

I can't wait to read the next two books in the Queens of Villainy series. Both Lorelei and Ailana are such different characters to Saskia, so their stories are going to be really unique!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

Stephanie Burgis weaves a spellbinding tale filled with charm, heart, and unexpected twists in her latest novel. Centered on a wicked Queen of Villainy and her enigmatic mysterious librarian, this story contains hidden identities, slow-burn romance, and the courage to confront personal ghosts—all while showing the transformative power of love and connection.

One of the most refreshing aspects of this book is how it challenges traditional notions of strength, giving us a role reversal entirely. Saskia is powerful and a queen of a kingdom threatened by her neighbour. She took the responsibility of protecting her people no matter the cost. Burgis balanced gentleness and kindness with power and wickedness, redefining what it means to be a strong and resilient protector.

It’s a delightful mix of romantic fantasy with a world of otherworldly, surprises, and warmth. From crow companions and an endearing troll housekeeper to a found family you’ll wish you could join. There’s no shortage of memorable moments.

This novel is a true gem for fans of romantasy and anyone craving a fun, heartfelt tale and a healthy dose of witchy.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This was delightful, but probably not really for me! While I try to read outside my comfort zone, and I enjoyed the fantasy elements this had, it was just a bit too romance heavy for me!

So if you’re trying to read more fantasy, and you’re a romance lover - this is the perfect choice for you! It was a cosy read, I actually really liked the male main character a lot (which doesn’t happen often in romance books!) He was gentle and kind and kept befriending the crowd; Felix is the highlight of this book.

This book was so much fun, I love witchy books and the initial bit of this that grabbed me was the colours on the cover.
Really enjoyed this one though and the chapter illustration pages were honestly stunning!