Thank you Netgalley, Second Sky, Ashley Metzler for sending me this review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The worldbuilding in this book is so rich, and the descriptions are stunningly beautiful. While there is a ton of action, the romance is a super slow burn.

Watching Aisling grow from lost naive young girl, to strong angry Queen was intense. There are times she gets annoying, especially in the beginning. I suppose I would probably feel the same if I was in her shoes too. I can't imagine I would be happy stuck in an arranged marriage with a stranger, and tossed head first into a completely unfamiliar realm where you don't know the language. Pretty much everyone has treated her like crap her whole life. The excessive inner monologue gets to be a bit much, but everything else makes up for it.

Unfortunately Lir remains a mystery for me. Since the story is only from Aisling's view, we don't get that deep inner connection I would have liked with him. He is mostly broody and quiet.

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic YA novel, and I can see teens enjoying it.

This would be a great book without the romance, but as a romance reader, the romance was *chef's kiss*. The world-building, the characters, the chemistry, and the writing were excellent! All excellent! If you're getting into the romantasy genre, this is a fantastic book to pick up! It's hard to write without giving away the plot, but seriously, read this book. You won't regret it!

Firstly thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC. This story is wonderful! I really enjoyed all aspects of the book. The pacing was great and enjoy the characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Wow I am in love with this book!! I haven't been this into a story for a long time but this had everything I want and need in a 5 star plus read.

Political arranged marriage between a human and a fae is such a good trope and the author did an amazing job with it.

I adored the writing style, such a beautiful and descriptive way to tell a story. The world building was perfect in my opinion, the author gave us details in everything that it created such a rich world and magic system.

This book is definitely a slow burn which is not usually my favourite but it worked so well for Aisling and Lir. There was so much tension I was desperate to keep reading. Lir is 100% a new book boyfriend and this is definitely a new favours read for me.

Review posted to Goodreads and Instagram already, will be posted to Amazon on release day.

I actually really enjoyed this one!! Def reminded me of ACOTAR but I still really enjoyed it!!

Thank you to NetGalley & Ashley Metzler & Second Sky for allowing me to read & review this!!

Oh wow, this book takes on an adventure to the beautiful faelands and has an amazing enemies-to-lovers trope😍
First I found it hard to get in to the book, but after the first two or so chapters, this book really hooks you in. The plot was really intriguing and the I really couldn’t see all the twists and turns that this adventure takes, this was truly a thrilling read. Also this book was written so beautifully, almost like reading poetry with all the descriptions. The magic practically flowed from the pages.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you like
❤️‍🔥enemies to lovers
✨ unique magic system
🎯political suspense
💕fated mates
I highly recommed this book!

An interesting start to a series. The world building is fascinating, very in-depth. lir and Aisling are both strong characters but their character have a very very slow burn relationship. I'm afraid it was a bit too slow for me. Hopefully it will get going a bit more in the next book now that the scene is already set

I really enjoyed this book. It did take me a few chapters to adjust to the world building but once I got going I couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait to see where this ultimate slow burn leads us..

Really enjoyed this fantasy romance! The writing is full and the world building is great. I’m giving it four stars only because the first part of the book took awhile to get through. Excited for her series!

This was a strong start to the Aisling Trilogy series, I thought the fae romance worked well overall and that it had that fantastically element that I was looking for. The characters had that feel that I wanted and enjoyed going on this adventure with them. It left me wanting to read the next books to see where it's going and from Ashley Metzler.

Can you ever forgive him? Aisling a mortal has been handafsted to the sidhe king Lir. And this union was meant to bring peace to all but nothing is that simple. Ash knows that something has changed since she has been with Lir & his people. She fears what is inside her but she welcomes it as well. But can get & Lir find a way forward? A great read excellent storyline. Good characters.
Will Ash ever be able to forgive Lir for his betrayal? I really hope so as their story isn’t finished yet. Can’t wait for the next part of the series.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review.

This is one of the best slow burns I've come across in my reading journey. The tension and buildup are delicious, and the spice isn't missed because the banter and world-building keep your attention occupied. Also, kudos on the narrative style, it kept me invested in the characters from the beginning, I could see the landscape change around them, and the different types of creatures they encountered came to life vividly in my head.
And that ending? What a perfect cliffhanger! I definitely need to keep reading.

What an amazing read - This is my first 5 star read of the year!

I went into this not knowing anything about this book and I am extremely surprised. The plot was fantastic and kept me hooked! I couldn’t put it down. I was shocked by the ending and didn’t see it coming, I can’t wait to read the next one and will definitely be looking into more books by this Author .

Thank you so much Netgalley, Second Sky & the author for the eARC.

While I love a forced marriage and especially fae x mortal, this one just wasn’t doing it for me. There’s something about the writing that felt very off. Also, I wasn’t really connecting with the characters enough to continue. unfortunately this one will be a dnf for me @ 15%.

3/5 stars

If you like slow burns, The Mortal Queen might just be your next favorite read! For me, though, it was a bit too slow—like, “waiting for water to boil but you’re pretty sure the stove is on” slow.

That said, there’s plenty to enjoy here. The fae king, Lir, is basically the definition of “dangerously perfect.” (Seriously, where do I sign up for an alluring-but-loyal magical husband? Asking for a friend.) And Aisling’s journey from terrified mortal to fierce, magic-wielding warrior was chef’s kiss.

The worldbuilding is rich, the mythical beasts are top-tier, and the banter between Lir and Aisling? Sassy perfection. I just wish the pacing had been a little quicker to match the high-stakes vibe.

If slow burns are your jam and you’re here for a fae-meets-mortal marriage of convenience with a dash of deadly enchantments, this book is for you. If not, well… maybe just admire Lir from afar.

Ashley Metzler is a genius! I absolutely loved The Mortal Queen. Between the magic and the characters, this book had a choke hold on me. You, along with the MFC, who is tough on the outside and cinnamon roll on the inside, uncover the mystery of the origins and the clashing between the magical and mortal. Ash (MFC) and Lir (MMC) have a romance that is not only realistic but leaves you YEARNING for more. Unfortunate circumstances bring them together, but they must work through their prejudices to stop the impending war between the Fae and the humans. As the story progresses, Ash changes not only emotionally but physically. I loved that the magical creature and lore were rooted in Irish folklore. Despite featuring beings that are popular in the fantasy book world right now, Metzler gives a fresh take on faeries and provides characters truly lovable as well as realistic. I can't wait for the second book! Thank you, Net Galley, Second Sky, and Ashley Metzler!

This book pleasantly surprised me! I really did enjoy this and I’m ready to read book 2. The world building was great along with new takes on the Seelie, Unseelie, other mythical creatures and the story of creation. Aisling’s naivety at first irritated me but as I read more, I realized that it added to the complexity of her character. A woman split between the world she was raised in and the world she is discovering. While it might have felt repetitive, I think we needed to be reminded of this throughout the book to continuously understand and feel her internal struggles. Though this is classified as a romance, I love how detailed and meticulously the animosity between Lir and Aisling was created. I know they’re meant to be together but I comprehend and feel every reason why they won’t work. I loved how every character served a purpose and furthered the story along - even if you hated or love them. Yhere’s a lot of world building but to me that’s a plus and shows how well intentionally thought out this was. It’s 4.5⭐️ for me.

Thank you to Second Sky and NetGalley for the ARC!

I struggled a lot with the start of this book, a lot of repetition of duties and memories which did make some sections drag. That being said the plot itself is amazing, I love the intertwining of characters and lore into the present.

I wish this had more tension and romance but understand why the story was written the way it was.

Overall really enjoyed it!

4 ⭐

I am so happy I got to read this book! I absolutely love arranged marriage tropes and the slow burn was killing me! The world building and the wording that the author uses is absolutely beautiful! I would highly recommend and I can't wait to see how Aisling's story progresses in the second book!

Absolutely amazing!! I can’t wait to buy a copy of this one! And the cover is absolutely gorgeous!! This one reminds me a lot of other big fantasy romances!