A solid slow burn fantasy, with wonderful Arthurian-based world-building, and plenty of action. Tropes galore - and in the absolute best way! Not quite as dark as initially expected, but there's certainly scope for that to increase massively given the ending.

Read this if you like: rich lore, enemies-to-lovers, retellings with a twist.

This one had me sucked in from the beginning and kept me entertained the whole way through. Right away your out in a situation where you want to know more and the author pulls you along for the ride.

I really enjoyed this book, and I will definitely be seeking out the second one when it publishes! I love the modern edge the author gave this Arthurian-based tale, as well as the fae that were incorporated in.
It took me an embarrassingly long moment to get with the program with all the world building that was going on. But once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At times, I did feel like the FMC was a bit too timid for how I felt the author wanted her to be portrayed.
This is portrayed as a dark fae fantasy series, though this first book is definitely not dark yet. The second book I’m sure will be a lot darker, as this was just the build up for it. Overall, I really liked this book!
Thank you for this ARC!

I think the book itself was pretty great. Maybe the way it was marketed kind of set unrealistic expectations for it. The characters were lovable and engaging!

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I am all about Camelot and their tales. This is kind of a twisted version of that. Morgan is feel like she is casted off because her brother is king. I don't want to give away too much. I love the interaction of the characters and the adventure. Even the training scenes that took place. I want to see what comes with the rest of the books. I thought it was all about the journey. I did take a little to warm up to Morgan in the beginning, but she just trying to find her own Legacy.

Yeah, it wasn't awful (like I expect most romantasy books to be and sometimes I'll find a little gem amongst all the trash). I would've liked more arthurian legends in there but that's just a me problem. the characters were written quite well, at least well enough for me not to cringe, so I guess that's a win. It's just a "fine" book but if you want entertainment, you have the right one. 3 stars

Was this book set up any different from the other fantasy books I have read? No. Nevertheless, I ATE IT UP. Fantasy just does it right every single time man, I really love reading books like this. Just continue the series.

5⭐️

Morgan Pendragon’s life has never been her own to control. Morgan was originally supposed to be queen of Camelot, until it was rumoured that her blood was tainted with the blood of the fae and her birthright was stolen by her younger brother Arthur. So Morgan was then promised to the goddesses, that is until her brother tasks, or more likely threatens, her with finding a fae weapon of legendary power. Morgan’s travel companions can’t be trusted, especially the dark haired man that seems to have too many secrets and keeps her heart racing.

You should read Queen of Roses if you like dark fantasy romances, retellings, slowburn, enemies to lovers, tension, banter, forced proximity, “touch her and 💀” and found family.

TW: SA, homophobic comments, death, domestic abuse and many more, please read the full TW before reading.

I seriously ate this book up. I LOVE Morgan Pendragon ( or Le Fay), literally my favourite character in Merlin, so when I read that this was a King Arthur retelling forced on Morgan I was immediately interested. Morgan is a badass that has been put through a really HORRIBLE time (please read the TW!!) and she had finally found her way out of Camelot and hopefully will be able to take charge of her life. I can’t wait to see her take more charge of her life and really become the powerful character we all know she can be! Then Kairos Draven comes along most importantly see my Goodreads note at 27.0% "“Who? Who did this to you?” UGHHH I LOVE”. NOW this book is slowburn and I can’t wait to see how Morgan and Draven’s relationship will *hopefully* flourish in the next book. The author took a lot of time with the world building and its truly great. You can literally picture King Arthurs throne room like your standing inside of it. Also note that this book does end on a cliffhanger!! I have already received an ARC for the second book “Court of Claws” and I can’t wait to start reading it!

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press for an advanced readers copy for an honest review.

It took me a bit to share my thoughts, but I finally found a moment to read and give feedback on "Queen of Roses." Mixing King Arthur with magical creatures, this book offers a fun fantasy experience, even if it's not as famous as some others. The story immerses you in a world that feels like ancient times, with knights and castles adding a cool touch. The unique magic involving human and fae characters adds an interesting twist. While the book starts a bit slow, once it picks up, it becomes quite exciting. There's a subplot with Florian that feels a bit much, but overall, it's an engaging read. Secrets about Morgan's mom pop up unexpectedly, leaving you curious about what happens next. Despite a few bumps, it's a decent start to a series I plan to continue. Finally found the time to share these thoughts!

I didn’t find it that similar to King Arthur. For the most part I liked Morgan, but I found her a bit whiny. The part that annoyed me the most was a how upset she was about her hair. It was over the top. She seemed more upset over that than the sexual assaults that occurred. I did enjoy the dialogue between her and Draven. I thought the betrayal happened too quick so it was too obvious. I think it should have went on into the second book. I also didn’t really understand why she continued to take the “medicine” . I did enjoy it while reading, minus what I mentioned I liked how it flowed. It left me curious to find out where it goes n the second book. I also want to get more in depth in certain characters.

This book was exactly what I wanted in a fantasy romance book. The world was dark and it drew me in the the story. The romance was perfect!

I am loving the Morgan la fey and authorian retelling so much! I am praying Lancelot is alive as I need her to be alive.

I do enjoy how not all the characters are straight and it isn’t a defining personality trait that they aren’t. It is just who they are.

Arthurian Legend Retelling

If you think you know King Arthur's story, think again. This fantasy sets that legend on its ear. Arthur is the villain of the story, and not the hero. He is not the only scoundrel, but he is the king, so his villainy is noteworthy. Morgan is the heroine of this tale. She is part fae, but she must suppress any characteristics that make her who she is. When Arthur sends her on a dangerous mission, she encounters unimaginable dangers. With her is Draven, a mysterious man. This story will draw you into the pages. The story does not end when you turn the last page of this book. Morgan has not finished her story yet. What more can she tell us? Will she prevail? Can she find true love? Will good triumph over evil?

Some might call the ending a cliffhanger, but I would not consider it such since this leg of the journey has ended for our heroine. However, the ending of the book does leave you wanting more. I look forward to reading what comes next in this series. I recommend this story to those who like fantasy, Arthurian legend retellings, and stories with women who find strength and courage despite incredible odds.

I enjoyed reading this novel. The pace was well kept, I enjoyed the plot, and I did enjoy the characters, too.
The romance was a slow burn, setting us up nicely for book two without the relationship feeling rushed, to me. I definitely plan to continue the series.

The book had already been released, and I was too late to read it. So, I will make sure to receive a copy and still write my review on it on my website. My standard rating is 3, and I will edit it as soon as I read it.

2.5/5 Stars + 1/5 Spice

- Romance/Fantasy, King Arthur Retelling
- Slow Burn
- TW: Please view before reading (as advised these may contain spoilers)

“His voice was more powerful than the sea. More primordial than the stars. My name was on his lips as he promised unspeakable darkness to any who came between us.” - Queen of Roses

Thank you to NetGalley, Starwater Press and the author Briar Boleyn for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

This book is a loosely inspired retelling of the legend of King Arthur. This is what initially intrigued me towards reading the book as well as the addition of fae which, I will admit, may be my kryptonite.

This book was in no way bad, it just wasn’t for me. I felt myself to not be connecting with the book and the story the way I wanted to. I can definitely see the promise in the story and the characters and the future of the series but this book just failed to capture my attention the way so many of my favourites have. It is an extremely slow paced slow burn. I, personally, would’ve enjoyed a bit more spice, but the author promises more in future books.

I’m not sure if this is a series I will be continuing but I can certainly see the promise in the book as well as that other readers may enjoy it far more than I did. Unfortunately, this book was just not my cup of tea. The writing itself was well done and for that I believe I will continue to look out for books written by this author, perhaps just set in a different world.

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#GracedReads #goodreads #romance #fantasy #Romantasy #kindleunlimited #arc #arcreader #BookReview #bookreviewer

Queen of Roses was an okay fantasy novel in my opinion. I wouldn't put it up there with the Sarah J Maas books, but I think it's worth a read if you have a bunch of time to get stuck in a book with. I appreciated the world building of this book. It is steeped in Arthurian legend with all of the names of the Knights of the Round Table, Camelot, Tintagel, etc. So if you're into the middle ages and all of that lore, this is definitely for you. Think Legendborn, but a little more tame and set in the middle ages rather than modern day. This book also had a unique spin on fae magic, being that there are two races in this world human and fae. So again if you like books about the fae and wars between human and fae, you will most likely like this book too. My main criticism of the book is that it was too long for absolutely no reason. The plot did pick up and start happening until I was 49% of the way through the book. I'm used to it taking time to really get into a book, especially fantasies were there is a good amount of world building and angst to get through. But honestly, the whole plot with Florian was completely unnecessary in my opinion. I think the author got the point across that Morgan had been through a lot in her life without needing to add in triggering scenes that were added. There also were so many plot holes about Morgan's mother. You spend the entire book wondering about who Morgan and her mother were and then in the last 3 pages 2 big secrets are dropped, but you have no idea what they mean in relation to where the story is going. I just think those could have been better explained to give you more hype and reason to read the second book. I can't stand books that just leave questions and expect you to buy the second one to understand them, without REALLY wanting to read them.

It was a fairly good book, though the description didn't mention romance except in passing. The beginning was interesting and full of intrigue, but the love plot felt a bit like a sudden slap in the face. At first, it focuses on Morgan's life in the palace and her relationships with the people there, and how she suddenly gets ripped from everything she knows. It sets up the rest of the story nicely, or so you'd think, because it quickly turns into something of a camping romance from what I can recall. It's not quite my cup of tea, though not necessarily bad.

Thanks to Starwater Press for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a loose interpretation of the King Arthur legend with a fae twist. First off, who doesn't love King Arthur? The fae element had me a little skeptical, but I'm starting to learn that I like the fantasy more than I thought I did. There is a lot to love here, and tons of adventure. There is romance too, but it is very slow-burn. It was a great first book in the series, and I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series to see what happens!

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.