5 stars - self publishing is hard.

Sensitive readers: make sure to check the trigger warnings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this as the first book in a series. I think it left quite a bit to be desired as you move into the next three books in the series but it definitely got my attention. And it makes me excited to continue and see where this series goes. For a dark fantasy romance, with touch her and die vibes, mysterious MMC and an FMC that doesn’t know her full potential, I really enjoyed the book. There were some pretty heavy topics in this one such as SA and domestic abuse so for those reasons, be cautious going into this one. All in all, I really enjoyed it and it was a quick read that I felt invested in the whole time.

I wasn't sure ehat to think of this one ehen I went into it. It had a great sounding premise, and the promise of good characters, but I'm always worried when starting dark fantasies sometimes.

Will the world building be too slow? Will the characters take too long to relate too? Will my ADHD brain refuse to focus?

But this book pulled me in and got rid of all of those worries within a few chapters. I will say I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending. But given this is a series, I have high hopes that the story will continue on in a way that I'm happy with.

Definitely a 4 star read for me

I wasn't completely sure when reading this if I was enjoying it. I found some of the writing to be and story to be a little bit off for my liking. I, however, liked the idea, so carried on.
I'm glad I read it and I had become invested so dived straight into the next book

This book was an enjoyable and quick read full of some of my favourite fantasy romance tropes! My only note was that their was a few flaws in the writing style but I also found it easy to overlook for a fast paced read - a great addition to a kindle-library full of steamy romance - Thankyou for the opportunity to read this one!

I’m so happy I picked up this book on NetGalley!! On to book 2 now, can’t wait to continue with this series.

A great fantasy romance that was based on King Arthur. The romance and world building was exquisite and I loved the character development. I think anyone who wants a great fantasy story to escape into should pick this up. No knowledge of King Arthur legend or story needed to be able to enjoy!

Slightly dark and deeply delicious. This book takes Arthur's tale and flips it on its head. I loved this take on a beloved story and all the twists and turns that come with it. Morgan is a tough character who is trying to make her way through the treachery of Arthur's court. I can't wait to see what happens next and already have book 2 on my kindle. The character interactions and banter are perfection, as is the delicate balance of weaving story and setting together that they work with each other. The writing style is atmospheric and lush while giving us rich character development and the hopeful twinge of a slow burn romance.

Hey everyone! I just finished reading Queen of Roses and wanted to share my thoughts. It's a dark fantasy romance with a Fae twist and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. There's magic, mythical creatures, tension, banter, and unexpected twists. While I liked the world-building and character development, I wished for more excitement. The cliffhanger ending has me eager to start the second book! Check the trigger warnings before reading because it's pretty dark and twisted.

I really enjoyed this one! It puled me out a deep reading slump because it was catching and twisting. Loved it!

The writing is overly descriptive taking you away from the story at hand. I am not a fan of prologues and didn't think it did anything that couldn't have been woven within. The same goes for the first chapter which is a flashback.

The premise of the story is really interesting with the arthurian elements and a touch of Fae magic. Our main character is half Fae but knows little about this part of herself because she represses it with tonics, so the journey isn't just about finding Exalibur and also includes some self discovery.

There is a lot of set up before the action so it takes a while to get into. Although it was quite interesting the pace is lost through long internal monologues from the main character which I felt could have been cut down.

The ending was interesting but felt rushed. I could see the cliffhanger being set up but I wasn't emotionally invested in the characters journeys in a way that would make me pick up book two.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this arc

This book kept me wanting to pick it up and thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it. The story flowed really well and made me want to pick up the next one asap!

An amazing great fantasy romance, I'm surprised i down hear more about this book. Its a promising start to a fantasy series, looking forward to the next.

I received a copy of Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn from NetGalley. This is the first book of the Blood of the Fae series. It is a dark fantasy romance novel that immediately intrigued me. A discarded princess, Morgan must go on a journey to find an item for her brother, accompanied by Kairos Draven.
Morgan is a half-fae and half-human princess, heir to the Camelot throne. Then, her father removed her from the succession line because of being half-fae and promised her to the temple of the Three. Kairos Draven is a mysterious new entry in the royal guard. There is not much we know about him for a while. Morgan has two half-siblings, Arthur and Kaye. She feels out of place in her family and her choices taken away by her father from a very young age after losing her mother. Arthur chooses Morgan for a mission and Draven to accompany her on this journey.
This book is a take on the Arthurian tale with fae and dark fantasy. It took me some time to understand how things worked in this world. It blends the world of Camelot we know, with this fae fantasy world seamlessly. Some things are familiar yet completely new. It is one of the things that I loved in the book is the setting and then the characters. It keeps the fantasy elements in the center in a grounded way.
Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn is the first book of the Blood of the Fae series. It has a fascinating fantasy world, a retelling with fae, and interesting characters. I enjoyed reading this book. I had to force myself to stop reading and sleep. I can't wait to read the following books and explore this world and these characters more.

The slowest of slow burns in the best way possible. Loved the build up between the characters. Plus, sprinkle in enemies to lovers and amorally grey MMC and it's the perfect mixture for a great book!

I really enjoyed reading this story and can't wait to devour the rest of it. Well written and twists and turns that draw you in and hold you close.

Morgan Pendrath is a baddie. But she’s being repressed by a tyrannical king, her younger brother. When he tasks her with something pivotal to his success, she doesn’t shy away.

Pretty things have a tendency to get claimed by men. Getting carved up by a man to show others who you belong to? That’s some savage nonsense but she’s not taking it lightly and gets her revenge.

Enter a mysterious captain to protect her on the quest?? Yes, please. I love a morally grey, who did this to you MMC. Draven is sooo that man. He’s so elusive in his interactions with Morgan.

Magical people and creatures join them on their quest but really things go sideways kind of quick.

This story ends on a cliffhanger but it’s so worth it!

First off, thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Queen of Roses follows Morgan Pendragon, who’s grown in the shadows of her brother because of the tainted fae blood in her veins. Now that her kingdom is on the brink of war, she is forced on a journey to seek out a legendary weapon that’ll save them from their doom…

I really enjoyed this book! I thought that the main storyline was fun to follow and it had enough details to envision it in your head. The only thing I didn't enjoy was that the slow burn was SLOOWWW. I needed more and faster!

I hate how I didn’t read this book sooner. At first, I had a lot of prejudice against it, I just thought it was any other cliche fantasy book. But I truly adored it.

The classic elements were mixed well with an original story. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a King Arthur story with a female lead. That’s just so cool. The classic elements one would look for in a fantasy story was there, but the author’s beautiful writing made it not so boring and as if it’s been done before.

My only issues were I believe faeries. I feel like people just throw in faeries into any work recently where they’re not necessary or adds anything to the story.

Such a stunning dark fantasy! This is a Camelot/King Arthur retelling in a dark fantasy world with Fae!!! That was the selling point for me and it had me intrigued! I enjoyed it a lot, it was definitely dark but leaves you wanting more, seriously the slow burn had me begging for more by the end! This is a new-to-me author but I will definitely keep reading this series and keep up with the author for more!