3.5 stars

A really slow paced book. It took me longer than usual to finish and I almost DNF. The plot really picked up in the last 20% so I’m giving the 2nd book a shot.

Morgan was hard to love. I know she’s been mistreated by her family and has not been able to make choices for herself but man she really lacks some common sense and self preservation. It makes me feel sad for her that she’s so easily manipulated by the first person to shower her affection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Briar Boleyn for this ARC in exchange for my review

I really enjoyed this series, it was fun, easy to follow and not too complicated. It was a great series to read in my "nearly in a book slump". I would definitely read this series again.

This is my first book by this author, and I was very pleasantly surprised. I’m looking forward to continuing with the rest of the books in this series.
The story is an Arthurian reimagining, with Fae, and some twists, and turns that you won’t be expecting. It’s a dark fantasy, with some angsty, slow-burn romance, quests, adventure, and mystery.
Morgan Pendragon, sister of King Arthur, is sent on a quest to retrieve a legendary Fae weapon from the ruins of a long-forgotten kingdom. With Fae blood running through her veins, she has a lot to prove, and struggles to find her voice. We’re beginning to see some character development with her, which I’m sure will be explored more in the later books. On her journey, she clashes with the MMC, Kairos Draven, the royal guard sent to accompany her. He becomes the ultimate love interest- but this book just sees the seeds being planted, as not much in the way of romance, truly transpires on the pages.
I was truly engrossed in the story, and enjoyed all of the classic tropes that I have come to love in the epic romantasy genre. Looking forward to diving into the next book!

I was so excited to get a galley of books 1 and 2 to prepare for the release of the 3rd. This series has been so great to read as a fan of ACOTAR and JLA.

While this story could have been good- I feel like the pacing was off and resulted in a dull read. We didn’t set off on our quest until 50% through the book, and not too much happened beforehand. The characters and tropes used seemed very generic and I feel like just needed some zest, oomph and life added to them.

I really didn’t expect anything in this book, it was not as it seemed, all the characters had an agenda and it all got mixed up and washed away as everything started to change. All the characters were so unique and had distinctive personalities, especially Draven I always felt like he was hiding something it added to his intrigue. The author got the pace of this book just right it didn’t feel rushed or too slow. The journey they went on was quite exciting as Morgan found herself in places she never knew of and her life changed so quick. I feel like she grew into a much more well rounded character as the book progressed. I loved it.

I did not expect the book to start out as sad as it did. I think the writing style was different from what I’ve read in other fantasy books. The romance felt second to the plot and overall, it was good. I don’t know if I’d read it twice but I enjoyed it the first time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the EARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a dark romance loosely based around King Arthur but with Fae. After getting through the first 40% of interesting world building and getting to know the FMC Morgan I couldn't put it down. Morgan is a half fae princess who was born to be Queen if only her father didn't hate everything Fae and thought she wasn't fit for the role. When her half brother Arthur who is now King sends her on a task to find and bring back a Fae weapon she goes on an adventure with only 2 guards to keep her safe. One of them guards just happen to be the Captain of the guard Draven.
If you enjoy enemies to lovers, very slow burn, found family and forced proximity then this book is for you. I enjoyed Morgan's character even if I did question her actions at some point and well who doesn't love a morally grey man who asks 'who did this to you' when finding scars on our FMC. This book is very slow burn like snail pace slow. We don't get much romance in this book but since its the first book in a series it is expected a little. We get some good character interactions and found family which was enjoyable.
I had trouble with the first 40% which was mainly world building and getting to know Morgan but after that I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day and with the cliff hanger it ends on I went straight to amazon to get the next one.
I have a lot of question from the ending and can't wait to jump into the next book.
This is a dark romance so please read the trigger warnings before going in.

This is is a solid 4.5 stars out of 5 and I'm so excited to have received the next 2 books aswell. I had personally never heard of this series but was so drawn in by the synopsis.

This book was so eloquently written, every description of a person, place, animal, scene... omg it's like it tickled all of my senses at once. It really was an experience rather than just reading!

Also the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book was an absolute lifesaver, 10/10 just for that! I was so surprised to see it at the front but had no issues saying any of the names.

We read the book in Morgan's POV and she is such a conflicted character, I felt myself really feeling sorry for her and routing for her bad b*tch energy to shine through the whole book and she's getting there! I think the next book will be a great builder for her.

We learn of Morgan's very rough start to life as a small child cowering in her Father's shadow, very close to her Mother until her demise. Following her traumatic childhood, she is raised 1 of 3 siblings and denounced from the throne, sworn to a life in the temple, out of the public eye. The date is fast approaching where she would live out the rest of her days as an acolyte.

She is offered a job by her brother, King Arthur, that could cost her the future but also offer another future than one of seclusion and celibacy. She meets some intense characters along the way and finds herself while facing a host of challenges.

I love a long chapter and these were just big enough without dragging on, there was so much detail to digest but it was such a smooth read, it just went in. If you like fae, arthurian fantasy, romantasy, plenty of trigger warnings... then this is the series for you!

I really liked this story and it definitely got better and better as the book progressed. It felt a little obvious and cliché the first half but as we got to the last third things got more interesting, more complex, and more substance was infused in the story and the characters to actually stand out and pique my interest. By the end of it I had to read book 2 immediately as the ending only makes you want to know what happens next.
It’s a fun coming of age or identity discovery story if you will for a lonely, mistreated princess. There’s a dark, tall, and brooding protector. We have fae magic and legends. We have zombies of sorts and an Arthurian retelling backdrop.

For me I found that this book was very slow to get into. I think it was because of the world building and it was setting us up for the later issues but the first hundred pages are pretty hard to get through. But it picked up eventually and the climax and ending were enjoyable. I believe that this series is going to continue to get better and I can’t wait to read the next book.

Love love love love love!! This book was everything I wanted it to be and I'm still thinking about it days after finishing it.
All of the characters were well developed and nuanced, and I found myself interested in all of them! The gender-bending of some well known characters was also great, and I love the depth it added to the character relationships.
The romance is very slow burn, but I've seen that the author has promised more spice in the future books and I CANNOT WAIT for that!
The writing was well-paced and gripping, and I constantly found myself thinking, 'just one more chapter!'
I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about this book, and I'm so excited to read the rest!
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book!

Stripped of her birthright, rumoured to possess forbidden blood and tasked with an impossible mission, Morgan Pendragon faces dangers beyond her wildest imagination, but she proves herself to be a true queen throughout this amazing novel.

I never knew I needed this. Briar Boleyn's Queen of Roses was such an amazing read with twists and turns that took hold of me from cover to cover. I've mentioned a few times that Arthurian retellings are some of my favourite books to read, so when I found Queen of Roses I was excited as well as intrigued by the blend of Arthurian and fae as they are two I never thought about being together. And Briar Boleyn does not disappoint. This intriguing novel pulled at my heartstrings; falling in love with some of the characters (Morgan and Lancelet are my definite favourites!), creating good reasons to hate others and conjuring an atmosphere that made me feel I was in Camelot, myself.

Queen of Roses is a must-read for all fantasy, fae and Arthurian fans who enjoy the intrigue of ACOTR's court and the magic of Holly Black's novels.

Thank you, NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Briar Boleyn, too!

A retelling of Arthur, count me in! This is Arthur but with a twist! What if Arthur wasn’t good and Morgan is the hero? I really liked Morgan! The author did a great job revealing her to me. I also really like Kairos. My only problem was I wanted more conversation between Morgan and Kairos. I didn’t like the direction it went with Vesper and wish we could have had more relationship (even just friendship) between Morgan and Draven. I feel like if I’m supposed to believe this relationship moving forward, that development was missing for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review..

I really enjoyed reading "Queen of Roses" by Briar Boleyn. The storyline is captivating and kept me hooked from the start. However, I noticed that the writing style changed a lot, which made it a bit confusing. It felt like the author couldn't decide on one way to tell the story, and it took away from the experience. Also, some parts of the story felt rushed, especially when it came to how the characters' relationships developed. I wish there was more time for things to unfold naturally. Despite these things, I see a lot of potential in the book. The foundation is strong, and I'm excited to see what happens in the sequel. I hope the author works on making the writing more consistent and gives the characters more time to grow. Looking forward to the next book!

Gripping
A look at the start of Morgan’s story from the King Arthur legends
I wasn’t that aware of the details of the legendary court of King Arthur, just the normal chivalry, knights of the round table type thing and this book has totally turned that view on its head in a well written and thought out book that had me totally hooked. To add a bit of context, in this version Arthur isn’t the romantic figure we normally know but instead a cruel, selfish and ruthless king who rules by fear and Morgan as the person who wants to look after those around her, especially the people who mean the most to her (her friends and much younger brother Kaye)
Morgan Pendragon, later known as Morgan Le Fay, was King Arthur’s sister and this book follows her during her time at the royal court and when she is tasked, well more blackmailed and threatened to be honest, into find the mythical sword, Excalibur. I liked Morgan most of the time but I will admit to times when she did start to do things that didn’t really feel right or feel like they fitted with her character which kind of annoyed me. She is determined to be independent and will do things that may be unwise but which are done in the interests of others, like joining illegal hunting parties to catch food for the hungry townsfolk. Because the story follows Morgan, the reader does end up being excluded from some aspects of the book and learning things about her as she discovers them which I struggled with at times, but that’s probably just because I can be one of those readers who likes to know everything
This book is fast paced and it did keep me awake at times just where I didn’t want to stop reading which I really enjoyed. I think my main frustration was that it ended on a bit of a cliff hanger but luckily I have the next book in the series so am about to start that once I’ve finished writing this review!
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a story seen from a different perspective that will have you hooked from the very beginning

After deciding to give this another go I have found it to be an enjoyable read but not a favourite. Giving the rest of the series another bash to see if this changes!

Unfortunately, this is a DNF for me. The prose was difficult and choppy, to say the least. Similes littered the pages in the most jarring ways. The characters were flat and felt more like cardboard cutouts than real people.

I really wanted to like this book. An Arthurian retelling focused on Morgan with a genderswapped Merlin, fae, and magic? Yeah, that sounds incredible. But, unfortunately, this book wasn't for me.

This is a dark fantasy romance with Fae which is loosely inspired by King Arthur. I was immediately interested with this book series and the first book was a great way to start it off. It is fast paced and kept me intrigued the entire time. Ohhh the twists and turns this book took! The world building was amazing as well! Loved it!

✨ About the Book ✨

A doomed love, a dangerous mission, and a kingdom on the brink of war...
A cast-off princess…

Born into a life of duty and sacrifice, Morgan Pendragon’s destiny has never been her own. Rumored to carry the tainted blood of the fae in her veins, her birthright is stolen from her when she is a mere child. Growing up in the shadow of her brother the king, she has been promised to the goddesses when she comes of age. So, when her brother commands that she seek out a fae weapon of legendary power, Morgan seizes the chance to break free from the chains of her fate.

A dangerous temptation…

As she travels, Morgan finds herself drawn into a strange group of outcasts, led by a dark and enigmatic warrior whose sharp wit and fierce beauty set her heart ablaze. But while Morgan struggles to reconcile her desires with her duty, she and her new comrades discover dangers that await them beyond anything in their wildest nightmares.

A slumbering kingdom awoken by blood…

Believed to have vanished generations ago, a fae kingdom dreaded by mortals is ascending once more, bound to reclaim what was lost by violence and bloodshed. As the fae world, with its intricate web of lies and mysteries, is slowly revealed to Morgan, she is led to the terrible realization that the secrets she carries in her blood make her a greater threat than she could ever have imagined.

Author: Briar Boleyn
Release Date: April 15, 2023 by Starwater Press
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Fae
Pages: 361 pages, Kindle Edition
Star Rating: 3.9 /5


📚 How I See it 📚

I’ve heard about this book so much, I got really excited when I finally got my hands on a copy. I was looking forward to this Arthurian retelling with a fae twist - how interesting!

The story starts off slow and I did struggle a little bit to push through. However, once the world building phase is over, the rest of the plot is exciting, fun and overall a great read.

I’m excited for book #2

What I Liked:

🩵 Slow burn romance
🩵 Great enemies to lovers trope
🩵 Forced proximity
🩵 Excellent banter


What I Didn’t Like:

💔 Arthur, Florian and Vesper - gosh I hated them.

💛 Find Me Here 💛

Blog : themidnightbookclub.com
Instagram : @the.midnight.book.club


Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own thoughts