A Promising Start with Stunning World-Building but Missed Romantic Sparks

Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn reimagines Arthurian legends in a vividly crafted fae world, filled with political intrigue, found family, and a slow-burn romance. While the world-building and plot kept me intrigued, the book had its highs and lows for me.

The world-building was exceptional. Boleyn’s descriptions of the fae realm, especially details like King Arthur’s rose-filled throne room, were immersive and breathtaking. The blend of backstory, brutal societies, and family dynamics brought the setting to life in a way that felt fresh and engaging. Even the inclusion of zombies and magical creatures added a thrilling edge to the story.

Kairos Draven, the male lead, absolutely stole the show. He’s respectful, caring, and his small, thoughtful gestures for Morgan had me swooning. His fierce devotion and protective nature were perfect for his role as the brooding guard—and he’s easily the highlight of the book. But Morgan, our protagonist, was a harder character to connect with. While I sympathized with her sheltered and timid upbringing, her naivety and submissiveness made her frustrating at times. I kept hoping for character growth that never quite materialized.

The romance, unfortunately, was a letdown. What started as a promising slow-burn took a disappointing detour with the introduction of a love triangle. The chemistry between Morgan and Kairos never fully ignited for me, and the romantic tension felt overshadowed by Morgan’s constant questioning and lack of awareness about her world. For a princess, her lack of knowledge about her own kingdom was baffling and often pulled me out of the story.

Despite its flaws, the book picks up toward the end with action-packed twists, magic, and an explosive cliffhanger that has me eager for the next installment. The anticipation for what’s to come is strong, even if this first book didn’t entirely meet my expectations.

Final Thoughts:
Queen of Roses is an intriguing start to a series with incredible world-building and a captivating male lead. While Morgan’s character and the romance left something to be desired, the plot twists and cliffhanger hold promise for the sequel. Fans of fae fantasy with action, political intrigue, and slow-burn tension may still find much to enjoy here.

I adore Arthurian retellings, and I particularly enjoyed the twist that Briar has put on that particular legend. The characters were very well written and I could feel the emotions of Morgan as clearly as if they were my own throughout the book. The cliffhanger was just enough to not be confusing or frustrating, but instead piquing my interest for the next book.

Queen of Roses is an exhilarating start to a new fantasy series that’s packed with magic, danger, and a slow-burn romance that will leave you breathless. With a strong, determined heroine, morally gray characters, and a compelling plot full of twists and turns, this book captivated me from the very first page.

Morgan Pendragon, the cast-off princess with a dark and mysterious heritage, is a character you can’t help but root for. Born into a life of duty and sacrifice, Morgan is thrust into a dangerous mission by her brother, the king, in search of a legendary fae weapon. But what starts as a quest to prove herself soon turns into something far more perilous—and far more personal. Morgan’s struggles with her fate, her desires, and the complex legacy that runs through her veins make her journey both heart-wrenching and empowering.

The romance in Queen of Roses is a slow-burn delight. Morgan’s growing attraction to a dark, enigmatic warrior within the group of outcasts she joins is both intense and forbidden, creating a tension that kept me hooked. Their dynamic is filled with passion, conflict, and a sense of inevitability, which made every interaction between them electric. The chemistry is undeniable, and their relationship adds an emotional depth to the story that’s perfectly balanced with the high-stakes adventure unfolding around them.

The world-building in this book is lush and immersive. The fae world is intricate, mysterious, and brimming with danger, and the author does an excellent job of drawing you into its magic and secrets. The revelation of Morgan’s heritage and the ancient fae kingdom’s return brings a layer of suspense and intrigue to the plot, and I found myself eagerly turning the pages to uncover the dark truths surrounding her bloodline. The stakes are high, with war looming on the horizon and threats lurking around every corner, making this a gripping read from start to finish.

One of the highlights of this book is the cast of morally gray characters. The group of outcasts Morgan travels with is complex, with each character having their own secrets, motivations, and hidden depths. This adds layers of tension and intrigue to the plot, as you’re never quite sure who to trust or what each character’s true intentions are. It’s a perfect mix of camaraderie, betrayal, and mystery that kept me invested in the story.

If I had one small critique, it would be that the pacing slowed down slightly in the middle as the plot delved deeper into the lore and political intrigue. While I enjoyed the world-building, there were moments where I wished for a bit more action or forward movement in the plot. That said, this is a minor issue in an otherwise captivating story.

Queen of Roses is a spellbinding blend of magic, danger, and romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy series like Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout, this book is an absolute must-read. With its intriguing characters, slow-burn romance, and a world full of secrets waiting to be unraveled, I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

Queen of Roses. My fellow readers I read a most fascinating Romantasy. By the end of the book I asked myself- what just happened?! The ending was such a shock to me. It was something that I was totally not expecting.
The main characters Morgan, Draven and Arthur are pivotal characters throughout the story. Princess Morgan I found her character to be somewhat smart in certain cases. Her character comes off very caring towards the innocent and helpless. Morgan has intermediate skills as a sword fighter. She hopes to one day to become a knight for the temple. Although for my thinking Morgan seems almost like a weakling. I will say this. Girl develop thick skin and grow a backbone. Moving on to her dear brother Arthur.

What can I say to you about the young King.

Oh I know!

Is there an Asylum among the grounds of Camelot, Merlin?

Arthur runs his kingdom with an iron fist. He and his friends (Florian specifically) has placed so many unsuspecting traps in place for Morgan and her people. The traps puts the plot twist to the famous writer Chris C. serial killer books to shame. What can I say to you about Florian. Right now.
At this moment. I am shaking my head, because the man has tested my patience throughout this book. Florian and Vesper are some of the characters that had me saying- girrrrl you better do something. The time is now! Stand up and shake those Daum cobwebs out of your head and get in the game.
Kick some asswipe and take names later. We got a country to save. Take off them prissy girl panties and put on those big girl granny panties, because you need all the help that you can get at this moment. A certain someone is raining hell all over the place.
You will need to read the story to find out how Arthur evolved to such a irrational human being. Morgan desperately wonders why Arthur’s doing all of this? What’s his motive? We move on to our strong Illustrious warrior, Draven. I have to admit every Romantasy book needs to have a Draven in it.
The way the writer describes his character is very masculine and seductive. What I’ve read from the book. When Draven walks through a room/ hall women’s heads will follow. He’s tall. He has wide shoulders.
He’s gorgeous. His raven hair effortlessly falls over his handsome brow. His eyes gives off a bright green glow. Their almost like a beacon that calls to all women whose sexual libido is on overdrive, in which he’s magnificently built for. And yes ladies - he’s a big softy when it comes to kids and animals.
Can the man get any better? I think that you should read the book. So as I was saying at the start of the book- Wait a minute here! Where’s the excitement? Where’s the action?
Give me drama! Give me excitement. I want to read the passion. I need the hot and steamy romance.
The book told me - Hold up girl. You can’t put the cart before the horse. Sit down and enjoy the book. The book didn’t actually say this. I’m not crazy people. But you get the jest. Moving on!
So as I continued reading the book, I noticed that the plot twist was getting better and better. The characters were getting better and better. I imagined all the wonderful and wild crazy things that transpired in Morgan’s chaotic world. Soon my imagination was on the journey with Morgan and her friends. Hoping and praying that things would come to fruition for them. But as I suspected with fruition there were tragic moments that I didn’t see coming. I thought that these moments were wow factors that clearly drove the plot to a phenomenal conclusion. As the story develops the characters magical moments evolves to something amazing that is described in wonderful details. It’s almost as though the story is giving your imagination a closeup view of something so majestic and beautiful to read. Did I talk to you about the mystical world?
Oh your going to love it? I believe it’s the best part of the book. The mystical world it’s totally worth reading. Your mind will be totally blown. I give this book two snaps and a - You touch me with that knife again and let’s see how quick I can detach your balls from your lower extremity.
Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!

Thank you NetGalley for this book!
this was a really good start to a series and I couldn't wait to read the next book!
This book was written beautifully and has a very captivating plot.

Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn completely pulled me in. Selene is such a strong, no-nonsense character, and I loved that she wasn’t waiting around for anyone to save her. The enemies-to-lovers storyline? So good—it had just the right amount of tension and drama without feeling overdone.

The magic and the world-building were awesome too—dark, mysterious, and totally immersive. Honestly, once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. It’s the kind of book that makes you ignore everything else because you have to know what happens next.

If you’re into fantasy with a badass heroine, a bit of romance, and lots of twists, you’ll love this one. Definitely worth the read!

This whole series was kindly sent to me by netgalley!
It was so damn good, and I will be rereading this at some point! Definitely recommended it!

This book really surprised me as for reasons unbeknownst to me I was not expecting to enjoy it. I liked that it was like a Camelot retelling as I don’t see many books taking that approach but I’m all about it. Looking forward to give book 2 a try!

This book was just what I needed, I have been craving a new romantasy series to get into and will definitely be continuing the series.

Morgan is fated to be used by the goddesses as ordered by the king, her brother. She has blood of a fae in her and when tasked with finding a fae weapon, she seizes the opportunity to run away and break herself free of her fate and obligations.

She finds herself among a group of misfits - enter love interest. In her journey, she is torn between what she is expected to do and what she wants to do, she uncovers secrets of the fae kingdom.

Character development was great, I was all in on the love interest right away. World building was strong, but did make the first part of the book feel slow. Action packed second half and was engaged the whole time.

It took me quite a while to actually sit down and read this, and I’m so sad it did! I enjoyed the story. Romance, betrayal, fae, adventure. The ending?! Foul! Glad I can get right into the next one



I got this book as a review copy on netgalley, so thank you to netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a captivating read that held my attention from start to finish. The story was well-paced, and the characters felt real and engaging. I’m grateful to the publisher for providing an early copy—it was a pleasure to read!

Absolutely loved this book would 10/10 recommend! It had everything I needed in a book at the time to get out of my reading slump

This book was a bit slow paced for me but it was good. There could have been a bit more romance. The editing was poorly done (sorry editors) the typos made me cringe. Overall it was a good read.

I received an earc of this book and I can say I thoroughly enjoyed this book and just found out that the rest of the series is on kindle unlimited and very excited to see where the journey takes me. Little to no spice. I recommend this book to everyone!

Loved loved loved this book. To the point where I actively searched for the next book to read. It had everything I look for in a book, action, romance, fae.... a must read for the romantasy loving people.

I DNF’d at 30%. The characters felt very generic and I I wasn’t into the magic system/ world building.

Screaming

- Love triangle ish
- Fae
- Camelot retelling
- Magical creatures
- Religion
- Spice
- M/F romance
- Queer rep

This book had me hooked early on, it was so good.
I really enjoyed the background of the fae and the magic and religion aspects of this. The characters background was really well developed and interesting. The interactions are really fun and make you feel things.

I cannot wait to read the second one.

Thank you Starpress for a copy in exchange for an honest review <3

I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. I loved the overarching storyline and the world building of this book. a spin of Camelot is an interesting idea for a book series. I loved the male lead Kairos Draven. He respected her and her decisions, I even loved the villains, I think with Arthur and Orcades the next few books will be very interesting.

I was not a fan of the main character, i had to keep telling myself that her sheltered life, was the reason she was so naive, because some of the time she just made stupid decisions. I didn't feel there was much growth from her.
I hope we get to see much more growth from her in future books, or they shift to another character perspective.

overall i give this book 3 stars. It is a great start to the series, the worldbuilding the over arching storyline, and the male lead, even the villains are interesting. What i want to see in the next books to give it four stars would be the main character to show growth and maturity.

Thank you Net Galley and Publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

This was a King Arthur/Camelot retelling that was packed full of adventure. It was entertaining and the world building was fantastic. I could picture every town and building they came across or entered and it all sounded beautiful and enchanting. I liked most of the characters enough. Florian was a piece of shit and deserved what happened to him. Draven is a great morally gray character that I can't wait to read more about. Morgan was just annoying at times and almost too submissive. Like girl, you were supposed to be queen but you're fine with everyone else making decisions for your life. Her brother, King Arthur, is a tyrant of a king and I hope he gets taken down in the rest of the series. And then there always has the be the sweet and cute guy that you want to fall for that ends up betraying the group. The cliff hanger at the end is brutal so I'm glad I've got the rest of the series to start immediately. Overall I hope the rest picks up and is even more exciting.