This was a thrilling Camelot inspired story with fae, lost kingdoms, and magical creatures, I enjoyed the plot and see great things coming in the next book. The use of the original names such as Arthur and Lancelet was a nice touch, but there is tons of originality intertwined into the story that this did not limit the vibes. The journey to find Excalibur was slower paced, which came with many additional surprises, encountering magical creatures, new companions and many deadly threats—plus some banter and fun moments that balanced the dark side of this story well.

The world building was great, each new location came with fantastic descriptions from the author and the main MC, Draven, whose retelling of the locations history was a nice touch. The slow burn is slow AF, derailed by a weird “love triangle” vibe that was not my favorite. It did give the main FC, Morgan, a chance to learn more about herself, enjoy the journey more with a companion, and still continued the slow burn while getting some spice.

The ending was fast paced, which felt a bit rushed with the slower pace of the rest of the book. There could have easily been an extra 50 pages to draw out the end and give the reader a chance to catch a breathe and understand the full depth of what was happening. There are some questions left unanswered that are now ash (IYKYK) which left one of the side characters falling short and another unaccounted for. The cliff hanger was fantastic tho it left me eager to continue the series.

Thank you Briar Boleyn, Starwater Press, & NetGalley for the opportunity to read Queen of Roses.

This book is a fantasy read set in a world we have come to know well - Arthurian times but with a Fae twist
Here we have King Arthur as the villain and his sister Morgan is the heroine
She has been held back all her life , tormented and abused , unable to make her own decisions ....... she is sent on a quest by her brother with men who are meant to protect her , or are they .?
The Fae element of the story begins to raise tensions - how will she cope with the lies and mysteries that her 'blood' will come to reveal ?
This is a story of discovery , intrigue and slow burn romance - the plot has begun to expand , setting the reader up for the next book in the series .- I will say I am not a fan of cliff hangers .

Even though I found this book difficult throughout the first half it did pick up as the story progressed - I will have to read the next book in the series to see where Morgan's path takes her !
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Queen of Roses is an Arthurian retelling with Arthur as the villain (or at least as one of them) and Morgan as our protagonist. Morgan is best friends with Lancelet, a female knight, and Galahad, a pious man and future acolyte of the temple. Morgan is also promised to the temple, destined to succeed Merlin, the head priestess of the temple, on her twenty first birthday (one year from the time this book takes place), though she does not wish to follow that path. When she is sent on a mission by Arthur, she is accompanied by her last pick of guards, but leaving Camelot wreaks changes on her both physically and emotionally in ways that Morgan never expected.

The first in a four book series, this book has quite the task of world building, setting up the history and present of our protagonist as well as the world that blends Arthurian legend with fae fantasy. While the world building is effective, it does make for a very slow first half of the book. The second half, when Morgan leaves on the mission, is where the plot really picks up, and where I started to actually enjoy the story.

There is a bit of a cliffhanger ending, and the slow burn romance is incomplete in this book; both of these things lead readers to want to dive into the second book in the series. Based on the first half of this book, I was not planning on continuing, but the second half drew me in enough that I would be interested in reading the rest of this series

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for the ARC!

I have long loved the stories of King Author and Camelot. I have read many versions. This sits them all upside down. Author is evil and Morgan is good. This book is so well written and holds your attention. It is a page turner and I read it straight through. Now quickly on to the next book. Hope the series is this good.

So far I’m enjoying this take on the legend of Excalibur. Morgan is a half-fae princess who was passed over for the throne because of her heritage. She’s content to let her father’s second wife’s bastard son, Arthur, rule, and take her place as successor to the high priestess, Merlin - until her brother sends her off on an impossible search for the mythical sword Excalibur.

Although the book got off to a slow start, and I wasn’t sure at first if I’d enjoy it much, I was fully invested by the end. The characters are complex, the story dramatic, and although some of the twists were unsurprising turns of events, other came as a complete surprise.

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this book which is sad because romantasy books are my favorite genre. It just felt like it was trying too hard to be like other books (ACOTAR OR FW) and in doing so failed to capture what makes those books special (an original story and style of writing). I'm not going to be reading the next one and I wouldn't buy it or recommend it to others.

good book. very slow beginning, but picked up by the end and i will definitely be reading the next book in the series to see where it goes.

In a sea of Romantasy novels that are dominating the fantasy marketplace, Briar Boleyn's does not stand out. From a cover and concept that's as generic as can be, this book promises "the worldbuilding of ACOTAR" and the "banter" of FW, it falls flat on almost every promise. For all their faults, it's understandable why the above titles succeeded so swiftly in their genre-- at the time, they were new and different, but I believe that there are readers (myself including) that have moved on and are craving something more than the next knockoff. While there were some interesting concepts thrown around--for example, the interwoven Arthurian mythos--there wasn't enough to keep me from rating this one much higher. The writing was simple but not strong; the characters were there but flat; the plot was decently-paced but trite. I really wanted to love this one as Romantasy has become a staple aspect of the fantasy genre, but if you're looking for something new, this is not it.

A great start to the series, following some of my favourite elements of the fantasy genre. Similar vibes to A Shadow in the Ember.

Okay... found another author to add to my ADORE list. Just the right amount of betrayel, secrets, spice, fae and adventure! My emotions were definitely on a Rollercoaster ride, and I was left wanting more... and Draven... mhmmm.

Queen of Roses | Briar Boleyn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ .25

Book 1 of 4 in the Blood of a Fae series

Boleyn does an amazing job of making you feel immersed in her story. This Arthurian retelling had me invested right away. I loved that the Camelot-inspired world had a Fae twist to it. King Arthur is the villain in this story, with his sister Morgan being the heroine. Full of court intrigue and descriptive world-building. A slow-burn fantasy romance series that will suck you in quickly. I absolutely loved Morgan’s character. She was dealt a terrible hand in life and has been overcoming so much. Sheltered, tormented, abused, and unable to make her own decisions her whole life, she goes on a journey of self discovery and realizes she wants more for her life. Draven is the perfect overly protective morally grey MMC , with some good “who did to you?” moments. Book one does a great job of setting up the larger story for future books. Throw in great characters , fun adventure and lots of banter. I was shocked by all of the reveals and plot twists at the end of this book. I am so interested in seeing what happens next and can’t wait to find out how the story will unfold.

• Forced proximity
• Arthurian retelling
• Abused heroine
• Who did this to you?
• Love triangle
• Fae & Magic
• Plot twists
• Morally grey MMC
• Journey / adventure

Thank you @briarboleynauthor & @netgalley for this ARC !

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Now I just need to get my hands on the next book and dive right in

So much potential! I like the main storyline and the fae twist, but it needs more depth, character development, and some oomph.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley, Starwater Press and Briar Boleyn for allowing me to read the ARC to "Queens of Roses" in exchange for an honest review.

Legends of Camelot, but make it fae!

This alone made me absolutely invested, meeting characters like Morgan, Arthur and Lancelot but with twists and turns? God, I was sucked in right from the start.

I really enjoyed the book that I would clearly mark as an romantasy, even without the retelling of Camelot, the world building was incredible, the writing style was astounding and intoxicating, the characters were loveable ( or not so much when you think about a certain Florian).

The slow burn is burning so slow, but the action goes on fast paced which is an exquisite balance.

The series did convince me straight from the first few chapters.

Boleyn weaves a world of magical fae and breathtaking animals with a medieval kingdom. Morgan and her sworn enemy embark on a quest like no other as demanded by her older brother, the king of Pendrath. It’s a tale of friendship, deceit, trust, war, power and magic. It reminded me of Game of Thrones but if it consisted of one POV rather than tackling many. The ending left me needing to get my hands on the sequel!! I rated this book 3.75 stars as I loved the slow burn romance but I felt that the plot twists were too predictable at times. Overall, it was a solid read and I’d definitely recommend it to romantasy lovers.

This was a five star read for me. 'Queen of Roses' by Briar Boleyn and I cannot recommend it enough! I kept falling into the tik tok thirst traps for this book and I wanted it badly. When I finally did read it... it did not disappoint! The world building is so vivid and rich, transporting me to a realm where magic intertwines with the everyday lives of the characters. The dynamic between humans and Fae is portrayed with such intricacy, the rift between them and the results of war even centuries later adding layers of complexity to the story.

The characters in 'Queen of Roses' are truly unforgettable. The tension between them crackles with intensity, creating a sense of anticipation that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The main female character is a force to be reckoned with - strong, resilient, and with a depth that made her journey all the more compelling. I loved her story and I connected to her as a person that was truly trying her best in a world where she has no choices. Her personal growth through the first book is everything, and I am here for it. I also appreciated the unique twist on the Arthurian legends, with familiar characters like Arthur, Lancelot, and Merlin taking on new dimensions within the story.

What also sets this book apart is its commitment to inclusivity. The diverse representation of characters with different sexual orientations was a breath of fresh air.

As I delved deeper into the story, I found myself completely immersed in a world that felt both familiar and entirely new. The author's ability to weave together elements of fantasy, magic, and intrigue is truly commendable. Each chapter left me craving more, and the anticipation for the next instalment in the series is already building.

'Queen of Roses' is a spellbinding journey that will captivate any reader with its blend of magic, mystery, and compelling characters. I need this in my local bookstores, its a recommended read to anyone that enjoys fantasy.

Also... I want one of those cats.

Ich habs total genossen! Das Worldbuilding fand ich super und es hat mir irgendwie Vibes von “Das Reich der sieben Höfe”, aber auch “From Blood and Ash gegeben”. Ich liebe aber auch einfach Romantasy/Fantasy und vorallem auch Bücher über und mit Fae!

Toller, spannender Schreibstil und ein ganz wundervoller Plot 😊

While Morgan should have one day become Queen, her birthright is stolen from her at a young age and promised to her brother instead, all because she might possibly have a little bit of fae heritage. Morgan is promised to the Three Goddesses and begins to learn how to serve them. With only one year before she is promised to serve, fate interferes and sends Morgan on a life altering adventure. With gorgeous men that are meant to protect her.... or maybe kill her.... what could go wrong?

Queen of Roses captivated me from the very first chapter. The characters and the plot are extremely well written and will have you staying awake until all hours of the night trying to find out what happens next. While this may be a slow burn, there is a little bit of spice in it. It just isn't in a way that can be considered anything other than slow burn. I highly recommend reading this series!

I’ve never read a Authur retelling and I’m obsessed!!! The world building, the characters, the banter! We have fae, power, war, long lost artifacts, friendship and flirting!
I’m dyinnnngggg to know more about Draven!!!

This was such an unexpected twist on King Arthur and Camelot. I absolutely loved this book. Easy to read, not too heavy on world building, pace wasn’t too slow. Loved Darius and Morgana has so much to discover.
I devoured this book i a couple of days and jumped straight into book 2!
The cliffhanger ending 😱

An Arthurian legend retelling with a twist. Love these types of books, magic, morally grey MMC, enemies to lovers, romantasy. Slow burn to start that gradually builds the spice with each book. I devoured the first 3 books in 3 days, the storyline with plot twists, the characters-good and evil, loved every page of this series and can't wait for the final instalment Knight of the Goddess. Highly recommend.