In a way, it's like Frozen - for grownups! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC/audiobook, it was brrilliant!

The Frostbound Queen is a rare story gem in that it’s equal parts a political fairytale combined with toe curling spice. It can be a struggle to find a book that’s well balanced between plot and intense spice, but Pennza was able to achieve that balance. I was also thrilled to find out what I thought was going to be a love triangle ended up being a much more satisfying MMF romance. The chemistry between Liria, Sigurd, and Ronan was absolutely palpable. They also had great banter and push/pull relationships going on. I was also equally invested in the fight for the frost throne and family drama happening in the background. The world building was enough to provide the details needed to set the scene without getting overly into the weeds. I really loved the ice magic and sigils the elves had. I read this via audiobook and it was a delightful, steamy quick listen. I went through most of the audio in one sitting. I loved the choice to use three different narrators Mollie Stark, Ellis Evans, and Benjamin D. Walker. They each brought something different to the story making it easy to focus. Given the MMF nature, I also appreciated having different male narrators to keep the POVs straight. If you’re looking for a steamy romantasy read, I would recommend checking this one out.

I really liked the writing and the world in this one. I was vibing with our MC. But I had a really hard time with the guardian turned lover relationship and ended up putting it down. I think the flashbacks of him actually raising her as a kid and like saying he "taught her to kiss" was just a bit too weird for me personally. I will try more from this author in the future though.

There is nothing frosty about this book. It is hot, Hot, HOT!! If you enjoy well written MMF romantasy, Amy Pennza is the real queen.
Why choose between your most trusted friend and advisor, and the tall handsome stranger with captivating eyes? Liria's parents are now both dead and she should be queen, but the counsel has other thoughts.

Love the wintery setting of this story, and am very much looking forward to book #2 to continue in the Realms of the Covenant.
With 3 separate narrators, you really can grasp on to the emotion - and hotness - of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this advanced audio in return for my honest view.

Pub Date: 13 August 2024

Deviant Quill Smut Meter: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️(4/5 chillis)

Amy Pennza’s latest fantasy romance is a very engaging blend of spice, power, and intrigue that sparks interest from the first page. As a USA Today Bestselling Author, Pennza continues to excel in creating pageturners.

The novel is brilliantly written and set against the backdrop of the magical Winter Court. Pennza’s world-building is outstanding creating a vibrant, icy place that is both magical and dangerous, highly detailed, and deeply fascinating.

Pennza does not avoid steamy, sexual scenes that are both lengthy and intense. However, these moments are interwoven into the plot in a way that improves rather than detracts from it. For those who want to focus on the plot, these scenes can be skipped without disrupting the story’s flow.

The plot itself is engaging and full of unexpected turns. The themes of power struggle, loyalty, and self-discovery are handled with elegance, elevating the work beyond the traditional romance.

Amy Pennza’s background as a lawyer and soldier lends a unique viewpoint to her writing. Her mastery of strategy and conflict is clear, lending reality to the fantasy parts. This experience adds to the story, making the conflicts and political maneuvering feel genuine and well-thought-out.

This is a must-read for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca Yarros, and overall romantasy literature.

Quick Summary: A supernatural romance with a major twist

My Review: The Frostbound Queen by Amy Pennza is book #1 in the Realms of the Covenant series.

About the Book: Winter Court. Elves. Death. Sorrow. Neglect. Dysfunction. Princess. Fire. Guardian. Ice. Magic. Suitors. Revenge. Secrets. Danger. Threats. Expressed and hidden interests. Passion. Triangles. Conflict. Drama.

About the Narration: This novel was narrated by Benjamin D. Walker, Ellis Evans, and Mollie Stark.

My Final Say: This was one super spicy read. I'm no prude, but it was a bit too much for me. It started with just the right amount of tension, suspense, angst, and action. It hit major points, presenting the three leads in such a way that I wanted to know them and their circumstances in totality. Then... it dropped me off at the place of a polyamorous situation-ship. Unfortunately, that is not my cup of tea. It took the story in a completely different direction than I expected. It was a no, thereafter.

Other: Some readers will appreciate the MMF partnering featured in this book, while others will not. With that said, I think it might be helpful to label this book more appropriately, so that potential readers will know what to expect from the get-go.

Rating: 2.5/5
Recommend: -
Audience: M
Status/Level: 🚨🕸🌶
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley for granting access to an ALC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I request a lot of books going in blind or just reading a little bit of the info.

I thought yes a new fantasy romance. It starts good. I was just starting to enjoy it and the next thing I know the plot has gone away and its just a sex fest. I'm here for the romance but when it started to take place didn't make sense then the next thing I know there are 2 new partners and then I'm guessing everyone gets a turn together and mix and match. I stopped at 64% through and I just wanted my plot back. Not sure if it turns around but I sadly wont be going back to find out.


Thank you NetGalley for this audio arc in exchange for my opinions.

ARC Rating 5/5 ⭐️ Amy Pennza has knocked it out the park as always. I requested this audioARC without reading the blurb, just knowing a perfect story was guaranteed. And it was wonderful.

This is a fae romance with MMF, with a great storyline and perfect romance. I really really enjoyed this book and the characters growth and development throughout. The audiobook was very nice with great narrators.

The cover of this book is so pretty ✨️

Thank you, NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Amy Pennza, for sending this eARC for review. All opinions are my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"The Frostbound Queen" by Amy Pennza is an enchanting and thrilling journey into the Winter Court, masterfully narrated by Benjamin D. Walker, Ellis Evans, and Mollie Stark. The story is a captivating blend of duty, power, and heart, with a strong heroine caught between two compelling men. The characters are richly developed, and the plot is full of twists and secrets that keep you hooked from start to finish. The narrators bring the story to life with their brilliant performances, adding depth and emotion to every scene. A must-listen for fantasy lovers!

The first half of this book plays out like a fantasy with a romantic subplot. About halfway through, it switches and it becomes very much a romance plot with a fantasy subplot. I thought it would be the start of a series and it had the promise and the complication to do so, but then it didn't. I enjoyed the open door scenes quite a bit, but I wish that it had been more apparent from the beginning that was the book that I was getting into. I think it may surprise some people in an unpleasant method.

The audiobook was good and narrated well. Include MM, MMF scenes.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the audio-book in exchange for an honest review.
Well I judged a book by its cover. Honestly I had ZERO idea what I was getting myself into when I requested this audio-book on NetGalley. This book is SPICYYYY. I did enjoy the plot and the fantasy magical aspect. I also liked the fact that the book was told from 3 POV and I enjoyed hearing the book read by the three different narrators. I feel like the voice actors did a great job on their parts. All that being said, the cover is GORGEOUS however this was a bit too much spice for my typical tastes and I won't be picking up the second book.

Hot! 🔥 This was one sexy read! 🔥
This was and intriguing story, the author (and narrators) kept me engaged from the very beginning. There were political machinations, but this was a primarily character driven story - I could have done without the miscommunication… If only Liria got the full story instead of assuming things over a few overheard snippets of conversation - but then we may not have met Sigurn when we did 😉
The sex scenes were very well written, I didn’t have to spend any time trying to figure out what was going on (always a good sign). This is my first why-choose (MMF) romance. I do not see how I missed that from the initial description, but here I am having finished the audiobook after only a few sittings. There were a few graphic sex scenes, but they did not distract from the story. The author did such a beautiful job having the characters embrace their sexuality.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio-arc of this book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

Thank you so much to dreamscape media and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC.

Although this story was so interesting, I just couldn’t get past the fact that Liria’s Guardian (whom he raised from the age of 11) became sexually involved with her.

Aside from that, the actual story line was interesting. Liria was supposed to become queen once her father passed, but she lacked the magical ability to keep her land safe. There was so much drama, plot and spice that I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen next!

The audiobook was beautifully narrated by 3 different people, which I loved.

I went in blind and this book was spicier than I was anticipating, but they were written (and narrated) very nicely. There were both MM and MMF scenes and all were 🥵🥵🥵

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

"The Frostbound Queen" is a spicy tale of love between a princess and the fae and human males she lusts after. Brought up to one day take over the winter court she's been training to grow her magic as long as she can remember. Abandoned by her father when her mother fell ill she became the ward of a fae who has tried to lead her down the correct path. Born of an illegitimate union he never thought himself eligible to take the crown, or his princess, for himself. Faced with his own insecurities he instead spent his days caring for their people awaiting the day her magic was enough - or the day she took a husband who could wield it for her. Caught between duty and desire she must find a way to navigate a political landscape to save her people while she navigates the minefield of her heart to save herself.

An elf princess in line to inherit the throne, the warrior bound to protect her, and a half-human prince fighting for his kingdom find their destinies collide. Enter a world of winter magic and political intrigue.

I wanted to like this book but it just didn't work for me. I was really intrigued by the summary and the promise of a MFF romance. But there were too many small things that kept me from fully enjoying it. However, it might be for you if you like:
-political intrigue
-forbidden romance

Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me. The forbidden romance element just didn't work. Half hate sex, half father figure to lover just didn't vibe. And the smut scenes were not well written. I found myself cringing, and when a book has so many of them, that's not a good thing.

This was a fun listen! All three narrators were well chosen and a good fit for their respective characters. It was not clear from the description that this is a spicy why choose MMF situation, which I do think should be made clear to prospective readers since not everyone will appreciate this level of spice. The fantasy world was well thought out and full of detail, perhaps with a few too many characters and details for it being a standalone book; I had a hard time keeping track of all the kingdoms and counsel members. Overall the book is fast-paced and full of sex, drama, and political intrigue.

This was so spicy! I loved it! I listened to this in one day so safe to say I enjoyed it. If I was looking for something to criticize it would be that the FMC was too weak to rule. I kept waiting for her to have secret power 🤣. But overall I loved the FMC and both MMCs. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Ohhhhh! need more in this spicy fantasy world. What a great story than sucked me in immediately.
We follow Liria as she learns to use her powers to control the frost to save her people! Epic read

For a book that started out with all the elegance of a fairytale, The Frostbound Queen quickly became one of the filthiest (in a good way) books that I’ve ever read! The pacing and plot gripped me right away, then the romance swept in and completely ruined me. The sheer amount of story that was woven into this book, especially considering the level of spice impressed me very much. Many books with heavy romance sacrifice plot and presentation for the spice, but that was not the case here. The MMF dynamic was perfect and I loved that there was some MM action involved. The mouths on these men were something else indeed! While I did find myself wishing that the romances themselves were better developed with more of a slow burn feel, the characters were well thought out and relatable. The world was also very intricately described and the imagery spelled out on the pages was absolutely breathtaking. For a fantasy standalone, the storyline was thorough, enjoyable, and did not leave me wanting. I am very impressed and can’t wait to check out more of Amy Pennzas books!

This story immediately pulled me in from the first sentence and the narrators kept me hooked through the whole book. Love a good MMF and Amy Pennza knows how to write them. I was obsessed with the world and how it evolved and the romance and steam brought me in deeper.