Rating: Really Enjoyed It, 4 stars

I had a fantastic time with Wooing the Witch Queen! It is a cozy romance in which an archduke, Felix, runs away from his abusive family to seek asylum with the wicked Witch Queen, Saskia, who is actively resisting his country's attempts to take over her kingdom. However, there is a bit of a misunderstanding when he arrives. Instead of throwing himself at her mercy, he finds himself mistaken for a dark wizard who is hired as a librarian librarian. He is tasked with getting the library of magical texts in order to free up her time for experimenting in her laboratory as she looks for a way to protect her people. The only problem is that he doesn't know a thing about magic, and she enters into an alliance with two other magical queens who enlist her help to find the archduke.

Overall, this was a super fun, cozy romance in a fantasy world. It's a slow burn as the two get to know each other and slowly start to trust each other. There are stakes that are set up (even if they never really feel particularly high stakes), and there are little side quests, and a lovely little found family that is established. I loved the crow familiars, and the golden retriever/black cat energy of Felix and Saskia. I was rooting for them as a couple, and loved seeing them get together.

The only thing that didn't really work for me is that the external conflict that is set up at the end was resolved so easily and quickly that it sort of took me out of the story. There was also a lot of cheese at the end, which wouldn't have bothered me so much, but neither of those things felt appropriate for the fantasy world that was set up. So that took me out of it a little bit, but it was still a lot of fun and one that I really enjoyed!

Overall, I really enjoyed the audio version of this. The narrator did a really nice job, and I enjoyed it. My only complaint is that the voice she does for one of the other queens was really obnoxious. It wasn't terrible in this installment, but I believe that she will be the main character in the next one, so I don't think I will be doing that one via audio.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an early audiobook copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Wooing the Witch Queen releases on February 18, 2025.

Unfortunately this just didn’t work for me. There was a serious lack of both world and relationship building. I have no idea about anything in this world - magic system, political system, terrain, what any of the settings looked like. I could not immerse myself in this. For example, there are crows the FMC is bonded to- but we never find out how, why or what this connection is. Another example, one of the main villains of the story, the emperor, has no page time. I could not understand what his role was in the world nor what the actual political structure of the world is.

The MMC is a duke with a horrible reputation, but again we see none of this- it’s hard to connect the dislike Saskia, the main character, has for him because his time as a Duke being controlled by his father in law is never shown- only told.
The FMC is known as evil witch queen with incredible power- however we only see very rare glimpses of her actual power. She continually describes herself as evil and wicked, but again we see none of those traits actually displayed.

It also felt as though the relationship builds out of nowhere. There is barely any on page conversation between the 2 main characters, and then all of the sudden they are in love. Also the entire miscommunication trope was a no for me- if the FMC only would have let him speak twice we could have avoided the whole thing! And once the truth was revealed it was just magically resolved with no conversation or deliberation.

One positive, I did like the portrayal of a softer, kind and respectful FMC.

Overall, sadly this was a miss for me.

ARC Review: Felix knows that any day his stepfather is going to assassinate him and take his place as archduke, instead of puppeteering Felix as he has been. Felix decides to escape to his neighboring enemy kingdom and offer himself as hostage in exchange for keeping him alive. When received by the evil witch queen, Saskia, she mistakes him for the dark wizard she'd hired to organize her library. Felix goes along with this despite lacking any magical ability, and begins to see Saskia as much more than his employer and political enemy.

Hmm. I enjoyed this quite a bit while reading, but once it ended it didn't really leave much of an impression.

The romance is sweet and this is absolutely a cozy fantasy. There are stakes but it never feels like there's any true conflict or danger. Felix is a thoughtful, kind man that is not threatened by Saskia's power. As the more powerful of the two, she saves him a handful of times and at one point he nurses her back to health. I really appreciated the role-reversal from what I'm used to seeing.

I think what's missing from this book is that real feeling of yearning and angst from the main couple. I could tell, on paper, why they cared for each other but I didn't really feel the chemistry in the build up. I wanted to see more YEARNING.

Overall, this was an enjoyable quick read and I'll likely be picking up the next one when I just want to give my brain a break.

A witch queen with an evil reputation and her hot dark wizard librarian who is actually her greatest foe! Saskia and Felix were amazing together, and I loved that he was gentle and kind. The crows were a nice touch along with the wonderful found family elements. Some of the extra trope-y scenes fell a little flat for me, but overall this was an adorable romantasy. Excellent bi rep from Saskia and I loved their dynamic!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for early access to this audiobook.

Amanda Leigh Cobb's energy was perfect for this fantasy that struck me as both cozy and high stakes. Loved her acting and voice differentiation, including the preview of who I assume will be the other FMCs in the series? Excited to look for more books narrated by her!

This was a fabulous listen! The story was all about found family, the underdog getting the girl, and a badass main female character. The main male lead, Archduke Felix Augustus von Estarion (aka Fabian), is an absolute cinnamon roll who runs from an abusive family and accidentally ends up in an "evil" witch queen's hands, only to have a misunderstanding land him a job and a found family along the way. The female lead, Queen Saskia, is a badass, too-powerful witch who constantly worries about her kingdom and the safety of all those who reside there (especially those who aren't human and need that extra protection), not really leaving room for self-love, who finds herself falling for the new "dark wizard" librarian in her employ despite her best efforts not to. I felt enchanted the entire time, and the slow-burn romance between Felix and Saskia made the relationship feel hard-won rather than instant love. Their interactions with each other and those around them made this book feel "lived-in" in a way not all authors are able to portray.

The narrator wasn't my favorite, as I felt the male and female voices tended to be very similar, and for longer speeches, accents were lost. I still enjoyed it, though, and would readily suggest it to anyone wanting a cozy, slightly steamy romance with gentle political intrigue! The sneak peek of the next book that we got to hear at the end has me desperate for the next book! I wasn't chomping at the bit for Lorelei of Balravia's story, but that little bit of it changed my mind!

Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher, Macmillan Audio, and the author, for providing a free copy of <i>Wooing the Witch Queen</i> in exchange for an honest review.

At first I was struggling with this book because the narrator was hard to get used to. I love to speed up my audiobooks but I couldn’t really do it with this one because she was already a fast talker and just had extended pauses between words. HOWEVER, I was able to eventually adjust to her style of reading. Also, at about the 45/50% point of the book, the storyline REALLY started picking up and it was too enjoyable to be bothered with the narrator. I ended up really enjoying the story and narration. If you have a similar trouble in the beginning, don’t give up because it gets really good! Be sure to finish!

Looking at the cover, I assumed the MMC would be the one attempting to seduce the witch, but that wasn’t the case, and honestly, that’s perfectly fine—it just didn’t align with my expectations. He’s also a total cinnamon roll, which, while adorable, made me realize I tend to prefer my MMCs to be morally gray (definitely a "me" problem). The story is told in third-person POV, which isn’t my favorite, but the narrator did a great job bringing it to life.

Wooing the Witch Queen was a sweet, cozy fantasy romance that gave reverse gender Apprentice to the Villain vibes. Saskia is an “evil” witch queen trying to navigate politics in a queendom where there are people plotting against her, and Felix is an archduke on the run, looking for asylum at the last place he thinks anyone will look for him. In a case of mistaken identity, Felix is tasked as the librarian in Saskia’s court, while she tries to find the missing archduke, not realizing that he’s the sweet librarian that she’s falling for.

I enjoyed this book well enough, mainly because I really loved Felix. He’s such a cinnamon roll MMC. Saskia was supposed to be this evil witch queen, but I didn’t get evil from her at all. She was a bit naive and inexperienced, but never outright mean or evil. I also didn’t really feel like much happened throughout the story. Despite that it was an easy book to listen to. The story flowed and the audiobook narrator was really good. I’m not sure this will be a story that sticks with me though. And I’m not sure I’ll be continuing the series. 3.5 Stars.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

5 stars and I can't stress this enough: cozy as HELL. It took me a minute or two to get used to Amanda Leigh Cobb as a narrator, but she has a slow drawling tone for Saskia that I enjoyed immensely, and her voices for the two queens were very fun (being able to swap between vocal fry for the ice goth and manic pixie dream girl for the hyper Fae is a TALENT).

I feel like, a lot of the time, books marketed as "cozy" fall through for me because I'm holding them up to the standard of Legends and Lattes. However, I've read cozy fantasy books that hold up to that standard, and this is one of them. I'm genuinely starting to think that the key to cozy, at least for me, is the autism or neurodivergence present within the story, since it speaks to me so specifically.

Wooing the Witch Queen is a very cozy, surprisingly kinky romantasy and I can't wait to hear about a potential sequel involving one of the other queens of villainy. Right off the bat though, these aren't actually villainous ladies. They're rulers who have taken up the mantles of villainy in an attempt to do what's right and rule their kingdoms in the ways they see fit, like our main character Saskia. She took the throne from her evil Uncle in an attempt to bring balance to the rampant racism and speciesism ongoing in the kingdom, and is now beloved by her subjects. However, the imperial archduke and her uncle are still causing a myriad of issues, so she enlists the help of a dark wizard to locate and take care of the duke.

Enter Felix, who at first planned nothing more than throwing himself at Queen Saskia's feet and begging for mercy and asylum. But after being mistaken as a dark wizard answering the hiring notice, he undertakes the task of reorganizing her magnificent library and finding the tracking spell she seeks, all while hiding his true identity behind the mask... But he's down so bad for Saskia, and she can't deny her feelings for him either.

So, it's a miscommunication cozy fantasy where two nerds who I WILL be calling autistic struggle to cope with being in the same room and not ripping each other's clothes off. Felix, aka Fabian, can't get anything done without first having a specific type of pen, bonds with an outcast plucky raven from Saskia's flock, and wears a massively oversized cloak and mask to hide himself away from others (even if it is mostly to keep his identity secret). He immediately becomes entrenched in organising the library and works at it without food or sleep for several days, and tries to tell the castle staff not to worry about his unhealthy habits because it's what he's "used to." Queen Saskia hates making public appearances, dealing with her two ally queens, and having to handle the diplomatic elements of ruling a kingdom, and would much rather spend all of her time working on experiments and magic studies in her lab. Between her hot new librarian wizard and her ex-girlfriend who is her diplomatic advisor, she's struggling to focus on anything she actually enjoys. They're both neurodivergent as hell and it makes them completely suited to each other. Which is perfect since they're so horny for each other it HURTS.

This is actually surprisingly kinky for such a cozy title, I was kind of shocked by how much of a sub/Dom relationship these two characters established (Saskia is dominant, Felix is submissive), but the enthusiastic consent and fun they both had made it super entertaining. There was a small scene upset where Saskia takes Felix's voice away right when he tries to tell her his true identity, and she is upset after their sexual encounter when she finds out about it, but he isn't blamed for not being able to tell her and they both enjoyed the scene. And NO, this is not a slow burn, this is a dry brush fire springing up immediately. Insta lust, insta-love. But it's clear that Saskia cares for Felix and would commit murders and malefic deeds to protect him, and he risks his life for her multiple times, proving his devotion.

I think this title is perfect for fans of the Princess Bride, Dreadful, and Legends & Lattes, and I highly recommend!

Wooing the Witch Queen
By Stephanie Burgos
Narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb
4 ⭐️

This is a book to grab when you want a really fun, mildly political, not terrible complicated, sweet underdog gets the girl romantasy. My favorite components: male infiltrates a spunky girl gang, he also infiltrates a library with a man in the iron mask vibes, and there’s a Zazu-ish crow bff involved. The audiobook was good too. I thought Cobb did the boom justice and was solid as a solo narrator.

Audiobook ARC curtesy of NetGalley, Stephanie Burgos, and Mamillan audio - thank you! 👑

This book came across as a cozy romance, including your very cozy favorites of a library, a crow familiar and found family feel.

Felix under the alias of Fabian a dark wizard wants to escape his life and decides to try to find sanctuary under the protection of the "evil" Queen Saskia, she's looking for someone to organize her library and when he walks through the doors she hires him on the spot wanting to quickly return to her laboratory.

I enjoyed the narrator very much, I do feel like Felix's character was a little flat at times.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced listening copy for my review ! This was a wonderful listen, Amanda Leigh Cobb is one of my favorite narrators and she did an excellent job bringing the characters to life . This was cozy and enchanting all the way through , I enjoyed all of the characters and magic woven throughout . An evil queen, magic crows, a beautiful library and a wonderfully sweet and kind male love interest . Great listen or read for those that love cozy fantasies!

I finally got into this right at the end. Even though this was a Romantasy I felt the characters read very young in the way they interacted and dealt with making decisions. I also didn’t want to be told about the fantasy world but experience it: that is why I think I finally enjoyed the end of the book. I am hoping I like the next book in this series more.

Such a great change of pace from the standard fantasy. I love that our queen is the moody and powerful one, while our librarian is sweet and attentive. This would be a perfect fall/early winter cozy read! Please note, that misunderstanding/ miscommunication is a HUGE plot point, like the whole plot. The narrator did a wonderful job. I love the voice she chose for Saskia!!

Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis is a cozy, romantic, and empowering adult fantasy with Apprentice to the Villain vibes- the perfect primer for readers new to the fantasy genre.
The characters are endearing and Amanda Leigh Cobb brought them to life with her narration. I particularly like all the trolls that worked in the castle, and the crows are also a very sweet addition to the cast.
While I understand that is a character driven story, there are times I feel the novel could benefit from a bit more world building. I was fascinated by the dynamics within the empire and also the intricacies of the magic system, but most of it is explained quickly through exposition and not delved into in any meaningful way.
At its core, Wooing the Witch Queen is a tale of trust, vulnerability, and the power of love. Burgis’s writing is full of warmth, humor, and a dash of whimsy, making it a perfect read for anyone who enjoys a cute romantasy with strong heroines and found families.

First story in the Queens of Villany series and I am ready for the next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book with all of the characters - especially Mrs Haglitz and Morlokk.

A cozy fantasy romance with witches, fae, evil emperors, trolls, goblins and a runaway archduke pretending to be a dark wizard.

Archduke Felix Augustus von Estarion is miserable, to say the least, in his own kingdom. His very own father-in-law, who is the current regent, the Count, treats him most terribly and may be plotting his demise. Hoping to gain asylum from the one person who wouldn't be cowed by the Count, Felix snuck out of his own kingdom, and straight into the enemies.

Archduke Felix is ready to plead his case to the Wicked Queen of the East when a curious turn of events leads him to make a different play. Hoping it won't backfire, until he is ready to tell the Queen the truth, Felix becomes the new masked dark wizard in Kitvaria.

While Felix is away, the Count continues his plans with the emperor to attack Kitvaria in the Archdukes name. And suprise, Queen Saskia's evil uncle is in cahoots with the Count as well as he hopes to take back her throne.

A slow burn romance stirs between Queen Saskia and her new dark wizard/librarian, Archduke Felix (AKA Fabian). Her castles' inhabitants, while non-human and unfamiliar, begin to warm to Fabian as they see how he cares for Saskia. Offering courtly advice behind a mask draws attention from the two other witch Queens in the Queens of Villany trio - Queen Lorelei of Balravia and Queen Ailana of Nornne. The witches warn Saskia of the plans of the Estarion Archduke against their kingdoms and that they must work together to fight against him.

Secrets have a way of being drawn into the light and soon Felix fears his ruse will be at an end along with his life. How can he convince Saskia that he is not her enemy and keep her kingdom from falling into the hands of their enemies? Will their love be enough to keep from tearing them apart?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
I REALLY wanted to love this and hate having to leave a review like this, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I believe the story has a lot of potential, but was executed poorly with a lot of telling and not showing. It started off great with the character descriptions and then there was really no development after the introduction. It didn't have depth or make me invested in any of the characters, but I did enjoy the pet raven. I'm not really sure what the plot was (besides what I read in the description) and I feel like the romance portion was underdeveloped. I really liked the nerdy aspect for Felix, it was a cute touch. The relationship between Felix and Saskia was strange to me and didn't quite catch when It started. There wasn't really much build up or any slow burn. I had high hopes from reading the description, but unfortunately this wasn't for me.

This was a fun cozy fantasy romance featuring a bisexual “fearsome” witch queen and an archduke disguised as a dark wizard librarian. The stakes are quite low - this, along with the writing gave it that cozy fantasy feel. I truly had no idea where this story was going which was what made it so fun and it kept me guessing the whole time.

I listened to the ALC of this and really enjoyed the narrator.

I will definitely be continuing this series which seems as though it’ll be some interconnected standalones!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a fun cozy fantasy. It was exactly what I was wanting. Saskia was the perfect FMC...heart of gold but outwardly needing to be an "evil queen".

This story is about romance and family at its heart, but not blood family. It's definitely about the family you choose. Saskia built herself a wonderful family after her uncle was a terrible person.

I loved seeing the relationship between Felix and Saskia grow throughout the book from an almost indifference on her end and fear on his end to love on both their parts.

The side characters were some of the best, especially the castle staff. I loved how much they cared for Saskia, almost as more of a daughter than their queen.

Narration was phenomenal. I felt like the voice actor did a great job bringing the characters and story to life.

Overall, this was a cute book that felt like a warm hug.