A young man, rumoured to be a bloodthirsty, untrustworthy monster, and a young woman rumoured to be a bloodthirsty, violent monster, are put together, and very quickly their perceptions of one another are turned on their heads, in a delightful, swoony, cozy story of two hurt souls finding their soulmates, and preventing the misuse of their names and power by nefarious others.

The two leads are sweet and kind, and have been used egregiously by parental figures who claimed to have their best interests at heart. Yeah sure. More like the parental figures had their own best interests at heart!

Author Stephanie Burgis brings Archduke Felix and witch queen Saskia together, and because Saskia mistakenly believes Felix is her new dark wizard she hired to organize all her magical texts in her library, Felix gets to hide his identity (and face behind a mask) and the two get to know each other without the burden of their reputations. Felix sees how generous and compassionate she is with her staff/friends, while she sees how gentle and kind he is (you know he's kind when a young, adorable crow befriends him immediately).

There are two other witch queens who decide to ally with Saskia, as they know that an alliance of not terrible magical users, i.e. , them, is needed to protect their respective lands.

This is very much a slow burn romance, as Felix and Saskia learn to trust each other, and gradually fall for each other, and discover that their reputations were fabricated by their parental figures for political gain. Saskia is very much a good person, wanting rights for all in the land, not just humans, and Felix wants nothing more than to be kind and care for others.

I enjoyed this story a lot, and loved Saskia and Felix together. Burgis has more coming in this world, and it looks like she'll be focusing on the other two witch queens in the remainder of this series. Can't wait!

I listened to this story, and liked voice actor Amanda Leigh Cobb's work bringing the characters to life. Felix's gentle tones, and Saskia's personality come through, and I really enjoyed Cobb's voicing of Saskia's troll butler/major domo/second in command.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my review.

(3.75 stars)
Wooing The Witch Queen was a lovely story with a slow-burn romance, which I believe will delight readers of “cozy fantasy.”

Saskia is a young queen who has a reputation for being really evil. (But she’s really not.) She’s trying to protect her kingdom from the schemes of a neighboring kingdom, supposedly ruled by Archduke Felix, but really ruled by his cruel relative. Saskia took over the kingdom from her own cruel relative, so Saskia and Felix actually have a lot in common but they don’t know it.

Felix manages to escape somehow and finds his way to Saskia’s castle, where he hopes to seek shelter/asylum. But she thinks he’s a dark wizard answering her ad for a librarian to organize the totally unorganized magical library she inherited. Felix says his name is Fabian and wears a mask to conceal his famous face (it seems that wasn’t usual for a dark wizard?).

Saskia is a powerful witch and Felix/Fabian has no wizarding skills, but he works hard to read and categorize her collection of magical tomes and miscellaneous spell papers. Most of the book centers on the growing relationship between these two. It’s sweet to watch them gradually fall for each other - but of course Saskia doesn’t know who Felix/Fabian really is.

This is the first book in a series and it seems that the rest of the books will focus on the other “queens of villainy.” These women provided some comic relief, as did Saskia’s First Minister. There are two major non-human characters who serve Saskia: Morlokk, her majordomo, an ogre, and Mrs. Haglitz, her housekeeper, a troll, both of whom were wonderful characters, as were the castle’s crows, especially Oskar.

Note: There is a bit of steam in the later sections of the book. And there are references to physical punishments inflicted on the two main characters in the past.

I mainly listened to the audiobook version, which was beautifully narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb. It kept me entertained on a long flight.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to a review copy of this audiobook and to Bramble and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis is a blend of cozy fantasy, romantasy and trope-humor. Queen Saskia successfully took the throne back from her evil uncle in order to protect her people, and now has to deal with neighboring kingdoms that do not appreciate having a powerful sorceress on the throne. Felix is the runaway Archduke of the neighboring rival kingdom, masquerading as a dark wizard and a librarian (despite being neither) in order to escape being a figurehead in his own country. Of course, he can’t tell the book-loving Saskia who he really is, since their kingdoms are at odds, and of course, this means they will fall in love.
Stephanie Burgis crafts a captivating world with a sweet, sensitive hero and an introverted, yet powerful, heroine. Saskia, the Witch Queen, is a refreshing character (and bisexual FMC), trying to balance her duties with her desire for peace and magical research. Felix, disguised as a librarian, is a charming and calm hero, whose quiet courtship of Saskia is really just… cute.
The story is rich with found family, alliances between "evil" queens, and a looming threat from an Empire determined to eradicate magic. Burgis seamlessly weaves humor and whimsy into the narrative, while also addressing themes of inclusivity, acceptance, and the importance of freedom. Despite some darker undertones in Felix's backstory, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers. The romance is heartwarming, and the light political intrigue gives it some depth. I particularly loved the personal touches Burgis incorporated, from Felix's love of fountain pens to the crow that adopts him.
The writing is straightforward but has an almost Pratchett-like sense of humor, in that “dark queen” elements like ravens and flaming skulls are used, but they are turned on their head a little, and Saskia is more than aware of the irony of using such things herself. This kind of humorous writing isn’t my favorite, but will definitely appeal to fans of Assistant to the Villian, by Hannah Nicole Maehrer and Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis.

This was a really cute, cozy romantasy. It was really easy to read, however I prefer a slow burn and this felt more like insta-love. The storyline feel rushed and the court politics could have been further explored. There is some open-door romance later in the book, although it is not overly graphic. I enjoyed the narration in the audiobook and it was very easy to listen to.

Expect:
-golden retriever MMC
-low stakes
-not-so-evil evil queen

Thank you to NetGalley & MacMillan audio for the ALC of this book.

Cute and fun, easily digestible fantasy with romance! I enjoyed following along with Saskia and Felix - Felix specifically was such a fun puzzle to work out for Saskia, and I was rooting from the start for them to give in to their attraction!

Wooing the Witch Queen had potential, but it was buried under a frustrating mix of contradictions, plot holes, and lackluster world-building.

There was so much telling and not enough showing. The author over-explained unnecessary details while skimming over things that actually needed development.

Characters made decisions not because they made sense but because the plot needed them to. Which, in turn, made the plot feel forced .

That said, I did like the raven.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Rating: 5/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

I loved this book so much, it was romantasy, but it was also like a historical with a good mix of fantasy in it as well. I loved that even though you have fantasy book this has more romance in it. This book also has action, drama and a lot of laughter. In this book you will meet Felix who is the Archduke of Estarion but he really isn’t he is just the figure head. He has been abused by his regent and father-in-law. You will meet Saskia who is a fierce, loyal and caring even though she knows that she is powerful, and she knows when to use it. They meet when Felix runs away to her kingdom looking for help but when he gets there, she is too busy in her potion room and mistakes him for the new dark wizard. He has the challenge of helping her get her library organized, and he takes it and learns that he will have to hide his identity.

This was a such a cute romantasy with a little (a very little) of spice. I loved that they were both falling for each other, but it was of course he falls first, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. You will get to watch these two heal each other’s emotional abuse and even some physical. You will see these two learn to grow and understand themselves and want they want in the end. I found Felix to be such a sweetheart even though he has been through hell and back. He soon realizes that his father-in-law has ruined his reputation as the Archduke. He wants to make changes to his life and how his people see him in his area and the other areas as well. He is misunderstood, and I wanted to wrap him up in a cozy warm blanket and hold him for hours. I loved that Saskia is so fierce, and caring even though she has been through the ringer as well. Her parents’ loss was traumatizing to her and how her uncle treated her afterwards. She doesn’t trust right away but if you gain this queen trust you will see how far she will go to protect her friend/family. The side characters were well built, and you can see their stories coming alive in this book and I can’t wait to see what the next book will bring us.

I also received the audio of this book and wow. Amanda Leigh Cobb did a wonderful job bring the characters to life, as well as the book. You can tell that she really cared to bring the readers the best audio.

I want to thank NetGalley and Tor for the opportunity to review this book.

Queen Saskia is a wicked witch queen with powers feared in neighboring kingdoms, including where the Imperial Archduke resides, her mortal enemy and attempted assassin. After putting out an advert looking to hire a sorcerer, she hires "Fabian", a silent, sweet and nerdy stranger to be her librarian. Little does she know that Fabian is not at all who he seems, and this does not stop him from being tempting for the witch queen.

I enjoyed the writing of this story and the light worldbuilding, but I really did not see Saskia as "wicked" in any sort of way, which was promised. I liked Fabian and his love of fountain pens and crows, he was very cute, but I did not buy their love story as much as I would have liked. The stakes felt low despite the possibility of war and was more on the cozy side, which is usually fine with me, but with such a looming possibility of conflict, felt at odds to me. I did like the representation of Queen Saskia being bisexual.

The first in a new historical fantasy series that involved a bookish witch queen a secret nobleman masquerading (literally) as a librarian/servant. This was my first book by Stephanie Burgis and I enjoyed it quite a bit for the slow burn, forced proximity love story with betrayal, heat and heart. I look forward to seeing what happens next and enjoyed it on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! Recommended for fans of books like A study in drowning by Ava Reid.

Whimsical, adventurous, and fun—Wooing the Witch Queen was a great addition to my fantasy reads this year. This cozy fantasy follows an archduke in disguise as a dark wizard and on the run from his past. When serendipitously is confused as an applicant for the position of Librarian at the castle of the Witch Queen Saskia, he throws himself into the job of bringing order to her magical library. Saskia is a queen just trying to protect her people, especially from the encroachment of the humans. Forming a tentative alliance with the other witch queens, Saskia spends hours experimenting with magic to protect the realm, and her new librarian, “Fabian,” seems eager to help. As the two fight their growing attraction to one another, war seems like it is about to come knocking on their door. When the secrets between them are revealed, they will have to decide what matters more—what side of the war they’re on, or what they know of each other.

❤️ What I loved: Great characters, a fun story with high stakes but levity to match, and a super sweet romance. I loved the dynamic between our two main characters and the relationship that grew between them throughout the story.
💔 What I didn’t love: I might have liked a little more of the world-building to see the bigger picture, but since this is a planned series, I imagine we will get more glimpses in the future books.

I highly recommend this book to fans of cozy fantasy and romance, and I am looking forward to the next book in the Queens of Villainy series, which is focused on the Fae Queen and the general!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4-4.5)

Acknowledgments & Disclaimers ✨ Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie Burgis, and Macmillan Audio, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book. ✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. ✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

Let me just start off by saying I love witchs and magical libraries! This is my first book from this author so I went in with minimal expectations, thinking it would be a cute romantasy book to listen to while I drive to work. It was exactly what I was looking for, cute slow romantasy where the characters start to slowly catch feelings for each other through proximity. I usually do not like insta-love romantasy, but this was done in a way where you could tell they had chemistry from very early in the book, but they still get to know each other and learn to love each others quirks which is super cute.

Both our main characters were lovely and well fleshed out in my opinion. However, I do not understand really why our Witch Queen was considered evil... like it seemed like a cool premise, but I was thinking she would be a bit evil based on the blurb so I was a bit dissappointed that we did not get our lovely morally grey main character moment. (it is very obvious that she is kind from the get go). However, both the characters were still quite lovely, so even if my expectations weren't necessarily met, I still loved them as individual characters. The relationship and storyline is cozy/cute and comforting so it was exactly what I wanted from an audiobook at the moment.

Saskia is a wicked queen who everyone fears after she took back her throne from her uncle. The only thing she cares about if keeping her people safe and feels as though she needs to spend all her time in the lab working on spells. She doesn't have time to tame the chaos that is her library so she hires a dark wizard to do it for her. Fabian is different then any dark wizard she has ever known, he is sweet and a little nerdy and absolutely loves his job organizing the library. He is actually the archduke from the kingdom she is trying to protect her people from, has no magical training and is on the run. What will happen when his secret finally comes out.

I thought this book was super cute. I loved the relationship between Fabian and Saskia and the pacing was good. I loved how it flipped the gender norms we typically see in fantasy books. I loved seeing how Fabian supports Saskia and wants her to be proud of how powerful she is. I really enjoyed the narration on this book and felt it fit well.

*3.5 stars*

This was a fun magical romance. Although it touched on some sensitive topics (murder, abuse mostly) it didn’t go into detail and was overall a quick fluffy read. I would have liked a little more tension and chemistry between the main characters and a little more world building. Overall this was fun and I’ll probably pick up the next book when it comes out.

The audiobook narration was very well done and I enjoyed the narrators style.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

I absolutely loved this book. The narration was excellent and the story was engaging. I feel like MFC was more a princess with magic than a witch. I'm super excited to read more from this author.

I really liked the proposed plot of this book, and I wanted to love the story. Unfortunately, it really fell flat for me. Almost the entire book takes place in one location and characters did not gain much depth, despite the entire plot being mostly conversation and no action. I pushed through hoping for some action later on, but to no avail. I do appreciate the ALC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wooing the Witch Queen written by Stephanie Burgis and narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb was a fun tale of three magical queens forming an alliance to protect their land from invasion — enter a dark wizard librarian love interest with a secret identity.

Queen Saskia is a strong FMC.
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
Hidden identity
Great romance with a little bit of spice

Amanda Leigh Cobb captured the all of the different characters masterfully.

audio-ARC from NetGalley.

This was so cute and fun!

While attempting to throw himself upon the enemy queen's mercy, Arch Duke Felix is mistaken for a dark wizard and hired as a librarian. Maybe the evil Witch Queen Saskia isn't as bloodthirsty and cruel as they say, but how is Felix supposed to tell her he's the Duke she hates so much?

This was super lighthearted. Despite the characters' tragic backstories and overwhelming traumas, they were both just sweet baby angels who loved animals and wanted to protect their people and live peacefully.

The audio experience was great, the characters were lovable, and the ending didn't piss me off.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the alc, all opinions are my own!

Saskia is the witch queen, feared by many and thought to just be wicked and terrible. She has stolen the throne from her uncle and brought on a librarian to help her secure her castle and throne.

A cast of magical characters, golden retriever hidden identity libration, and black cat bi queen. This was a really fun listen and the narrator did a great job portraying the story and bringing the characters for life. This is more of a hazy lens romance. Perfect cozy vibes.

Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis is a fun and easy read about a badaass witch and a cinnamon roll archduke who comes to her castle for help.

The narrator did a fantastic job. She is also the same narrator who read #3 and #3.5 in the ACOTAR series, and she did well in those books as well. I was happy to hear her narrate again.

In the beginning I was impressed with the fact that there was an actual plot and politics. Many times I feel like romance novels forget about the plot and it becomes underdeveloped. Sadly as I continued that is exactly what happened. I loved reading about ogres and goblins and crow familiars. I loved the talk about all races being equal. What politics that was there I enjoyed. I love the cinnamon roll MMC and strong independent FMC. However, I wished to have learned more about.... Well everything. There wasn't enough character development, not enough world building, and not enough the plot to really get sucked in.

I still might continue the series cause it was fun. I just wanted more depth. It wasnt bad but not very memorable.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to more of your work.