Unfortunately, I had to dnf this one at 20%. I was not getting into the story and the world-building was fairly lackluster. The FMC was more annoying than relatable and you can easily foresee that this book is just overusing tropes. It did not stand out as a fantasy book.

The Promised Queen’s concept is one that has been vastly overdone. However, I knew from the onset that this was going to be an unoriginal story, and even overused tropes can be done well. However, there are a lot of ways in which this book comes up short. The world building is almost non-existent. There is magic in this world, but no explanation as to how it is performed or where it came from, or where the limitations are. I enjoyed the adventurous nature of the plot and the pacing, which was on the faster side, fit the story well.

The writing style however, was not for me. There are many instances where we are told that something is true, instead of being shown that it is through thoughtful description. For example, we are told that Ember is an amazing thief, but we never actually see her performing well enough to warrant the title and praise. Ember’s tone of voice is also incredibly jarring, as modern slang is used throughout.

The romance is insta-love and honestly a little unsettling at times due to Rhaell’s very obvious rejection of Ember and her continuing to try to be with him. I didn’t find myself caring if they were together, or rooting for the relationship to get deeper. It all just fell very flat for me.

I've read The Promised Queen by Kate Johnson as an ARC, provided by One More Chapter and Netgalley, this for an honest review.

It's a funny, heroic story about Ember Hart, a thief in the Clockwork City who has been selected to be the Promised One in another world. She has to wed the monstrous prince Bronadyr for his heirs. But naturally she is a girl with a feisty mindset and is always traying to find a way to escape back to her world.

It's a fast-paced, funny and feral story with a pinch of spice and also has a bit of modern (feisty, vulgar) language spoken by Ember. Some people are maybe not up for it, but for me it made it funny.

I give this story a 4-star rating and I am curious what's going to happen in book 2. I will look out for it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story is full of twists and turn that will have you gripping the edge of your seat! I devoured this book in 3 days, and I need the next one ASAP. Fans of Throne of Glass will love The Promised Queen.

The Promised Queen follows Ember, who is a thief in her world. When trying to save a maiden from a murderous secret society, Ember ends up being sacrificed in her place. When Ember arrives in this new world, she is named 'the Promised One', as her arrival has been prophesied, and now she must marry the beastly prince. Ember is determined not to be a sacrificial lamb and forms an alliance with Rhaell, the captain of the guards. Together, Ember and Rhaell go on a quest to restore the kingdom's magic that has been lost by trying to find pieces of the Heart of Yskar. Once she gains all the pieces, Ember hopes to take a portal back home to her life. As Ember and Rhaell journey together, Ember and Rhaell's relationship starts to grow into something more. Ember now must juggle her feelings for Rhaell, while trying not to marry the prince.

I loved the FMC, Embe MC can hold their own. She knows what she wants, and she will go after it. I also loved her inner monologue, she was hilarious. I also loved her relationship with Rhaell. I won't go into too many details and spoil it... But they will have you kicking your feet in the air! This is a slow burn, but trust me, it is worth the wait! It is spicyyyy.

I liked the pacing of this book. When I first started reading it, I thought that because it was so long, it would all wrap up into one book. Well, boy, was I wrong. This book will keep on throwing the best twists and turns at you until the very end. The world-building was vivid without being overbearing, and you felt like you were there in the world with the characters. It was gory and bloody during the battle scenes, and didn't leave much to the imagination! lol

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it was a 5/5 for me!

I went into this coming out of a bit of a reading slump so felt like it was a slow start for me but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A strong 4 stars from me!

DNF at 15%. This book was just not for me. I requested the eARC because the premise sounds fascinating but the delivery was not good (in my opinion). I really disliked that the FMC used modern language and found it very jarring for the setting. This might have been okay if it was explained why her way of speaking was so different to everyone else but you were left guessing. A few phrases made me cringe and I hated how many times the word 'breed' or 'breeding' was used just in the first section alone. Thank you to Once More Chapter for the eARC but it missed the mark for me.

ARC review

While on a heist, Ember Hart is captured and sent to a different world where people call her "the Promised One" and is linked to the beastly prince of the kingdom by a prophecy.
She is trying to get back to her realm and makes an alliance with Rhaell, the Captain of the Guard, without knowing what secrets he keeps.

I received an advance reader copy of the book from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The description and the beginning of the book were interesting, but along the way there were some things that I did not enjoy.

We do not have enough information about the world from which Ember came, but it seems to be very similar to our world.
But it is not clear in what period of time.
The world where she was sent has magic and fantastic creatures, but there is not a very good developed worldbuilding.
This gave the book some mystery and we get to find out pieces along the way.

I liked that there was a balanced pace of the action and that the story was engaging.
The characters are interesting and I liked Rhaell and Ember.
There are some twists that were unexpected. I fell like there were a few things that hinted to the main revelations, but still I could not believe it.
Unfortunately that made me change my opinion about one character.

The story is told through multiple perspectives, but this is not clearly stated at the start of a chapter.
In the beginning I did not understand the Deer and Rainbow part, but I liked the way it was integrated in the story.

Please be aware that there are some sensitive topics discussed/present in the book, that might be triggering (including violence, SA, death, abortion).

Based on the ending I think that this migh be the beginning of a series.

This was a fun read! Easy worldbuilding, a premise that was engaging, good pace, had a little bit of everything really! I could see this as a good entry point to romantasy and a good choice for someone looking for a light-hearted, easy beach read.
My only concern was the writing as it overall felt too contemporary and it pulled me out of the story a few times. That is probably due to the fact that I read so much romantasy, I have probably developed a preference towards more lyrical and whimsical prose, but that really is just a personal preference.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

The background for our FMC, Ember, is nearly nonexistent and the world building/magic is not nearly detailed enough to make for a vivid story. The plot twist, in regards to the romance, is not something I would normally choose to read about, so it put me off. I also kind of saw that aspect coming, which was even more disappointing. I was intitally drawn to this book because of the gorgeous cover, but I had very different expectations for the story. Spoiler-ish: if you love monster romance then this might be the book for you. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

received an ARC of The Promised Queen by Kate Johnson through NetGalley, and I was eager to dive into this fantasy novel with its intriguing premise of royal intrigue and prophecy. While it had some shining moments, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations. Here’s my honest take with pros and cons for this review.

Pros:
Kate Johnson’s world-building sets a vivid stage. The kingdom of Vaeloria, with its opulent palaces and misty moors, comes alive through lush descriptions that pulled me into the setting. The story follows Alina, a young woman raised in hiding, who learns she’s the prophesied queen destined to unite a fractured realm. Alina’s journey is relatable,she’s unsure of herself but grows into her role, and I appreciated her moments of vulnerability. The romance with Darius, a gruff royal guard with a hidden soft side, has some sweet, slow-burn sparks that kept me engaged. The concept of the prophecy, tied to ancient blood magic, is compelling, and a few plot twists, especially one involving a traitor, caught me off guard in a good way. Johnson’s prose is accessible and flows well, making it easy to get lost in the story when it hits its stride, particularly during the action-packed climax.

Cons:
Unfortunately, the book has some issues that held it back. The pacing is uneven—the first half drags with a lot of setup and repetitive inner monologues, which made it hard to stay invested. The magic system, while intriguing, feels underdeveloped, with rules that shift without enough explanation, leaving me confused about its stakes. Secondary characters, like Alina’s advisors and some rival nobles, lack depth, making their roles feel more like plot devices than fully realized people. The romance, though charming at times, falls into predictable tropes, and I wanted more complexity to make it stand out. Finally, the ending, while setting up a potential sequel, resolves too little, leaving too many loose ends that felt unsatisfying rather than suspenseful.

Overall, The Promised Queen has a promising concept and a vivid world, but it needed more polish to really shine. Kate Johnson shows potential, and I’d be open to seeing where the series goes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy classic fantasy with royal intrigue but don’t mind a slower pace and some rough edges.

The Promised Queen by Kate Johnson is captivating from the start. The pace is goos, fast and action packed with funny interactions between the characters. I didn't really like the FMC and her foul-mouth, i founded the language a bit too modern for the setting of the story. However, i really enjoyed the sassy dragons and the twist i wasn't expecting.

I felt the romance a bit rushed but the plot was interesting to keep me invested in the story until the end. The secret heir trope was a bit obvious for me and made me think of the From Blood and Ash series. It was a nice and fast read and i did enjoyed and felt entertained with it. I would recommend it to fans of romantasy with a fast pace.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was definitely not what I expected, sadly, in a disappointing way...

What I did enjoy was the fun, fast-paced plot, the sassy dragons (was not prepared for how much I’d love them), and a twist that totally caught me off guard.

There were a few things that knocked it down a bit for me though:

- Some of the dialogue felt super modern, which didn’t really match the setting. The FMC came from a town that in description almost felt like it was the Dark Age, but she spoke like she’d just walked off TikTok? It was a little jarring—especially during the romance scenes when she casually called the MMC “mate” 🙈
- I would’ve liked more build-up to the romance. One minute they were noticing each other, the next they couldn’t live without each other? Insta-love/insta-lust is definitely my least favourite trope
- I also think it could’ve used a content warning or two. I wasn’t personally affected by the themes, but there’s a lot of heavy language around SA, and I can see that being upsetting for some readers.

One can only take so many descriptions of the MC's breasts/tits/heaving chest/bosom and 'hair that was the same colour as something you'd find in the privy', before giving up. I'm sure this book will find a loving audience, but sadly, I'm not part of that group.
DNF at 55%

This fantasy follows Ember, a thief on her accidental fall into the role of the Promised One, who is supposed to save the Kingdom, but is only viewed as a way to produce heirs with the “beastly” grandson of the King. She must figure out who to trust in the castle, and figure out a way to get back home. All the while being surrounded by the “most attractive” man she’s ever seen, and wondering if she can trust him to help.
I loved the world building, and the way magic worked in that world. I really enjoyed the banter between Ember and Rhaell throughout the slow burn of the book. The surprises in the end kept coming, and kept me on my toes. Some I didn’t see coming at all. I appreciated the discussion around birth, abortion, and women’s autonomy in a fantasy setting.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fantasy book with a heroine who understands her worth, and isn’t apologetic for the decisions she’s made in the past.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

***Spoiler Alert***

4 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really really enjoyed this story. Mostly.

I was captivated straight from the start. The pace was good; it was fast and action packed. The characters were well rounded and believable. The interactions were fun. Puzzling out all the pieces to the story was a treat.

Up until the 90% mark.

The reveal about Rhaell and Bronadyr was a slap in the face and completely unnecessary. His Rakaa heritage, perfectly fine. His Rakaa status, no problem. Him being the prince all along? Biggest eye roll ever.
Was it just so that we'd have a "dark moment" where all hope is lost? So they could argue and "hate" each other? I found this to be a cheap twist and unbelievable. First they're madly in love, then wanting to cause unimaginable pain on the other, then marrying in secret? All in the span of like 4% ???? It soured what was a really good book otherwise.

In addition, I wish tropes are announced, because I i really hate secret heir tropes. Ember is the heir of a goddess? She can absorb her power? The tree that fuelled everyone's powers is gone, but now power has been restored? Maybe I missed something, but none of it makes any sense.
To be fair, when the author had Rhaell explaining the history early in the story, she did have him say "it's a magic tree, it doesn't have to make sense"... And I giggled, at that point in the story... But not at the end, where everything felt convenient in the climax 🤷 dunno.

I did like the twist with Onas though. And I enjoyed the chapters with Deer and Rainbow.

A solid Romantasy for those after a more light hearted story, with plenty of spice and lots of feels. Especially those who like secret heir and chosen one tropes.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 rounded to 4

I'll be honest, a few pages in I thought this would be a hate read for me. It was so ridiculous from the get go, with a foul-mouthed FMC I was sure I'd dislike. But, dearest readers, it grew on me! I ended up devouring the whole thing in under 12 hours, and while I never fully loved Ember, I sure as hell enjoyed her mad journey! The romantasy fans will lap this one up: a beastly prince, a dashing misunderstood captain of the guard, a brash young thief turned reluctant Chosen One. There's scintillating, passionate romance, high stakes and over the top plot twists. It's a highly entertaining and fun popcorn read.

Recommended for anyone who loved From Blood and Ash, A Fire In The Sky and Trial of the Sun Queen.

I absolutely adored this book!!! Definitely not just another “cookie cutter” romantasy - this took so many conventions and turned them on their heads in new and surprising ways. (This “chosen one” couldn’t be more ordinary, and there was a “my husband” moment that made me absolutely FERAL)

The plot twists (of which there were SEVERAL) shocked and delighted, the romance was sizzling, and the writing was descriptive and beautiful. Flawless!

Ember and Rhaell are my new favorite fantasy couple! I loved their alliance story and the yearning throughout. This story was full of twists and adventure, I didnt want it to end. Ive been recommending it to all my romantasy lovers and cannot wait to encourage all of the book clubs to select this one

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Ember, una joven ladrona de la empobrecida Ciudad Mecánica que, al intentar robar una misteriosa joya, termina atrapada en un ritual mágico. Al despertar, descubre que ha sido transportada a un mundo desconocido y fantástico, Yskara, donde la consideran parte de una profecía para salvar el reino y restaurar su magia.

No quiere ser reina, ni casarse con un príncipe monstruoso, ni mucho menos salvar a un pueblo que no conoce. Su objetivo inicial es claro: escapar. Es durante su intento de huida que conoce a Rhaell, un guerrero enigmático que rápidamente se convierte en una figura central en su vida. Rhaell es fuerte, sereno y leal, y aunque al principio parece otro eslabón del sistema que quiere usarla, se revela como alguien dispuesto a protegerla incluso contra los deseos del rey.


.

Me sorprendio que Ember no se diera cuenta sobre la verdadera identidad de cierto personaje.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

I LOVED this book. It was perfect for getting into -or back into- romantacy after a slump. While it does have court politics and lore to follow, it’s not difficult to understand. The main characters are funny and easy to love. The whole time you’re kind of thinking “what the hell am I missing here???” And that kept me engaged, plus the rapid evolution of their relationship was so crazy to follow.
The concept of the book is a little edgy but pretty well executed, it was a really interesting take on blight, chosen one and forced engagement tropes too.
And at the same time, this book at the end of the day is not that series (it was never that serious). I would kill to get more of Ember and Rhaell’s hate banter. I also enjoyed the sex dynamic reversal for them (she called him “buttercup,” was always coming onto him, confident in her body, experienced) and he was the opposite of all those things.
I loved this book and am absolutely feral for another to be released. There’s still so much I want to see play out in these worlds, and I will be rereading once I can get my hands on a physical copy!
(The thing that kept this from a 5 star was that I predicted a couple of things, and that I wasn’t able to follow certain reveals but I feel like once I reread instead of listen it’ll click)
1.5🌶️ 4.24⭐️