Not gonna lie, I was drawn into this by a beautiful book cover and I thought how this was nothing like other romantasy novels out there, with the throwing knives/swords, flowers and intricate lines on the book covers, and it definitely will be better than any other fantasy romance out there. Was I wrong?

Mostly because of the pacing inconsistencies, modern language and soft magic system, I rounded up the overall reading experience to 3 stars. Perhaps, I would’ve liked it so much better if not for the Biblical references, American colloquialisms and the mentions of a very modern looking makeups, nicknames like “Buttercup” and “Sparks”. Speaking of languages, why did Rakaa have Scottish accents? I’m not against all of it per se, but I don’t think there’s a place for that in a high fantasy setting. It was not something I expected to see here, and I found it extremely distracting and out of place.

The book starts with the main character, Ember, trying to steal the High Lord’s Stone from Baron Varne’s mansion. Soon we learn that she has two young brothers and a sick father who requires a medical attention. She was in a wrong place at a wrong time and was transported to a different realm. By the limited description of it, her own world was an alternative version of the US, I’d say 19th century. But moving a character from one fantasy setting into another and making her talk like a 21st century’ woman, that didn’t work for me. Speaking of, Ember is not very pretty, and she’s not special, not a bit, she’s a very simple girl who just wants to go home and wear pants and not the beautiful dresses.

The magic system was undefined, e.g. if they wanted to have a light in their hand they could summon it, if they wanted to prevent their belongings from soaking they could simply put a charm in their bags, if they wanted to move around the humongous castle, they could use a magical portal; when Ember wished to become invisible she just did that. By the end of the book, I had a vague understanding of what those Stones (“horocracs”) could do.

Ember didn’t become a thief by choice, although it felt that way. Even so, the heroine is very true to herself. She knew what she wanted, and was honest about her desires. But the constant lusting over main LI, Rhaell, was very off-putting nevertheless.

Rhaell was a misunderstood Ice Planet Barbarian, who just wanted for someone to love him for his big, enormous, massive…heart. While reading his POV, we know he’s not indifferent to Ember, but he still rejected her, not just once, but multiple times. A “no” means “no”, right? It seems, the heroine had a different opinion on this matter - the scene where they were lying together under his jacket, felt off, she simply took advantage of him. Overall, their love story was a little rushed and I don’t believe one month is enough time to develop these deep feelings.

The King Onas’ POV was very random, but at the same time it was refreshing to read a villain’s perspective in a romantasy novel, and I wish his character was given more book time. I was also a little disappointed by how things played out with the “Deer and Rainbow’” storyline. It was an amazing idea, but it fell flat for me. In addition to that, I don’t think there was enough time to build a connection with some of the characters, and so I was rather indifferent to the tragic events involved Caeda and Phoebe, and the emotions, the author was tying to make us feel.

Every time I thought this can’t be more epic there’s no plot twist left, I was proved wrong. The second part of the book reminded me of “A Court of Mist and Fury”, and then I see the description of the book on Goodreads is changed to “Sarah j Maas with twist you won’t see coming”, which wasn’t there when I came across this book for the first time.

Not gonna lie, there were a couple of good jokes that made me laugh, but they were screaming the USA-21st-century-humour. Not to say I didn’t have fun, but it’s not the book to lose your sleep over, and I don’t think I’ll continue with the rest of the series either. It reads as a YA or NA romantasy novel, but with the excessive swearing, lusting and the description of some gory scenes.

To sum this up, it has a great potential, but at current state the books feels unpolished and requires more editing/writing. Possibly, to develop/strengthen the characters, make them more complex, especially Ember, I’m afraid she didn’t change much throughout the book, she neither evolved nor devolved. Besides, a lot of chapters/scenes seemed to appear out of the blue and were somewhat unrelated to the rest of the story. As I mentioned in the beginning of my review, the pacing had some issues. The second part of the book made me feel like I binged a miniseries.

There were certain things I wish I knew before coming into this. Like the heroine’s “condition”, which’s a sensitive and difficult topic for me. Anyhow, if the issues described in my reviews are “no brainier” for you, if you like a miscommunication trope, and your book couple to be on an adventure with lots of plot twists and surprises on their way, if you’re intrigued by the magical trees, and you like your romantasy “medium-spicy”, with a light world building, this one could be for you.

The Promised Queen surprised me—in the best kind of way. What starts out feeling like familiar fantasy fare (a scrappy thief, a mysterious realm, a beastly prince) quickly unspools into something sharper, bolder, and far more twisty than expected. I tore through this one in just a couple of days, and when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about reading it. Always a good sign.

Ember is the kind of heroine I can’t help but root for: resourceful, rough around the edges, and just a bit of a smartass. She’s plucked from her hard-knock life and dropped into a world that wants to worship her and control her all at once—crowned the Promised One, expected to marry a monstrous prince, and bring magic back to a dying kingdom. But Ember? She has no intention of being anyone’s prophecy pawn.

Enter Rhaell, the brooding, scarred Captain of the Guard who’s keeping more than a few secrets under all that armor. Their alliance is wary at first—she doesn’t trust him, he knows more than he’s letting on—but the tension between them is delicious. And once the banter turns to something hotter (and a bit monster-ish), let’s just say I was all in.

The pacing had me doing that thing where I told myself “just one more chapter”... about six times in a row. The world-building is layered but accessible, the twists are well-timed and genuinely surprising, and the magic system (especially involving the sacred tree) is eerie and evocative. There’s also a deep emotional thread here, especially around Rhaell’s backstory, that made some late-in-the-book revelations hit hard.

Is it perfect? Not quite—the beginning takes a little warming up to, and the tone walks a tightrope between playful and coarse that won’t be for everyone. But once it clicks, it really clicks. If you love morally grey love interests, magical quests, secret prophecies, and heroines who don’t go quietly, this one’s a gem.

A dark and daring romantasy —and I desperately hope there’s more to come.

Though the premise seemed a bit trope-y/standard at a first glance, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the ending and how some of the tropes got twisted. .

✔ Ember is just really funny, particularly in her complaints about the “fantasy world” vs her own life. I also found the “twist” on how Ember came to be the Promised One very unique and pleasantly surprising.
✔ Once we really got into the plot, the twists were really interesting and I hadn’t been expecting a monster romance to show up but I really enjoyed the execution of it.

✖ The first half of the book felt a bit slow and not very interesting - I’m not even sure if I remember what occurred in the first part of the story until the plot to get all of the stones kicks in.
✖ Ember and Rhaell’s relationship was very sweet but I do think it was rushed - it feels like the romance started a bit too late into the book to be realistic.

2.5/5 stars

I did really enjoy the ending and how some of the twists were resolved but overall, the execution was a bit poor and it did take a long time for the plot to really become interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter | One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was generally a good read and I loved the world building, but I wasn't completely hooked. It dragged in places and raced through in others, and I didn't click with the MCs. It was enjoyable but not a favourite

I didn’t just read The Promised Queen—I ate it up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner like I was starved for a good romantasy, okay? Okay! Ember is not your typical fantasy heroine—she’s utterly and refreshingly real. She’s a smart street thief when she’s tossed into a magical realm, declared the “Promised One,” and suddenly at the center of a prophecy she never asked for. But instead of the usual perfect princess vibes, Ember brings sass, survival instincts, and an attitude that had me cackling.

Then there’s Rhaell swoooooooon! The chemistry between these two ahhh. There’s a slow-burn romance, touch her and be unalived vibes, andwho did this too you vibes. The worldbuilding was rich without being overwhelming, and once the twists started coming in—I absolutely couldn’t stop reading. I’m so glad I read this! Do your self a favor and read this one!!!

4/5

I went into The Promised Queen expecting the usual romantasy clichés—and was totally blindsided (in the best way). Ember isn’t your typical chosen-one heroine. She’s foul-mouthed, pragmatic, and refreshingly unpolished, navigating the fae court with more sarcasm than grace—and I loved her for it.

The romance with Rhaell is slow-burn, strange, and emotionally loaded. He’s brooding and bizarrely repulsive to everyone but Ember, who’s hilariously confused by his reputation. Their dynamic took its time, but when it clicked, wow.

The plot serves up court intrigue, magical creatures, ancient prophecies, and some perfectly placed spice, all tied together by writing that’s clever without being flashy. The twists genuinely caught me off guard—no heavy-handed foreshadowing here—and by the end, I was devouring pages like my life depended on it.

Fresh, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt, The Promised Queen is a standout in a crowded genre. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

This was a solid 3.5⭐️ read. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy!

Ember Hart, a thief and daughter of the finest clockmaker in Clockwork City, stumbles across a woman bound to be sacrificed when carrying out a job in the mansion of the Baron. When she helps the woman escape, she is sacrificed instead.

Ember then finds herself plunged into a new world, Yskara, and into the arms of Rhaell, the royal guard, where she is told she is “The Promised One” who must marry Prince Bronadyr in order to bring heirs to their royal bloodline.

Things I enjoyed about this book:

⭐️ winged men
⭐️ a good balance of plot vs spice
⭐️ fun to read
⭐️ sassy banter between fmc/mmc
⭐️ did I mention winged men?

What impacted my rating was (for me) that I felt at times the book was unsure of itself. At times it read quite YA, but then there was spice and cursing galore. The world-building was confusing to me also, some language felt more modern and “real” but then at other times, you snapped back into the “oh yeah this is a fantasy”

Overall, this was a fun and fast-paced read with some great characters and witty banter, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call it the hottest new romantasy of 2025.

Because of the twist, The Promised Queen ended up feeling more like a monster romance than a typical romantasy, which wasn’t something I was expecting from the cover or blurb. Given that it isn’t something I’d typically pick up, my rating should probably be taken with a pinch of salt as I’m likely not the ideal reader for this book.

Despite not being what I’d typically read, I found the story entertaining and read it in twenty-four hours. I liked both of the main characters and felt very sympathetic towards Rhaell after learning his backstory. The author has created an interesting world with some unique depictions of magical creatures. It’s a fast paced story right from the beginning and I was drawn in from the first couple of pages. The twists and turns surprised me and I was delighted to see some wrongs righted for Rhaell at the end. Some of the language and sexual conversations were a little crude for my liking, but this may be on me for not realising exactly what I was getting myself into.

While not the perfect book for me, I think a lot of others will really enjoy it and if monster romance is your thing then I definitely recommend giving it a try!

"Mate, I nick jewels and paperwork and shit. I can't nick a whole country."

You've heard the premise, you've read the story; FMC is a poor, lower class no-one, living on the breadline and stealing to get by, except when she ends up in the royal court she magically ends up enchanting everyone.

Yeah Ember is not that girl. The titular promised queen, Ember, is common-as-muck, coarse, not extensively educated, and definitely does not fit in among a sea of willowy, ethereal fae. I found Ember's character to be an absolute breath of fresh air, her one liners regularly cracked me up and as a girl from the not-so-fancy North East of England, I couldn't help but read her lines in my accent. She's sassy and contrary but she's also blessedly reasonable - she goes along with things when necessary to save her own skin and I hugely enjoyed her throughout.

The MMC Rhaell, whilst from a very different world, is similarly real-feeling and intriguing. Though tall, dark-haired, and muscular, all of the women at court and beyond find him repulsive, and Ember is perpetually baffled by this. Despite the interesting characters at play, I couldn't really work out the dynamic between the two or Rhaell's interest... until it smacked me in the face and the revelations didn't stop coming.

This book is cleverly written and I went through cycles of guessing plot twists, only to decide I was wrong half way through, then becoming unsure. Kate Johnson isn't heavy handed with her foreshadowing, so when stuff dawned on me, it DAWNED on me. I'm talking pausing, grinning, OHHHing out loud.

This had so many crucial elements that die-hard romantasy fans will love - prophecies, portal magic, fantastical creatures, "I can't lose you" moments - but it's written in such a fresh, interesting way that once you get past the initial feeling of "this isn't quite what I was expecting", it becomes even more of a joy. The first half of this book coaxed me in slowly over a few sittings, but at 47% I became HOOKED and devoured the rest of it in one evening.

I'm truly excited to see where this story goes and I'm praying that The Promised Queen gets a sequel because I need need need more Rhaell and Ember.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins / One More Chapter for the eARC***

This book was interesting... Its classification as the "hottest brand new romantasy" is a little farfetched. I am not sure if Kate Johnson could choose if she wanted this to be a romantasy or a high fantasy book. Johnson did a poor job of world building but made the plot waaaaay too complex for a romantasy. The point of a romantasy is that the plot is supposed to be led by the romance, about 65% in did was the plot led by the romance. The FMC, Ember Hart, fell from her own world into a new one and was told she was the promised one. There was very little background on the world that Ember came from so the reader was left to assume what they world was. I felt from her speech pattern she was from our world of sorts. There was too much use of common modern language, and it made Ember sound incredibly unintelligent. Without the proper set up of Ember's world I was unable to know if her use of modern language fit with her past or no one caught it when editing the book. The romance aspect was okay; it felt that the "love" for each other was a little rushed as the passing time was not really made clear to know how long they had known each other. I am fairly sure they had only known each other for a month or so and it felt their "love" was a little rushed. Along with the rushed relationship, the sexual dialogue of them was very childish. It was so cringey and I could not get passed the weird conversations concerning to sex. It took me so long to read this book and for a romantasy that is a bad sign with any good romantasy I will read that in a three-day max. The ending of the book was pretty good, and I would think about reading the next book only out of curiosity, but I would not purchase the book at all.

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a really easy read with some good world building, interesting characters and tension between the two love interests. There were also a few good plot twists as the story built toward the end. The ending left an interesting premise for a sequel.

Unfortunately I didn’t love the book overall. The writing was a little bit juvenile and the pacing was often off. A lot of the main characters’ background just felt chucked in for effect but without real depth.

The Promised Queen was a solid 3-star read for me—not one I disliked, but also not one that completely won me over. What truly stood out was the vibrant world-building, the intriguing characters, and the spice, all of which made the story enjoyable. The plot itself felt refreshingly unique, offering something different from the usual tropes.

That said, the pacing was a bit uneven—at times it moved too slowly, while other moments felt rushed. Additionally, some of the storytelling deviations pulled me out of the immersion rather than enhancing the experience. While I found the main character generally likable, certain reactions didn’t entirely make sense to me. For example, their strong emotional response to events affecting other characters felt intense despite not having built a deep connection with them.

I think I would have enjoyed this book even more if it had been a little more concise and had placed greater focus on the supporting characters. However, I can absolutely see this being a hit with other readers who love immersive fantasy and unique storytelling.

💭 #QOTD What stone would you choose?
Death, Love, Wisdom, Thief, Royalty, Healing, Warrior.

Title: The Promised Queen
Author: Kate Johnson
Pages: 516
Rating: 3.5/5 (rounded up to 4, where needed)
Spice/Romance level: 🩷🩷🩷

#Arc eCopy ( #gifted ) - review left voluntarily
UK publish date - 5th June 2025

Ember the thief has ended up being sacrificed and sent to another world as a "promised one", and destined to heir a new line of royalty with "the beast" prince. With the help of Rhaell the royal guard, they both embark on a journeyto restore the kingdom's magic and send her home, before the ceremony happens.

This was a lovely fun romantasy. The revelations predictable. The content a nice blend of spice and plot. The story interesting enough to binge.

I really enjoyed the world building and characters. The writing style was easy to follow, based on different character's perspective. The dialogue was simple to read, although I wasn't sure if some was a little too modern in regards to the time it may have been set.

It was a good, filler read. Great energy between the characters and I'm definitely invested in what happens next!!!

You'll love this book if you like
- romantasy
- touch her and 💀
- who did this to you?
- curvy FMC
- in-depth world building
- winged men

The Promised Queen is a romantasy that starts slow but quickly blooms into an addictive, high-stakes adventure full of magic, political intrigue, and a delicious slow-burn romance. Ember, a street-smart thief, is thrust into a strange new realm and declared the prophesied queen—only to find herself caught between duty, danger, and desire. The tarot-like magical quest, slow-burn spice, and emotional depth in her relationship with the scarred but soft-hearted Rhaell kept me hooked. Though the pacing stumbles early on, the payoff is worth it, especially with the late-game plot twists and setup for a larger series. Fans of reluctant heroines and magical quests will love this.

I’m always a little hesitant when a book is hyped as the next big thing, especially in romantasy, but The Promised Queen completely lived up to the buzz and then some. From the very first page, I was hooked. This story has everything: a fiercely relatable FMC, a richly built magical world, a romance full of tension and tenderness, and plot twists that kept me flipping pages late into the night.

Ember is exactly the kind of main character I love! She is strong, smart, and so easy to root for. Her growth throughout the book felt authentic, especially as she grappled with the expectations placed on her and slowly discovered her own power. The romance with Rhaell had just the right amount of slow burn intensity, laced with vulnerability and emotional depth that totally won me over.

The world building was vivid without being overwhelming, and the pacing was spot on once things got going. There’s action, betrayal, found family vibes, and just enough spice to keep things interesting without overshadowing the plot. And wow, the ending! What a payoff. That twist floored me, and I’m still thinking about it!

If you’re into fantasy with powerful characters, beastly men who are secretly soft, ancient prophecies, and high stakes magical quests, The Promised Queen absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR. I can totally see this becoming the next hit romantasy series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Johnson, and One More Chapter for the eARC of this book.

This one unfortunately wasn’t for me. The writing style didn’t click for me, the writing would have been really great for a YA book but everyone swore to much for that so I wasn’t sure who the target audience was. The plot line was interesting but I didn’t connect with Ember as a main character.

The vibe of the story reminded me a lot of from blood and ash but with more detailed world building and I 100% think this book will have a lot of fans, I’m sad I couldn’t be one of them.

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really loved this book! The story had me hooked from the beginning—there’s magic, drama, romance, and some great twists that kept me guessing. The main character is so strong and easy to connect with, and I liked watching her grow and find her power.

The romance had just the right amount of tension and emotion, and the world felt vivid and real without being confusing. It was one of those books where I didn’t want to put it down because I had to know what would happen next.

If you’re into fantasy with a mix of love, danger, and powerful queens, I totally recommend this one.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Heart pounding adventure with a thief searching for stones to complete a heart.

The female character was a thief who was cunning and had a drive to survive, she was also bold while the male was full of emotional scars and thought himself a monstrosity. I do love the character growth, and how her genuine love for him heals him. The search for the stones was fun with moments of banter, plotting, chemistry and slippery fingers. And the ending was full of revelations, oh my goodness i was shocked to find out the spies identity but also the connection to the glimpse we were getting of the past. Everything came together and i can't wait for more adventures. Their romance grew with each moment, I loved it.

"I love the bones of you.’

The Promised Queen by Kate Johnson is a one in a lifetime book! I couldn't be more grateful for having the opportunity of reading it. 5 stars from me!

This book was such a great read, one of those that will keep you reading through the night because you won’t be able to stop. Amazing story and characters