First of all thank you NetGalley, Starwater Press, and of course, Briar Boleyn for the e-arc!

This book is definitely a must read for those who enjoyed From Blood and Ash!

It has the whole bodyguard situation going on and a not-so-damsel-in-distress that can surely hold her own ground. The dynamic between Draven and Morgan is a very slow burn romance, but nonetheless I’m sure the second book has much more to promise (who am I to lie? I’ve seen what Briar has been posting on TikTok, I KNOW where this is going).

I have to admit that I had a little bit of trouble getting into the story during the first half, but right after book two started I couldn't put the book down (literally, I read the whole thing in one sitting). The world building was slowing me down, mainly because I’m just getting into reading fantasy, so it’s something I’m not used to, but I know it has to be done.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed the book! (The whole Fae component didn’t have me sold for the first half, but after book two kicked off? Boy, was I sold!)

I didn’t really love that Morgan felt so bad about her hair (it was being mentioned more times than I would have liked), even though I get that it made her stick out like a sore thumb. I hoped she would be proud of it, and I really hope she won’t be hiding it in the next book (after knowing what and who she truly is). Also, I liked her character development. As she learned more and more about herself and about those who surround her (I’m mainly referring to Arthur), she started to act out and slowly, she stopped being a pawn in other’s games.

As for Draven, I’m still not entirely sure what to make of him (I mean, I’m certain that he is to become one of my new book bfs, but I feel like we still don’t know him very well). I loved that he always seemed to be there when Morgan was getting into trouble, but the ending left me with a lot of doubts. I know there is a lot in store for his character and I can’t wait to explore him during the second book.

Overall, this book definitely blew my expectations. As I mentioned earlier, I was getting my hopes down at the beginning, but afterwards, we get to learn a lot about the Fae and everything just starts to fall into place. I think it is incredible that this is the author’s debut! It is an amazing book and I hope it gets all the recognition it deserves.

PD. If you’re a sucker of the “Who did this to you?” scenes like I am, please do yourself a favor and READ. THIS. BOOK.

King Arthur but with magic in the form of faeries!
An evil King; a struggling, unhappy kingdom; an ostracized princess and a dangerous mission to find the magical sword. Plus a cliffhanger that will make you want to jump.
All in all I really enjoyed this remix of a classic tale.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for this ARC!! (first one, and hopefully not my last)

"Queen of Roses, Blood of a Fae, Book 1" by Briar Boleyn is a spicy fantasy romance that dances between enemies turned lovers, forced proximity, and a broken, stabby heroine that you can't help but root for. It's a tale that's as mysterious and intriguing as it is passionate and heart-pounding.

Morgan Pendragon, a cast-off princess with a destiny never truly her own, finds herself on a perilous mission to seek a legendary fae weapon. Born with the tainted blood of the fae, her journey is more than a quest; it's a chance to break free from the chains of fate that have bound her since childhood. Along the way, she's drawn to a dark and enigmatic warrior, a dangerous temptation that sets her heart ablaze. But as she delves deeper into the fae world, she uncovers secrets that make her a threat beyond her wildest nightmares. Morgan's journey to find Excalibur is filled with plot twists and a wild ending that left me craving the next book. Draven, a big mystery, starts as a farm boy but evolves into a character that butts heads with Morgan in the best of ways.

The world-building was rich, and I found it easy to follow, with side characters that added depth to the story. The kingdom's dark underbelly, with its starving people and uncaring ruler, was portrayed vividly, and the romance was a delightful dance of attraction and resistance.

"Queen of Roses" is a debut that surpassed my expectations. The characters are remarkable, the atmosphere magical, and the writing style impressive. The plot is well-constructed, the pacing balanced, and the world-building masterful.

If you enjoy training scenes, found family dynamics, and a romantasy that checks off many must-haves, "Queen of Roses" is a delightful adventure that promises more to come.

3/4⭐️
❤️ easy to read
❤️ a bit of spice! 🔥
❤️ slow burn
❤️ it was giving King Arthur's vibe which that i liked.
❤️morally grey caracter


❌more or less action
❌I felt that they were missing some details in the story that could have explained certain things
❌ I would have liked the end to explain a little more and answer more to my questions. I feel that the end leaves a suspense yes but he still had a lot of details to explain certain things.
❌the author tried to leave the reader on a cliffhanger but I rather had the impression that the end was incomplete

This was really far away from the kind of book I usually read and it took me a while to get into it but then I was along for the ride.

It’s loosely based on Arthurian legends which I initially found confusing and it was a bit slow in places but by the end I was really intrigued and would definitely read more.

There are plenty of content warnings right at the beginning which I thought was brilliant and it’s a very LGBTQ+ positive story.

I hope having set up the main story and introduced the characters that the next book will delve into the history of the fae more and I look forward to the romance hotting up!

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞.”… something I felt for the FMC throughout the book!

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛
Queen of Roses follows Morgan Pendragon, who’s grown in the shadows of her brother because of the tainted fae blood in her veins. Now that her kingdom is on the brink of war, she is forced on a journey to seek out a legendary weapon that’ll save them from their doom…

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
This is a retelling of the Arthurian legacy but in a fae world setting, and that world-building was incredible! From the backstory to the present brutal society to the chaotic family dynamics, everything was well-written.

The descriptions of the places really brought the world to life😍 (for eg, King Arthur’s throne room filled with roses). With a captivating plot, there was never a moment where it lost the zeal and it’s said to be a dark fantasy but I didn’t find it that dark😯. Sure, there are a few moments of death and blood, but that’s the bare minimum for a fantasy book..

I’m all in for Kairos Draven!! That man was everything🤌🏼 and not only visually😉 He respected her and her decisions, and still cared for, and loved her! The small things he did for Morgan just 🫠 me. And imo, 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫!!

On the other side, I found Morgan to be frustrating. It was understandable how she had this timid personality but she was too submissive. I wanted her to change but she didn’t.. plus she was so naive and sheltered, despite her thinking otherwise.

The romance was such a big disappointment for me! I hate, hate the fact that there’s a love triangle of sorts (understandable but why😩). I was looking forward to that slow-burn to ignite but it just changed its course..

And the writing style also changed to a questionnaire, with Draven and others answering and Morgan asking at every single turn. How come she being the princess doesn’t know a single thing about her world?

But I loved how it was action-packed near the end with so many twists coming our way, magic and magical creatures coming to the front (it even had zombies🧟‍♀️)! And that cliffhanger was just🤯 I cannot wait to read the next book..

P.S. Florian deserved what happened to him!

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
Overall, this was an okayish start to a series with great world-building and a captivating plot. The male MMC has my heart but the FMC needs character development. Plus, the romance is a disappointment in this but there’s an exciting anticipation for #2 because of that mind-blowing cliffhanger at the end..

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫, 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐲𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞-𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.

A slow start in Camelot turns picks up pace as Morgan goes on an adventure for her brother, the king. I was pretty pleased by 70% in and found the ending to be enjoyable. I look forward to book two!

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

"Queen of Roses" by Briar Boleyn is a captivating journey into a world of magic and love. The characters are relatable, the plot is intriguing, and the magical setting is enchanting. Though some dialogue feels a bit formal, it's a fun and delightful fantasy read. Can't wait for more from Boleyn!

I love a good dark fantasy romance, especially when there's Fae involved. A little bit tropey, for sure, but still endlessly engaging nonetheless. Arthurian legend has always been an area of interest for me, so I perhaps might be a bit biased, but I strongly believe that anyone who likes well known stories with a fae twist will enjoy this one. I saw it described somewhere as if A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash had a baby and I could not agree more.

To be very honest, I found this book a little rough and slow in the beginning. Morgan is a little hard to connect with throughout and honestly feels like a doormat half the time I am reading. She did get better just at the end, but it wasn't enough to save my thoughts on how I felt about her. The character death near the end infuriated me and I really wish it had not happened because it felt useless.

However, it is the plot that kept me coming back. The world as well which has clearly been built well. We will see how things fair with the next book. I am hoping it pulls me in more than this one did.

(Somehow this ended up on my list of titles twice? This is my same review as the last time. Sorry for the odd doubling up.)

Just WOW! I wasn’t sure if I would like the slow burn that this book had to offer, but I was very quickly captivated by the characters and couldn’t wait to see how their futures would entwine and play out. The description, world building and character revelations that built beautifully throughout the story ensured that the slow burn was teasingly included and did not detract from the story progressing. The story and characters were loosely based on the legend of Arthur and the accompanying tales, giving a good twist to the plot overall - although there were plenty of twists there to intrigue as the story went on…and the cliffhanger at the end!
The good guys in this story were brilliant: kick-ass, always fighting for the underdog and ready to take on the bad guys, even against seemingly insurmountable odds. The morally grey character… what a guy! All the traits of a great book boyfriend! And brilliantly written bad guys that I loved to hate, who got everything that they deserved.
I can’t believe that I missed out on the ARC of the second book - now to wait for it to be delivered!
Overall, I would definitely recommend this for fans of slow burn fantasy, who are looking for the next great series to get caught up in.

Thank you to NetGalley, Briar Boleyn and Starwater Press for and ARC of this book in exchange for my feedback and honest review of this book.

ALRIGHT! We have another Arthurian retelling BUT we get this one from Morgaine, Morgan La Fey aka Morgan's perspective. Boleyn leans hard into the half fae myth and thus starts a journey for her to overcome her evil, homophobic, sociopathic brother, Arthur (yea he's trash AF in this book).
Morgan was the stereotypical heroine:
Young-Check
Beautiful-Check
Innocent-Check
Stubborn even though she has no clue what she is doing-Double Check

Did I like her? No. Did I care about her trials? Also, no. I found her dumb AF and caught myself being REALLY annoyed with a fictional character and hoping for her to get maimed or something.
Now, did I keep reading? Yes. Did I finish this book in 3 days? Also, yes.
Big question: Am I going to continue this series? Yes I need to know what happened to Lancelet (stan) This sucked me in like Fourth Wing did.

This didn't break the mold, BUT I enjoyed the retelling from Morgana's POV. Thank you NetGalley & Starwater Press for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and think it may be one of my new favorites! I've already bought and pre ordered the next two on kindle!

This retelling of the classic tale of Camelot is great for fans of ACOTAR and From Blood and Ash. with similar fae themes and romance. The characters are easy to love (or hate- looking at you, Arthur, Florian, and Vesper) because of Briar Boelyn's wonderful character building skills.

There isn't anything really about this book that I didn't like, I am excited to find out what happens next in the series!

The story began at a promising pace with the world being built meticulously and the characters introduced intimately. Morgan’s personality was explored before the love interest was introduced, which gave her a sense of an individual identity, without the influence of her relationship with the hero. Kairos Draven’s character slowly unfolded which was intriguing to read about because you could tell he had a lot more going on than what was initially revealed. The exploration of mythical and fantastical beasts was so interesting to read about. It was like a mini guide book inside the original story (I’m especially talking about the Exmoor as the furriest, cuddliest companion).

The romance was not as angsty as I had expected, the characters have minimal interactions which doesn’t give them enough time to build chemistry. There was a last act surprise entry which seemed very convenient to give the readers a shock, but it didn’t really work because it was sudden and suspicious. Overall, although the characters were fleshed out in the beginning, they each followed a certain cliché which did not make them exceptionally rememberable.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

Fans of Merlin and The Sword in the Stone will love this book. It's told from the point of Morgan, half sister of King Arthur sent out on a quest to retrieve Excalibur. Enter Draven and Whitehorn her quest companions.

This is the first book of the series. You will devour the story and yearn for more.

Do you even just stumble across a random series that hits right?
The Blood of a Fae came along at the perfect time, I was in a bit of a reading slump, everything I read felt like a slog and I really just needed something a lil different.
This series is a dark fantasy is a wonderful twist of the Legend of King Arthur with the monster of the decade - fae.

🗡️ Enemies to Lovers
💗 One bed trope (tents count too)
🗡️ Forced Proximity
💗 Touch her and die
🗡️ Found Family
💗 Fake relationship
🗡️ Enemies to Lovers
💗 Slow burn

Blurb: Queen of Roses follows Morgan Pendragon, who’s grown in the shadows of her brother because of the tainted fae blood in her veins. Now that her kingdom is on the brink of war, she is forced on a journey to seek out a legendary weapon that’ll save them from their doom…

Morgan is a bit of a change from what we're used to seeing in a FMC, at least earlier in the series. She's timid, submissive and completely naive about the workings of the world - also lacking life experience. Draven on the other hand was absolutely every gals dreamy broody tall, dark and handsome MMC, and was well placed within the slow burn building relationship.

“He moved his lips to my ears. "I would burn for you, Morgan. You've set me aflame..."
"Then let the flames consume us," I whispered back.”

This magical book had delightful world building, gratifying reimagining of Arthurian characters (Lancelet is such a babe), and shows so much promise as a series!
Queen of Roses ended on a juicy cliff-hanger, and I'm so glad I also had the opp to read Court of Claws!

I've had the biggest urge to rewatch the 1998 movie Merlin (I cant find it on any of my streaming services in Aus!!) 😅

Thank you Briar Boleyn for the review copy!

"I would never deny it. Never again deny who I was, what I was. Never try to hide myself away for another person's comfort ever again."

4.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

I really enjoyed this book! It's a King Arthur retelling with a Fae twist, which is so interesting to me and something I've never read before, and I loved every moment of it!

The world building, the characters and their development, and the story in general, was just amazing! Morgan is a great character, and I'm so excited to see how she grows in the next book. She's so strong after everything she's been through. I love how we were introduced to lots of different characters, and were rooting for them, but there were of course some you couldn't trust even if you wanted to!

It's definitely a slow burn romance, and I'm really excited to see how it develops in the next book, especially after the ending of this!

Morgan's backstory is very emotional and there also seems to be a lot of secrets that need to be figured out, which hopefully will be explored more in the sequel.

If you enjoy books that are well written, have good world building, fantasy retellings, Fae, slow burn romance and lots of betrayal, then I think you'll love this book!

And finally, can I just say - Kairos Draven 😍

The things I loved most about this book:

- King Arthur retelling with a Fae twist
- Well written
- Great world building and descriptions
- Slow burn romance
- "who did this to you?"
- He cares for her when she's unwell
- Kairos Draven >>>
- Betrayal
- Cliffhanger

I loved this book, though it was definitely a slow burn and it took me about 30% in to get into it. The lore/world building required to make the story flow and understandable contributed to this greatly, as well as the fact that Morgan seems dead set on hating the potential love interest despite his obvious efforts. Morgan’s character has been through so much and I enjoyed the character development. In the end, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to start Court of Claws!

Thank you to Briar Boleyn, NetGalley, and Starwater Press for a copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review.

Queen of Roses follows Morgan Pendragon as she attempts to help save her country from the brink of war. Morgan is part fae and because of this has been essentially cast aside by her brother (the king) and her late father. Popular themes of the book include enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Trigger warnings include domestic violence, sexual assault, and violence/murder.

Overall, I rated this book 3 out of 5 stars. I found the plot to be interesting and thought the author did a great job with world building. My attention was captured in the beginning and then I felt a bit of lull in the middle. The journey that Morgan and Draven took felt somewhat drawn out. With that said, I’m glad I stuck with it because the book really picked up and left off on a great cliffhanger.

Queen of Roses is marketed as a dark fantasy romance and, for the most part, it is just that. However, if you are reading it primarily for the enemies to lovers theme, you might be a bit disappointed. It is a VERY slow burn. I’m not sure where the author will take the romance as the series continues, but I am excited to find out!

Please find the link to my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5737178561

Queen of Roses (Blood of a Fae #1) by Briar Boleyn
Genre General Fiction ( Adult), Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Dark Romance
Book Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice Rating 🌶️🌶️/5

“More primordial than the stars. My name was on his lips as he promised unspeakable darkness to any who came between us.”
Right from the start, I was drawn in by the prologue!!!

I’m a big fan of “touch her, and you die” vibes, but I mean, what’s also not to love about a unique Arthurian retelling with gender twists, a treacherous royal court, a dangerous quest, magical Fae & mystical monsters, entwined with a bit of spice!

Morgan, Princess of Pendrath and true heir to the throne has spent most of her life dimming her light to feel safe and to make others comfortable. She is treated as an outcast in the court and repressed by her family due to the blood of the Fae within her and forced to join the Temple of the Three as a priestess in training to one day replace Merlin.
Her brother, King Arthur, who reminds me of Joffrey from Game of Thrones, later tells her that he has other plans and offers her a choice of the Temple or to marry her off for political gain, unless… that is, she can journey through the great unknown and return with a long-lost fae weapon with enchanted powers known as Excalibur.
Her quest begins with a roguish crew that includes the mysterious, arrogant, and heart-tuggingly handsome Captain of the Royal Guard, Kairos Draven, whom she can’t decide if she wants to stab or indulge in pleasure with. Insert devil horns
Along the way are plenty of surprises, mystical creatures, and betrayal, all while Morgan uncovers more of the truth about herself and who she can trust.

What I loved:

The author’s attention to detail! - The magic rituals and descriptions of the Pendrath Deities were exceptional, and I can’t wait to see how it all ties into what happened to the once-powerful Fae.

The world-building and authentic supporting characters were very creative and charming. None of it felt forced, overdone, or incomplete, like some other books I have read.

The action scenes! I love a good battle that keeps me on the edge of my seat.

Draven!!- a haunting beauty with dark hair & piercing green eyes. Mischievous lips curving upwards into smartass grins! Protective badass warrior. Need I say more?

Morgan- Armed with a dagger always. Broken yet brave. She stops fearing her true nature and hiding herself away. She has one heck of a glow-up!

Cute but fierce Ride or Die Battle Cats!

The cliffhanger ending! It totally has me wanting to read the next book ASAP! Thankfully I already have a copy!

What I didn’t love:

I wanted more of an irresistible/possessive type connection between Morgan and Draven! I’m a sucker for a slow burn but needed a little more spice, which, thankfully, the author promises more of and offers us in a special caliente bonus scene if you sign up for newsletters on her website!

This book had intriguing storylines and lovable characters that kept me turning pages and wanting more. I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds and comes together in book 2, Court of Claws, which I just started reading!!

Read if you’re into-

Dark Fantasy/Romance
Slow–Burn
Question Everything
Magic and Action
Fae
Arthurian Legend
Stabby/Broken FFC
Morally Gray MMC
Forced Proximity

Queen of Roses is perfect for Holly Black, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Sarah J. Maas fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and Briar Boleyn for providing me an ARC of the first book in the Blood of a Fae Series in exchange for an honest review.

Please check the trigger warnings page in the table of contents before reading this book.

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