Thank you to Starwater Press and NetGalley for this E-book.

Usually I’m not super into fantasy books but this is amazing.
In the beginning there’s a trigger warnings page, it says ignore if you don’t think you have specific triggers, so I of course ignored!
There’s also a map which I LOVE.
Then the best part for me is the pronunciation page! I love that the author did that. Instead of me wildly guessing how to pronounce certain names it was laid out for me!

I am super excited to finish the rest of these book. I love a book where the FMC is a badass.

And Morgan is definitely that. She is the oldest sister of the royal family. She also happens to be part fae.
Her brother sends her on a dangerous journey to retrieve something for him and that’s mostly what this book is about. I’ve heard a few times that the first book in a fantasy series is a lot of world building and I can see that in this book. That’s not to say that it’s not packed with suspense, romance and murder.

It ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger so I can’t wait to dive right into the next one!

Great book!

"Queen of Roses" by Briar Boleyn weaves a tale of doomed love, dangerous missions, and a kingdom teetering on the brink of war.

Morgan Pendragon, a princess born into a life of duty and sacrifice, has never had control over her own destiny. With rumors swirling about her tainted fae bloodline, Morgan's birthright is stolen from her at a young age, leaving her destined to be sacrificed to the goddesses upon reaching maturity. However, when her brother tasks her with retrieving a legendary fae weapon, Morgan sees an opportunity to break free from the chains of her predetermined fate.

As Morgan embarks on her mission, she finds herself drawn to a group of outcasts led by a mysterious warrior whose allure captivates her. Despite her growing attraction, Morgan must navigate the complexities of duty and desire as she delves deeper into the dangerous world of the fae.

Meanwhile, a long-dormant fae kingdom begins to stir, threatening to plunge the realm into chaos and bloodshed. As Morgan uncovers the truth about her heritage and the secrets hidden within her blood, she realizes that she may hold the key to preventing a devastating conflict.

"Queen of Roses" is the first installment in an enthralling series filled with magic, intrigue, and romance. Fans of Holly Black, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Sarah J. Maas will be spellbound by this thrilling tale of adventure and forbidden love.

To be very honest, I had very high hopes for this book and was disappointed for the most part. I also want to say I am not very familiar/interested in the story of King Arthur, maybe that is one thing that threw me off, but I did enjoy some parts. Here are my main thoughts on the book:
I really liked Morgan's character: she is a strong FMC, and I loved the growth and strength she showed throughout the book.
I also loved her relationship with Kaye, her compassion to Arthur even though he didn't deserve it. I loved that she was an unreliable narrator as that kept things interesting.
Morgan & Kairos: I really wish there was a more concrete story around their relationship as the book was marketed as a "dark romance" but felt more like a slow burn and the spice was mid at best.
The story was very slow at first, I considered DNFing at some points, but I do not enjoy DNFing books. At about the 50%-point things got a little interesting but I was confused because things were everywhere, it seemed like we were getting breadcrumbs but too many at the same time that it took away from the current story.
The ending was *chef's kiss* I honestly think that was the only thing other than 1-2 other scenes that I truly enjoyed; it was a very intriguing ending.

I loved the idea of this book but it felt like something was missing. King Arthur's court with Fae?! Sing me up! I just wish it had a bit more character development.

Morgan is a part-fae princess whose father, the king, deemed her unfit to rule Camelot. Instead he named her half brother, Arthur, as his heir. Arthur is now king and seems to be turning more and more cruel every day, following in their father’s footsteps. Arthur sends Morgan on a mission to the deserted fae lands to retrieve Excalibur. While the mission itself could be dangerous, she is also being sent with a hired assassin as her guard.

This book reminded me a bit of Blood and Ash and Game of Thrones, but unfortunately not as good. I’m intrigued by the storyline, but the book ended with more questions than answers. It seems more of a setup for the rest of the series than something worthwhile on its own. The ratings continue to increase with each book, so I’m going to give book 2 a try.

A solid slow burn fantasy, with wonderful Arthurian-based world-building, and plenty of action. Tropes galore - and in the absolute best way! Not quite as dark as initially expected, but there's certainly scope for that to increase massively given the ending.

Read this if you like: rich lore, enemies-to-lovers, retellings with a twist.

This one had me sucked in from the beginning and kept me entertained the whole way through. Right away your out in a situation where you want to know more and the author pulls you along for the ride.

I really enjoyed this book, and I will definitely be seeking out the second one when it publishes! I love the modern edge the author gave this Arthurian-based tale, as well as the fae that were incorporated in.
It took me an embarrassingly long moment to get with the program with all the world building that was going on. But once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At times, I did feel like the FMC was a bit too timid for how I felt the author wanted her to be portrayed.
This is portrayed as a dark fae fantasy series, though this first book is definitely not dark yet. The second book I’m sure will be a lot darker, as this was just the build up for it. Overall, I really liked this book!
Thank you for this ARC!

I think the book itself was pretty great. Maybe the way it was marketed kind of set unrealistic expectations for it. The characters were lovable and engaging!

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I am all about Camelot and their tales. This is kind of a twisted version of that. Morgan is feel like she is casted off because her brother is king. I don't want to give away too much. I love the interaction of the characters and the adventure. Even the training scenes that took place. I want to see what comes with the rest of the books. I thought it was all about the journey. I did take a little to warm up to Morgan in the beginning, but she just trying to find her own Legacy.

Yeah, it wasn't awful (like I expect most romantasy books to be and sometimes I'll find a little gem amongst all the trash). I would've liked more arthurian legends in there but that's just a me problem. the characters were written quite well, at least well enough for me not to cringe, so I guess that's a win. It's just a "fine" book but if you want entertainment, you have the right one. 3 stars

Was this book set up any different from the other fantasy books I have read? No. Nevertheless, I ATE IT UP. Fantasy just does it right every single time man, I really love reading books like this. Just continue the series.

5⭐️

Morgan Pendragon’s life has never been her own to control. Morgan was originally supposed to be queen of Camelot, until it was rumoured that her blood was tainted with the blood of the fae and her birthright was stolen by her younger brother Arthur. So Morgan was then promised to the goddesses, that is until her brother tasks, or more likely threatens, her with finding a fae weapon of legendary power. Morgan’s travel companions can’t be trusted, especially the dark haired man that seems to have too many secrets and keeps her heart racing.

You should read Queen of Roses if you like dark fantasy romances, retellings, slowburn, enemies to lovers, tension, banter, forced proximity, “touch her and 💀” and found family.

TW: SA, homophobic comments, death, domestic abuse and many more, please read the full TW before reading.

I seriously ate this book up. I LOVE Morgan Pendragon ( or Le Fay), literally my favourite character in Merlin, so when I read that this was a King Arthur retelling forced on Morgan I was immediately interested. Morgan is a badass that has been put through a really HORRIBLE time (please read the TW!!) and she had finally found her way out of Camelot and hopefully will be able to take charge of her life. I can’t wait to see her take more charge of her life and really become the powerful character we all know she can be! Then Kairos Draven comes along most importantly see my Goodreads note at 27.0% "“Who? Who did this to you?” UGHHH I LOVE”. NOW this book is slowburn and I can’t wait to see how Morgan and Draven’s relationship will *hopefully* flourish in the next book. The author took a lot of time with the world building and its truly great. You can literally picture King Arthurs throne room like your standing inside of it. Also note that this book does end on a cliffhanger!! I have already received an ARC for the second book “Court of Claws” and I can’t wait to start reading it!

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater Press for an advanced readers copy for an honest review.

It took me a bit to share my thoughts, but I finally found a moment to read and give feedback on "Queen of Roses." Mixing King Arthur with magical creatures, this book offers a fun fantasy experience, even if it's not as famous as some others. The story immerses you in a world that feels like ancient times, with knights and castles adding a cool touch. The unique magic involving human and fae characters adds an interesting twist. While the book starts a bit slow, once it picks up, it becomes quite exciting. There's a subplot with Florian that feels a bit much, but overall, it's an engaging read. Secrets about Morgan's mom pop up unexpectedly, leaving you curious about what happens next. Despite a few bumps, it's a decent start to a series I plan to continue. Finally found the time to share these thoughts!

I didn’t find it that similar to King Arthur. For the most part I liked Morgan, but I found her a bit whiny. The part that annoyed me the most was a how upset she was about her hair. It was over the top. She seemed more upset over that than the sexual assaults that occurred. I did enjoy the dialogue between her and Draven. I thought the betrayal happened too quick so it was too obvious. I think it should have went on into the second book. I also didn’t really understand why she continued to take the “medicine” . I did enjoy it while reading, minus what I mentioned I liked how it flowed. It left me curious to find out where it goes n the second book. I also want to get more in depth in certain characters.

This book was exactly what I wanted in a fantasy romance book. The world was dark and it drew me in the the story. The romance was perfect!

I am loving the Morgan la fey and authorian retelling so much! I am praying Lancelot is alive as I need her to be alive.

I do enjoy how not all the characters are straight and it isn’t a defining personality trait that they aren’t. It is just who they are.

Arthurian Legend Retelling

If you think you know King Arthur's story, think again. This fantasy sets that legend on its ear. Arthur is the villain of the story, and not the hero. He is not the only scoundrel, but he is the king, so his villainy is noteworthy. Morgan is the heroine of this tale. She is part fae, but she must suppress any characteristics that make her who she is. When Arthur sends her on a dangerous mission, she encounters unimaginable dangers. With her is Draven, a mysterious man. This story will draw you into the pages. The story does not end when you turn the last page of this book. Morgan has not finished her story yet. What more can she tell us? Will she prevail? Can she find true love? Will good triumph over evil?

Some might call the ending a cliffhanger, but I would not consider it such since this leg of the journey has ended for our heroine. However, the ending of the book does leave you wanting more. I look forward to reading what comes next in this series. I recommend this story to those who like fantasy, Arthurian legend retellings, and stories with women who find strength and courage despite incredible odds.

I enjoyed reading this novel. The pace was well kept, I enjoyed the plot, and I did enjoy the characters, too.
The romance was a slow burn, setting us up nicely for book two without the relationship feeling rushed, to me. I definitely plan to continue the series.

The book had already been released, and I was too late to read it. So, I will make sure to receive a copy and still write my review on it on my website. My standard rating is 3, and I will edit it as soon as I read it.