I am so mad I didn't read this book the second I was approved for an ARC of it because I could not put it down.

This book has no right to be as deliciously good as it was. I love most anything involving fae and retellings? Oh they're my jam. So when you combine the two, I'm very rarely left disappointed. But when a book delivers me an Arthurian retelling when some gender bending and then you add fae into the mix? Okay, Ms author, I see you. And I am here for it all.

I was entirely engrossed in the happenings of Morgan and reading her world flip flop from the, well maybe not comfort, but as close as she could get to comfort with the memories she holds. Throwing her brother Arthur as the morally gray-ish turned completely villain last we leave him was just a stroke of genius that left my jaw on the floor. Maybe because my first introduction to Camelot and Arthur tales comes from the whimsical Disney version...but I did hate seeing that character in my head be a giant crap bag.

We also have Lancelet and Merlin as female characters who are strong and independent in the tolerant Camelot...even when Arthur begins to return back to the past.

And I can't forget the dark and mysterious Draven and the half fae Vesper. I won't say much about them...but I am so, so, so curious to learn more about Draven and his back history in the next book. The chemistry between the characters was believable and so were their thoughts, words and actions.

By the time I turned the final page and realized I was at the end of the book, I was thrilled to see I wouldn't have to wait long...it says the sequel is out June 30th. SQUEEEEE!

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

Thank you Starwater Press and NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Morgan Pendragon’s destiny has never been her own. Rumored to carry the tainted blood of the fae in her veins, her birthright is stolen from her when she is a mere child. Growing up in the shadow of her brother, the king, she has been promised to the goddesses when she comes of age. So, when her brother commands that she seek out a fae weapon of legendary power, Morgan seizes the chance to break free from the chains of her fate.
It's been a while since I've read a fae fantasy book, so its gripping beginning pulled me easily into the story itself. Morgan's character has been on journey of a self-exploration and realizing her identity. There's slow-burn, betrayal, and most importantly a dagger to throat. What I caught me off guard was the quick transition between the slow start and the sudden big amount of action filled with one another that made me keep on reading. Though the development of the main characters made me lower my overall rating, I am looking forward to book number two.
Fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black should give this Arthurian retelling a try.

I received a reader's copy by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

This is the first book in the Blood of Fae series.
This is also the first book I have read by this author. This is an action packed slow burn magical romance with a unique take on the Arthurian story. I truly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend if you enjoy Fae and legendary stories. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

I received this ARC for free in exchange for a honest review. Queen of Roses is a well written book that will grab your attention from the very start. I appreciate how she writes her characters and look forward to more of the authors work!

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

I received and ARC of this book, so thank you to Briar Boleyn and Starwater Press for the opportunity!

I’ll be the first to admit, I haven’t read the original story of Camelot, so I have no idea exactly how much of this book was pulled from it, but I did not mind it one bit. I recognized a lot of names, and I loved the LBTQIA* twist on it!

I also have to admit, it really did take me nearly 50% of this book to actually become invested, which is why I gave it 3.5. BUT, I rounded it to 4 because the second half really made up for it for me! The love triangle was so confusing, unexpected, and the magical elements and creatures added in there made it unique!

3.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed reading the book overall I liked the main storyline. The story needs more characters development, there is so much potential it is just lacking some things.

Thank you NetGalley and Starwater press for allowing me access for an honest review.

I received this book as an eARC via NetGalley courtesy of Starwater Press and let me tell you….I am reeling. I have so many questions!! This book is a twist on Camelot where half-fae Morgan Pendragon is tasked with finding and retrieving Excalibur for her brother and King, Arthur. Most of the book is the traveling, but I was not bored, surprisingly. It does end on quite the cliffhanger, but I cannot wait for book 2. I need to know the answers to all the questions I have! Definitely would recommend as long as the next book doesn’t disappoint. Based on this book, I have high hopes for the next installment!

ℚ𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕗 ℝ𝕠𝕤𝕖𝕤 ~ 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ♡

4 ⭐️

First, I would like to thank @briarboleynauthor and netgalley for the eARC opportunity. This review is my own honest opinion!

This book surprised me! I read the blurb and found it very intriguing, so I figured I'd give it a go. This is an Arthurian interpretation with FAE. Yes, you read that right!

We got one horse, fae, who did this to you, secrets, lgbtqia rep, hidden identity, forced proximity, hidden powers, and more!

The writing was easy to read, and I have absolutely no complaints when it comes to world-building. The characters felt alive, and the world was interesting and a little mysterious.

Draven 🥵 is the perfect broody, mysterious, dark-haired warrior. He could tell me to shut up, and I'd actually do that for once in my life.

I liked Morgan, too. She's always been different, and she's used to hiding herself. I wish we saw a little more growth from her, but I have no doubts we will see her rise in the next book! I have a feeling she'll be a bad ass fmc by the end of it!

This is a slow burn romantasy. There's not much spice, one scene with some delicious details, but we get steam throughout the story. The author does promise more 🌶 in the next book!

I've never read any Arthurian retellings before, and I don't know much about it. After reading QoR, though, I'm excited to learn more about King Arthur, Camelot, and Excalibur!🗡

I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a fantasy with adventure, romance, and plot twists! The ending was absolutely wild, so I'm very pleased to announce that book 2 comes out on 30th June!!

Queen of Roses is available at KU.

𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀!

MC Morgan Pentagon was born by the King and a Fae Woman. Because of her mother, she was rumored to carry the blood of the fae in her veins. The King removed her mother, dubbed her brother King, and she was promised to the goddesses when she comes of age to be a high priestess. A role she was not ready for.

A princess of royal blood and the future high priestess of all of Pendeath, who likes to blend in and also sneaks around to help her people as one of them? My kind of story. I enjoyed the detailed world building of the story.

As a high priestess, vowing to the Three, you must also vow to celibacy for at least 30 years. Until one day, her brother, the King, sends her off onto a deadly mission.

Lots of action once the troop was on the road, but I'm left with a lot of questions and in need of answers in book 2.

Spoilers:
I am so glad she stopped drinking the medicine and we got to see her blossom into a fae.
I'm glad she killed Vesper, I had a bad feeling about him from the start.

The romantasy book I needed!!! A doomed love, dangerous mission, a kingdom going to war, and a princess who’s birthright was ripped from her grasps. Danger, magic, and slow burning romance is everything this book has and made me obsessed that i didn’t want it to end. Really good read for those who like SJM, The Folk of the Air series and FBAA series! Thank you Briar and NetGalley for the arc!

I loved Merlin on BBC, so I was ready to dive into a Camelot twist. But the characters felt very underdeveloped and I kept waiting for more relatable moments with them.

This was a very fun fantasy romance. I enjoy most things Camelot-inspired, and I think this provided a really interesting twist on a classic story. I did want a bit more depth from the characters, but am hoping that this comes with future installments.

3.5⭐️
Enjoyable and loads of promise.
I think with more character development this would be a 4/5⭐️ read as the plot is great!
I love the fae bits woven into the medieval background.
The pacing is good throughout.
I just wanted more from the characters as it’s an amazing cast of misfits and morally grey personalities!
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC, this is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Thank you netgalley and Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to read this book. Omg this book was so much fun and insanely captivating! I liked the romance aspect but honestly my favorite part was never being able to predict what would happen next! I cant wait to find out the path Draven and Morgan continue to explore together! I felt connected to so many of the characters and was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire journey to Excalibur. I could not keep up with all the twists and turns and the ending left me truly speechless so I need book 2 right away! I have so many questions that will hopefully be answered in the next book!

Holyyyyy Sh*"" this was an amazing book. I found this author on TT and was approved for an arc. Also I'm not okay after reading this. It's been a month now and I'm still in book hangover and everything I pick up pales in comparison. This was esr the king Arthur retelling I've been waiting for. Dark, Queer representation, slow build far romance. Omg it has it all. The writing was beautifully fluid and the scenes were detailed and amazing. I can see the world the writer created in my head as it was so immersive. I have yet to stop talking about this book and I doubt I will bc it's that good.

This book was so much kore than just a pretty cover. It was a story woven to entrap you in its pages. From start to finish it was truly an amazing read!

I really enjoyed this! It did take a while for me to get invested, but I love a quest trope. Draven was a broody, secretive bodyguard assassin - loooove. Morgan was a strong, resilient MC with a lot of room for growth. I'm excited to see where her magic goes next.

I honestly don't know anything about Morgan Pendragon or much about Camelot lore, so it was all interesting to me.

Queen of Roses was slow burn for the main couple with a bit of side spice.

I wish the sequel was out already because I want to know what happens 😂 Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced, I liked the plot, and the characters were interesting!
There are times it was predictable, but it wasn't bad. I still really enjoyed it.
Looking forward for more in book 2

The King Arthur/Camelot spin is fun because it doesn’t predictably retell the story. Morgan as the MC, is a fantastic take, and I look forward to her learning more about who she is. Morgan’s friends, Lancelet and Galahad, have great development as side characters and I appreciate their scenes. Queen of Roses reflects many elements from other currently popular fantasy novels (primarily, From Blood and Ash), which is probably the only big detractor. To its credit, the characters in this book are not as annoying as other similar characters in this genre.

This was far darker than I expected. I’m surprised the trigger warnings weren’t more up front and center. It has the fantasy and romance I wanted, but also the typical world-building tone of a Book One. I liked this book, but wished there was more development of certain plot lines, magic, and Fae lore. For instance, I wanted to know more about who Morgan is as a person besides her trauma, and what growing up with Arthur was like. Mostly, I wanted to be more convinced of the stakes, and that Morgan was worth rooting for.

The way this ended was the perfect cliffhanger. Three quarters in, I was beginning to question if there was something big that could get me to read the sequel. Now I have so many questions about everything that happened in those last few pages. I’m glad the next book will be out soon!

Thank you to Starwater Press thru NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this! You’ve definitely got me hooked on this series.