I had requested book 3 and 4 by mistake because I didnt realise it was a series but im so thankful I was given book 1 as well. I think this was a great start to the series and kept me curious to see what would happen next. Because of the first book, and how strongly it drew me in, I can guarantee that ill be back for more from this author and this specific series!

This book really caught my attention, and I think it had a lot of potential, but I honestly struggled to finish it.
The plot was interesting enough to keep me curious about what would happen next, but the pacing felt too slow for my taste.
I enjoyed the female lead, but once the male character was introduced, he just wasn’t the kind of character I usually connect with.
There were also a couple of scenes that felt a bit too intense for me.
In the end, I realized this just wasn’t the right book for me, which is a shame because I truly wanted to keep enjoying the story.

Morgan Pendgragon, living in the shadows of her brother because of her fae tainted blood must seek out a legendary fae weapon to save her kingdom. On her journey to find this weapon, Morgan is accompanied by Draven, a royal guard.

This is a slow-burn romantasy that WARNING ends on a cliffhanger. It was action packed and an amazing plot. I found the book to be well written but the MC’s needed some more development, which I’m going to imagine will occur in the 2nd novel.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars
Queen of Roses was a fun time, well not fun in so much as Morgan the fmc is hiding her natural born traits for fear of her brother, the king, and the kingdom exiling her or worse. That aside, good characters and chemistry.

This is an Arthurian retelling from the pov of Morgan who wants to be a knight but instead gets sent on a pilgrimage filled with peril. Can she trust the man sent to protect her and will she find out her true heritage?

I enjoyed Briar's writing style and immediately downloaded the next book in the series.

The characters have development and potential for more as the series continues. Not ground-breaking but different enough, a solid read.

Queen of Roses has such a rich, dreamy atmosphere—dark fantasy meets fairytale with a touch of court intrigue and slow-burn romance. The writing is beautifully descriptive, and there’s a lot of promise in the world the author’s created. I could tell right away that this book was crafted with care and intention.

While it didn’t fully hit for me in terms of pacing and emotional connection, I think it’s one of those reads that will really land with the right audience—especially readers who love enemies-to-lovers tension, morally gray characters, and slow, simmering build-up.

Even though it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I’m glad I picked it up, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Briar Boleyn writes next.

A really intriguing book which I will say does include death and abuse for trigger warnings. It really drew me in and I have to say I am intrigued enough to want to read the rest of the series and would recommend this to the right people not necessarily everyone’s type of read.

ARC Review: Queen of Roses
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Holy cow, what did I just read? I devoured Queen of Roses in a single day and I’m still reeling from that final chapter—those plot twists?! Absolutely unhinged in the best way.

This isn’t just a reimagining of Camelot—it’s something so much more. Briar Boleyn crafts a world brimming with political intrigue, ancient magic, and aching romance. Morgan Pendragon is a cast-off princess with fae blood and a spine of steel, and watching her come into her power while caught between duty and desire was utterly addictive.

The romance is the slow-burn, tension-filled kind that keeps you up way past your bedtime, and the ragtag group of misfits she travels with brings just the right balance of banter and heartbreak. And that enigmatic warrior? Swoon.

The blend of myth, magic, and mystery is perfect for romantasy lovers. That cliffhanger? I have so many questions! Book 2 here I come!! Highly recommend!

Thank you to @netgalley and @briarboleynauthor for granting me an ARC of this one to review!

Whilst everything about this book is usually right down my street, I could not connect with the FMC annd found her a little frustrating so it made it a struggle to get through.

The pacing was great with stunning world building, and the MMC definitely helped make up for the annoyances with the FMC.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

While I had a lot of fun reading something new, I found that it was following a list of tropes rather than a fresh retelling. Something that these "retellings" have being lacking is depth and the details that set them apart from all the books in the genre. I just needed that one thread of uniqueness or spice (not smut but that feeling of ooooh). Looking forward to give it a reread in the future and see if I just needed a palette cleanser from the trope list books in the market because I did enjoy this read!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this!

Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn is a beautifully written, atmospheric tale that skilfully blends historical intrigue with passionate romance. Set against a richly detailed backdrop, the story captures the tension and drama of its era while weaving a compelling love story that keeps you hooked.

Boleyn’s prose is lyrical and evocative, painting vivid scenes that transport you straight into the heart of the story. The characters are complex and well-developed, particularly the strong, determined heroine whose journey felt both authentic and inspiring.

While the plot occasionally slows down in places, the emotional intensity and historical depth more than make up for it. Fans of historical romance with a darker edge and plenty of political machinations will find much to enjoy here.

Overall, Queen of Roses is a gripping read that lingers long after the final page. I’m looking forward to seeing what Briar Boleyn writes next.

📖 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🎧 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn is a dark, enchanting Camelot-inspired romantasy that had me hooked from the start. It’s a King Arthur retelling—but with more magic, danger, and morally gray twists 👑🌹

The FMC is clever, strong-willed, and totally captivating 💁‍♀️Draven (who I rooted for from the beginning) Broody, complex, and impossible to ignore 😈❤️. Their connection is full of tension and longing kept me flipping pages way too late.

I gave it 4.5 stars only because I wanted just a bit more depth to the world—but the vibes, drama, and emotional pull were all there. If you’re into fantasy full of secrets, power plays, and slow-burn romance, this one’s for you.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for an eARC of this series! ❤️

Even though some parts felt a bit predictable, I still really enjoyed this story. The world was beautiful and easy to picture, and the romance had just the right amount of tension and softness. I liked how strong and determined the main character was, and the emotional moments really hit.
I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next.

Queen of Roses continues Briar Boleyn’s signature blend of dark fantasy, courtly intrigue, and slow-burn romance with fierce, flawed characters and high-stakes power plays.

This installment elevates the danger and drama, with the protagonist stepping further into her role in the brutal world of the fae. Boleyn’s writing is rich and sensual, filled with striking visuals and emotional tension. The court politics are razor-sharp, and the romance—while still tangled in trust issues and hidden agendas—adds a thrilling edge to the story.

The pacing is mostly strong, though there are moments where the plot lingers a bit too long in internal reflection. Still, the twists, betrayals, and dark magic make for a compelling read.

Boleyn excels at crafting heroines who don’t apologize for their ambition or their desires, and Queen of Roses proves she’s not afraid to let her characters bleed a little to bloom.

Perfect for fans of fantasy romance with morally gray characters and dangerous liaisons.

I received an earc of this book by Starwater press thank you so much for this opportunity and I can say I thoroughly enjoyed this book and just found out that the rest of the series is on kindle unlimited and very excited to see where the journey takes me. Little to no spice. I recommend this book to everyone!

Realizing I forgot to come back to review this series. I truly enjoyed this book and thank the publisher for giving me a chance to read the whole series

3.75⭐️ | 1 🌶️

In this Arthurian retelling, Morgan Pendragon, an usurped queen due to her fae heritage, was tasked to go on a journey to retrieve an ancient weapon for her king & half brother, Arthur. On this journey with a reluctant ally, the royal guard Kairos Draven, Morgan's goals are simple: find the weapon, return to Pendrath and protect those she loves. Easy! But along the way, Kairos, the once intimidating and dangerous guard doesn't seem as ominous as Morgan thought, even if he has his own ulterior motives for wanting the ancient weapon himself. Trust & loyalty will be tested in an intense (& creepy) ending that will have you turning the pages for that cliffhanger 🤭

I really wanted to love this book since I love a good retelling, but this one fell short for me. It started out super slow in my opinion...14 long chapters later then that's when the plot really picks up. I understand the earlier chapters were needed in some areas for world building, but also, a lot of it were just fluff & over explanation of scenes. I wish there were more interactions between Morgan & Kairos, even though they were on the journey by themselves for the most part, the tensions weren't really there? They still felt very distant to me.

Some things that I did enjoy:
- SLOW BURN romance (& I mean slowwww)
- "Who did this to you?"
- Diversed cast of characters
- Self discovery journey
- Fae & dark fae vibes
- Loyalty being tested

If you want an Arthurian retelling, it's a pretty fun & quick read!

Sadly, I DNF this book at 40%. I really gave it my best shot and would normally try to push through, especially for an ARC and give it the benefit of doubt but I had a really had time following the writing. It felt so choppy and distracting to the plot of the story. I did like the idea of the story, but the writing just wasn't up to par for me to continue.

DNF. I quickly realised this was not the type of romantasy book I vibe with. I also saw reviews that the books get darker as they go and I did not want to start a series that I knew I would end up not enjoying.

Queen of Roses is for the Sarah J. Maas and JLA girlies. The story, her writing style, and tropes (political intrigue, found family, and slow burn) all lend themselves to a great start for a NA romantasy series.

I'm looking forward to the next book! I also can't wait for Briar Boleyn's upcoming releases. Thank you to the author, Briar Boleyn, and Starwater Press for providing me with an ARC of Queen of Roses!

I thought that the author did an excellent job with the world-building. It was necessary to set the tone and move the plot forward, so I appreciated how thorough it was. I love a slow burn, but I wanted it to move juuuuuuust a little faster. I'm interested to see how the story continues on the heels of the cliffhanger!