Absolutely loved it! I am obsessed with a hopelessly in love pathetic man, and a strong badass woman who’s indifferent but grows to love the mmc. The characters were very well written, they felt like fully fledged characters, and the main characters had actually really good progression in terms of their romance where it wasn’t just lust at first sight but they truly developed their feelings for one another. Although I will say starting the book was a little bit confusing because the story doesn’t start like a normal book you’re just kinda thrown into the story and the situation at hand, which actually made me pause to see if I was reading a second book in a series, but as the story progressed you kind of just get used to it. Overall a really good read, would definitely recommend!

Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. She has to be, its what keeps her people safe. But her neighbors are eyeing her country and she just needs more time to figure out a way to protect everyone and prevent her uncle from reclaiming the throne. When a cloaked figure shows up at her castle after she advertised for a dark wizard, she hires him immediately to sort out the library and look for the magical spells that she needs to save her kingdom.

Why I started this book: Requested the ARC from Netgalley because I had enjoyed other romances from Burgis and this one looked fun.

Why I finished it: Happily ever after for the Wicked Witch Queen? With a sexy librarian who's a prince in disguise? Yes please, and thank you. So fun, and I am thrilled for the next book in the series. Plus I won't say no to my own crow friend.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC! All opinions below are my own.

This is quite possibly one of the coziest fantasies I’ve read. Found family is one of my favorite tropes- and this book has it in DROVES. While the world building wasn’t astonishingly complex or unique, each and every character made up for that ten-fold. The heart behind each characters actions is admirable, and the main pairing between Felix and Sasika is syrupy sweet! Bonus points for the fact the main couple has fairly healthy communication skills despite their traumas! From building, to breaking, to building back trust- this is one of the most wholesome fantasy romances I’ve had the pleasure of reading.

If you’re a reader who wants a wholesome fantasy romance with plenty of heart and quite a bit of drama, this would be a quick and perfect read. I’ve been left with nothing but fuzzy feelings and impatience for book two!

This was such a fun cozy fantasy. It was exactly what I was wanting. Saskia was the perfect FMC...heart of gold but outwardly needing to be an "evil queen".

This story is about romance and family at its heart, but not blood family. It's definitely about the family you choose. Saskia built herself a wonderful family after her uncle was a terrible person.

I loved seeing the relationship between Felix and Saskia grow throughout the book from an almost indifference on her end and fear on his end to love on both their parts.

The side characters were some of the best, especially the castle staff. I loved how much they cared for Saskia, almost as more of a daughter than their queen.

Overall, this was a cute book that felt like a warm hug.

Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie Burgis, and Tor/Forge for the E-ARC!

Wooing the Witch Queen was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, the cover art drawing me in and the description being right up my alley. So when I got accepted for the E-ARC I was more than excited to dive into it, and I'm happy to say I was right about it being my type of book!

Felix is the Archduke of Estarion in name and face only, his father-in-law controlling everything, including him, behind the scenes. When Felix learns that his life is on the line, he decides that he'd rather risk running away to their neighbouring country, the magical land of Kitvaria, facing the monster of a witch queen, then stay where he is. Saskia is the fabled evil witch queen, but all she really wants to do is protect her borders from the Archduke who keeps trying to take her lands. When a darkwizard appears at her door, she employs him on the spot, refusing to let him speak lest he wants to stroke his own ego. Unknown to her, the man she brought into her home isn't actually a darkwizard, he's actually the one person she's trying to destroy.

This book kept me turning the pages, unable to put it down until I finished every last page (which may or may not have been 6:30 a.m.). The characters, both main and side, were amazing and distinct, the world-building not too overwhelming but enough that I had clear visuals and understandings of the world we were in, and the romance so well written.

If you're a romantasy fan, then you need to pick up this book when it comes out! You won't regret jumping into this new world with both Saskia and Felix!

I am delighted to say this was one of the more original fantasy romances I've read in some time. It is always cool to read about a strong capable woman being willingly wooed by a slightly less powerful, but equally clever man of mystery. This is a relatively light and quick read. I would especially recommend this to individuals want low steam, but open door.

Thank you Stephanie Burgis, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for my advanced review audio copy! Pub Date Feb 18 2025!

Plot - 4
Writing and Editing - 3
Character Development - 3
Narration - 4
Personal Bias - 4
Final Score - 3.6

• newly crowned queen saskia hires fabian, a mysterious wizard who arrives at her castle, to help organize her magic library. turns out he's actually the imperial archduke in disguise with no magic training at all. when his identity is revealed, it's up to them both to prove if their love can save them.
• this is fun & silly & a quick read that had me laughing & rooting for the main characters.
• it’s camp in the best way, leaning into classic magic tropes, & the romance was one i could believe in.

Archduke Felix is running for his life. He forms a plan to head to the last place his attackers would think him to be, the wicked sorceress Queen Saskia’s court. Opon arrival tho before he can utter his pleas for assistance he not only is mistaken for a summoned upon dark wizard but hears of the Queen’s wish for his very death. Leaving his options limited he chooses to play along as the assumed wizard sent to aid in her libraries cataloguing.Now committed to the role of dark wizard Felix begins to integrate not only into Queen Saskia’s court but surprisingly her heart as well.But what will happen when his truth is revealed, will she accept him or be his harbinger of death.

This cozy romantasy was just the quick reading treat that I needed right now.Not only did this book completely suck me in with its magic,political schemes,and adorable found family vibes but also with a strong and powerful Queen alongside a truly cinnamon roll of a MMC who would gladly choose a library filled with books over battle any day.And while most fantasy reads have the MMC being the misunderstood royal who the FMC seeks in search of refuge, Wooing the Witch Queen gender swaps this typical narrative weaving a perfect mix of sweet and ruthlessness that worked so well together.In fact Queen Saskia is the one that’s protectively snarling “who did this to you”.I absolutely loved the flirty slow burn and building of friendship and trust that Felix and Saskia brought.I also enjoyed Saskia’s patriarchy breaking fellow queen best friends as well and can’t wait to see more of them in future works.However I wouldn’t say this was a spicy read,with most of the more intimate details happening off the page.Overall this was a fun,quick, sweet,cozy,and exciting romantasy read.
If you’re looking for a book that has hidden identities,warring courts,magic,cute crow side kicks,and touch him and die vibes then you should definitely check this one out upon its release.

Wooing the Witch Queen comes out February 18th, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Bramble for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks so much to Bramble for the gifted ARC!

WOOING THE WITCH QUEEN is perfect for fans of historical romance, fantasy, and LONG LIVE EVIL. (It is "gaslamp fantasy"). This was both funny and romantic, with a basic magic system that is very easy to understand. Archduke Felix becomes "Fabian" in the wicked Queen Saskia's castle, posing as a dark wizard and her new librarian. The two grow on each other, secrets are kept, and there's political intrigue, but this is a fairly cozy read. This is also a start of a series, Queens of Villainy, and it will be fun to follow the rest of the queens!

This book is an absolute delight and exactly what the fantasy romance genre should aspire to do! Wooing the Witch Queen was a super fun story about mistaken identity, personal values, and taking care of the people we love fiercely. I enjoyed it from start to finish and I was so grateful to be able to read an advanced copy!

Wooing the Witch Queen can be summed up in one word: refreshing. This title is poised to stand out in the cozy romantasy in a very positive way. It brought intrigue, laughs, swoons, and inspiration. I had a good time reading! I was buckled in from the start and departed this one with a full heart and smile.

The first book in the Queens of Villainy series, Wooing the Witch Queen is a cozy, romantic fantasy that sets the stage for a world filled with powerful queens, unexpected heroes, and plenty of dazzling magic.

When Felix, Archduke of Estarion, escapes the grasps of those who have molded him into their powerless puppet, he flees straight into the domain of the infamous witch queen, Saskia. Who just so happens to consider the Archduke her political enemy. Felix seeks sanctuary, instead, a misunderstanding labels him a dark wizard and lands him the title of palace librarian. And keeps his identity secret. He’s no wizard nor librarian, but he does love books and organization and before he knows it, he finds himself a home in Saskia's disorderly library-- and finds the so-called wicked witch has a much softer, kinder heart than what's been told.

Felix and Saskia are the absolute heart of this story. They are both on paths where they strive to claim agency, self-empowerment, and confidence. As different as their personalities are, they mirror each other in many ways. Saskia is being told to change her identity to become a more palpable image for the world, and Felix is struggling to find his own identity in order to claim his own agency and power.

There is such a beautiful softness in the burgeoning relationship between Saskia and Felix. In a genre where so many of the male love interests are grumpy, cold, and growl-y, it's so refreshing to have a male love interest who is kind, sweet, soft, and gentle. It's the perfect complement to Saskia's prickliness, brashness, and stubbornness. He softens her, and she, in turn, strengthens him. They continuously build each other up, with Felix encouraging Saskia to be just as she is, and Saskia motivating Felix to realize his own worthwhile purpose. Their mutual, developing trust will become paramount by narrative’s final act.

This is very much a cozy fantasy read, at times the world-building felt a bit more muted than I'd like, but ultimately, it's the coziness that brought me warmth. Just as the characters that brought me love. I left this one very satisfied!

If you're looking for a cozy romantasy, a sweet hero, a brazen anti-heroine, a sweet and spicy slow burn, then be sure to pick up Wooing the Witch Queen!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for this advanced complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Wooing the Witch Queen offers a delightful mix of magical intrigue and slow-burn romance. Stephanie Burgis excels in creating a vibrant world of enchantment and political tension, where every character is intricately layered. The romance between the witch queen and her would-be suitor, who begins as an adversary, was a highlight of the novel — their evolving relationship, full of wit and tension, kept me engaged from start to finish. I particularly appreciated the strong, independent female lead and how the narrative balanced personal desires with larger political stakes.

However, there were moments where the pacing felt slower than I anticipated, especially in the middle of the book, as the plot lingered on world-building and character development. Overall, though, Wooing the Witch Queen is a captivating read for fans of high fantasy with strong romantic elements and complex characters.

Tropes:

Enemies to Lovers
Forbidden Romance
Political Intrigue
Slow Burn Romance
Court Drama

An archduke flees his abusive regent to end up mistaken for a sorcerer and becomes the librarian for a powerful witch-queen... who is completely taken in by his strong jawline and tender care. Fighting for their lives and their kingdoms, Queen Saskia and Archduke Felix discover new depths of themselves and their powers in order to care for each other.

Wooing the Witch Queen combines cozy fantasy with political intrigue, wholesome romance, fantastic side characters, and my favorite type of FMC and MMC. Am I low key obsessed with Felix?? Absolutely! This man is essentially my dream person and I want him to come organize my books and fall in love with me. Saskia was such a breath of fresh air as a FMC. She’s intelligent, driven, and has the capability to be savage but is willing to listen and consider others and their opinions. She’s definitely a ride or die for her people and I adore her. Felix and Saskia’s dynamic gave me warm fuzzy feelings and I have zero points of contention with the romance. It was basically perfect. Also, the healthy communication in a romance novel - love to see it! I think basically anyone who enjoys fantasy and/or romance, especially together would love Wooing the Witch Queen as I did!

Thank you to Bramble, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

Mysterious mask man shows up at the door of a villainous dark queen? What could be so strange about that?? Totally normal thing to do I'm sure.
I loved that this story is fast-paced and exceptionally entertaining. Can't wait to continue on with this world.

Oh my gosh I adored this book!! The cozy fantasy vibes and the banter were fantastic. I fell hard for our cinnamon roll librarian. I loved how nerdy both main characters were. Their mutual love for knowledge made it really easy to see why they were such a good fit for each other. I also loved how funny this book was. It didn't take itself too seriously and I really enjoyed watching them tease each other. My absolutely favorite part was how loyal they both were. Seeing two characters who had been cast aside and reviled by others finding a person who is going to be firmly in their corner was absolutely adorable. I'm so excited to see more from this author because I love their writing style!

I personally did not care for this book. I got about 30% in and had to DNF. I just wasn’t drawn to the world of this book therefore I couldn’t continue. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Oh my god, this was so good i already want the next book, like STAT right now, you can't make me wait a whole year or more for the next one.

This was such a fun read!

Queen Saskia is a sorceress with a sharp edge who is focused on protecting her people from a neighboring empire. What she doesn’t have time for is her messy, disorganized magical library. Fabian is a mysterious dark wizard who she hires as her new librarian.

BUT - He isn’t a wizard at all. He is an Imperial archduke in disguise, with zero magical ability and secrets that could destroy them both.

Okay, I adored Fabian! He’s got this golden retriever energy.

The contrast between his sunshiney personality and Saskia’s sharp, broody vibe? The best!.

The twists kept me on my toes but the story still had this cozy, magical feel.

Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for a cozy Romantasy!

Thank you NetGalley and Bramble for the gifted copy!

Aww the first half of this book was SO lovely. Felix escapes his absolutely horrible royal family by fleeing to the one ruler they fear - Saskia, a queen who had to take back her crown stolen by her murdering uncle. Since Saskia can't know Felix is from an enemy kingdom, he doesn't stop her when she thinks he's shown up because of an ad she placed for a new magical librarian. His duties involve sorting out the books, cataloguing them and definitely not falling in love with the powerful, gorgeous curved Saskia.

This has fountain pens, descriptions of gorgeous foods, a scientifically-minded queen, magical books, a cinnamon roll of a hero and a lovely romance. It could have been absolutely perfect and cosy and charming but I was a bit disappointed in the later half of the book where the stakes become a bit higher and all hell breaks loose. I might still pick up the second book to see where it goes from there though.

My endless thanks to NetGalley and Tor for this ARC!