I loved the theming of this book, it was an interesting concept at its heart. The writing itself was a little harder to digest than I would like with a book of this genre though.

Honestly, I knew nothing about this book, but between the cover and the title I was sold , this book did not disappoint!

If you love:
▪︎ Crow companions / familiar
▪︎ Found family
▪︎ Nerdy MCs ( flirting with a fountain pen 😉)
▪︎ Mistaken identity / Masked MMC
▪︎ Strong Villainess female MCs
▪︎ Cute slow burn
This is the book for you!!

It was such an easy, cozy read, no complicated world building or magic system, and just an all-around good time. It's more of a clean romance, or I would say yellow bell pepper, but seeing the two of them was so fun and just so cute! The audiobook was also very well done and definitely added to the overall enjoyment. I look forward to the next book, Enchanting the Fae Queen.

Audience: Adult
Plot: 4.5 out of 5
Characters: 4.5 out of 5
Spice: 🫑 0 out of 5
Keywords: Romance, Fantasy, Cozy Fantasy, Cinnamon Roll, Magic, Found Family, Mistaken Identity

Tea Pairing: Cinny Roll Black Tea by Plum Deluxe, with notes of caramel, apple, and cinnamon

Favorite Quotes:
“Don’t worry, my queen. I’m not going anywhere.” (Chapter 20)
“If all that mattered were my feelings, I would be on my knees before you.” (Chapter 24)

I received a copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

Wooing the Witch Queen is the first book in the Queens of Villainy series by Stephanie Burgis, and it didn’t disappoint! This is a cozy fantasy that leans heavily on themes of found family and mistaken identity. Felix, the Archduke of Estarion, flees his home and stumbles upon Saskia, the dangerously beautiful Witch Queen of Kitvaria. Mistaken for a dark wizard, Felix is given sanctuary, and becomes her librarian.

‘Oh divine Elva, preserve me!’ This cozy fantasy was absolute perfection. The story featured a fiercely protective FMC, and a sweet cinnamon roll MMC, and the combination made the plot absolutely swoon-worthy. The overall theme of the novel focused on authenticity and not allowing other people’s expectations to influence one’s life. This was especially evident in both Saskia and Felix, as they grew to know and trust each other.

The audiobook production was narrated by Amanda Leigh. Leigh did a very good job in creating the ambiance of the world through her narration. She read with expression, good pacing, and gave the individual characters a unique voice. Overall, I really enjoyed this production.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who might have enjoyed cozy fantasies, such as Spellshop or Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea. Or to anyone who might be looking for a sweet, cozy read.

This was such a great cozy romantasy. The grumpy queen and sunshine dark wizard. are just what I wanted. Their banter is perfect. I also love our Queen's besties. Queen Saskia hires Fabian to be her dark wizard to work in her library. As they get to know each other there might be a bit of flirtation happening. Both have secrets that could doom a potential love match. I will definitely be continuing this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was a nice gender-bend on a main character seeking asylum from a powerful ruler - usually the woman is in need of saving but this time she held all the power and I loved it! I think this would be a fun one for people just getting into fantasy/romantasy

Great cozy fantasy read. Queen Saskia also known as the Evil Witch Queen unknowingly hires a librarian with a hidden identity. Felix is an archduke from a neighboring kingdom seeking refuge from a evil and abusive relative. Saskia is troubled with characters that are trying to undermine her. Can she for Felix when she learns his true identity?
Perfect for fans that like Assistant to the Villain or Dreadful
Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie Burgis, and MacmillianAudio for the ALC!

This is a cozy fantasy/romantasy that I recommend for readers of Rebecca Thorne's Tomes & Teas series.

As the first in the series, "Wooing the Witch Queen" is a low-intensity fantasy story that spends time developing the characters and their roles, as Felix (aka Fabian) has taken up a position for the most powerful Witch Queen in the realm. In both cases, their reputations proceed them but with Felix hiding his identity and the Queen's preference to keep people at an arm's length, they do not have the opportunity to learn that directly.

I enjoy that this book focuses on character development, and the overarching plot is not so high stakes, yet. The narrator did an excellent job with both points of view and I will continue the series. I recommend this for fans of cozy fantasy.

This book had all the ingredients I love in a fantasy romance—clever banter, secret identities, a wickedly sharp heroine, and a delicious slow-burn connection. Queen Saskia and her “librarian” Fabian had fantastic chemistry, and their dynamic brought a fun, flirty energy to an otherwise politically tense, magic-laced plot.

While the story itself was engaging, I did find the audiobook narration a bit difficult to connect with—at times, the delivery felt too flat to match the emotional beats of the story, which made it easy to unintentionally tune out. I imagine this book would truly shine in print, where readers can savor the wit and world-building at their own pace.

Spice-wise, it's on the lighter side (1/5), making it a great option for those who enjoy romantic fantasy with slow-burn tension and Gaslamp vibes. Overall, a fun and imaginative read with strong potential for future installments—I’ll be curious to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to Stephanie Burgis and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

WOOING THE WITCH QUEEN is a historical romantasy with cozy fairytale vibes. The feared Queen Saskia recently reclaimed her queendom from her murderous uncle, and now rules over a realm filled with magical and non-magical beings. Only she’d rather spend her days studying magic in her laboratory than on the throne. When Felix, the Archduke of a rival kingdom, arrives in disguise and on the run, Queen Saskia mistakes him for a dark wizard seeking a job as her royal librarian.

The heart of this story shines brighter than the plot. The found family dynamic between Queen Saskia, Felix, Mrs. Haglitz, Morlokk, and the goblins is genuinely heartwarming. While the romance takes center stage, it leans toward predictable tropes and carries a slightly juvenile tone. If you’re looking for something whimsical, light, and easy to follow, this would be for you.

What truly sets this book apart is the audiobook narration. Amanda Leigh Cobb delivers an exceptional performance, breathing life into every character with distinct voices and clear personality shifts. She makes navigating the large cast effortless and engaging. Her narration elevated the entire experience. If I had read this one with my eyes and not my ears, I probably would’ve DNF’d. The audiobook is where this story truly shines.

Pick up WOOING THE WITCH QUEEN if you are a fan of:
- cozy, low stakes fantasy
- whimsical, magical worlds
- a not-so-evil Evil Queen of Villainy
- tender-hearted Archduke in disguise

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun, fantastical book full of witches, wizards, and forbidden romance. Saskia, a very powerful witch, is the one they all fear. She is looking for a wizard to organize her library and find a specific spell, so when one falls at her door, she instantly takes him in to do the job. Little does she know, he is not a wizard, but her enemy, the missing archduke Felix. Felix has his own reasons for being there and only knows that if Saskia finds out who he is, then he will be in mortal danger.

I enjoyed this fast-paced story. While there is some world-building to the fantasy, it was never too dense or overwhelming that I felt like we lost the budding romance between Felix and Saskia. Felix is a cinnamon roll of a hero and Saskia is a female power. Plus, there is a great list of side characters that become found family. The backstories were interesting and the world they lived in was intriguing. The pages kept my attention throughout. The audiobook is well done. The narrator handles both points of view well.

If you enjoy a cozy fantasy with the slightest edge, this would be a great book to try. I adored my time with Felix and Saskia and believe you would as well.

This is a cozy fantasy that I absolutely loved! It had intrigue, a villain, a hero and I gobbled it up. I wish that it had come out during the fall because I would have preferred to have read it then. I highly recommend!

I think the way that this story starts and focuses on Felix is wonderful - while it is multi-POV, I enjoyed the change. The plot was great and did get me to care about the characters. The world-building was done smoothly over the span of the book, and I feel prepared to move forward in the world with book two. It felt relatively low stakes for some reason, but I didn't mind. I still was invested in the story. I will say that the audiobook narrator was great, but the transition between characters for chapters was hard to determine at times.

Thank you to Stephanie Burgis and MacmillianAudio for the ALC!

This was such a fun Audio. It felt unique for the fantasy space. I loved Saskia and "Fabians" meet cute.

Perfect for fans of Apprentice to the Villian!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review!

The dynamic between the main characters was so cute. They were literally a golden retriever wizard MMC and the grumpy black cat witch FMC. He is literally a simp from the every beginning and I loved his inner monologue. Saskia is a badass and full of feminine rage. She would do anything for her people and those she loves.

There were times that the plot nearing the end of the book seemed rushed but overall it flowed pretty well.

This book is definitely the start of a series. And like the start of many series it needed a little time to get going. In fantasy you anticipate some world building and there was enough world building without letting it take over the entirety of the book.

This book was a little hard for me because I did not feel especially invested in the couple but to me this felt like one of those romance series that will have a different book for every couple and I can tell even though I didn't feel as connected to this couple that I enjoyed the writing enough to know that my couple was coming. Because that preview for the next couple ... GIVE ME MORE!! I was all about them. The banter, the tension, the drama. Yes! that is what I will be interested in reading. This book set the scene built the world and I know these characters crawled so the next ones can walk.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story. And PS Please remember me for the next book in the series.

A neat romantasy that focuses on a witch queen with trauma trying to hold onto her power, and the man on the run who's trying to pass himself as a dark wizardly librarian, and how their paths cross as she tries to protect what's hers from her shitty uncle. Plays around with tropes but stands well on its own as a romance and a fantasy, deals with emotional trauma and its aftermath and not running, and fun, hot sex scenes while we're at it. And the narrator does some great things with the characters voices, and does really well with the romance and sex bits. Definitely worth your time.

I thought this was such a great story and I also enjoyed listening to the narrator.. Ordered both the physical and audio books for our readers. Thank you for the eARC.

A really unique addition to the romantasy genre. He escapes his cruel advisor who has used abuse to take control of the throne. He runs to his enemy in the hope of allying with her. She assumes he's a dark wizard there to assist her.
Through being himself, they fall in love.
One of the few "he's keeping a secret and reveals too late" trope stories that MAKE SENSE, and I'm like, yea okay fair.
A great fun time that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a lighter fantasy. Veyr excited for the next book!

Great fantasy romance about a "wicked" queen and librarian.
The crows, fountain pens and found family made for a great story.

DNF @60%

I kept forgetting that I was reading this book, and when I did remember, I didn't feel compelled to pick it back up. I can live with not know how it ends.

In my opinion, the vibes are like every other romantasy out there. I think I need to take a break from the genre because the monotony is getting to me.