Wooing the Witch Queen is the cozy cup of tea I didn’t know I needed this winter to get me through. Though it kinda sounds like an old school bodice-ripper, not a romantasy, it has all the charm you loved from classic fairy tales, just with a kick ass heroine 💅🏼.


We follow Felix, the Archduke of Estarion who is fleeing an assassination attempt, and arrives at the castle doors of a neighboring kingdom. Unfortunately, it’s late, he’s exhausted and Queen Saskia mistakes him for her new dark wizard. I mean, one night in a bed can’t hurt right?! One thing leads to the next and soon Felix is fully implanted in his new role, hiding his true identity.
And he isn’t the only one who hides behind mistaken identity. Queen Saskia, known as the evil Witch Queen is really a kind, caring woman with a tragic past. Over the course of the story, the two build a really sweet relationship. The romance is slow and thoughtful, dialogue based and clean.


This book was absolutely charming, and I ate it up! It’s relatively low stakes, with mostly just intrigue and some mystery, so you as the reader can really enjoy the ambiance of the magic in the castle walls and the library as Felix catalogs books. There are absolutely fantastic side characters as well, including the two other “evil” queens that will make up the series. I can’t wait to read the them as well! 3.75 ⭐️


*Audiobook Note- minor mispronunciations but overall won’t change your understanding or experience.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for this arc.

That awkward moment when the terrifying Witch Queen mistakes your utter confusion for proof you are her new dark wizard librarian...

When Arch Duke Felix goes on the run from his powerful uncle's plot to kill him, he intends to beg the neighboring evil queen for sanctuary. The next thing he knows, he's landed a job as her dark wizard librarian. But before he can come clean, he overhears her plotting with the other queens of villainy to find and capture...well, (unbeknownst to her) him.

Whoops.

This gave me such Once Upon a Time (TV show) vibes. Sure, Saskia isn't actually an evil queen, but she is powerful and she's not above a little theatrics to keep her misunderstood non-human subjects safe. As for Felix...look, full disclosure, my first crush was Dr. Daniel Jackson from SG1. I love me a slightly shy and awkward academic who nerds out about filing systems, okay?

This was on the more cozy side of romantasy as the stakes did feel lower but the slow burn romance and tension between them was great. Personally, I could have done without the one open door scene (it felt a like it was included so it could be marketed as having "spice") but overall I enjoyed the listen. The narrator also did a fantastic job.

Tropes:
Hidden identity
Mistaken identity
Enemies to lovers? (I mean, she doesn't know he's secretly her enemy, so...)
Forced proximity
Beta Hero
She's his boss
Who hurt you?

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan audio for an ARC of this book.

Queen Saskia is the wicked queen who has earned her reputation. Although she dethroned her uncle, all Saskia wants is to continue working in her lab on her spells. One day, busy in her lab, a mysterious dark wizard calls to fill a vacancy in her library. The two immediately feel (and quickly ignore) a pull towards the other. One has secrets, the other can’t afford to show weakness. When secrets are exposed, can they work together or will it be too much to overcome?
This was absolutely adorable and has everything one could want in an adult fantasy; found family, hidden identities, cinnamon roll MMC, and the most adorable familiars (read: sassy crows). I loved Saskia’s ride-or-die queen friend group and the little twist towards the end!
I cannot wait for the next installment of the Queens of Villainy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Bramble, Tor Bramble, Stephanie Burgis, and Amanda Leigh Cobb (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of Wooing the Witch Queen in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, let's start with...the cover! Gorgeous depictions of the main characters, including (apologies if I spell his name wrong, as I listened to the audiobook) Oscar the Crow (or is he a raven? meh, details...)! I always wanted a crow and he just makes me want one more. Crows are great judges of characters! Look at his inquisitive gaze as he observes his mistress and the "librarian."

Ahem. Anyway, this is a great fantasy novel with an interesting set-up with the various queendoms, hence the first book in the Queens of Villainy Series. While the story arc is wholesome and complete, we are introduced to some characters who might just make an appearance as their own leads in future books!

Okay so the story...After taking the throne from her nasty uncle, Queen Saskia, viewed as a wicked sorceress, only wants to provide for her people. She truly cares, despite what others may think, but a wicked front may be what keeps her and her people safe.

Enter Saskia's new librarian, the nerdy, quirky, but also handsome Fabian (Felix). He is certainly a flirt and the flirtations take him farther with Saskia than he ever could have imagined. Hopefully the wicked witch won't curse the man when she finds out he's the runaway archduke... 😬(not a spoiler, it's on the back-of-book blurb!).

I love the dynamic between Saskia and Fabian (and Oscar, of course). There are certainly plenty of secrets to go around, but are feelings stronger than magical roots? Hmm... I have only previously read some of Burgis' middle grade novels, and it is certainly a delight to have read something else from this author for someone more my...age and with my...romantic reads needs from a fantasy novel. Low spice, but a perfect fantasy for romantasy readers who seek some deceptive twists and turns in a world that has potential for more stories to come. You will definitely get those heart-pounding moments you seek!

This was a very cute cozy romantic fantasy, with the sweetest cinnamon roll of a MMC.

I’ll be honest, it took me some time to really settle into this one. I’m not sure I’m really *made* for “cozy” fantasy; I think I just crave a little more danger and higher stakes in the stories I read…

But even though it didn’t grab me right away, I still ended up really enjoying it, and would definitely be interested in continuing on with this series, especially after the sneak peak of which “evil” queen we would be following next…

Audiobook notes: Amanda Leigh Cobb has a great cozy fantasy voice, and I thought she did a great job with this one. This book is written in Dual POV, but I didn’t mind having one narrator for it all, as it was very easy to tell which POV we were in at any given moment.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me a copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

What this book is giving:
✅ Cozy Romantic Fantasy
✅ Dual POV
✅ “Wicked” Witch Queen
✅ Hidden Identity
✅ Library
✅ In Hiding
✅ Cinnamon Roll MMC

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️½ / 5

Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed Wooing the Witch Queen! The story was charming, fast-paced, and full of delightful magical elements. I loved the crows in particular and how they added humor and heart to the story. Stephanie Burgis has a wonderful way of crafting whimsical and engaging fantasy.

That said, the tone and style read a little more YA than I typically prefer. While I enjoyed the romance and worldbuilding, I found myself wishing for a bit more depth in certain areas. Still, if you’re looking for a light, fun fantasy romance with plenty of magic (and fantastic crows!), this is definitely worth picking up.

Really really fun. Surprisingly fun. It was a little slow to start, and didn’t get going until about 20% in. That’s about 60 pages (I listened to the audio book) so that isn’t too terrible.

I really loved Felix/Fabian’s golden retriever energy. That’s not what I typically read, so it was really fun to hear about.

It’s not too high stakes. There’s a little bit of turmoil, but it subverts a lot of the typical miscommunication. I really appreciated that. It’s definitely a cozy romance heavy romantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this Audio ARC. All opinions are my own

4.25
This book was absolutely delightful! I loved both Saskia and Felix and how they came together. A very black cat/golden retriever pairing.

Queen Saskia reminded me of Princess Bubblegum with a side of Marceline from Adventure Time. And I say that as the highest complement. The other Queens of Villainy were a ton of fun and I look forward to reading their stories in the next two books. The epilogue set up book two perfectly.

I also enjoyed the world building and secondary characters. I loved how Burgis described the trolls and goblins. Oscar the Crow might be the MVP, though.

The audiobook narrator was okay for the most part, but had a truly wild pronunciation of the word majordomo. Which was unfortunate since a major secondary character is referred to by that title many times throughout the book. How did the producer not correct her?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute! Give me more low-stress story-lines, please and thank you.

The Story: Felix, the Archduke of Estarion runs to a neighboring kingdom for sanctuary, but when he finds out the 'evil' Queen Saskia plans to kill him, poses instead as a dark wizard come to sort out her magical library. A lot of time was spent with them getting to know each other naturally, Felix soon realizing that Saskia's reputation is ill-deserved.
Their relationship was incredibly sweet, if surface-level, and built at a reasonable pace. The issue of his identity in relation to intimacy and consent was handled beautifully (although that she did not realize early on was not the most believable plot point).

The World-building: This is where I had the most trouble with the story. For the first quarter of the book, I had some trouble grasping the heavy focus on politics. Things became clearer as the story went on, as is usual, but I think it could have been a little clearer from the get-go.

The Narration: I really liked the narrator. Nothing here stood out to me, which means the narrator did exactly what I wanted her to.

I'm excited to read about the next two queens in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

As usual, Stephanie Burgis has created a charming whimsical story. It took me a little bit to get into the characters. But Fabian / Felix was so kind and earnest, both Saskia and I appreciated him. His acceptance of the crows, trolls and goblins was endearing.

Saskia seemed scattered at first. She took so much upon herself it's not surprising. Luckily, she has Felix and her castle staff to support her. I loved seeing her relationship with Felix build while she tried to ignore her feelings.

When things blow up, I was thrilled with Felix, continuing in his honest, straightforward way. Saskia was shocked but needed to look at the facts. Luckily, even though she didn't follow her advisor's recommendations she had made allies. Plus Felix supported her wholeheartedly.

Felix went through his own learning as he worked in the library, organizing and studying spell books. His admiration for Saskia as well as his own confidence blooms. Eventually, he learns of the additional betrayal of him.

Even with the progress made, there is much work to overcome prejudice in the empire. I look forward to more of the Queens of Villainy and their romances. No doubt the Fae Queen will stir up all kinds of trouble. If not, the Goddess surely has ideas.

Narration:
I have enjoyed this narrator previously. She capture the whimsical feel of romantic fantasy in the characters. There were some distinct voices for many main characters. Her performance enhanced the overall emotion from the story. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.

Man! This was super slow burn for the title this book has. Didn't feel like the chemistry or build up was too strong with this couple, although I liked the world building and Saskia's personal development. I liked the narrator as well and upgrade it to a 3 star for primarily that reason.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Audio Copy!

This was a fun romantasy story with cozy elements. A witch queen who is feared for her violent tendencies, but also just wants to be loved, and a wizard librarian who is running from his past and loves a good fountain pen. The romance was slow and sizzling and full of tension and I loved every minute of it.

This audiobook was exceptionally well done. I am so impressed with the narrator. The voices for the characters were so distinguishable, despite the majority of the characters being women. I thought the narrator added excellent nuances to the wicked queens especially. The narrator managed to capture Saskia’s strong yet vulnerable voice. Ailanna’s naturally cool demeanour. And most impressively, Lorelei’s shrill and deceptively cunning character. I look forward to continuing this series!

Thank you so much for the change to listen to this audiobook.

This was such a good book! Saskia's love for her people and their well-being is terrific. I loved that everyone feared her, yet she was just doing her thing in her laboratory, trying to keep those around her safe. Then in comes this mysterious dark wizard who makes her feel all sorts of things and treats everyone around her with much respect. The little shared moments that brought them closer were so cute, and the crows!! Together, these two characters brought peace into each other's lives. The narrator did a great job telling the story, and I could vividly imagine the different situations in my head as I listened to the audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!!

Wooing the Witch Queen

What a FUN adventure! I absolutely adored this light-hearted fantasy romance. The whimsical and low level of seriousness reminded me of Assistant to the Villian.

Felix is on the run from his controlling father in law who seeks to have him killed and take his seat of power. He escapes to the witch queen's castle to beg for her support. Unfortunately, Queen Saskia mistakes him for an evil wizard who answered her call to help assassinate him. Felix accepts the position as evil wizard here to organize her chaotic library despite not being a wizard or a librarian. The ensuing adventures find Saskia and Felix unable to deny their chemistry and feelings as they try to navigate the politics of the emperor trying to seize lands and Saskia's uncle trying to dethrone her as an unstable wicked witch queen.

The audio was absolutely CHARMING! The narrator was fabulous and I adored all the characters. Highly recommend a listen!

Check this one out if you're looking for:
Unserious, charming romantasy
Vibes like Assistant to the Villian
An alliance of Queens of Villiany
Fun, whimsical fantasy adventures

Thank you to Macmillian Audio and Bramble for the ARC/ALC. My opinions are my own. Wooing the Witch Queen is on shelves February 18, 2025!

This book was a lot more fun than I expected. I've never read a book by this author before, so I didn't know what to expect. A queen with magical powers and her dark wizard librarian. He's actually an archduke in disguise.

Lots of good conflict and world building. This wasn't a high stakes fantasy romance like I usually listen to or read. It was more chill than that. There was good romantic tension and connection between the hero and heroine. I loved all the unique characters. The writing was good. I was pleasantly surprised and fulfilled by this romantasy story. The narrator did a great job of bringing the story to life. Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this book.

Wooing the Witch Queen is a perfectly pleasant and inoffensive cozy fantasy romance, but it had the potential to be so much better, and by the end of the book I was really frustrated by that.

Right off the bat, this story is doing something interesting with its gender dynamics. It delivers exactly what it promises: a powerful, fearsome sorceress and the hapless, slightly pathetic librarian who falls in love with her. Unfortunately, that’s sort of… it. Both of these characters remain pretty flat and archetypical. Their “romance” is very surface-level, which is surprising, because the groundwork is laid for more - both characters are traumatized by abusive childhoods and both have grieved terrible losses of loved ones. But the book is thoroughly uninterested in letting them explore or actually connect based on those things, treating them instead like set dressing in the background.

Ultimately, though, my biggest problem with this book is that one glaringly obvious tweak would have made it a million times better: Saskia should have realized Felix’s identity immediately. (Or initially suspected it and quickly confirmed it. Or just figured it out very quickly after hiring him.) I cannot stress enough how much this would have fixed. The initial premise - Felix accidentally obtains work in his political enemy’s castle due to an improbable misunderstanding - is fun and silly in theory, but it becomes increasingly strained as the story goes along, until it is way, WAY past the point my suspension of disbelief can handle. Maintaining this misunderstanding/secret identity becomes EXCRUCIATING, forcing the story to constantly bend over backwards to accommodate it and making basically every character seem clueless and incompetent along the way.

That’s a particular problem for Saskia, becomes it causes the book to narratively undermine itself. Saskia is this character who is both an outsider (magically) and simultaneously a woman in a man’s world, struggling to hold onto her power and authority. She faces constant challenges from other characters who want to undermine her, and she’s righteously self-assured of her own competence. Except… that doesn’t land so well when she IS actually kind of incompetent. Like, ridiculously so. Like I can’t even believe how stupid this character has to be in order to continue NOT noticing who Felix is.

Alternately, if she had realized who he was and chosen to pretend not to, I would have actually believed she’s this clever, competent character she’s supposed to be. It could have created some fun cat and mouse scenarios. We also could have gotten a more genuine, deeper connection between the characters and avoided a sex scene that… well, I won’t quite call it “ethically dubious,” but I certainly didn’t like it.

I doubt I’ll read book two, but I might skip it and still pick up the third one since it will be sapphic.

Honestly, this book is about two introverts wanting to be left alone but society says otherwise.

The book's standout feature is undeniably the dynamic between Saskia and Fabian. Saskia is a force to be reckoned with—tough, intelligent, and fully in control of her kingdom. Fabian, on the other hand, is endearingly nerdy, a bit out of his element, and constantly finding himself in over his head. Their slow-burn relationship is equal parts sweet and hilarious as they navigate their differences and uncover each other's secrets.

Perfect for readers looking for a fun mix of fantasy, romance, and a touch of humor.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

this was a fun and quick, low stakes cozy romantasy, emphasis moreso on the fantasy and political intrigue rather than the romance, which i’m not mad about! i mean, who doesn't love a dark librarian as the love interest (;
i always find that i enjoy when a romantasy is more fantasy than smut, and this was rather tame.

the narrator did a fantastic job!

i’m excited for the next book in this cozy romantasy series!

This was a cozy but dark read. I enjoyed how the queens take no shit from society and ally together. Protecting one another but also not taking crap from each other either. The development arcs in the side characters as well was good to see. It was also good to see a mc who isn’t this territorial asshole that goes completely base urge as soon as they fall in love. They trust each other and protect each other. A real bond and good team dynamics.