Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy.

Excellently narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb, 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!

The book starts out with a fast and hopeful pace with a lot of intriguing elements that seems to set up for a book that's both adventurous and cozy with a great narration. I mean who hasn't dreamed of owning a pet raven! Unfortunately it doesn't go much past the set up. The characters don't have much development after introduction which leads to a lack of chemistry and believability not only between the main romance but also between the friends and found family too. There is a fun element of gender bending of typical stereotypes and queer casting but overall the story lacks a lot in plot. There's nothing really pushing the story forward other than a poorly hidden identity. It was heavier on the romance than the fantasy which lead the fantasy to feel underdeveloped and lacking. This was especially true because there were more modern elements mixed in with the classic fantasy like mentions of railroads and fountain pens. These elements both seem forced and forgotten due to the under-development of the fantasy world and lack of full commitment to theme of modernizing technology. Despite the overall good voice and rhythm of the narration, A few time I got really thrown out of the book by the narration. For example classic fantasy words oddly pronounced like griffin. Not sure if it was a pronunciation choice or writing choices but I would recommend a change.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

This. Was. EVERYTHING.

After taking back the throne from her evil uncle, Queen Saskia is busy -- busy being the wicked sorceress, and busy experimenting in her laboratory and finding ways to keep her people safe. When a mysterious dark wizard (who, by the way, is actually an Imperial archduke in disguise) arrives at her castle, she hires him to reorganize her library of magic that's been neglected for way too many years. But "Fabian" is sweet, and as the two of them interact, they begin to fall for one another. The question is, will she still have those feelings when his identity is revealed?

This was so dang cute. I loved Felix and Saskia so much. The two of them had amazing chemistry. He totally falls for her first, which I loved, but seeing her walls crumble slowly was also worth the wait. This was cozy and sweet, I loved the rest of the cast of characters and I honestly cannot wait for book two to come out. If you're looking for a sweet and steamy romance, this is it. The evil sorceress and the archduke-disguised-as-a-dark-wizard-slash-librarian ended up being one of my favorite pairings. I think I'll reread soon enough since there was just so much here that I loved. I cannot recommend this enough.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for my ALC of this book!

Wooing The Witch Queen was a cute romance set in a fantasy world. I think it’s important to make the distinction because if you’re looking for a fantasy book, you’ll be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for a cutie lil romance with lots of yearning from the main characters? You’ll find it here! This was not an explicit book but the spicy scenes were hinted at. All in all I thought this was cute and fun, though it wasn’t anything particularly life altering. All the loose ends were tied up with a neat bow at the end and the narration was well done.

3.5⭐️

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!

The audio narration was exceptionallllllllll! There is quite a wide cast of secondary characters with unique personalities, and they were made so much more interesting by the narration. I'd highly recommend anyone interested read this as an audiobook.

Wooing the Witch Queen is a delightful fantasy book that turns a lot of tropes on their heads, while delivering a fairy tale feel and swoony romance that’s just what I wanted! I highly recommend!

In a mythical land, Felix is the imperial archduke but he’s been controlled and manipulated his whole life. The kingdom is run by his evil father in law who he could never hope to overthrow. He hears of an evil witch queen who has managed to resist the empire, so he flees to her territory to ask for sanctuary. But owing to a mix up when he arrives, he ends up being hired as her dark sorcerer/magical librarian, despite not having any magic.

Queen Saskia has recently overthrown her evil uncle and is just trying to hold on to power to protect her people. Both Felix and Saskia appear evil to outsiders but are truly sweet cinnamon roll heroes on the inside. I loved both of them and the way their romance develops is perfection.

The story feels a bit cozy at times, but the stakes stay high enough that I was invested and couldn’t put it down. I listened on audiobook – highly recommended – and finished it in a day!

This was a fun fantasy romance with found family and a case of mistaken identity. I enjoyed the characters and worldbuilding equally and found the main cast engaging and funny. The narrator does a great job with different voices, capturing the characters’ personalities. I will be continuing the series when the next one comes out! If you liked Dreadful by Rozakis but wanted some romance. I think you’ll like this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

💗Wooing the Witch by Stephanie Burgis
Narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb
Thank you @netgalley for this ALC, this is my honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️
💭My thoughts: I was expecting this book to be high spice but it was pretty minimal. That didn’t take anything away from the book itself, it was quite entertaining. This book contains the hidden identity trope of the mmc and a pretty fiesty powerful fmc. They were easy to like and their chemistry was electric! Being attracted to someone that wears a mask, learning to care for them for who they are, made their attraction to each other so perfectly written. This audiobook was so enjoyable, I definitely recommend!

Overall, this was just okay! I wanted to enjoy it more but I couldn’t get into it as much. I loved the concept of the MMC being hired to organize the FMC’s library!

I felt the writing could be better as it was kind of bland and mostly telling. There could have been a bit more depth; it felt very surface level and predictable.

The audiobook was well done and arranged! I enjoyed the performances. Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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

3.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of Wooing the Witch Queen in exchange of my honest opinion.

At first glance I thought I was getting into fantasy romance, but I was actually pleasantly surprised that this is almost a cozy fantasy. Thankfully there is no huge battles and world end situations. It's about a bisexual queen with magic powers and a fearsome reputation, and a librarian "dark" wizard (that doesn't have anything dark ahahah).
This wizard is in fact an archduke that is disguised as a librarian in order to look for a safe haven (but the queen believes he is her enemy).
Of course, they slowly but surely develop feelings for each other.
I really loved that we have a nerdy and cute MMC instead of the usual dark and broody, which matches the somewhat low stakes of the story. Although the romance was well plotted, I thought the political plot had some pacing issues that converged in quite a bit overly fast conclusion.

This book took me awhile to get into. It was a fun quick read once I actually got started, but I would’ve liked a bit more depth in both the plot and the characters. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator does a nice job. This romantasy wasn’t particularly for me, but I still think it’s worth the read if you like a fun slow burn romantasy with sweet characters. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Plot: 2/5
There was not a central plot for this story. It reads kinda like a slice-of-life genre, talking about the day to day of the characters.
Character: 2/5
I adore the non-human characters. The other characters? Not so much. Out of everyone, Felix was the most interesting but I feel like we didn’t get to know him enough.
Writing/pacing: 3.5/5
At least the writing and pacing in this story did not feel slow and dragged out. Since there was not much to tell, I was surprised to see I was still somehow engaged.
Enjoyment: 3/5
It was enjoyable at first but Saski really ruined it for me in the end. I don’t know how she just got more and more nerve grating and insufferable.
Additional Perspective: 2/5
This category could easily be 4/5 since I love the dynamic of Saski and Felix in this story. Traditionally, we always see feral and possessive mmc in fantasy but this offers a new lens, fmc is the powerful, in charge and possessive one. It was until I realized that I didn’t like a single female side character in the story. I’m kinda sick of female side characters being portrayed negatively - jealous, catty, annoying. That’s my biggest book ick so I had to knock the rating down.
Overall: 2.5/5 stars

I keep falling for the romantasy trap because of gimmicky tropes, and I only have myself to blame.  Plus, the library on the cover totally lured me in for this one. Wooing the Witch Queen kicks off the Queens of Villainy series of interconnected romantasies, with each book focusing on a different couple.   Saskia and "Fabian,” whose real name comes up in the book, so I won’t spoil it, make up the first couple for the series.  I wasn't drawn to this book for one reason or another, so my expectations were neither high nor low.  I didn’t find the book to be remarkable one way or the other in the end, but I know it could be pretty popular with fans of the mainstream romantasy genre.

I fall easily for marketing strategies involving library settings in books.  They always give an immersive and pleasantly cozy atmosphere to really curl up and daydream in.  I loved the main character's personality and interactions with the other characters, and though I strictly avoid picking up a book only because of tropes, I do occasionally appreciate a good cinnamon roll of a leading man.  Some of the circumstances surrounding his relationship with his family and how he got out of one place and to another provided little to no explanation.   I don't expect too much world building and logic in a romantasy, but the magical mechanics were completely absent and glaringly convenient.  Nevertheless, once the matter of figuring out how to get this character from one place to another worked itself out, the story plugged along well enough.

Saskia, the inaugural Queen of Villainy, sports a bristly nature, which I know is purposeful, but it don't find the extent of her cantankerousness appealing.  Onions have layers and all that, but she seems to reserve kindness only for certain underlings and not any of her equals.  The dynamic confused me a bit—it felt like an inverse of elitism, almost as if Saskia was okay with other people as long as they don't challenge or threaten her authority.  After learning Fabian’s true identity, she demonstrates a hard time coming to terms with things until he obstensibly ingratiates himself and gravels to a nauseating extent. There's a huge difference between humble kindness and simpering sycophancy, and Fabian feels more like the latter instead of the former, which I don't find particularly romantic.

In the end, the book wasn't long, it didn't require a mental load to process, and I'm sure it will entice crowds of mainstream romantasy fans. I need a bit more substance in my books, no matter the genre. I didn't get much here and may not continue the series. I'm not really the target audience.

I got to experience this book as an ALC, and I found the narration pleasant. It helped with the experience of the story as a whole. I listen to quite a few audiobooks every year, and the narrator, Amanda Leigh Cobb, performs well with both tone and enunciation.  I easily finished the book at over 2x speed because I had no difficulty whatsoever hearing or understanding anything.

Overall, 5 stars wholeheartedly for the narration.  Unfortunately, the book didn't wow me and I can't give more than 2.5-3 stars. I don’t fall into the grouping for the target audience really, though readers who typically devour any and all romantasy they can get their hands on may love it anyway.

My thanks to Bramble via Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

When SHE said “Who did this to you?!” I knew this was going to be a new favorite Romantasy. I love how the typical Romantasy tropes were flipped in this story.

The witch queen with an evil reputation and her mysterious dark wizard librarian were top tier characters. I loved the slow burn romance!! I liked that we got lots of yearning until those two got together. I also loved the side characters such as the troll housekeeper and the crow familiar. The found family aspect was so sweet.

I loved how atmospheric and fun the world we were introduced to was. The different magical systems and politics were very interesting. I do think some of the story was predictable but it was still a fun journey to read.

I listened to this on audio and I highly recommend the audiobook! The narrators really enveloped the characters and did a great job at bringing them to life.

Overall this was an absolute delight!

4 Stars
This was such a cozy romantasy read with satisfying MCs (Saskia was such a refreshing FMC to follow, especially in a fantasy read and I need me a Fabian, AKA Felix please lol). I loved the found family vibes and cast of characters in this, especially the alliance/friendship between the 3 queens (and the crows!). I listened to this in audiobook format and enjoyed the narration - I had a lot of fun in this world, of course the library setting was my favorite (and I will definitely continue the series especially after that excerpt we got at the end)!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

This book was a romantic fantasy that honestly felt so cozy despite all the political intrigue. The world building was fun, and the cast of characters were all unique. I felt like the romance between the two main characters was well done within the cozy setting, and I couldn’t resist the golden retriever MMC.

The great part about this book, is despite the coziness, the main characters had a fully developed back story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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!

The production company went with a single narrator even though the book was dual pov which I found to be a strange choice. I enjoyed their performance but I would have really loved each character to have their own narrator. As it was, I had a good time with this story and I'm very excited to hear more about the side characters in this world.

A fierce sorceress and a sweet “librarian”star in this sweet and spicy romantasy. Wooing the Witch Queen is perfect for readers who enjoy cozier fantasy settings, but want the tension to be a little higher.

This was such a heartwarming book and just so much fun!

The narration was very engaging and easy to follow. Amanda Leigh Cobb effortlessly swapped between characters and really leaned into the clever, wry tone of the story.

My rating: 4.25⭐️

I absolutely loved this book! The storyline was intriguing and I loved the characters. I feel the book could’ve been much longer with more detail on the main characters back stories. I absolutely need to hear more about Felix’s magic and overall the magic system at large in the universe. Looking forward for sequels!!