Unfortunately, this one didn’t really work for me. The premise had promise, but I struggled to connect with the main character and found the world-building a bit underdeveloped.

There were a few moments that stood out, but overall it felt like it was missing the depth and cohesion I was hoping for. Just not the right fit for me, though I can see others enjoying it more.

I was hooked from the beginning!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

this was my first book by this author and i'm sad to say i wasn't the biggest fan of it. 😔

the characters acted a bit juvenile in certain dialogues, especially ember. she was also extremely repetitive about her situation with her family. like, i get it, but girl do something!
none of the male protagonists caught my attention either. they were too nonchalant and simplistic in character for me to care for them.

the writing style was okay. i wish it wasn't so repetitive and was more engaging with the dialogues.

i was interested at first to see what was going on and the fact that the "promised one" was supposed to be bed by this monster was funny yet disgusting.
also direct quote from the book: "Bearing a child got you a special memorial. Not doing so made you lesser." like, excuse you ???? um, no. i don't wanna read that in my books.
i've also never been a fan of portals and felt meh about prophecies... so these were more things that put me off the book a bit. i'm sure it's a me problem and i feel like people could potentially enjoy this book, but this one was sadly not for me personally.

i can't recommend this to any of y'all but if it sounds like something you may enjoy - i hope you love it more than i did!

Thank you Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for providing me with a e-arc in turn of a honest review!!

For me this was a read with mixed feelings regarding two main things. First, the pace feels very slow, i think some chapters are way to long and for me it was very hard to engage with the story.
Secondly, the writing felt very bland and i couldn´t connect with the main character Ember...
I think the plot for this story had a lot of potential if the world building could´ve been more developed or just thought out a bit more.
I loved Rhaell´s character and for me he kept the story being a bit more engaging for me.

Ember, our FMC, is thief and a good one. She steals out of necessity, to provide medicine for her father. She breaks the law so her brothers don’t have to. She’s lived a hard life in a hard world. Ember picks the wrong house to steal from and finds herself being viciously sacrificed for a ritual she knows nothing about. The Promised Queen is a portal fantasy and Ember falls through the portal into a strange, new world. Now she has to find her way back.

The world Ember finds herself in is just a brutal but filled with magic, prophecies and creatures she could never have imagined. Ember’s declared the promised one, foretold to arrive when the land has been blighted. Magic is fading and children are few and far betweeen. She’s promised to the King’s Grandson, and expected to produce heirs. To the king, women are nothing but vessels for babes. The king is horrifically patriarchal and beyond traditional. It seems the prince, the beast, follows in his grandfathers footsteps if the court gossip is to be believed. He’s said to be monstrous, deformed, abhorrent.

Ember has to find a way home.
Together with the captain of the guard, Rhaell, they journey across land and sea to find a way to heal the land and send Ember home. Inextricably drawn together despite the secrets they’re both keeping. The threats come from every angle and it’s a race against time to complete their quest before they’re discovered or killed.

Full of twists and turns, exciting and fast paced. A more unique Romantasy, with a high fantasy setting and a modern, sexually confident, foul mothed FMC. Some readers might find this jarring but I enjoyed it.
Rhaell’s backstory is heartbreaking and he carries the weight of his past.

There’s plenty of interesting species and societies explored; Myr, Dragons, Hafmey, Rakka and literal Sea Horses. The Myr are fascinating and i could read a whole book on them. Multiple POV’s. The magic in this world is all around and can be claimed by anyone, wielded by will, what’s available is easily summoned and controlled.
The last section is wild and some of the twists and turns I didn’t see coming.

Some heavy themes in this book that may trigger some people ; abortion, pregnancy/birth trauma, generational trauma, infertility, threat of sexual assault. Though there is a strong conversation about bodily autonomy that feels particularly prevalent in today’s world. A strong message that a women’s value is not measured by her fertility.
Aside from the above darker themes, The Promised Queen is a fun and easily readable.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This fantasy novel drew me in right from the start, thanks to its fantastic main characters who were beautifully crafted and truly brought the story to life. They were so well written that I felt invested in their journey and loved following their interactions and growth.

The fantasy world was equally captivating, with a plot that kept me turning the pages. The setting felt rich and imaginative, and I appreciated how the author wove together all the different elements to create a truly engaging story.

That said, there were moments when the characters felt a bit underwhelming — some of their actions or motivations could have been explored more deeply to add even more dimension. Additionally, while I understand the need to ground the reader in this world, I sometimes felt the author relied a bit too much on description and telling us about the characters’ strengths instead of letting their actions speak for themselves.

Overall, though, this was a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves immersive worlds and compelling characters

Brutally thrown from her own world into a strange world of magic and mayhem, Ember Hart has unknowingly stolen herself a prophecy. Determined to get back to her family, Ember teams up with the mysterious Rhaell to embark on a quest that will restore the land and send her home, uncovering secrets and scandals that defy everything she has been told.

The two main characters are well developed and allows you to gain a much deeper insight into their beings. There is plenty of chemistry and tension between the two, and a good sprinkling of spicy scenes in this semi-slowburn. The rest of the cast of characters are well written and offer a lot of twists that leave a lot of scope for future instalments in this potential series. Despite having a predominantly human population, the world is also filled with a handful of alternative civilisations that we are introduced to and a ton of background lore to suit. Packed full of fantasy plot, their quest takes you through the world from the skies to the depths, setting out a series of suspense filled trials sure to have you glued to the page. It was exciting to have so many twists and turns throughout, and I loved that this book had such a strong focus on the fantasy aspect of the Romantasy genre. And as a Brit, it was refreshing to see regional influences and dialects transposed into a fantasy setting instead of the standard formal Bridgerton-eske style we’ve all become accustomed to. I especially liked how well described the writing was, as it painted such intense imagery as I read and left my brain feeling satiated.

Thank you to Kate Johnson and the publishing/NetGalley team for allowing me the opportunity to give an advance review of this book. If you’re looking for a headstrong FMC leading a fantasy driven Romantasy, then look no further as I rate this a solid 4/5 stars ✨

Thank you for the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Content warning: Reproductive issues/choices, sexism, sexual assault.
I went in expecting a serious fantasy world with some fun tropes based on the book description, but it read quite unserious (almost like a parody book.). The characters were shallow and were a bit messy/unclear in their motivations and intentions. I felt there was a lack of world building and explanations, instead the majority of the book was spent talking about reproductive rights/issues in the fantasy world. Anyone who was caught having an abortion was executed - it read like a bit too much of a parody of a current country. The other part of the book was the men in the fantasy world describing the FMC as a wench and constantly talking about her body, sexually assaulting her, and how she's nothing except for uterus. The overall plot hidden behind these other parts was really interesting, I think the execution just felt lackluster for me.

The instant love trope is also something I did not enjoy, but that's more personal preference.

I think overall it's a 2/5 for me. I like the cover art and the description, but the characters and world was too shallow for me to enjoy.

This is a riot! A layered and twisty romantasy with dragons and double-crossing and curses and magical jewels - so much fun 🤭

Ember is a thief, and her thieving has landed her in a magical world where she is believed to be the promised queen. She's foul-mouthed and vulgar, but used to acting on her wits, following her instincts, and is so resilient and adaptable - I adored her.

Rhaell is a bodyguard, protector, fighter, instrument of the king, whatever and these two team up to keep one step ahead of the danger. They are brilliant together, with plenty of chemistry, even with all the secrets and trust issues that they face.

With kingdoms and people and animals to get to know, author Kate keeps it all on track and gives just enough detail to follow the action without getting bogged down in the world building. Check TWs, (violence, murder, torture, infertility) and be ready for quite a steamy read 🌶 🌶

Kate Johnson writes in many different genres and this book is a cracker!

Thank you Kate Johnson and One More Chapter for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, I had to dnf this one at 20%. I was not getting into the story and the world-building was fairly lackluster. The FMC was more annoying than relatable and you can easily foresee that this book is just overusing tropes. It did not stand out as a fantasy book.

The Promised Queen’s concept is one that has been vastly overdone. However, I knew from the onset that this was going to be an unoriginal story, and even overused tropes can be done well. However, there are a lot of ways in which this book comes up short. The world building is almost non-existent. There is magic in this world, but no explanation as to how it is performed or where it came from, or where the limitations are. I enjoyed the adventurous nature of the plot and the pacing, which was on the faster side, fit the story well.

The writing style however, was not for me. There are many instances where we are told that something is true, instead of being shown that it is through thoughtful description. For example, we are told that Ember is an amazing thief, but we never actually see her performing well enough to warrant the title and praise. Ember’s tone of voice is also incredibly jarring, as modern slang is used throughout.

The romance is insta-love and honestly a little unsettling at times due to Rhaell’s very obvious rejection of Ember and her continuing to try to be with him. I didn’t find myself caring if they were together, or rooting for the relationship to get deeper. It all just fell very flat for me.

I've read The Promised Queen by Kate Johnson as an ARC, provided by One More Chapter and Netgalley, this for an honest review.

It's a funny, heroic story about Ember Hart, a thief in the Clockwork City who has been selected to be the Promised One in another world. She has to wed the monstrous prince Bronadyr for his heirs. But naturally she is a girl with a feisty mindset and is always traying to find a way to escape back to her world.

It's a fast-paced, funny and feral story with a pinch of spice and also has a bit of modern (feisty, vulgar) language spoken by Ember. Some people are maybe not up for it, but for me it made it funny.

I give this story a 4-star rating and I am curious what's going to happen in book 2. I will look out for it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This story is full of twists and turn that will have you gripping the edge of your seat! I devoured this book in 3 days, and I need the next one ASAP. Fans of Throne of Glass will love The Promised Queen.

The Promised Queen follows Ember, who is a thief in her world. When trying to save a maiden from a murderous secret society, Ember ends up being sacrificed in her place. When Ember arrives in this new world, she is named 'the Promised One', as her arrival has been prophesied, and now she must marry the beastly prince. Ember is determined not to be a sacrificial lamb and forms an alliance with Rhaell, the captain of the guards. Together, Ember and Rhaell go on a quest to restore the kingdom's magic that has been lost by trying to find pieces of the Heart of Yskar. Once she gains all the pieces, Ember hopes to take a portal back home to her life. As Ember and Rhaell journey together, Ember and Rhaell's relationship starts to grow into something more. Ember now must juggle her feelings for Rhaell, while trying not to marry the prince.

I loved the FMC, Embe MC can hold their own. She knows what she wants, and she will go after it. I also loved her inner monologue, she was hilarious. I also loved her relationship with Rhaell. I won't go into too many details and spoil it... But they will have you kicking your feet in the air! This is a slow burn, but trust me, it is worth the wait! It is spicyyyy.

I liked the pacing of this book. When I first started reading it, I thought that because it was so long, it would all wrap up into one book. Well, boy, was I wrong. This book will keep on throwing the best twists and turns at you until the very end. The world-building was vivid without being overbearing, and you felt like you were there in the world with the characters. It was gory and bloody during the battle scenes, and didn't leave much to the imagination! lol

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it was a 5/5 for me!

I went into this coming out of a bit of a reading slump so felt like it was a slow start for me but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A strong 4 stars from me!

DNF at 15%. This book was just not for me. I requested the eARC because the premise sounds fascinating but the delivery was not good (in my opinion). I really disliked that the FMC used modern language and found it very jarring for the setting. This might have been okay if it was explained why her way of speaking was so different to everyone else but you were left guessing. A few phrases made me cringe and I hated how many times the word 'breed' or 'breeding' was used just in the first section alone. Thank you to Once More Chapter for the eARC but it missed the mark for me.

ARC review

While on a heist, Ember Hart is captured and sent to a different world where people call her "the Promised One" and is linked to the beastly prince of the kingdom by a prophecy.
She is trying to get back to her realm and makes an alliance with Rhaell, the Captain of the Guard, without knowing what secrets he keeps.

I received an advance reader copy of the book from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The description and the beginning of the book were interesting, but along the way there were some things that I did not enjoy.

We do not have enough information about the world from which Ember came, but it seems to be very similar to our world.
But it is not clear in what period of time.
The world where she was sent has magic and fantastic creatures, but there is not a very good developed worldbuilding.
This gave the book some mystery and we get to find out pieces along the way.

I liked that there was a balanced pace of the action and that the story was engaging.
The characters are interesting and I liked Rhaell and Ember.
There are some twists that were unexpected. I fell like there were a few things that hinted to the main revelations, but still I could not believe it.
Unfortunately that made me change my opinion about one character.

The story is told through multiple perspectives, but this is not clearly stated at the start of a chapter.
In the beginning I did not understand the Deer and Rainbow part, but I liked the way it was integrated in the story.

Please be aware that there are some sensitive topics discussed/present in the book, that might be triggering (including violence, SA, death, abortion).

Based on the ending I think that this migh be the beginning of a series.

This was a fun read! Easy worldbuilding, a premise that was engaging, good pace, had a little bit of everything really! I could see this as a good entry point to romantasy and a good choice for someone looking for a light-hearted, easy beach read.
My only concern was the writing as it overall felt too contemporary and it pulled me out of the story a few times. That is probably due to the fact that I read so much romantasy, I have probably developed a preference towards more lyrical and whimsical prose, but that really is just a personal preference.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

The background for our FMC, Ember, is nearly nonexistent and the world building/magic is not nearly detailed enough to make for a vivid story. The plot twist, in regards to the romance, is not something I would normally choose to read about, so it put me off. I also kind of saw that aspect coming, which was even more disappointing. I was intitally drawn to this book because of the gorgeous cover, but I had very different expectations for the story. Spoiler-ish: if you love monster romance then this might be the book for you. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

received an ARC of The Promised Queen by Kate Johnson through NetGalley, and I was eager to dive into this fantasy novel with its intriguing premise of royal intrigue and prophecy. While it had some shining moments, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations. Here’s my honest take with pros and cons for this review.

Pros:
Kate Johnson’s world-building sets a vivid stage. The kingdom of Vaeloria, with its opulent palaces and misty moors, comes alive through lush descriptions that pulled me into the setting. The story follows Alina, a young woman raised in hiding, who learns she’s the prophesied queen destined to unite a fractured realm. Alina’s journey is relatable,she’s unsure of herself but grows into her role, and I appreciated her moments of vulnerability. The romance with Darius, a gruff royal guard with a hidden soft side, has some sweet, slow-burn sparks that kept me engaged. The concept of the prophecy, tied to ancient blood magic, is compelling, and a few plot twists, especially one involving a traitor, caught me off guard in a good way. Johnson’s prose is accessible and flows well, making it easy to get lost in the story when it hits its stride, particularly during the action-packed climax.

Cons:
Unfortunately, the book has some issues that held it back. The pacing is uneven—the first half drags with a lot of setup and repetitive inner monologues, which made it hard to stay invested. The magic system, while intriguing, feels underdeveloped, with rules that shift without enough explanation, leaving me confused about its stakes. Secondary characters, like Alina’s advisors and some rival nobles, lack depth, making their roles feel more like plot devices than fully realized people. The romance, though charming at times, falls into predictable tropes, and I wanted more complexity to make it stand out. Finally, the ending, while setting up a potential sequel, resolves too little, leaving too many loose ends that felt unsatisfying rather than suspenseful.

Overall, The Promised Queen has a promising concept and a vivid world, but it needed more polish to really shine. Kate Johnson shows potential, and I’d be open to seeing where the series goes next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy classic fantasy with royal intrigue but don’t mind a slower pace and some rough edges.

The Promised Queen by Kate Johnson is captivating from the start. The pace is goos, fast and action packed with funny interactions between the characters. I didn't really like the FMC and her foul-mouth, i founded the language a bit too modern for the setting of the story. However, i really enjoyed the sassy dragons and the twist i wasn't expecting.

I felt the romance a bit rushed but the plot was interesting to keep me invested in the story until the end. The secret heir trope was a bit obvious for me and made me think of the From Blood and Ash series. It was a nice and fast read and i did enjoyed and felt entertained with it. I would recommend it to fans of romantasy with a fast pace.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.