Queen of Roses
Listen to your friends.
I’ll say it again for the people in the back, LISTEN TO YOUR FRIENDS!
Why? Why did it take me SO long to pick up this series?
Am I stubborn? Yes
Am I a mood reader? Also yes
But do I have beautiful, wonderful, smart friends with a dirty little mind like me? Thank God, yes!
Now it has been almost a year since I’ve read this book, regrettably yes.
I get distracted easily. Between work, kids, and my other interests it can be a struggle. Sometimes Every time I try to give myself a goal it almost works in the opposite direction in my mind and I suddenly have a full blown aversion to that thing. In this case writing a blog.
It’s infuriating. All of my curiosity and drive for that given thing seem to shrivel up. Honestly I am surprised I posted as often and regularly as I did in the beginning.
But here we are and I have to just accept when I am inspired and practice that muscles until I can do it without inspiration.
Now I LOVE a good retelling, and it didn’t click this series is a Camelot retelling until I was a few chapters in. My friend swears up and down that she mentioned it but I can not recall.
I also love role reversals, so seeing Morgan(a) as the ‘hero’ and main character is right up my alley.
But of course the author has to make it their own story. So Morgan is Fae, with repressed magical abilities. Her father and brother are basically evil and kill her mother and make laws that she, as rightful heir, will not inherit the throne.
She doesn’t even want it, which is a bit dull for me. She loves her kingdom and her people but doesn’t want to rule. Mmm, okay?
So when an up and coming knight from another kingdom comes along, who she can not stand, we’re all clued in to pay attention.
Her brother sends her on a quest with said knight. He wants to put their kingdom into war, unbeknownst to Morgan, but he wants a special sword to do so. The sword is the chosen weapon of one of their gods, a lesser male god they haven’t prayed to in generations. But King Arthur is determined to revive his prayers. Prayers that involve blood sacrifice.
The journey is fun and quick. The knight needs to be cared for after killing the other knight that accompanied them when he tried to kill Morgan.
He also stops her from taking her Fae suppressant and her hair changes to a beautiful silver, her skin brightens and patterns relieve themselves on her skin. And eventually her fire magic awakens.
Turns out the knight is actually the banished Prince of the Fae. Once he has Morgan and the sword he wants to go back home. But they lose the sword in a crazy battle with basically zombie children and Morgan’s evil step sister.
Morgan is badly wounded and in order to heal her he has to perform the marriage bond. Morgan is barely conscience, maybe even knocked out – again, it’s been about a year. The Fae Prince performs the right with an old crone witch who becomes important in book 2.
Morgan wakes in the Prince castle back home with blurry memories.
It was a fun read! Lots of action and a good amount of questions being laid out to build the story.
You hate and love Draven, the Fae Prince.
Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 💕 Would Recommend— | 🔥 MA – Mature Audiences (Ages 18+)
Worldbuilding🗺️🗺️
Ick Factor 😇
Fangirl Moments 💖💖💖
Spice🌶️🌶️
Errors/Plot Holes
Tropes: Fantasy, Romance, Romatasy, Fae, Enemies to Lovers, Magic, Retelling,
Title: Queen of Roses
Author: Briar Boleyn
Genre: Romance / Fantasy
Series: Blood of the Fae #1
Format: Audible
Release Date: April 15, 2023
Length: 361 pages
