Queen of Roses

Blood of a Fae #1

By Briar Boleyn, Pub date 4/15/23

5*s. Best enjoyed when you need an adventure with some enemies to lovers slow burn.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“A doomed love, a dangerous mission, and a kingdom on the brink of war…
A cast-off princess…

Born into a life of duty and sacrifice, Morgan Pendragon’s destiny has never been her own. Rumored to carry the tainted blood of the fae in her veins, her birthright is stolen from her when she is a mere child. Growing up in the shadow of her brother the king, she has been promised to the goddesses when she comes of age. So, when her brother commands that she seek out a fae weapon of legendary power, Morgan seizes the chance to break free from the chains of her fate.

A dangerous temptation…

As she travels, Morgan finds herself drawn into a strange group of outcasts, led by a dark and enigmatic warrior whose sharp wit and fierce beauty set her heart ablaze. But while Morgan struggles to reconcile her desires with her duty, she and her new comrades discover dangers that await them beyond anything in their wildest nightmares.

A slumbering kingdom awoken by blood…

Believed to have vanished generations ago, a fae kingdom dreaded by mortals is ascending once more, bound to reclaim what was lost by violence and bloodshed. As the fae world, with its intricate web of lies and mysteries, is slowly revealed to Morgan, she is led to the terrible realization that the secrets she carries in her blood make her a greater threat than she could ever have imagined.”

Review:

I need to preface this review by revealing that this is a darker take on Arthurian legends, and I am NOT usually a fan of the tales that spring from the mythical Camelot. I usually find them excessively boring and unoriginal. I really struggle with them. However, Queen of Roses was an absolute DELIGHT. There are quite a few trigger warnings for it and some dark material here, so you need to be prepared for that, but it really sets the tone of this darker version of Arthur and his kingdom.

Often, Morgan (Morganna in some instances), Arthur’s half sister, is painted in a negative light by authors or put in a position where she is the villain. This story flips that on its head.

Morgan watched her father kill her fae-blooded mother. And then had to live with that fact. Now, Morgan lives in a very human kingdom where anyone with fae blood is heavily persecuted and sometimes killed. The only thing that really saves Morgan is that she is King Arthur’s sister. As a child and because she is part fae, she was passed up for the throne. She is to be sent to the temple when she turns 21 to study under the High Priestess Merlin, a fate she’s not exactly thrilled with, but one she must accept. After all, it would get her away from Lord Florian, the son of Arthur’s most trusted advisor, who terrorizes her at every turn.

However, it also becomes a matter of survival. Any resistance on her part could mean trouble for those she cares about most like her friends Galahad and Lancelet, and Kaye, her youngest brother, who means everything to her and is the one person in her life that loves her for exactly who she is.

What she’s not expecting is for Arthur to come to her with an important task, one that could save the kingdom. She is threatened with dire consequences should she resist or fail, and is sent with the bare minimum in the way of supplies and protection. One of her protectors is the handsome but infuriating and always grumpy new head of the Royal Guard, Kairos Draven, whose rumored past is one of terror and violence.

As their journey progresses, Draven and Morgan find themselves relying on one another more and more, and Morgan begins to suspect that there is more to Draven then what she was told. But before she can find her way into the cracks she finds in his armor and into the spaces that reveal a far kinder heart, the two are joined by a third party, one that makes Morgan question if her heart and body really belong locked away in a temple, and one that Draven is suspect of, not because he’s competition, but because his motives are suspect, and he may be posing more of a danger to Morgan than just heartbreak.

The major vibes throughout this one were: enemies to lovers, a little love triangle, duty bound, deep secrets revealed, betrayal, interesting magic, and surviving/escaping abuse. 

I truly loved this story and I’ve already preordered the next installment!

Thank you to Netgalley and Starwater Press for an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review. Opinions herein are my own.