The Briar Crown is a book that I had a lot of feelings about in both directions. It’s a story that I overall really enjoyed and am glad I decided to pick up but that upon closer inspection I had a lot more thoughts about.

Something I loved was the magic system. I’ve been very partial to plant-based Magic systems since figuring out that’s what I want to do in my own book so I’ve loved picking up those books since. I liked that people had different affinities and strengths related to those affinities and how they chose to depict them in their everyday lives. It was such a neat detail to include. The world-building in general was something I really enjoyed. Having two characters from opposing belief systems meet and discuss those beliefs felt well done without making it feel like info-dumping at convenient spots of the story.

That being said, I did feel that there were just a couple of other rather convenient and predictable things in the story that made things much easier for the MC, though overall I felt the flow well done with good details scattered throughout to show the author does pay attention to the little things as well and can tell a good story even with components that might be well known to some readers already.

My other big issue relates to the characters. The majority of the supporting cast felt a little one-dimensional and almost entirely negative for the majority of the story. I don’t mind an Us Against the World type story but a little more variety would’ve been nice. Roslyn also accepted her new identity pretty quickly but maybe that’s just me thinking so because I would be freaking out a whole lot more in her situation. Hah.

Other than that, this was an excellent reading experience and I really enjoyed myself. It has a very easy to read prose that I quite enjoyed and that propels you through the story quickly. It had a couple of really funny lines that had me laughing out loud. I also liked the spicy bits but for those readers that aren’t really into that, I would say to still give the story a try because there isn’t a ton of that. As I said, I really enjoyed this book and hope you guys will give it a try. I’ve already bought Waking Ursa Minor by this author because I want to read more of her writing!

I knew virtually nothing about this story before going into The Briar Crown, but I had heard such amazing things about this author’s debut, Waking Ursa Minor, that I just took a leap of faith and hoped for the best. And wow, what a wonderful surprise this was! A sweeping and heartwarming fantasy romance with great political intrigue and alluring nature magic, what more could you want?!

This is the story of the young and fierce Roslyn Pleveli, who wants nothing more than to see her land and people be freed from the iron rule of their invaders, the Oderbergs. For 25 years, the Domovnians have been oppressed and persecuted for their nature magic, but now sparks of rebellion are stirring. As a lowly Hedgie, able to command but a mere few weeds, Roslyn always thought that she wouldn’t be of much help in her people’s quest for revenge. Yet, when she finds herself ordered to live at the Oderberg stronghold after saving their prince’s life, she might just end up being the key to freedom and equality for her people. If only her feelings don’t end up getting in the way of her mission to kill the royal family…

I was utterly enchanted by this story from the moment I started reading. This might be a harsh and brutal world, but the story never felt bleak to me. For one, I loved the way the nature magic made this world feel so vibrant and alive. The author has created a deep history and rich lore for this world and its inhabitants, which was woven seamlessly into the story. I loved learning about the different magical abilities, they just filled me with a sense of wonder.

But aside from that, these characters are also just delightful to follow. They are generally just good people who refuse to give up hope, which makes it so easy to root for them. They might not be the most complex characters ever, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t well-developed. Both Roslyn and her love-interest have their own internal struggles to overcome and their dynamic is complex and compelling. There’s a bit of a star-crossed lovers scenario going on and I loved seeing them grapple with their conflicting duties and feelings. The love-interest is also just unfairly charming and I can’t fault Roslyn for falling head over heels in love.

Now, I wouldn’t necessarily call this insta-love, but there’s certainly an instant infatuation/lust situation. I personally enjoy my romances a bit more slow-burn, but that didn’t stop me from loving their dynamic either way. Their interactions are amusing, tender, heartfelt and overall just filled my heart with joy.

While I was personally more invested in the characters and their messy emotions, I did end up being pleasantly surprised by the way this plot developed and played out. The author did a great job of balancing the romance and the political elements, which made this story just incredibly engaging. And while the final resolution was maybe a bit predictable, I liked that there were some surprising reveals and revelations along the way. The brilliant pacing and the captivating writing style also just kept me glued to the page, so I ended up breezing through this comforting story like nobody’s business.

Overall, I had a fabulous time with this story, so now I am even more excited to go back to check out Waking Ursa Minor and will be looking out for anything she writes next!
If you need a good, comforting fantasy romance with loveable characters, dangerous political intrigue, satisfying reveals and enchanting nature magic, then I highly recommend checking out The Briar Crown.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 69%

I tried to push through and finish it but I really just couldn't bear it any longer. Predictable storyline (or maybe I have just read too much of the genre) and too many illogical nonsense things for me to be able to enjoy it. I did like the magic that manifests as an afinnity to plants though. Other than that...not for me.

A delectable, adorable fantasy romance!

Ever since the Oderbergs invaded Domovnia and executed its royals twenty-five years ago, the Domovnians have been little better than slaves and prisoners in their homeland for having the magical ability, called afinity, to influence plants. The story starts off with Roslyn, a Domovnian with little power, discovering a plot among her townsmen to kill the Oderberg royals. Roslyn despises the cruelties the Oderbergs and their soldiers have done to her countrymen, but as a healer and overall gentle soul, she does not agree with the taking of life. When she stumbles on a wounded Oderberg (quickly revealed to be one of the princes), she does what any healer would do.
Prince Frederik wants peace between the Oderbergs and the Domovnians, and after Roslyn saved his life, he sees her as a way to bridge their people together and has her brought to the castle to become his personal healer. This unfortunately is problematic for Roslyn because not only does she find herself at odds with her enemies, she finds herself unable to perform the task her countrymen have asked of her: to kill the royal family.

With Roslyn being as gentle as her character was, this was a very adorable story. Rather fast paced, the story proceeds smoothly, taking the reader on a journey through Domovnia to experience not only a lovely blossoming relationship but also to discover the history behind this world. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of the audiobook book, and it was absolutely wonderfully narrated by the author herself. Her voice is very soothing, which matched the tone of the book, and she switched between accents with practiced ease. Its one of those romances that sweep you off your feet with a gentleness that has your cheeks heating with happiness. I definitely recommend this sweet book, and I will happily be picking up the second book when it comes out.

Now while I enjoyed Roslyn's innocence and loved how well the writing and plot encompassed it, it didn't go well with the occasional emphasis made of her thinking on and wanting to follow through on her countrymen's plot to kill the royals. Sometimes those thoughts felt forced considering the situations and how little she usually thinks of it. I will also also note that at some point in the first third, prince Frederik goes into a melancholy state where he oddly ignores Rosyln. While it is revealed further on in the book why this happened, it did not make sense at the time, and it took me out of the story. Just know there is a reason, keep reading, the story is worth it. Another reason I rated it 4 stars out of 5 is because of predicatability. I predicted many of the twists early on which unfortunately took away some of the enjoyment.

Thank you to the author for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

What a pleasant suprise this book was.
I dont mind fantasy romance but it's definitely not my go to. However after loving Reign and Ruin from spfbo7 I was happy to try another indie fantasy romance.

The book moves at pace, the story has some of your favourite tropes and they were done excellently.

What particularly stood out , was the fluid and flowing prose. I was captivated by the writing and immersed into the world from the opening chapters.

I personally like a bit of a slow burn romance in this genre, however in this story there wasn't much hanging around. That said, I think it worked in favour of the story and meant that we got a chance to have character depth, right from the start. There was some spice in the book too, and I was TOTALLY HERE for it. It was done well, wasn't OTT and fit the story and characters perfectly.

I really appreciated the magic system too. I've never read a plant based magic system before but this landed for me. The author left enough mystery and explained perfectly when needed.

Finally, I listened to this as an audio and I think the author did a wonderful job narrating her own book . I am definitely keen to read more from the author