Audiobook Review: The Briar Crown by Helen Rygh-Pedersen

They say love conquers all… but can the conquered ever love the conqueror?

Twenty-five years ago, there was life. Twenty-five years ago, there was peace when the descendants of the dryads and naiads kept all life in balance. Until one fateful night when the Oderbergs invaded, executed the royal house of Domonov and took Domovnia for their own, ruling with an iron fist and an edict of fear.

Roslyn Pleveli, like most of the orphans of that night, wants revenge and an end to the persecution of her kind. Yet, even if the Domovnian’s use of magic was permitted, she wouldn’t be much help, able to command only a few lowly weeds. But everything changes when she saves the life of an injured young man in the forest not knowing it was the prince of the Oderbergs himself. Ordered to see to the rest of his treatment, Roslyn is snatched from her home and all that she loves by his soldiers.

Now, in the Oderberg stronghold, she has the chance to change things. With the royal family within her grasp all she has to do to free her people is kill them… but can she do it, or will something more powerful than revenge heal the wounds of the past?

GENRE: Fantasy Romance / Romantasy

PURCHASE LINK: Amazon | Audible | Kobo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Helen Rygh-Pedersen is a fantasy author of the romance and epic varieties. Like the mythological harpies of old, she hopes to whisk you away to a fantastical world, leaving reality behind for a while.

Come along for the ride and lose yourself in the fairytale world of Zemkoska where standalone romances weave together to create a rich and spellbinding world, or if you would prefer something more gritty then Riverda is the place for you, full of high stakes and drama. Which ever way you let the harpy take you, you are sure to be transported to a new world!

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Review

First things first: this is a spicy fantasy romance / romantasy! I don't read a lot of those, but I was going through what audiobooks I had in my library and realized I'd downloaded this from Kobo sometime back. The cover compelled me more than anything, plus I thought it was cool that the author herself did the narration work for this (and did a pretty good job).

This book has what I believe readers of the genre adore: a strong FMC, a swoony MMC, political intrigue, magic, spice, and just the right set of tropes. The world is really interesting and fleshed out, too; I especially like the different kinds of nature magic that were introduced and loads of history is revealed in a single novel.

The only thing I didn't really like was how Roslyn turned out to be [SPOILER]. I know, it works great for the plot, but also found it just a bit too convenient.

Still, I enjoyed this book, and I think fantasy romance / romantasy lovers will enjoy it even more!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Hi! I'm Marie, a Filipino SFFH author and book reviewer currently based in the UK. I’m the co-author of The Prophecies of Ragnarok, a Norse myth new adult urban fantasy trilogy, and I also have several short stories published in anthologies and literary journals.

You can find more info about me and my books, and also subscribe to my newsletter for more content, here. And if you like what I do, please also consider supporting me on Ko-fi! 🩷 https://ko-fi.com/mariesinadjan

If you fancy a short read, I have a cozy reimagining of the Norse myths about Hel, but it's just under 70 pages and can be read in one sitting. ✨ Plus there's a swag kit coming soon! Includes a "membership card," a bookmark, a sticker, an origami dog, and an exclusive 500-word story 🫶🏼

All things end, and all must die.

But death is not always the end.

When Geiravor Lokisdottir was stripped of her name and cast out of Asgard, torn from her family and the life she had known, she thought she’d lost it all. But in the shadows of Niflheim she discovers the path to her destiny, and what it truly means to be queen.

This is a prequel short story to THE PROPHECIES OF RAGNAROK trilogy by Meri Benson and Marie Sinadjan, and a retelling of the myths involving Hel, the Norse goddess of death and the queen of the underworld.