Enchanting the Fae Queen

Queens of Villainy #2

by Stephanie Burgis

Stephanie Burgis delivers another irreverent, sparkling, and sexy installment in the Queens of Villainy, where a seductive fae queen meets her unexpected match in the enemy empire's valiant general.

Queen Lorelei is a notorious fae seductress, with a trail of broken hearts in her wake. But behind her glamorous lifestyle and sparkling mask lurks a dangerously intelligent woman who’d do anything to keep her people safe, including kidnap the empire’s most famous hero.

The virtuous high general Gerard de Moireul represents all that is moral and true. He has to, after his parents were executed for treason. The last thing he needs is the Queen of Balravia, who showers glitter and rainbow-colored sparkles everywhere she goes without the slightest regard for good taste, decorum, or royal dignity.

They’re opposites in every way, but when they're swept up together in a grand--and deadly--fae tournament, they discover all of each other’s most hidden truths--and how perfectly they might be suited for each other after all.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Adult, Audiobook, Fae

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 27, 2026

About the author

I grew up in America, but now I live in Wales with my husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, our two sons, and our sweet (and extremely vocal) tabby cat, Pebbles. I write fantasy rom-coms for adults (most recently Claws and Contrivances and Good Neighbors) and fun MG fantasy adventure novels, too (most recently The Raven Crown duology). My next series will be the adult romantasy trilogy The Queens of Villainy, published by Tor Bramble, starting in 2025 with Wooing the Witch Queen.

To get early sneak peeks at new stories and novels, sign up for my newsletter here: stephanieburgis.com/newsletter.

To join my Dragons' Book Club and get early copies of every ebook that I put out myself (so, all of my novellas, short story ebooks, etc!), check out my Patreon page, where I also published a series of fantasy rom-coms (Good Neighbors) across 2020-2021.

I only rate and review the books that I like, which is why all of my ratings are 4 or 5 stars.

Reviews

[Stephanie]

I just turned in my copyedits for this book, so I can officially say that I HAVE, indeed, read this (and I genuinely do love it)! :)

And it's available for preorder now.

***
ETA: e-ARCs are available now! If you're in the UK, request them here.

If you're in North America, you can request them from Netgalley or from Edelweiss.

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ★— High-strung generals and excess-loving queens with intimacy issues learn to open up and love each other here!

I admittedly still have not finished Wooing the Witch Queen, the first book in this series, but since I remembered most of the important details from that book, I had no trouble diving straight into this one!

I’d describe Enchanting the Fae Queen as a mostly lighthearted, easy read built around a dynamic I always love to see: a woman everyone assumes is disdainful or difficult, paired with a stiff, honorable man whose perception of her is slowly and then thoroughly shattered! Their relationship was very much the heart of the story and easily the highlight of the book for me.

Though I do have to say that the book features a trial sequence that didn’t really work for me and honestly just reaffirmed my belief that a lot of fantasy romance authors should consider other plot devices to force proximity and tension. I understood what the trial was meant to do, and I appreciated it in theory, but in execution it felt a bit pasted in rather than naturally integrated into the story.

The romance itself was solid overall, though I did wish the transition into Lorelei and Gerard opening up to each other had been smoother. As it stands, that shift between them felt a little abrupt, even if I enjoyed where they ultimately ended up.

Still, I really did have quite a bit of fun with this book and I will almost always appreciate a heroine who’s more daring and morally grey than her male love interest, which this book definitely delivered on.

🎧 Audiobook Note
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
The narrator was solid throughout. She immersed me well in the story and made the listening experience feel smooth and easy, which really suited the tone of the book.

__________

Thank you to Tor Books for the ARC and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

this series is so fun! i liked book 2 just as much as book 1, which i don't see happening too often lately. i appreciate consistency, especially in a series like this.

i love me a book where the MMC is a by the book type and the FMC isn't. i also liked that this book didn't make the by the book type man overly broody etc. it was done quite well.

i do think that the trials element is ever so slightly unnecessary / but overall, this series is still super fun, and i find the side plots to be entertaining in moving the story forward. I'm also really excited for the final book!!

**thank you to Bramble for the ARC copy**

[Intisar Khanani]

Another sparkling entry in the Queens of Villainy series by Stephanie Burgis! The gentle hero and purpose-driven heroine of Wooing the Witch Queen (Book 1) had my heart, so I was quite looking forward to this very different pairing to see what Burgis would do with them.

Our heroine here is the sparkling (like, literally, sparkles falling off of her EVERYWHERE) Fae queen Ailana, who also happens to be hiding a lot behind that sparkly exterior. Our hero is the steady, very undramatic Gerard, who is also packing a world of hurt, which means he knows what he’s seeing when he finally, finally starts looking at Ailana. Admittedly, she’s outrageous through and through, so yes, she kidnaps him and enters them both into a potentially deadly Fae tournament right after the events of Book 1, so things are *very* fraught politically and now they’re stuck in their tournament and the only way out is to rely on each other… I mean, really, perfect romantasy vibes here. XD

As an adult story, there are a good number of explicit scenes, so if you, like me, prefer non-explicit reads, you’ll end up skimming/skipping a bit, but the story is fabulous fun regardless and our main couple is a delight (plus, we get hints of the next book, and cameos from our beloved previous Queen, so what’s not to love?). Recommend!

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

✨💫 “I want to share all of your fun from now on. Feel free to kidnap me as many times as you like.”✨💫

[A.J. Lancaster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buttoned-up general meets flirty fae queen, you say? Sign me up!

I enjoyed Wooing the Witch Queen so much that I immediately went and made sad puppy dog eyes in Stephanie’s inbox to pretty please let me read the next one early. These books are so heartwarming and swoony, with a found family you can’t help but root for. I had a thoroughly good time with this delightful romp.

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I absolutely loved this! I’ve never considered kidnapping a man to use as a boy toy and then accidently catching feelings but if I do I hope it goes exactly how Gerald and Loreleis escapade goes. They’re so cute and this was thoroughly enjoyable, loved the writing style that made me feel like I was reading a fairly tale and the excellent pacing. Looking forward to book three 😍 thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this arc

[Danielle Pulliam · Rating 4 out of 5]

**𝔄ℜℭ ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴** 𝔈𝔫𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔉𝔞𝔢 𝔔𝔲𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔟𝔶 𝔖𝔱𝔢𝔭𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔢 𝔅𝔲𝔯𝔤𝔦𝔰

Release Date: January 27, 2026

3.75⭐️3🌶

This book was adorable and full of sarcasm and biting remarks. With a slightly villainous FMC and a stoically honorable MMC it was a fun fast read.

Gerard is forced to watch his parents' execution in the Seraphim Empire with his grandmother at his side. The next day, Gerard was sent to a miliary academy where he was meant to spend the remainder of his childhood. Not long after becoming the virtuous high general Gerard de Moireul, he was kidnapped by Queen Lorelei of Balravia, a notorious Fae seductress.

She allies/kidnaps Gerard,  a mortal, so that they can compete together in a set of trials set up by her Fae brother. He slowly starts to realize that Lorelei's vapish and shallow exterior is really a front to protect her from all the viciousness in the Fae court. Together they hope to make their way through the back-stabbing world of the Fae court, and also control the human army to keep them from annihilating the Fae world.

This was a fun fast read, but I found the world-building and the rivalry between the Fae-Fae and Human-Fae hard to follow at times.

Themes/Tropes:
🍁Rom Com in a Romantasy Setting
🍁Kidnapping the Male Love interest
🍁Parody of Typical Romantasy
🍁Much sarcasm
🍁Bouncing blond bimbo front to the public
🍁Stoically honorable and loyal male main character
🍁Type cast

TW:
✨Holding people prisoner
✨Manipulation
✨War violence

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC copy!

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited to read another book from the Villainous Queens series because I really liked the first one. And although I don’t think this sequel quite lives up to its predecessor, there were still plenty of things it did really well.

The highlight of this book for me was definitely the relationship between Lorelei and Gerard. There is a clear spark and mutual attraction from the very beginning that you just know is going to turn into something more. Some readers might find it a bit too close to insta-love, but I think it felt well grounded in the characters and worked nicely within the story. Their banter was absolutely fantastic.

That said, I found the plot itself weaker. It mostly centers on a magical tournament that the characters can’t back out of, but many of the challenges didn’t feel particularly exciting. I know these books tend to be fairly low stakes, but I still expected something more – also from the villain, who didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Still, I have to admit that some of the competitions did help to deepen the relationship between the main characters. What bothered me though, particularly in the first part of the book, was the overwhelming amount of description and inner monologue, which often drowned out the dialogue. I think that’s mainly because not all that much actually happens in this story.

Plotwise, I definitely enjoyed the last part of the book the most, as it finally takes place outside the fae realm and brings back the political intrigue. Plus the Villainous Queens. Lorelei and Gerard are political enemies: he’s a general of the empire the Queens of Villainy are fighting against, so I’d been waiting for that dynamic to finally be addressed. I wish this was the main focus of the plot, as I would have liked it more I guess.

All in all, it wasn’t an unpleasant read. If you enjoyed the first installment, it’s definitely worth picking this one up – but mostly for the chemistry and witty exchanges between the main characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[zai]

read the first chapter excerpt that's in book one and i need this NOWWW!!!!

[Cori Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in the Cosy Romantasy series, Queens of Talking About Being Villains Without Doing Really Dark Stuff.

I was worried about Lorelei after the first book, because she had the potential to be A LOT -- I'm not a big fan of ditsy, bubbly extroverts who seem to be ignoring the bits of reality they don't like. She does develop beyond this, of course, once you get her POV. And also starting her book with a kidnapping does mean we have to be very clear and careful about all subsequent consent. This was all handled reasonably well, I think, although there's a hefty power imbalance between the two MCs, and I would have liked Lorelei to acknowledge that in some way.

The plot is quite fun -- kidnapping, fae tournament, enemies-to-lovers, slowburn-catches-fire, and of course leaves us in a happy place, while also setting up for Ailana's book. I didn't love it in the same way as Wooing the Witch Queen,but am still looking forward to the next.


This review is based upon a complimentary advance reading copy provided by the publisher.

[Gretal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was never going to be my favourite book in this series; aside from the whole blonde4blonde and Gerard of it all, I just find the whole Honourable General sort of archetype incredibly boring. That said, I am SO exciting for Melting the Ice Queen. I think the setup and those two characters will make for a fantastic conclusion to this trilogy.

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

After absolutely adoring Wooing the Witch Queen, I was delighted to be able to get my hands on this ARC of the sequel so quickly. While Lorelei was my least favourite of the Queens of Villainy in the first book, this one does a lot to change that. We see under that polished exterior to someone who is incredibly loyal to those she deems deserves it, but while she welcomes men into her bed, she works very hard to build up shields to protect her heart. But having spent the last seven years sparring with the Imperial General Gerard de Moireul, this may be a fight she can't win, when she impulsively kidnaps him to take part in a fae tournament.

I think I like Gerard a bit less than the adorable Felix. He's a bit too perfect and sure of himself (although, like Lorelei, he's spent years perfecting the shields that prevent anyone from getting too emotionally close to him, albeit for very different reasons), unlike the delightfully nerdy Felix. But I shouldn't hold that against him, since the distance that both protagonists have built around themselves is the emotional core of the book, and it's a pleasure to see both of them being teased apart by the other.

I wanted to see more of both the tournament that Lorelei enters them into, and into the two non-queens that she is close to - her cousin, Katrin, and lady in waiting, Ilse. They didn't get much to do, but shone when they were on the page. Oberon isn't the most interesting villain, but some of the challenges that we do get to see are quite interesting. I especially loved the one with the riddles and the giant, and how it worked to show how both protagonists had changed over the course of the book.

The emperor, Otto, who was a distant threat in the first book, is a much more immediately one here, and it feels like he's very much a villain for our times. He's weak, thin-skinned and pushing in the direction of ethnic cleansing at best, genocide at worst. Our heroes have thwarted him so far and I look forward to seeing how they continue to do so.

We get a tantalising glimpse into the final queen of our triumvirate here as well, with Ailana giving us some insight into her past and her connections with the emperor's family. I very much look forward to the final book in the series to find out where that goes.

While I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as its predecessor, that's purely because that book, with its library and nerdy protagonists, appealed to the same in me. But Lorelei and Gerard are also adorable, the story was strong (even if I might have wanted it to be a bit longer, to more fully flesh out the tournament and some side characters) and I look forward to the conclusion of what is proving to be a strong, pleasantly spicy, and really fun, trilogy.

Note: thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorelei of Balravia is a Fae Queen, allied with the other Queens of Villainy. She leaves glitter in her wake, has built a reputation as a seductress and rake, and loves nothing more than to tease her nemesis, high general Gerard de Moireul. Gerard has spent his entire life making up for his parents' treason, molding himself into the perfect, virtuous general. Lorelei and Gerard are forced to work together in a deadly Fae tournament, because they share one important piece of common ground: they are honor bound by their word.

This series continues to be a lot of fun! It's a perfect balance for me in the romantasy genre: the fantasy components are as critical to the plot as the romance is. The tone stays as light and flirty as Lorelei, held up with the starchy virgin general Gerard. I went into this with fairly high expectations having loved book one, and it's clear that fans of Burgis's style will love this one too.

While the book is the second in a series, if you are more interested in the romance, you could read this as a standalone. There are references to the characters in the first book, but the main plot components and the romance in Enchanting the Fae Queen stand on their own.

The audiobook is narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya, who captures the dynamic between flirty Lorelei and starchy Gerard really well. The worldbuilding is lightweight and well integrated, so a reader won't feel lost listening.

Thank you to Bramble for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC. Enchanting the Fae Queen is out 1/27/2026.

[Marie Grim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis is another delightful installment in the Queens of Villainy series.

In a similar format as the first book, EtFQ takes place immediately following the events of Seducing the Witch Queen, following Lorelei the half-Fae Queen of Balravia as she kidnaps Gerard de Moreuil, the Golden Beacon, famed general of the Serafin Empire - the very empire bent on crushing magical folk out of existence. She whisks them away to the magical land of Efaelan where her mother Morgana reigns. There they must compete in a magical tournament, working together to survive dangerous mazes, traps, and enchantments. As the danger grows, so does their trust and reliance on each other, as well as something else.

Written in 3rd person multi-POV with the POV alternating mainly between Lorelei and Gerard, we get to see events from both MCs perspective as well as copious amounts of backstory to flesh out their motivations and characters. I found some of the backstory to be a little too convenient in its capacity to be bonding - their childhood trauma is patently similarly and a little on the nose. Lorelei has depth and is interesting, though I will say I preferred the protagonist of book 1, Saskia, to her.

The romance had an excellent yearning quality with plenty of simmering tension as Lorelei and Gerard orbit each other. I’m very particular about the type of “spice” I consume; Burgis writes light spice quite well, with suggestion and shadow over blatant (and at times crude) statement. Some very popular tropes are present, with a twist on the “one bed”, “enemies-to-lovers” (but not what I would term a true enemies-to-lovers, more like adversaries with a hefty amount of pre-existing sexual tension), and “forced proximity.” I don’t think this is a trope-reliant book though, as the fantasy sub-plot does plenty of work rounding out the story.

One thing I really enjoy about these books is the friendship between the Queens and how it manifests. Opening up to friendship can be just as intimidating as starting a romantic relationship, and Burgis employs that deftly to enhance her characters’ arcs as they grow and develop.

All in all, I found it to be an extremely enjoyable, fun read, and would recommend to fans of romantic fantasy who enjoy light spice, lower stakes, and a sweet tone. I look forward to the next installment of the series and hope that Owlcrate continues with their hardcover special editions.

[lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

I was so happy to jump back into this world and I loved how this second book still had the cosy, comforting feel from the first book’s cosy library/alchemy setting while also being set in the whimsy fae world of deception and trials. And oh how I loved Felix and Saskia’s cameo, I just love those two so much 🥹

Lorelei and Gerard were such a fun couple of characters to read about. I loved their frenemy-to-lovers vibe, their flirty banter made me kick my feet and giggle, however…I do wish we had gotten a bit more of their seven-year history. It kind of felt like there was a lot of emotional build-up in that time, yet we were not privy to it. I just wanted a little more backstory and depth to their relationship to really feel the slow-burn development between them 🙂‍↕️

I also really liked Lorelei’s character development from the first book and i cannot wait to read Ailana’s book because that cliff hanger ending ?!? I simply cannot wait 🤭

[ChristineReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first book in The Queens of Villiany series and was excited to pick this book up! It was a fun cozy romance read, with some stakes but over all felt like a warm hug. I enjoyed watching these two come together and acknowledge the love and chemistry they have together.

We follow Queen Lorelei, the Fae queen in this one as she navigates challenges and competition in the Fae world, with Gerard, a general for a truly despicable human. As we follow them through challenges we learn more about them and the world in which our queens of Villianry reside. It was a fun chapter to our story, and it made me very excited for our next book. I can't wait to see what the author has in store, crossing my fingers for a sapphic romance there.

Overall, I enjoyed this and if you are looking for a low stakes, cozy, romance fantasy read I would recommend it. Thank you to the publisher for providing an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 Stars

[Stephanie Milner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this eARC!
Lorelei and Gerard's story is so cute! Lorelei is the Fae Queen of Balravia, one of the three Queens of Villiany, and she has a reputation for being a seductress who leaves a trail of broken hearts in her wake. The reality is that nobody really knows the real Lorelei, not even her closest allies, but all she wants is to protect her people and her friend's kingdoms. Gerard is the high general to the enemy and unlike Lorelei, his reputation is completely spotless. Lorelei decides that the only way to show Gerard that he is fighting from the wrong side is to kidnap him and having him go to the fae realm to compete in the fall tournament with her. As the tournament drags on, Gerard starts to question everything he though he knew about the Fae Queen, and he has to wonder if maybe she is right about which side of the war he should be fighting on.
I really enjoyed this book, and I loved getting more backstory on Lorelei. I can't wait to see what book 3 has in store for the three Queens of Villiany.

[M. Stevenson]

I have been looking forward to this book since the moment I finished Wooing the Witch Queen, and it didn't disappoint! I adored the dynamic between Gerard and Lorelei--they were such a perfect match for each other in ways I wasn't expecting. The next one can't come out soon enough for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

[Vi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so wonderful!
I devoured this. I cannot believe it ended so fast!
A cozy romance with a kidnapped, low stakes trial, and entertaining bantering!

The hint you get of the dynamic between Lorelei and Gerard is magnified 10 folds and it does not disappointed. Their chemistry is fire! Lorelei is amazing!

[Me, My Shelf, & I · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun, tropey, silly romance that very much felt tonally consistent with the first book in the series. Honestly still considering buying this and the first book in the series, but we'll see how I feel about book 3 when it comes out.

The audiobook was really well produced and it was very easy to dinstinguish all the characters by voice alone.

[Laura McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't enjoy it quite as much as the first one but still very entertaining. I'm very much looking forward to the 3rd book in the series!

[Nelly]

Please someone tell me this book is as good as the cover its gorgeousssssss <3

[Caitlin G]

Final rating: 3.5/5 Stars. I was given a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.

[hea booktubes]

DNF 43% by the time I got to this I no longer really wanted to read it. I am not a fan of a virtuous hero. Call it religious trauma but I want nothing to do with them.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good!!!! a fantastic sequel, continues the story from a whole new perspective. I loved seeing behind the facade and I cannot wait for book 3!! that epilogue!!!!

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I loved Wooing The Witch Queen, but I didnt gel with this one as much, unfortuntely.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Bramble, and Tor Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Enchanting the Fae Queen on January 27, 2026.

The Queens of Villainy are SO back, and better than ever. This time, we follow Lorelei, the mischievous and seductive fae queen who has a score to settle with the Empire's most fearsome general, the Golden Beacon. I love how Stephanie Burgis introduced this years-long rivalry between them, a game of cat and mouse that's heightened the tension and attraction between them even before Lorelei decided to kidnap Gerard.

And that tension only simmered even more as they fought side by side in the Tournament of Leaves. The close proximity, near-death experiences, and ability to let down walls and be vulnerable with one another brought the two even closer together. Lorelei, unlike her friend Saskia, keeps others out by being flippant and outrageous 24/7. But Gerard sees past her facade to the kind-hearted person underneath, and she sees the little boy who could never falter or step out of line after his parents were executed for treason. This is rivals to lovers in the best way, because only with each other can they show the best and worst of themselves.

I loved the expansion of the world in this book as well, with more emphasis on the Empire as a whole and the horrific policies they're about to enact that will limit the rights and freedoms of non-human creatures (like the fae). I can't wait to see the final conflict come to a head in the next book, and I appreciate the snippets and teasers we got of Ailana's story to come!

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - the writing was too ornate, and the characters far less charming than those in Wooing the Witch Queen. I'd say sophomore slump but this is only the second in a series, not the author's second book.

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one fell a bit flat for me, especially compared to the first book, which I really enjoyed. I found the story pretty boring overall, and the main characters went from “enemies” to declaring “I love you” in about ten pages; there just wasn’t any real buildup to their relationship. That said, the next book promises some things I’m excited about, so I’ll still be continuing the series.