The Queen: A Primal Bride Hunt Dark Romantasy

by Lana Pecherczyk

Genres: Dark, Fantasy Romance

196 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

Lana lives in Perth, Western Australia and loves writing Paranormal/ Fantasy and Sci-fi Romance. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her creating art and designing book covers. She also fights evil by moonlight, wins love by daylight and never runs from a real fight.

Reviews

[The Bou · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings which is a lot for this author I adore.

To be honest I found the whole thing messy and confusing…
I loved the idea of the labyrinth and the hunt but got confused with all the brides, why so many??? Why not one every year something like that.
Also, no one knows she is a Queen but when the Huntsman dropped her at the monastery he didn’t tell anyone ??

So the MFC has been in this monastery learning how to please a man (🙄)for 10 years but is still a Virgin and the MMC knows where she is and is keeping watch over her but still enjoyed himself (« I live a little »)… so basically you know where the love of your life is but still decided to f*** other women??

I think the book wanted to be feminist with the all « I kneel for no one » but it was just messy and a lot of repetitions.
Will see the others

[Rachel’s Coffee & Rain Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was actually pretty entertaining! A ton of story packed into less than 200 pages. Warning: the world here is DARK. Think Handmaids Tale but the commanders hunt the women in a gothic labyrinth and claim them there by any means necessary. It’s grotesque and difficult to read at times.

The characters here were pretty complex and multilayered given the length of the book. Flori was fierce, defiant in a world that punishes women who push back. She refuses to accept her circumstances but is smart enough to wait for her moment to strike. She never stopped loving her childhood best friend Dray who was killed by the Huntsman who took her away to be a bride.

When she volunteers for the labyrinth and is saved from a hunter by The Hunstman, a twisted adventure of violence, lust, and hope that what was lost is maybe found begins. You get the full range of emotions in this one, with a lovely dose of feminine rage. The spice is 🥵. The heartache physically hurts. Thankfully it’s a short standalone so you don’t have to wait too long in agony. I wanted even more HEA just because I did love these two together. But the flashbacks?? I’m a sucker for childhood loves becoming adult loves and when we get those warm memories? 🥹🥹🥹

Pretty dang good and I’ll definitely be checking out the others in this series.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But to each other, we're still just a boy and a girl with dreams in our eyes."

Lana's usual amazing characters and world-building. Gave me Fae Guardian vibes with the dystopian/post-apocalyptic setting. Loved Drayven and Flori's childhood friendship that blossomed even though she thought he was dead and he knew he could not be with her. Did not pick the twist about who the Baron was! Flori is a QUEEN for the reversal of the "eyes on me" line. Love how much was packed into such a short read. Can't wait to read the other books in this collab.

I received an eARC of this book in March 2025 as part of Lana Pecherczyk's Patreon subscription. All thoughts and opinions are my own and written with honesty.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this one! it's a dark, twisted type of world and confusing at times, but the love and romance and spice between Flori and Dray was really cute and sweet.

Personally I found the whole world interesting if a bit confusing at times. the whole vesper thing was intriguing but I wanted to see it more fleshed out - is the goddess still around? who keeps the girls there and why. if there are hunters, why only one huntsman, what does the trickster god get out of this (we should see a romance for him tbh), the ending while good felt a little too perfect for the world it's set in etc

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yuck!

I really wanted to like it because I love this author's books, but it was not for me. It was a little perverse. When girls start their cycles, they go to an institution or school to learn to please men by hands on experience, or mouth on experience. Just to get thrown into a maze so men can hunt and "grape" them. Some girls die and some become the wife of their attacker.

The FMC hates the Huntsman who abducted her and all the other girls from their homes and drops them off at the institute. He helps her while she's in the maze.

It was just all icky to me.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story by Lana and I am looking forward to the other books in this trilogy. It was super entertaining and hooked me right from the start.

[Athena, the goddess of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think of the three stories this one was my favorite! Seeing how loyal were Flori and Dray to each other and how love conquers all, it was worth all the road there.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, loved the characters and the story line. So existed to see where this series goes next