Return of the Queen: Book Tour, Review & Giveaway

Return of the Queen (2)

About the Book:

Title: Return of the Queen

Author: Samantha Hastings

Publisher: Scribbling Pens

Release Date: October 2, 2023

Pages: 314

Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis:

Four royals.
Three countries.
Two wars.
One prophecy. 134719394

The Heir. Princess Elea should be the Queen of Urka, but her uncle usurped the throne while she was away in Sania. Is her small goddess gift enough to fullfill an ancient prophecy and save her throne?

The Spare. Princess Nora takes her cousin Elea’s place when they are captured by Captain Batard, the illegitimate son of the King of Kaul. She has been blessed with the strength of ten men, but can she survive?

The Captain. Gerard has known no home but the sea. His mother abandoned him and his royal relatives refuses to acknowledge him. He is nearly killed by one princess and gives his heart to the other.

The King. Matteo is the new King of Sania. He is willing to go to war to save the princess he loves, even if he doesn’t know her true feelings for him.

Review:

*I received an e-arc for review from the author. Thank you for the opportunity! All thoughts are my own*

I really enjoyed this fantasy by Samantha Hastings! This is not her typical genre, so I was super pumped to read this one. It has such a stunning cover, and I was pulled into the story right from the beginning. I loved the world building and the folklore and how Samantha tied everything together with so many original elements.

Two princesses named Eleanora, with the same goddess blessed purple hair.

Princess Elea is the heir, and should have been the Queen of Urka, but her uncle took the throne while she was away in Sania. Will her small gift from the goddess be enough to help her fulfill the prophecy and take back her throne?

Princess Nora is the spare and the cousin of Princess Elea. Nora takes her cousin’s place when they are captured by Captain Batard, the illegitimate son of the King of Kaul. She has been blessed by the goddess with the strength of ten men. Will it be enough?

Captain Batard has known no home but the sea. His mother abandoned him, and his royal relatives will not acknowledge him. He is nearly killed by one princess but gives his heart to the other.

Matteo is the new king of Sania. He is willing to go to war for the princess he loves, even if he doesn’t know if she loves him in return.

The four face many hardships as they fight battles for their lives, for their countries and for their freedom.

I loved the multiple points of view and getting to know each character and what made them tick. I got to know them well and enjoyed going on the journey with them. One of the best things about these characters is that they are all flawed, so it makes them more realistic. It was good to see the growth they each had throughout the story.

If you enjoy fantasy, folklore, found family, magic, action, adventure and a touch of romance you will want to pick this one up!

About the Author:

Samantha Hastings has degrees from Brigham Young University, the University of Reading (Berkshire, England), and the University of North Texas. She met her husband in a turkey-sandwich line. They live in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she spends most of her time reading, eating popcorn, having tea parties, and chasing her kids. She writes cozy mysteries under Samantha Larsen. 6927274._UX200_CR0,35,200,200_