Book Review: Unwilling Queen

• Book Blurb

  Colbie Karridge lives in the neutral zone and is perfectly happy running her bakery, creating delicious, sweet treats for both humans and shifters alike who venture into the shared area.
  Her life is simple, but she thought she was happy. Until now, she has forgone friendships and relationships with the opposite sex in the pursuit of success, but with that success comes the realisation that her life is empty. Sure, she has her mom, but her mom, an in-demand fashion designer, has managed to have friends and suitors as well as a booming business. Colbie wants that too.

  It’s the coronation year for the new shifter King or Queen, and both human and shifters are buzzing with excitement which spills over into the neutral zone. An early morning walk to the bakery and a surprise in the alley behind her shop, changes everything. Colbie’s life is never going to be the same again, and she may have bitten off way more than she can chew.

  Colbie Karridge lives in the neutral zone and is perfectly happy running her bakery, creating delicious, sweet treats for both humans and shifters alike who venture into the shared area.
  Her life is simple, but she thought she was happy. Until now, she has forgone friendships and relationships with the opposite sex in the pursuit of success, but with that success comes the realisation that her life is empty. Sure, she has her mom, but her mom, an in-demand fashion designer, has managed to have friends and suitors as well as a booming business. Colbie wants that too.

  It’s the coronation year for the new shifter King or Queen, and both human and shifters are buzzing with excitement which spills over into the neutral zone. An early morning walk to the bakery and a surprise in the alley behind her shop, changes everything. Colbie’s life is never going to be the same again, and she may have bitten off way more than she can chew.

• My review

  A very unexpected, very delightful 5-star read.

  Yes, the big reveal at the end is the kind “everyone saw coming,” and yes, book two wasn’t as strong for me (still a solid 4 stars), but this first installment? Fantastic.

  Worldbuilding & Setting

  I love fantasy kingdoms, and I was worried this would feel like too much—shifters + reverse harem + royalty—but surprisingly, it works. The world is engaging, easy to follow, and just intricate enough to feel immersive without slowing down the pacing.

  Also…multiple shifter types!

  That’s important to me because sometimes I’m in the mood for harems where everyone shifts into the same animal, but this one goes the opposite route. Each man has a distinct species, appearance, and vibe.

  And the harem is big.

  Like, 5+ men big.

  I am notoriously terrible with names, so I fully expected a struggle here, but it wasn’t confusing at all.

  Bonus: sword-crossing. Always a plus in RH.

  Plot & Pacing

  The first 50%? GOD-tier good.

  Colbie’s introduction, her bakery, her first interactions with the men, the cabin scene (you’ll know which one)…everything is paced fast, addictive, and packed with tension.

  There’s mystery too—why she’s drawn to them, what’s happening in the kingdom—and that blend kept me hooked.

  The second half is still very good, just not as electric as the beginning. But the book as a whole? Completely entertaining. I finished it and immediately jumped straight into book two without even standing up from my couch.

  Colbie as a Protagonist

  Colbie is fantastic.

  I’m a sucker for baker heroines—give me a café or a bakery and I’m already halfway in love with the FMC. Her sweets sounded so good that I actually wanted to try those marshmallows she kept describing.

  But more importantly, she reacts like a real human being would when her life gets turned upside down. That’s honestly my minimum requirement: don’t be TSTL (too stupid to live). And she isn’t! She’s cautious, reasonable, overwhelmed in believable ways. Maybe too realistic at times—I was internally yelling “girl hurry so we can get to the sex scenes”—but it made sense.

  The Men

  • Distinct appearances? Check.
  • Different shifter forms? Check.
  • Personalities that blur slightly but still work thanks to their animal identities? Check.
  • A little sword-crossing? Double check.

  They’re fun, varied, and easy to keep track of, which is rare for a large harem.

  A very unexpected, very delightful 5-star read.

  Yes, the big reveal at the end is the kind “everyone saw coming,” and yes, book two wasn’t as strong for me (still a solid 4 stars), but this first installment? Fantastic.

  Worldbuilding & Setting

  I love fantasy kingdoms, and I was worried this would feel like too much—shifters + reverse harem + royalty—but surprisingly, it works. The world is engaging, easy to follow, and just intricate enough to feel immersive without slowing down the pacing.

  Also…multiple shifter types!

  That’s important to me because sometimes I’m in the mood for harems where everyone shifts into the same animal, but this one goes the opposite route. Each man has a distinct species, appearance, and vibe.

  And the harem is big.

  Like, 5+ men big.

  I am notoriously terrible with names, so I fully expected a struggle here, but it wasn’t confusing at all.

  Bonus: sword-crossing. Always a plus in RH.

  Plot & Pacing

  The first 50%? GOD-tier good.

  Colbie’s introduction, her bakery, her first interactions with the men, the cabin scene (you’ll know which one)…everything is paced fast, addictive, and packed with tension.

  There’s mystery too—why she’s drawn to them, what’s happening in the kingdom—and that blend kept me hooked.

  The second half is still very good, just not as electric as the beginning. But the book as a whole? Completely entertaining. I finished it and immediately jumped straight into book two without even standing up from my couch.

  Colbie as a Protagonist

  Colbie is fantastic.

  I’m a sucker for baker heroines—give me a café or a bakery and I’m already halfway in love with the FMC. Her sweets sounded so good that I actually wanted to try those marshmallows she kept describing.

  But more importantly, she reacts like a real human being would when her life gets turned upside down. That’s honestly my minimum requirement: don’t be TSTL (too stupid to live). And she isn’t! She’s cautious, reasonable, overwhelmed in believable ways. Maybe too realistic at times—I was internally yelling “girl hurry so we can get to the sex scenes”—but it made sense.

  The Men

  • Distinct appearances? Check.
  • Different shifter forms? Check.
  • Personalities that blur slightly but still work thanks to their animal identities? Check.
  • A little sword-crossing? Double check.

  They’re fun, varied, and easy to keep track of, which is rare for a large harem.

Character & romance details

Who will love this book

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