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The Once and Future Queen

On sale

29th January 2026

Price: £20

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Selected: Hardcover / ISBN-13: 9781399745994

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‘The fresh takes on legendary characters and propulsive plot twists make this a page-turner … an original and fascinating take on the romance of Arthur and Guinevere’ Kirkus (starred review)

Sometimes legends don’t tell the whole story.

After the sudden death of her boyfriend, Vera is content to fade into the background-scrubbing sheets and cleaning bathrooms in a Glastonbury hotel. But when a mysterious guest reveals himself as Merlin and whisks her back to seventh-century Camelot, everything changes. He insists she’s not just Vera-she’s Guinevere, and only she can undo the curse draining the kingdom’s magic and save Camelot from the will of a power-hungry mage.

There’s just one problem: Vera remembers nothing of her past life. And with Camelot teetering on the edge of collapse, time is running out.

As Merlin works to restore her memories, Vera uncovers a tangled history of betrayal, power, and heartbreak. Why does King Arthur recoil at her presence? What truly happened the night the curse was cast? And why does every answer feel like it’s tearing her in two?

In a kingdom built on legend, Vera must decide who she is-before the past destroys the future.


Readers LOVE La Vie de Guinevere:

‘Prepare to have Arthurian retellings ruined for you because THIS version is the one true Queen!’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

OH MY GOSH…. I am going to need 5-7 business days to fully process the work of art that this Camelot retelling/time-travel/magical realism/romantasy epic ‘
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WOW. JUST WOW. HOLY CRAP. I AM A WRECK RN. THIS WAS SO GOOD 😭’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Actually sobbing right now because I finished this book and I’m so sad I’ll never get to read it for the first time again’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am so enamored with this book. It is the King Arthur legend retelling I’ve been waiting for my whole life’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘THIS BOOK IS PERFECT’
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reviews

Lafferty successfully weaves together multiple genres in this story of King Arthur's time as seen through the eyes of a modern-day Guinevere. Like Vera, the reader does not have to be an expert on Arthurian legend to follow the story. The fresh takes on legendary characters and propulsive plot twists make this a page-turner that will leave readers hoping for a sequel. An original and fascinating take on the romance of Arthur and Guinevere
Kirkus (Starred Review)
Paula Lafferty crafts a unique and deeply romantic take on Arthurian legend with a modern twist. The Once and Future Queen brings readers along on an empowering, whimsical adventure into the mythical and magical past, through the courts of King Arthur and the beauty of the English landscape, with the relatable Vera as their guide
Marielle Thompson, author of The Last Witch in Edinburgh

The Lives of Guinevere