Rate 3 ⭐️

Never the Roses took me by surprise. I went in blind, expecting a typical romantasy, but found a cozy witchy, dark world-building, and mature characters. The book is slow-paced, with a focus on magic, mental games, and banter - no action-packed battles here. The isolated FMC's thoughts and feelings take center stage. I didn't get invested in the romance until the final stretch, when the banter and plot gained momentum. Sadly, the slow pace made the ending feel rushed.

Thank you NetGalley, and the author for sending me this copy!

While the first part of the book is a bit slower paced, this is where we meet Oneria after she walks away from her Queen and all the war and destruction she has been a part of. She has built a sanctuary for herself and relishes being alone, walking her dreamscape, gardening, and hanging with the animals that have made their way to her home.

Once she realizes she is missing something and decides she is going to look for it in Stearanos' library, the pace picks up. I loved the banter between them, and the crazy chemistry when they were in the same room, and you know, one of them wasn't unconscious. It was fun, emotional, with amazing world-building and cool magic. And while the way it ended fully works, I really hope we get a sequel. I know they've got a bit more adventure left in their story, and I hope we see them again.

Don't be fooled! Never The Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert is actually a cozy fantasy 🥹🩷

Do you want to be a cottage witch that gardens and steals books from your rival (I mean, who doesn't)?! Well then, here is my book rec for you! There is also a wolf and a MAGICAL CAT.

A.

Magical.

Cat.

The end.

I feel like I did not expect to fall in love this book the way I did. I think that, reading the word war in the blurb made me expect more a focus on the war aspect, but this book is more driven by Oneira and Stearanos, their correspondence and it is quite interesting to see them both as two people on different sides of a war, but also two people so similar.
Oneira and Stearamos were the driving force of the book, and I absolutely fell in love with them. They got me feeling all sorts of ways, and I just adored seeing them discover each other and fall for each other. I also did not expect to feel so many emotions, but this book got me feeling everything. And the world and magic was quite interesting, and I wouldn’t be against seeing more of it.
Overall, I really loved it, and I look forward to seeing what Jennifer K. Lambert will bring us next. I will definitely check out what she releases next.

While I enjoyed this book, I found it very slow moving. The last 20% was amazing, but the first half of the book was very hard to get into. It took me a while to read, because I kept getting distracted and wanting more to happen in the story. I would love a follow-up novella about the ending, though!

I loved this book so much up until the last couple chapters. The setting and characters (EXCEPT TRISTAN) were delightful and engaging. The magic system was interesting and I appreciated how our two main characters balanced so well. Oneira and Stearnos both have so much trauma they're carrying and watching them help each other heal was so tender. Such a beautiful story but the ending was frustrating.

This is a contemplative novel about two sorcerers forced to use their magic in service to their sovereigns in battle. They've never faced each other because their countries used them in a sort of mutually assured destruction strategy. But as this book opens, Oneira has managed to pay off her debt and has retired to a secluded house where she spends a part of every day decorating her funeral bier. (So she's dealing with some PTSD, OK? At least she's not massacring civilians anymore...)

But as the months go by, maybe she's healing a bit; maybe she's making friends with her nemesis, Stearanos. Maybe MORE than friends...

ROMANCE READERS BE WARNED: this is a tragedy, not a romance. (Although the tragic end is maybe a tiny bit ambiguous?) I did really like the book, which surprised me a bit since there's not a ton of plot. If you are more of a fantasy reader than a romance reader, or if you're one of those people who argues that romantasy doesn't need an HEA, then I think you'd like this one.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Oneira, the Dread Sorceress, a name whispered with terror across kingdoms. After countless victories for her ambitious queen, she has chosen exile, seeking a desolate peace where mountains meet the sea. Accompanied only by a wolf, a kestrel, and a loyal cat, Oneira isn't just seeking quietude; she's contemplating the end of her own existence, believing her death would usher in a truly better world.
But Oneira, for all her weariness, still possesses a spark of curiosity. This leads her on a reckless, forbidden journey to the vast, legendary library of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos. It's here, amidst ancient tomes, that fate intervenes in the most unexpected way: a seemingly innocuous book on rare roses catches her eye. This stolen botanical text becomes the unlikely catalyst for a relationship that defies logic and challenges everything Oneira thought she knew about love, rivalry, and herself.
The heart of Never the Roses lies in the blossoming correspondence between Oneira and Stearanos. What begins as taunting notes and clever retorts quickly deepens, revealing an intellectual and emotional connection neither has ever found. However, their budding relationship is threatened by an insidious reality: Stearanos is bound to a vile king, and war is brewing – a war against the very queen Oneira once served. The tension becomes palpable as Oneira is forced to confront the impossible choice between the peace she craves and the intoxicating allure of the only person who truly understands her.
Overall, this is a truly unique read, filled with character-driven fantasy, nuanced relationships, and a touch of bittersweet realism.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm sorry; I just couldn't get on board with this. The writing style annoyed me to no end, and at times, it was downright confusing. Nothing happened in the beginning for SO LONG. A lot of info dumping in circles that didn't really lead to much. I feel the author needs to learn about how to SHOW rather than TELL. I pushed through thinking it would get better, but there's not a ton I liked about this book.

Never the Roses surprised me in the best way. It’s dark, emotional, and full of that eerie fairytale energy. The writing is haunting and poetic, and the themes of grief, memory, and identity are handled with care. It’s got a slow, dreamy pace, so it’s more about mood than action, but if you love atmospheric reads with a touch of magic and melancholy, this one’s for you.

I was immediately swept away into the dreamy, evocative, fairytale feeling of this book. Oneira's exhaustion and despair after a lifetime of war-mongering came through clearly, and her choice to isolate from all living things made so much sense. I loved watching her come into her new life slowly as she began speaking to Stearanos, but all along, I felt a sense of creeping dread. The atmosphere of the book is so well done, bringing the reader along a bittersweet journey with the two main characters.

🖤🌹💜 Never The Roses ARC Review 💜🌹🖤

Thank you so much to Jennifer K Lambert and Bramble romance for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Never the Roses is a romantic fantasy novel and the first book in this fantasy series. After fighting endless wars, the Dread Sorceress Oneira is retired and bored. To liven things up a bit, she decides to steal a book from the most extensive library in the world. However, this library is in enemy territory and the theft unexpectedly connects her and Stearanos, her most powerful rival, in ways neither of them expected. Can they both overcome the differences between them??

This was such a fun read. Oneira and Stearanos were wonderful characters and i really enjoyed their evolution from rivals, to tentative allies, to friends and eventually more. I really enjoyed that this story focused on the communication between the MCs while intertwining the politics of the world without feeling overwhelming. This was a really interesting world and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the magic system.

Overall this was a wonderful 5 star read! I really liked these characters and the beginning of their story. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series! This book has some potential triggers, so please check if you’re sensitive. This book was a slow burn but had a few moments throughout, so two flames for spice

If you’re a fan of fantasy romance with rivals to lovers, intelligent banter and opposites attract vibes, then absolutely pick this one up!

“You have bewitched me, sorceress, body and soul, and I’m in love with you.”

This book was everything I didn’t know I needed cozy and brutal, & quiet yet emotionally explosive. Never the Roses is a slow-burn fantasy that delivers.

The tension?. The banter?. The emotional damage? Irreparable (in the best way).

If you love:
🖤 Slow burn rivals-to-lovers
🖤 Enemies writing each other letters
🖤 Animal companions
🖤 Redemption arcs and morally gray pasts
🖤 Cozy magic and poetic writing

Then run, don’t walk, to add this to your TBR. The ending left me breathless, ruined, and BEGGING for a sequel. Jennifer K. Lambert is one to watch.

This was such a beautiful and romantic fantasy that ended up being a lot more cozy than I expected. I loved the playful banter between Oneira and Stearanos, especially in the letters left for one another before they met. If you’re looking for a book that will punch you in the gut at the end, you need to pick this one up. I really hope that we get more to this story and [spoiler] can save [spoiler] and have a happier ending. That being said, the ending was still perfect and really worked well.

The audiobook on this one was so good, bringing to life both Oenira and Stearanos from their different POVs.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I went into this novel blind not even reading the synopsis. I was pleasantly surprised to have this read to be a cozy and heartfelt romance with political intrigue, magic and star-crossed lovers.

Oniera was a different FMC than the ones usually in Romantasy novels. She is a strong sorceress but chooses to live in isolation. She has a love-hate relationship with humans but her morals for good win in the end.

Thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: 4⭐️/5

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

I love the writing style and the story!

There is magic, sorcery, animal companions, deities, enchanted books, banter, and my absolute favorite Rivals to Lovers!

A witch that had retired from the endless wars, she deserved her peace and quiet; she has accepted that her end is near but finds a reason to live.

I love how persistent he is!!! He knows what he wants and is not afraid to go for it!

This book was so captivating I couldn’t stop reading!!

Miss Kennedy just know that you have enlarged my vocabulary (something that has not happened in a while since I do read a lot) and have made me addicted to your writing!!! Can’t wait to read more of your books 💜

I need book 2!!!!! That ending was brutal! You can’t leave me like this!😱🥲

“Sometimes rows of days passed when she didn’t venture outside, instead reading her books by the fire”

“You drive me crazy, Oneira. You fascinate me. I am interested and aroused. I want more.”

“You have bewitched me, sorceress, body and soul, and I’m in love with you.”

𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘩𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This book is soft and prickly at the same time much like a Veredean rose. I loved Oneira mainly because she’s old, cranky and done playing wizard Hunger Games for royalty and just wants to vibe with her magical pets and grow a mythical rose. She named her wolf Bunny (epic), and her hobbies include dream walking, passive-aggressively stealing from libraries, and emotionally confusing rival sorcerers. I do wish their back-and-forth had started earlier, like let them flirt through dream-theft in chapter two, please. Tristan was that prickly thorn you can’t get rid of; I wanted the animals to break Oneira’s no harming human things order for him. He had the energy of a guy who shows up late and still somehow makes everything worse.

I’ll be honest, the pacing tested my patience at times. I wanted the romance tension to kick in sooner and for the plot to do a little less wandering... And the ending? RUDE. I’m still salty. Either give me closure or announce a sequel and hand me a stress toy.

But in between the slow parts, there were moments that hit so hard. 10/10, will always be a sucker for magical enemies-to-maybe lovers via petty notes and stolen books.

Would I recommend it? Yes, but with a soft warning: it’s a cozy little fantasy that takes its sweet time. Go in for the vibes and the pining, not the action. Bonus points if you're also tired, dramatic, and just want to hang out with magical animals and flirt via dreams.

Thank you NetGalley, Tor & Bramble and Jennifer K Lambert for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Never The Roses is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant fantasy that follows Oneira, a once-feared sorceress who has exiled herself in quiet, guilt-ridden retirement after her involvement in the brutal wars of men. The story is less about battle and more about the scars left behind on lands and on people, and especially on the soul of a woman who once wielded incredible power to free herself from the burdens of war.

Now, in quiet solitude she begins to seek meaning and finds herself amongst the shelves of her former rival, Stearanos and begins a mischievous correspondence with him through notes hidden in the pages of his beloved books. A budding romance forms between the two of them as they discover that they are more alike than they ever realized.

Lambert’s prose is lush and immersive, and the dream traveling elements add a surreal, poetic texture. The emotional stakes feel grounded, even as the plot grows in scale and especially when Oneira is faced with the possibility of returning to war to defend the queen and land she once served.

This story is one of grief, and the search for meaning after destruction. It's quietly thrilling and emotionally devastating and took me from the high's of love, happiness and meaning, to the low's of death, destruction and loss. This is one of the most beautiful stories I have read all year and I highly recommend this powerful and introspective read to anyone who finds themselves seeking the questions and answers.

Read this series if you like:
▪️Animal Companions
▪️Sorcerer x Sorceress
▪️Connection Through Letters
▪️Morally Grey Pasts
▪️Slow Burn Rivals to Lovers
▪️Cozy Cottagecore Vibes
▪️Banter
▪️Dual POV, 3rd Person
▪️A Multidimensional FMC
▪️A Tender, Sweet Romance
▪️Regret and Redemption
▪️Dreamwalking Magic

While the beginning is slower, once the plot is set, I was reeled in. I did dive into this one without somewhat blindly as it had been awhile since I read the blurb, so I didn’t know what to expect - now that I have finished it, the beginning pace fit the vibe of the story. Pick this one up when you’re wanting something a little less action-y and fast-paced. Overall this was a cozy, poetic story with some minor dark tones underneath.

Here’s some of the things I loved about it/that stood out to me -

-The letters: watching them transition as the book goes on their connection grows

-Oneira’s comments about being done with society and their petty squabbles and pointless wars. So done in fact that she creates a little sanctuary for herself to run away from it all. Same, girl, same. I love that for you.

-Oneira’s ornery pettiness: I internally giggled when Oneira purposely put his book back on the shelf upside down, among many of her other attempts to metaphorically 'flick him in the nose'

-There would be times where I would have to remind myself how powerful she is (or she would in her past reflections) because she simultaneously exhibits opposing qualities of softness and kindness - even her love for a small, quiet life alone contrasted how powerful main characters are usually portrayed. It was a nice reminder that a woman can be all those things and more.

-While the story is character-driven, the depth of those characters makes up for it, and in my opinion that is the whole point of the story with the underlying themes.

Oh, this was lovely! The writing was lush without being too much, and I appreciated the emotional depth and variety that was touched on. Plus I'm a sucker for an animal companion.