🌹New Book Release!🌹

I was so thankful to @netgalley, @torbooks and most of all @jenniferk.lambert , author of this emotionally devastating romantasy, for sending me an e-ARC of Never the Roses!

Synopsis:

🌹The powerful sorceress Oneira has retired, weary from years of serving royalty in endless wars.

🌹She expects death soon and lives in solitude—except for a mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a magic-infused cat and bird.

🌹Bored and restless, she impulsively visits the world’s largest library—owned by her longtime rival, Stearanos.

🌹She steals a book, triggering an unexpected secret correspondence between her and Stearanos.

🌹Through witty letters, they develop a rare connection neither has found before.

🌹Oneira discovers Stearanos is now serving a cruel king preparing to attack the queen she once fought for.

🌹Though a relationship with him is dangerous, she’s drawn to him—and can’t stay away.

🌹Their bond could either reignite her will to live… or lead to her ruin.

Thoughts:

While the start is slow, once the library trips start and the witty banter between Oneira and Stearanos “Em” began, I was captivated.

Their relationship is so gentle and sweet, which contrasts so much with the fact that they both are such powerful beings. I love that they are able to relate to each other because they have had to do horrible things for these rulers who literally owned them and yet they still hold onto their humanity.

And the ending— I bawled! Picture me in the middle of the night laying in bed with my left arm elevated on a pillow feeling like crap because I’ve been sick on top of having surgery. With tears streaming down my face, trying to be quiet because my girlfriend is asleep next to me. I haven’t been this broken hearted over a book in ages!

I want to see artwork of Oneira’s white castle on a cliff over the pink sands below and gardens outside the doors with her wolf, cat, and bird trailing behind her like shadows.

3🌶️
Author: @jenniferk.lambert
Publisher: @brambleromance
Release Day: July 8, 2025

What a tragic little standalone read 😭

So my thoughts are a little all over for this book but honestly. Initially I was just bored and did not understand the purpose of this book if I’m being honest. I thought the FMC was just alright and this was just about to be a story about a retired sorceress in her garden. But I was wrong lol.

While this book was about that, it also had more depth than I expected and truly was just a story about a woman who needed to heal after heartbreak that was forced upon her. It was about a woman who had felt alone her entire life and needed to find herself in the quiet, but also just really needed a friend. Which brings me to our MMC who I did truly love.

The fact that they were told their entire lives they were mortal enemies, even thought they had never even met each other, just to eventually meet in their older age and then fall in love 😭 truly pulled on my heart strings and their tragic ending together omg I was not expecting it.

While this book did feel slow at times and unrealistic with the romance, it truly was a heartwarming story and pulled on my heart strings.

Thank you to Bramble Romance, Tor Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!

What starts off feeling like a quiet, almost whimsical story becomes a cozy fantasy with emotional depth and unexpected stakes. Never the Roses is a slow burn in every way, both in pacing and character connection, and it absolutely leans into that strength.

Oneira and Stearanos are among the most powerful magic users in the world, but the heart of the story begins with something as simple as boredom. Oneira, out of curiosity and a spark of mischief, begins a game with Stearanos that slowly shifts into mutual respect and something more. I really enjoyed how their relationship built itself out of intellect, challenge, and time. The chemistry isn’t loud, but it is earned.

The pacing is slow and steady. It takes its time setting the stage, letting the characters breathe, and easing the reader into a world that doesn’t rush to impress. Some may want more speed or high-impact moments, but the charm here is in the quiet build. The stakes exist, but they are more emotional than explosive.

Where this book really shines is in the world building and magic. The abilities feel both natural and creative, with clever twists that made the magic feel fresh. There is an elegance to the system and a strong sense that the world has history even if it isn’t all spelled out. It is the kind of world that invites curiosity without overwhelming the reader.

If you are looking for a fast-paced, action-heavy read, this might not hit those marks. But if you are in the mood for something rich in atmosphere, full of smart and powerful characters, and a romance that unfolds with care, Never the Roses delivers a thoughtful and cozy fantasy experience.

Never the Roses is a beautiful, lyrical romantasy that feels more like a character study than a plot-driven fantasy - and I really enjoyed that. I loved Oneira’s quiet strength and how her connection with Stearanos developed slowly and intentionally; there’s so much tension and vulnerability in their dynamic. The themes of grief, guilt, and healing were woven into the romance in a way that really brought the story together.

The beginning was a bit slow, and some of the repetition around Oneira’s past made it harder to stay fully engaged early on. However, once the story found its rhythm, I was fully invested. I appreciated how introspective and grounded the story felt. If you enjoy fantasy with a softer, more reflective tone and character-centered storytelling, this is one to check out!

This is a book about struggling to live with yourself and what you've done, particularly when you were powerless to do otherwise. The main character, Oneira, spent much of her life in forced indenture, bound to use her considerable power in service to the ruler of the land. She eventually managed to buy her freedom—but the job that paid her enough to finally do so left a deep psychological scar. When we meet her, she has removed herself from the human world and determined to live as a hermit, harming no one and nothing, in a search for redemption. She builds herself a remote citadel complete with a byre for use when she chooses and spends her days reading and making soup and tending to her garden.

And then her isolation is interrupted the arrival of a mythical wolf who follows her home one day like a lost dog; a goddess's hunting companion in the form of a hawk; and the physical embodiment of magic in the form of a cat. They seem drawn to her and Oneira understands they have their own reasons for coming to her and lets them stay (somewhat grudgingly at first). The companionship begins to change her, making her less resigned to the life she has built and the byre, so that when she realises she has run out of books (I shudder at the thought) she decides to acquire more. That decision leads her to her rival, Stearanos's, library where she steals a book on a rare kind of rose. After reading it, she is intrigued; she steals yet another book, but also goes to steal some of the roses, which are very difficult to cultivate. The project of growing them and the prospect of seeing the rare roses bloom renews her will to live.

Through the epistolary conversation that starts with her stealing her Stearanos's books, she finds a kindred spirit in the one man who could understand her world-weariness and a beautiful, unlikely relationship—forged in their shared experiences and deep understanding of each other's emotional baggage—takes root.

This book has more interiority than most books, and a lot of the 'action' is in Oneira's and Stearanos's worldview and sense of hope for the future. If you really want an action-packed fantasy or a steamy romance, this isn't the book for you. But if you know what it's like to feel burnt out, it is very easy to relate to.

A bit darker than I expected from a cozy fantasy, but I enjoyed nonetheless. Both of the main characters were complex well written characters that were easily to root for despite the flaws and obstacles in their way. They didn't follow the typical fantasy main characters and I found it refreshing to see older characters with the baggage that would come with that. The world building was easy enough to follow and I thought the magic and society set up were utterly unique. The vibes of this book remind me more of the Emily Wilde series than a typical cozy fantasy, and I think that would be a better set up to find the right readers. This world is fascinating and with the vague ending I hope to see more as a series, and definitely more from the author.

Jennifer K. Lambert's writing is so beautiful. The story that she tells is so poetic.

This book is about two powerful sorcerers that have been fighting for opposing sides for a long time. A chance encounter between the two blossoms into a slow-burn romance in a world where they can't exist together.

I loved the magic and magical creatures in this world, I was emotionally attached to the main characters, and the story that was told was epic.

I can't wait for Jennifer's next book.

2.5 rounded up. I fear I’m not the ideal audience for this book but thats ok!!

This book follows Oneria, a sorceress who has just retired from her duties serving the queen and is looking forward to a peaceful, solitary life. She gets bored one day and decides to travel through a dream (she can dream walk, put others to sleep, etc) to her nemesis’ Stearanos’ (Em for short) library. She steals a book from him on how to grow a very specific type of rose, and she decides to try and give it a shot. She continues to tease Em by putting him to sleep & visiting his library. They leave notes for each other until one day Em figures out it is Oneria visiting him. This is a biiiig issue as sorcerers are not supposed to interact with one another, and the prince that is in control of Em is looking to invade Oneria’s former queen’s territory as she is now without her lead sorceress for protection. Oneria and Em have to toe a fine line between serving their rulers, or going after what they truly want.

I think this book just went WAY over my head. I didn’t really understand the whole plot line with the roses, with Tristan (I cringe), or anything about the three mystical animals that join Oneria at the beginning of the book. I’m not sure if they are all symbolic of something, but if so, it was way too complex for me to follow. I got a bit lost at times with the flow of the wording (again, slightly complex & poetic at times) and the pacing. I also was just wholly uninterested in the characters or anything happening in the book. I was unable to form any sort of bond that would keep me hooked & wanting to read more.

This is definitely a more cozy fantasy, character development driven book. The romance was there, but seemed a bit forced. The ending was also slightly anticlimactic and not very high stakes. This is not the typical kind of fantasy i prefer, but I’m happy I gave it a go!

It took until about 60% for this to feel like it had a plot and not just the ramblings of a character’s day to day life. There was little development in plot and character growth.

There is so much potential for a storyline about a powerful sorceress, who can dream walk and has taken down whole continents, looking to redeem herself morally. Along with a powerful sorcerer who is still bound to an opposing kingdom trying to find his own freedom and stop a war.

The “relationship” between the two just didn’t have any oomph behind it nor did it have any development. It went from “forbidden and we can’t do this” to “I love you and can’t live without you” in a blink of an eye.

I don’t normally rag on a book like this but I was bored and waiting for something to actually happen. When something did happen, all I could think was “this was it?”

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for giving me an early copy to read. All opinions are my own.

Never The Roses simultaneously lifted my heart up and shattered it into a million pieces, but I loved every moment. The story and our FMC, Oneira, immediately captured me and held me as a willing hostage to the very last word... and even beyond as I'll be thinking about this book for a long time after! The MMC, Stearanos, was perfection personified (An endearment I think his perfectionist self would appreciate!).
This book gave off subtle You've Got Mail and Anne Of Green Gables vibes... how could I NOT love this book?!

This was beautifully devastating. Oneira is a sorceress, in self imposed exile, alone but for the animals who keep her company. When she's set upon by not only one but two visitors, everything she's known changes in the blink of an eye.

I loved the way we gradually got more tidbits of information about Oneira, and seeing her realize the truth of things after meeting Stearanos. He's been completely entranced by her, no sorcery needed. I really liked the way that we see them collapse into what they want with each other, as if it's been inevitable the whole time.

I’m sad to say I could not make it through this book. Maybe if I was listening to the audiobook, I would’ve found it easier to digest, but the language is incredibly dense. I found it very difficult to understand overall, and unfortunately, the verbiage never got easier to follow. I feel like fantasy novels are already complex as it is, but I felt like I was trying to decipher what the author was trying to say the whole time. The pacing felt slow and, as a result, I wasn’t drawn in to the story. It takes a lot for my to DNF a book, but I just wasn’t as consumed by the story as I expected to be.

Sadly this is the first time I've had to DNF a book in a long time. I was really intrigued by the premise and was super excited to read it but I could not get behind the writing style of this book. I often found myself very confused and had to reread full pages. There are moments where the writing is beautifully descriptive but sadly it can also get too descriptive to the point that my ADHD brain would stop focusing. I love a descriptive book but I felt that the description was misplaced and more focused on random elements than on the important parts of the narrative. After about 50 pages I was still finding myself struggling to be invested in the story.

Lastly, I think the dour disposition of the main character also made it difficult for me to want to follow along with her story. For all of these reasons I had to DNF this book and it gets a 1 star from me.

Thank you NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Bramble for the eARC

Do some of your favorite books include The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, The Sandman, and The Last Unicorn? Then do I have a book for you.

Oneira is a sorceress, now retired. After buying off her contract by fighting in countless wars, all she wants is solitude. Then she finishes all the books she has. One day, on a whim, she sneaks into the vast library of her arch rival, the sorcerer Stearanos Stormbreaker, and steals a book. This kicks off a chain of correspondence between the two sorcerors, which evolves into much more…

This is easily one of my top reads of the year and then some. I have a small list of timeless gems that I recommend widely, and this will likely become one of them. While I can use some tropes to describe the book (slow burn, enemies to lovers, etc.), those are ultimately insufficient for describing it. This is a book that transcends tropes. It’s a lovely, lyrical story with a wistful, melancholy tone that instantly reminded me of Patricia McKillip’s The Forgotten Beasts of Eld and Peter Beagle’s The Last Unicorn.

Highly recommended.

This was a cozy fantasy with such a sweet vibe, about a forbidden love between the most powerful sorcerer and sorceress in this world, and where harmless teasing starts to lead to a deep love and devotion that could also end in destruction.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Bramble for this digital e-arc.*

First thank you to TOR publishing and netgalley for the eARC!

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this book, I have very mixed emotions and I'm not sure how to rate it.

I've seen this book come up as an anticipated read of the year in many places so I was excited for this book, and based on the description of the book I thought this would be 2 sorcerers with a war between their king and queen and an enemies to lovers, forbidden love in time of war etc.

It was, but it also wasn't. There was talk of this war, he helps plan the war, but there is no action, no battles, no war happening in the book when I was expecting at least some action. It is just a forbidden love story with some talk of a war. If you go in knowing that you may not be disppointed like I was.

Putting those feelings aside and what you do get is a unique story of a retired sorceress who dream walks and finds herself in her enemies library and borrows a book which starts a correspondence between them which turns to more. The world and character building was really good, very descriptive and the book is very focused on the story of the 2 characters and their life and story. She also has an unexpected visitor who I found annoying and feel like he was just was there to cause some tension between the FMC and MMC. She also has 3 magical creatures for some reason, they find her early in the book but they don't actually have much to do with the story at all, im not sure why she needed 3 magic creatures, 1 would have had the same impact as 3.

I also found the story a little slow at times but the banter of the 2 main characters was cute and the story was unique and the end I did get a little teary as I did not expect that ending.

Oneria is a sorceress who was in the service of the queen. After securing her freedom and retirement, she isolates herself to come to terms with what she has done. Through a series of events, she finds herself with two visitors.

I enjoyed this book. It is written fairly well but is a little slow for me in the first few chapters.

It’s hard for me to write a fair review for this story because I don’t think I was really in the mood for this type of book when I read it. With that being said, it is very well written in my opinion, but more of a slow burn, romantic fantasy and not nearly as dark as I would typically read. I loved that there weren’t an abundance of unnecessary secondary characters and the ones that we do meet, definitely amp up the angst in the storyline. I would definitely read this again, likely via audiobook.

3.5 stars rounded up and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s exhausted from fighting the endless wars of kings and queens, and has long accepted that her death is near. Alone at last but for a few uninvited companions―a near-mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a feline that embodies magic itself―Oneira realizes that she’s bored. On a whim, or perhaps at the behest of fate, she makes an unlikely trip to the most extensive library in existence: the home of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.

Up until around the 30% mark, I was ready to DNF. The story was so slow and honestly SO damn boring. I could not get into the story.

But once Oneira and Stearanos met up and started talking to each other? Boom, off to the races. Their love was so good! Their banter? 10/10. I really loved the conversations of what war does to a person and the affect it has on not only the person's psyche but the world as a whole. There is no ethical way to "retire" from warmongering, but any attempt to atone for those sins is better than nothing.

EARLY DNF. I have tried many times to get into this book because the synopsis sounded fun and intriguing. Throughout the first few chapters even there was distracting prose, no pacing/plot and nothing grabbing my attention to continue. A lot of unecessary and repetitive descriptions. A couple chapters in and I was still unaware of what the purpose of what I was reading was. This book might be considered good to someone else but my personal taste was not a match for it.