“There is a lake with still waters” is going to be my entire personality for the next few months 🙂‍↕️

WOW, this was a great read. A fun and addictive romantasy with a delicious slow burn, strong female protagonist, and darker elements that help set it apart from a lot of the fantasy books I’ve read before! Also, as a former fanfic enthusiast, it’s so cool to see fanfics reworked and traditionally published, go Julie!!

I loved almost everything in this book. I was hooked from the beginning to the end, the pacing was great. The main characters are strong on their own, and together, and there’s a slew of interesting side characters, Larissa and the Hearst family are some of my favorites so far, really excited to see what they do in the next books!

The romance though, AHHHHHHHH! I don’t seek out slow burns, but this was scrumptious. There’s a perfect amount of tension and yearning from both characters that had me giggling and punching the air, the relationship development was perfect, and while I normally prefer my books to be a little spicier and my romance to burn a little faster, I can tell the payoff will be really good. Really excited to see what the next books bring in terms of relationship development! 🥰🥰

Some other things I loved: the political intrigue 🤭🤭 i am an absolute sucker for these things and this book did it well, i was so invested in the ideologies of both sides, what everyone was fighting for, forming my own opinions, etc! I also loved the flashbacks interjected throughout. I also really loved how emotional this book made me. This book had me giggling, raging, tearing up, and everything in between, it was an amazing emotional rollercoaster! There are 2 scenes in particular that really stick out to me, Briony’s first visit to Biltmore and the final chapter of part 2. Just wow, those scenes had me raging in anger and tearing up respectively, the writing was great!

My small critiques: I liked the magic system but I didn’t love it, I think it’s interesting but it’s not my favorite and I kind of wanted more from it. I also felt that there were some fighting/action scenes that could’ve been written more succinctly than they were presented. These didn’t detract a whole lot from the story though, and seeing as it’s early on, I’m excited to see how Julie Soto develops on these aspects moving forward.

Lastly, THE ENDING!! THAT CLIFFHANGER!!! GAH! Yeah that was incredible, i had the fattest grin on my face before i hit the final page of the book and realized I’d have to wait a while for the rest of the trilogy to come out now.

Overall, a really incredible read! I adore this universe and I’m so eager to see what happens next, I have so many questions and things I want to see, I know this book hasn’t even been officially released yet but I’m already yearning for the next one! 4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC! 🖤

An absolute masterpiece. Julie Soto is the best at what she does and this is the book of the year for me. I adore what this is based off of with my heart and soul and it being put out this way flawlessly is so special. I was locked in from the moment it started and never wanted it to end. I am so excited for the rest of the series and this now an all time favorite. I’m forever thankful for this early copy.

Five billion stars. All the stars. Ten trillion stars and a million shooting ones too. Favorite book from this year and probs last year. This book was freaking awesome.

I flipping loved this book. LOVED this book. It takes a miracle of a fantasy book to have me savoring every single word and not even THINKING of skimming and that’s this wonderful unicorn of a book. I know, you’re shocked, I’m shocked, but here we are.

From the very beginning I’m in it. I’m IN IT. Magic. Fallen kingdoms. Manacles that make you lose your magic. Auctions. Chains. A very stoic and reserved silver haired man who makes you question whether he’s actually good or bad. These are literally all of my favorite things and I flipping loved it. LOVED IT.

Is it very much a retelling of all of our favorite Dramione fanfics? YES. And I cannot even begin to express how much I absolute adore Manacled and I adored this even more because 1. It’s not 925 pages 2. I like the flashbacks and pacing here better. But still adore both.

And the ending and the torturous slow burn build up of my absolute heart. When a slow burn is done right y’all it’s freaking delicious and this is scrumdillyumtptious and that’s the first time I’ve ever used this word. So you have to trust me on this one.

I cannoooottt waaaaaiiitt to see what happens next!!!!!

I’m considering starting it over and rereading it. That’s how much I loved it. Tried to preorder an autographed copy and it’s sold out because the universe hates me but I’m going to order a special edition I’ll never ever read cause it’s hard back and gross who likes hard backs but I’m buying it anyway or maybe I’ll just buy the ebook, I don’t know guys! My mind is going a mile a minute!

Also this is my first from Julie Soto. Doesn’t that feel crazy now? Crazy.

Thanks to Addie Yoder for doing me a solid in internet friendship and recommending this to me and thanks for the ARC publisher. I will tell the world of this book’s greatness.

4.25 stars!!!
WOW! This book was fantastic! An extremely slow burn (not even sure it fully ignited but I loved it!). Great plot, beautifully written! Now I just need the next one!

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄
🗡️ Enemies to lovers
🏠 Forced proximity
❤️‍🔥 Slow burn
🐲 Dragons
🪄 Magic

𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
I have been desperate for a copy of this book ever since I found out the original work was being published traditionally. I first read The Auction in 2021 and it has lived rent-free in my head ever since. Although there were similarities and easter eggs (hello chaise lounge) between the original work and Rose in Chains, this story definitely took on a life of its own. I would have read this in under 6 hours if I didn’t have work the next morning. Also, the epilogue?????????? Completely caught me off guard.

As always, Julie’s writing is breathtaking and poetic and jaw-dropping. I felt completely immersed in the story and was heartbroken when I reached the end because I didn’t want it to be over. I will now be a shell of a person until I get the next book. ♾️/5⭐

Words cannot even describe how much I loved this book. Absolutely incredible.
Full disclosure- I have not read The Auction- but that just means that this book is incredible even if you haven’t! Thank the lord that this will be a trilogy because I NEED MORE!!

Thank you so much Forever for trusting me with this ARC, it means the world to me 🥹💕

🏰 World building
⛓️‍💥Politics and War
🔮 Interesting magic system between the mind and heart magics
🖤 The dramione-ness of it all
✨ Devastating and triumphant
🔥 Slow burn, angsty, forced proximity, enemies/rivals to lovers romance

The war is over. The hero is dead. The princess is sold.

Julie Soto’s Rose in Chains starts where most fantasy tales end—with total defeat. Briony Rosewood, princess of the fallen Evermore, is sold at auction to the enemy after her kingdom is crushed and her magic stripped. Her buyer? Toven Hearst, quiet heir to a brutal family and former schoolmate with secrets of his own.

This is a dark, high-stakes romantasy full of political intrigue, twisted power structures, a hauntingly unique magic system, and slow-burn tension so sharp it practically aches. Think enemies to lovers with serious bite.

Briony and Toven’s dynamic hooked me from the start. The flashbacks to their school days, which I usually hate in fiction, worked here. They add tension, depth, and a slow, careful reveal of hidden motives. The world is brutal, the stakes are real, and Soto doesn’t pull punches when it comes to the trauma and corruption woven into this universe.

But fair warning: this is not an easy read. Themes of coercion, ownership, and power imbalance run deep. Soto handles them with a critical lens, but not always flawlessly. At times, the tonal shifts between trauma and romantic development felt jarring, and some scenes (especially around consent) deserve a second look. Readers should check content warnings—this one doesn’t shy away from hard topics.

Where the book shines: tension, layered characters, and strong foundations for a bigger arc. Where it stumbles: pacing, an overwhelming number of side characters early on, and moments where emotional payoff doesn’t quite land.

Still, I couldn’t put it down. Rose in Chains left me eager for more—more chaos, more growth, more Briony becoming the force she’s meant to be, and yes… more Toven.

Content Warnings: war violence, sexual coercion (non-explicit), captivity, forced servitude, degradation, PTSD themes.

A bit of a disclaimer - I have not read The Auction fic that this was based on prior to reading Rose In Chains. So I am going in blind and judging this book as a totally separate entity. I have read Julie’s other traditionally published books Forget Me Not, and Not Another Love Song and loved them!

I have been a huge reading slump, specifically within the fantasy/romantasy space and have been DNFing books left and right. So imagine my surprise when FINALLY I could not put this book down. It felt so original, and at first there were parts I truly did not know what was going on as the world was being built, and plot twists I didn’t see coming. The pacing of the story was so good, and I am living for the slow burn/yearning. I can’t wait to see where this story is going in the next books, and the ending was the perfect setup.


<i>Thank you so much to the publisher for kindly providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. </i>

I really enjoyed this book a lot, and was so glad I was approved for an e-galley! I love Julie Soto's writing style, and it was interesting to see her in the romantasy genre as opposed to contemporary. Going into it, I knew it was based on a fanfic, but I was glad that the characters were their own. I will definitely continue with the series!

Screaming, crying, throwing up. I love Julie Soto already but damn! Rose in Chains pulled me right in and didn't let go. Briony is a fabulous MC. Her love for her brother is so tender yet so infuriating. While I was rooting for her, I was also furious on her behalf for the way other people treat her. I love all the layers to Toven and discovering more and more about him through the book. The flashbacks are well spaced and add so much depth to both the plot and the character motivations.
I will likely add more review after it's released, but to all my romantasy girlies, preorder it!

I honestly was very confused for most of the book, and i'm still not sure what the book was about. I have never read the fanfic its about, but from what I read it was an okay book. I thought it would be more. Like have more character development and have briony and toven having more of a relationship. They obviouslt both have feelings for each other. I wish it was DUAL POV. but I actually couldnt stop reading it and I hope the second book is a bit more.

I enjoyed stepping into Julie Soto's latest book, and I had a hard time putting it down! The fantasy world is fairly accessible to those who don't read much fantasy which makes it easier to focus on the character dynamics. I wish there was a little more spark between the main leads, but I'm intrigued to see how their relationship progresses over the next book.

I loved every second of this. Harry Potter meets Handmaid's tale with the best of both. I don't even have words good enough to share how amazing this book is. I need to know when book 2 is coming!

AMAZINGGGG. This was literally everything I could have dreamed of! Julie Soto is THAT girl. I love living in a world where dramione fics are being published and I wouldn't want it any other way. The atmosphere, characters, and world were so well done and I just can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this. I need the next books immediately!

I need book two immediately! This was a dramatic, tension filled romantasy from start to finish. I was immediately invested in the characters. Can’t wait for more.

Thank you so much read forever pub for this arc!

I love Romance Julie Soto but fantasy Julie Soto is even better. The plot, the magic system, tension is too good. This book is definitely set up for the next two in the series!
This is such an interesting world and I need more! I love the flashbacks and the setup for the conflicts that will come in the future. Yess this was a dramione fanfic but Julie really made it her own such a refreshing romance fantasy. If you love enemies to lovers with a real extra slow burn you will eat this book up

JULIE SOTO. How dare you. I am the husk of a person right now. Screaming. Crying.

I don’t really have any coherent thoughts atm, but this was such a ride and all the fanfic girlies will appreciate the perfection of this book 😭 I literally sat and read most of this in one sitting because I couldn’t stop.

The plot was gripping. The world building was pretty immense without being bogged down or slow. There are flashbacks, but they actually add depth to the story and I didn’t hate them like I usually do. Lots of characters that are all unique and have clear defining purposes. Slow burrrnnn.

Also, TOVEN. My newest book boyfriend.

I’m so excited to see where this goes and I’m already foaming at the mouth for the next book. In Julie we trust.

4.25 ⭐️ This book was SUCH a good start to the series! It wasn’t super action packed, but honestly that’s what made it the perfect setup for the world and all the brewing conflict. I’m already kinda a little invested and can’t wait to see where things go next with this seriesss 👀

Also the slow burn?? 🤭🤭 Absolutely chef’s kiss! I loved the flashbacks to the past ! It added so much depth to the main characters and their relationship. And okay, I know this started as a Dramione fanfic (which I honestly want to read to compare the two ngl) and you can totally see the little influences, but Julie made it her own in the best way. The world feels fresh, the tension is there🤭🤭, and I’m dying to see how the romance develops even more in book two !

Thank you Forever Pub for the ARC 🩷🥹

Thank you @readforeverpub for an eARC 🥀

Okkk you guys brace yourselves because this is a good one!!!! I sat down to read this on a Saturday and finished it within 48 hours because I was obsessed with continuing it. Julie Soto is fantastic and rose is chains proves it!!!

This is truly everything you might want in a romantasy in my humble opinion. There is a fantastic magic system, political intrigue, and of course slooow burn romance. I’m nothing if not a lover of enemies to lovers and so of course briony and toven had me pulled in from the very beginning! The banter and the yearning, do not even get me started.

This is dual timeline and flash back scenes usually frustrate me. Don’t ask, idk it’s just a weird me thing. But I quickly grew to love getting bits and pieces of Briony’s school years. It built sooo much tension into the present chapters.

I actually haven’t read the auction yet (the dramione fic this is reworked from) but now I’m ready to read that too just to fill the hole in my heart! When do we get book 2 Julie!??

I think it’s worth noting, there are heavy topics at play in this book! If you find yourself triggered by certain subjects, I’d recommend you scope that out before starting. 🫶🏼

This was everything I could have hoped for AND MORE. As someone who read the original work long ago, I’m obsessed with how wonderfully different Rose in Chains turned out! The world building, the magic, the politics, the characters — it’s all such a breath of fresh air and I devoured this in A DAY. I almost got frustrated with the flashbacks just because they would happen when some craziness went down in the last chapter, but I actually ended up really enjoying the breadcrumbs being explored and lending to the story! Not only do we get to explore the frequently mentioned chase scene (if you know you know!) but seeing Mallow’s insidious rise while comparing it to the vice grip she has on the realm was just hauntingly done.

Briony is such a gem. I’m excited to delve even further into her as a character in the next books, and I love that she’s a strong lead while also having moments of frustration and struggle and negative traits in general. When she fully comes into her own, I just KNOW she’s going to be a badass.

And TOVEN, TOVEN MY LOVE. I could scream for hours about the complexity of his character and how much I love that we the readers can see so much of him while Briony is still blinded by her own circumstances. This is a slow burn that rips my heart out and leaves me desperate for more.

Also, ummm that epilogue??? WHAT A CLIFFHANGER.

I gasped when I got approved for this ARC and I’m ready for my copy to come in as soon as it’s properly released. Please please PLEASE give it a read so you can be as obsessed as I am.

Also, I’m gonna need the next book asap. Now would be preferable, thank you.

10/10 will be reading again.