Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto follows a princess and her enemy who are thrown together during a war between their nations and their long-time chemistry ignites with their forced proximity.

I'm just going to say it--best read of 2025! As a huge fan of the Auction (the fanfiction this originally was), I had HIGH hopes going into it and Julie surpassed it. I'd say it's even better than the Auction. The scenes are cleaner, the tension between our two MCs is even higher, and the plot was faster paced and more cohesive. I actually really liked the magical aspect as well; it was such a fun exploration and felt very fresh and new.

I definitely don't think you need to have read the Auction to enjoy this, but I do think if you read the fanfic and loved it, you're going to be really happy with this revision. While there are a lot of favorite scenes that were revisited, there was also a huge twist/change at the end that wasn't in the original which I appreciated as it keeps the readers--even long-time fans--on their toes! Overall, a six-star read and absolutely my new favorite romantasy!

This is the best fantasy/romance/romantasy book I have read ever. I have never been so sucked into a book - making time stand still, but also pass so quickly. Reading Rose in Chains has put me into a reading slump like no other because of how fantastic it is. It reminded me of the fanfic I read at 13 where I would manipulate the AO3 filters in order to produce the most angsty piece of literature you could imagine. This is apt considering Rose in Chains started out as a fanfic.

I haven't stopped recommending Rose in Chains - which is a problem considering it doesn't come out for another four months. It is also a problem for me because I just want everyone I know to read it immediately.

Whenever I talk about this book, I quickly follow up with the fact that it has heavy themes of sexual assault and (sexual) slavery. This immediately throws people off, but I haven't quite worked out how to make that disclaimer, but also convey how special the book and relationships explored are. Like of course Briony and Toven have a special relationship that was so amazing to watch develop, but there are also the relationships between Briony and all the other women in the book, Toven and his allied, Briony and Toven's mother. The relationships in this book are so complex and worthy of praise and admiration.

I originally thought I would be reading Rose in Chains for the romance, but I actually became more fascinated with the plot. It was so strong and moved the book along so well. Don't get me wrong though, Briony and Toven's chemistry was INSANE. Literally had me gnawing at the bars of my encolsure... like... oh my god. But since this is book one in a trilogy, we don't really fully get into the romance (I'm also curious if there will really BE a romance).

I cannot believe how good this was. How much I loved it. I'm blessed to live in the same time as Julie Soto and her brain.

THE AUCTION AS ITS OWN FANTASY NOVEL IM SCREAMING!!!! The way this author was able to translate the story and the magic onto the page had me foaming at the mouth for more.

As a romantasy reader, I've noticed that there are many similarities between romantasy books. Although there were some elements that fell into the tried-and-true romantasy tropes, I thought Rose in Chains' plot was mostly innovative. I flew through this book! There were so many things that captivated me: the writing, the characters, the world, and the romance. Julie Soto's writing was fresh and easy to follow. I enjoyed the narrative and the way the main characters were written. The past chapters were sprinkled in appropriately and helped develop Briony and Toven's complicated past. A good part of the past scenes was set during Toven and Briony's school days. I wish their schooling was expanded on more. I felt like that aspect of the story was a little unclear. I just assumed it was similar to Harry Potter since this story started off as HP fanfic. One of my favorite school scenes was the willow tree chapter. Toven and Briony had qualities I like to see in romantasy characters. I liked Briony's character and her drive to save her people. The beginning of the book was very tough for her character and I liked her resilience. I did think that Soto could have expanded more on her grief. I wanted her grief to play more of a focal point in the story. Rory's death didn't play as big of a role with her character as I thought it would. Toven was brooding, protective, and mysterious. I ate up all of the information we got about him. Him having that green ribbon was adorable....I just wish there was a scene with the green ribbon. I imagine the future books will peel back the layers and mystery behind Toven and why he's resisting Briony. Enemies to lovers' fans will savor this book. There were a lot of side characters in this book. I did find it hard to track all of them at points. I liked the Hearst's, Larissa, and Finn. I did feel a little confused about Serena. Was she just in the house most of the time? Besides the stuff with her power, I wanted more clarification on what she was doing. I hope to see more of Larissa and Finn in the next book. There were times where Soto repeated plot points in the narration. Although it was a nice reminder of what was happening, it felt overdone at points. I found the magician world interesting. The politics of the world with the mind and heart magic was unique. The storyline with the Bombardi taking advantage of the heartspring was sad. I can't wait until everyone gets their revenge! I had some unanswered questions after finishing Rose in Chains. I still don't understand where non-magical people fit into the world. Are they all servants? I also thought the familiars could have been expanded on more. I would like the next book to have more information on familiars. I imagine we will learn/see more with that. I wasn't surprised by the ending of the book. I am eager to see what happens next. Despite there being some flaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will definitely be reading this book again and continuing on with the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC.

THIS WAS EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you a million times to Forever for letting me read this book in advance. The ending put me into an actual coma though, and I think I’m going to be nonverbal for the time being.

I have no words, no thoughts at the moment, except for wow! And, that was exceptional! And, ANOTHER!! IMMEDIATELY!! Please!!!!!!!!

Please check the TW’s though, my friends. This book was as heavy as it was well written.

OBSESSED. WILL DIE FOR THEM.

To be fully upfront, I have read all of Julie's fanfics. So safe to say when I saw the Auction was being trad published I stalked NetGalley like an obsessive weirdo until it showed up. This is very similar to the Auction, in fact some of it is scene for scene the same, however, as it is no longer a Dramione fic, Julie got to change the world and I love how she did it. The heart and mind magic sources are intriguing to me, and the prophecy and twist at the end have me on the edge of my seat to know what happens next.

The angst and pining that is in this book is unmatched. This will forever be the epitome of "it was always you" and I will be waiting for book two with huge anticipation. Also for anyone who is unaware, this book is dark, and I do recommend looking at the content warnings.

Oh my God! This book was incredible. I haven't read Romantasy in a really long time. It kinda started to feel repetitive and boring, but THIS! THIS was a fresh take. New unique magic systems and world building without being too much. The flashback chapters are definitely really helpful for more context. This one is dark but i assume there will be trigger warnings. It is most certainly not YA. I am obsessed with Briony and Toven and this whole world and I cant wait for the second book

Julie Soto can write anything she wants and I will devour it! Rose in Chains is the perfect romantasy to read.

I could not stop reading this the second I started, I could not put it down because the plot, tension, chemistry and world building is amazing. Slow burn, dark and steamy, political intrigue and lots of pining, tension and rival kingdoms? Oh I am obsessed. I love Julie Soto's writing but after this one? I need all the romantasy from her. It's witty, dark, full of tension and theres an auction? Briony and Toven were everything and I need them back immediately. I loved that we get to see how it all starts, the rivalry between the kingdoms, the lore of world and its world building, I love that it's easy to follow and page turner. Briony and Toven's dynamic and relationship and how it progresses had me down bad. I am in love. Highly addictive and a must read! You truly have to go into it blind and let it take you for a ride because it's so good! I am so excited for the rest of the series!

Absolutely yes, OBSESSED.
Nobody does it like Julie Soto! The tension the longing the characters!!

I loved this so much I never wanted to put it down and wanted to immediately read it again, which I’m sure I will do very soon.

This fantasy world filled with unique magic and the aftermath of a war that turns everything upside down. It’s dark, and magical, and yet that romantic element shines in the most subtle slow way, I need the next book NOW!

For lovers of dramione, and even those who aren’t! This book was PERFECT

Thank you so SO SO SO SO much to Julie Soto and Forever for sending me this ARC. I always say that Julie can get me to read her grocery lists if she wanted to, and this is surefire proof. It is very hard for me to get into Fantasy, and while I was a big fanfic girlie back in my day, Dramoine isn't necessarily something that caught my interest. I think I had a fun and interesting take to really enjoy Rose in Chains BECAUSE I'd never read the auction, and my GOD was I instantly taken with this story!
Soto has this incredibly special ability to write CINEMATICALLY. Perhaps it is her background in playwriting, but there are few books in this world that I can read and clearly see every single scene play out in my head like a movie. Her focus on the character's expressions, the nuances in their facial muscles and eyes that convey emotion so much deeper than simple words on a page. Toven and Briony are living, breathing creatures that grow muscle, skin, and bones the further you read. The circumstances are dire and terrifying, even infuriating at times (the way a post-war world in which women are reduced back to simple objects to suck energy out of), but every character you encounter glows with a sense of HOPE. From Finn to Larissa, to the women who share grapes at parties, this series is a beautiful and complex web of secrets. The heart of a revolution beating so slow and soft under the belly of the dragon that the dragon herself does not know what is coming.
Toven is much more than a Draco alternate. He is a character all his own. A product of his upbringing, with a sense of control that you are simply waiting for it to break. His obsession with Briony is obvious to everyone except her, but only because she is so big-hearted and wears that big heart on her sleeve that she cannot see him until she is trapped. I have loved frew FMCs the way i absolutely adore Briony. She is walking goodness, stubbornness, ultimate power that has been forced to hide and boost others for so long she doesn't even realize that SHE is the gem.
I will be thinking about this book for the rest of my life. I will be agonizing over the next book until I have it in my hands. julie Soto is a force to be reckoned with. Everything she writes is gold.

Oh, okay, oh okay, yeah. UM. JULIE?? HOW DO I GO ON?? QUEEN???
This is my most anticipated read of the year, and I’ve finished it. Where is my will to go on? Have you seen it? Can I borrow yours?

This is the year of Dramione, folks—get in or get out of the way. I’ll be honest, this feels like a safe space; I’ve never read fanfic before. I’m absolutely not opposed to it—it’s just that I wasn’t aware of it until I was older. Sheltered. However, I have read the material this fanfic is based on. The beginning of the book had me comparing characters to see the similarities, but I’d rather mentally separate the two. Fortunately, Julie is a super genius and has created a world, a magic system, and characters that stand on their own. My only hiccup was that my brain can only keep track of, like, a maximum of five characters' names at a time. I felt that the first 15% of the book introduced so many names and characters that my head was swimming.

I knew (rightfully so) that I was going to love this book, so I soldiered on. I enjoyed the time jumps, which gave us context at just the right moments, helping to shed light on the uncertainty. This added more weight to the complicated interactions between Briony and Toven. There were plenty of characters to adore and despise (check the CW). In romances, supporting characters can sometimes just be there to move along the main story. I was happy to see several characters stand out on their own.

I loved Briony—she’s so smart and so dumb (said lovingly). She’s strong and gets things done, but she’s not rash. I felt like she always made the best choices she could when faced with obstacles.

The romance. Briony and Toven. I just want to bonk their heads together! The way Julie writes her male love interests? Perfection. Girl gets me. Toven obviously wants to worship at the altar of Briony but can’t, and she’s convinced he thinks she has cooties. The banter was amazing, and the two prove to be very worthy adversaries. While the book ended sooner than I wanted, I know it sets the stage for an even more anticipated next installment. I need to get inside Toven’s head.

I CAN’T WAIT for the next book. I actually can’t. Help me!

I won't lie, this book took me a minute to get into. However, I think it was completely worth the wait. It picked up significantly in the second half of the book and after that I genuinely could not put it down.

This is the definition of a SLOW burn. Maybe the slowest of burns but trust me, the TENSION is there. This is also a very true enemies to lovers. Although, the yearning and longing for one another is still present always. Additionally, the romance scenes were sexy and spicy and I was eating them up. Briony and Toven are definitely some of my new favorites and I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

I honestly would describe this book as the romance being more of a sublot underlying the main themes of war, politics, power dynamics/hierarchies, and the vulnerability of women in the hands of powerful forces (such as men).

Overall, I really enjoyed how it ended and where this story is gonna go.

My apologies Julie I wasn't familiar with your fantasy game!! This wonderful woman has given me one more thing that's going to keep me up at night waiting for the rest of the series.

I love a kickass first line, this one got me. There is so much to go through and I'm going to need everyone to pick this up as soon as it gets delivered by baby angels to your local bookstore. The world building was clever and straight to the point and the characters were compelling. I think the power structure and line succession was a little bit confusing at first but it makes sense once you start meeting all the characters. I'm surprised by how well it was paced while not feeling like im losing the juicy bits, especially considering how long fanfics normally are.

Read if your books are missing any of the following: magic duels, women in power (baddies), morally grey characters, mind games, shocking flashbacks, sexy tension btwn hot people, teen angst, and adult pining!!

I ate this book up, Dramione girls rise up!!

Thank you Netgalley, Forever Grand Central Publishing, and Mrs. Julie Soto, for this scrumptious read, going to need the next two books ASAP (respectfully)!

This book has my heart!! A new favorite!

With her kingdom in ruins and her brother gone, Briony has lost her magic and is sold to the highest bidder. Her new owner, Toven, is powerful with ties to her past.

This book took everything I loved about the fanfic and elevated it to an entirely new and original level.

I loved the tension. Keeping us out of Toven’s head made every glance, every word, and every charged silence between him and Briony even more intense!! The chemistry between them was incredible.

The cliffhanger was brutal in the best way! I am so excited to see how she does the rest of the series!

I will be thinking about this book for a long time!

Thank you NetGalley, forever publishing, and Harper collins UK for the ARC

I put off finishing the last 30% of this book because I knew it would get me but oh my GODDDDD this book was just so phenomenal in every way!
As an enjoyer of The Auction, I was so excited to see what Julie Soto would do to the story in the traditionally published format. She absolutely exceeded every expectation I had. It was true enough to the original that I knew the gist but also original enough to stand on its own. And I cannot believe this is a trilogy because what do you mean I was lucky enough to get book one months early so now I'll have to wait extra long to see what happens next?!
The tension, the difficult topics, the world building, the complex characters, it was all so well done.
Toven Hearst had me wanting to jump into the pages and tear his walls down and I hope Briony is able to do that and then some in the next book(s). Also Julie did a great job with Orion and Serena's characters!!

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Julie Soto for the ARC, I'm so grateful <333

Julie Soto could quite literally give me her grocery list and I would read an analyze it like it’s the most heart wrenching romantasy ever.

’Rose in Chains’ delivers A++++++++ angst, morally gray deliciousness, and just the right amount of “we really shouldn’t, but we absolutely will.” Like I’m telling you the chemistry had me on the floor. The tension had my legs divorcing. And Toven was Infuriatingly hot I managed to get pregnant. Im telling you the blairing tension was so THICK that even a the strongest weapon- a sword or something- would not be to cut it if it wanted to.

Julie Soto you have ruined me in the best way possible with this book. It’s altered my entire brain chemistry. I’m going to lose my mind not being able to talk to anyone about this book because it’s not out yet.

Besties, if you like your romantasy served with a side of enemies-to-something spice and a heroine who refuses to go down without a fight, ‘Rose in Chains’ is that baddie. Just be warned: you’ll need emotional support snacks.

I would also like to add that I will absolutely be seducing the publishers and Julie Soto again for book 2 and 3💅

I am fully convinced that Julie Soto can write any genre and i’d EAT IT UP. Her YA debut novel The Thrashers was AMAZING, and when I also received an ARC for this book, I screamed! This story takes off right away and often takes you back and forth in time from the present to years back in Briony’s schooling days. The magic systems were easy to digest and were intricate and unique in a way that wasn’t confusing. I was enamored and hooked into the story since the first chapter. If you are someone who loves a good slow burn (and i mean SLOW BURN) enemies to lovers… this one is for you. There were so many times where I had to take a pause and punch my pillow, screaming at my kindle “JUST KISS YOU IDIOTS”. Needless to say I enjoyed this boo so so much and I am dying to have the next one in my hands 😩 Briony & Toven 4evrr 🤞🤞

Thank you to to the publisher for giving me an ARC 🫶🏻

♾️⭐️
OMG, this was amazing! This book kept the heartbeat of The Auction while standing strong on its own with a refreshing new spin. The world, the magic, and the characters felt familiar yet entirely new, keeping me hooked from start to finish.

The yearning and pining? Top tier. Toven’s mystery, danger, and self-restraint had me feral. Briony is such a refreshing fantasy FMC, and I can’t wait to see how she and the rest of the characters grow. And the Hearst family! Their fierce loyalty and love for each other were beautiful to read.

That ending was insane. I’m ready. Now, off to reread The Auction because I refuse to leave this world just yet.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the arc! 🖤

Give me more! I was blown away by Rose in Thorns and I need word of book 2 ASAP! I had no idea that this was a fanfic going into it and now I want to read the original to compare them! Julie Soto really only writes perfection.

The plot of this book was original, especially considering what it was loosely based on. The characters were all interesting and were more that meets the eye. The plot was dark, so definitely read the trigger warning before going in.

Briony is such a strong character, even before she was sold. The fact that she was still able to keep her head held high even though she was forced to basically make her brother look good shows the hidden strength that she has. As the book went on I feel as if she really grew into herself. She was no longer content with just sitting back, but wanted to be part of the change and action. Little did she realize until later that Toven was actually there to support that goal.

It was so great to see the relationship between these two unfold. They are a enemies-to-lovers, star crossed lover type of deal. When I say slow burn, I mean a slooooooooooow burn. I respect that though because although it was obvious how down bad Toven was for Briony, he respected the fact that he needed to gain his trust and actually feel comfortable. I can't wait to learn more about him because I have a feeling he has many layers.

The ending was slightly predictable, but it is the one that I wanted. I am so excited to see how the rest of the series unfolds!

Thank you to the publisher and author for an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If Julie Soto writes it then I read it, and this is her best work yet! I started it and was sucked in page 1 and finished it that same day because I could not physically put my kindle down.

I am a huge fan of the Rights and Wrongs series so I was really excited to see what changes Julie was going to make here, and the gender swapping of a character (BIG FAN OF THIS ONE), the magic system now being heart vs mind magic, and even Bombard's succession vs. Evermore's royal family was soooo good and executed so well. Now lets talk Princess Briony and Toven - I AM OBSESSED WITH THEM. Don't go into this book expecting it spicy - there is some but you'll be burning from the tension and yearning here. Please the tension is the real main character of this book!! I ate it up and please that epilogue shocked me and has me impatiently waiting for book 2 already! In the meantime I'm going to reread this and yearn for more Briony and Toven!

Definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in as this is a darker romantasy but they should be listed at the front of the book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.