This review is probably going to be all over the place because I have so many thoughts!

Like many, I wanted to read Rose in Chains because we know where it came from. Many of us read the original when it was fan-fiction and then followed Julie’s journey to revamping and traditionally publishing. Many of us hoped and prayed that with the required *cough*legal*cough* changes that need to be made that it wouldn’t lose any of its charm, emotion, and grit.

I can say whole-heartedly that I was not disappointed. I was hooked from the get go. I absolutely loved this story, the fantasy world that was re-woven, and the characters as they evolved throughout the journey. Especially who I would consider our two mains - Briony and Toven. Their relationship is so twisted with both keeping secrets and trying to survive and keep those they care about safe. And this is a slow-slow burn apparently, which I was not expecting because the language and themes were very not PG. But Toven was in fact a gentleman even though Briony told him she didn’t want one.

Honestly we were left with so many questions at the end of this one: Like What’s up with the Dragon and Mallow? What is going on with Rory? Why is Mallow so hellbent on this prophecy? Was anyone else not mad that the king had been beheaded because he was a complete douche canoe and made his daughter belittle herself over her brother? Like really WTH?

This is a trilogy - don’t be like me and miss that fact. I got to the end and only wanted more which I will wait for very impatiently.


I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for listing this as a Read Now on Netgalley where I was able to snag it and read it early.

It's a patient and high-stakes read, I binged the hell out of it when it came up on Netgalley 🥲 the writing is amazing, the slow-burn romance was EVERYTHING -- please please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book though, it's highly required.

Here they are again quoted directly from the book -This work contains explicit sexual content, scenes with gore and violence, and sexual assault of a POV character. Non-consensual sex is referred to, and the buying and selling of human beings into captivity is a core theme of Rose in Chains. Forced sterilization, death of minor characters, and torture are present in this story. For a more detailed list of content warnings, please visit www.juliesotowrites.com

~~
The villains won the war, the prophecy's hero is dead, and our MC Briony (along with so many others) has been auctioned off to be used as a magic source (and worse).

She's bought by her nemesis (also her longtime crush). As she navigates the horrors of the new world, she learns.. all is not yet lost. Help, and hope, may yet arise in the most unlikely of places :)
~~

It's an enemies to grudging allies to.. well, they're not lovers yet, it's a trilogy you know :") ✨ they're just extremely obsessed with each other ✨

- gritty adult fantasy
- heart magic & mind magic
- there's a dragon in the distance

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

JULIE SOTO IS THE QUEEN OF BANTER AND TENSION!!!!

I ATE THIS UP - 6 HOURS TO BE EXACT.

IF I COULD PUT VOICE MEMOS IN THIS REVIEW TO SHOW YOU HOW MANY TIMES I SCREAMED, I WOULD

All I can do now is lay on the ground and wallow that it’s over. I NEED BOOK 2!!!!

thank you Forever Publishing for the e-arc!

This book took a much darker turn than I was expecting, creating a gripping and intense atmosphere throughout.

Interesting and twisty character dynamics, however, I found Briony to be a bit dense at times, which made some of her decisions and interactions quite irritating.

That said, the romance between her and Toven was slow-burn done masterfully and filled with tension that made me fly through this.

Overall, I'm excited to see where the story goes next and how the darker elements continue to unfold.

umm YEA. welcome dramione fanfic to my brain, you've now altered its chemistry! like i can't even describe how GOOD this was from the first page. it's dark (pls check trigger warnings) but i could not put it down for even a second. i didn't read the auction (i wish i did) and can definitely see where the HP inspiration comes from but this also felt like its own story. the past & present timelines were such a good balance and i was able to learn so much about the world, magic and characters. the yearning? the tension? the slow burn? the enemies to everything in between to lovers? i am obsessed with both briony and toven and they've both found a permanent spot in my heart. i will be running on july 8th to add this to my shelves, just to read & obsess all over again. i cannot wait for book two!! screaming in anticipation until then.

THANK YOU netgalley & forever!!!

I’m sitting here in a state of utter shock after finishing Rose in Chains, trying to collect my thoughts and convince everyone to read this.

In the beginning, the reader dives into a world of war and magic. There are rival kingdoms and political intrigue, but it’s introduced so masterfully that I could easily follow along and still immerse myself completely.

The characters, the magic system, the worldbuilding, the story, the plot's pacing, all of it is written flawlessly, making it the perfect binge-read. It sucks you in from the very beginning and only tugs on you harder and harder the farther you get. I loved the intricate magical elements and need to figure out how to travel to this world. Yes, I might’ve lost sleep over these characters, but I don’t regret anything. The pair have altered my brain chemistry.

The romance tugged on every last one of my heartstrings. There were moments I screamed, moments I cried, and the tension and angst caught my breath on more than one occasion. Slowburn lovers know that it’s the soft touches, barely there but leave a wake of a fire, the longing glances from across a room that show yearning in their eyes, the pining, that can stir the strongest emotions. Rose in Chains had all of that and more, and I ate up every moment. This was a slow burn at its finest.

Being the first book in a series, Rose in Chains is an addictive read with a captivating plot but also an exceptional setup for the next installment. Like Briony, I have a million questions about what’s to come, and I can’t wait for secrets to come to light.

As most people know, this is a reworked Dramione, but it stands on its own effortlessly. Although, I’ve become so obsessed with this book that I want to do a deep dive into that world.

Immense thanks to Forever for an early copy of this book! I’ll be desperately waiting for book two after that ending.

An absolute masterpiece from start to finish. I loved the care Soto put into this story, not only the characters and fleshing each of them out, but the world they inhabit and the particulars of it all. The scene was so lush and three dimensional, I felt like I was living everything right alongside Briony. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, both from the political intrigue, the war between the two countries, but also with the romance. My god, the slow burn was absolutely delicious. I actually really appreciated the way the romance unfolds and how drawn out it is, because I think given the circumstances, that’s perfectly natural.

OH AND THAT EPILOGUE?!

Everything about this was perfection, and I’m already salivating for book 2.

Rose in Chains by @

I am in a period of mourning for having already finishing this book 😪 I will need 5-7 business days to recover…

As a longtime lover of the original fanfiction, I was excited but also a little nervy to see this book being transitioned into a traditionally published book… I was nervous on how much was going to be from the original? How much would be new? What if a favorite scene was taken out??? I am happy to report that all of those fears weren’t something I needed to be concerned about because MISS JULIE SOTO YOU KNOCKED THAT SHIT OUT OF THE PARK!!!!! Absolutely obsessed 😮‍💨🔥 this is my official application to join the revolution.

Julie seamlessly created a story that was new, and completely its own, while also including a lot of moments and Easter eggs from the fics that I was absolutely kicking my feet, giggling about🤭 and that ending??? Set it up perfectly for an amazing second book to this trilogy and I cannot wait 🫶🏼

Rose In Chains by @juliesotowrites

INCREDIBLE. This book was absolutely addicting. I was on the edge of my seat. Please, please read content warnings at the beginning and take them seriously! There are some very heavy themes in the book but it’s for good reason. This story packs an emotional punch. The magic system is unique and fresh. The world is easy to understand. The villain… well, I can’t wait to find out more!!! The discoveries, the cliff hanger, the questions!!! It is Dramione mixed with Handmaids tale mixed with just good fantasy. AND THE ROMANCE! We just get a taste in this story, a little nibble, but it is FULL of years of tension and longing and history. Its SEXY. It’s addicting. I cannot wait for book 2!

Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the arc!
Pub date: 7/8/25

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️.5

I loved this book. This was everything I expected it to be.

The magic system is very unique. Mind magic and heart magic!

Princess Briony is captured after her kingdom is overthrown. She is taken and imprisoned to be sold at auction as a golden heartspring (an amplifier of magic). She is sold to her childhood enemy Toven for a very high price.

Once she arrives at Hearst Hall she is in for a surprise. She is not there for the reasons she thinks and he is actually nice to her. He even helps her.

There is so many more layers to this story, I do not want to give spoilers.

The enemies to lovers in here was written so well! The tension was extremely high. I was screaming at my book for them to figure it out. The time jumps gave me readers whiplash but I know they are pivotal to the story and Briony and Toven’s growth!
I highly recommend this book anyone who loves Dramione and enemies to lovers.

Please check your TWs. Rose in Chains deals with dark themes and sensitive subjects.

I haven't read the original Dramiona fanfic, but this..?
This was bloody brilliant!

I knew this book will be good, as simple as a knowledge like that goes. But it's just even better than I imagined?

"Rose in Chains" comes out in July... And then I'll have to wait even more? Please, end my suffering faster!

Let me just point a few cool things, okay?
* The magic system was actually fresh! Like, I don't think I've read anything like this.
Did I expect wands and brooms? Maybe? And that was ignorant of me, huh?
* The angst! The slow burn? I'm not even gonna start, just know it's THERE.
* And well... Check the trigger warnings, 'cause this entire book will keep you on the edge of your couch, but not in an exciting way.

For now I'll go and try not to be book hangover...

I was admittedly a little worried this story might not live up to the hype it’s gotten, but Rose in Chains was truly a fantastic book.

I picked it up and didn’t put it down again until I was done and immediately wanted to start it again. A vivid world, flashbacks that actually helped the reader rather than take up space, and carefully crafted dialogue made this a show stopper for me.

Easily one of my top reads of the year and it’s only February as I’m writing this! Thank you to Forever for the opportunity to read this one early.

I am so conflicted about this book because it seemed conflicted about what it wants to be. First off I am a huge Julie Soto fan. I don’t know if it is because it is a rewrite of a fanfic or a first book but the pacing and storyline was weird.Is it a girl power story or romantasty or epic story??Every 100 pages or so the tone and focus changed. I still don’t have a good feel on Briony except as a 25 year old she is naive. She doesn’t even ask the most important question until 95% in. If it’s supposed to be an epic romance, it is really lacking romance. Maybe a multi book slow burn. I feel like a little editing might benefit us all. Hopefully book 2 and 3 will be cleared. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I won't be able to stop thinking about Rose in Chains for a long time. I am a HUGE Julie Soto fan 😍 and love her writing. I hadn't read The Auction, but just started reading Dramione fanfic last year. To say I loved this book would be an understatement 🥲 It had everything I love in a romantasy:

-forced proximity
-angst
-slow burn

And a plot that kept me intrigued throughout the book. I literally could not stop reading Rose in Chains until it was finished. And that ending🤯??!?!?!?! I'm already looking forward to the second book.

If you're even considering this book, I highly suggest you add it to your tbr. I will be shouting about it for a long time.

Soto continues to show that she is a master at writing interesting, deeply engaging and unforgettable stories. This book is dark, gritty yet has next level tension. So excited to read the rest of this series.

THIS. DAMN. BOOK. Words cannot express how much I loved it. I read it while simultaneously reading The Auction and it was the best decision I ever made. My love for HP is never ending, but this version of the story is just incredible. It's dark, and wrong and so very spicy but also so beautifully written. I couldn't get enough of Draco, like, perfection. I am absolutely on edge waiting for the next book. I will definitely be rereading this multiple times until book 2 comes out.

Thank you Forever publishing for an arc!!

I don’t know where to begin. I finished this in less than 24 hours and I’m still processing what I just read. It was delectable, fast-paced and like a perfect blend of the updates that trad publishing gives to stories and the fanfiction it blossomed from.

I think this book is going to have a lot of mixed reviews. I for one, really like it, just because it’s such a breath of fresh air of what romantasy currently is as a genre. It is a slow-slow burn which I also like because the tension can be feltttt and the pinning really adds an extra layer! It’s something that I don’t get to read a lot of anymore and I think more stories really need to use it.

Overall the vibes were just incredible and it was really interesting to see how much changed with character names, places and descriptions! I love being able to read a book and feel the passion that the author has for the story flow through it and Julie Soto really accomplished that with Rose in Chains! I will more than likely be spending all my money on every edition of this book and I can’t wait to see what they look like if book box companies decide to do something! (Fairyloot plz I’m begging you)

(The cliffhanger really wrecked me and I’ll be knocking on Hachettes door as soon as the second book is announced!)

Julie Soto or Forever Publishing - if you’re reading this I will do anything you ask if you get me an early copy of the next book in this series once complete. This story has altered my brain chemistry and I NEED more. Are you kidding me with this masterpiece? Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author!!!

I already know this is going to be one of my top books of the year!

I have no notes. It's dark, intense, and doesn't beat around the bush when it comes to all the traumatic things the characters are put through. I was gripped from the first page and ended up reading it over the span of 24 hours! Julie Soto understands the push and pull of a slow burn. It's brutal and delicious.

Please take note of content warnings—there are a lot of them, and the story doesn't gloss over them.

Thank you for the eARC, Forever!

5⭐️ 1🌶️
I LOVED IT!! It was amazing and everything I wanted it to be! Briony and Toven were perfect!
This is based on Julie sotos dramione fan fiction The Auction, so if you enjoyed that then you’re going to love this!

“Toven turned her to him gently, and horror filled her as he placed a hand on her cheek.”
“You’ll come with me to the dance floor now, or I’ll put in a formal request with your father for courtship. It’s your decision.”

“His eyes were so soft and his arms warm, and she didn’t know how to reconcile the man who had hunted her with the man who now held her so tenderly.”

“Think of a lake with still waters.”

“There was a drawer in Toven Hearst’s bedroom that contained a shoebox. Inside that shoebox was a hair ribbon. And try as she may to rationalize it in any other way...that ribbon was hers.”