A truly superb enemies to lovers story with high stakes, lots of political intrigue, and a excellently crafted magic system. I was so invested in this story from the very beginning. The tensions were high from page one, and as the world continued to expand I found myself even more hooked. While there are character dynamics we know and love (iykyk), Soto manages to give them a new life! I was so pleasantly surprised by this book, and I cannot wait to continue the series.

Thank you SO MUCH to Forever Pub and Julie Soto for the E-ARC of Rose In Chains!! 💜
This was my first book by her, as well as her debut fantasy novel so I had NO IDEA what to expect. For a debut fantasy, I feel like this book had the perfect amount of world building without being too confusing! The romance had me on the edge of my seat and I was enthralled by our mmc 🤭I loved these characters and I cannot wait to see where this story goes! I will be counting down the days until the next book is announced/released 🙈

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!! omg😭 one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2025

3.5 stars — and it pains me to say this, but alas i will explain why.

let me preface that i absolutely TORE through this book, could not put it down nor stop thinking about it, and was so beyond happy to return to a familiar world to experience the new content presented. however, it is not without its imperfections.

so if you’ve read julie soto’s dramione fanfic, you know how wonderfully she can add to an existing world by expanding on characters and fleshing out their complexities and emotions, creating phenomenal plot reveals and motivations, and slow-burn romance that is to die for. there are only a handful of fanfic authors that i continuously reread their works due to how brilliantly they’ve written, and julie soto is one of them.

my excitement for her traditionally published work lay in the hope that she write the same way in a world of her own imaginings, and she has proved to me she can do that, especially in her ya debut the thrashers, which i absolutely recommend.

however, perhaps i’m being too harsh and picky in saying that rose in chains was still too heavily reliant on her fanfic the auction? of course, i have read her fanfic series over and over as if it were a beloved series because to ME it IS a beloved series — her craft is immaculate. but i felt rose in chains was lacking in the world-building i was hoping to see by julie soto, especially after two fully traditionally published novels. i really wish readers had a deeper insight into the political/magical tensions between bombard and eversun, and that there were perhaps more scenes between the characters when they were younger to emphasize how prejudices are taught/learned. i fear that the fanfic to traditionally published books will forgo the fact that readers were so drawn to fanfic BECAUSE they were already familiar with the worlds and characters within the fanfic they are reading. i cannot emphasize enough the importance of world-building, and more importantly information presented outside of flashbacks every other chapter…

the prophecy of briony’s twin brother rory was vague (of course, because all prophecies are), but their relationship as twins was extremely lackluster. again, without proper world-building and character development, this felt extremely two-dimensional.

if readers are going into rose in chains without having read the auction, i think there will be immense shock value given all the traumatic content, but will still be able to enjoy this series as a “new” romantasy rather than one inspired by a hugely popular fanfic. for those fanfic fans returning, it might be harder to separate the original fandom characters from the new characters, but i think they too will still have an enjoyable time.

finally, just a personal irk: the names briony and toven! ugh, girl i just could not help but roll my eyes at the names for our two mcs. every other characters’ names? fine. but out of all the fantasy names why briony and toven…?

all of this to say: i am incredibly proud to support julie soto and will certainly continue the series in hopes that the next two books contain more “original”, never been published to ao3 content than this first book. this is just the beginning and i’m excited to be along for the ride!!

In complete transparency, I am a huge Dramione fanfic reader and avid fan. So, of course I have already read the fanfic, The Auction, that was the basis for this. Soto has done a great job of holding onto the elements of the original fanfic that most readers will want to experience again while also creating a completely new world and magic system to keep both old and new readers engaged. I would not say there is anything surprisingly new or fresh here within the romantasy world, but for a genre that is starting to feel saturated and formulated, especially in the romance development area, this is one stands out for me as more intriguing, exciting, and darkly fated than many of the romantasy books I have read lately. The romance is achingly slow in the best way, and the plot took some intriguing turns in the last 20% that has me drooling for the next installment.

I overall liked this and the dynamics between the characters. I'm looking forward to the next book so that you can learn more about the world itself and the relationship between the two main characters. I liked the beginning a lot, you so rarely see books that start the way this one does as far as the one kingdom being conquered.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

woah, i was just transported into another world with magic and complex characters from the world bulding. julie the storytelling on this one, wow. amazing. i was drawn in from the start and on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen. the ending???? no words. going to need book two immediately.

i want to note that this is definitely a darker, twisted fantasy. it contains very heavy topics that can be triggering.

This book was incredible! The characters are interesting and complex, the settings draw you in, and the TENSION. I cannot wait for the second book!

Ok sooooo mixed feelings on this one!

This book has a super easy-to-follow world-building structure and an intriguing premise, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations??? Idk. I was expecting more romance and angst and burning-magical-passionate-love… the slowburn did not rlly pay off (at all?) IMO. I understand this is a series but still…. I needed more!!! Besides the romance let down, the first half of the book overall was just a bit of a slog for me 🫠 she had me in the first 15%, and then from there to part 3 of the story, I was honestly getting pretty bored with it :’) During this part, Briony spent most of that time isolated, reading, and practicing meditation, which made the pacing feel sluggish. I UNDERSTAND this section of the story was necessary for her character growth, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it still felt super repetitive. Overall, I think I just craved more interactions and plot movement.

However!!! The second half really picked up and things started to get interesting! It was much more engaging, and I found myself having a lot more fun while reading! The "three years ago….." ago"/back in school flashbacks were some of the best parts. I really loved getting to see Briony and Toven interact back in school, which I think added some much-needed depth to their relationship and the story.

Overall, this is a (sorta) solid read with an interesting world, and I think fantasy fans will enjoy it, especially if they're into the auction retelling aspect! But for me, the pacing and first-half slowness brought the rating wayyyy down. I'm sure others will love it more than I did!

Before beginning, I would like to advise that people read the content warnings listed on Julie Soto's website before reading this book. While this book is incredible and something I highly recommend, there is a lot of content that readers may not be comfortable reading.

That being said, this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it certainly did not disappoint! Rose in Chains is an incredible fantasy series opener, and I was hooked from the very start. While it took me a little to fully understand the world, particularly the political machinations between Evermore and Bomard, the world itself was rich and interesting to learn about. The dualities of mind and heart magic was so cool, and played very well into the worldbuilding in a way I really enjoyed.

The best term I can think to describe this book was captivating. Even when the subject matter was tough to handle, I was so drawn in to the story and the characters that I couldn't put it down. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next, and I loved seeing how everything unraveled.

I can already see the Evermore Trilogy being one of my new favorite series, and I'm already counting down the days until I can read book 2!

A lot of this book is tough to read--I highly suggest reading the content warnings on Julie Soto's website before diving in--but even so I was captivated and could hardly put the book down.

3.75
Rose in Chains was my first dive into the romantasy genre so l was not super sure what to expect. I am familiar Julie's contemporary romance books and absolutely love those. I was a little confused and overwhelmed with all the names and characters being introduced in the beginning of the book but once I caught myself up, it became a quick and bingeable read. Although I did enjoy reading it, I wish there was a bit more romance and character development between Briony and Toven. Hoping to see more of their romance unfold in the next book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalleyfor the arc!

Julie Soto can do not wrong to me and Roise in Chains is no exception. I will never ever stop recommending them. The romantasy, the ya thriller, the contemporary romance -- all of.

As someone who is a huge fan of Julie Soto, I have to say how impressed I am by Rose in Chains. I absolutely loved this book and was captivated from the very beginning to the very end. I enjoyed the storytelling of Briony's POV from present time and sometimes her switch to the past. I felt this really strengthened the story and allowed for better understandings of her relationships with other characters, especially Toven. The story was easy enough to follow once I comprehended and remembered the characters, school names, political affiliations, and different villages/towns/countries. The story itself and the world Soto brought to life was so intriguing. The magical system, politics, and rival kingdoms was interesting and unique. I was prepared for the story to be dark but wasn't expecting it to be as intense. Some subject matters were difficult to read and was so saddening, although I know it shows a lot of characters strengths. I also found the romance part of the book balances the darkness of it. Some characters showing an ounce of kindness and affection allowed for a lot of hope in others. As a romance reader, I enjoyed the romance, yearning, slow burn of the main love interests in this book. I found I was able to recognize Soto's romance characteristics in this book from her other novels. How she writes her love interests and love stories is something I love most about her work!

Upon finishing Rose in Chains, I feel it captured everything I love in a romantasy novel. Intriguing plot, dynamic characters, unique magical systems, politics, maddening love interests, enemies to lovers, yearning! The only thing frustrating was the cliff hanger at end! Other than that, I loved this book and cannot wait to recommend it to all my dark romantasy lovers!
Thank you again Net Galley for my ARC for Rose in Chains!

I am a huge fan of the original work (The Auction), and Julie Soto in general so I was very excited to get early access to this new version of a story I already love. And Rose in Chains did not disappoint!!! I was on the edge of my seat. The tension is written sooooooo well written - I can't believe I have to wait for book 2 and 3 :(

This was great!! I think the changes away from the Dramione fanfic make it a stronger book than the fanfic. This is really fabulous. I'm bummed to have to wait for the next book.

This story is so dark but also hopeful. You will fall in love with the two min characters and root for them every page. The plot is vivid and the setting jumps off the page. You will get immersed in the story so quickly and never want to leave. And that cliffhanger!!!!!!

To start with, I have not read The Auction, so I cannot compare the two. But I loved this, especially for the romance. The yearning and angst between Briony and Toven was perfect. It was slow burn and there’s zero worry about switching love interests after the first book. This is not something I would recommend if you are looking for high fantasy, as the world building isn’t the best, but it worked well enough for me.

I would check trigger warnings before reading and are unfamiliar with the plot (or fanfic it’s based off of), as I do not think it’s for everyone.

Ms.Soto has done it again!! Loved this down! The world building, the lore, the magic and the vibes and tension between Brinoy and Toven wheww! Like this was enemies to lovers done right and im certain itll be even more on the nose with the next book bc duh it simply has to! I havent read a romantic fantasy novel and a long time and this was the perfect way to get back into the genre! I was hooked from start to finish! I wouldve devoured it sooner but alas I work too damn much! I was absolutely hooked! The flashbacks were so necessary and so well done! It did not feel like the book was overstuffed with unnecessary info! Like i looked forward to them! Ugh canr wait for the next book! Highly recommend! So engaging so well written!!

I feel like a total fangirl with a massive crush on this electrifying start to what promises to be a perfect enemies-to-lovers romantasy trilogy. And wait for it—this book is written by none other than Julie Soto, the genius behind "Not Another Love Song," which I loved so much I read three times (despite my never-ending TBR pile)! So yes, you can imagine me doing an awkward yet passionate cheer routine in my living room to celebrate this book. Hooray!

This story delivers on every level—strong female friendships, resilience in the face of adversity, and a world that refuses to let women wield power. Briony Rosewood is everything I love in a heroine: brilliant, courageous, and unfairly forced into the shadows of her twin brother Rory, the so-called chosen one. She’s more powerful, more strategic, and yet relegated to a supporting role—until fate intervenes and changes everything.

Her time at the academy makes it clear just how exceptional she is—so much so that she catches the attention of the smug, silver-haired Toven Hearst, a charismatic enigma who has the power to set her heart racing and her temper flaring in equal measure. But the prophecy fails, Rory dies, and Briony finds herself imprisoned with fellow captives, including her former rival, Larissa. What follows is a brutal auction where Briony is sold to the highest bidder—none other than her old adversary, Toven, whose family is notorious for their cruelty.

With no allies and no freedom, Briony must play a dangerous game to survive, escape, and reclaim her destiny. But unexpected alliances and undeniable attraction blur the lines between friend and foe. Can she trust Toven, or is he the enemy she’s sworn to destroy?

The twists in this book left me gasping, the tension had me screaming, and that cliffhanger? I’m still trying to recover! The world-building is immersive, the characters are deeply compelling, and the pacing is so gripping that I found myself glued to the pages until the very end.

This is easily one of the best romantasy books of the year, standing tall among an already stellar lineup of releases. If you love slow-burn, high-stakes romance with masterfully crafted intrigue and a protagonist you’ll root for with your whole heart, this book is for you. I am beyond excited for the next installment and am already counting down the days! Five radiant, rose-covered stars from me!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this brilliant ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Rose in Chains" by Julie Soto features outstanding world-building and captivating character dynamics. This was an incredibly enjoyable read, and I anticipate it becoming the next big Booktalk sensation. The magic system felt fresh and unique. Soto’s writing style is reminiscent of Ali Hazelwood, but without the STEM focus. Fans of dark romantasy should definitely add this to their TBR!
Thank you to NetGallery and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.