Okay yes, I would like the next book ASAP!!!

I absolutely loved the Auction and am so excited to see this get traditionally published so everyone can enjoy Julie Soto's story!

It did take me a little bit to get pulled into the story but that happens with any fantasy book, the author needs to spend some time setting up the story and characters. I loved the hops back in time that Julie put throughout the story to give background details and information. It was so helpful to have that peppered throughout to move the story along.

But once the scene was set, I couldn't stop reading! I loved the interactions between Briony and Toven + his family. You can tell that there is so much to the story that we don't even know yet.

The magic system is unique, I loved learning about the different types of magic and how that plays into the two groups in this story. Hats off to Julie for crafting a story that is so reminiscent of her fanfic yet unique on it's own. 10 out of 10 recommend, I can't wait for the story to continue!

Briony Rosewood knows her world is no longer the same. Evil has outweighed the good, a dark ruler has taken command. Briony will be sold at auction to the highest bidder so her magic can power the buyer's own. When Toven Hearst buys her, she begins to anticipate the worst. Her friends and cousins have all been separated and everything will seem grim. From the shadows, Briony will rise and fight her way into the light.

Briony immediately steals the show as a character. She's flawed but also desperately clinging to hope in the circumstances. Toven is guarded and sharp, constantly leaving Briony out of a plan or information. I absolutely loved this story. Yes, it was a longer book and its definitely a slow burn, but I am excited to see what comes of book 2. Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced copy.

I am devastated that this is a series, and I have to wait for the other books to come out! I need them now! Julie Soto did a fantastic job of staying true to elements of her facfiction that so many readers loved while also making this into a completely original story. I enjoyed the magic system in this book and found it to be complex enough to be interesting, but not so complex that it was hard to understand. I will certainly be recommending this book to any and all romantasy readers this summer!

This book is a wild ride, and I can't wait for the next one. I was pulled in right from the start and stayed engaged all the way through.

This is a slow burn which sets up the enemies to lovers nicely, complete with building up the story to support the eventual relationship. I enjoyed the way that this was set up and the world that was created here.

I received a free advance review copy through from Forever Publishing through NetGalley and my review is voluntary.

The writing is classic Soto — approachable, emotional, straightforward without being simple. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and magic systems, and therefore the plot device by which the couple were bound. The romance dynamics were definitely misleadingly marketed and this is MUCH darker than the marketing or first pages suggest.

In the interest of full disclosure, my going into this not realizing it’s the first book in a trilogy sort of warped my perception of its pacing. I found the pacing to be slow - that the rich storytelling was almost overindulgent to the point of sacrificing the pace. Realizing that it’s the first in a trilogy makes the depth of exposition make a lot more sense, even if not more satisfying.

All that said, Rose in Chains was still easily a 4.5 star read for me. It feels important. There’s imagery and messaging and topics in this story that ring so relevant to the time we’re living in. This book is telling a painful, violent story and not shying away from the violence to be more palatable, and I think that’s part of what makes it great (well, that and Julie Soto’s prose and Briony’s competence balanced with vulnerability). This was my first read by Julie Soto, and based on how good this was, it won’t be my last.

I’d recommend Rose in Chains to fans of Ali Hazelwood’s smart but clueless FMCs, feminist-dystopian-horror themes, and interesting, easy to understand magic systems.

Five stars...

The wonderful Julie Soto has done it again. Rose in Chains exceeded all my expectations and then some. The world building and character development from past to present were executed flawlessly, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

This is an outstanding first installment of what promises to be a phenomenal trilogy—filled with magic and the captivating journey from rivals to lovers... THE YEARNING. Simply wonderful.

I could go on for HOURS if not days about Rose in Chains due to my obsession with it's origin (The girls that get it, get it) but I will just say it was perfect and it was so much fun going "Hey, I know that reference!" and squealing every time one of my favorite parts would come up... can't wait to continue the Toviony? Briven? Hornybun (haha) journey.

Thank you x1000 to Netgalley and Read Forever for the arc in exchange for a honest review!

This book was giving me all Handmaids Tale vibes but imagine the point is sharing magic not making babies.

Through this book I really enjoyed the different times lines and the glimpse of Briony and Tovens relationship to each other through school where you got glimpses of the bad and the good. Then how that had played into their roles in this new world where Briony is essentially “owned” by Toven. And the burn was SLOOOOOW and truly I think even after finishing the burn was never quenched.

I found myself feeling a plethora of emotions while reading this story from giggly at flash backs and even some moments in the current setting as well as straight sick to my stomach from some of the themes that were presented.

I am anxious to see how this story is continued on as I feel with the first installment it was 80% build up for the following books plots. There was a lot dropped at the end that makes you think who has alliances with who and what that will look like as the story develops.

When Briony’s brother, heir to the throne, dies, her world is turned upside down in such a horrific way. Her castle is taken over by the Bombard and she becomes imprisoned. Her Mind Magic is taken from her and she is forced to live her days as a source of power for whoever bids the highest at the Auction. When she lands in Toven Hearst’s house, Briony is sure she will be used and abused. However, it’s been days and weeks and Toven hasn’t touched her. What is his end game? Perhaps all is not lost.

In general, I appreciate any fantasy that has some type of magic that I haven’t read before. For instance, Mind and Heart Magic in this book was fun to read and I wanted to learn more. There was also some magic surrounding the Auction where Briony and others are auctioned off, and though it was disturbing magic, it was captivating to read.

The overall story was great! The intense moments surrounding the people that were captured to the moments where love may or may not exist were all exciting to read.

Written through Briony’s perspective, the reader learns that Briony is strong, forward, brave, and determined. It is interesting, though, that she never fully appreciated how lucky she was to be the Hearst’s household versus others until toward the end. This was somewhat frustrating. Of course no one wants to be imprisoned in any capacity, but the element of almost annoyance and boldness toward Toven seemed unnecessary because he clearly saved her from something so much worse.

In addition, the flashbacks into the past were a bit lengthy at times and it was a bit challenging to grasp the type of world these characters lived in. There was always a specific reason why the reader needed to go to the past, but sometimes I felt we spent a bit too long there and could benefit in moving forward in the present more and more world building, especially with the hint of a dragon kind of dropped in the book.

Lastly, I wasn’t the biggest fan on how the romance was portrayed in the book towards the end. The entire time there was a steady and very slow buildup, but then it fell a bit flat at the end. It was disheartening and I wanted more. Hopefully, this means there will be more in subsequent books!

Overall, “Rose in Chains” was a fun read and receives a 3 out of 5 stars for creativity and enjoyment. I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy fantasy, extremely slow burn romance, and cliffhangers since there’s so much more coming in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher (Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever) for giving me an the opportunity to read “Rose in Chains”. All opinions are my own.

DNF at 40%…I’m not sure if this book was overhyped for me or what, but it just didn’t work. The pacing felt completely off. While there’s plenty of action, there’s no real plot driving the story forward. There are too many characters and none of them are fully developed. Briony, in particular, didn’t stand out. She felt like a cardboard cutout of every other FMC in romantasy. I also wasn’t a fan of the captor-as-love-interest dynamic with Toven. It came off as icky and uncomfortable. Learning that the book was originally titled The Auction explains a lot. Interestingly, the flashbacks and past memories had more depth than the present-day storyline. As for the writing style, it leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, which made it hard to connect with Briony’s actions or growth.

💜 Rose in Chains completely consumed me. I devoured it in under two days — the kind of book you wake up thinking about because you have to know what happens next. Finding a good stopping point? Nearly impossible.

This book pulled me out of a massive reading slump, and I can honestly say it's one of my favorite reads of the year. Julie Soto blends dark fantasy, rich world-building, and romance with such skill that I couldn’t put it down.

Briony and Toven were everything. Their banter, their tension, their shared history — I was hooked from the start. Their dynamic reminded me a bit of Draco and Hermione, with all the sharp edges and buried emotions that make enemies-to-lovers so satisfying.

The magic system was fascinating — two distinct ways of using magic tied to rival clans, giving the story a Romeo and Juliet-like tension that heightened every interaction. The political intrigue, rebellion, and morally gray characters added even more depth to an already gripping plot.

If you enjoy:

⭐ Enemies to lovers
⭐ Auctioned heroine / morally gray captor
⭐ Royalty, rebellion, and slow-burn tension
⭐ Dark fantasy with high stakes
⭐ Rich magic systems and rival clans

Then this book is absolutely for you.

I read this as an ARC, and now I’m counting down the days until release (July 8th!). I already can't wait for books 2 and 3 — I need more of Briony and Toven immediately.

Briony Rosewood’s brother is dead, she has been stripped of her magic, and things look bleak when she’s auctioned off and sold to Toven Hearst, her former school rival and crush. However, Toven and his powerful family may just be the key to her salvation.

I loved the complex dance that Briony and Toven must perform while trying to figure each other out and survive a world in which neither expected to find themselves. Although their story featured dark themes there were also moments of lightness and the banter and the slow burn gave all they were meant to give.

Rose in Chains was a highly entertaining and very dark romantic fantasy that left me blushing, stressed, and desperate for books two and three.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!!!

3.5 stars.
This was a highly anticipated read for me and I was so happy to get an early copy…

I feel like I went through multiple phases with this book. The beginning hooked me pretty quickly and I felt like I had an easy time getting pulled into the story. I feel like the world building was relatively easy to understand and I was able to imagine the world pretty well based on the writing. I do think the politics and succession was kind of confusing and there were a lot of characters to remember, but it felt pretty well thought out. I appreciated the tension between the two main characters and felt that the flashbacks really helped to give more context to their relationship and set the scene for a sort of enemies to lovers situation.

Some complaints…
After finishing this book, I just kept thinking that it felt incomplete. I know it is meant to be the start of a series, so I expected it to leave us with a conflict that will need to be completed in the other books, but I just felt like we were lacking when it came to a lot of things. The ending felt rushed, and really lacked any sort of wrapping up of ANY parts of the plot. The relationship between the main characters felt like it reset completely back to where it was at the beginning of the book and we lost all progress. I also feel like, honestly, not that much actually happened in this book. I know sometimes first books in a series can be like that as they are providing a lot of setup… but this book felt like so much filler and borderline repetition that didn’t advance the plot as much as I wanted. Also, if you love a slow-burn then THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU. There was tension, there was like… suggestive dialogue and longing and dreaming of each other……. but they did not even so much as KISS until 95% into the book. I like a slow burn but it was hard to wait that long for any sort of progress.

Overall there were things I enjoyed and things that I did not. I’m honestly unsure at the moment if this will be a series I continue or not.

I can only describe Rose in Chains by Julie Soto as a masterpiece! From the first chapter I was thoroughly OBSESSED! The characters, plot and magic system were all fantastic and the angst/pinning, will-they-won't-they was the cherry on top. This novel had me on the edge of my seat till the very end and the epilogue (mind blowing).

I absolutely adored Briony, the FMC, she's a fierce lil firecracker that won't take no for an answer and will do anything to free her people. Toven, the MMC, is a man wrapped in mystery and secrets with a primal sense of protection over Briony. The romance a mix of enemies to lovers and angst/pinning (from both sides) and had me gobbling up every crumble.

I would highly recommend Rose in Chains to anyone who is craving a good romantasy with Dramione vibes!

NetGalley Review – ★★★★★
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

Rose in Chains is hands-down my top read of 2025. From the very first page, I was completely hooked—Julie Soto delivers a dark, emotional, and utterly addictive story that had me glued to my Kindle.

The tension, the gothic atmosphere, the slow-burn intensity—it’s all perfection. The characters are magnetic and deeply layered, and the writing is so immersive it feels like it wraps around you.

I couldn’t put it down, and now I’m desperate for book 2. This story owns me, and I will be thinking about it for a long, long time. Stunning, powerful, and impossible to forget.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever/Hachette Book Group for the ARC! A promising start to a new Romantasy series! I enjoyed the book. I was hooked from the very beginning. Toven gives all the brooding, morally grey character vibes but I would have loved to see a glimpse of what his intentions were. He is obviously into the FMC but I wish we had some validation or insight into his thoughts or intentions. I did find myself yearning for more ( specifically character development and plot progression) but I recognize that this is a start to the series. I was a tad bit confused on the world building and epilogue. I am eager to read the sequel and uncover more about the world and rebellion.

Thrilling, mysterious, and TERRIBLY romantic. This book had me on tenterhooks the entire time. Readers be warned though, heed the content warnings at the start because this delves into some seriously dark territory. Nevertheless, I felt myself deeply drawn into the world and the consequences of failure for the protagonists. I'm so excited for the next book!

While I felt appropriately warned by the content warnings at the beginning, I found the first 25% of the book to be a little too uncomfortable for me personally! Perhaps given the current political climate, it was too real to hear the deeply misogynistic remarks from the villain characters and see Briony sexually assaulted multiple times. I do feel that this book fits the dark fiction genre well, and will definitely handsell to those looking for very, very dark reads! This was reminiscent of the Handmaid's Tale, which I will definitely highlight when giving this book to readers unfamiliar with the original fanfic.

Julie you ate down with this book because this was SO GOOD. I need book 2 hahah. But seriously this was amazing! The hype surrounding this book release is so well deserved. I was hooked right from the start and this was such a well written romantasy.

The twists and tensions had my jaw dropped on the ground and flipping through the pages wanting more. This is a slow slow burn, a TRUE slow burn and let tell you I was devouring it up. the YEARNING oh my gosh the yearning was truly everything I could have asked for and more. I can't wait to see how the romance and relationship develops as the series continues.

The fictional world and magic system was also a chefs kiss and made everything such a fun read. I will be highly recommending this (just like everyone else is because for real this is a masterpiece!)

I will be keeping my eye out for this book in stores because this will definitely be a must have for my shelf!

The best fantasy book I've read in a really really long time.

Please please check trigger warnings at the beginning of the book before reading!! There are some seriously dark thematic elements here

10/10 and I cannot wait for the next book!!