Sadly this book did not work for me and was a DNF. The story never was able to grab my attention after trying to understand what was happening or what was the point.

Sadly this book did not work for me and was a DNF. The story never was able to grab my attention after trying to understand what was happening or what was the point.

If you guys like cozy fantasy with forbidden love and animal companions I feel like you would love this!

The audio was absolutely fantastic I loved both narrators! The fmc Oneira has such a calming voice that fits the vibe of this story. The mmc Stearanos voice also fit perfectly for our older sorcerer. They both brought the characters to life so well.

I really liked the beautiful, whimsical prose that this story is told in, perfect for this cozy romantasy. The story starts a bit slow while the world building plays out but picks up when fmc and mmc finally interact and start leaving each other cute notes in books, i loved their banter! It was refreshing to have older main characters. I don’t normally like when the fmc is 18 I always make them older in my head lol the magic system was also interesting in this with our fmc able to walk through peoples dreams and come out into their world, take items and bring them back to her world. There is spice but barely and it’s towards the end of the book.

Some things I didn’t love -
the pacing is extremely slow in this. I really wasn’t invested until the 50% mark. The audio definitely made me enjoy it more. I feel like if I were just reading it I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. The beginning is basically just them gardening, talking about roses, and stealing books back and forth.

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the ALC and thank you to Jennifer K. Lambert for the ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC of Never the Roses.

This book is a mature slow-burn romantasy, and I loved it. It is a reimagining of the classic fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. The main characters in this story are rival sorcerers, each possessing unique magical abilities. The FMC has exiled herself and has magical animal companions. Without spoiling the book too much, her magical capabilities center around sleeping and dreaming.

This story is more character-driven than plot-driven. The writing is enchanting yet catered to adults. The world-building is rich. The characters are older with lived experiences, unlike the common growing pains or coming-of-age themes we see in most romantasies. I love that the enemies-to-lovers romance builds slowly. This book may not work for those who do not enjoy a "quiet fantasy." It does not have action-packed battle scenes or some sort of grand mission/adventure. I compare the pacing to Sword Catcher or The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. Similar to those two books, you have character development through the main characters daily living in the beginning, the pace picks up after the 50% mark, and the payoff comes together beautifully at the end. The epilogue...the EPILOGUE...that's all I can say.

This is a fantastic debut with emotional depth. I personally enjoy these types of reads and look forward to reading more from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC.

Fabulous world building, a sweet romance that builds you up, then breaks your heart in the best way. The two star-crossed sorcerers begin as enemies and end as lovers in a story that takes you across a continent at war.

Great characters who tug at your heart and make you cheer for them and love them. Oneira knows her life is done but manages to eek out one final save in a spectacular way that saves her country from another war and helps to heal her heart from destruction from the past.

Shane East, as one of my favorite narrators as usual, does a spectacular job. Chloe Campbell is a new to me narrator, but she also does an amazing narration.

3.5 stars rounded up. Two sorcerers forever entwined in war and love. It’s a slow burn romance with good world building. I really enjoyed the idea of this book. It’s unique when so many romantasy books borrow from each other, this one is truly original. The banter between the two main characters was delightful, while I wish some of the characters like the queen, her lover and a lesser sorcerer could have been built out a bit more.

Overall, it was a fun read and I will definitely be reading book two when it comes out. All in all this is a really good first book for this new author and I’m excited to see what else she brings us.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Big thanks to Netgalley and Jennifer k Lambert for the audioARC in exchange for a review.

I think Jennifer hit the nail on the head with Oneria's character. Magical dream witch who builds her own home in a pink beach to live and die completely on her own, never having to see anyone ever again? Can I live there, please? All alone with nothing but books, a magical wolf, cat, and bird?

I guess that is until she gets curious about her rival. A man with equally terrifying powers, who was (like Oneria) taught to belive they would always be rivals.

Spice is pretty low, it's not graphic but more sweet (still explicit) and there is some non-con pushyness from one character but is eventually told to GTFO.

I enjoyed the storyline. I think it was such a great concept that was well written and developed into an interesting connection.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author Jennifer K. Lambert for the ALC copy of Never the Roses! 🎧🖤

✨ Tropes:
•Dual POV
•Retired warrior heroine
•Forbidden romance
•Rivals-to-lovers energy
•Sorceress x sorcerer pairing
•Magic and war backdrop

My Thoughts:
I was so excited for this book—it sounded so intriguing, and the edition releasing is beautiful. But it let me down a bit. The first 50% felt so slow… mostly sleeping, stealing books, and Oneira thinking about how this younger guy made her feel alive again (honestly, she just seemed super sex-deprived and horny).

Around 75%, things finally picked up. The ending and the narrators saved this one for me, but I just wish more had happened in the beginning.

This was such a refreshing twist from normal coming of age fantasy romance reads. Definitely more mature for the women who wish they could end like Oneria.

The narrators made me more invested in the story.
This book started out slow but it built as more characters where introduced. The romance is so sweet and flirty. The writing style is visually,flowery in a good way and the ending more the last chapter has me hoping there will be another book otherwise this book is heartbreakingly beautiful

I expected this to be an intriguing romantasy with an enemies to lovers plot, what I got was a remarkable slow burn story that was beautifully told and left me in tears. This might not be for everyone but I adored how much care was put into world building and storytelling. By the time we really took off I felt I had intimate knowledge of both our main characters (Oneira and Stearanos). 

The slow build up gave us unique windows into each character's motivations, hearts, and minds and created such depth that the ending here felt that much more beautiful and tragic and hopeful (how the author managed to capture all those things at once, I'll never know, but they did. I think the author does an amazing job capturing how those who have been forced to do things they didn't want or aren't proud of them respond as well as human responses to trauma. 

I don't want to give much away because this book should be experienced with wonder and mystery on where it is going.  Both Audio narrators did an amazing job giving voice to our characters. While I was listening to the beginning of the story it reminded me of the opening of the Beauty and the Beast movie, setting up for a tale you know you won't forget! 

If you love being surprised, deep character exploration, and a love for the ages I would highly recommend this. Thank you to the publisher for providing an ALC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.25⭐
Spice level: 🌶️/5
Oneira is a retired dread sorceress, now that she has bought her freedom and is living out her life in the middle of nowhere. She's hit a point of boredom (literally building herself a bier) and decides to visit the most extensive library in existence, that happens to be owned by her rival, Stearanos. Stearanos is a sorcerer still under the command of a king, the rival of Oneira's previous queen. Oneira recklessly steals a book from Stearanos, initiating a taunting correspondence that turns to flirtation.

With excellent dual narration from the two narrators, this is a sweet and slow cozy fantasy. It left me wanting more for Oneira and Stearanos (please, tell me there is more!) Give this a read if you like:
- forbidden love/starcrossed lovers
- rivals to lovers
- slow burn
- past trauma/dark past
- lands on the brink of war

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an ALC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will be published on 7/8/25.

💥💥💥. Book Review 💥💥💥

Never The Roses
By Jennifer K. Lambert
⭐️⭐️ Stars

Never the Roses presented a fascinating premise but was just lifeless and dual with slow pacing. I am sorry. I just couldn’t get into this extremely slow burn book. I have the audio arc and I have tried twice to get into it and like it, but I can’t. I am sorry. I guess I didn’t like the narrator. Plus I just found it boring and fell flat for me.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I didn't love this one... I really wanted to, but I just couldn't get into it. It has a great premise and I love the idea behind it, but the story moves at a glacial pace and it was too slow for me. I found myself getting drowsy every time I tried to listen to it.

Perfect for those who love a slower paced, beautifully written book that I would compare to An Enchantment of Ravens

3.75/5

Firstly, thank you to Tor Publishing via NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for gifting me with this ARC.

This was beautifully tragic. I loved the slow burn. It was such an interesting story and something I haven’t seen before. The audio performance was great although I did wish that it would have been duet style versus dual narration. However both the narrators did a fantastic job. The concept of the dream magic was so cool! It was a little slow in the beginning for me but overall it was a very well written.

I started Never the Roses audiobook expecting a grim, high-stakes epic story, blame that moody, storm-lit cover, but Jennifer Lambert surprised me with something closer to a cozy armchair fantasy. Oneira, the battle-weary sorceress who’d rather raid a rival’s library than another throne room, is the perfect narrator for late-night listening: sardonic, tired of politics, secretly craving connection.

The enemies-to-lovers arc with Stearanos delivers. Their stolen book correspondence turns into razor sharp banter and slow burn tension that had me grinning in traffic. Both narrators elevate it even further: Oneira’s dry humor lands, Stearanos oozes reluctant charm, and the mythical sidekicks feel wonderfully alive. I can’t imagine reading this in print and missing those vocal cues.

Where it wobbled for me was tone. The plot hints at looming wars and divine meddling, yet the story mostly stays in gentle, low stakes territory. I understood the thematic point, finding rest in twilight years and peace after unforgivable acts, but the promised darkness never quite materialized, leaving the climax a touch underpowered. While the ending isn't a cliffhanger but more of a set up for a follow up book, it left we wanting more. Maybe it was exactly the point....

Still, for listeners craving witty letters, magical libraries, and tender romance, Never the Roses is a warm mug of cocoa disguised in a gothic teacup. Cozy fantasy fans: queue it up, just adjust your expectations from doom to delight.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ALC!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Ugh I had a hard time with this one. I wanted so much to love it as I really enjoy cozy stories that show what happens to main characters after the major battle/event is over. But this one just missed the mark on so many levels.

The cover is very dark and intense while the book itself is light and humorous at times. That was a bit jarring and started things in a weird tone. The scene with the queen in her chambers talking to her man space really just gave me the ick and felt gross and unnecessary. The bit where the FMC gets her period and then thinks about having a baby out of boredom also just felt weird and completely unnecessary.

Then we get to the end of the book that just felt so unsatisfying. The book was not built up enough to justify the final act of the FMC so the entire thing just felt forced and silly with a whole lot of “well that was ridiculous” at the end.

Such a shame too as I loved the ton and the feel and the imagery and it had so much potential…

The narrator’s were great though so at least there’s that.

This is an “unconventional” way to tell a fantasy love story. I understand what the intent was, but I do not think the execution worked as intended.
First off, I must say I appreciate the return of 3rd person. I personally get tired of everything being in first person.
That being said, however, I did not see the purpose of 3rd person in this book. 3rd person works best, im my opinion, for multiple POVs. And with the exception of one small portion of the story, the entire book alternates between the FMC and MMC, as per usual these days.
Further, the book begins very strangely. There is no hook, IMO. The author just starts telling about the FMC. It feels very distant and detached and I wondered “why should I care about this person?” The author tells about a magical sorceress who retired to become a hermit. Some magical animals happen to find her so she takes them in, but on the whole they do not play any significant role in the plot of this story, they are just side characters with little purpose.
Then one day, it seemed out of nothing but boredom, the FMC decided to go spy on some random sorcerer that “she was told” was her enemy, and was powerful, but she’d never met.
That was a big problem for me. The FMC was just bored, so that’s the motivation behind the initiating action? Further, she also just randomly decides to take a book the MMC was reading just for kicks.
So, then the MMC DOES have motivation, because he wonders who took his book, who snuck into his library, but none of this more interesting action happens until 25% into the book. I’m sorry but that’s a long time to just hope readers hang on to a boring FMC who is also bored and just doing random stuff before there is any driving want or motivation for the plot to begin.
Then there is the tone of this book. It takes itself far too seriously, as much of the plot points actually come across as funny, but the tone remains serious. Seems to me that was an opportunity lost. I would have enjoyed a book that took a comic turn on this common, run of the mill enemies to lovers/romantasy trope. A comic romantasy? I would buy that and recommend it to all my friends, but that’s just my opinion.
As such, moving forward, I did feel there was a silly and pointless forced “love triangle” that went exactly the way any reader would have predicted. There was never a threat or fear that she would make the wrong choice.
But even still, with all that I felt was lacking here the romance also was lacking. The MMC just went from thinking of her as a threat to propositioning her in the same chapter. Huh? How about some build up? How about making me believe there was an attraction? Not just saying it and therefore it is so.
I liked the intent of this story, but I felt mistakes were made in the composition of the story and storytelling. My taste is my own, of course, and I am sure many readers will adore this unconventional fantasy love story. I am not interested in reading any kind of sequel or next book myself, but with the painted edges and the publicity afforded this tome I’m sure it will be some kind of success.

Cue the tears!
My first thought when I began this book was that it had very Sword Catcher (by Cassandra Clare) vibes. The world building and character development is grand. The enemies to lovers felt natural and I loved the banter between the two. The narrators were perfectly cast for that affect as well. But then the ending...so emotional! Not a cliffhanger but boy there better be a second book in the works Ms. Lambert!

This book comes off as dark from the cover but it's not. It has heavy themes yes. In this world those with magic are taken and forced into magic school that in turn makes them indebted to the school. Oneira is tired of death and avoids it and basically has self reflection about what she has been forced to do and has trouble with it so lives in isolation after she retires.
The subplot of borrowing books from her rivals library and gardening makes the book lighter. This brings in the 2nd Pov.
The magic is unique with Oneria dream magic and her rivals with more wards and whatnot.
There is no crazy action or drama within the story line. The world is pretty straightforward and easy to follow. This story is for those who love more character driven stories than a heavy plot.
The dual POV and with the narration makes the story more in-depth and absolutely a treat to read.