Woah! This is not like anything I have read before. I felt like it was a mix between a reimagining of Harry Potter but with a sinister twist on Hand maid’s Tale. Both of which I have seen and absolutely devoured! This is no exception of a master piece. With that being said I am jumping it up to 5 Stars.

I want to say that this book has been a whirlwind! I have laughed, gasped out loud, even shed a tear while reading this. I must admit I was hesitant to pick this up but since @abigailscupoftea was recommending and reading it I had to have a read and thank you to hachett publishing on NetGalley for providing the Audiobook!

This was such a dark twisted fairy’s tale I need more of. Please. I loved it! I Need book 2 immediately!

Julie Soto never seems to disappoint EVER. Im actually thrilled to announce that this was my favorite of hers up to date. I had read others compare this book to fanfic circling around but oh, this was so much better.

I was thoroughly impressed with this book! Julie Soto does slowww burn so well. I thought the political intrigue and magic system was so captivating. Briony is a princess from a conquered land bought by her old classmate and the tension is 🔥.

I need another like immediately. The audiobook narrator was also fantastic!

Thank you NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5⭐️/5

Wow I loved this. I was craving it, couldn't wait for the next chance I had to listen to it. I was obsessed with the romance and the yearning. I need book two ASAP.

HOWEVER, I do think this story benefited from the fact that I am knowledgeable with the HP universe. There world felt lush and dark, but that wasn't from the world building within the book. Despite the efforts to change the story and make it its own, it still felt like a really well done fan fiction.

That being said, I am eagerly awaiting book two!

I love loved the book but it felt so slow after the auction. I am excited to see where this goes in the upcoming books but it wasn’t the best I’ve read.

Yet another banger!

This one wasn't on my radar as I primarily saw it being promoted as a Dramoine kind of fanfic and as a non Harry Potter reader, I just assumed it wouldn't be for me. Boy am I glad I requested this one in spite of that because this one was absolutely fantastic!

The storyline, the narrators, the ending-- all of it, this one was flawless.

I was so invested in Briony and I didn't want this one to end but the way it did- I did not see that coming!! I will be here counting the days til book 2 is released!

She's perfect, everyone should read his book.

I went into this expecting a typical Romantasy with some edge, but what I got was much darker and heavier than I anticipated. This is not a light fantasy romance. It deals with intense themes, including sexual violence, fertility control, and systemic abuse of captured women. If you are sensitive to those topics, I highly recommend checking content warnings before diving in.

That said, the story itself is deeply compelling. The world is brutal, but it serves a purpose. The female main character is strong and watching her dynamic develop overtime with the male main character was one of the strongest parts of the book. Their connection was full of tension that grew into something more. The audiobook narration helped bring that intimacy to the surface and made the emotional moments feel even sharper.

The magic, the dragons, and the political undercurrents added real weight to the plot. And that cliffhanger? Absolutely brutal. I need the next book immediately! Don't let the pretty cover fool you. This is not your average romantasy. It's darker, more raw, and a whole lot bolder.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for an ALC of this! I enjoyed this! I could see the HP comparison, but this did feel incredibly different - the magic system and the premise. The slow burn is SLOW, but I liked the romance.

The narrator does such a great job with all of the characters and has such a pleasing accent. I love feeling like I’m not in the US in a book, and this made me feel enveloped in the story.

Overall, I am loving the direction it seems to be going in! Will definitely read the next one!

Amazing book!
The audio was perfect for the characters, plot worked very well! There was many twist and turns I didn’t see coming. One of the best books for the year!

I give this book 3 ⭐️

I felt the story was quite confusing at the start. I had to pause and go back and forth to understand what was happening since we were going back and forth with the timeline and a lot was happening.

It took a while for me to get into the story but it did get more interesting once Briony and Toven's story got going.

Wish there were more development on Toven's part. I don't understand his side of attraction or what draws him to Briony. With how Toven acts and his personality, I really don't see the chemistry. Maybe we'll get that in book 2. I see the yearning from Briony's side but Toven's was lacking. Was hoping for more with the love story development.

The triggers for this story was a lot to handle and are quite intense. So a warning to everyone.

Overall, the story was okay. This had so much hype before it came out. I had higher hopes for it because I enjoyed Julie's other 2 books I have recently read. I would say I have more of a mix feeling right now. Maybe book 2 will change my mind if I like it or not.
It is lacking the world building, Wish we had more world building so I can picture it while hearing the audio.
And as of characters, I am confused most time who is who and how they are connected. By the end of the story, I figured some of them out but not all. Hate most of them though since most of the men are horrible in this story.

The ending did leave on a cliffhanger that made me go what? That was a surprise.

I would say read or listen to the story and form your own opinion. Like I said, I had mix feelings so I will wait for book 2 to be the deciding factor and hope for a development from both our leads in love and growth.

Thank you Julie Soto & Hachette Audio | Forever
for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book took me on an adventure. I loved the concept of the book and although I do NOT support JKR - this storyline had a great structure and the characters were enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this book early.

This book captured my entire heart- once I started listening, I couldn’t stop. The narrator did a fantastic job with this story and really kept my attention.

This book had such complex characters (didn’t seem so at first, but growth happened!), an awesome magical system that is unlike others I’ve read, and such a compelling story often keeping you at the end of your seat. Was it at times slow to get there? Sure. But that is not always a bad thing because it made me keep listening so I can find out what happened next.

And the morally grey/enemies to lovers… I’m sold. I am excited for the next installment

Have you ever wanted to dive into a dark and romantic fantasy world? Well, buckle up, because the Rose in Chains written by Julie Soto audiobook is here! Narrated by the talented Ella Lynch, this audiobook is a captivating journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The audio is about 16 hours long, so it’s a commitment, but trust me, it’s worth it. Lynch’s performance is nothing short of amazing. She brings each character to life with such nuance and depth. Briony’s raw strength and vulnerability are palpable, while Toven’s cold restraint is both intriguing and unsettling. The story is filled with political intrigue, forbidden romance, and a unique magic system. It’s set in a world with shifting timelines between past and present, which adds to the complexity and suspense.

Overall, the emotional payoff and unexpected twists at the end make up for it. If you’re a fan of emotionally intense fantasy with a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc and expertly executed narration, then this audiobook is definitely worth checking out.

I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Amazing book, perfect blend of fantasy and romance. Highly recommend. Especially appreciate the narration and audiobook version.Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio ARC!

I generally enjoyed my listening experience with this book. I liked the narrator and thought the story had a lot of interesting/intriguing elements.

I didn’t find the world-building to be clunky or confusing (like I have heard a lot of others complain about), in fact, everything felt pretty digestible and straight-forward to me. This is a lot darker than I think the cover or synopsis suggest, so definitely check TW and go into this knowing that it is pretty drab, depressing, and whatever the opposite of empowering is. This is also a super long book. And it feels long. Every detail is explained and everything is super fleshed out. This is a positive for some people, but for me it just felt like we were spoon-fed a lot of the story. I will say, the audiobook helped this go by faster, and I would definitely recommend listening to this (especially if you are having these same thoughts).

As for the romance, I assume it will build up throughout the series, but this book was not very romantic. The MMC purchases the FMC in an auction, so she is essentially his prisoner. But, the author wants us to fall for him because he doesn't abuse or SA the FMC (like his friends do with their “slaves”)... like…

When I reached the end, I didn't really feel anything. I am intrigued to see what will happen in the next book, but this one didn't evoke any strong thoughts, opinions, or emotions from me. It definitely isn't something I will be thinking about often and I can already tell that the story is pretty forgettable.

This was a great story albeit incredibly slow. the audio narrator was almost chipper in a lot of he treading, making me not understand that this was actually a dark story.

I do wish there was some kind of clarity between Briony and Tovin, but it kept going round and round with no insight.

many thanks to Hachette audio and forever Grand Central publishing for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto completely swept me away!

Julie Soto has been one of my favorite authors for years, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book. Thanks to NetGalley, I got the audiobook just before release—and wow, what a ride! The world Julie has built is dark, lush, and utterly captivating. Briony, Evermore’s princess, finds herself in a realm on the brink of war, only to be sold at auction to the enigmatic and dangerous Toven Hearst. Auction? YEP—and from that moment on, the tension and intrigue never let up.

This story is emotional, intense, and beautifully written, with just enough edge to keep you breathless while still delivering a romance worth rooting for. While it does come with trigger warnings, I personally wasn’t triggered—instead, I was completely immersed in this gorgeous, heartbreaking, magical world.

If you’re looking for your next must-read Romantasy, make it Rose in Chains. I cannot wait to see where Julie takes this series next!

Big thanks to NetGalley for the early listen—I’m already counting the days until book two.

#JulieSoto #NetGalley #HachetteAudio #booktok #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookish #bookworm #reading #bookreview #bookaddict #booknerd #readersofinstagram #bookcommunity #romancebooks #bookblogger #romance #bookshelf #bibliophile #reader #bookrecs #kindleunlimited #booksofinstagram #bookclub #bookphotography #booklovers #realtorreads #soldbyjori #livingonthehill

Best read of 2025! I will be recommending this forever to everyone I know. Julie Soto is an auto-buy author for me!

I will admit that I did listen to the first 5% of this audiobook. However, I will respectfully not be providing specific feedback to the plot of this audiobook as I no longer wish to listen anymore after learning about the current discourse online re: JKR's beliefs on transgender individuals. With that being said, from the portion I did have a chance to listen to, I thought the narrator did a great job!

Audiobook performance: 5 stars.
Absolutely loved the intonation and pace of the narrator. She did a wonderful job, and made the story even more engaging. I could listen to her voice all day!

Book rating: 4 stars.
Rose in Chains was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it delivered with a heavy dose of longing and suspense. I loved the easy to understand magic system, and the really dark and heavy topics were handled with care. Rose in Chains set the stage for so much more we'll discover in the second book, and I can't wait! The only reason I took off a star was because the pacing sometimes seemed very slow - I know Soto was aiming to develop the characters and the backdrop of the war setting in depth, but I felt like so many things could have been quickly solved and moved along with a simple conversation. However, I cannot wait to see what happens in the coming books!