I really liked Ella Lynch’s narration. She did a great job with the emotion in her voice to convey the emotion of the main character. This is the second audiobook read by her and I will continue to look out for her narration.

The story was a little confusing, I didn't understand the magic of this world at all. I think since I know this is published fan fiction I keep thinking about the world of the original story. I also think dark romances aren't for me. I don't understand how she likes that man. His family killed her family. Briony stand up girl, he's keeping secrets and information from you. Maybe I have anger issues but I couldn't fall for a guy like that. I liked the flash back story a lot better then the present day story. I kinda wish it was split into multiple books.

I will pick up the next book because I'm nosey. But hopefully it picks up the pacing of the book.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC audio of Rose in Chains. I have loved every book of Julie Soto’s that i have read in the past so i was excited for this new journey of hers.
I was not sure what to expect but I have to say, I was very impressed. The world building could be cumbersome at times, but that may have been more due to listening to the audiobook, rather than reading the physical book. But I felt pulled right into their world, even if sometimes I was a little confused where they were.
But the characters!!! Briony is strong but also gentle and afraid. As a princess that was meant to mostly be in the shadows, she was a great leader when she needed to be and incredibly smart. But also entirely smitten by Tovin. Still trying to get a full read on his character. Cant wait to see how his story develops in the coming books. So many secrets! But dang so they have chemistry!!
Looking forward to the future books. Hoping they dont take too long to come out. I need to know what happens

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Audio review: I loved the narration of this, I would highly recommend if you do decide to read it.

Review: I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I was really worried about there being too many intimate scenes, I have no problem with that but I want more substance to my books, even my romantasy. However, that wasn't the case for this one. A lot of early reviews said there were too many sex scenes, now I did DNF at 55 percent but up until that point that wasn't the case. The reason I DNF'd this was because I just got bored. The beginning was very interesting, there's a unique world and it goes back and forth from the present to the past and I enjoyed the building up of the characters. However, once people are getting settled in, about half way through it just really lost the forward movement. There is magic but it felt really light, I guess maybe I wanted more fantasy? I think I actually enjoyed this book so much that I wanted more from it and when that didn't happen I felt let down in some ways. I am happy to say that if you want romantasy that at least half way through actually has a plot and not just sex, I would recommend. This may be a book I go back to at some point to finish but for now I am putting it down. I hope this helps you decide if you want to read it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5 Stars — Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!

I devoured this book in under a day—completely unputdownable.

Julie Soto delivers a captivating slow burn romance full of banter, tension, and characters you can’t help but root for. The forced proximity? Perfection. The worldbuilding? Immersive. The stakes? So, so high.

✨ Rival kingdoms
🐉 A dragon (yes!!)
🪄 Magic and mystery
👑 Political intrigue
❤️‍🔥 Delicious slow-burn tension

If you love romantasy with high stakes, magnetic chemistry, and a touch of danger, Rose in Chains needs to be on your radar. I can’t wait to hear Julie speak about it this summer!

The Rose in Chains audiobook is nothing short of phenomenal. Julie Soto’s gripping, emotionally charged story comes alive in an entirely new way through the narration — elevating every sharp inhale, quiet heartbreak, and simmering moment of tension.

The voice acting is pitch-perfect. The narrator (or narrators, if it’s dual POV) bring so much nuance to the performance — capturing the ache, the desire, and the raw vulnerability between the characters with just the right tone. You feel every pause, every unspoken word, every shift in the emotional undercurrent. It’s deeply immersive, and honestly, I don’t think the book would have hit me as hard in print.

The pacing is tight and cinematic, the sound quality is crisp, and the emotional resonance of Soto’s writing translates beautifully into audio. There were moments I had to stop what I was doing just to feel what I was hearing — it’s that powerful.

Whether you’re new to Julie Soto or a devoted fan, the audiobook of Rose in Chains is an unforgettable experience. Highly recommended for anyone who loves a story that burns slow, hits hard, and stays with you long after the last word.

Julie Soto is becoming a favorite author this year. Coming out with her YA debut The Thrashers to now Rose in chains Soto is on fire and can’t be stopped. Now Rose in Chain has been adaptive and change from its original form. It was previously a fan fiction, I have never read fan fiction of this world and can say that I have fallen for this world. The world building, the magic system, the details were all intricate and well written.
The back and forth between the time periods building it up going between what is happening now and giving us the backstory leading up to the current time period worked really well for me.
I can honestly say I was really excited and dreading this book at the same time. Everyone was really hyping this book up. Everyone is really excited for this book. I was afraid to be excited for it and to be let down. But I don’t think Julie Soto is ever going to let me down. Now all I want is more. I need the next book ASAP!!
The audio book…this was my second read through and I wish I had it on my first. I loved the first read through. I love the enthusiasm that Ella Lynch brings to the performance. The subtle voice changes were fantastic. Immersion reading is really big for me right now and this really hit the spot. I thought the production was fabulous and can’t wait to consume more by Ella!
Than you to Forever for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm going to start this review by stating that I've never read any Dramoine fanfic so this was all new to me. Overall, I would give this book 4 stars, I love a good slow burn and cannot wait to see what happens next since this book ended in a cliffhanger. I was hoping to give this book all the stars, but I felt like something was missing and had so many questions. I really hope the rest of the series will fill in the answers. I enjoyed the dual timeline and the flashes into Briony's past. I really enjoyed how the Hearst family was peeled back layer by layer through the book and how Julie Soto made me respect the whole family. I cannot wait until Veronika Mallow gets what's coming to her.

This read like a fanfiction terribly transformed into original work. The world building was nonsensical and characters flat. I also couldn't tell if this book was trying to be YA or Adult, though it read more YA. Even the narrator made this sound very young. I can't believe Julie Soto wrote this.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this early copy of Rose In Chains for an honest review.

This is not my first time reading Julie Soto: traditionally published or fan fic writer. As a huge fan of her original fic, readers will be pleased to see that the story follows a similar thread. There were many Easter eggs throughout, which I believe was “the right thing to do” for her fan base.

I do believe this story stands on its though. The flashbacks woven into the story help to establish the complicated relationship between Briony and Toven. I anxious to see where Soto advances the story with the dragon.

Ella Lynch, the narrator, was wonderful. I listened at 1.5 speed and could understand everything. She seamlessly switches between character voices. Of note, I did find that Briony’s petulant voice when bantering with Toven sounded awfully similar to Larissa.

As one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, Rose in Chains did not disappoint.

‘Rose in Chains’ (RIC) by Julie Soto Review

When I requested the RIC Audio ARC, I was unaware that RIC was a HP fan fiction, and I do not support the author of that series. However, my thoughts on this novel are purely based on my experience of this book by itself, which was not good. I had many serious issues with this novel, mainly its encouragement of discrimination and sexist, elitist and homophobic views. This novel is unoriginal and predictable and weakly follows current popular tropes. I continuously felt uncomfortable while listening to the audio book.

Throughout the novel, there are short and frequent flashbacks, that seem to contrast with the narration by the current Briony, who is the female main character. These flashbacks are intended to provide context, but they disrupt the flow of the story. The world building and explanation of the magic system were poorly executed. There is limited information on the grievances between countries that have led to the war and poor explanations for the politics. There appears to be no gods or religion unless the magic is their religion. It is also unclear as to why there is such deep hatred between the countries.

This leads on to one of my main grievances with the novel; there is such strong discrimination based on the country they originate from by all characters. There are Evermore and Bromard; and both countries refer to each other and group the other by their country with hatred attached to it. The FMC constantly does this as she calls the group of men that are responsible for sexually assaulting and raping her friends as ‘the Bromard men’. Both countries have a deep hatred for one another, which is neither explained or overcome; apart from the FMC and MMC being attracted to each other and being from opposing countries. The hatred may be due to the type of magic they use, including either mind or heart magic. The discrimination in the story was handled very poorly.
There is also strong sexism, which is occasionally called out in the thoughts of the FMC but the importance of her virginity, her reliance on the men in her life, the fact that even the female dragon wants to be owned by a man are sexist outdated themes. Evermore society is strongly patriarchal and Bromard society allows a female leader of family and country, but the men still view women as objects and usually sex objects. There is such strong emphasis on the importance of Briony’s virginity, which is disgusting and outdated. There is an undercurrent of her worth being tied to her having kept her virginity, while other women have been raped and they as such are less for this having happened to them. They keep repeating that the smart thing is to sit there and allow the other men to look at her as an object, meanwhile she does not even plan to help save her friends. The FMCs situation is vastly different to the other women who were sold at the auction but there is the implication that her friend, who was in a situation where she was likely raped was stupid for fighting back.

The plot is repetitive as they go through the same activities each day and there is no growth for the characters. The characters are poorly developed and one dimensional. The female main character Briony, is the ‘perfect’ FMC – she is a princess, the best at magic, the smartest, a virgin, agreeable, the most beautiful and of course unaware of her beauty and that every man wants her. The male main character is rude and racist toward Briony and yet she pines for him. He is boring, controlling and there is no tension between the two main characters who barely interact even though they live under the same roof. There is focus on how the MMC Toven, is a good slave owner but he still owns her. The characters are in their mid-20s but act very childish and awkward.

Homophobia was also present in the novel as a character, Liam, is made fun of for the possibility of being attracted to a man. Although this behaviour was conducted by awful characters in the book, the behaviour was not shamed by the main point of view.

Although, I did not like this novel, the production of the audiobook was fantastic. The narration was clear, and well-paced and sound quality was great. The narrator was very good at subtly changing her voice for different characters and narration of the story. I think the voices she chose were perfect for the story.

(Loved this audiobook)

Rose in the Dark is a five-star read—no question about it.

Set between two rival nations with clashing ideologies on magic—one brutally patriarchal, the other slightly less so (but still deeply flawed)—this story grips you from the very first page. It’s a world where power is political, magic is weaponized, and survival depends on playing the game better than your enemies.

Our heroine, a princess trained to appear lesser in a world that fears powerful women, is anything but. She’s sharp, formidable, and utterly magnetic. I was instantly invested in her journey, her resilience, and her fire. One line that stuck with me: “They could strip her of her name, her station, and her voice—but never her power.” That perfectly sums up her strength.

Yes, this story has roots in Dramione fanfiction (specifically The Auction), but you don’t need to know a single detail about the Harry Potter universe to dive into this rich, reimagined world. Julie Soto has crafted something wholly her own—and it’s phenomenal.


FYI.....that ending....yes yes and yes. I NEED more 🥰

Thank you for the ARC. I’m already planning to buy the physical copy.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hachette Audio for allowing me to listen to this ALC.
The war is lost, the hero is dead, and Briony Rosewood has been captured by the enemy. Stripped of her powers, she’s sold at auction to Toven Hearst, her old crush and a member of a ruthless magical family. But even in a world ruled by darkness, sparks of hope still flicker in unexpected places.
Narration:
Listening Speed: 1X then 1.5
Narrator: Ella Lynch
Feedback: This was my first time listening to this narrator, and unfortunately, her style just didn’t work for me. Her voice felt overly dramatic and a bit too wistful for my taste, which made it hard to connect with the story. I found myself focusing more on the narration than the plot, which took away from the immersive experience I usually look for in an audiobook.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto follows Briony, a princess who is captured and sold, after the death of her twin brother and the fall of her kingdom. This book had me hooked from the beginning, from the writing to the characters and their dynamics between each other, I found it hard to take a break from this book. The narrator did an amazing job bringing all the characters to life, making it easy to just get lost in the story. The main problem I had with this was the amount of characters we were bombarded with in the beginning, that eventually made sense as the story continued, but also the fact that I’m have to wait who knows how long until book two to release. The ending had me speechless!!! I appreciate the opportunity to listen to this book before this release, thank you.

Dark, luscious, disturbing - Julie Soto does it again. She’s woven another story that had me completely immersed in a world that is brutal. There’s a manga-like element to this world that is a nightmare, where sensuality and innocence are only a dream that are stolen by those hungry for power. I had already pre-ordered a copy of the book that I’m looking forward to receiving on publication day so I can read what I was able to listen to with this ARC. The narrator does a fine job of bringing life to the characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to Julie Soto’s new book.

**Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC!**

I stayed up way too late devouring this one. I’m not even a huge audiobook listener, but Ella Lynch’s narration paired with Julie Soto’s writing was *chef’s kiss*.

This is a dark romantasy, and the trigger warnings listed upfront are absolutely warranted. But wow… I ate 👏 it 👏 up 👏.

Julie Soto nails the world-building, and the flashbacks are executed so smoothly. I was especially impressed with how naturally she wove in past plot points without making it feel forced.

Briony is one of the strongest, most loyal FMCs I’ve read in a while. Her love for her country, family, and friends really shines. The romance is a *slowww burn* (normally not my jam), but the payoff and emotional tension made it worth every second.

There’s a bit of a taboo edge to the pairing, but it’s handled thoughtfully — the emotional groundwork was laid so well that the relationship felt earned and layered.

Final thoughts: I’m obsessed. Book two, I’m ready.
Please send help (and snacks) while I wait.

I absolutely devoured this book. I'm not normally a huge audiobook person because I tend to get distracted really easily but this narrator and the production done to this book kept me hooked the entire time! The narrator did a fantastic job keeping me engaged and helping me to feel what the characters were feeling in moments of stress, turmoil and happiness. As for the actual book content itself this book has the perfect amount of political intrigue, plotting, scheming, and world building in order to follow along while also not being bored with lulls in the pacing. The tension between our main characters was palpable and I love the slow burn that we got. The romance did not overshadow the actual plot of the book and very much felt like a subplot. There are definitely some heavier topics in this book so definitely check your trigger warnings before reading. I am already anticipating book 2.

WOW. The narrator of this book was PHENOMENAL. I knew that Julie Soto was a phenomenal writer but having read all of her books in the last 6 months I don’t believe there is a single genre that she can’t write. I absolutely devoured this book.

Thank you so munch to Hatchette Audio and Netgalley for the ALC of this book. I absolutely loved it.

LISTEN….. if you’re a dramione fan, you’ll love this. It is the same yearning vibes of dramione fanfic (obvi), and I was sat for it all

I really enjoyed the magical elements added to this like how there is heart and mind magic as well as familiars. I’m really excited to learn more about the magic system in the next few books as well. I also really like the different areas/people and how they go to war/interact with one another. I felt like the world building wasn’t too complex but was complex enough to feel like a complete world.

I’m sure no one is surprised, but I LOVED Briony and Toven. I love their banter, I love the yearning, I love the touch her and die. I love it all. But again, we’re not surprised, because I love dramione.

Okay, dramione aside, I do think this book still stands on its own. I admit there are parts of it in the middle that may be more fan service than not, but I do still think that this book, with its dramione origins aside, is still a great first installment to a romantasy series about a princess who gets essentially kidnapped and given to the enemy.

The ending, in my opinion, was excellent. I found myself truly caring about all the characters in the book and not wanting anything bad to happen to them. The ending was exciting/leaving me wanting more without being too cliffhanger-y. Needless to say, I am very excited about the second book.

Now, I did listen to this instead of reading it physically, and I have to say I really enjoyed the narrator. I don’t think I could read the book now without imagining Briony sounding like Ella Lynch. Her ability to put emotion into her storytelling immersed me into the story, and I found myself not wanting to stop (evident as I listened to it in 2 days!).

All in all, I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy dramione fan fiction but also still recommend it for those that are just looking for a fun new romantasy series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

This dark romantasy begins at the end of a war in which the enemy has won and killed the young king who had been prophesied to save his kingdom. His sister and other important figures of this conquered land are captured, stripped of their magic, and either killed or sold as slaves to the highest bidder. The princess sells for the highest price but is surprised to find her prison to be more of a refuge wherein she must learn new ways to keep fighting for her people and their freedom. Soto does a pretty good job at introducing her world, though some aspects are still confusing to me, especially about the magic system, but it wasn’t so confusing that I couldn’t still follow the story. This first book is clearly meant to set up the rest of the trilogy and ends in a cliffhanger, but I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series. The main characters are likable and there’s a lot of yearning between the romantic leads as well for those that enjoy a slow burn. The plot is very dark though, so check the trigger warnings at the front of the book before reading.

I did receive the audiobook arc, and it was well done for the most part. There were a couple choices with voices for other characters that I personally did not like, but that may have just been me.

I already knew Rose in Chains was going to be amazing—I devoured the e-ARC and have been obsessed with this story ever since—but the audiobook? It blew me away. I’m talking full-body chills, heart racing, completely-ignored-my-to-do-list levels of captivated. I consumed the entire thing in one day because I simply couldn’t stop listening.

Julie Soto's haunting post-war fantasy world comes alive in this format. The audiobook does such a phenomenal job amplifying the emotion, the tension, and the desperate hope that threads through every chapter. The narrator (or narrators, if it was a full cast) brought Briony’s pain, strength, and slow-burning resilience to life so vividly it felt like I was right there in the wreckage of Evermore, chained at the mercy of fate alongside her.

The chemistry between Briony and Toven crackles, but what really stood out in audio was the nuance—every shift in tone, every quiet defiance, every moment of vulnerability is magnified in a way that makes your heart ache. The sound design and pacing were also on point. Never rushed, never dragging—just pure, immersive storytelling at its best.

If you’ve read the book, the audiobook is a must. And if you haven’t? Start with the audio and prepare to lose yourself completely. This is one of those rare experiences where the story grips you by the soul and doesn’t let go. Julie Soto, I bow to your dark and beautiful mind