This had an absolute CHOKEHOLD on me!!! I am newer to the #dramione world, but this was a knock out. It took me a minute to get into the audio, but once l did?! Sold (literally?). The plot kept me turning the pages, the different timelines deepened my understanding of the relationship between B + T, and the narrator was giving straight Hermione energy. So good!

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it was such a thrill to get an early copy and to also have the opportunity to listen to the audiobook. In the end, I had mixed feelings about this book.

The dark, complicated romance of this definitely appealed to me. I loved the plot concept and the idea of the Heartsprings as magical wells. Soto has a knack for writing romantic tension, and I enjoyed the complex nature of Briony and Toven's history up against their present challenges.

I did find the world building overall lacking, the naming choices awkward and inconsistent, and the characters lacking depth. Knowing this is going to be a trilogy, I was looking for some richness to really sink my teeth into. Instead, it feels a bit superficial. The male love interest, Toven, lacks any real depth or personality at this point, which made it challenging to be truly invested in the developing relationship.

In listening to it on audio, I found the first 30% or so really drags (even more than I had noticed in reading the ARC initially). There's a lot of history and set-up, but it feels like an info-dump. Numerous characters are introduced right off the bat and it's easy to get them mixed up because they don't particularly stand out. I feel like Briony, though apparently 25 years old, seems much younger. I thought the narrator herself was enjoyable, though this story requires a lot of different voices and her interpretations didn't always land.

In the end, this was a maybe a 3.5 star read for me. I'm curious about what happens next in Briony's story and I think there's potential for interest, but the world of Evermore (and Moreland--yikes.) felt underdeveloped. I'm eager to read the next in the series and hopeful that as the world grows that it will become something more unique and engaging.

3.5?

I enjoyed some parts, but there are some drawbacks for me, personally. I like the court politics, different types of magic, spells, etc. The characters are just okay. I wasn't a huge fan of Briony. She was naive, entitled, and at times, petulant. Maybe that was because she was a princess, or maybe that's the character in general, but I didn't like her. I also wasn't a huge fan of Toven, but not for any particular reason. Also, they're not enemies to lovers (idk where I got that impression), but instead they're kind of obsessed with eachother from the beginning. The setting is complicated in the start with a lot of infodumping, which I generally don't mind, but it could have been done in a way that was more understandable. There were a ton of characters/places/magical terms dropped in the beginning. Some of the flashbacks were clunky and misplaced, and would have served better if placed differently. I like the premise of an "auction", but I somehow suspected the subject matter to be darker. It is dark, read trigger warnings, but not as dark as I thought. The audiobook narrator did a fine job, I would maybe listen to more of her. I would have liked a dual narration because her male voices grated on my nerves.

Aside from the plot/characters/setting there's the matter of it being a supposed "Dramoine" fic turned trad? I have never read the Harry Potter books, nor any fan fiction, so I'm not well versed in the controversy, but I do know I would not want to willingly support JKR who is actively harming the Trans community. If this is supposedly a scrubbed fan fiction that can stand on it's own, why market it as "Dramoine"? It's a disservice to fan fiction and the rewritten "book" itself. I didn't see any outward ties to HP (other than maybe the magic newspaper?), but I did find myself trying to draw comparisons the whole time, which took me out of the story. That being said, I've also seen speculation that the author (Julie Soto) herself still supports JKR, which is icky to me.

So, I'm thankful for the ALC, the narrator was fine, the book was okay, but I won't be continuing the series, and I've sold my Fairyloot edition

you know i loved this book because i am literally struggling to put into words just how much i enjoyed it. it just got me so hooked, i loved the characters, i loved the word, the writing was amazing. the chemistry between toven and briony, sizzling, delicious. ella lynch did such a great job as briony and bringing this whole world to life! by far my favorite julie soto book and i do feel like fantasy is her calling, and im excited to read the rest of the trilogy and more from her, especially in fantasy.

3🌟 Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but the story started off with a bang - fast-paced, high-stakes action right from the beginning. I was immediately pulled into the tension between the Eversuns and the Bombardi, and genuinely intrigued by the world and its underlying conflict. Early on, I found myself eager to understand how everything fit together.

Unfortunately, that momentum didn’t last. A major issue, in my view, is that the story began as fan fiction based on a well-known IP. Because of that, the author had to work hard to distance the narrative from its original source. While I respect the attempt, it didn’t fully land for me. The worldbuilding never quite reached the depth needed to sustain my interest beyond the opening chapters, and the pacing, particularly in the first 75%, felt uneven.

Another aspect that didn’t work for me personally was the slave/master dynamic, which I’ve realized just isn’t a trope I enjoy.

That said, Julie Soto is clearly a talented writer. The prose is clean, and the book is easy to read, even if I didn’t particularly enjoy the experience myself. I can absolutely see why this story might resonate with other readers, it just wasn’t for me.

I appreciated the cadence and tone of the narrator, Ella Lynch. She did a good job conveying the required emotion for Briony’s own experience.

Rose in Chains 🥀⛓️‍💥⛓️🎧

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio for the chance to listen to and enjoy this advanced copy!

WOW! I loved Rose in Chains when I eyeball read it back in March; it was an immediate 5-star feeling for me, and I knew that it was going to become one of my all-time favorites.

Listening to Rose in Chains in audiobook format was a truly different experience. Getting to hear the scenes narrated was really interesting because I still pictured them the same way, but HEARING the auditory delivery evoked a completely different set of emotions, and it really enhanced the experience.

I cried over this book the first time, and I cried over it this time. I truly think I’ll cry over it every time I experience it because there are so many parts that are heartbreaking, but there are also so many parts that are so hopeful and reassuring. I will forever for the rest of my life be a Toven Hearst girlie, and I am so excited to see where book two will lead.

I specifically enjoyed the narration from Ella Lynch. The cadence of their narration along with their accent really set a moody fantasy tone that was absolutely perfect for the execution of this gothic and deeply moving story.

Thank you to the Publisher, Hachette Audio, and Netgalley for the ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, the narrator for this book was absolutely wonderful. She was very easy to understand and she gives a wonderful voice to Briony Rosewood as well as voicing other characters. Apologizes in advance if I spell any names wrong as I listened to the the ALC.

This book follows the story of Briony Rosewood, twin of prince Rory of the kingdom of Evermore as she is taken and auctioned as a prisoner to the Bomardi to non other than previous school crush Toven Hearst. Julie Soto gives such a unique and strong voice to Briony Rosewood as well as Toven Hearst. If you are a woman has ever had to make yourself smaller, be it for a brother, father, husband, etc you will absolutely relate to Briony on a female level.

Following the world building of any new fantasy book is a bit of a challenge and this book is no exception. The story is a little slower at the start but it’s very clear how the Evermore/Bomard and heart/mind magic interact with the characters. It’s hard to balance getting the reader invested in the characters as well as effectively communicating to them how the world is set up where the characters are and I feel like Julie Soto did a wonderful job of balancing the two.

As far as characters go, Briony is who her family made her to be: a spoiled princess. Always having to do less and become smaller so her brother the prince shines brighter. Toven Hearst is more of a mystery to us as well as to Briony. I found it hard to immediately fall in love with him because we really just don’t get much with him unless it’s in flashbacks from Brionys point of view. I am hopeful this will change in the second and third books of this trilogy with learning more about why he is the way he is and what his motivations and thought processes are. As for our main villain, Veronica Mallow, I found it very hard to find her scary or believe the story was as high stakes as its lead to feel for Briony. Mallow is absent for about 75-80% of the story line and the cruel and disgusting men of Bomard are way more threatening as villains. I think this will hopefully change in the future story as we shift more from the initial auction and flaunting of the heart springs to actually facing off against Mallow.

There are some things I still have questions on such as how did the Hearsts learn mind magic, how did Mallow come to power, what is Mallows end goal, where does she come from, but seeing as this is a trilogy I am very hopeful on getting answers before it ends.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for the sequel! If you are a fan of adult/dark romantasy I suggest you give it a read!

i absolutely loved this! this was such a gripping and fast paced story. i loved the narrator and feel that she did an amazing job at conveying emotion through her storytelling. i absolutely loved toven and im dying for the moment this slow burn finally burns!!! its got so much amazing tension and yearning in a way that isn’t very in your face, but more subtle which makes it all the more special to me. this was a bit hard to read at times due to some of the contents, which slowed me down some as i needed to take breaks, but over all this was a very enjoyable read/listen.

Rose In Chains was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025 and I was not disappointed. As someone who has read the original work this novel was reworked from, I was greatly looking forward to seeing how Julie Soto was going to rewrite this story. And dare I say I enjoyed this version so much more? The backstories for each character and the two magic systems were fantastic, and I felt all those combined really worked well with the idea of the Auction plot line. This story really stood on its own two legs.

This story is dark, gritty, and enticing throughout. Briony is such a strong FMC. All her life she has downplayed her abilities and it was fantastic to read about her strategizing to overcoming her newfound circumstances and save the people she loves. She is truly a selfless character, and even though so many have let her down, she pursues justice.

Toven is a complex character, and as you learn more about him you start to love him, and can't help to want to know more and more about him and his motives. I can't wait to see his character grow in the next installments.

Political intrigue, magic, and lowborn enemies to lovers...what more could you ask for?

I loved this book a lot. It explored a lot of darker themes but I was fully captivated from the very beginning. Julie Soto’s writing is truly amazing.

I love this book in all formats.
After reading it physically I listened to the audiobook for Rose in Chains and it's great. The narrator does a really good job of portraying the wonder and terror of this novel, and experiencing it this way just enhances the experience.
I cannot wait for book 2.

I was really excited to read this book, and now I am left feeling confused as to what is going on with the fall-out.

I wanted to like this book - but I just couldn’t get into it. It had several events that really bothered me - for example, an execution that was kind of unnecessary for the plot. Some audio books I can listen to without reading along, but this was not one of them.


I received an advanced audio copy of this book in return for an honest review.

one of my most anticipated reads of the year! Rose in chains may be the romantasy I’ve been waiting for.

At first I was worried since I hadn’t read the fan fiction or knew anything about the original source material. But not to worry, the story does not require it.

It’s enjoyable, easy to follow, interesting and leaves me excited for the following books in the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Lastly thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for the advanced listener copy, it was a wonderful listening experience.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto - Audio Review
Narrated by Ella Lynch

I feel super lucky because I got to read the eARC of Rose in Chains back in May, and then I was thrilled to receive the ALC! Even though I didn’t get to listen to it until July, it was totally worth the wait. Ella Lynch’s narration was absolutely incredible and really helped me immerse myself in the world. She did such a great job bringing Briony’s thoughts to life.

This book is definitely a dark romantasy, and I personally loved the story. The only thing I wish for was a bit more spice, but overall, it was a fantastic experience. I’m giving it 4.5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC!

This book was simply not for me. I actually love other books written by this author, and I am a huge romantasy reader, but this one never gripped me at any point like her writing usually does.

Ok as someone who is still so new to Romantasy I really enjoyed this! I would say it’s more fantasy than romance though and a proper slow burn. The beginning is quite slow and some parts are a little repetitive so it did feel like the book wasn’t really getting anywhere but at the same time I felt like it was needed to build tension and hook readers in. Please note there are incredibly dark themes in this book so read the content and trigger warnings beforehand. Overall I think this was an interesting start to this series and I hope to see more romance in the coming books! In terms of the narration it was ok, they gave a great performance.

✨ Rose in Chains ✨

Overview:
Briony Rosewood has lost everything her kingdom, her brother and now even her magic. She has been stripped of all she had ever cared about and almost everyone she has ever known. To her horror she is to be sold at Auction (😉) to the highest bidder and be made their heartspring.

Little does Briony suspect her old school mate and ill advice crush Toven Hearst to bid on her. Toven has been the bane of Briony’s existence for as long as she can remember, yet she feels an undeniable attraction to him. Will the Hearsts be Briony’s saving grace or will they drag her down deeper into the abyss.

The Vibes:

🖤Magic School
🖤”Enemies” to It’s Complicated
🖤Princess FMC
🖤Wealthy Blonde MMC
🖤Angst
🖤Banter
🖤Dark Romance
🖤Dual Timelines
🖤Touch her and die


ARC Audio Review:
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and the publishing company for sending me an advance readers audiobook copy of Rose in Chains.

Julie Soto, you have no idea how excited and happy I am that your story is being traditionally published!! For those who do not know Julie got her start in the FanFic world and this was one of my favorite FanFics and now it’s a real book! I also just love Julie’s writing please check out her other works one of my personal favorites was Forget Me Not, I read it while planning my wedding which made me feel so seen.

This was my first Audio ARC, and I did enjoy Ella Lynch performance just at times the book felt slow to me. I love this book so much, so I probably am more critical because I hold this in such high regard. Ella did a great job expressing Briony’s emotions throughout this roller coaster of a book. I just was left with wanting more and maybe that is because I know the origins of this story. Some of the topics in this book would be very hard to perform and give them the proper emotion rage so I appreciate Ella making that effort.

The story itself is so freaking good! I just need as many people to read this as possible because I just want to talk about it with everyone. One of my favorite parts of this book was the angst! I just wanted it to be rainy and cloudy the entire time that I was reading. With the push and pull of Briony and Toven being chief’s kiss. They need to admit that they are in love with each other in the next book or I will scream. Be mindful that this is a slow burn series that I cannot wait for the payoff hopefully in the next book.

My second favorite part of this book is The Hearsts family. They are like an onion I just want them to peel back all their layers and let me know their deep dark secrets. This family is so loyal to each other that even if they are doing wrong, I must think that it is right! Serena Hearst is a bad witch, and I love her for it. I would go to battle for that woman her level of class with backhand compliment to boot sign me up. Serena Hearst for President!

Now Julie, I really need book two as soon as possible please because there is just no way Briony and Toven can keep their hands to themselves. Both just need a hug so bad it is like when you play with dolls, I just want to shove them together and make them kiss. Please know that I am so thankful for your work and am pumped for book two!

Rose in Chains deals with sensitive topics such as sexual assault, violence and the buying and selling of humans. I believe this book is written in a way that handles these topics with care, detailing them in a way that is respectful while being truthful. If it is triggering for you, please read with care.

For all those Saturday girls out there, I am so excited to see all these wonderful authors become traditionally published. Rose in Chains will be haunting my dreams for the foreseeable future so please read it, so I have someone to talk about it with! Congratulations Julie Soto you deserve all the flowers you are getting and I hope to one day meet you.

Thank you again to the publishing house and NetGalley for my audiobook ARC.

Rating 4.5/5

Devoured that book. Audiobooks are usually pretty difficult for me to go with but the narrator was perfect for this story. I really enjoyed the back and forth banter between the MC and FMC. Thanks so much for the arc!

There is just something about a fantasy audiobook!!!! It really transports you into the scene(s) and I felt fully immersed. 10/10 no notes. I NEED BOOK 2 IMMEDIATELY.