Thank you to Net Galley, Julie Soto, and Hackett Audio for this Arc copy of the audiobook. I wanted to like this book more than I did. I love Julie’s writing and the story but the time hops just didn’t work for me. I also feel like I might enjoy this more as a physical read versus audio. Overall I give this 3.5 stars.

Briony Rosewood is captured by the enemy, her kingdom overthrown, and she is stripped of her mind magic as she is auctioned off to the highest bidder. Rose in Chains is a romantasy with a unique magic system and captivating storytelling. It has been beautifully reworked from The Auction (a Dramione fanfiction) as part one of the Evermore trilogy and it was simply exquisite from start to finish! Ella's narration was wonderful and the production kept my attention focused - I didn't want to stop listening. The backstory and schooling system are detailed in a way that allows the story to pack the same punch that the fic did. Julie Soto is a genius and I can't wait to read it again.

A big thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the Rose in Chains arc! This was my most anticipated book of the year and I still can't believe I'm reviewing it early.

Rose in chains is out everywhere on July 8th!

4.5 rounded up

Have a little patience with this book and you will be rewarded. It takes off big time in the beginning and feels like there's a slight slump, but read it with the concept in mind that this is the first book in the trilogy!

What I loved:
- the in depth world building
- the scary (at times), powerful, unique magic
- the intense, heartbreaking politics

What I struggled with:
- tonsssss of characters at the beginning. I had a hard time feeling connected for this reason, but around 70% I felt more connected

While this is based on a HP fanfic, I'm not sure that you must read the fanfic to be able to thoroughly enjoy this story. I think that would be hard for anyone to say. I knew it was based on a fanfic but have never read it, so being able to keep that in the back of my mind and a sparse idea of what the fanfic was about, helped me to follow the storyline more easily. But you can still enjoy this story with absolutely no prior HP knowledge.

**premise**
The bad guys have won and those who opposed and are of particular, powerful magical blood are sold at auction to the highest bidder. Some sold to those who they used to call classmates. Our FMC, a princess of a powerful ruling family, is sold to her years ago rival classmate for whom she's always felt an attraction. He must do wrong to her so that others cannot do worse.

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The ending of this book was quite surprising to me and I mispredicted A LOT of stuff which rarely happens and that moved this book from 4 solid stars all the way through to being 4.5. Still only off by .5 because of the lack of connection I felt.

But this plot is remarkable and the world is deep and if you give the storyline time to cook, you'll be glad for it! This is definitely a trilogy I'll be continuing!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hatchette Audio for this advanced listener copy!

Stunning and addicting- I’m already salivating for book two. I absolutely loved Rose in Chains! You can just feel the yearning. Julie Soto is an auto buy author for me after this one!

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.

I absolutely loved the content—engaging, insightful, and incredibly well-written. The narration was perfectly suited to the tone and style of the book. I honestly couldn’t stop listening! This audiobook kept me hooked from start to finish, and I’d highly recommend it to everyone!

I want to start this off by saying that I have not read Harry Potter (please don’t come for me) and have not dipped my toes into ANY fanfic so I went into this book with a complete clean slate. I was a little confused in the first 15% or so as I’m also not the biggest fantasy girl, so it took me a minute to wrap my head around the ideas of mind magic and heart magic. But let me tell you, once I got past some of the initial questions, I was HOOKED. Like the type of hooked where I’m so focused on reading and by the time I look up it’s the middle of the night but I just can’t stop reading.

Julie Soto is one of my auto-buy contemporary romance authors, and she is now on the list as an auto-buy romantasy author. Her writing in this book was gripping. The hand maids tale meets fantasy world building comes with dark themes and Julie Soto writes them perfectly. With this book being a trilogy, the slow burn was definitely a SLOW BURN - I am still gripping my kindle just yearning for the forbidden romance between Toven and Briony. I absolutely can not wait for the rest of this series to publish.

Audiobook notes: I loved Ella Lynch’s narration of this book. Given the origination of the story, I was really glad that she had an accents as it honestly kept me super engaged and allowed me to feel like I was part of that world. I think that dual narration would’ve made this audio a 5 star listen, especially with the number of characters in the book, but Ella Lynch was still able to given Briony and Toven their distinct voices and portray their emotions through the book.

I really liked this despite having a few complaints. Dark romance isn’t usually my thing—I feel too deeply to enjoy stories with cruelty—but this one hooked me. Ella Lynch is a solid narrator, though her voice leans very child-like. Paired with Briony’s behavior, which felt more like a 13-year-old than someone in her twenties, it made the romance (and especially the sexual assault elements) pretty icky to sit through. I had to keep reminding myself this character was supposed to be an adult.

Now for the positives: I loved Toven. He’s basically a hot, emotionally tortured Professor Snape type—gruff, distant, trying to protect Briony by treating her terribly. I totally get why she liked him, even if the reverse took more suspension of disbelief. Still, I couldn’t stop listening, and that’s always a good sign.

This is an absolute dark romantasy hit. I binged this audiobook in less than 24 hours while still having to participate in normal life activities. Given that this is a dark romantasy, I recommend checking trigger warnings before starting your read. I think Soto handled the darker elements of this story well. As a whole, Rose in Chains is incredibly well written and will have you begging to know what happens next. The plot moved at a good pace, and there’s solid political intrigue mixed with a delicious slow burn romance. The tension and yearning was top notch. The characters were fantastically written — they’re richly developed with complex back stories to the point that certain characters kept you guessing as to their motives throughout the entire story. The magic system is very interesting as well. Fair warning, though, this ends on a cliffhanger. I enjoyed the audiobook in general. The narration was crisp and easy to understand. I felt that there was adequate emotion throughout the story, and it also kept me engaged. I do wish it was a little darker/grittier to match the dark vibes of the story. Overall, I am obsessed and can’t wait for the next installment.

As someone who read the original Dramione fanfic, I went into Roses in Chains fully expecting to know what was coming—but Julie Soto completely threw me. She didn’t just adapt it, she transformed it. The world is darker, more layered, and emotionally loaded in a way that felt totally new. It stands fully on its own, and honestly? It might’ve hit me even harder than the original.

Briony (Rose) is such a vulnerable, quietly powerful protagonist, and the tension with Toven is magnetic. It’s slow-burn, it aches, and when it finally breaks—you feel it. Soto doesn’t rush anything, and that patience pays off.

Now let’s talk audiobook: Ella Lynch was BREATHTAKING. Her voice gave this story soul. She captured Rose’s turmoil perfectly and Toven’s restrained yearning? Devastating. It genuinely felt like Briony was reading me her own story.

Soto’s writing is lyrical and emotionally raw, and the title? So clever. I was fully hooked and left a complete wreck by the end.

I’m going to be thinking about these characters for a long time. And after that ending?? I’ll be over here not-so-patiently waiting for book 2.

Thank you NetGalley, Julie Soto & Hachette Audio for the ALC—what a ride. 4.5 ⭐️

As someone who usually adores Julie Soto’s work, I went into Rose in Chains with high expectations—especially with how much buzz it’s getting. The premise had real promise, and I couldn’t help but feel echoes of Manacled with the dark, intense setup and emotionally fraught tension. I was ready to be wrecked in the best way.

But this one left me... unsure.

The slow burn is really slow, and while I get that it’s the first in a series (and that build-up is essential), it felt like I was waiting a little too long for emotional or romantic payoff. The MMC’s refusal to admit or even fully confront his feelings got frustrating after a while—especially since we don’t get much interiority from him. I craved more intimacy, more vulnerability, and honestly, more spice. The tension is there, but it never quite catches fire in this installment.

That said, Soto’s writing is still strong, and the worldbuilding feels like it's leading somewhere rich. I’ll probably pick up the next book just to see if the emotional and romantic arcs get the depth they deserve—but I’m hoping for a lot more heat and heart moving forward.

Julie Soto, taking two five-star reads from me and it’s only June? Damn, she might be an auto-buy.

This book was gripping. I did not want to put it down. I constantly wanted to know what would happen next, and I kept thinking about it when I wasn’t reading. I only found out midway that it’s supposed to be a trilogy, and suddenly the pacing made more sense. There were moments when nothing seemed to be happening. Nonetheless, I will be seated for the next book. I need to know what happens ASAP. Julie better have already written it.

Briony was such a good heroine, I liked her a lot, and I need to get into Toven’s head, like, yesterday. I need to know what happens to every single character, OMG. I also liked their slow burn and banter and spats. And the Everhearts family? They are so ajkgakfgaf (that’s my brain short-circuiting with obsession). I need the next book. Immediately.

Thank you, Hachette Audio.

2.75/5

This was kind of very disappointing to me. I had so much hope and excitement for this book ever since it was announced. And I think everyone can agree with that sentiment! But this did not hit for me. Really at all.

This is definitely a Dramoine fanfiction situation but in a way that does not feel original. It feels like this author read Manacled and then did that. It felt so close to Manacled at times, it just felt too familiar. (And I didn't love Manacled, so maybe those that did will love this more than I did.)

I did not like these characters and the plot felt rather random and half-assed at times. It was so strange. None of these characters really had any personality. I get the feeling that the whole Dramoine thing was supposed to carry most of this book. But you cannot rely on your inspiration to give your work meaning, you have to put that in the book yourself.

And OH MY GOD. I know her name is inspired by Hermione, but Briony??? It reads as "briney," like a pickle brine. It is awful. How no editor caught that and made her change it is beyond me.

I do like being immediately brought into the story, I like a fast-paced start to a book, but this is not the way to do it. You are thrown into the middle of the drama and never really given any context. At least explain what is going on when you do that, you are allowed a bit of info-dumping just to get me up to speed if you throw someone into the middle of a dramatic situation.

But that is the only fast-paced part of this book, the rest is very strangely paced and drags a lot.

I was just so disappointed in this. I'm sure there are other people who will love this book, I'm sure some people aren't nearly as picky about certain things as I am, but now you have this information. Do with it what you will.

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

4.5/5⭐️
Prefacing this by saying, I’ve never read the fanfiction this originated from, so I went in completely blind and honestly, you’d never know. It absolutely stands on its own.

From the very first chapter, I was hooked and completely immersed. The magic is beautifully described, and the atmosphere feels both haunting and grounded.

This is a dark romance, so please check content warnings before diving in. That said, if you're into slow-burn tension that builds and builds, you're in the right place. There's so much longing and intensity, and it’s perfectly balanced with political intrigue.

The flashbacks in the book are super well done, they add just the right amount of context and backstory without ever feeling like they’re dragging the plot down. They are always timed to deepen your understanding of the characters and their pasts.

Each of the main characters are layered, no one feels one-dimensional. Something I really loved was the genuinely strong female bond that runs through the book. The FMC isn’t totally isolated, which I always appreciate in darker stories.

Audiobook notes:
 Overall, I really enjoyed the narration, great emotion and pacing. The only minor issue was that some audible breaths were a little distracting in a few places. Nothing that pulled me out completely, just something I noticed.

Thank you Hatchetteaudio, NetGalley, and Julie Soto for this ALC!

*♡Thank you to to Julie Soto, Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion♡*

4.5⭐
Wooooow!! First of all, Ella Lynch did a fantastic job of narrating the audiobook. She fully immerses you into the story and I adore all of her voices!
If you are a fan of Manacled and The Handmaids Tale you will enjoy this. There is so much heartache and grief portrayed by Briony and her subjects that I genuinely feel guilty for enjoying this as much as I did! The slow burn is soooo tense and there still wasn't a satisfying conclusion, hopefully that will come in book 2 🤭 you will definitely add Toven to your list of book boyfriends, that boy has some angst that I wish was directed at me!
Warning ⚠️ this book ends on a cliffhanger 😭💔

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. While I absolutely love Julie Soto and could not wait for the release of this book I just could not get into the audiobook, the narrator was not for me and the jumping back and forth on a timeline was confusing. I definitely think that this book would have benefited with a dual narration.

Amazing amazing amazing!!! Julie Soto has crafted a masterpiece that pulls you in from the very first page and refuses to let go. The slow burn romance is exquisitely paced—every glance, every moment, every word charged with tension and longing. It’s the kind of build-up that makes the payoff all the more satisfying.

The world-building is rich and immersive, with layers of intrigue, magic, and emotion that unfold beautifully. The characters are complex, compelling, and unforgettable. Whether you're drawn to fierce heroines, morally gray love interests, or intricate political dynamics, this book delivers it all.

As someone who hasn’t dipped into fantasy in years, Rose in Chains felt like coming home. It reignited my love for the genre in the best possible way. If you’ve been thinking about diving back into fantasy—or trying it for the first time—start here. This book is a triumph.

This book was GLUED to my hand for three days. I woke up at 5 am so I could fit as much reading time into my day as physically possible. When it was wrenched from me for frivolous responsibilities like work or errands, all I thought about was Briony and Toven. I’m not surprised, though, because Julie Soto’s books hit EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way—Briony and Toven were scrum-didly-umptious. The burn was burning, the banter was bantering, the mind-reading was JAW-DROPPING. Historically, I get antsy with books that take longer than fifty-percent for a first kiss, but of course Julie Soto’s got me eating scraps from Briony and Toven like it’s a five-star restaurant. The push and pull from them was exquisite, and I loved that the flashback chapters really added symbolism and depth to a lot of their interactions. Their relationship and all the tension that came with it was enough to keep me hooked and ready to sell my first-born for the next book.

But I was also pleasantly surprised by how immersive the world-building was and how interesting I found the plot. It’s no easy task to take a work inspired by a famous book series literally known for its masterful worldbuilding and to make it your own, but I found the concept of mind magic versus heart magic, and heartsprings, and Briony and Rory’s whole dyanmic with their family all really captivating. I found myself turning the pages faster not only to get to their first damn kiss, but also so I could uncover little mysteries sprinkled through the plot. Looking back at the beginning of the book, I’m also amazed by how much has already changed and happened in just 400-odd pages. Like I’m kind of rooting for Larissa and Briony to become besties now even though I hated her in the beginning. Or how much Serena ships her son and Briony together. And I MUST know Orion’s side of things.

This was very close to a five-star read for me, and there’s really only two nitpicky things that kept my heart from being able to give five stars. That is (1) The big reveal at the end. It felt cliche and honestly I was expecting it from the very beginning of the book, but I’m not going to hold it against Julie Soto when she wrote this book years ago as a fanfiction likely before this trope was … well, a trope. And (2) By page 400 I was ready to knock Briony and Toven’s heads together. These two are just so thick. They have to know they’re both in love with each other after how much of the book is just them throwing moony looks at each other, I mean, come on. You can mastermind treasonous secrets, hoodwinking a mindreading tyrant, and becoming an advanced magician at the top of your classes, but you can’t figure out you both want to bang each other? Get real.

That said, this book is one of my new obsessions. I’ve already started recommending it to my friends, and I will be first in line for Book 2 where—godwilling—Toven and Briony will make it to second-base.

This isn't just "another Dramione fanfic." Typically they don't impress me BUT THIS ONE was everything. I was so beyond thrilled to be granted access to the alc for Rose in Chains. I loved every second. Ella Lynch did an amazing job narrating this.

Briony was such a good heroine, I liked her a lot, and I need to get into Toven’s head, like, yesterday. I need to know what happens to every single character, OMG. I also liked their slow burn and banter and spats. And the Everhearts family? They are so ajkgakfgaf (that’s my brain short-circuiting with obsession). I need the next book. Immediately.

Thank you Hachette Audio, I did a full immersive experience, and it was so good. Ella Lynch was a phenomenal narrator and made the experience so worth it.