The author was amazing when it came to character development and world building. She paints such a vivid picture. The only reason I did not give 5 starts is because the story seems to be more about setting up for book two so this one was quite slow and not a lot of action or excitement. However, I will definitely be reading the next book of the series. I have a feeling it's going to be a wonderful series.

This was such a great fantasy and kept me hooked! I absolutely loved the audiobook narrators & had to pick up a physical copy to read alongside them! One of my favorite parts of this book was the slow-ish burn between the MCs.

Overall, this was such a great listen & I'm really excited for Julie's next books in the Evermore Trilogy.

This book was utterly addictive, packed with intrigue, subterfuge, and deliciously angsty banter. I was captivated by the richly built world, especially the dual forms of magic, and completely hooked by the simmering romantic tension between Toven and Briony. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a phenomenal job of bringing the devastating emotions to life. I’ll be waiting with bated breath for book two!

If you’re drawn to dark, emotionally volatile romance set within high-stakes magical worlds—with morally complex characters and an addictive slow burn—Rose in Chains is likely to grip you deeply. It’s gripping, raw, and atmospheric, though be prepared for pacing that lags at times and a narrative that leans heavily on a later payoff.

Ideal for romantasy lovers with patience and appetite for intensity. If not, be aware that this is more of a setup than a full arc—many readers say the real momentum may come in book two.

Rose in Chains by @juliesotowrites is a dark and unforgettable romantasy! 🥀💜

Blurb: The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.  

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, the world as Briony Rosewood knows it is changed forever. Evil has won, and her people face imminent servitude, imprisonment, or death.  

Stripped of her Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly sold off to the highest bidders in an auction—and as Evermore's princess, she fetches the highest price. After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven Hearst, scion of a family known for their cruelty.  

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help—and hope—may yet arise in the most unlikely of places…

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I very much enjoyed reading Rose in Chains, given that I am not a supporter of H*rry P*tter! The world-building was incredible and I love how Julie Soto dropped the readers into the action. It felt like I was ACTUALLY in the story and feeling the struggles of Briony Rosewood in her eyes! The narrator sounded exactly like Herm*ine and her voice immersed myself in the story. However, sometimes the narrator’s articulation of words was difficult to understand. But still, amazing voice work! 🤩

Briony is a bada** heroine who will stop at nothing until she gains her freedom! Toven is the broody MMC who secretly cares about Briony but has to follow the regulations of his family. I hated at times that it was a slow burn, however, the payoff is going to be spectacular the next book. 😏

The magic system was similar to H*rry P*tter, but managed to stand on its own. The constant surprises and shocking moments kept me on the edge of my seat! And with THAT TWIST?!?!? Yes, I will be tuned in for the next book. If you love enemies-to-lovers, fallen kingdoms, rebellions, sexual tension, and a “Handmaid’s Tale” type plot, you need to read Rose in Chains. 🌹🪄

Thank you to @hachetteaudio and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen/review this ALC! 🤩🎧

🏷️: #roseinchains #juliesoto #review #audiobookrecommendation #bookstagram

This was not as spicy I anticipated, and it felt like not enough happened. Like, they saved a lot of plot for the next book. However. really loving the dynamic and the direction of the series.

The narrator was wonderful. Please, don't change them.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this one! The world building was amazing! Very unique. The characters were interesting. They were flawed and intrigued me the most. The main characters had so much tension between eachother. It was palpable. The writing was fast paced. There was never a dull moment. The ending does end on a cliffhanger! I'm looking forward to the sequel. Overall, I would recommend.

I really enjoyed reading this new series and it was amazing. My first book of this author and I will definitely wait for the next instalment of the series.
A great romance fantasy and loved the mysteries that’s keeps unveiling.
The narrator did an amazing job in narrating the book.

With so much thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher Hachette Audio for the ARC.

Okay so I was already aware that this book originated as a fanfic that was then rewritten to stand on its own merit, and my goodness does it stand well on its own! I was so enthralled by this book, I think I forgot that lift outside of it existed for a while. Toren was the perfect balance of secret yearning with outward broodiness, and the world building was so interesting. I loved that it was a story with some dark themes to it, but that balanced that darkness with enough lighthearted nature to keep it from feeling too heavy at all times. I loved the tension between the characters and watching their connection build, while also wanting to yell at them to just talk about their feelings already!
The audio really enhanced the story, adding in that extra layer of personality that just made this book over the top amazing.

Rose in Chains is set in a fantastical universe where two factions of magical people are fighting because... they practice magic differently? I'm going to be honest and say that this piece of world-building is something that continually escaped my grasp, but I'll admit that there are conflicts in real life that similarly make zero sense so I sort of shrug emoji'd past it. Anyway, the "good" side has lost and now many of the "good" side have been rounded up and are being auctioned off to people from the "bad" side. As any good romance set up goes, there is quite a bit of history between Briony and Toven, so obviously after a lot of really dark moments, Briony winds up at Toven's home.

Ostensibly, this is a dark romantic fantasy, but the dark romance aspect is not because of the dynamic between Briony and Toven, which meant that it was a perfectly fine book for me to read. There are content notes and warnings, including sexual assault of a variety of types throughout the book, but that does not occur between our two romantic interests. I found myself very intrigued by the relationship between Briony and Toven, while simultaneously finding myself aggravated that Briony, who is supposed to be so smart, continually seemed to have zero political sense. I just wanted her to be a bit more politically savvy instead of being so reliant on Toven for knowledge. That said, the end of book one has a hook that has me extremely anxiously awaiting book two in this trilogy.

This audiobook was really well done. I think I preferred reading it physically more as it’s fantasy and with the magic system it was easier for me to comprehend. Although, the narration was entertaining!!

I’m declining to read this because of the source material it is based on. I will not support JKR in any way because of her beliefs. I feel like this book will only draw attention to her.

Loved this book in written and audio format. A magical world to immerse yourself in, unique vibes, and the narrator did a great job bringing all the characters to life. A long but good listen - especially if you have read the physical book as well. It helps bring all the details to life.

Still thinking about this one. Was done so well and the world building was really impressive. I am already counting down to the next installment!

Book Review: This is extremely dark (check your trigger warnings for real), but marvelously crafted. Normally I find a dual timeline story rather annoying, but this was expertly rolled out to keep building layers and adding tension to the narrative, rather than slowing the momentum. I never knew what turn was coming next (not at all normal for me, I always predict the Big Reveals), but it all felt earned and part of a well-realized world and narrative rather than like something that was lobbed in for shock value or in the name of having a Plot Twist. The ending was such that I’m not in agony, but we’re clearly set up for one hell of a sequel.

As for the much-ballyhooed fanfic element, I found it to be barely there at all. The world is different, the magic system is different, the families are different, the bad guys are different, the school is different, the main characters’ personalities and mannerisms are different. The MCs were adversarial to each other in school and he has light hair and a rich family, and that’s literally pretty much it. This is a fully realized world all on its own and of Julie Soto’s own making.

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 2/5 (this is a hard one to rate)

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Captive FMC
- VERY dark world
- Magical academy
- Dual timeline
- Touch her and die
- Banter
- Mysteries and shifting alliances
- Forced proximity
- Rebellion
- Dragons
- Animal familiars
- Female rage

Audio Review: The narrator, Ella Lynch, was fantastic. Her Man Voice didn’t feel strained, and I really appreciated that she used an ever-so-slightly different voice to indicate when Briony was speaking verses when we were simply along for her POV. (Hilariously, and I suspect this was deliberate, said speaking voice had just a hint of an Oxford accent. iykyk) She did a very good job of portraying various scene directions (when someone’s voice is scratchy or flirty or Briony feels ill or what have you), and of keeping with the heightened emotions of the story without ever getting unnecessarily overwrought. My lowkey favorite moment was when she muffled her voice to portray Toven speaking with a book over his face - a little moment of levity in the midst of a very dark story. I will actively keep an eye out for additional books narrated by her.

Rating: 5/5

I thought this book was really good. I definitely see the source material, but had I not known I think it still stands on its own well. The audiobook’s narration was absolutely perfect for the story!

I NEED A MINUTE!

If you need me, make your appointment, and I will get back to you in the next 5-7 work days.

My second Julie Soto book. Honestly, liked it more than the other one, but I think it was because of the concept and the genre (yes, I love romantasy more than contemporary romance).
I did have an issue with the pacing in the beginning, and unfortunately, I saw a lot of people DNFing the book because of it. But, I powered through!

Briony is one of those female protagonists who, for some reason, make stupid decisions, even tho, in their minds, they know better!

Toven is melt-worthy and, even though I love the narrator, I think it'd be better as a duet. Only for Toven's voice.

The pacing does get better, the worldbuilding is a bit messy, but the characters are well written (I'll give Briony the benefit of the doubt, because I would also not brain if Toven was this close).

I'm looking forward to the next book! Hoping that we will learn more about magic and get more backstory.

I don't like it when the author goes back and forth with the timeline, but with this book, it made sense, and I enjoyed it.

A big thank you to Julie Soto for writing Toven.

As a Dark Romantasy loving girl, the premise of this book had everything I look for in a 5★ read. While an enjoyable story overall, I did often feel disconnected with the characters and their surroundings. I think both the character and world building could have definitely benefitted from a bit less 'dumping' in relatively short amounts of time. I did quite enjoy the unique magic system as well as the characters themselves. The narrator did a good job with bringing the story to life, though pacing felt a bit off at times. Overall, I look forward to the sequel when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for the opportunity to listen to an ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5/5 ⭐️ 1.5/5 🌶️ 5/5 🎧

What an incredible rollercoaster of a book. I seriously could not put it down, even if you threatened me with a heartstop spell. I have so many questions, so many thoughts, and even more concerns that I’m not sure if I can even eloquently verbalize them. This was PHENOMENAL.

Briony is such an interesting character to read about! I’ve always been a sucker for FMCs that are as smart as a whip and strong. Briony exudes power in different ways outside of brute force. I felt so frustrated for her that she couldn’t be the one to shine in school, as she couldn’t be better than her twin brother, heir to the Eversun throne, the “prophesied” heir twice over, Rory. While in school, at odds with the Bomardi children (Bomardis are heart mages, whereas Eversuns is mind) Briony developed a wee bit of a crush on an enemy, Toven Hearst. His rowdy band of friends kinda made her life annoying, a tad brutish, but that’s the backstory between Toven and Briony.

War, as always, breaks out. The Bomardi are no rules under an evil woman who says she’s bonded to a dragon that goes by the name of Mallows. The Bomardi infiltrate Eversun, taking any citizen, man or woman, as slaves. While shackled in chains that takes away their magic, the Eversuns are auctioned off to the highest bidders. Briony is at first won by an evil bastard named Reighven, but somehow Toven Hearst ends up making a deal for her.

While living with the Hearst household, Briony learns how to mind shield and many other things as she also grows close to Toven (crush reignited). But Toven keeps shooting her down, refusing intimacy, kissing, etc. THE SLOWWWWWW BURN IM SCREAMING FOR BOOK TWO PLEASE LORD GIVE IT TO ME THIS IS THE BEST BOOK IVE READ ALL YEAR.

Absolutely no notes. No crumbs left, this book is incredible

I absolutely devoured the original fanfiction story this new series is based on. I recall the days when admitting to consuming fanfic was seen as an embarrassing secret. How lucky to now exist in a time when some of my favorite stories are being re-imagined and published! I'm happy to be able to support these authors and to help separate the stories from the terrible author of the source material.
Julie Soto has done a terrific job of building the world of Rose In Chains. There are just enough threads laid out and left hanging that I'm so ready to read how everything will tie together in the upcoming books. This is definitely the SLOWEST of burns but the building tension is *chef's kiss* brilliant.
I'd be remiss not to mention Ella Lynch's narration. I loved the voice she gave to Briony. With her lovely British accent it was quite easy to picture her as the treasured princess of her kingdom. I did struggle at times with some of the other voices and pronunciations but was able to catch on as the book progressed.
The darker themes are definitely not for everyone so please be mindful of the content warnings. I look forward to one day being able to read the full trilogy back to back!