A huge thank you goes to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for this ALC!!

This has been an anticipated read for me since the beginning - I have read the previously published "The Auction" fan fiction and was eager to see how Julie would escape the HP world and make this her own when being traditionally published.

The concept of this one is absolutely flawless and add in the morally gray love interest, the auction with selling the princess to the enemy - all done extremely well.

That being said, I struggled a lot with the pacing for over half the book - the plot didn't move, the tension didn't feel like much, and just the intensity I had expected wasn't there at all. The world-building overall also fell flat for me - I was expecting a new world (or new elements, at the very least) but it felt really underdeveloped. With the fanfiction it's fine - we're jumping into the place we're already greatly connected with and familiar with, but in this one? It felt like it was just directly rewritten and for someone that wants to stay far away from anything with HP references it led to me truly feeling confused and I struggled to finish this one in general.

I will say that the last 25% or so of the book was really excellent - the intensity, the angst, the pure emotion that I was actually craving - it was all SO well done! And that cliffhanger has me eagerly looking forward to the next book!

Overall though this one was a bit of a mixed bag - tons of potential, I'm just hopeful that the next keeps up the momentum all the way through; and uh - please please please let us have much more of the dragon!!

4.25⭐
2🌶️

.Enemies to lovers
.Forced proximity
.Mutual pining
.It's always been you
.Slowburn
.Morally grey MMC
.Virgin FMC
.Single POV
.Dual timeline

These are the rumbles of a sleep-deprived woman, so bear with me. I have so many conflicting emotions after reading this book, and I've been thinking a lot about how to review it.

So, dear reader of this review, if you didn’t know: this book is a rewritten version of a very popular Dramione fanfic (Draco/Hermione from the Harry Potter series). As a huge Dramione fan, I’ve read and loved the original. I’ll try to stay neutral and not go too much into comparisons, but let’s be honest, that’s easier said than done.

Preface over. I have to admit that this book had a bit of a rocky start. The world-building and magical system were a bit silly, and the whole heart-versus-mind conflict felt convoluted. So, the fantasy part of this romantasy? Not great.

The romance, on the other hand, was chef's kiss. The tension between Briony and Toven gives me life. They are clearly two idiots in love and too afraid to say it out loud. Supposed rivals, yet constantly saving each other’s asses.

Now, I was lucky enough to get an audiobook copy as well, so I did a second reread because of it. The audiobook is great, especially in the beginning, as it really helps the story move along when the pacing is a bit uneven. The only downside? The amount of new characters becomes even more confusing while listening than when reading, which didn’t help with the already overwhelming cast. Still, the narration was good, and I recommend doing the audio if you can.

Back to the book: there are a lot of side characters. So many that at times it’s hard to remember who’s who. I blame this partly on the fanfic origins, where readers were already familiar with all the characters. But in this version, when they’re all introduced within the first few chapters, it becomes a bit of a mess to keep track of.

That said, I really enjoyed the story once it found its rhythm. It took a while—around 40-50%—but when it finally hooked me, I was all in.

Now, for those wondering how this compares to the fanfic… it doesn’t. And before anyone comes for me, I get that changes were necessary for publication. But some of them just don’t work.

First, the shift to a historical setting feels underdeveloped. Second, the magical system is messy and could have used clearer rules. And third (and biggest frustration), Briony is not as badass as Hermione. She’s older, yet somehow more naive? I wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up. Toven, on the other hand, is perfection. So is his mother.

There are new scenes that I absolutely loved, and the flashbacks to their school days really solidify their love/hate dynamic. Toven is hiding so many secrets, and he’s the classic brooding giant who locks everything away. But when those secrets come out? Oh, it’s going to be good.

One last thing, I promise. I was hoping they’d change that one plotline from the fanfic. You know, the virginity ritual. But nope. It’s still here. And it still makes me cringe. Hard.

So, romantasy readers, what can you expect? A tension-filled romance, a rivalry between two tangled magical systems, a huge cast of characters, and an undeniable urge to keep reading. If you’re here for the fantasy? Lower your expectations. If you’re here for the romance? Go for it.

I gave this a 5 star review as I received an arc, but the audio was terrible. I sadly do not recommend the audio whatsoever. The narrator has a lovely voice on their socials, I even deep dived and found all the voices they do, I feel the wrong one was selected and needed an adult voice. The change to a man was also shocking, it was so whiney. I feel people listening to this book are at a real disadvantage. Sorry Julie!

I'm in my romantasy era and I'm loving every single second of it.
Rose in Chains was the first book by Julie Soto I have read and it wont be my last. I was hooked from the very first page until the very last. The world building was fantastic, it felt unique. I loved the magic system.
Briony and Toven are perfect together and I loved watching them grow. Briony is full of strength, resilience and willpower. She made her bad circumstances make her stronger. Then we have Toven, our mysterious morally grey main man. I love him, there's more to him than meets the eye and I need all the information he's hiding. The slow burn between these two is amazing and had me on the edge of my seat. I am dying to see where their relationship goes and how this story will develop.
If you love enemies to lovers, morally grey characters, court intrigue, prophecies and touch her and die vibes with a unique magic system then you should definitely buy this book.
Thank you to Julie Soto, Hachette Audio and Netgalley for my ALC!

Thanks Hatchett Audio for the ALC of Rose in Chains by Julie Soto. Like all the audiobooks I review I will separate the story from the actual production, with Rose In Chains, I feel like it is a must. In complete honesty, I've struggled with some of Julie Soto books in the past, but given this is a new genre for her I was willing to give it another chance. I now know she is just not the author for me. I struggled with he pacing, I struggled with how heavy the world building felt and while I UNDERSTAND this was originally a fan fiction, it still read like a fan fiction to me and I just couldn't get on board with it.

The production and audiobook was ok, It is the only reason I didn't DNF or give it a lower score. The narrator did a good job with the material. Needless to say, I will not be continuing with the series.

Thank you so much Netgalley for giving me this ALC!

It was really good, but I had a hard time sometimes with listening to it... I will definitely reread the book now that it's actually out.

Will definitely be waiting for the second book after that ending!

Thank you for the eARC! This was the book that I’d been looking forward to for over a year. And it was well worth the wait! I devoured Rose in Chains! The world building, the magic system, the pain, the pining….the delicious tension between Briony and Toven! Julie Soto really knows how to bring the sexual tension and leave us imagining and hoping for more! The narration for this audiobook was beautiful. It really sucked me in. I only wish it was duet narration. I would have loved a male voice for Toven. But it was a lovely and emotionally charged listen. I can’t wait for the next book! Rose and Chains will be living rent free in my head for the rest of the year.

I loved the audio rendition of this book, the emotional turmoil that is laced in this was captured perfectly by the narrator. It brought me right into the story immersing me in ways that brough me chills.

I am really glad that I had a long car ride so I could finish the second half of this book. Although I struggled a little bit through the first half, I really enjoyed the interactions between Briony and Toven as the book progressed. There was so much tension and so many secrets.

I listened to the audio of this, and I was having a hard time with the flashbacks at the beginning of the book. I feel like it was sometimes unclear which time period we were in even though it was announced at the beginning of the chapter if we were in the past. This may have been a product of listening, but it took me out of the story a little bit. It may have been a little bit clearer if “present day” had also been used. The narrator did a really good job with the different voices and I was able to tell who was speaking.

As much as I enjoyed the story, I felt like the world building could have been improved. I wanted to hear more about the magic systems and have a little bit more background about the war.

Thanks NetGalley for the ALC.

ARC and ALC Review
I cannot thank Edelweiss and Forever (Hachette Book Group) and Hachette Audio for giving me the absolute GIFT of an
ARC and ALC of Rose in Chains.
This was hands down my most anticipated read of 2025. l have been an avid FanFic reader for a while now and Julie Soto was my introduction to this world. I fell in love with her characters and the world of Rights and Wrongs and the Auction and was absolutely beside myself to be able to advance read and listen to Rose in Chains.
I was so excited to see how Julie would adapt the Auction to the world of Rose in Chains and was so anxious to see if it was going to live up to what I had already fallen in love with.
And it so does.
Julie took the best tidbits of the Auction (Not Alone, I mean, COME ON!! All the chills) and laced them through RIC. She created an amazing new world with new magic and an incredible backstory. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time l binged read this book.
I love the angsty enemies to lovers build up Julie is creating in book one and I cannot wait to read book two. When do we get it?!!! I'm like a toddler hopped up on Mountain Dew waiting to hear the next release date.
As if I wasn't lucky enough to get the ARC, I also got the ALC.
Forever grateful to @hachetteaudio for the ALC which allowed me to dive into this world again after a short time and relive the magic! Ella Lynch was fantastic and I immediately loved her voice for Toven. Spot. On.
My shelves aren't ready for the bajillion copies of this book I have coming my way! This releases July 8th, and you'll absolutely want to get your hands on it.

Rose in chains is Julie Soto debut as a fantasy writer and my goodness was that such a great debut. I have previously read a romance by her and most recently a YA thriller and I thoroughly enjoy her writing. This book was so well written and I did really enjoy reading it. I enjoyed the high stakes and the enemies to lovers trope was so well portrayed. I did hear this is book 1 of a trilogy and I cannot wait to pick the next books up when they release. I enjoyed that the author is willing to write books in different genres and introduce us to new characters in her stories to fall in love with or to despise. I really enjoyed this book and felt that the writing and world building was very well executed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for the advance listeners copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you SO much for the alc! But I'm going to have to DNF this one. I'm just not connecting with the story and characters. I may come back to it because at this time I may not just be in the mood for it but at this time I'm going to DNF.

I went into this book completely blind, not knowing anything other than it’s a romantasy and highly animated release. That being said, I am devastated to say it’s not for me (at least at this time). I will say the narration was fantastic however the content of the book was too dark for me and I got about 60% through before I was unable to continue. I know so many love this book but unfortunately it wasn’t for me due to both the dark nature and the writing style of the author.

3.5 stars
The world building and magic system was thoroughly defined. I really liked the complexity of the main characters. However, this book was much darker in theme than I expected. The on page sexual assault and frequent crude and abusive language was difficult for me to get through. It’s very important for readers to read the content warning. Despite the heavy content, I do think Julie Soto is an amazing storyteller. The audiobook was done well.

This is a dark romantasy with heavier themes than I gravitate towards. With that said, the magic system was what I tried to focus on- and I really enjoyed that. Julie Soto did a great job of explaining the magic and the difference between the heart and mind magic. What really pulled me towards this book was the gorgeous cover, but I think it will mislead people. In my opinion, it doesn't fully show what this book depicts.

If you're someone who enjoys dark romance or dark fantasy romance, then this will be right up your alley! It just wasn't 100% for me, but I would still recommend it to others.

REVIEW: Rose in Chains by Julie Soto (2.5 Stars Rounded to 3)

I was very excited to see a debut fantasy novel from Julie Soto. I like many of her other contemporary romances, so I had high hopes for this one as well.

First, let’s start with what I enjoyed in Rose in Chains. The idea of head and heart magic, along with the conflicts between them, was interesting. It was a different magic system than I had read before. Soto was able to effectively blend the past and the present, providing us with valuable background information without confusing us about the setting or time. The narrator in the audiobook was also excellent. They gave the book heart and authenticity.

Unfortunately, there were some elements in Rose in Chains that didn’t work for me. The world-building was weak, and it felt like we were thrown into this new world without being immersed in it. This book was also very long, very slow, and it felt like nothing of importance was happening. The romance was a slow burn that ultimately failed to pay off. I was also disappointed by Briony as the female lead. It sounded like she was going to be this strong woman who knew her magic, but she just fell flat. She never really grew throughout the story. It was also bothersome how oblivious she was to Toven’s feelings towards her. Like girl, really?

It is important to note that there are some very dark themes (such as sexual violence and slavery) in this book. This may be too much for some readers.

Overall, Rose in Chains didn’t quite live up to the hype for me. I will probably still read the sequel to get some answers to the questions that remain.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, and Hachette Audio for providing me with a free advanced copy for my honest review.

A dark and emotional fantasy journey with dystopian undertones, mastering your magic, and not giving up your strength.

I was lucky enough to be given an eARC of this story and have already reviewed, but quickly- five stars all around- Julie Soto is an absolute genius. The world building was stellar- I was hooked from the very beginning. Unfolding layers from the past as they came back around in the present-incredible. The characters-perfect. If Julie Soto has no fans, I am dead. I will read anything she writes and say “thanks, may I please have some more”. She is a God amongst humans and I feel so grateful to be able to have read and listened to this masterpiece. I can’t wait for book two!!

In regards to narration- this is where I go back and forth. I absolutely loved Ella Lynch’s voice for Briony and her narrative sections, but I think her male voices fell a little flat. I had a difficult time differentiating between most non-Toven males. I would have loved a male voice actor or even just another woman for some more differentiation. There were few parts where I felt the description didn’t quite match the tone Ella was using, but overall I was very happy with her rendition.

I read this one as a mix of audio and eyeball and really enjoyed it. It is definitely a dark romantasy, which I was aware of going in, but it does sound like others weren’t as much, so be forewarned that it is dark!

The book begins with Briony, the princess of Evermore, trying to escape her kingdom that is under attack. Her brother, the king, was just killed and his protection wards are falling. However, she is swiftly captured and placed up for sale. Through a deal one of her old classmates, Toven, purchases her and takes her to his estate. However, things aren’t what they seem with Toven and his family, and through flashbacks we learn more about their relationship in school and what it means for the present.

This book was a slooow burn, but filled with so much tension and intrigue. It is told in close third person POV to Briony, so we get all her thoughts and feelings but I wish we got to see what was going on in Toven’s head because I just know it is completely different than what Briony thinks it is. I can’t wait for the later books to really flush out their past so we can really see the development of their relationship, both past and present.

The plot was seriously dark and twisty and so so good. I thought the premise of buying someone to essentially drain them of their magic was really dark and disturbing. There is a lot of political intrigue going on within the world, and I think Julie did a good job in laying out some bits while leaving others a mystery.

She ends it on a cliffy, so I am really excited to see where it goes!

🎧: The audio was really well done! I loved following along on my physical copy while listening to the story. The narrator had a fantastic accent and really kept me engaged with the story. I’ll definitely be reading the rest of the series on audio as well.

5 stars for the narrator, 3 stars for the actual story...
I love everything Julie writes and i've heard nothing but great things about this book but unfortunately it wasnt for me😭 I was confused for the first 30% of the book. You're just thrown into a story with no real intro into the world or what the heck is going on. I did not connect with either mc. I didnt expect it to end how it did so I am intrigued with how the next story will go and will probably pick up the next book regardless.