Book: Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
Genre: Dark Romantasy
Rating: 5 stars!
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars!

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Forever Publishing for an early listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is definitely a book where the reader should check their triggers, if needed. This is a dark romantasy with our main couple in a master/slave dynamic (although rest assured, he does not treat her as such), but it is also full of trauma, s*xual violence, human trafficking, among others.

I am and always have been a lover of dark romantasy, and this book delivered. It is as far away in tone as Julie Soto's other work as it could possibly be. This book is a slow burn in both the larger plot and the romance. Gird your loins - Julie Soto will be edging you. Regarding the slower plot, this makes sense for the plot - our FMC, Briony, has limited information for most of the book, and we are on this journey with her.

This story begins with Briony being captured by an enemy faction after her brother is killed. She is then auctioned off as property and purchased by our MMC. Flashbacks to the past give us more information about the relationship (or more like budding interest) between our FMC and MMC, who went to school together. Stripped of her magic, now owned by the enemy, and removed from her friends and family, Briony is focused on survival.

If the master/slave dynamic makes you uncomfortable, Toven Hearst should ease your worries. He is not perfect. He is prickly, secretive, he does bad things to protect his interests and the interests of his family… and Briony. It is obvious early on that Toven is not interested in treating Briony like those of his peers are doing with their purchased individuals. It is worth sticking out the first part of the book, which is quite dark, to truly see their relationship unfolding.

This book is a great blend of an interesting world, characters you want to learn more about, and relationships that slowly build and change throughout. I've already preordered book 2 and can’t wait to read what comes next! The narrator for this book did an excellent job. She did wonderful capturing the emotion from all of the characters. Her voice for Toven Hearst was great!

Rose in chains by Julie Soto
ARC from Forever
publication date : July 8th
-Julie’s writing is so captivating it puts you right in the story and feeling like a princess in distress lol Briony is going through it
-It took me a while to get into it but I was so intrigued with Toven especially that she’s was auctioned away, Toven sounds so hot, mysterious, bad, their tension and connection that’s what keep me going
-this book did feel kinda long at times I will say but I enjoyed the book
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Julie Soto for providing me with an audio ARC!!

I enjoyed several things about this book.
The narrator was great.
The magic system was interesting and seemed well developed (I always tend to miss some aspect of it when I listen to fantasy books rather than physically read them. I read some fantasy but it isn’t always my go to genre).
There were some pretty dark aspects but it seemed balanced with moments of hope.
The TENSION.
There were definitely some antagonistic frenemy moments that I ate up.
I loved that Briony was powerful. Her being kind of a supporting character in her own life and starting to come into her own power instead of using it to make others look powerful supported her character development.
I appreciated the flashbacks to give background on the current conflict.

I do think it could’ve been interesting if the flashback was in Toven’s POV just to add another layer while also giving the reader more information about what was going on. (Although I definitely understand why that wouldn’t necessarily be the case).

I received the audiobook arc and was looking forward to listening since the book was getting so much traction on social. I didn’t realize it was a Dramoine fanfic. After listening, I can’t say it screamed a resemblance or that I would have considered it as fanfic if I hadn’t seen that’s what it was being classified as.

I feel like this had too many lulls and too many disconnects or complicated explanations in the middle of important plot points for it to be easy to follow. For all of the hype, I just didn’t connect with it in the same way that it seems so many others did. The narrator was good, but probably could have been a bit more expressive in high intensity or actioned scenes. I also wish the FMC was more - used her voice in situations that matter rather than during scenes associated with intimacy and ruses, stronger to assert her skills and power with other rather than doing important tasks in silence, and stronger in her belief in herself.

POSSIBLE TRIGGERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH: I also felt it included possibly triggering forceful/sexually abusive scenes with drugging for no real reason. The scenes with the instances could have been done without the force being done.

Title: Rose in Chains (Evermore Book 1)
Author: Julie Soto
Genre: Dark Romantasy
Medium: Audiobook
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: Rose in Chains is the first in a gripping new romantasy series by Julie Soto, and it absolutely gutted me emotionally. This haunting, beautifully written story follows Briony Rosewood—a young woman sold into servitude after the fall of her kingdom—and Toven, the cruel yet magnetic enemy who holds her chains. Their slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic is filled with aching tension, heartbreak, and smoldering heat. Briony and Toven are one of the sexiest couples I’ve come across in literature in a very long time—their chemistry is electric and impossible to look away from.
Ella Lynch’s narration is phenomenal—she captures Briony’s pain, strength, and yearning with stunning clarity, pulling listeners into every devastating moment. The dark, immersive world and complex emotional arcs left me completely wrecked in the best way.
With rich worldbuilding, morally gray characters, and a romance that simmers with intensity, Rose in Chains is a breathtaking start to what promises to be an unforgettable series. I don’t know how I’ll survive the wait for the next book—this story left me raw, breathless, and desperate for more.
Content warnings: sexual assault, human trafficking, torture, and emotional abuse. Recommended for fans of: dark romantasy, enemies-to-lovers, and emotionally intense, character-driven stories.
Thank you NetGalley for providing an Advanced Listening Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review..

This is truly everything you might want in a romantasy in my humble opinion. There is a fantastic magic system, political intrigue, and of course slooow burn romance. I’m nothing if not a lover of enemies to lovers and so of course briony and toven had me pulled in from the very beginning! The banter and the yearning, do not even get me started.

This is dual timeline and flash back scenes usually frustrate me. Don’t ask, idk it’s just a weird me thing. But I quickly grew to love getting bits and pieces of Briony’s school years. It built sooo much tension into the present chapters.

I think it’s worth noting, there are heavy topics at play in this book! If you find yourself triggered by certain subjects, I’d recommend you scope that out before starting. 🫶🏼

I absolutely adored the narrator and that her accent and tone added so much to the audiobook. It felt so atmospheric and engaging. Highly recommend the audiobook!

Rose in Chain is a Damione Fan Fic originally titled The Auction.

This book is dark and broody with underlying storyline that the character secretly have feelings for one another but refuse to admit it. There is so much pining and witty remarks that I could not stop listening to this book.

Briony is the princess of Eversun while Toven is the son of the 10th in line in Bomardsun. Briony's country has been overrun by Bomards and she has been stripped of her power. During the auctioning of important Eversun's, Briony ends up with Toven. The ultimate goal is to keep Briony safe while also giving her as many opportunities as possible.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book after the absolute bombshell of a cliffhanger.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I grew up with Harry Potter. I must have read the series at least twice and so when I say that Hermione ending up with Ron was one of the biggest disappointment ever. Enter the world of Dramione (Hermione + Draco) fan fics. Thank goodness!

This book was originally a fan fic and the author had to chance the names, setting and magic system for it to be traditionally published.

I would categorize A Rose in Chains as a dark romantasy. It isn't for the faint of heart. If you're expecting Harry Potter-esque young adult vibe -- this isn't it! This story goes into the darker side that we've seen in the later Harry Potter novels.

Read this if you wished a different arc for Hermione. Read this if you wanted to dig deeper into the darker side of the Harry Potter world. Read this if you want a slow burn that will make you panting for more. Read this if you like a smart capable heroine matched with a morally gray bad guy. Read this if you want to feel your deepest emotions.

Eh…. I feel like the translation to a published version from a fanfic just didn’t vibe well. It was like there was background knowledge missing and I had to try to sort through it with my knowledge of HP to try to make sense of it.

The audiobooks narrator was fine. I feel like she took breaths a lot and they were so loud and distracting.

I loved this one. I've been intrigued about this story after hearing so many people rave about the original fanfic this is based on, and it didn't disappoint.

The tension building throughout the story between Briony and Toven was so captivating, but I think the whiskey spilling scene was my absolute favorite.

The reveal at the end though? That's 1000% what will have me coming back for book 2!

I was so excited to get my hands on this as I love all of Julie Soto's other books!

The audiobook narration: I really enjoyed the audiobook production and narration, and felt like the narrators voice fit the atmosphere of the book.

The story: I found the premise more intriguing than the book itself, sadly. I never read the fanfic and perhaps that contributed to my feeling of confusion at certain points. I felt like it moved very slowly and I'm not seeing how the different pieces of this will come together cohesively. I am interested enough to see what happens in the next book, and in the meantime I will read the original work to see if having the story in a familiar world with familiar characters better sets me up to continue with this series.

loving the flashbacks more than the present day chapters, which is so atypical of me. Briony was fine. To me she wasn’t anything special in this book until pretty near the end so I just wasn’t super invested in her POV. I will say that the ending for sure has me on the hook for book 2. I think it’s going to be a much stronger book based on the direction I anticipate it going. I am somebody that thinks each book should be able to stand on its own in terms of feeling complete (even when ending on a cliffy). To me, that’s a quality of a great book and what keeps me invested in fantasy series that could take YEARS to finally be finished. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like the book as a whole had that quality. There were for sure elements of it here and there, but not in its entirety. Finally, I originally planned to read this book with my eyes but ended up doing it on audio and I will say that while the production value was great, I don’t think I vibed with the narrator, so that totally could have impacted my rating.

I loved this! I don't know that the epilogue was exactly right but overall very, very good. It stayed close to the story it stemmed from.

Julie is such a FANTASTIC writer, and this book really shows how adept she is at crossing genres. Toven and Briony have such an interesting dynamic, and I can't wait to see what's next

This was my second time reading this book! I thought Ella Lynch was a great narrator, and I look forward to the next book. I enjoyed my re-listen of the book!

I think I was the only person on this planet who didn't realize this was originally a fanfic...? BUT NOW I AM OBSESSED. I already have grabby gimme gimme hands for the next book.

The slow burn between Briony and Toven is DELICIOUS. His one step forward, two steps back has me in chokehold.

I wish there was a teeny bit more worldbuilding but overall I love the storyline, the two-timeline format (present day and flashbacks), and where it's gonna go with their relationship.

Thank you Hachette Audio | Forever for the ALC of this title.

Rating 3.5 out of 5

Audiobook Production
The narration was genuinely excellent. Ella Lynch was fabulous, she gave each character a clear, distinct voice and included emotional tone shifts particularly during some of the more intense/vulnerable scenes. I found her narration really suited the story and elevated the overall experience.

Atmosphere & Setting
The world is rich in mood. I particularly loved the imagery of Hearst Hall as well as Ophiuchus Academy. Rose In Chains is a slowww, tension-filled story and I found the atmosphere reflected that very well. Certain scenes stood out as particularly well-written and full of social power dynamics that were both uncomfortable and compelling.

Character Dynamics
Our FMC, Briony, had some great moments, especially her sharp comebacks in tense scenes with Toven, and I loved seeing her growing connection with Larissa during the casting lessons. I also really enjoyed seeing Briony and Serena’s relationship develop and the way Briony started to see Serena differently.
That said, I struggled a bit with Briony’s perspective at times, especially when it came to understanding Toven’s feelings - her outlook on him often felt a little naive, and I found the dynamic between them difficult to connect with. Toven stayed emotionally shut off for most of the book and while we did see some vulnerability from him with some sweet scenes, I found I couldn’t connect with him. The story leans into a slow-burn and although it’s described as an enemies-to-lovers arc, I personally didn’t feel the romantic tension in the way I had hoped.

Plot & Pacing
I went into RIC blind, I didn’t read any reviews beforehand and while I followed the story well enough, I was left with a lot of unanswered questions, particularly around some of the pivotal political moves and structures.
I was about halfway through the book when I found out that RIC is inspired by The Auction (a Dramione fanfic) which I haven’t read and as I’m not a huge HP fan, I feel as though I may have missed some crucial clues that would have helped me to connect the dots.

Final Thoughts
While RIC didn’t fully land for me in terms of romantic chemistry or political clarity, I really appreciated the slow-burn tension, layered world-building, and the nuanced character relationships, especially between the women. Ella Lynch’s narration brought the story to life in a way that made it worth sticking with, and despite some elements falling flat, I was still left thinking about the power dynamics and setting long after finishing. The story ends with a real sense that bigger things are coming, and I’m curious to see how Book 2 builds on the foundations laid here, especially now that the pieces are in motion.

Rose in Chains is a deliciously dark magical read that sunk its hooks into me and did not let go until the very end. Ella Lynch is a phenomenal narrator, bringing our fmc Briony Rosewood to life.

I was immersed in Briony Rosewood’s captivating world of magic and darkness with warring countries and their differing dynamics playing dangerously in the background. Briony's x Toven's enemies-to-lovers relationship is electrifying, with a slow burn that’s both agonizing and exhilarating. Their banter had me rooting for them so hard it hurt.

Soto’s writing is sharp and vivid, making it easy to visualize the setting and feel the characters’ emotions. The cliffhanger ending! I need the next book in my hands TODAY. If you enjoy dark, magical romances, this book is a must-read!

*review cross posted from it's e-book format*

Thank you to NetGalley for this Audio arc. This is my honest opinion. There is a lot of world building in this yet I’m pleasantly surprised that was all the lower in world building It doesn’t feel like info dump. The narrator made this very enjoyable. She has a very pretty almost whimsical style for this narration that I enjoyed. I am very interested to see where the story goes. Everything about this was new to me although it did feel a little bit like some other things I had read. I did enjoy this however, I just felt it was a little too slow at times. It feels like a lot is happening yet in certain parts. It feels like absolutely nothing is happening at the same time.

I want to give this book infinity stars because of how much I LOVED this. I've never read anything like this - call this my introduction into dark Romantasy. And boy am I here for it! I think Julie balanced the darker points with traditional fantasy elements so wonderfully that I find myself able to appreciate the darker themes and the roles they play in driving the story.

The stand out element in this book for me is 100% the sizzling tension between Briony and Toven. Paired with a solid magic system and masterful pacing that reveals the plot through flashbacks, and this book is actual perfection. I NEED the second one yesterday!

I normally like an emotional, darker romance but it didn’t fully click for me. The pacing dragged a bit, and I had trouble connecting with the characters at times. it might be worth checking out if you’re into angsty slow burns but just be sure to look up triggers before reading because there’s some heavy topics here!

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