Thank you so much for the ALC of this masterpiece!! From to finish, I was hooked and entertained! Julie Soto has become an auto buy author for me and this one really sealed that! The dark aspect of this with selling off the captured Evermore and the sexual assault made my heart ache but the tension between Briony and Toven was spectacular! And I loved how the story jumped back in time to see how things ended up where they are! I KNEW the plot twist was coming and I love when I guess right and it still makes me gasp! I will be impatiently waiting for the next book in the series and will probably reread this a couple of time until then!

You know what, hell yeah.

I have, ultimately, some conflicting feelings about this book but overall I feel like the story really pulled me in. This is a slower-paced story, but I think it’ll probably pick up speed in the next two books. And while I never read the original, this book very much felt like it stood on its own two feet without someone else’s world-building propping it up.

The trigger warnings at the front of this book are terrifying, but it imo, it didn’t read as heavy as I anticipated. Yes, this is a dark world where very bad, evil things happen, but lack of graphic detail gives the reader a little distance.

I received an audio ARC and really enjoyed the narrator. If you like audio, I highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I did not know this was a dramione fanfic when I got this arc. As a mom with a trans son I obviously have issues supporting anything remotely 'she who must not be named'. The marketing of this story being Draco/Hermoine is pretty misleading. The parallels ending at him resembling Draco and they went to magical schools/have powers. I at no point got the vibe that the characters in this book were supposed to be D and H.

Well other than that, there are still big issues with this book. The book is essentially implying that it's okay that these girls were sold into sex slavery because at least they're still alive, and hey, our FMC has a crush on the boy who paid for her. Gross. The entire book revolves around men having a disgusting amount of power over women, including using a magic potion to make them want to have sex with them. Are we sure a white man with a podcast didn't write this?

I could maybe understand how naive our FMC was if she was 16 but she's 25. She was a very unlikable character. I mean they all were if we're being honest. Also they talk about her virginity sooo much. We get it! She's a 25 year old virgin. GASP!! Why is this touched on a dozen times? The amount of misogyny in this book!!

The world-building was lacking. Magic system is anemic. The plot wasn't plotting. The characters were unlikeable. The pacing was slow, at no point was I curious what was going to happen next. I honestly only finished it because I had an audio arc.

I'm sorry I really don't have anything positive to say.

Julie Soto is such a great storyteller. This book is marketed as the first in a trilogy and it is clear from the writing that this story was planned and mapped to be a trilogy. The build up is appropriate for a trilogy vs a standalone book. This ends on a cliffhanger as you’d imagine but doesn’t feel like the book version of click bait. I feel like this should be required reading for fantasy series authors for the book structure alone! The audio narrator is superb and pulled me into the story immediately. I did have a little confusion at first with the sheer volume of characters, but that resolves easily enough. Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!!

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
🎧 Audiobook from Hachette Audio via NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars)

I have been DYING to get my hands on this book ever since I finished reading the original fanfic (IYKYK). As soon as I saw it was being adapted into a published work, I was absolutely feral. Devoured it in two days and now I’m full of regret… because book two is not here yet and I’m already spiraling.

Julie Soto is firmly on my auto-read list, and this book is exactly why. She crafts dark, immersive worlds that pull you in immediately. I had the chance to meet her on her The Threshers tour, and I remember her mentioning that Orion Hearst was one of her favorite characters to write—and I can see why. Morally grey, zaddy energy, and impossible not to be drawn to. This book is a dark romantasy through and through, so definitely check trigger warnings beforehand. The world-building is dense, especially in the beginning, and while some elements felt a little underdeveloped, I’m hoping we get more expansion and clarity in the sequel.

The dual timeline/flashback structure was a smart narrative device, and I really enjoyed the tension between heart vs. mind magic—though I wish we had delved a bit deeper into that conflict. And while I loved how down bad Toven is for Briony (he did not disappoint at all), I wish the romance had a bit more flame. It’s a true enemies-to-lovers with secret long-harbored feelings, but the slow burn is slower than molasses in January, so prepare yourself for the long game.

Now let’s talk about the audio production. Huge thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC. Ella Lynch narrates this audiobook, and while her performance grew on me as the story progressed, I’ll admit it was an adjustment at first. Her interpretation of Briony’s and especially Toven’s voices took me out of the story in the beginning—they felt a bit too affected, like an older voice mimicking youth and masculinity in a way that didn’t always land. That said, as the emotional stakes picked up, I started to appreciate the emotion and pacing she brought to the story. Her inflections were strong and consistent, and by the end, I had settled into her narration and could enjoy the story without distraction.

And that cliffhanger? Absolutely brutal. Julie did not have to do us like that—but she did. And I’ll be seated (and crying) until book two.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advance listening copy.

This book is definitely a hard read so check your trigger warnings. I’ve seen reviews where they said there’s not much plot and only sorta the romance but i definitely don’t think that’s the case. It’s mainly plot with little romance but keep in mind it’s a captor/captive romance and has dark themes in this book. Overall it’s written very well. It has great banter in my opinion, I was very invested and needed to know what happens next and now I’ll be waiting for book 2. The narrator also did soo good with showing all the emotions through her voice.

I was so hyped for this book because I have loved every Julie Soto book I have read so far and honestly I was NOT disappointed! This is definitely heavier than her other books in many ways. Briony is a princess of Evermore and as the book begins she is witness to its final overthrow by the neighboring country. This perhaps wouldn't be so bad if everyone in her kingdom wasn't captured and sold off at auction for their magic. Briony happens to be sold to someone that is both her worst nightmare and most ardent wish. The world building makes the first half of the book a bit slow but if you read fantasy books regularly you know the drill. This had a lot of darker ideas and deep misogyny that were deeply uncomfortable to read about at best and rage inducing at worst but they serve the larger scope of the story. The juxtaposition of this with Briony's extreme lack of worldliness was interesting. The tension between Briony and Toven is top tier and ohhhh the yearning. The ending got me so curious as to how this will move forward and I absolutely can't wait for the next book. I listened to this on audio and the narrators accent was a perfect fit for Briony.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, NetGalley, and Forever for the advanced audio of this book.

I’m a sucker for a Julie Soto book, so I couldn’t wait to get into this one! Rose in Chains follows Briony (love the name, by the way), a captured princess from the kingdom of Brenhurst, thrust into a life of forced captivity by the highest bidder.

Two kinds of magic are utilized in this series, heart magic (emotion-based, rare, powerful) and mind magic (cold, logical, large connection to politics). After the end of a brutal war, Briony, who was held at her family estate for years, is then forced into submission. Sold to Toven, a high-ranking enemy who also happens to be a strong mind magic wielder,appears only cold and distant towards Briony.

Their relationship is twisted, as they both have a mutual hatred for one another since they’ve been raised in two completely different worlds. But we see bits and pieces of a teenage crush from Briony towards him, unknown how our guys feels. Tensions rise throughout the book but the spice remains low and the pace of the novel remains chill with no real urgency. As the story continues, Briony begins to gain a better understanding of the cruel world taking place right in front of her. She tries to regain control of herself both emotionally and magically. The reader will soon discover that Toven isn’t perfect and he is bound by both a corrupt leader and a family he’s trying to protect. This book is a slow-burn romance and rebellion all in one, hahaha.

She ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, are we surprised? Gotta keep us coming back for more. We do have some closure in the end but there are still so many things left without resolution. The characters were tough for me, but honestly loved Toven’s mother! Girl is a baddie!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher.
4 stars!

I clearly have a lot to say on this book! Overall, I did enjoy it and recommend to someone looking for a dark fantasy romance.

Things I liked:
1) The magic system was well developed and easy to understand.
2) A genuine SLOOOWWW burn! There is clearly a power dynamic here, and I think it was handled very well.
3) The flashback scenes helped establish the relationship before the war.
4) Tovan is clearly a very complex character, so I'm excited to see more of him. The perfect type of morally grey.
5) So many strong women! They are all in terrible positions, but the strength they show is honestly inspiring.
6) The audiobook narrator did a really good job! With such unique names, it was helpful for pronunciations.

Things I did not like:
1) There are WAY too many side characters! I literally had to take notes and I was genuinely getting to confused and had to re-listen to parts.
2) I'm very confused about what the actual conflict is? Did I totally miss it? Is it just because they do magic differently? Seems a bit dramatic for WAR!
3) The main villain being a woman doesn't really make sense to me. Especially with all the SA going on. No way these disgusting men are afraid of her.
4) Briony is so dumb at times and it was infuriating!
5) This is very much a set up book.
6) I did read the source material, so this one point is a slight spoiler for this book. Toven is being very mean and passive to Briony becuase he has to. Veronica could come read her memories at any point! This was done so much better in the source. The stakes were much higher because the bad guy does read her memories more than just in the beginning!

So… I have mixed feelings about this one. I went into Rose in Chains expecting a dark romance with a strong, gritty storyline — and it definitely delivered on the dark part. Like, very dark. Almost to the point where I had to pause and ask myself if I was okay for continuing. Which was saying a lot considering the types of books i read all the time. I liked Roses character I was rooting for her the whole time. The book felt like it was chaotic to me jumping from one thing to another next. I will say it took me a while to get past the 30% mark because i am in a reading slump. But after that fact it had me hooked all the way till the end.

I can’t believe I read this so far ahead of release day, because I will be suffering for the next four months wishing I could talk about this with my reader friends! Rose in Chains in a traditionally published version of Soto’s fan fiction, The Auction.

This story is set in a world with magical and nonmagical people, with the magical people divided into two factions who practice different types of magic. When one kingdom falls, Princess Briony’s life is going to be much different - and much darker. I won’t say any more because you need to read it for yourself.

I haven’t yet read The Auction, but I absolutely will be reading it soon! My only downside is that I didn’t realize that this is the start of a trilogy and now I’m desperate for more.

Whether or not dramione fan fiction is of you, you’re going to love this. It’s excellently written dark romantasy, and honestly, the wizarding world is so removed that without context, I don’t think I would have realized it was a dramione fic.

Thank you so much to the folks at NetGalley and Forever Publishing for granting me access to an advanced reader copy!

First let's start with the story - I absolutely loved this story! It was captivating and intriguing and able to pull you in from the beginning. The magic systems and world buidling weren't too complex and were easy to follow. I like the dual timelines going back and forth. It helped put into perspective what had happened and why things were happening the way they are in the current. The romance is quite the SLOW BURN but I am HERE FOR IT! I can't wait to be all giddy about it in future books.

Next let's discuss the audiobook - The narrator's voice - 10/10. It scratched an itch in my brain that I didn't even know existed. At first I wasn't quite sure but then as I kept listening I really became to love it. I now hear that voice as an inner monolgue in my brain! Ella Lynch, I could listen to you speak all day. There was a great depth in the changes between characters and it was easy to keep up with who the narrator was "talking" as. I am normally a 1.15x audiobook person but I was able to listen to this one at 1.25x and keep up perfectly.

Overall, I think the story is outstanding and listening to it was such an enjoyable experience. I am very excited for the future books and can't wait to listen to them! (As long as it's still Ella Lynch!)

Thank you to Julie Soto, Netgalley, and Hatchette Audio for providing me with an ALC so that I could give an honest and unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for this ARC Audio Copy!

I was really interested in this book because I love Julie Soto and I have enjoyed all of her other books. This book has much darker themes than anything of hers that I have ever read before and you should definitely check the trigger warnings, there are some moments that were very startling. I have never read any HP fanfic, so really had no idea what to expect—still not sure if I am even comfortable with it in theory, but I wanted to give this one a shot since it was an author that I already loved. I still thought it was okay to read completely separate from the franchise, I see how it corelates, but it was just as sold on its own. I did enjoy and will continue on with the series.

As a fan of Dramamine fanfic, I screamed when it was announced this would be released. I screamed even louder when I got this opportunity. This book was everything it was and so much more. There were moments I could recall the previous work but then there were details that were new and added so much more to the story. The only issue I struggled with was the flashbacks. They felt rushed and unnecessary, I would have preferred the story to start with the flash backs and then jump ahead in time to the current events. I also felt like the love interest and the pining felt too drawn out and boring. I would have loved more deep pining. Overall, this was exactly what I was hoping it would have been!

As a massive fan of Julie Soto’s contemporary romances, I have been eagerly anticipating Rose in Chains.

I found the writing compelling and the world building and magic systems very approachable; that said, you could clearly see the story’s roots, if you know what you’re looking for.

I listened to the ALC (that’s NetGalley!) and did not immediately love the narration. However, as I became more engrossed in the story it bothered me less. That said, you always want the narration to make the story even better, and not to have to tolerate the narration for the sake of the story, if that makes sense.

I will eagerly await the next two books in the trilogy, but will probably read instead of listen.

To say that I loved Rose in Chains would be an understatement. I lived it, breathed it, absolutely devoured it, and never wanted it to end. I received this as an audiobook, and this was one of my reads (or should I say listens?) of the year so far.

Rose in Chains is a dark fantasy romance. The story follows Briony, a princess taken captive and sold after her twin brother (the heir) is murdered, and her kingdom defeated at the hands of the Bomardis. She along with everyone else in the court is enslaved and auctioned off to the highest bidders in Bomard to be used and leeched of magic as sources, that fuel and strengthen Bomard magic. To her shock, she finds out she has been sold to Toven Hearst, who she's always had a very complicated relationship with growing up. Childhood crush, rival, tormentor-- and now either something much worse, or her savior...

The magic system was fascinating - Eversun uses mind magic, while Bomard uses blood magic. I can't wait to see more about the depth of Briony's power! Julie Soto built such a fascinating backdrop for this book and the world building was just masterful. I felt so immersed and truly transported into the story.

There was so much tension, push and pull, and jaw dropping moments throughout Rose in Chains. The chemistry between Briony and Toven is unmatched, especially with the flashbacks to their time at the academy where we see how their dynamic has evolved and grown (for better and for worse)! They have one of the most well-written and layered romances I have read in AGES.

Rose in Chains is a DARK fantasy romance, but I absolutely adored it. The plot, the romance, the side character development, the magic ... it was impeccable. I cannot wait for the sequel - there is endless possibility for how epic this series could be.

Thank you so much to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this ALC!

Plot:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
World Building:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Themes:⭐️⭐️.5
Writing:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

This book is a Romantasy with a capital R. It's for people who want a book filled with romantic tension and yearning. If you're looking for a complex magic system, it's probably best to look elsewhere. Similarly, if you want a book with an action-packed plot and rebellion through-line, this isn't it. This book is for people who want a slooowww burn romance with pinning, secret crushes, touch her and die, a morally grey and possessive MMC, physical tension, and a dark romance with captive/captor. Please check trigger warnings..

Let's start with the romance, as that's probably the main reason for picking up this book. There's a lot of miscommunication, secrets, and false assumptions between the two main characters. It's a gamble to have miscommunication be the romantic plot, especially because this can lead to circular reasoning and repetition of beliefs. This makes their romance unnecessarily angsty and tense. And yet, I think it somehow works. In the hands of a lesser writer, the romance in this book would have faltered and floundered.

What excited me most about the book is the premise: what happens after the dark forces win? I do think the book provides glimpses of hope even as it unflinchly describes the atrocities and trauma some people endure. However, my issue with the plot is that it was too focused on building the romantic tension between the two main characters. I felt like I had a rudimentary understanding of the heart and mind magic. I think that the book would have benefited from less romantic ruminating and, instead, had more scenes that depict the complexities of the magic system. Similarly, I think there should have been more information about the history of the world. I hope to see this in the second book.

Lastly, I want to touch upon some of the messages of this book. There is a strong emphasis on purity and virginity as valuable, which I find icky. Additionally, the patriarchal nature of the "good" side doesn't sit well with me either. I understand that such a world can exist and that there isn't a perfect world. However, the FMC doesn't really question the misogynist beliefs that her family and culture impose on her. In a weird juxtaposition, the main antagonist is a woman, and the "enemy" side has women in leadership roles despite how horrendously the dark forces treat women. I would like to see more dialogue and commentary about the treatment of women in future books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with an ALC for my honest review.

Rose in Chains is a haunting blend of violence, loss, and slow-burning desire. The story is gutting and horrific, yet threaded with a slow-build intimacy that is both intriguing and irresistible. Set against one of the darkest, most depraved backdrops I have ever read, it somehow carves space for a sensual, respectful romance to bloom. I won’t pretend it is easy to root for the two main characters, not with everything that is happening and everything being done, but that spark of hope, that glimmer of something better, not just between them but in the sheer resistance of the human spirit, is what keeps you going. There is hope in the love, in the stolen platonic touches shared between captives, and in the fire of spirits that refuse to be extinguished.

I’m very grateful to Hachette Audio for giving me to the chance to listen to this book. It was a great listening experience. The book itself was amazing and I think the narrators did a great job of bringing the story to life.

Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis –

Two factions collide: the Evermore (Eversuns), wielders of Mind Magic led by the Rosewood royal family, and the Bomard (Bomardis), masters of Heart Magic run by an elite hierarchy. A devastating war between factions results in the defeat of the Eversuns and the conquest of their kingdom by the Bomardis.

Now, Princess Briony Rosewood, one of the last surviving royals, finds herself stripped of her magic and auctioned off as property. To her astonishment, she is purchased by Toven Hearst, a high-ranking Bomardi and a former classmate with whom she shares a complicated history.

Despite being a pawn in a larger political game, Briony refuses to break. As she navigates the brutality of the Bomard and the unexpected, complex dynamic with Toven, Briony uncovers glimmers of hope that help to ignite a new fight for freedom.

Thoughts -

I will preface this review by saying that I am already a huge fan of Julie Soto – her trad published contemporary romances are some of my favorite reads in the genre.

While I have never read fanfic myself, I knew this story is a reworked version of “The Auction,” previously available on AO3. But safe to say, this trad published Romantasy can absolutely stand on its own.

This Romantasy has everything I love – political intrigue, an angsty romance, an action-heavy plot, family mystery, and a healthy dose of devastatingly dark elements. The world and the magic system are outlined but have room to become more developed throughout the remainder of the trilogy.

I am not sure how I’m supposed to wait until Summer 2026 for the next book.

Thank you to Forever Publishing for providing an early copy for review! All opinions are my own.

This is my first Julie Soto book I had a bit of an issue with.

I really loved the heart vs mind magic and Toven and Briony had this addictive quality to their relationship that I couldnt turn away from. That being said I don’t think the horrible impacts of rape and slavery were emphasized enough. I also had an issue with the framing of virginity.

This is definitely a dark romantasy that’s written as if it’s not dark and I think that’s a bit where my disconnect came from.