5⭐️(brain chemistry altered)
2.5🌶️ (OMG THE TENSION🥵)

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

Plunging into the world of Evermore, we follow FMC Briony Rosewood, the princess of Evermore, after a long feud between kingdoms the peace treaty is severed when the castle is attacked, the king, Briony's brother Rory is killed, and she and many other young nobles of Evermore are kidnapped and sold at auction as magical slaves, to be siphoned from and kept as pets. Briony fetches the highest price at the auction and sold to Toven Hearst, scion of a cruel family on the line of heirs.
Briony perserveres as she navigates captivity and does her best to find out what has happened to everyone from Evermore and plots to escape and save her people.

This is Dark Romantasy at its finest! I was absolutely enthralled with this story and the captivating perseverance of Briony. All the moving pieces of the plot are done beautifully and kept me on the edge of my seat. The dual timelines tell this story so gorgeously I could not tear myself away from it. The characters and relationships are impeccable, I'm already yearning for the next installment of the Evermore Trilogy.
The push and pull between Briony and Toven is INSANE and had me squealing the entire time. The way their slow burn unravels in the past and the present had me SCREAMING. I didn't see any of the twists coming, and they all hit so perfectly I could cry just recalling the story again. The story starts slowly, setting up so eloquently the dynamics between the all the characters and political dynamics while still being beautifully written and compelling.

The world and magic system are intricate yet understated. The juxtaposition of the cruel & beautiful world she built here took my breath away. The rebellion is deep and deceptive and wracked with pain and heartache yet the light still shines through. Every character and scene is intentional and vivid in a way that moves your emotions so well. The way that Soto paints a picture of the magic in this cruel world is one of the best I've read.

I would give the pain a 10 but I already wish I could suffer it again for the first time. I am absolutely WRECKED in the best way. This book lives rent free in my head.

AUDIO NOTES: Ella Lynch blew me away with her narration. There were moments where I could have sworn a certain Miss Granger was actually narrating this audiobook. I LOVE Ella's accent and her way of using her voice to portray all the different characters. Stunning 10/10!

Thank you to NetGalley for approving ARCs of Rose in Chains both the ebook and audiobook. Julie Soto is a new author for me and I definitely liked her world building and story telling. Told in dual timelines, this character relationships are complex and I could feel their deep emotions. As a big fan of the trope enemies to lovers, I was really rooting for the main characters to get together…so that tension and constant will they or won’t they kept me turning the pages. But alas, I believe I saw this is the start of a trilogy so only time will tell. I definitely will be checking out book 2 when it comes out. Highly recommend this book to all the Romantasy lovers out there, especially if you enjoy a little dystopian feel to the world and this also has a bit of that period drama/Jane Austen/Bridgerton tone to it at time.

In regard to the audiobook, I enjoyed it just as much as reading the physical words. The narrator had a British accent which was appropriate given the setting of the book being similar to Jane Austen’a time however it was not distracting from the story like I sometimes find it to be. It was engaging and well paced.

I devoured this read! Absolutely loved the romance and the theme of chosen family so heartfelt and beautifully done. The fantasy world was rich, vivid, and totally immersive. I didn’t want to leave it! The narrator brought so much depth and emotion to the story. I was hooked from start to finish. I already can’t wait for the next book.

I absolutely loved the audiobook! I will admit to pronouncing names incorrectly with the ebook so this was so nice to hear how to pronounce names and places. I also thought the narrator, Ella Lynch, did a spectacular job and really enjoyed listened to her voice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette audio for an alc.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I will say, Julie Soto breaking into fantasy had me worried. I enjoy her romances but wasn't sure how well her writing would translate into a different genre. To say I was pleasantly surprised and even think this may be where she should settle is an understatement.
I have not listened to any books narrated by Ella Lynch before, I'm always worried I won't enjoy a new narrator but Lynch surprised me as being a perfect voice for the main character, Briony Rosewood. She did a wonderful job making me feel connected to Briony and helping me to experience all the emotions that were wound together in this book.
The characters of this book are so well fleshed out and developed. It was easy to understand them, to feel their emotions, and to be swept away by their circumstances. Briony knows her place in her world, which is not to put herself ahead of her twin in any way. Her country rules by typical misogynistic ways with heirs only ever being male. Of course once her brother is not longer in the picture, her worth changes, especially for her enemy. Toven Hearst has always been a thorn in Briony's side. But you can see there is so much more to him than what Brony sees. Because the book is told from her POV, we don't get to see what it truly in Toven's mind. But we do see him well enough through Briony to know the struggles he is truly experiencing. He cones off as morally gray, but I don't truly think he is. Again, we don't see things through his eyes and we are not in his mind to experience what he does, we only experience him through Briony. This helps keep the mystery of him throughout the book. However, there is so much Briony does not see about him. I'm not sure if it's because she is naive or because she is just not in tune enough to know. I won't say more than that because if I do, I'll spoil things for everyone.
While there is romance in this book, that is not the main focus at all. There are a few scenes of spark, and one which is a bit spicy, but it is the slowest of slow burns. Yes, this book is billed as a Romantasy, and I can see where the romance aspect may have more impact in the future, but this book was all about building the world, sorting out the magics that exists, and figuring out who is on what side of the fight. The world is immersive and lush. At no time was I confused by the system being portrayed. Soto made it hard to see who could and could not be trusted. To be expected in a book where treason is a high stakes game.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Soto's amazing use of side characters in this book. She never introduces someone who is not someone important to the plot. Even if they play just a small part in the story. Her characters are all important and all bring something to the mix. Some of those characters are important in how they form a found family.
I loved how the book was set up with flashbacks to give the back story in understanding Briony and Troven Hearst's relationship from the very beginning. Their enemies vibe was palpable from the very first scene we see with them together. That tension was perfect for the story to come. It fueled the pacing and made the plot that much more interesting.
Did I figure a few things out from the beginning? Yes, yes I did. Did I care? Not one bit. I needed to see how Soto would get me through the story and show me on the other end the things I knew were going to happen.
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. I honestly did not want it to end. I kept stopping my reading at short intervals towards the end because I just needed to soak it all up and slow my pace. I loved absolutely everything about it. From the characters to the magic system to the political intrigue. Soto reeled me in and kept me turning pages to see where she would take me. And I must say, what a ride it was. I am already itching to read the next book in this series to see where it goes.

This is the kind of story that drops you right in the middle of the action and never lets up. It’s an absolute marvel what Julie Soto has accomplished here. She brought to life a dark fantasy world that stirred so many emotions and made you viscerally feel like you were the characters.

The back-and-forth between the school timeline and the present was essential not only for building the romance but also for deepening the betrayal by her Bomardi peers. The tension, the slow burn it was all done so well. The twists, the mystery, the cliffhanger, the supportive parents I just can’t say enough good things about this book.

That said, I do want to caution readers: please read the trigger warnings. This is a dark romantasy with some very difficult moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

this book was a breath of fresh air...... I was in need of a good Romantacy and this book was the answer. although subject matter was hard this book was beautifully written. I was yearning for this couple to admit their feelings for each other..... so next book has some work to do

I just finished Rose in Chains and had to get my thoughts down right away. This book is a published adaptation of The Auction, a well-known Harry Potter fanfic. I hadn’t read The Auction before, so at first, I found myself trying to map the characters to their HP counterparts—which ended up being more distracting than helpful. Once I let go of those comparisons and allowed the story to stand on its own, I was able to fully immerse myself in the world.

And what a world it is. The story is riveting, with world-building that draws inspiration from HP but takes it a step further, and the character development is compelling. The romance between Briony and Tovan is a slow burn, full of longing and emotional complexity, and I’m eager to see how it continues in the next book.

Finally, the narrator does a fantastic job handling the intensity of complex scenes, and the delivery is outstanding.

This dark tale was lusciously crafted. The world building is immersive and the storytelling is spellbinding; I was tied to Briony and Toven’s fate from the very beginning.
The magic system is composed of two magics and this is what sets the stage for the conflict. They are seen as two opposing sides and classes. As Toven slowly reveals more and more of himself and as the story unfolds, it turns out that the everything isn’t so black and white. Is he really as cruel as his peers or as he first appears.
The world that Soto paints is dark and also seems rather bleak for those on the wrong side. The reader is exposed to a world where characters are stripped of choice and subjected to cruelty. Check trigger warnings before reading.
The pacing was perfect for a slow burn. I enjoyed the back and forth in time, as it really helped to understand the characters better, while also keeping us focused on the current timeline. It really helped me to understand the building emotional connection between Briony and Toven. The tension and angst was perfection.
The book ends on a cliffhanger that had me on the edge of my seat and that epilogue was perfect. I am very curious as to how the rest of the story will unfold.
The narrator did an excellent job setting the mood and bringing Briony to life.
Many thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for an early listening copy of the book. The opinions expressed are given freely and are honest and my own.

This was phenomenal. I absolutely love everything that Julie Soto writes. This is her debut romantic fantasy novel and it was everything.

Slow burn, awesome magical system, world building, friendships.

That epilogue? I’m gnawing at my cage for the next book .. and this one isn’t even out at the time of this review.

I loved this story. The enemy to lovers vibes were perfect and the tension and push and pull between these characters was *chef’s kiss*. The found family aspect was well done and the stolen princess storyline gave Briony a chance to go from oppressed princess to badass over the course of the story. There was a lot happening in this story but it was all well done.
The narrator did a great job bringing the story to life with strong voice acting.

This will be my review of the audio narration. The narrator did great job of embodying the main character but also ensuring the dialogue as distinct from character to character. I was able to speed up and slow down the audio narration without sacrificing quality or creating sound distortion. The cadence in reading was smooth and consistent. Proper emphasis in narration allowed me to listen to this audio without immersion reading and not lose the characters or become disengaged. Narrator did a great job with this highly anticipated romantic fantasy.

4⭐️’s. I think I’ll always be a big fan of Julie Soto and this first stab at romantasy was no different. Hoping this is a few book series to continue on.

Rose in Chains - Julie Soto
🥀⛓️🥀⛓️🥀⛓️🥀⛓️🥀⛓️🥀
FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS IF I COULD GIVE IT MORE I WOULD!!

* dark fantasy world
* forced proximity
* slow burn YEARNING
* enemies to lovers
* first in trilogy

thank you so much to @hachetteaudio and @netgalley for this alc the audiobook was chefs kiss the narrator did such an amazing job I immediately wanted to listen to it again and again. ughhh and Toven and Briony I love these characters so much, Toven with his brooding but loving side and Briony with her witty charm. I loved all the parallels to the fan fiction the auction, @juliesoto did such an amazing job of making it its own world. if you are into a dark fantasy world and so much yearning this book is right up your alley 🤍

xoxo a fellow saturday girl

There is no question the actual story is a 5 star read for me. Knowing that I am reviewing based on audio as well, I still very much enjoyed. The narrator's accent fits perfectly with how I hear Briony. I thought much of her variety of voices to be excellent as well - but would have loved it that much more with a dual narration. Knowing the lines that Toven speaks, it would have been that much more effective to have a separate narrator. Overall, this is still a peak romantasy. Magic, battles, enemies, good vs. evil. I'm definitely ready for the enemies to admit to their love in the next book (I hope). Julie is a master with words, and I can't wait to devour the physical read.

Thank you to Hachette and NetGalley for the ALC!

I am a huge Julie Soto fan, so when I heard that she was writing a fantasy book I preordered Rose in Chains without a second thought, and it absolutely lived up to my sky-high expectations. This has been one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and I adored every page.

I’m new to the Dramione fandom and haven’t read Julie’s famous AO3 fic The Auction, but I could sense the subtle nods to its origins. That said, Briony and Toven are fully fleshed out, original characters. Their dynamic is all their own—and it's brilliant.

The world-building pulled me in immediately. It’s rich and immersive without being overwhelming. I only had to glance back a couple of times to remind myself of character or place names (especially with the Bomardi Ten), but the reference guide at the front made it easy to navigate. The magic system felt fresh and intuitive—perfectly woven into the plot without info-dumping.

Briony is such a strong female lead. The way she muffles and hides her intelligence, particularly in front of the men, makes her so relatable, even in the fantasy setting.

And then there's Toven. I have such a soft spot for morally grey leads, and he’s an incredible MMC. The way his frosty facade starts to crack around Briony—the quiet smiles, the subtle warmth in conversation, the way he treats her throughout the story—it's clear his heart beats for her, even if she can’t see it.

This is slow burn perfection. The tension, the forbidden yearning all added to the drama. I loved the dual timeline; how the book would flit between present day and the past, showing flashbacks to how their relationship developed and giving us little crumbs to what the Hearst’s true intentions may be.

I did an immersive read thanks to a gifted audiobook from Hachette Audio, and it was a treat. Ella Lynch’s narration was outstanding—her voices for Briony and Toven were distinct and memorable, particularly during some of the more emotional scenes. I found myself rewinding chapters just to relive certain moments. Reighvan’s voice initially grated on me, but I soon realised that his vocal tone matched his personality perfectly.

As soon as book two is announced, I’ll be preordering every edition I can get my hands on. Julie Soto has officially cemented her status as my favourite author, and I will absolutely be recommending Rose in Chains to everyone I know.

A huge thank you to Netgalley, Hachette Publishers and Julie Soto for providing me a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Look, ya girl loves a romantasy but there are times when they become a little repetitive as they tend to use the same formula. This however, this was so unique. From the characters, world, magic system and story itself. Apparently, it was inspired by a fanfic called “The Auction’ but to me it felt reminiscent of The Handmaids Tale x Manacled but with a fresh twist set in a fantasy universe.

Whilst I was gripped, I also found some scenes to be a lot and I highly advise future readers to consider the trigger warnings as some scenes were graphic and illustrated whole lot of non-consent. I’ve seen reviewers class this as a dark romantasy (which I’d never read prior to this) but it’s a genre I’ll definitely revisit.

I was blown away at how this book succeeded in connecting emotionally. Scenes where our fmc, Briony felt disgusted, hopeless and above all a burning rage, I was right there feeling it as well.

As for tropes, it included some that we all know and love such as high stakes, forced proximity, slow burn, magic, dystopian and animal familiars.

I’m glad that this is going to be a trilogy as the story left on a major cliffhanger and I require answers stat!

Publication date: out now

A million stars. This gave and gave. I cannot wait for the next book and the next. This was such a beautiful conversion of The Auction.

3.75 - I just think this was too long for me. I lost the plot sometime in the middle and ultimately lost interest. Alas.

I just finished my audiobook ARC and GAHD it was amazing. I’m gonna have to imagine a lake with still waters to get me through till the release of book two without a total crash out. And maybe go re-read the auction! ;)

I specifically avoided re-reading it before this so I could separate the characters and world in my head and it… kind of? Worked 🤣 at least with the side characters.

The audio performance was wonderful and normally I read along with audiobooks so that I can see how words are spelled and I wasn’t able to do that of course having only access to the audio, but I didn’t feel it was a major issue. The pronunciation and enunciation was clear even for my audio processing issues.