Roses in Chains by Julie Soto
[4] stars ★ 𓄹 ࣪ .
⤿ No spoilers in this review.
⤿ This story had dark elements so please check the TW warnings before reading/listening to the book.

⇢ the plot.
The war is lost and her brother is dead. Briony Rosewood has been captured, stripped of her magic and is to be sold to the highest bidder in an auction. Unbeknownst, she is sold to her sworn enemy, Toven Hearst. Now belonging to Toven, Briony has to navigate this harsh new world by herself.

⇢ main characters.
⤿Briony Rosewood is our FMC. Even though she is described as smart and skilled, she is constantly underestimated by the people around her. Her decision making was a bit impulsive at times which made me want to scream. However, we get to see how much empathy and compassion she has especially for her friends who are in way worse situations than she is. As her character develops, we get to witness how resilient and strong she becomes. Soto makes it hard to not root for Briony.

⤿Toven Hearst is our MMC and he is such a morally grey and mysterious character. He never fully reveals what his motives or feelings are but you can tell how jealous and possessive he gets of Briony. I enjoyed seeing the contrast of his behaviour between his friends and Briony/family.

The relationship between Briony and Toven is a very slow-burn romance. The tension between the two characters was so well-written, and their chemistry kept me hooked throughout the book. Soto does such a good job of slowly changing their relationship over time as Briony discovers who she is and Toven’s mask starts to fall.

⇢ the ending.
The ending leaves on a cliffhanger and I was so sad for it to end as soon as it was starting to get good. I hope we get to know more about the dragon in book 2.

⇢ narrator.
The narration wasn’t my favourite. I did enjoy listening to Ella Lynch narrate the book for the most part. I do think she did a good job of bringing Briony to life and all of the side characters by having distinctive voices for each of them however, sometimes they got a bit too corny. Unfortunately, that did make me zone out a couple of times.

As a Julie Soto Fan, I have loved every book she has written so far so I was very excited to learn that she was publishing a dark romance book. However, I wish there was a bit more structure to the world-building, magic system and the introduction of the characters. As someone who chose to listen to the audiobook, the beginning was extremely confusing with a bunch of characters being introduced all at once, and the back and forth of the dual timeline. It took me a while to understand the world-building and magic system so I wish it was explained better.

Overall, I enjoyed the audiobook as it was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025 and I can’t wait to get a physical copy once it’s released!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

while i LOVED this book as a whole, i unfortunately did not enjoy the audiobook so much. the narrator sounded middle aged, while really takes you out of the idea of imagining a 26 year old female main character. her speaking was also very monotone, and in a book with so many shocking events, hearing them narrated in what could be described as a bored tone is really off putting. i ultimately wasn’t able to finish the audiobook because of how much it removed me from this story. i am an audiobook lover so i am super sad to share this as i was highly anticipating this audio, but it just wasn’t for me.

At first, it was hard for me to separate the fanfic from the published work because the OG work is one of top faves, HOWEVER I did end up really enjoying this! Once I was able to accept the differences of both works- I was hooked and listened to this every single chance I could.

In addition to my some of my favorite tropes (enemies to lovers, forced proximity, morally gray characters, slow burn) I really enjoyed the flashbacks as the world building, the introduction and explanation of the magic system- heart magic vs mind magic (I might even like it more than the fanfic), the banter between all characters, Briony having a twin and how that comes into play with her magic, the politically rich plot. I wouldn’t say this is a light read by any means but I do not think this is as dark as the fic was.

The epilogue had me buzzing and I can’t wait to see how Julie connects the next two books!

🌹 Roses in Chains by Julie Soto
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)
🎧 Format: Audiobook (NetGalley ARC)

Roses in Chains is a dark, emotionally charged romance that doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. Julie Soto has crafted a haunting story set in a world filled with shadows, power imbalances, and devastating trauma. This is not a light read—it’s raw, intense, and at times deeply unsettling—but it’s also incredibly compelling.

This book tackles heavy themes including sexual abuse, date rape, slavery, and violent deaths, all handled with care but not sugar-coated. The emotional weight of these realities adds a depth to the story that lingers long after the final chapter. It’s the kind of book that forces you to pause, reflect, and sit with the discomfort.

The romance at the heart of the story is as layered as it is heartbreaking. The dynamic between the main characters is charged with tension, longing, and pain. Soto doesn’t romanticise the darkness—she explores how love and survival can exist within it. It’s uncomfortable at times, but also fiercely human.

The audiobook narration was excellent, with powerful performances that enhanced the intensity and emotional nuance of the story. I felt fully immersed and emotionally invested throughout.

I gave it 4.5 stars because while the pacing dipped slightly in the middle, the impact of the story more than made up for it. If you’re looking for a dark romance that doesn’t hold back, Roses in Chains is a bold, brutal, and beautifully written read.

🌹 2 stars — this book drained me emotionally and spiritually. put me in a slump so bad i forgot how to enjoy fiction.

Huge thanks to Hachette Audio & NetGalley for the ALC 💌

⛓️ enemies-to-lovers
🌹 dark romantasy
⛓️ mind vs. heart magic
🌹 forced proximity
⛓️ royal rebellion vibes

I wanted blood, betrayal, and a villain to simp for. What I got was 16+ hours of confusion, repetition, and the emotional depth of a soggy tissue.
Not gonna lie—this was one of my most anticipated 2025 releases. A dark romantasy debut from Julie Soto? I was seated. Headphones in. Mood set. But this? This was not the serve I signed up for.

Let’s talk world-building: or rather, the complete lack of it.
This book threw SO MANY names, histories, and kingdoms at me like spaghetti on a wall, hoping something would stick. Spoiler: nothing did. I was constantly lost. No map, no glossary, no clarity. Just vibes and headache.

The magic system? Cool concept, zero execution. Heart magic vs. mind magic had potential but ended up feeling like background noise—never explored, never grounded.

The pacing? Agonizing.
This wasn't slow-burn. It was no-burn. Chapters blurred together. So much waiting. Waiting for Briony to do something. Waiting for the plot to move. Waiting for a single spark of chemistry to light up the page.
At some point, I started hoping for a plot twist just to end the book.

Now for the romance: 😐
Look. I live for tension. I breathe angst. I want to yearn. But Briony and Toven? No tension. No chemistry. No reason. It felt like the author told me they were in love and expected me to just go with it.

Flashbacks were meant to make me feel something for Toven. All they made me feel was tired.
This wasn't slow-burn—it was slow torture.

Briony could’ve been iconic. She ended up forgettable.
She's the literal princess of a conquered kingdom, but instead of rising, she just floats through the story. Passive. Reactionary. Whiny. I kept waiting for her to roar. Instead, she whispered.

Toven? He had every ingredient of a morally grey fave, but ended up a wet napkin. No edge. No bite. Just… vibes and vague trauma.

And don't even get me started on the structure.
The out-of-order flashbacks felt like speed bumps. Just when things might start moving in the present, boom—we’re back in time again. The book was trying to be deep. It ended up disjointed.

The only saving grace? The audiobook narrator.
Ella Lynch carried this on her back. Her voice gave life to a story that otherwise felt dead on the page. She gave Toven a pulse. Gave Briony a spine (even when the script didn’t).
If you have to read this—go audio.

Final thoughts:
If you’re a fan of The Auction and want to see it dressed up as trad pub romantasy, this might work for you. But if you’re new to the story and need strong world-building, real tension, or even just a heroine with a spark—prepare for disappointment.

This could’ve been everything. Instead, it left me with nothing.

First and foremost, I believe marketing this book as enemies to lovers is the biggest disservice that can be done for this book. The characters are immediate obsessed with one another. They do not ever act as enemies. At most, they are reluctantly lusting after one another. And when their romance is the biggest part of the story, and they are obsessed from page one- why is this 3 books? I would not have requested this ALC had I known the enemies to lovers is nonexistent.

Toven is written entirely likable and obviously has ulterior motives which begs the question why don’t they just support one another in whatever bigger mission they have instead of tiptoeing around it hindering progress? But if that’s the case, then why doesn’t Toven just act like a man and call people out because at the end of the day, trying to play into the system makes you complicit to the evilness of it.

As a reworked piece of fan fiction, where she needed to spend her time was originating her own world and character development. This relied heavily on understanding the source material. The first 50 percent was an attempt at world building and character development but I was so uninterested and actually lost if I didn’t fall back on what I knew of the source. Had this not been an ALC, I would have DNF’d. Additionally, Soto needs to stop using flashbacks as world building- this is not only this book she does it and I’m finding she loses emotional impact with that style.

I do believe that when Soto enters into her own world, then she has a decent plot to work with, and I don’t have complaints about the actual writing.

As far as the audio production: nothing but high praise. Ella Lynch was fantastic in giving each character a unique voice. She gave these characters life.

Starting with the narration of the story. Overall, I think it was well-delivered. The narrator was clear in her delivery and she conveyed a range of characters that were discernible and consistent. I wasn’t very impressed by the voice used for the MMC but he was definitely distinctive.

The story follows a non-linear timeline which I enjoyed as it felt like the world building was being layered very carefully. The downside of that, was the plot itself began to feel rather stagnant after a while. The main character Briony, is a princess whose kingdom is over taken, and she is among the many who are sold to the enemy to be used as a magic source to be siphoned from. While she struggles with her new reality, her spark of hope lives in the potential rebellion growing from her escaped kinsfolk.
As interesting as I found the concept, the delivery fell kind of flat for me. It felt like the story was going in circles at times and really only picked up towards the end. I was waiting for something to really kick the story into gear but it just didn’t happen. The ending gives me some sort of hope that maybe it gets better. 3.5 stars for me

I need the next book now. Great story and lots of tension. Interesting universe (especially converting it from the original IP). Narrator did a great job.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

*4 stars*

This was just as tension filled and angsty as Julie Soto’s other books. Romantasy is not my go to genre but I had a really good time with this. This is definitely a darker romantasy so be sure to check trigger warnings.

I would have liked a little more world building and time spent on the magic system. If you go into this more for the romance, and a slow burn romance, I think you’ll have a good time. I can’t wait to read the next installment of the series!

The audio narration was good. The narrator was a little breathy which made rose feel a little immature to me at first but I don’t think it took away from the listening experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

As someone who enjoyed the fan fic this was an anticipated read!

Unfortunately it fell flat andthe added antisemitism had me DNF.

The narration was beautiful though.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Julie Soto and Netgalley for the ALC copy of 'Rose in Chains'

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Audiobook:
Ella Lynch absolutely blew me away with her narration of Julie Soto’s Rose in Chains. She didn’t just read the story — she breathed life into every single character, capturing their emotions with such depth and intensity that I felt completely immersed. Her ability to shift her voice seamlessly between characters added an incredible layer of richness to the experience, making the story even more powerful. There were moments so vivid and raw that it felt like I was right there, living every scene alongside them. This performance wasn’t just good — it was unforgettable.

Story:
Wow, Julie Soto completely exceeded my expectations with her romantasy story Rose in Chains. From the very beginning, I was hooked by both the characters and the plot. The writing was incredible, drawing me into the world so effortlessly. The audiobook format worked especially well, as it moved smoothly between the present and the past, making the timeline shifts easy to follow. I also have to say — Soto did a phenomenal job building the world, the magic system, and the characters. Everything unfolded in a way that made it easy to understand and connect with as the story progressed.

Julie Soto, I bow at your feet. Good Lord, you write perfect books. Whether a thriller, contemporary romance, or fantasy romance, it doesn't matter what it is. They are an elixir for my book-loving soul, one I will gladly accept until the end of time. Just lock me in your dungeon and read to me.

The angst, OMG the angst, the slow burn (and I mean real slow), the longing. I stayed up late to read, and I do not do that. You won't catch me staying up past my bedtime for many books, but this was worth being tired for. I loved Briony, Toven, the pacing, the banter, the magic, the political intrigue, and the friendships.

The audio was fantastic. I really enjoyed the narrator's voice.

How can I go on knowing I have to wait for book two?

Thank you to Forever Publishing for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when the hero who was supposed to save the world is dead? Briony Rosewood is about to find out. Captured and sold to the highest bidder, she finds herself at the mercy of former classmate Toven Hearst. Can she survive the horrors this new world brings? And can she make sense of Toven's curious behavior?

Read if you like:
-Dark Romantasy
-Magic
-Rebellion
-Mystery

I'll admit, I picked this one up mainly because of the hype. As a fanfic author myself (different fandom), I was really drawn to this book and wanted to see how much of it was changed from the source material to make it stand on its own. And I was so impressed. I might have been listening knowing who the characters were originally based on, but there was so much that was different. It is 100% worth the hype. It is a dark romantasy, so be mindful of the trigger warnings before diving in. Personally, I'm still not recovered from the ending.

OMG THAT ENDING!!! I’m in shock in the best way possible, I need the next book ASAP! This book was so good, very slow burn which I loved because it made the relationship between with Tobin & Briony more realistic!! I loved the flashbacks to the two of them in school! This book hit me right in the feels with all that the Eversuns are suffering through! Another thing that really peeved me off is how much Briony’s family put her down, I can’t wait to see her shine like the badass she is! I can’t wait to see the relationship between the two of them develop more, I need some love confessions from them ASAP!! I can’t wait to see how this series continues in the next book 😍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Rose in Chains delivered everything I love in a fantasy romance. For fans of Dramione, this is the traditionally published version of the beloved fanfic The Auction—and as someone who hadn’t read the original, I went in with fresh eyes and was completely hooked.

I devoured the audiobook. While I typically prefer dual narration, the single narrator did an incredible job of immersing me in the story. I genuinely couldn’t stop listening.

The story follows Briony, who is captured and sold at an auction to be exploited for her magical abilities. The buyer? Her former classmate, Toven. This book explores heavier themes, so I recommend checking trigger warnings before diving in.

If you love slow burn and intense yearning, this is it. Julie Soto has crafted a richly layered world with a fascinating magic system that pulled me in from the start. I’m already counting down the days until book two.

My only critique: I would have loved more insight into Toven’s motivations—why he chose to buy Briony and why he and his family were so invested in helping her. That added context could have deepened the emotional stakes even further.

If you’re a fan of romantasy, enemies to lovers, and beautifully executed slow burn, this is a must-read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Forever for the opportunity to listen to this ALC!

4.5⭐️

I am in complete and utter awe. I don’t think I could ever properly express just how excited I was for this book and all the expectations I had for it. julie soto - you are an artist. you absolutely knocked it out of the park.

every book and story i’ve ever read from julie boils over with the tension she builds between the characters and rose in chains is no exception. it somehow seems incongruous to have two people who are so very clearly in love with each other still manage to give us the slowest burn with the most exquisite tension. all the sidelong glances, the soft touches, the YEARNING. ugh it was everything I wanted and more.

having been a couple years since I last read the auction, I felt advantaged to not have a super clear memory of the original story going into rose in chains. I thought it’d helpful in separating the stories and not constantly comparing the two. however, I feel I could’ve read this book immediately after finishing the fic and I would’ve been totally fine. the two stories stand on their own. I loved getting to see the moments I loved from the original fic, but in this new world, with new characters, with their own stakes those moments were able to take on new life and new meaning for me.

the world building in this was easy to grasp and i’m so intrigued by the magic system. I can’t wait to see how julie continues to expand upon it all as the series continues. i’m also loving how rose in chains has deviated from the auction. I feel those choices have added to the complexity of the story and the characters and makes it to where there are still fun surprises for readers who think they already know what’s going to happen.

i’m not so patiently waiting to see what’s to come. I desperately desperately need book 2 whenever you’re ready miss soto!

I feel very thankful to have received the ALC of this book. unfortunately, this narration just was not for me, personally. I really struggled with the narrator and the breathiness their voice would take on and how it would sound like they would run out of air before they reached the end of a sentence. I struggled with their distinction between the different characters and would sometimes find myself lost as to who was meant to be speaking. the male voices were especially difficult for me as I think the narrator’s natural higher pitch made the lower pitches they chose for the male characters sound almost mocking in a way. I do want to mention that I’ve seen many others praise ella lynch for their narration of this book and I’m so happy to see others who love their performance. everyone has different preferences in their audiobook narrators and just bc it wasn’t for me, doesn’t mean it won’t be for you!

thank you thank you thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for this early copy.

Thank you NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for a honest review.

4.5⭐️
First of all, this book was STUNNING. I’m obsessed with everything about it and will be highly recommending it to everyone who will listen. I laughed, I cried, I panicked. The pacing and timeline switching back and forth made it incredible. I also loved how SLOWWW burn the romance was, but you still get all of the angst and pining. The only reason it’s not a 5 is because it was a little hard to follow along at first and the ending plot twist was very predictable. I am dying to know what happens in book 2 though!

“my heartspring” is the new “my wife” 😮‍💨
seriously when are book 2 & 3 coming!?

Thank you Forever Publishing, Hachette Audio, Harper Collins UK, for the ARC & ALC. All opinions are my own.

✦ tropes & stuff:
💥 enemies to lovers
👑 rival kingdoms
⌛️ dual timeline/flashback chapters
💫 magic - heart & mind
🔗 forced proximity
🐢 slow burn
💞 single 3rd person pov

•┈••✦ review ✦••┈•

🎧 audio+ebook | ⭐️: 5 | 🌶️: 3 |

I was IMMEDIATELY hooked from the first chapter, and never wanted to put this down - the story just kept moving the whole time, and the characters had me completely invested & intrigued.

I LOVED the flashback chapters, I feel they added a much-needed balance & lightness to the story.

I was worried going in about the darkness in this one.
For me, personally, those parts were uncomfortable but passed quickly, and they made sense for the story.

It’s hard to say too much reviewing a fantasy book without giving spoilers!
As for the romance, I LOVED their dynamic, past & present, and how Toven has ALWAYS looked out for Briony - I can’t wait to learn more about their connection.

🎧 audiobook thoughts:
Ella Lynch did a wonderful job, and I loved her accent! It would have been more enjoyable, however, with a male narrator as well (it IS single POV, but another voice would have better enhanced the story).

I really liked the story and overall plot—it was engaging, well-paced, and had enough going on to keep me invested the whole way through. But I have to be honest: the main character drove me a little nuts. For someone who’s supposed to be intelligent and capable, her thought processes were surprisingly juvenile and self-centered. I kept thinking, Girl, seriously? It was like she had no emotional awareness or clue how the people around her felt, even when it was painfully obvious to the reader. With the kind of background she came from, I expected more maturity or at least a little more insight. Instead, I found myself constantly wanting to shake some sense into her.

She’s definitely book smart, but when it comes to people and emotional intelligence, she’s in the shallow end. It wasn’t enough to ruin the story for me, but it did make her a three-star character in an otherwise solid four-star book. Thankfully, the plot held it all together, and I’m still really looking forward to the next book in the series. I'm hoping we’ll see some growth from her because I genuinely want to root for her—I just need her to catch up emotionally to the story she’s in.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own.

For the saturday girls ❤️

PLEASE check the content warnings on the author’s website or in the book/audiobook. And know that it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better.

Okay, I had to sit with this for a while, but I figure after a few days of wishing I had the next book in the trilogy immediately, I’m ready!

Much of Rose in Chains is told in flashback. We meet Briony Rosewood, a princess sold for her magic after the downfall of her kingdom. Briony takes us back to view her days at magical school, where she meets the high-ranking children of a rival kingdom. At school, she hears whispers of war and an auction of the losers. Toven Hearst is the worst, but Briony finds herself drawn to him anyway. Briony’s kingdom falls and Toven purchases her, and she finds herself a whole lot less of a prisoner than she expected.

Rose in Chains is a lot less graphically dark than I expected, and filled with angst and longing and fear, and a few surprises.

I’ve been a fan of Julie Soto since her fanfic days (at least 3 of her fics are in my godtier faves), so when I heard that The Auction** was getting published, you probably heard me screaming in the distance. I first read The Auction when the fic’s final chapters came out, in 2020(ish?) so I went into this with very little memory of story specifics. Which is actually funny, because I found myself remembering a lot as I listened!

This book felt LONG. We have so much worldbuilding to create instead of relying on pre-existing worlds, so we have a lot of new magical and political information to absorb. There were TONS of characters that were hard to keep straight. Obviously, a lot of this is going to be difficult to read, but it wasn’t graphic? For me, at least. Obviously, different readers will have different opinions.

ALSO. THAT ENDING??? AND I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK??

Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC! I can’t wait for the next one!

4.5/5 stars

**I appreciate the transformative nature of fanfiction and do not support or share the actions or beliefs of the creator of the original work that inspired The Auction.