I have been looking forward to this book for so long. But this narrator takes me straight out of the story. I think I'll have better luck with eyeball reading.

Audiobook Review: Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
Narrated by: Ella Lynch

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC of Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

The Book gets 1.5 stars from me.

Be aware the TW’s are real with this one!
It’s not just a paragraph, but almost the whole book centers around detailed and intricate violence against women.

To start off, I don’t really get why this book was marketed as „… a lush romantic fantasy that’s filled with intrigue, magic, and an irresistible enemies-to-lovers romance.“. This book is not a Romantasy. It’s mostly a Dark Fantasy where the present world is centering around violence against women.

I’m not really interested in reading a book/ listening to a book, where there is so much violence against women portrayed and don’t know why this book was written like that. You can build a grim world without so much detailed scenes and with a broader perspective.

It’s interesting to start a story in the way it was done. There is little world and character building and you just get thrown into it. All the names got confusing and it was too much at once, while also being shallow. It also didn’t feel that realistic and the throwbacks didn’t help. I’m not the biggest fan of them in general, but it was too much and the story could have been told in the normal timeline, if the author would have taken more time to craft the first book in the series. You didn’t really get to know the MC’s, so you weren’t like rooting for them and interested in the story.
It would have worked better in the fanfiction setting, since we would have already known the characters more. So in my opinion the backstory should have been better worked out and the first book should have been more focused on the world and getting to know the characters.

The narration was Ok, but you get confused with all the people and I felt like the voices didn’t stay consistent. The audiobook experience in general probably made this book worse, because the men sounded so revolting.

It took me way longer than I thought to get through the audiobook. I had to stop several times, because of how disgusting it was. I felt like there was no bigger plot, why the women had to be emotionally and physically abused.

I do think, that reading the book instead of listening to it, would have made it slightly better. The ending got a bit better, but overall it was just not a good start for a series and I had quite a lot of problems with the writing and story.

At the beginning, I did not know that this was originally a fan fiction, but with all the controversy surrounding the authors works it was based on, I don’t want to support it. I wish the marketing strategy was different and the book could have stand on its own.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto is the kind of book that grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go. It's intense, emotional, and completely unputdownable. The story follows Rose, an actress caught in a scandal, and Aiden, the enigmatic, reclusive screenwriter who writes her into his new project—a dark, layered script where the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur.

The chemistry between Rose and Aiden is electric, but what really stands out is how Soto builds their connection slowly, with tension and vulnerability. Both characters are broken in different ways, and their healing feels raw and earned. There’s a haunting quality to the narrative—gothic without being overdone, romantic without being cheesy.

Soto’s writing is cinematic and vivid, with dialogue that feels sharp and real. If you’re a fan of messy, complicated love stories where trauma, passion, and forgiveness all collide, this one will hit hard.

It’s more than a romance—it’s a story about survival, redemption, and finding the courage to be seen.

Highly recommend for fans of tortured love stories with a literary edge. I’m still thinking about it days later.

"There is a lake with still waters."

~this book deals with a lot of heavy topics, so make sure to not skip trigger warnings!

"It's for the auction."

oh wow, I have so many words, I don't even know what to say, I need some business days to reflect, so this may be a lil chaotic

✨️I've read Auction, but the author still surprised me,
but some changes made me shit my pants cus wdym the spell to kill sb is Heartstop😭

✨️I really liked the flashbacks, I think they added a lot of context to Toven and Briory relationship and I really liked the glimpses to their school years

✨️and overall I really liked their dynamic and relationship

✨️I would like more worldbuilding and more to Briory character and magic system, but it really wasn't bad, and I think people will understand everything fine without knowing the ff origins, but still I'm very interested how they'll receive it

✨️I'm really curious what will happen in next books and I'll be waiting for them very impatiently (this book isn't even out for the next 3 months and I already need book 2😩)

I LOVE ORION HEARST, he was the absolute best, I was smiling so hard whenever his name appeared on my kindle, Toven ily, but I want your dad more🤭

4,25⭐️

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

This is the dark romantasy you’ve been waiting for. 🥵 Preorder this right now. I’m not even playing.

If you’re already a fan of Julie Soto, then you know you’re in for a banger.

I could NOT stop reading this. To the point where I was deeply irritated I had to go to work. (I still took my kindle and read on my break anyways but that’s beside the point. I devoured this absolute slice of dark romantasy heaven in less than 24hrs and I work 12s. I don’t think I slept. (Definitely check your triggers)

This book is based off the authors insanely popular Dramione fanfiction “the auction” (Which I admittedly had not read but had downloaded and will be immediately going to read to hopefully get some closure or sneak into how this might go. **This is book one in a trilogy so ofc it ends on a cliffhanger.**

I have zero doubts this book will blow up. Some people will undoubtedly be caught on the similarities to hp and will likely give it negatives for that. I found that how the magic system was changed helped this story stand apart. And by god, the tension between our FmC and literally everyone else pulls you through.

Toven Hearst has got to be the most criminal gentleman MMC I’ve read in a hot minute. How she wrote a gentleman into the role she did with such precision, it’s like mind magic. 😉 You’ve got this absolute villainous setting and premise and he’s just an angel. I die whenever he enters the page.

Synopsis: Princess Briony Rosewood a mind magic user of Eversun and twin to King Rory Rosewood who is taken out by the enemy kingdom Bromard, is captured and sent to auction. Where she is sold to be a “heartspring” and have her magic siphoned to her future enslaver Toven Hearst a heart magic user and former classmate.


Thank you NetGalley and Forever publishing for the absolute gift of being able to read this early and provide a review. I can’t wait for my signed special editions to be my shelf trophies.

Lord have mercy what did I just listen to? This book was a whirlwind for sure and I loved every minute of it. The world building, the magic system… all unique but captivating. This was my first read from this author and from what I’ve learned, it started out a as a Dramoine fanfic which would also be my first. It did take a while to get sucked into it but by chapter 8 I was all in. Broiny my goodness she’s one tough muthafuggah! To endure all she did and not go absolutely bonkers is beyond me. And Toven, woooooowheeee swoon worthy but dude, you need to communicate more.

All in all, great read. But pls be warned this book does cover some very heavy and dark themes so if you’re easily triggered, I’d be weary. Now I pray it’s not a long wait for book 2!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC! Appreciate it!

I was really excited to listen to this since I loved Julie Soto's previous romance books, but honestly this bored me and I had a hard time finishing it. There are a lot of trigger warnings, so check them out before starting. I didn't feel connected to the characters throughout the story, and the romance was definitely slow burn. The narrator of the audio sounded British and at times was hard to understand. I'll probably still read the next book in the series, hopefully things turn up a bit!

Spiciness: 2/5 🌶️

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!

Rose in Chains was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was genuinely excited to dive into it — the premise, the tension, the promise of angsty romance rooted in fanfic sensibilities? Totally my thing.

And in many ways, the story delivered. Julie Soto’s writing is atmospheric, intense, and emotionally raw. The enemies-to-lovers slow burn, the power dynamics, the aching vulnerability of both leads — it all landed beautifully. And the audiobook narration is phenomenal — some of the best I’ve heard all year. The voice actors brought these characters to life in ways that made the emotional stakes hit even harder.

But I won’t be posting this review on my social media — and here’s why.

While Rose in Chains is a work of original fiction, it was born from and heavily marketed on its ties to Dramione fanfiction — a ship within the Harry Potter fandom. As many have pointed out, aligning so closely with that world continues to line the pockets and legacy of J.K. Rowling, who has used her platform to spread and normalize harmful anti-trans rhetoric.

In the weeks leading up to release, members of the trans and queer community explicitly asked that readers not promote or support this book, because of the harm it perpetuates by continuing to draw from and uplift Rowling’s IP — especially when there are so many other transformative works and authors that don’t come with that harm.

I’ve sat with this a lot, because I did enjoy the story. But ultimately, my values — and my desire to be an ally — matter more than a great romance read.

So while I appreciated the craft, the characters, and the experience of listening to this audiobook, I won’t be publicly promoting this title. I want to be intentional about the media I engage with and whose voices I amplify — and in this case, I choose to listen to and stand with the trans community.

There are so many other brilliant, inclusive, boundary-pushing romances out there — and I’ll be using my platform to uplift those instead.

This was definitely an interesting read. I went into it knowing that it started as a Dramione fanfiction but had been reworked for publication, so I was really invested in trying to figure out who started out as what Harry Potter character. The reworked story definitely stands on it's own and doesn't feel like Harry Potter at all, and I think those that go into this book blind would never make that connection.

I really enjoyed the magic system in this world, and I don't know if I've ever read about a magic system that focused so much on two differing practices so much. It felt realistic to how it could actually be if magic was real, because of course they're prejudice against each other, that's just the human way of things.

The trigger warnings in this book are LONG and DEEP and do not mess around. I'm pretty good with most triggers, as I read a lot of horror, graphic thrillers, and true crime. But even I could feel my stomach tensing up in some of the sexual abuse scenes. I mean it was perfectly hateful and realistic and I think that's what made my reaction so visceral, so kudos to the author for not backing down from the horror of war, slavery, and abuse that happens to "conquered" peoples.

I did find it hard to buy into the romance aspects of this book just because I feel like the main character puts a lot aside to compartmentalize everything she's going through and been through. But I was able to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy it for what it is.

I'm intrigued to see where the story goes next, so I'll definitely be waiting for more in this series.

I have read the original fanfiction Rose in Chains was based off of, however I am basing my review of this book as its own original story.

I would like to start off with praise for the narrator, Ella Lynch! She did a great job bringing this story to life. I could differentiate each character with the unique voice she gave them, and she brought a lot of emotion into the story making it feel more vibrant. Loved!

Now for the story itself. There were great things and some things I didn’t love about it. I thought the world building was interesting, I liked the concept of heart and mind magic and how these two factions were against each other. The war and political system also gave this story an element of high fantasy that I enjoyed a lot.

The slowburn was fun, and I think the flashbacks gave insight into how Briony and Toven’s relationship has been brewing for quite a while, but the chemistry was lacking for me. Maybe it was due to the slow pacing in the middle of the book, but I just never fully believed their relationship. If we had gotten Toven’s perspective perhaps it would’ve helped.

A huge problem I have is with the main character and her lack of agency. She is built up as this powerful and intelligent princess but I really feel like she didn’t actually do much and it was everyone around her that was moving the plot forward. She reacts to the bad things happening, but really she lusts after Toven almost the entire book, even knowing he plays a part in her side losing the war and the hunting and murder of her friends, family, and people. The blind insta-lust that transcends reason was a huge turn off for me. Briony is literally on the brink of death in one part of the book, and instead of worrying about dying she’s thinking about getting it on with this guy. Also even after she learns of the horrible things going on with her people-and people she knows personally- she forgets it all as soon as Toven comes into her line of vision. It was irritating seeing her worry over him (even before she knew his family’s true allegiance) instead of her doing literally anything to help with the war or trying to escape.

The pacing in the beginning of the book was great. A lot of things were happening, it was exciting, there was tension and suspense, but it all slowed down once Briony reached the Hearst’s. There was a lot of waiting and wandering and nothing happening because other characters were out doing other things. I did struggle to get through some of it but it thankfully picked back up at the end.

The last thing I wish was improved, Veronika Mallow as the big bad villain. She was portrayed as this all powerful ruler who has overthrown an entire kingdom, but we don’t actually see her doing much that is villainous and cruel. If anything Reighven seemed more evil on the page than Mallow did. I wish we could have seen more of her character and motivations just to really establish her as this all powerful bad guy. She really doesn’t seem like much of a threat, even at the end.

Serena Hearst is my favorite character, she’s a baddie who isn’t afraid to kill for those she loves and she is cunning and takes matters into her own hands. I LOVED her at the end of this book and am excited to see more of her in the sequel!! I’m almost intrigued with this dragon and the potential implications of the ending. I’ll be picking up the sequel just for that. I do hope Julie Soto can turn this series into something great because the potential is definitely there.

I recommend this book if you like dark romantasy with political intrigue, war, and are okay with the trigger warnings of this book. Thank you to Hachette Audio for this arc!

If Julie Soto writes it, I’m going to read it. If Julie Soto puts out an audio version of the book, I’m also going to listen to it. In this case I’ve done both. Can you tell I’m a giant Julie Soto fan?

I came into this book pretty blind, knowing nothing about the premise of it. I didn’t know the background or the “controversy” that kind of overtook the publishing, but what I do know is that I liked the book a lot and I can’t wait to carry on through the rest of the series. Sometimes it’s just better when you can go into a book blind without any preconceived notions.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t finish the book, but the book, in fact, finished me. It felt fresh and new and the characters are amazing. It was also the perfect length. Finally a book that is not 600+ pages long. Sometimes a great, medium sized book is all you need and this was perfection.

A very special Thank You to NetGalley, Forever, and the author for an e-ARC and e-ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Julie Soto's contemporary romance so I was so excited to pick this one up! It felt slow at first - I struggled with the world building and character introductions. I knew it was going to be dark with the captive/slave esque relationship, but I truly struggled with the violence against women. In the end, I could not finish this one, it was not for me. I hope it finds other readers that enjoy it!

The audio left something to be desired. While I did enjoy the narrator, there were so many characters, I felt it would have worked better if I had physically read this one rather than try to listen.

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!

OKAY!!!

First Julie Soto book and man did it live up to the reputation!!

Story wise, I was CAPTIVATED. She really hooks you in with the first chapter and then never really let's up. I never felt like the story dragged or was rushed, and everything was explained clearly so I wasn't too confused as I stopped and started the book at inconvenient times. The characters were compelling, and I thought the tension and brutality were executed very well without being too much or unwarranted. My only gripe was that I wished that Briony was more secure in her abilities and growth, there were times I doubted her or thought "if she's so smart and powerful why is she so inconsistent or ignorant." And I can suspend my disbelief enough to know that in the later books she'll be much more secure in her ability but it was still a thought I kept coming back to as I read. All in all, the story was very good, and I can't wait to see how the author continues to expand the world, the magic, the characters, and the story in the next book (hopefully I can get an ARC too, but that's just me manifesting)

As for the audio, I was so enthralled in the way that Briony was portrayed through voice. She had a very interesting character developed throughout the book since it goes back and forth between her times at school and the present moment. I also want to commend the reader on her differences between the characters just using her voice. I could always tell the difference between the characters without the need to constantly explain to me who was who. The enunciation wasn't the best so the faster that I wanted to listen (I generally listen 1.50-2.00x speed) the less I was able to understand.

What a really enjoyable read! It was just what I needed to help pick me out of a reading slump. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

This audio was very well done, Ella Lynch masterly narrated all characters and I flew through this audio in less than 30 hours.

The story was a dark romantasy [check your triggers] and I was really enthralled with the magic system and the world that Julie Soto built. I love Julie Soto's writing and the slow burn in this book was so well done. I look forward to the second book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Hachette Audio for the ALC provided for review.

If you read The Auction and thought “I already know what will happen,” THINK AGAIN!

Julie proved again that she can write any genre and still master it with such skilled precision your brain chemistry alters forevermore.

She never ceases to amaze me, and boy did she keep me on my toes. Yes this felt like coming home. Yes you will recognize the beloved story that made you fall for Julie in the first place.

“There’s a lake with still waters.”

But the new world she created? OUTSTANDING. And the new intricacies she added in? SUPERIOR. The plot? Left me mouth agape. That cliffhanger? MA’AM?!

The yearning the yearning the yearning the yearning the angst the angst the angst the passion the pain the mindfuck the AAHHHH!!

I need to gather my thoughts because my mind is whirling and my heart is squeezed so tight and I fear this book isn’t even out that I already long for the sequel, so I’m not sure what to do with myself.

Thank you Forever for sharing an advanced copy of what is likely going to be my favorite dark romantasy of the year and this long awaited read as a Saturday girl 💕

+++

UPDATE: this book on audio?? Even better! Ella Lynch was such a perfect choice for the narration and she did such a wonderful job bring Briony to life, fluidly brought the world together and brilliantly expressed the layered emotions Julie poured into this book. I’m hopeful we will get a male narrator for book 2 because that’ll just round everything up even more beautifully! Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

5 ⭐️

There is a lake with still waters.

I loved this romantasy. It was beautifully dark, original, with a unique magic system and characters that I ached to save. Briony Rosewood was smart, magically gifted, and brave. She fought hard to help her brother fulfill the prophecy, and fought harder against her captors when she was taken after his fall. Toven Hearst, whose family was stuck on the wrong side of the war, worked tirelessly to keep Briony safe after having been in love with her for years.

The world-building was complex and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, but it all came together perfectly into this very dark book. The villains were truly horrible people, and the things they did to the women they captured made me sick to my stomach. But beneath that, the resilience of the women was awe-inspiring, and I couldn't stop rooting for them to get their revenge.

The love story has only just begun for this series, and there was very little of it beyond the yearning and tension between Briony and Toven. I can't wait to see where it goes in book 2. And speaking of book 2, I need it right now because I've been dangling off a cliff for a month now and I'm still not over the ending.

Ella Lynch was fantastic on the audiobook. Her voice was soft and soothing, and she poured her emotions into every word. I won't hesitate to get any book she narrates in the future.

I know there's been a lot of backlash over this book, but I didn't have any issues with it. If anything, the marketing should have been done differently to dissociate it from its original fanfic, but Julie wrote a phenomenal story that was wholly its own. Had I not known going in that it was based on Dramione, I never would have put it together. I haven’t read The Auction, so I have no idea how much changed from it to this, but I didn’t feel like I was missing any context by not having read it or not associating with Dramione right from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Hachette Audio for the audiobook ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Roses in Chains by Juli Soto – Audiobook Review

First, I want to note that if I had read a physical copy of this ARC, I believe I would have enjoyed the story even more. The world-building and character depth are rich and layered, and on audio, it sometimes felt a bit overwhelming to absorb everything at once.
I truly appreciated the narrator’s voice—it’s pleasant and clear—but over time, the delivery began to blend together, which lessened the emotional impact of certain scenes for me. Additionally, the transitions between past and present were occasionally hard to follow in the audiobook format, as the shifts weren’t always immediately clear. This caused some confusion, though I recognize this is more a format issue than a narration flaw.
Despite this, I really enjoyed the premise and, on a second listen, was able to more fully appreciate the story. I’m definitely planning to continue the series—though I’ll be reaching for a physical copy next time!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was a phenomenal. Super dark, so please read your triggers, but I was so mad when this ended and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

The narrator was great as well. Perfect tone and pacing for delivering this story.

Thank you Macmillan audio for gifting me an alc in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve had such a good time with Julie Soto’s work, so reading this one was a no-brainer. But Rose in Chains is vastly different to her other novels in terms of story, tone and themes – the only thing that felt familiar was how characters and their dynamics are written.

Unfortunately this was an uncomfortable read for me. Probably due to a combination of darker themes I’m not used to reading about in a romance, and the fact that this is based on a Harry Potter fanfiction. I hate JK Rowling with all that I am, and you should too. There’s more to it though: because this is a published book based on fanfiction it has to be different to the original source material, but because the original source material is a well-established fantasy world that’s developed over seven books, I mostly felt confused and struggled to orient myself. Maybe the fanfiction should have stayed a fanfiction.

(4.5) Okaaaaayyyy. Listen, I've never read the fanfics or even the og characters so I originally wasn't going to read this out of fear of just not connecting. But the Fairyloot version just looked so good, I had to give it a shot and dang am I glad I did. The original cover made me think that maybe this would be a little bit of a darker fantasy but I was surprised. And no, its not dark like some of the dark fantasies out there, don't get it twisted. I was just surprised (I don't read blurbs okay?). Either way, I was pleasently surprised by this and entirely invested. Because I'm so disconnected I have no clue how this is going to be a trilogy but I'm so here for it. I really liked Soto's voice in this sort of setting and its definitely my fav book of hers!