I don't even know where to being. WOW just WOW.

First off, I got this book on audio as an ARC (thank you x10000 @ NetGalley & Hachette Audio). The audio was incredible. The narrator was amazing at portraying emotion, and I literally was on the edge of my seat for the whole book. The audio was crisp and really well produced. My only critique would've been to have a male narrator added just because there are so many men in the book; all of the others besides Toven started to sound the same in conversation, but for the sake of fluidity, I would keep the singular narrator for the rest of the trilogy. Ella Lynch was unbelievable, and I can't wait to hear her as Briony again in the future books.

As for the book itself, what do you mean this is the only one published! I need the rest of the series NOW! Chef's kiss, that was amazing. Julie Soto has a way for world-building that is just effortless. The storyline is remarkable, and OH EM GEE the tension between Toven and Briony, I just can't get enough of them. I finished this book, and I had to just stare blankly at a wall for a good 10 minutes, digesting what I just read while also trying to figure out how the next books will play out. The whole time I was reading, I truly could not figure out how book 1 was going to end, which I feel like is a rare thing in books being published right now. I am desperately going to need to do a reread, and I'll be waiting on the edge of my seat for the next book release date. Dare I say this is a top 3 Romantasy for me???

Thanks again @ NetGalley & Hachette Audio

A perfect narrator for the book. Her crisp accent set the theme and tone perfectly.


That being said, This book was awful. So many depictions of SA, flat characters and an awful story line. Nothing happens for a good 70% and Briony is an AWFUL main character. She plays into the fact that women are scene as basically nothing. We’re really supposed to believe her brother was the one to fulfill the prophecy when she’s been ‘boosting’ him this whole time?


This book hopped on the hp fan fiction train and I get it had to be adapted to avoid IP infringements but the names of things are just so boring and uncreative. It seemed like she needed to bump her essay grade from a ‘D’ to a ‘C’ to pass.

Thank you so much, Netagalley and Hachette Audio for the early audio copy!

This was my first fanfic read and I loved it. I would have never really guessed it was based on fanfic as in itself it's an incredible, gripping story!

The beginning pacing was a tad slow for my liking but once it picked up it didn't stop and there was things happening one after the other I couldn't put it down!

I'm super excited and keen to see what happens next and I loved listening to the audio of this one. I highly recommend it!

4.25 stars!

Did I devour this book or did it devour me???

She had prewriten his victory speech. She denied his hug because she fully believed he would come back to her :(

Rose in Chains by Julie Sose is a book I’ve been looking forward to reading. I’ve been lucky enough to get the audio version of the book. I would like to thank the arthor and NetGalley for giving me the chance to listen to it. I would also like to give my thanks to The Narrater Ella Lynch. The emotion, the pacing, and everything was so beautifully done. This a actual fantasy book without any mordern text that many fantasy books have. The book has a unique magical system that is explained through the book without info dumping everything at once. The places and names are easy to pronounce.
Also the enemies to lovers trope is well thought out Toven does something things that have you questioning if he really cares for her, which he does.
Catrina my beloved girl I disliked the way Cornelia and Briony were mean to her in the beginning but I’m glad that quickly changed.(That’s my girl Luna)
This book has a truly beautiful design but don’t be fooled I would check trigger warnings.

The grapes the seeds of rebellion. All the women were standing on business except she who I will not name.

I will say it sometimes annoyed me how much Briony would melt for Toven so easily like girl you lost your brother, your best friends, your whole kingdom, you were auctioned off to be used as a battery and used as a sex slave. Get a grip.

Toven you are doing your best and Briony wasn’t making it easy. Briony is a bit blind to not see you have been in love with her for years and not you keeping her green ribbon. You are the king of yearning but really stop trying so much to make Briony jealous by using Larissa.

Overall, I recommend if you are a fan of angsty, dark romance, and slow burn, enemies to lovers.

P.S this is in third pov
Happy reading!

I'll start by saying I really love Julie Soto's contemporary romances and YA thriller, but unfortunately, her romantasy was not for me. The story starts at the end of a war, and the villains win, leaving our main character Briony, and every other female from her side of the war, imprisoned and sold off to the highest bidder to use for her magic.

I haven't read the fanfic this was adapted from, so I don't know if that would have worked better for me. My biggest issue with this one was the consistent use of chapters set in the past to move the story forward. The flashback chapters happened so often, that I felt like I was reading a really dark young adult novel, instead of a spicy adult romantasy. I'm usually pretty good about aging characters up in my head, but I couldn't help but think of Briony as a teenager, even when she was supposed to be in her mid 20s.

I was reading an arc of the audiobook, and while I did enjoy the narrator and her voices for the female characters, the male characters were sometimes a little too cartoony. This didn't help my struggle to age the characters up from teenagers in my mind.

I'll still pick up Julie Soto's books, but will probably stick to her contemporary stuff from now on!

Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio, for an early copy in exchange for this honest review

I was SO excited to have an opportunity to get an advanced listener copy of Rose In Chains! I’ve read 2 of Julie Soto’s books and loved them so I was incredibly excited for her first fantasy book. I was unaware when beginning this book that it started as a Dramione fanfiction but was able to find a few easter eggs throughout. There are some intense content warnings so I would advise looking that list over before beginning.

I thought the world building was done well as was the descriptions of the magical system and political landscape. This book has flashback chapters which really made the story so much deeper. This is a very slow burn but had so much longing and pining. Briony is a little naive but I am hopeful she will step into her power more in the next book. I wish a few loose ends could have been tied up before the end of the book but she did set us up nicely for the next.

I thought the narrator did a wonderful job. I didn't love the voice for Toven but it wasn't a huge deal for me.

I am looking forward to getting the physical book that I will most likely reread.

THE EPILOGUE!!! What a cliffhanger. I’m dying for the next book.

A well written and interesting start to a new fantasy series. I am unsure if I would continue with future books in the series, as I don’t think I am the target audience for this. Despite the extremely mature and dark themes, the writing felt very young adult in a way that let the overall story down, in my opinion.

I also found the audio book narration good and it fit Briony’s character.

Infinity stars

Briony Rosewood is a princess of the Eversun people. After a long period of peace, evil forces within the Bomard rise up and claim the throne. Briony’s father and brother, the king and his heir, are dead. Eversuns are auctioned off to the wealthiest of the Bomard, who intend to take/use their power to heighten their own. Briony finds herself in the home of a former classmate and enemy, the inscrutable Toven Hearst. She can’t figure out why he bid on her or what he and his family want with her. Briony is now fully immersed in a world of high-stakes political scheming- is she just a pawn or does she hold more power than she realizes?

There’s a lot of hype surrounding this book, and for good reason. Rose in Chains completely exceeded all of my expectations! My jaw is on the floor and I’m left here wondering how I can possibly wait for the second book. I loved the world building and the magic system. It was intricate and creative, yet still accessible. Every single one of Toven and Briony’s interactions had me in a chokehold wondering what was about to happen. Their chemistry was undeniable.

The audio narration was absolutely perfect! I thought Briony’s voice came through so clearly and the other characters were distinct enough that I could differentiate their voices as well.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

4. stars ✨

Thank you Netgalley and Hechette audio💜

This was an amazing and realistic fantasy with every chapter came new character development and exploring the downfall of evermore

If you have ever watched the Handmaids tale this essentially gave the same vibe but with a fantasy aspect in what the men were looking for. It was a whole different experience for Briony she was bought by an old friend Toven that didnt lat a finger on her without her permission…..

Brioney wants her kingdom back with the assumption her brother the king dead and most of her family dead she is Evermores only hope.

About 60% of the book had a major slow climb to it there was a lot of great backstory flipping between the past and present! After the 60% mark we got more romance more adventures more plots and schemes that really put you into full drive into the story!!

The epilogue was absolutely insane the most unexpected ending i personally didn’t see it coming and need book 2 immediately!!

I remember first reading The Auction when on ao3, never did I think it would make it all the way to traditional publishing! I am so impressed with how Soto reworked this piece to both, keep the integrity of what she first wrote while creating something original. Rose in Chains reminded me of what fantasy books are like when not pumped out every few months. The author had the opportunity to really sit with this story for a long time and it shows with the pacing, character development and magic system. This is a dark fantasy read so please heed the content warnings. As I read the original work I found myself a little more prepared for the dark themes in the book.

Rose in Chains follows Princess Briony Rosewood after a lost war where she is kept as a prisoner and later sold along with her former court, friends and family. Her captor is her old school crush whose motivation is kept secret. Briony is faced with the horrors of a post war world where she is viewed as a second class citizen. One interesting aspect of Rose In Chains (that I’m unclear whether intentional or not) is Soto’s commentary on feminism and how there is a specific subset of feminists whose only concern is their success while crushing other women behind them. This is a question that Briony, our main character, ponders repeatedly when confronted with women committing war crimes on other women or being silent bystanders in order to not harm their own quest for power.

Overall I think this was excellent and thought provoking. I will definitely be picking up book two! I recieved the audiobook via NetGalley and I’m so happy I did as it was really well done as well!

4.5 ⭐️

This was my first book by Julie Soto and she did not disappoint. I also never read The Auction, so all of this was completely new for me. The narrator did an amazing job, especially distinguishing between characters.

I was immediately hooked! Obviously being a romantasy and enemies to lovers, we know Briony and Toven will end up involved, but I was on the edge of my seat for this slow burn! I can’t wait to see where that relationship goes.

My favorite part was by far the magic system and getting to explore that. It was honestly so original. Different than anything I’ve read.

I can’t wait to go get my copy on release day and probably do a physical reread just to fill the void this book is leaving me with knowing I have to wait awhile for more.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I really love the world and character dynamics. I think I would’ve preferred more development of the characters separately. They never felt fully fleshed out. I feel like this first book could’ve been entirely about the flashbacks and Briony and Tevon’s relationship during school (ending when the war begins and then next book beginning with the auction). I don’t know. It was good but I wanted more from this one. Definitely still interested in picking up the second book.

I’m not sure how to properly articulate the amount I enjoyed this book. Truly. I’ll be honest, approached Rose in Chains with almost unrealistic expectations. As a longtime fan of Julie Soto’s other novels, and deeply familiar with the original version of this trilogy, I was both excited and nervous to dive in.

But somehow, Soto exceeded even my highest hopes.

It’s thrilling to see this incredible story now traditionally published, reaching new readers, What impressed me most was how Soto didn’t just rest on the strengths of the original premise, she deepened it. The emotional layers, the sharp dialogue, the added nuance to the characters, everything felt richer and more intentional.

My only critique? I now have to wait (somehow patiently) for the next two installments. If you love complex characters, high stakes romance, and writing that genuinely resonates, Rose in Chains is not to be missed.

I really wasn't sure if I was going to like this. I'm not a big romantasy girlie and I have not read the fanfic this is based off of, but let me tell you I ate this up. I found the magic system very captivating and while I wished I could get a dual POV, I appreciate the POV we are given and how much detail we are given, and it's not overwhelming!

The narrator was great! I liked her tone and how she altered her voice for other characters! I felt like her inflection was well done and perfectly paced throughout the audio. I'm really glad I listened to this book.

𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟.5
Ummm, what can I say about this book without spoiling anything? If you’re a fan of HP, more so, what if Hermione and Draco were to get together vibes? This book drives on a trope I have never really experienced in books: slave/master, and I don't know how I feel about it right now.
Honestly, I will have to do a re-read to get a better feeling on this book. The pacing was a little off to me; it felt like it dragged. I did like we got dual timelines, past and present, but sometimes it could be confusing.

The audiobook is narrated by Ella Lynch; she did a good job telling the story and bringing the characters to life. She was easy to listen to and also understand. I listened at 2x speed.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Hachette Audio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I was highly anticipating this release from Julie Soto, having heard praises of it's fanfic version called The Auction. I'm afraid I might have built it up a bit too much in my head because it fell a bit short for me. While definitely a dark romance, I dare say I wish it were a little bit darker?? I found the writing nice and not overly descriptive, but perhaps to a fault. I felt there was very little world building, and I also never really figured out what the war was about and why the different magical groups hated each other. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator was very talented in differentiating between voices of the various characters. Overall I was invested in the story and I'll definitely be reading book two, however this initial installment left me wanting more.

Calling it now, this is going to be one of the biggest romantasy releases of the year!

After the fall of her kingdom, Princess Briony Rosewood is at the mercy of her adversary Toven Hearst and his family while the world as she knows it crumbles around her.

The flashbacks to their shared past helped shape the slowwwwwwest burn of all time while also keeping the reader engaged and excited for the next chapter.

The narrator Ella Lynch did a beautiful job capturing the emotions of the story and I absolutely loved her portrayal of Briony. The male voices she did genuinely creeped me out at times. 10/10 delivery!


Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.

I am completely obsessed with this world and need the next book ASAP. Highly recommend the audio the narrator was perfect!

This was the first book from Julie Soto that I have read and it definitely lived up to the hype.

At times it was not easy to read because of how much she made you feel for the characters and what they were going through. As horrifying as some parts were, I felt like she almost sanitised it to make it more palatable. This did make it more of a romantasy, but I feel like the story lends better to horror.

The romance was light, although you can see her setting the scene for the next book. If you don’t like slow-burn this is not for you.

I am already looking forward to the next one.

Ella Lynch did an amazing job narrating the book and it was put a lot of emotion in.

Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC an the opportunity to read this book early.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto is the first book in the Evermore trilogy. The war is lost, the hero is dead, and Princess Briony Rosewood is captured as the Bromard take over her home of Evermore. Stripped of her magic and sold at auction, she ends up in the hands of Toven Hearst, heir to a notoriously cruel family. But even in a world ruled by evil, hope may still rise in the unlikeliest of places. Told in dual-timelines, Rose in Chains focuses on Briony as she attempts to survive her new, unexpected fate, and as she learns things might not really be as they seem.

At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to think about this book. The story felt a little weird to me, but I will say that I did not realize that this was originally published as a “Dramione” fanfic. After learning that, the tone of the story, the characters, and the world made a lot more sense to me, and I enjoyed the story more. Of course since this is going to be a trilogy, there’s a big cliffhanger ending.

I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Ella Lynch. While I thought she narrated the female characters well, her male character voices didn’t quite work for me and occasionally pulled me out of the moment (they sounded whiny).

But overall this was an enjoyable read and I recommend it for readers who enjoy dark, twisty slooooooow-burn fantasy romance with morally grey characters, political intrigue, and a complex magic system. There are some dark themes so check the trigger warnings before reading if you feel you might need to.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is July 3, 2025.