I need to know when the next book comes out!

I'm assuming it's at least a year out. That's ok, I will gladly reread this to prepare and that's saying a lot because I never reread.

I will warn you it is dark. The first part of the book is very dark. Nothing is working out for Briony. I'm scared for her and her whole kingdom. Further in I come to realize nothing is exactly as it seems and our girl is smart. I think it is building towards Briony being a real baddie.

Toven is giving mysterious vibes. He definitely has a soft spot but I'm not ready to trust him.

Having read all Julie Soto's other books and several of her fanfics I know she'll deliver on the spice eventually. This volume is slow burn with very little heat.

Ella Lynch does a fantastic job on the narration. The pacing is just right. Her vocal range is excellent and varied. She also does an amazing job of building suspense throughout the story.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this audio ARC!

Rose In Chains

Story - 5 ⭐️
Audiobook - 4 ⭐️

Where to begin…so going into this, I was already a big fan of The Auction so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it being reworked but let me tell ya…brilliant!

Briony is strong and capable but still naive in a very humanizing way. She doesn’t know everything, there are things she doesn’t understand, and even her strengths have been tucked away in order to protect and uplift her brother.

Toven is snarky, he’s a git, but there’s something under the surface that we all want to learn more about.

The world building is fantastic. It was something I was nervous about going in but I found myself pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to follow despite all the new names/places and magic system we had to learn about.

The side characters are also quite lovable. Larissa is my fave and I’ll defend her to my last breath. I can’t wait to read more of her story.

And the twist at the end made me jump with joy! Book two is going to go so hard!

The audiobook was my first audiobook, and I think it’s just a me problem, but I didn’t love it. The way Briony was narrated felt whiny at times and inflections felt off from how I expected them to but again, probably a me problem. I did like the narrators different voices for other characters and overall their voice was nice to listen to but I think I would have liked Briony to sound less…childish? She’s in her late mid-late 20s (I don’t remember specifically) but her inner monologue was childish throughout the book (not just the flashback moments) but again, maybe it was a me problem since I don’t listen to many audiobooks.

Overall, I loved this book and can’t wait for more! Julie is a master at what she does!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio/Forever Publishing for providing me with an advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback!

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, magic users, war-torn, literal enemies, treason

Trigger warning: Human trafficking, auctioning, non-consensual sexual acts, aggression, forced nudity.

I will split this review into 2 parts, the story and the narration.

Narration:
The narration gets a 2.5/5 for me. The narrator was fine. But I feel like this book would have really done so much better with a dual narration style and the male narrator would have suited the story so much more. Any time the female narrator spoke male dialogs, it took me out of the storyline and was absolutely jarring. The narrator was also British ( I believe?) and I had understood Julie Soto be an American writer. I understand that this book was supposedly Dramione fan fic, but if it were being adapted to a wider audience, the book could have been narrated differently

The story:
The story gets a 3.5/5 for me (rounded to 4 because NG does not allow 1/2 stars). I'll share the good stuff first:

1. The outline is pretty cool: Countries fighting right now. They didn't used to. The elite kids went to school together to prevent wars ( clearly this didn't work)

2. MFC is a twin. She has magical gifts that supersedes her male twin, but she has to play nice.

3. MFC is innocent and oh-so-pure, but fantasizes about Toven, the richest boy from behind enemy lines

4. The angst between the leads is nice. There are a couple supposed explicit scenes that were done well. Language alert. Open door explicit

5. The story has a potential to be a block buster.

6. The triggering aspects of this book are thought provoking. It was physically repulsive, but a much needed reminder of how POW have been treated, especially how women have been treated. Made me physically sick to read those scenes.


Problems:
1. There was very little context. From the get-g0 you are thrown into a panic situation with the killing of Rory and the main characters are not given any chance to be developed.

2. The back and forth between present time and the past was super jarring. The panic of the present made me want it to be over and being dragged in the past was like being tortured over and over. I wish the past had been explained in the present instead of as separate chapters. I literally just skipped the past chapters because they added nothing new to the story. You still get the whole context without reading them.

3. The pacing is really, truly BAD. For like middle 1/3 of the book (around 30%), NOTHING HAPPENS to Briony except that she is TIRED, and SO EXHAUSTED, and SO SLEEPY. This literally could have been summarized in ONE PARAGRAPH. As in, "The first month, Briony only slept and BATHED"

4. Which, by the way, HOW MANY BATHS DOES THIS GIRL TAKE? AND IN CAPTIVITY!!!! Too many, if you ask me. It irked me. She is probably the reason why future generations will have a water shortage.

5. The pacing again. Because of Briony's frequent napping and bathing schedule for 300 pages, the last 1/3 of the book is action packed, and (dare I say?) RUSHED. I wish I had gotten more of the last third. It was literally like the author wrote a 2 part series and the editor said, we'll make it a 3 parter and you can insert chapters of MFC just sleeping and bathing.

6. What even is the point of introducing jealousy in the mix, when the MFC and MMC are literal enemies and MFC's life is on the line? So redundant and displeasing (also the MMC and OW is shown to be intimate in front of the MFC -so.... ew!)

7. Why was the OW auctioned? No answers to that. Initially I thought it was because she was gay, but then I guess not?



Overall, it was enjoyable. I wish the story had progressed way more than it actually did. If I had read another novel this long, I'd have expected way more progression in the storyline.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy of the audiobook.

I could not put this down!

I went in a little worried just because of how dark it was meant to be, but I was so pleasantly surprised with how much I loved this book. It definitely had dark themes, yet it wasn’t as dark as I was expecting.

The world and magic system was fascinating, there was maybe one or two things that I would have liked a little more detail on with the magic but it didn’t take away my enjoyment of the story as a whole as it was very minor.

Let’s talk tropes:
🦊miscommunication
🌹slow burn
🦊 enemies to lovers
🌹forced proximity

If you don’t like miscommunication this is not the one for you, it wasn’t as frustrating as some I’ve read and the miscommunication was honestly pretty funny, I was just giggling along to them both bumbling along, misunderstanding each other. I can’t wait till they realise some of their miscommunications!

We have a delicious slow burn, it was glorious to watch it build, and dammmmmn when it ignited, it lit the house on fire! Going to have to be one of my most favourite book kisses in history.

The audio narrator was fantastic, they fully immersed me into Julie Soto’s world.

I am frothing to get my hands on book 2! I’ve rated this 4.5 stars in the end, because while it was predictable and a slight cringe at times, it wasn’t in a bad way, it had me giggling and kicking my feet and I can’t wait to see how this plays out way.

Julie Soto’s first fantasy and she did not come to play!! 2025 must be the year of epic dark fantasies and this one was right on the money 👏🏼 and can we take a moment for the cover?? absolutely stunning.

Briony has to learn to navigate a world after losing her twin while also having lost her Mind Magic. Meet Toven: very complicated, mysterious, and most importantly, Briony’s enemy.
Briony and Toven have history and it’s quite complicated. i enjoyed listening to their story and the growth between them, after all of the hate and pining.
this book heavily focuses on plot, vivid world building, and the characters + their relationships. it is a slow burn; no spice but the tension is palpable 😮‍💨 it can come off as a bit slow to some but i feel it’s super thorough. i promise the pay off is worth the build up!!

if you enjoy: enemies to lovers, morally grey book boyfriends, touch her & d!e, slow burn romance, burningggg tension between the main characters, and magic, i know you’ll eat this one up. check triggers because there are many dark scenes. your mental health matters 💜

thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review. the narration was lovely and so well done. i truly cannot wait to see how the rest of the series unfolds.

I'm in a state of panic right now. I was in a deep book slump for the majority of June and this pulled me out of it....and I'm scared it stuck me right back into another LOL.

Speaking on the audio (I got an advanced listener copy), Ella Lynch did a really awesome job narrating Briony and all other characters that presented throughout the novel. I will always wish for dual narrators, but this was done amazingly well and made listening a complete trip!

The plot was life changing. As someone who loves Dramione fanfiction bordering crazy obsession, this book was very close to the original fanfic (The Auction) and yet it absolutely was not the same either. And book 2 doesn't look like it will be following the fic either which is definitely exciting to wait for. The original FF was dark and while yes this book was too, this definitely is switching it up in a such good way. I LOVEDDD the changes observed in Briony and Tovan with the flashbacks was so beautifully orchestrated and quite honestly built the slowburn I read throughout the novel. Tovan will forever be a book boyfriend at this point and Briony had a different background with all the same resentment and anger- OBSESSED WITH MY GIRL. HOWEVERRRRR- Julie did an amazing job, setting this up as well- THEY ARE IDIOTS. BLIND IMBECILES. Like at one point, I thought I'd start acting like one of the characters- fiending for any interaction between our MCs because this slow burn and tension was crafted with a fine pen (iykyk!). The remaining 15% was WILDDDD and where we see our story stray from the FF. I am so excited to learn more about the magic, the familiars and the side characters that push for an amazing switch up and change of pace. I AM SO READY FOR BOOK 2 AND THANK YOU JULIE SOTO/HACHETTE/FOREVER PUBLISHING FOR THIS ADVANCED LISTENER COPY!!!

✨Tropes✨
⭐️ Morally Grey MMC
🌙 Enemies to Lovers
💫 Past x Present Timeline
⭐️ Hidden Power
🌙 Prophecy
💫 Forced Proximity

🌹 Rose in Chains by Julie Soto – Review

Entrancing, suspenseful, and utterly gut-wrenching—Rose in Chains is a masterpiece of emotional fantasy that had me hooked from the first page. Julie Soto crafts a haunting world where trauma, control, and resistance collide in a story that feels like The Handmaid’s Tale woven through a dark, magical tapestry reminiscent of Harry Potter.

Briony is a beacon of quiet strength, a survivor who clings to hope in a world determined to break her. Toven, her counterpart, is complex and magnetic—an enemy whose layers slowly peel away in the slowest of slow burn romances. Their connection is painful, tender, and deeply earned. The enemies-to-lovers arc is flawlessly executed, simmering with tension and emotional depth.

The magical elements are both beautiful and terrifying, unique in their execution and essential to the worldbuilding. The auction scenes and the treatment of Evermore’s people are heartbreaking, a brutal commentary on power and freedom that left me devastated.

This book doesn’t shy away from darkness, but at its core is the unyielding message: hope is a rebellion all its own.

The narrator brings this story to life and the emotion she gives off give me all the feels and really entrances the listeners. I'm yearning for book two already so I'll be relistening to this several more times to get my fix!

Enemies to lovers
🥀 Unique Magic systems
🥀 Dark themes
🥀 Political intrigue
🥀 Romantasy
🥀Slow burn romance
🥀Past and present timelines

Thank for Netgalley for the ALC in return for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this!! My first ever Julie Soto book did not disappoint!

This story does have several darker themes to it. I’d liken it to a Handmaid’s Tale vibe. I found handmaid’s tale to be darker than this, so if that’s a story you can handle, you should be good with this! I’m excited to read more of this author’s work!

Unfortunately, while I’m thankful for an early copy, this was just not for me. I appreciate if you love it but I cannot get through more intense scenes. I need a bit more hope and light. It’s very dark so make sure you are aware of what you’re getting into! Check content warnings and heed them.

Audio was well done. I think there were some extra pauses here and there but that could also be the connection.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley. Very glad to have read it!

While I overall enjoyed the story and think it's worth a read, I feel like the book is overall relaying too heavily on what it was adapted from. I would love to stay away from the origanl story and let this stand on its own, but unfortunately it just seems to feel like there is a need to have read the previous works in order to have a deeper understanding of the characters motives and easy trust. The magic system and world building is a bit oversimplified and the characters dynamics just don't have enough grounding in the actual story.

I unfortunately did not enjoy the narration. While the technical reading and pacing was fine, I found the voice and accent for Briony to be whiny and very young sounding. Based on the content of the story, her sounding like a 16 Yo was very jarring.

I devoured this book in less than 24 hours.
It’s raw, heartbreaking and filled with the sprinkles of hope that we cling onto during trauma.
The writing was flawless and immersive. I know that this was originally a Dramoine fanfic but it felt very original with in-depth world building different from the HP world.
I loved the characters and the world that Soto has created. There are a lot of trigger warnings in this so I would definitely look that up before reading but I will say that Soto handles these subjects with care.
As for the romance, THIS is how you write a slow burn. I loved getting glimpses of Briony and Toven in the past and how their relationship (or lack there of) progressed over time.
I can’t wait to see what Soto has in store with us with the rest of the series.
Thank you NetGalley for this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review

Wow..this was a ride. The beginning was pretty slow..but it picked up at the end! Definitely get the Dramione vibes from this story. Most of the time I wanted to scream at Briony because how could she not see that Tovan was into her and had been protecting her since school. But anyways..I liked the magic aspect, though it was confusing at the beginning. And this was darkish..not dark dark but there are some pretty rough things to read or listen to. The tension was there with Tovan and I’m just hoping we get more of them together in the next book because this was a slow burn. I can’t wait to see what happens next! When does the next book come out ?! lol

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!

This was definitely a good start to a dark romantasy trilogy. I love Briony! She is so tough and the way that her father made her give all the glory of being the best to her twin brother, supposedly the one mentioned in the prophecy to be the twice over heir, made things even worse I think when their kingdom falls and Briony ends up sold in auction to be a heartspring. Though things are not that simple and their are many different sides fighting for power and Briony was sold, I think she ended up in the right place with Toven and his family. There is quite a bit of political maneuvering and many dark times and cruel practices and hard subjects dealing with things like abuse, or forced sterilization. I will keep rooting for Briony though and in my mind, she should be the heir for nothing can break her will and even the lose of everything around her, she never gives up, finding unlikely allies and more reasons to keep fighting. And with the surprising way this first book ends, I am sure the next book will be awesome and the rebellion can stay strong (plus I am really intrigued by that dragon!)

The narrator, Ella Lynch, does a wonderful job in bringing Briony and the other characters to life so that you can feel both the anguish and the power that they will sacrifice everything for freedom and I can't wait for the next book! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this fantastic audiobook.

4,5/5 stars

I loved it! It was true enemies to lovers and also true slow burn. I get now why so many people were excited about it. And luckily I don't have to wait too long to get my physical book of this too so that I can reread this whenever. But at the same time I can't wait for book 2 to know what happens next.

The dual timeline was well done. It felt like both were necessary to get the backstory and what happened before the war. But because I like dual POV's I had hoped to get Toven's POV too. But I didn't mind following Briony and being inside her head all the time.

I enjoyed the slow burn in this story, but I do hope it gets a bit spicier in the other books. Considering what I knew about the story going into it I did expect some spice but at the same time I am content with this decision because the first book didn't necessarily need it. And it might have felt forced too because the MC's are enemies most of the time if not the whole time.

The narrator was pleasant to listen to. And overall the production was in my opinion well done.

Highly recommend this to everyone who like dark fantasy books.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC.

My first 5 star published book in a while. I loved it. Enjoyed every second. The narrator was great, too. The Auction is one of my favourite fanfics so knew I'd love this but the new world was created around the story really well and the magic system made sense.

Was so happy that my favourite scenes from the Auction were reworked into Rose in Chains. Can't wait for the next book!

This was my first Julie Soto book — and it will not be my last! I was lucky enough to receive the audiobook ARC from NetGalley (yes, I screamed when I got the approval!) just before the release date, and the moment I hit play, I was in.

The narrator? Perfection. Her voice and accent pulled me in immediately and brought this richly layered fantasy world to life.

This book is jam-packed with all the good stuff: magic, politics, power struggles, and an enemies-to-lovers slow burn that’ll make your heart ache. Briony is clever and resilient, a fallen princess whose kingdom has been overtaken — now imprisoned by Toven, her former schoolmate and a man from a rival powerful family. Their tension? Deliciously intense. You feel every push, pull, and hesitation between them.

The final chapters? Absolutely loaded with twists and revelations — I couldn’t stop listening, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

⚠️ There are some emotional and heavy moments, so definitely check the trigger warnings — but for those who love dark fantasy with romance, high stakes, and slow-burning tension, Rose in Chains delivers.

This was such a thrilling introduction to Julie Soto’s fantasy writing, and I can’t wait to dive into more from her!

With every book she writes, Julie Soto is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors. Rose in Chains is her fantasy debut, and she manages to blend her signature angsty, tension-filled romance with a rich fantasy world full of intriguing magic.

Don’t be fooled by the light and pretty cover, this is a dark fantasy. It tackles heavy topics like sexual assault, violence, and slavery.

The story follows Briony after a brutal war, where her brother, the king, has been killed. Now captured and auctioned off to be magically bonded as a power source, she finds herself sold to none other than her old school crush, Toven.

I really appreciated that from the start, it’s clear Toven isn’t a villain. With the dynamics at play, it would’ve felt incredibly uncomfortable otherwise. The book is a true slow burn, not just in the romance, but in the plot as well. The world-building takes its time, and the focus stays on Briony and Toven as characters, which made their connection feel layered and earned. The ending was especially great, action-packed and capped off with a killer cliffhanger.

Now, about the Dramione roots: yes, this is an adaptation of a fanfic, and yes, I’ve read it. The story is very similar, and since I loved the original fic, I was already on board. But I was also impressed by how Soto reworked the world and characters to make them feel truly her own. The ending starts to diverge from the fic, and I can already see the series carving out its own unique path. I’m so excited to see where it goes next.

What if, in the war of good versus evil... evil wins? What if the hero falls, and the villain rises? And what happens to those left behind?

Rose in Chains is one of the most gripping dark romantasy books I've read (or rather, listened to) this year, and it absolutely deserves all the hype. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook!

After losing the war and her magical powers, Briony Rosewood is captured and sold into servitude to Toven Hearst, a powerful enemy and the object of her former infatuation. Stripped of freedom and hope, she must navigate the dangerous politics of her conquerors. But even in a world ruled by dark magic, unexpected allies and rebellion may still rise.

I haven't read the original fanfic this novel was based on, and I can confidently say it stands entirely on its own. From page one (or minute one, in my case), I was hooked. Let me say this clearly: the cover is stunning, but it doesn't fully prepare you for how dark this book gets. Check the trigger warnings. This story doesn't gloss over the brutal consequences of war, oppression, or the psychological toll on the characters. Briony (and nearly every woman in this book) goes through so much, and yet they endure. Even through depression, hopelessness, and cruelty, they fight to reclaim power in a world designed to break them. It's both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring.

The worldbuilding is immersive, and I loved how the magic system had rules and clear limitations (we love a well-structured system!). Though Briony and Toven do seem unusually powerful, and that fact is not really explained, I honestly didn't mind. It never detracted from the intensity of the plot or the emotional depth of the characters.

Now, about Toven... I had feelings. Definitely not someone I liked at first. It took a while to warm up to him, but the slow unraveling of his layers made it all the more satisfying in the end. The dynamic between him and Briony is a slow burn in the truest sense of the word. Painfully slow at times. But the payoff is absolutely worth it. Their banter, their tension: it was actual perfection. I didn't expect to love them together, but I did!

And finally, a huge shoutout to Ella Lynch for her phenomenal narration! Her voice work brought the entire story to life. Every character had a distinct voice (I especially loved how she voiced Toven, it just fit him so well), and the emotional range she delivered (grief, rage, desire, hope) made everything hit that much harder. I can't imagine experiencing this story in any other format. She made it unforgettable!

If you're looking for a dark romantasy full of emotional depth, complex power dynamics, and slow-burn romance, Rose in Chains is for you!

Narration: 5 stars

The narrator did such a wonderful job. She gave each character a different voice and was good at it. I was worried I wouldn’t like her voice for Toven but it was good! Overall, she managed to keep my attention really well and it was just great.

Story: 3.5 stars

I read The Auction (the fanfic) and it was a good read. I was hoping for more with this story since I’m not really a HP/Dramione fan. I loved the change of having Briony and her twin brother be heirs and the stuff with their magic was cool. I think a lot of the world building and changes were done well.

I think the story still relies way too heavily on Dramione and readers knowing the backstory of these characters. Briony was way too trusting of Toven and his family, with no good reason (in my opinion). I felt like as the reader you just had to accept that Toven has always liked her and doesn’t want to cause her harm. I would have preferred it feeling more confusing, I don’t want to trust Toven from the get go. There should be a build up to that trust.

Overall though the story was good and I’m curious about future books in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for early access to the audio version of Julie Soto’s “Rose In Chains”, narrated by Ella Lynch. “Julie Soto does it again” might be something that my friends are tired of hearing from me at this point, but I will keep happily screaming it at happy hours! I was not a reader of the previous fanfic version of this novel, but 100% am sure that is my loss! The story was immersive, dark, and a perfect blend of magic and realistic trauma. In this audio format, Lynch narrates in a passionate tone, keeping you locked into the intensity of both description and dialogue! Not for the faint of heart, but Soto’s foreword does a wonderful job of trigger warning you before you start. For all the Dramione stans, this one slaps! I can’t wait for the next in the series.