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.

This was one of those books that pulled me in from the very beginning and held my attention the entire time. It's a dark romantasy, and parts were definitely difficult to listen to. Definitely check the content warnings. I never read the fanfic, so this was my first time in this world. I loved the world building and the magic system. I think the dual timeline definitely helped provide context and depth to the plot and the characters. The political drama was fascinating and woven into the story perfectly. Briony was incredibly strong, resilient, and smart (even if she couldn't see how much Toven was into her). Her slow burn romance with Toven was sloooow and full of angst. And that ending!!!! I'm desperate to know what happens next!

I listened to the audio and Ella Lynch was a fantastic narrator! She brought the story to life and I felt like the narration enhanced Briony's emotions. It was really well done!

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy!

*Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to Hachette Audio for the gifted ALC*

Honestly the amount of hype for this book confuses me. Was the writing good? Yes! Did I enjoy all of the tension? Definitely! This book was dark as hell and I love that departure for Julie Soto.

My problem was that I couldn't separate the book from the fanfiction that it started as. Several elements were clear translations from the series that shall not be named and it annoyed me because it broke my immersion in the story.

Will I read the second book? Unsure, especially now that I know it's a trilogy rather than a duology. But for girlies trying to get into romantasy, this could be a good pick.

My goodness did I DEVOUR this book. Briony is such a badass-strong, smart, and resilient. The magic system felt so unique and cool. And Toven?? He is that perfect red flag fictional man I cannot stop swooning over.
The narrator did an amazing job bringing this story to life. My only complaint? I need Toven POV scenes because I know he wants her. And book 2?? I need it yesterday.

First I would like to thank NetGalley for the chance to listen to this audiobook! I have so many questions and need the next book ASAP!

Huge thank you to Hachette and NetGalley for the chance to listen to this masterpiece!

Words honestly fall short when it comes to describing how incredible Rose in Chains is. Julie Soto has officially become an auto-buy author for me. I went in a little nervous that the hype might be overblown, but wow, was I wrong. This book exceeded every expectation.

The narration was phenomenal, the world-building was fresh and immersive, and I am completely invested in Briony and Toven’s story. I loved the use of flashback throughout the story too. And THAT ENDING?? I’m unwell. I already need the sequel in my hands.

If this book isn't already on your TBR, add it immediately!

Holy slow burn! The tension between Briony & Toven is what we have all been waiting for. I will say I forgot this was going to be more than one book so the slow burn is probably going to keep going well into the second book if I have a guess. Otherwise the author did a pretty good job transforming this book from the fanfic we all know and love. The new magic system and world only add to the story making it into an even better book than before. I can’t wait for the next book and to see where she takes the rest of this story.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto launches a new romantasy series following Briony Rosewood, the princess of Evermore, as she navigates unfamiliar and dark territory after losing the war. Julie Soto has created the next big romantasy hit with this book following Briony after she is auctioned off to long-time infatuation, Toven Hearst of the wealthiest family of the rival nation. Briony finds herself and her people in a seemingly hopeless situation: no hero, no magic, and no freedom. As Briony attempts to learn this new world around her, she finds that she might not be as alone as she thought and hope might not be out of her reach.
Julie Soto creates such a rich fantasy world with a unique magic system. The opposing sides use different kinds of magic, heart or mind. The Bomardsun can use Eversuns to make their heart magic more powerful. Briony is one of the most powerful Eversun, and therefore; Toven has much to gain from using her. With added flashbacks, we get to see Broiny and Toven’s interactions through school and the start of this war. I loved seeing Briony interact with the whole Hearst family and learning who they each are individually. All members of the Hearst family have more lurking under the surface, and we get to see great glimpses of that during the novel.
I listened to this on audio, and I really loved our narrator’s, Ella Lynch, voice for Briony. She sounded exactly like I would have imagined. I didn’t love all the voices she did for some of the side characters, however, I do think that was on purpose. While I would’ve switched up some voices, I really enjoyed listening to this book and can see myself coming back to the audiobook as a comfort listen.
This book ends with a bang, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment. This is the perfect read for someone who is looking for their next romantasy

As I liked this story, I was lost in part of it. The flashbacks answered some of my questions, and it seemed kind of dragged out. The slow burn was more tension than romance . Definitely read the trigger warnings as it is dark and the men are awful. I'm glad the princess got Tevon as she did not have to endure as much! I'm curious to see how book two plays out as I think the building in this book will make the next a great one!
Thank you to the author and netgalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I am so happy to report IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT ME!

It’s no secret this is trad published dramione fanfic and it DELIVERS. Warning: this is a SLOW BURN. And honestly that’s probably why I loved it so much. Im living for this relationship. I need book 2 immediately.

I tried really hard not to compare them to dramione in the beginning and quickly realized I wasn’t. These characters and the story felt new and different with just a little something that felt cozy and familiar.

This is a dark fantasy, but honestly I thought it could have gone a little darker. If you’re on the fence about this one and you love romantasy, DO IT PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU.