Hear me out: the concept? Absolutely amazing. But the execution? Unfortunately, really lacking. The worldbuilding was practically nonexistent, and certain parts of the plot just didn’t make sense. The first half of the book made me want to DNF. I couldn’t connect with Briony, our main character, and her relationship with Toven felt shallow and rushed. So many scenes felt confusing from a narrative perspective, and while the book clearly tried to set up a lot for the series, it didn’t deliver in a satisfying or coherent way.

I can see why this book is so hyped, it has all the classic romantasy elements that would definitely hit the mark for readers mainly interested in the romance. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.

Rose in Chains is an emotionally rich fantasy with a slow burn romance at its heart.

It took me a little while to get into the world building, but I was soon caught in the story. The flashbacks made it easy to gradually build a sense of the world and the magical system. The pacing was spot on, steady and engaging throughout, and the slow burn romance felt just right for the first book of the series.

I really enjoyed the glimpses into Briony’s relationship with her brother, which was heart wrenching and beautifully written. I loved Toven and Briony’s gradual chemistry; and particularly how their families are so well developed and add genuine depth to the story.

The narrator’s pacing and emotional tone were just right, often dramatic, but capturing the quiet moments well. They captured the distinct voices of the cast of characters well, as well as the light and the dark (but mostly dark) of the story.

I’d recommend for anyone looking for a slow-burn, emotionally driven fantasy with immersive writing, and a dark edge.

Thanks to the publisher for the early copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

*In regards to the audio production I think the narrator did a perfect job capturing Briony’s voice, it’s how I would have read her in my head :)

I was really curious to read Rose in Chains by Julie Soto, especially knowing it began life as a Harry Potter/Dramione fanfic. There’s a lot of anticipation around this release, and I totally understand why: for many, the original story was a nostalgic comfort, tied to beloved characters and a familiar world.

Now that it’s been reworked into an original novel, I think it may still resonate with readers who LOVED the fanfic and bring that emotional connection with them. But for me, as a reader coming into this having not read The Auction, it didn’t quite stand on its own. Without the built-in context of the wizarding world, I felt that I didn’t really connect to the characters or the story, the way I would have otherwise. It made me realise how much of the original magic likely came from the fanfic setting itself. The pacing felt quite slow, and I didn’t find the characters to be all that complex, as I perhaps would have if I was imagining them as Hermione and Draco.

That said, I know a lot of readers will still find joy in it, especially those who loved the fanfic.

5 stars

Oh my!!! I already want to reread.

Having read The Auction years ago, I was intrigued to see how Julie Soto had reworked her fanfiction into original work. Although I am not a fan of flashbacks in media, I found they weren’t too heavy and instead enriched the story. I think she did a great job creating a new world and new characters, expanding them from the original fic. The writing also improved a lot, making this a truly enjoyable book. The narration was flowing and made the reading experience even better.

I was thoroughly captivated by the story and the romance, the book a perfect bland between the two and the fantasy elements. If you're a fan of both and don’t mind darker elements, this book is perfect for you!!!

I'm so looking forward to the next installment in the trilogy, the ending had me wishing the genie appeared to me and grant me access to the next book.

Firstly what has Julie soto put in this book because OMG i need more. Normally with an audiobook i find it hard to get into at first but with this narrator I was tucked into this world straight away.

The way Julie soto explains the magic system and how it all works i loved. I loved this book so much I wish briony and toven was real so we could see what will happen next.

Another character is loved was Serena with the way she was protective of briony amd wanted to look after her.

Overall I loved this book and I'm definitely going to purchase the physical copy when it's out.

Thanks to netgally, hachttee audio and Julie soto for this arc.

I am a sucker for anything Julie Soto. So you can image the surprise and excitement I felt when I found out that her AO3 fanfic the Auction was being turned into a traditional publication! Huge! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I kept thinking about how the ending of the book would be, and I was not disappointed. I am now even more excited for this Evermore series to continue.

Briony is fierce and I just loved everything about her. Toven, on the other hand, babe please I was simply surviving off of your emotional crumbs I need the full plate! The story basically goes, after an evil witch rages war on Evermore, (almost) everyone in the kingdom is captured and auctioned off to the highest bidder. And from there, chaos ensues, you’ll just have to take my word for it that the story is GOOD!

The audiobook narration was amazing, I honestly thought the narrator gave a real voice and emotional depth to the story and characters. I was clinging to every word said as I was listening to this book, and I do believe it simply made the story better! Gave it that oomph that it didn’t need but having it is *chef’s kiss*

Julie Soto coming in hot with her fantasy debut, the first in a promised trilogy. Soto already secured her spot as a contemporary romance writer with Not Another Love Song last year, followed by a successful thriller debut in The Thrashers earlier this year. But Rose in Chains is destined to be one of the top romantasy releases of the year, and well into next year after an unforgettable cliffhanger. Perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and Fourth Wing. Ella Lynch did a phenomenal job bringing this story and its characters to life in her audio narration.

There is a prophecy promising a boy heir, but what does it mean for the prophesy if the named heir dies in the first chapter? The end of a brutal magical war. The end of a coveted bloodline. The beginning of a quiet uprising. A complex, compelling story filled with dark academia, a heart-stopping magic system, and a corrupt political hierarchy. But also fierce female relationships, an unbreakable sibling bond, a very slow burn enemies-to-lovers royal romance—and a sole, but not insignificant, dragon.

Personal Note: Please take the trigger warnings seriously. I’ve read dark romance, knowing it’ll have non-consensual acts, often graphic. But this story, though more tasteful, was far more effective at provoking my discomfort and anger. Over and over again. I definitely feel rallied and officially volunteer to join Briony and the Evermore rebellion.

I have no other words to say other than this was spectacular. Now when I first started reading, I was slightly confused because it honestly felt as if I was being info dumped on, until I discovered that this was actually just a traditionally published Dramione fancfiction and because of this I definitely think in a sense the storyline is nuanced in a way that having the background information from the original work would have been immensly helpful to me as a reader. However, as someone who hasn’t read the original source material, I do feel like the story is easy to follow with what we’re given, and I don’t believe that not having this background knowledge takes away from the reading experience. But once I got through the first 20-30% of the book, the rest of the story came naturally.

This book gave me everything I was looking for. From the slow burn, and I do mean slow burn, enemies-to-lovers plotline, to the magic system and political intrigue surrounding this story, I couldn’t help but finish it in one go. The yearning. The pining. The tension. The hair ribbon??? Every single last element of this book was perfection and left me wanting more.

And please take a moment to acknowledge just how amazing the audio narration of this was. I truly believe this performance by Ella Lynch was phenomenal. This narration captivated me and had me longing for this story not to end.

I can not wait for book 2 to come out. I absolutely need to know what happens next.

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an early access copy of the audiobook for Rose in Chains!

*4.5 stars*

In this book, we follow Briony and Toven in what is a dark and spellbinding tale.

I enjoyed seeing the way in which Julie was able to craft such a twisted world. Having read her other traditionally published works, I wasn’t sure what I expected when I listened to the trigger warnings, but let me tell you, don’t take them lightly.

We are slowly introduced to Briony and Toven through their schooling. Whilst the attraction Briony feels towards Toven is obvious, the reader is not able to figure out whether this is reciprocated throughout their interactions, save for a glance or some flirtatious mocking. This creates an incredible base for what is a story that takes a quick plunge into the evils that is essentially a magical war, as two types of magics attempt to fight for the throne.

Of course, Briony and Toven stand on different sides of the war, but the way in which their relationship develops under these circumstances, and the way in which they have to interact with each other is simply DELICIOUS.

The story telling was truly well done on Julie’s behalf, and I felt myself growing increasingly intrigued about the different types of magics as the story went on. I wanted to know more about the history of the two sides and the way in which everything had come to a head (secretly I’m praying for a novella from the main villains perspective). It was an interesting take on magic and not one that I can say I have read about before (at least in the way it’s described in this book).

I loved how truly truly dark this book was. She did not hold back and I respect her for it. I also very much enjoyed that the mmc and fmc don’t immediately fall head over heels for each other and there is a genuine development in their relationship before anything “exciting” happens. The suspense was great.

I felt as though the audiobook narrator really put her heart in this. She was incredible. The British accent added to my enjoyment and the way in which the arguments were had scratched something in my brain. It didn’t feel as though it was half assed in any way, she really embodied the character and the different situations that Briony found herself in.

At times, I did feel like there was maybe a little too much miscommunication. I appreciate that it’s the situation they’re in, and arguments can’t be helped, but I find myself (only once or twice really) asking myself why they were arguing. I would also love to see a bit more of the backstory of the magic and the way in which the king was overthrown, but in saying that, we knew about as much as Briony did which was almost nothing, so maybe that was perfect…

Incredibly excited for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC. I read the fanfic it was based on first to compare. I had never read a traditionally published book inspired by fan fiction before so I was skeptical. I absolutely loved it. The story was really well done. It is a very unique world and magic system while still staying true the theme feelings that the original story evoked from the reader. I am so thankful to have gotten a chance to listen to it. The narrator did a fantastic job. Narrators can bring a listener out of it at times but this one did an excellent job. Thank you again!!!

Rose in Chains was a wonderfully easy book to lose yourself in. Julie Soto did such a great job of creating a magical world, without the unnecessary details that I feel some authors spend too much time on. You can dive in and start to understand the relationships between the characters and enjoy the story! I read The Auction and still found myself eating this story up and was so surprised by the curveball ending! Can't wait for the next book! Also I really enjoyed the narrator, I felt she did a wonderful job with the characters.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Wow. This book was SO GOOD!! And the audiobook is great! I really do like the reader, I feel like her voice fits well for the story.
This story is full of touch her and die moments, secret glances, longing, I absolutely loved every second of it!! I can easily see this being a hit. Every second was enjoyable, there weren’t any moments that seemed like they were added in for no reason. The world building is fantastic and the magic system is very interesting. My only complaint is that I have to wait so long for book 2!!!
Seriously. I am so honored to be able to have listened to this audiobook before it comes out, I may have screamed a little when I got the email from NetGalley that I was approved!! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and man was it a damn good one!

THANK YOU NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC of this audiobook!

I devoured this book. Rose in Chains by Julie Soto completely consumed me with its aching intensity, morally gray tension, and twisted, irresistible romance. Inspired by the fanfic The Auction, this story plunges readers into a dark, dystopian world where nothing is soft or safe—and yet somehow, through all the rawness and pain, it becomes absolutely impossible to look away. Soto’s storytelling is haunting, brutal, and poetic all at once, and her signature talent for emotional depth and character chemistry shines even in the bleakest corners of this world. The characters—flawed, broken, and complex—felt real in a way that lingered long after the final chapter. The slow-burn tension is palpable, the power dynamics are intense, and the emotional stakes are sky-high. And can we talk about the narrator for a moment? If you’re listening on audio, prepare to be wrecked—in the best way. The performance adds another layer of depth and vulnerability to an already devastatingly beautiful story. Make no mistake, this is not a light or fluffy read. It’s dark. It’s heavy. Please check the trigger warnings. But if you’re someone who loves your romances shadowed with pain, power, and redemption, Rose in Chains is going to live rent-free in your head. I was not ready for it to end—and now I’m counting down the minutes until book two.

I absolutely devoured this book. The tension between the fmc and mmc was so amazingly done. Definitely left me wanting more and have so many unanswered questions. Can’t wait for more books in this series!

The Auction is one of my favorite AO3 fanfics and I honestly wasn't sure what to expect it changing to its own story. But Julie Soto was able to create this wonderful story while still keeping the vibes. Actually it's better. I absolutely love this fantasy world setting and all the characters. I'm so excited to read the next one!

I had the pleasure of reading Rose In Chains both visually and via audiobook, and I strongly feel that audio is the best way to experience this story! Ella brings a level of professionalism and nuance to the roles in a way that I really enjoyed, and even though I knew what plot points were coming, she managed to keep me entertained and interested the whole time. I look forward to listening to future books in this trilogy narrated by Ella!

I love Julie Soto as an author and have read all of her books (non fanfiction). I’m not much of a fantasy reader, but I wanted to give it a try since she was writing it. Overall, I did enjoy this book and I certainly will be reading more in the series. The cover is gorgeous and I love how well it represents the content of the novel. When I started reading this novel, I knew it had been adapted from Julie Soto’s fanfiction story based on a relationship between Draco and Hermione from the Harry Potter series. This novel certainly was changed from that world as the explanation of magic is very different along with the overall time and location being otherworldly. Getting into this novel was hard - there was so much going on very early on with so many names and new concepts being thrown at the reader. I was overwhelmed and kinda lost at first. Once I picked up what was happening, it started to make more sense. To help it make sense, I did Google the major plot points from when this was a fanfiction and the timeline of it in the Harry Potter world helped me get on pace for the land of Evermore (and the surrounding areas? Not sure if they were ever given a real name?). Briony is an interesting main character- at times she is terribly naïve but also incredibly headstrong. She is also incredibly intelligent, but has to appear not as smart for the sake of her twin brother, the prince. Toven comes off as a snob, but really develops more complexity as the story goes on. The flashbacks of Briony and Toven were my favorite part of the story because it really led their character development and allowed more explanations to the fantasy world. The content of the book can be dark - while it says the “dark forces” have won, what they do with the losing side is “dark” but I don’t understand what really made them “dark” to begin. It didn’t seem fully explained to me. The losing side is sold to the highest bidder, primarily for magic use, but non-consensual sex is mentioned as occuring to some characters, as well as sexual violence, sexual harassment, forced sterilization, torture, abuse, death, gore, and war violence. While those dark themes do take place and are a huge motivation to Toven and Briony throughout the novel, their story and relationship of being on opposite sides really is front and center. The novel did run long for my taste and I felt really found its pacing much more in the last third of the novel. However, that cliffhanger ending?! I did not see that coming (and from my understanding, is a complete departure from her original fanfiction)! I am being picky in saying I also didn’t love all the naming, from new locations, various magic things, and people’s actual names - they were too complicated, too many named characters, and just difficult to keep track of. I fear I will have to reread this novel before the second comes out or I will forget who all the characters are! I did listen to the audiobook for this novel and I actually wish I hadn’t. I have no idea what accent the narrator was using (I know it’s fantasy and made up!) but I didn’t like it. It also really didn’t make me like Briony (narration in her presumed voice) because it was too formal and also snobbish and whiny at the same time. Overall, this is a dark fantasy read, where most dark moments happen to side characters, but is a war-time fiction. Read with caution, but also enjoyable for a fantasy debut. 3.75⭐️, 1.5🌶, ⚠️

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook.

Rose in Chains is about Briony Rosewood a princess of Evermore and twin to the prophesied Rory. Except, Rory doesn't win, Bomard does and Briony is taken captive to be a magical battery to her school bully and nemesis Toven Hearst. I listened to the audio book and narrator did a great job.

Briony has been told by her father all her life that only Rory matters and it's her duty to ensure that he outshines all. So in school uses her magic to cheat for him to make him look good. I will say I didn't like her father or her brother. And it annoyed me that she made him look good in school, to just set him up for failure in the "final" battle.

Early on we get whole chapters about Briony's life at school. The Evermore kids had to go to school with the Bomard kids, and they each learn to use their respective magics Mind Magic for Evermore and Heart Magic for Bomard. But then some characters can use both and that kind of confused me. At school Briony is teased and picked on by Tovan and his cronies...and she just endures it. Which makes her snarkiness as a captive feel out of place. Toven is the dark brooding type, but we neve see the yearning or pining. I really feel like the book could have been better if we had gotten a few POV chapters from him. It's meant to be a slow burn romance, but there is no spark to light it! Their interactions just felt awkward and boring.

One big event in the book is the auction where women are sold to the Bomard men as heart springs (aka human magical batteries) with the implication of SA. It kind of just happens around Briony and it's dealt any real intentional purpose. It feels like just an excuse to get Briony into Tovan's house and then isn't really mentioned ever again. There is one Bomard woman who ends up for sale without any real explanation as to why. And why would Bomard, a country lead by a woman named Mallow, allow such a thing to occur? The Evermore's aren't much better with their patriarchal society. Maybe more will be explained later in the series. I think if the author provide some additional world building, the story will greatly improve.

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and this audiobook narrated by Ella Lynch was done so well. Her voice was able to really transport me into the world of Briony Rosewood and Toven Hearst. When I finished it in 5 days, I was surprised at how the book had a lingering effect on my thoughts.

Note: Please take the time to listen/read the content warnings. This book is not meant for children and is marketed as New Adult.

As a reader of the original fanfiction that Julie Soto posted on Ao3, I made sure to separate the two works in my mind. Although there are similar story beats, the world she built is pretty well thought out. With the use of a non-linear timeline, it does help build out a map of the world if you are just listening to the book. While I wish I could physically see the map, the descriptions of the places and how the seasons were still gave enough context clues of how far north one might be.

Continuing on to the characters, Briony's flaws and motivations were really easy to pick out. Toven, on the other hand, is kind of a grey area. I would not really classify this as a full enemies-to-lovers, but it still has some semblance of that. All of the surrounding characters give extra life to the story and help flesh out the overall threat to Briony's world. I do wish she was given just a bit more interaction with certain characters to really drive home the importance they may have in any future plots.

The reasons for the context warning are pretty evident just a few chapters in. While not as intense as some other books readers may be experienced with, it is still a rough subject matter. Is it necessary to the story? Yes. It actually is a major plot point and is not really something that can be skipped.

Finally, when the epilogue happened, I was surprised and look forward to all future books set in this universe!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this book.

To address the most obvious, yes, Rose in Chains was originally a Dramione fan fiction. To those who didn’t read The Auction (like myself) this absolutely does hold on its own (as it should). You don’t need any previous knowledge of the fic or the original source material to understand and enjoy this book.

Fair warning to readers, this book is DARK! Please check trigger warnings before reading.

If there’s one thing Julie Soto knows how to do it’s writing tension. I swear, the tension between the two main characters is unmatched. I also thought she did a terrific job with world-building. We clearly aren’t given everything since we are only in Briony’s head, so I’m excited to see the world expand in the next installment! Having listened to the audio, I thought the narrator did a good job. There were a few of the voices that I wasn’t particularly a fan of, but it was supposed to be that way because the characters were slime balls. So kudos to the narrator for effectively making me hate them.

If I could change any one thing it would be the pacing. There were a few times that I thought the plot was repetitive or a scene didn’t add anything to the story. However, I still had a great time.

Overall, this was a great dark romance/fantasy and I’m excited to see where the rest of the series goes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review!!