I was giving the opportunity to listen to Rose In Chains in an advanced listing copy. Thanks to Netgalley, Machete audio and ofcourse Julie Soto.

First off I did not read the fanfic this book originated from however I have read several dramoine fanfics. you do not have to have read any fanfic to understand or love this story. The story stands on it own.

From the first few chapters the story takes you and does let go. You should check the trigger warnings ⚠️. Some of the things that happen are very,very dark. They made me mad. They are necessary though.

In the story we follow Briony, a Princess of Evermore. Things go horribly wrong and she is sold at an action. Who of here friends are still alive? Why did he buy here? And why is she treated so differently then other people of here realm. You get Briony's POV in current time and flashback. The flashback helps with the understanding of the magic and the world building. I also loved the explanation of how the MMC view and look of Briony is build up.

It's hard to explain everything without giving to much away but I want to say pick up this book and you will not be disappointed. It's fast passed, twists and turns and the slowest of slow burns 🔥.

I’m a big Julie Soto fan, and forget me not is one of my faves, so when I found out she was writing a romantasy, I was so ready.

The origins of this book arising from dramione fan fiction are strong, but it doesn’t detract from the story; if anything, having the understanding of where they came from helped me have a deeper insight into what (most likely) the political and social ideologies being fought over and exisiting in the society were rooted in.

Brioney is one of the first fmc I’ve read that is possibly a realistic interpretation of what happens when everything you know to be is tossed aside and destroyed, and you are essentially thrown to the dogs. With no spoilers, it’s refreshing to be taken on a journey of self discovery, growth, and the mental health roller coaster she had to go through to learn her place in the scary new world to her. And it was scary. This book had dark themes (all disclosed at the beginning) that I personally hadn’t come across before in books, and whilst confronting and horrifying, they weren’t shied away from, but was dealt with right in front of the reader. It was terrible and sickening, but really added to the storyline in bringing in the emotion. Some parts were hard to listen to, but I was engrossed as it was done in such a captivating way.

The enemies to lovers was absolutely real, and the slow burn match was pulled out from a box in the neighbors cupboard ready to be struck, it’s that slow.

Thanks for hachette audio for the arc. All views are my own.

As someone who has already read the fanfic The Auction before, I enjoyed reading Rose in Chains.
The base plot was pretty much the same but it had it's own uniqueness and I loved it.

This audiobook was incredible. The book and story are so unique to what i have read that i enjoyed it so much. I loved the dual timelines and the easter eggs.

The synapses of this book is perfect. I dont want to give anything away more than the author chose to. The FMC was easy to resonate with. The MMC was insufferable and loving at the same time.

This book is a masterpiece. 5 stars. Review pit in goodreads.

I am very intrigued to find out where this story goes next.

Julie Soto. Romantasy. SAY LESS.

This was her romantasy debut so if you go in looking for flaws, you’ll find them. I, however, had a real good time!

Briony + Toven 🤝🏼 Tension
When it comes to enemies to lovers and slow burn, Ms. Julie understands the assignment. Always.

As for almost all of the other characters, this didn’t give enough for me to be invested in them quite yet. I’m hoping that will change in book two.

At this point, I’m interested in the world and magic system and am invested in seeing those expand and where things go in the next book. But really, the way I NEED book two immediately and this one hasn’t even released yet…

The audiobook? Beautifully done. I was hooked from the very beginning and entertained the entire time.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio | Forever for the ALC.

I’ve been so excited for this book. I love Julie Soto and was really eager to see how she worked this into a new original world. This book is dark romance, you need to go into this understanding that. There are no rainbows and butterflies. Trigger warnings are listed at the beginning.
The world is interesting and the background of the two sides is well laid out. I know this is going to be a trilogy, but I do wish we would have gotten further in book one. There was a lot of set up, and I wanted just a bit more action. I enjoyed the timeline and how there were flashbacks to give us more on not only the juxtaposition the two sides, but how quickly the events progressed. The romance is budding and cannot wait to see how the relationship grows over the next two books.

On the fanfic side of things -
If you are a HP fan or read Dramione fanfic, you can tell which characters were based on who, where personalities were pulled from , etc. This did give me a little pause because then I started picturing everyone in traditional character form instead of as new originals. This didn’t really take away from the story though.

The narration was great! The voice was very believable for the FMC, her tones for different characters were never overdone, and she was very enjoyable to listen to. The emotion was perfect for the scenes, especially tense ones.

This will be my favorite book of 2025, because nothing can top this perfection. The story? The pining and YEARNING? The characters? Julie gives us the slow burn angst EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. No one is doing yearning and obsession quite like Julie Soto, and I eat it up in every book. I am a long time lover of the original story, and Julie’s other stories sit amongst my favorite books. Rose in Chains is everything. I want to shake these characters to communicate and I’d like to shake down Julie for the next part of this story. The cliffhanger was so good. Perfection of the highest order. Worth 66,000 galleons.

And the audiobook performance? Absolutely impeccable. Ella Lynch fully encapsulated Briony for me. I love her style, and I will be specifically looking at her other audiobook narrations for future purchases.

PSA that this is not a standalone…. I’m dyyyyying to read the next book!

I listened to the ALC via NetGalley.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(4 stars)

This book reads like fan fiction and I can’t decide if it is working or not. I LOVE fan fiction so I appreciate the pacing (and the slow burn.) The character development is the main characters is in-depth. When I’m in their world, I get lost in the story.

…. The problem I had throughout is the lack of worldbuilding. I feel like the magic system was well-done. I didn’t feel like the politics/world was as deep as it should have been to explain the extreme events that take place in this book. I wanted more backstory of Evermore and from Mallow. I honestly failed the understand her motives. I hope we learn more about her as are series progresses because my jaw dropped when I realized the villain was female. (I support women’s rights and women’s wrongs.)

The narration is brilliant. I felt immersed in the story. Pacing was perfect. I honestly can’t think of any critique… I forgot I was meant to be paying attention to narration details because it was so well performed that I always felt immersed in the story.

Overall, I think Book 1 leaned more on the romance than fantasy. Luckily the slow burn was perfectly done! I hope the next books dive deeper into new characters— I felt like the circle of rich characters was small in this one. I want to know more about Briony’s father for example. Oops, I’m getting sidetracked — This was an enthralling read that kept me hooked until I panicked at the end because I have to wait for future books.

By far 10/10 and one of THE BEST READS OF THE YEAR!!!!!!! The twists and turns and natural progression of the story was truly PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!!!The magic in this book was unique and fresh and the bonds I loved! Briony and her brother were true siblings in every sense of the word. A perfectly written pair! Normally having a preference for physical books I ate this story up with the narration and even though I do not care for longer audiobooks this SURPASSED ALL MY EXPECTATIONS! Constantly moving and never slowing I had the most emotions! Happy, sad, moments of humor! Our Villian was almost written excellently and had me plotting her death as well! I can’t not wait for however many installments as I need the next part yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!I AM IN LOVE!

I’m honestly not okay. Julie Soto owns me. I was already obsessed with her writing, but Rose in Chains completely took over my brain. I listened to the audiobook and I refused to press pause. I would have finished it in one sitting if life didn’t get in the way.

Briony and Toven are everything. The tension, the flashbacks, the slow burn—it was all perfect. Julie somehow makes every moment feel intense, even the quiet ones. The world is dark and heavy in all the right ways, but still full of hope and fight. And that ending? I need the sequel immediately.

I already loved Julie Soto for her contemporary romances, but seeing her crush it in fantasy too? I’m even more obsessed now. The way she builds tension and emotion is unreal. The story, the characters, the magic—it all just worked.

This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. I’ll be thinking about it until book two drops.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy.

The world-building was pretty thin, and there were just so many characters being thrown in constantly—most of them didn’t leave much of a mark. The romance was meant to be a slow burn, but this one DRAGGED, and the character growth felt like it kept circling the same points.

I’m really thankful for both the audio and e-ARC, but I ended up switching to my Kindle because I couldn’t handle the narration. Who thought it was a good idea to give the male character a voice that sounded more like a woman than anything else. It was distracting, to say the least.

That said—the cliffhanger was actually good and the many questions unanswered in book 1 is the main reason I’d consider picking up the next book.

Absolutely, yes!

I'm going to start off by saying that I have not read any of the dramione fanfics, including the The Auction, that this is based on.

The book bounces back and forth between past and present following Briony Rosewood who story start with lineage of a royal family, the death of her twin brother, the heir to their kingdom, then eventually leads her to being captured by another kingdom and auctioned off to basically be a a magical slave to take power from her.

Despite the premise of the book, the FMC and MC are primarily a slow burn romance throughout that book. However, there still are darker themes in this book that should be taken into account when going on this adventure with #RoseInChains including: SA, graphic violence, explicit sexual content, mentions of non-consensual sex, buying and selling of humans into captivity, and death.

Overall, the story that Julie Soto brought to our pages and our ears through Ella Lynch's narration was captivating. I cannot wait to see where the story will lead and what will happen next.

Thank you to Hachette Book Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book!! It had me HOOKED the entire time and I had so many theories as to how it would end! I can’t wait to see how this trilogy plays out!
I also really loved the narrator, she has the PERFECT voice for a fantasy novel and can do no many different voices! I seriously need her to narrate all fantasy audiobooks!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

This was not my favorite book admittedly, though I am curious as to how the series will continue. However, I can see this being a major hit. I think I'm the outlier. I was just bored for a lot of the story and found it slow. But based on other reviews, I can tell I'm the problem. I truly hope everyone loves this book once it releases!

Thank you NetGalley, publishers and Julie Soto for allowing me to listen to the AUDIO of Rose in Chains! IYKYK. I also listened to the Auction. I absolutely devoured this audio! The narrator did a fantastic job! I absolutely felt like I read an entirely new book despite some similarities. I loved the concept of this magic system that was presented. I loved the character background, and the overall plot. Briony ofc I imagined as you know who. And Toven, was you know who. The Auction had more spice. But I loved Rose in Chains and felt it had an appropriate amount of spice for the storyline. This is a WHOLE new world, with a WHOLE new magic, and a WHOLE new evil. I loved it! I really enjoyed the twist. I appreciated the backflashes to obtain a deeper background. I loved the direction this book took! I am invested! I cannot wait for book 2! Thank you!

I don’t even know where to start because Rose in Chains completely consumed me. I devoured this book and am still thinking about it days later. Julie Soto created something utterly electric this is easily one of my top romantasy reads of the year.

Briony is the kind of heroine I root for with every fiber of my being. Strong, strategic, soft in all the right places and constantly forced to diminish herself for others until she doesn’t. Watching her claim space and power was such a rewarding journey and it made me so emotional. And then there’s Toven. TOVEN HEARST. I knew I was in trouble the minute he appeared. Their dynamic? Peak enemies to lovers slowburn tension. I was feral for their moments quiet gestures, angsty silences and don’t even get me started on the flashbacks. Every layer of their connection was carefully built and I felt everything.

Beyond the romance this story is full of heartache, resilience and hope. The theme of quiet female solidarity absolutely wrecked me in the best way. All those subtle moments of rebellion and care between the women? Gorgeous. Gutting. Necessary. The worldbuilding was rich and layered and the political tension between Bomards and Eversuns had me on edge.

I also had the chance to listen to the audiobook and loved the narration. Ella Lynch the narrator brought Briony’s voice to life in such a compelling and emotionally nuanced way I was completely hooked. She made the story even more immersive, and I found her genuinely entertaining to listen to. I’ll definitely be seeking out more of her work.

And that epilogue??? I knew it, but it still left me emotional and clinging to hope. I cannot believe I have to wait until 2026 for book 2. This book broke me and I would let it do it again.

If you’re looking for a dark romantasy with a magnetic slow burn, complex power dynamics, political intrigue, emotional depth and a heroine you will fall in love with read this immediately.

Massive thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. I already know I’ll be re-listening to this while I count the days to the sequel.

Rose in Chains had an intriguing start that quickly drew me in, but unfortunately, the story lost steam as it progressed. While the premise hinted at a dark, emotional fantasy romance full of longing and internal conflict, the execution didn’t quite deliver. The characters felt underdeveloped, Briony remained frustratingly passive, and Toven’s feelings, though intense, lacked a believable foundation. Their chemistry, meant to simmer beneath the surface, never quite ignited, and the romance came off more told than felt.

The pacing was sluggish, weighed down by repetitive scenes and disjointed flashbacks that disrupted narrative flow. The worldbuilding, though ambitious, felt more like background noise than an immersive fantasy setting, and the plot itself dragged for too long before picking up near the end. That said, the audiobook narration was a standout. Ella Lynch brought emotional nuance and depth to the characters that weren’t always present on the page. Her performance especially the distinct voices and emotional inflections elevated the story and made it far more engaging to listen to than to read. If you’re still curious about this book, I’d definitely recommend the audio version for a better overall experience.

Ahhhh Julie Soto the queen that you are!!!
4.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ . 5!!!

Thank you so much to Hatchett audio and NetGalley for this free advanced audiobook copy of A Rose in Chains for my honest review!! Ella Lynch does a phenomenal job as the narrator. She sounds just like hermione when reading Briony. Draco— I mean Toven’s voice is spot on. This fanfic retelling does everything it needs to. The story is expanded to show the past of Briony and Toven, the history and pining. It builds the relationships for those unfamiliar , fast forwarding to the present where Briony’s family the Rosewood’s are losing to the Beaumodes. Those who excel in heart magic versus mind.

Cue tall, dark mysterious male and a woman he’s trying to protect.

The story feels familiar as someone who read the auction, and yet unique enough. Introducing heartsprings and two types of powerful magic.

The story is a bit slow at times, but I could slowly feel it building. My biggest complaint was the side characters. I suppose in the auction we have a base for these characters, but Pansy and Blaze are heavily expanded on as well as Lucius, Nerissa, and our favorite house elves (which are heavily missed). In this story, I did not feel a connection to Larissa or Finn, or the other Hearsts. My biggest suggestion is a bit of expansion on our secondary characters . Even Ginny… aka Claudia felt underdeveloped.

Overall, it’s a great book with an easy to read narrative that pulls a dark fanfic and makes it a bit of a lighter read with all the important scenes.

Quote, “I have to protect my family.” Screams. Regardless. I highly recommend it even if you’re not a fan of the original work.

The audiobook is phenomenal. I was denied the ecopy and received the audiobook. I tend to not like audiobooks because I can read quicker, and it bothers me when men do woman voices and vice versa. The voice actress did a phenomenal job at keeping me intrigued and doing the many voices so well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Hatchett audio for this advanced audiobook copy. 🪄

Spectacular all around! This story was full of gripping, burning tension and lust! I thought the narrator did a great job voicing all characters, and that she really gave Briony a excellent image! I thought her accent was perfect for Briony and Toven. I went into this blind as I had not read the original fanfics and boy, was I hooked from page one! Julie Soto's writing was brilliant and beautifully executed. The world she painted was easy to imagine and the characters were easy to understand. This is exactly the type of book I have been waiting for!! It checked off every single box- I am on my knees begging for the next one. Bravo, for this amazing and SEXY book!

I loved this book. Reading it felt like catching up with an old friend, a step back into a time of my life i missed. But it also was quite different. It’s absolutely still very clearly a fanfic dressed up with a new place to go, IF you are a fanfic reader. I am. Truthfully: Fourth Wing is the same.,

The premise is an old favorite or romantasies: Briony (rhymes with Dramione), heir to a fallen kingdom, is captured and sold to the enemy—specifically, to a man she once quietly adored. From there, it walks the line between enemies-to-lovers, post-war trauma, and reluctant court intrigue with more character development than I was expecting from the blub. The world building could use a little more scaffolding to hold up its many moving parts, unless you are familiar with the wource material and use that to fill gaps., but the story and character arcs are compelling. I’m excited to see where the series goes next.

The writing style is lush and immersive, staying grounded through sharp internal narration and emotional tension while relying on romance tropes to improve the pace.: auctioned heroine, morally gray magic users, magical trauma bonds—but delivers them with enough depth and emotional intelligence to feel satisfying rather than derivative.

The characters, especially Briony and Toven, feel layered and familiar. There’s nuance to how their personal histories, past affections, and political entanglements unfold. Their arc leans into trust, restraint, and pain, not just attraction, and that made it land harder for me.

Audio Production Notes:
Sometimes the narrator veers into Harry Potter character territory—and I might be my favorite part. It’s like a secret delight for those of us who know the source material. The narration adds dimension and tension to the story, and if you happen to catch the familiar inflection or cadence.

I cannot wait to start the next book.