Okay … the ending of this book had me gobsmacked! I really enjoyed this book, and where the story is heading - very excited for book 2! It slightly dragged for me in the middle I felt the dinner parties were a little repetitive. Overall I see so much potential for this series!!

This was phenomenal! I hated every single thing that interrupted my reading of this! It was amazing- dystopia meets magic and fantasy. I’ve not read the original fan fiction, but I loved this. I absolutely love the characters, I liked the time jumps that back filled the story and added depth. I loved the world building and how it didn’t drag but was still rich and immersive. This is a book where you absolutely hate the villains, but need more. I need book 2!

Holly molly what an amazing book! I gotta thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read an eARC of this masterpiece, it did not disappoint. I loved it so so much, Toven Hearst won a place in my favorite book boyfriends list.

I don’t even know where to begin. I couldn’t put it down. Even though my reading has been slow this month, I devoured this book. It was addictive and amazing and ughhh I NEED the next book now and this one hasn’t even been published. How will I manage to wait for god knows how long until the second book when this one left me wanting soooo much more?

I am obsessed with Toven and Briony, this is a delicious slow burn that will make your blood boil!!!

Even though I had no idea this was based on fan fiction, nor any experience reading this genre of fan fiction, it became clear rather quickly.

I feel like the writing could have used more editing. Really enjoyed the story but the writing could have been improved. The horrors of the story are reminiscent of The Handmaid’s tale. The romance is very slow burn and didn’t really hit. Seems like one has to wait for the sequel for it to get going, which I’ll be looking to pick up for sure!

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, Briony Rosewood knows that everything has changed forever. The dark forces of Bomard have won and her people, the Eversuns, is going to face servitude, imprisonment or death. His brother, destined to become the great heir capable of uniting the warring kingdoms, is dead.
Deprived of Mind Magic and freedom, Briony and the other survivors are sold at auction to the highest bidders and she, as sister of the heir-designate, is sold for the highest price to Toven, a high-ranking Bomard and her long-time crush. A family known for their cruel control of Heart Magic, the Hearsts are ruthless and Briony knows they will use her in any way they can.
However, despite the horrors and the role she must learn to play, all is not lost and hope can always arise.

Little premise: I have not read the original fanfiction, but I was curious to get to read it and to read the first romantasy by Julia Soto. I read Forget me not by this author and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED it.
"Rose in Chains" is a dark romantasy that deals with heavy themes (read the Trigger Warnings!), with two REAL enemies to lovers: the two hate each other madly, they belong to two warring houses, and until the end they give us no real joy. It is indeed a very slow burn novel!

I'll just get to the point: it was not as breathtaking as I would have expected. The opening part was a blast, as was the final part, but halfway through the book it lost my attention. Starting from the beginning: the novel is introduced by a lost war and the dark forces of Bomard penetrating the territory. An undoubtedly different beginning, since the protagonist has already lost. Until the moment of the auction, and after this key scene, the novel slows down drastically: it gets a bit boring and the author repeats the same information too many times. In the finale, it picks up a lot, with a cliffhanger that, although predictable, still surprised me.
The plot is ultimately intriguing and the magic system interesting, as are all the lineages and characters. I enjoyed the extreme slow burn and the moments of high tension between the two. Simply, perhaps I had too high expectations.
So... not my new romantasy obsession, but a good initial volume for a romantasy trilogy.

Do I still want to continue reading this series? Absolutely. I absolutely will.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I've been a long time reader of Julie Soto and I have to say she did not disappoint.
This is a well written book and goes straight into the plot. It focuses on our princess who is captured and auctioned off during the war and brings us along with her dealing with the situations that arise.
The book does mention dark subjects so I would advise caution for readers (make sure the subjects included do not trigger you).
However, this is a wonderful read, filled with suspencr and underlying hope, strong characters and relatively fast pace.
I cannot wait for the next book and I'm so thankful that I managed to get an ARC and got to enjoy reading it before the release!

I don’t even know where to start! This book is amazing!!
You are immediately thrown into the action and the start of war, with Briony, our very magical princess captured and enslaved to be auctioned off.
It is truly amazing storytelling the way Julie Soto grips you as reader from the beginning and weaving in little glimpses of hope and weaving strong yet powerless women throughout this book.
With huge twists and cliffhangers aplenty towards the end I am not sure how I am going to cope waiting for the next instalment!
I do not think there is anything I would change or want to critique about this entire book!

I received this book as an ARC and provide an honest review

Rose in Chains is a spectacular tale which kept me on the edge of my seat from the first chapter. Julie has an incredible ability to draw the readers emotions to the surface and keep you captive throughout. This is a dark tale which covers dark themes (check the content warnings), but there is just enough hope sprinkled in to keep your head above water. I loved Briony, she had the right amount of strength and the right amount of vulnerability: a leading lady to fall in love with. Toven had many layers, and i feel we have only just scratched the surface. The bad guys make you want to leap into the book and set them on fire. The world is well imagined and wonderfully described. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend.

Incredible! I was not expecting this to be this amazing. I was expecting incredible things, but I was still blown away! Thank you for the opportunity to ARC read. I can’t wait to own this in multiple multiple copies. Is there anything Julie Soto can’t write?!?!

I devoured this book and was left utterly feral for more. Julie Soto has crafted a world so immersive and a romance so scorching that I will happily chain myself to this book forever. If you love brilliant characters, enemies-to-lovers angst, and the kind of storytelling that keeps you breathless, Rose in Chains is your next obsession.

I didn’t read this book, I lived it.
Every page pulled me deeper, every interaction between Briony and Toven had me teetering on the edge of obsession. The tension? Off the charts.
The magic? Mesmerising.
The chemistry?
Let’s just say I had to put the book down more than once to collect myself. Rose in Chains doesn’t just give you a slow-burn - it sets your entire existence on fire.

Toven Hearst is the definition of magnetic; powerful, intelligent, and devastatingly dangerous.
He’s the kind of hero who doesn’t just make you swoon; he owns your soul.
And Briony? An absolute force of nature. Her strength, wit, and refusal to be broken made me fall in love with her instantly.
Their relationship is a battlefield; sharp words, stolen glances, and enough tension to keep me gripping my ARC like my life depended on it.
And the banter? I laughed. I swooned. I fanned myself like my life depended on it.

BUT….consider this your warning: this is NOT a standalone (and I had no clue till the very end)
If you finish this book and find yourself hanging off the edge of a cliff, screaming into the void like I did, that’s on you. I warned you - And yet, I’d do it all over again.
Because when a book is this good? You take the pain and beg for more.

I could go on forever, but just trust me when I say: this book is an experience. It will steal your breath, consume your thoughts, and leave you desperate for more.
5/5 stars, and if Toven Hearst wants to put me in chains, I won’t be complaining 🫣

I loved this book so much! It was everything I hoped for and more, it was so addictive to read. I AM OBSESSED!

After her kingdom fell and her brother was killed, Briony along with other survivors of the attack, was captured and sold in an auction to the highest bidder. She gets sold to Toven, a enemy she knows very well. Thrust into a new world full of horrors, she will soon find that not all hope is lost.

I loved the way Julie set up the world and the flashbacks where we discover more of her history with Toven and the war. The tension between them and the painful slow burn was everything, it was so well written. Seeing Briony being so smart yet so stupid was both maddening and entertaining. I need more of them.

That ending killed me, I need book two immediately! I'm so excited to see where will this story take us.

I really enjoyed this one and I'm so looking forwards to book two! I liked the characters and I was hooked from the beginning and the ending definitely has left me wanting more! I liked the chemistry between Briony and Toven, I can't wait to see how their relationship develops in the second book.

As a fantasy debut I was excited to read this because I loved Julie Soto's other work, and this was amazing! This book was so unique and it kept me hooked from the very start. The characters were so well thought out and the slow burn was perfect.

I cannot wait to buy this book when it comes out and continue the series

Holy guacamole, I went into this book not knowing it was originally written as a Dramione fanfic, but the vibes were hitting JUST RIGHT.

This was absolute perfection, harrowing and healing in equal measures. I absolutely loved the mix of romantasy, suspense, and the sloooooooowest burn of all time but my goodness the tension is tense!

I devoured this book in less than 24 hours, it was a NEED and inescapable need to know what happened.

I am struggling to articulate just how good this was, I’m shook and reeling, I need book 2!! Julie, do me a solid and wing book 2 over asap, pretty please?!?

Why aren’t there 6 stars? 10? This book deserves them all ♾️

What to expect:
🌹Dark Fantasy
🌹Enemies to Lovers (ish)
🌹Captivity
🌹Mind Magic x Heart Magic
🌹Slavery
🌹Drugging
🌹Flashbacks/Dual Timeline
🌹Mutual Pining
🌹Magical Bonds
🌹He Falls First
🌹Sexual Assault
🌹Dramonie Vibes
🌹Warring Countries

I loved both of Julie Soto’s previous books, and I expected Rose in Chains to be an instant five-star read, but for me, it wasn’t.

I’ll start with the issues I had with this book. The world building - there wasn’t enough of it, there was hardly any, which can also be said for the magic system too. We know there’s heart magic and mind magic but all magic users have access to both, so why were they separated to begin with?

There wasn’t enough background on either the world building or the magic system here for this book to be high fantasy, and there also wasn’t enough romance for Rose in Chains to be Romance, which left me stumped as to where the book was going.

Other things I didn’t like
🌹the elixirs
🌹sexual assaults
🌹the auction
🌹 Rory
🌹 the dinners

I understand that the auction is pretty integral for the plot and I didn’t hate the auction in and of itself, but the implied and off-page rape that went alongside was so off-putting, especially in a romance book.

Now, the things I did like!
Soto wrote in a dual timeline, which kind of gave me Forget Me Not vibes, and I was here for it. The flashbacks of Briony and Toven were essential in understanding their current relationship, especially concerning Toven. I would have loved to see his POV. The yearning and tension would have been amped up to 10 being in his mind and would have solidified this book as a Romantasy.

Toven’s parents, Serena and Orion needed so much more screen time in my opinion, I loved what I read of them and I really wanted to see more. Maybe in the next book?

Other things I liked
🌹Toven (again)
🌹the grapes
🌹sisterhood
🌹Original purpose of the heartstring
🌹Larissa

Final thoughts
I wanted more from Briony. There were some parts of this book where a fire was lit in her for all she’d suffered and I wanted to stoke that and help her burn everything to the ground. I also wish there was more about Finn and whatever secrecy is going on there, and always more of Toven.

So while I devoured this book pretty quickly, and I did enjoy my time, Rose in Chains needs work to be the five-start story I’ve come to expect when I pick up a Julie Soto book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publicising for giving me a chance to read this book.

I'm sad to say, but I had a lot of issues with this ARC. I'm a huge Julie fan, and I've read her fanfics so I was excited to read this one. I purposefully didn't read the auction so I could read this with an open mind. And I just don't think this story has been edited enough for a final print, which sucks because it's already in production. I feel like a lot of people who haven't read her work will probably DNF this, or rate it pretty low without giving it a chance. And the story has a lot of potential.

Her world building is flat out confusing. I had to physically draw a map and write it all down to click. The land is Moreland. Two "kingdoms" are Evermore and Bomard. Why Evermore has part of the lands name while Bomard doesn't is never explained. Bomard are Bomardi. Evermore are...Eversuns? Why? Never explained. Bomardi do heart magic, Eversuns do mind magic, but can do both because mind magic is an evolved form of heart magic. But technically everyone is capable of it, Bomard outlaws it. Both of the names of the magics are dull and aren't explained very well. I think her biggest mistake when writing this book was trying to place them in a high fantasy setting. She probably could've went with a lower fantasy setting or even an urban and this would've worked better. However, I do know she had to separate from the fanfic world she built off of. Or if being placed in a high fantasy, a lot more thought should've went into the world building. Now I will say, because it's Romantasy, a lot of people may not get hung up on the world building as much but it just could've been better and I do think a lot of people will have similar problems.

Some of the same phrases are mentioned throughout the book. Which is fine, but they're mentioned in a way that seems like they're supposed to be the first time mentioned. We get it. Orion and Toven can heart stop more than one person. Or when she mentions a side characters full name, and their relation to the plot more than once. That's clearly poor editing and I'm not sure how it made it this far in the process. Were there no beta readers?

The flashbacks being out of order drove me crazy. I would finally get a groove going with the actual story and then have to pause to read about something that happened years ago, that I don't care about mostly.

As you're reading this, you're probably thinking to yourself "man this girl really hates this book" and the crazy part is that I don't! I'm mad that it's not what it had the potential to be, but it was a fine Romantasy.

I'll be curious to see if any changes are made to the book and I am looking for to reading the final copy. I do want to know what will happen with the rest of the series. And I'm looking forward to book 2.

"There is a lake with still waters."

~this book deals with a lot of heavy topics, so make sure to not skip trigger warnings!

"It's for the auction."

oh wow, I have so many words, I don't even know what to say, I need some business days to reflect, so this may be a lil chaotic

✨️I've read Auction, but the author still surprised me,
but some changes made me shit my pants cus wdym the spell to kill sb is Heartstop😭

✨️I really liked the flashbacks, I think they added a lot of context to Toven and Briory relationship and I really liked the glimpses to their school years

✨️and overall I really liked their dynamic and relationship

✨️I would like more worldbuilding and more to Briory character and magic system, but it really wasn't bad, and I think people will understand everything fine without knowing the ff origins, but still I'm very interested how they'll receive it

✨️I'm really curious what will happen in next books and I'll be waiting for them very impatiently (this book isn't even out for the next 3 months and I already need book 2😩)

I LOVE ORION HEARST, he was the absolute best, I was smiling so hard whenever his name appeared on my kindle, Toven ily, but I want your dad more🤭

4,25⭐️

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

The fantasy slow-burn of 2025. Absolutely no doubt about it.

And don’t even get my started on the cover!!!

I went into this book blind and after some research, it seems to be a trad re-write of The Auction (which I haven’t read). ‘Tis the year for Dramione to hit the traditional publishers.

Two types of magic. Two kingdoms at war. And a leader determined to snuff out magic of the mind. As the war comes to an end, Briony, princess of the Eversuns has to deal with the loss of her people’s king, her twin brother – and accept the fact that she has been captured to be auctioned off to the highest bidder amongst her enemies.

After a prophecy had Briony Rosewood convinced that her brother was fated to the heir twice over becomes even more unlikely, Briony is sold to Toven, son of close-in-command to the leader determined to bring an end to the peace. His family, known for their brutal use of magic can only have the worst of intentions for the Rosewood princess.

The use of Sacral magic which allows those that are already powerful to gain even more through the auctioning of women, it seems Briony is has been bidded on for one reason and one reason only. To be used. To be drained. And to be seen as nothing more than an object.

However, as Briony begins to accept her fate, she quickly realises that the hell the other girls are destined to experience, is not quite on the cards for her.

“When the sun shines at night, he who will bring an end to war on this land shall be victorious. He shall be an heir, twice over, and a rightful sovereign over the continent.”

Round of applause to you, Julie Soto. Because just when I thought I had something figured out, you did a full 180 and surprised me at every turn. Expect the unexpected, because this plot is in no way predictable.

This book is fierce, rife with tension and ADDICTIVE. It may be a slow-burn, but the palpable tension is just as exciting. The intention is definitely an enemies-to-lovers but I was left with a “will they or won’t they?” kind of frustration that had me DESPERATE for another instalment.

I do love you Julie, but also, you are the worst person in the world for that cliff hanger. Give us more.

Get ready for your next romantasy obsession!


Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Cuando terminé este libro anoche y pensé en qué decir en la reseña, mi cabeza era un lío. No porque no me haya gustado del todo, sino porque tenía esta sensación constante de esto ya lo he leído antes. Y mira, yo siempre intento evitar comparaciones porque cada historia tiene su esencia, pero esta vez… me costó muchísimo. Había demasiados elementos que me recordaban a otros libros, y eso me fastidió bastante.
Pero hay algo que me ENCANTÓ, la sororidad!
Las mujeres de este libro se apoyan unas a otras de una forma TAN admirable que realmente fue lo que más disfruté. Tanto la protagonista como los personajes femeninos secundarios son el ejemplo perfecto de fuerza, perseverancia y resistencia. Porque lo que están pasando… madre mía. De verdad, revisad los TW, porque hay escenas bastante duras y hay que estar preparados.
Y hablando de personajes… hablemos de Briony. ESTA TÍA NO PARA. NO. PARA. Y la amo por eso. Es fuerte, es badass, y sin darse cuenta va montando una revolución ella solita. Al principio parece una persona cualquiera, atrapada en circunstancias que la superan, pero poco a poco va demostrando que no es de las que se quedan quietas. Tiene ese tipo de desarrollo de personaje que empieza en modo "solo quiero sobrevivir" y acaba en plan "voy a quemar todo hasta los cimientos". Y sinceramente, qué gusto da ver a una protagonista así!!!!!
En cuanto a la atmósfera, la verdad es que el worldbuilding está bien construido y es atrapante. Peeero, aunque el inicio es lento (lo cual entiendo, porque hay que explicar muchas cosas), sentí que aún así faltaba bastante contexto. Como si me estuvieran introduciendo en este mundo, pero sin darme todas las piezas necesarias para entenderlo completamente.
La escritura de la autora es bastante sencilla y fácil de leer, sin florituras ni metáforas excesivas, lo cual hace que la historia fluya bien, aunque en algunos momentos me parecía que se enrollaba en cosas no tan importantes. Para ser romantasy y no alta fantasía, la trama perdía el foco con detalles que no sumaban tanto, lo que hacía que sintiera que la historia no avanzaba como debería.
Sobre los personajes, Toven me gustó, pero me faltó esa chispa, ese algo que me hiciera enamorarme de él. Hay facetas de su personalidad interesantes y secretos que claramente están guardando para el siguiente libro, pero… NECESITO más desarrollo ya. Los personajes secundarios, en cambio, fueron otro punto alto para mí. Son complejos, con una moralidad gris, y me encantó descubrir poco a poco qué escondían. Me dio muchísima rabia no saber más de Finn, los padres de Toven o los amigos de Briony. Siento que hay mucho potencial ahí, y espero que el segundo libro no me deje con más dudas que respuestas.
Y hablando del final… menuda locura. El libro empieza lento, pero el desenlace es fuerte y te deja con GANAS. NECESITO el segundo YA porque, aunque este libro no me voló la cabeza, tengo la sensación de que lo que viene puede ser mucho mejor.
CANNOT WAIT
---
When I finished this book last night and started thinking about what to write in my review, my mind was a mess. Not because I didn’t like it at all, but because I kept getting this I’ve read this before feeling. And look, I always try to avoid comparisons because every story has its own essence, but this time… I just couldn’t. There were too many elements that reminded me of other books, and honestly, that frustrated me a lot.
But there’s one thing I LOVED—sisterhood!
The way the women in this book support each other is SO admirable, and it was hands down my favorite part. Both the main character and the female side characters are the perfect example of strength, perseverance, and resilience. And what they’re going through… oh my god. Seriously, check the TW, because there are some pretty heavy scenes, and you need to be prepared.
Now, let’s talk about Briony. THIS GIRL NEVER STOPS. SHE. DOES. NOT. STOP. And I freaking love her for that. She’s strong, she’s badass, and without even realizing it, she’s out there starting a whole-ass revolution on her own. At first, I won’t lie, I wasn’t expecting much from her (I really didn’t have high hopes), stuck in circumstances way beyond her control, but little by little, she proves that she’s not the type to just sit and take it. She’s the kind of character who starts off in "I just want to survive" mode and ends up like "I’m going to burn everything to the ground." And honestly? We LOVE to see it.
As for the atmosphere, the worldbuilding is solid and immersive. Buuut, even though the slow start makes sense (because there’s a lot to explain), I still felt like I was missing some crucial details. Like, I was being introduced to this world, but not given enough pieces to fully understand it.
The author’s writing style is simple and easy to read, which makes the story flow well, but at times, I felt like it focused too much on things that didn’t really matter. For a romantasy (and not high fantasy), the plot lost its focus with unnecessary details, making it feel like it wasn’t really moving forward. (Like, girl, I was at 40% and STILL lost in all the characters’ blah blah instead of actually getting to what matters, you know?)
Now, about the characters. Toven was… fine. I liked him, but he was missing that spark, that thing that would make me fall in love with him. There are interesting sides to his personality, and he’s definitely hiding some secrets that will probably be revealed in the next book, but… I NEED more development ASAP (he was kinda bland, let’s be real). Although, let’s be honest, he did have some scenes that had me going PLEASE, SOMEONE BRING HOLY WATER.
The side characters, on the other hand, were a huge win for me. They’re complex, morally gray, and I loved slowly unraveling their secrets. It actually pissed me off not knowing more about Finn, Toven’s parents, or Briony’s friends. There’s so much potential there, and I just hope book two gives me answers instead of more questions.
And speaking of the ending… THAT ENDING.
The book starts off slow, but the final part is intense and leaves you NEEDING more. I need book two NOW because, while this one didn’t blow my mind, I have a feeling what’s coming next is going to be amazing <33

There's a lake with still waters.

This book will be my whole personality for the foreseeable future.

The War is over and Bomard has won over the Eversuns. The king is dead, and his twin sister, Princess Briony Rosewood, is now a captive of the enemy.

Stripped of their magic, the captured Eversuns are being auctioned off to the highest bidder. When Briony finds herself on the auction block, she’s shocked to see Toven, the very man she's been infatuated with for years, placing a bid. But what starts as a nightmare might just turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

You'll find yourself utterly entranced by the characters’ storylines, the slow, slow burn, the aching secret pining, and the constant guessing of hidden intentions and feelings. I couldn’t get enough of them! I especially loved seeing the characters as students and watching how their interactions unfolded, adding even more depth to their present dynamics.

I was expecting to love this book and to be honest, wondering how Julie was going to adapt it into a different world, because If you've read "The Auction", you'll recognize the storyline, but let me assure you, Julie has outdone herself by weaving a fresh and captivating magical world.

The only downside to receiving this ARC is that now I have to wait even longer for the release of the second book.

I owe being able to read this e-Arc to HarperCollins UK and Julie Soto, Thank you so much, this felt like a gift to my reader soul.