This was fun and had a unique premise! It does read a tad slowly but it works for the story. Beautifully written.

"Never the Roses" by Jennifer K. Lambert is a powerful and emotional novel that delves into the complexities of grief, trauma, and healing. This poignant story follows a young woman as she navigates the aftermath of a devastating loss and grapples with the dark secrets of her family's past.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advance copy of this book! Never the Roses is a perfect, mostly closed-door romantasy, with writing that is like a breath of fresh air. It's poetic, intelligent, haunting, authentic, romantic, and every other good adjective I can think of. I read this book in three sittings, after being in a severe reading slump. This book then put me in a deeper reading slump, because the characters were so well fleshed out, seemed like real people, and the writing was melodic and beautiful. My first 5 star book in months and months. My only quibble is that I'd prefer more spice for my taste, but I don't take away from the book for that. I'll buy the copy of this book when it is released and recommend it to all my friends. Beautifully, well done.

This book was really intriguing. From the cover to the plot, it had me intrigued the entire time.

It moves at a glacial pace in most spots, and if you're feeling it's slow, that's because it is. But despite that, I actually really started to love it when I hit about 45% of the way through. It was a sweet fantasy, that has some really deep moments, and good character growth in it. I definitely feel like it teeters the edge of YA and NA, although it has a good mix of both which was interesting as the reader to enjoy.

Such a great plot and premise!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! I would say this a fun read but I'm a sad boi now. It is very good. Tragic but good. Allows you to see into the heads of very powerful sorcerers and gives you a good rivals/enemies to romance.

This was the typical romantasy. I enjoyed it and am excited to get a shelf trophy once it releases. I did find it difficult to connect with the characters but the premise for the story was good.

"By recklessly stealing a book from him, Oneira inadvertently initiates a forbidden correspondence. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found—nor could ever find—in any other." WHEN I tell you I was hooked. Love.

Never the Rose had an intriguing premise with its morally gray characters, forbidden romance, and magical creatures, but the third-person omniscient narration made it difficult to fully connect with the protagonists. While the world-building was lush and the slow-burn tension between Oneira and Stearanos had potential, the constant shifts in perspective created a sense of distance that kept me from becoming truly invested in their journey. I appreciated the unique elements, like the epistolary exchanges and the retired warrior trope, but the storytelling style ultimately made this a struggle to get through. A solid concept, but not the immersive read I had hoped for.

I'm not gonna lie, I was interested in this because of the pretty cover. This book was this is a very slow-paced novel and it felt like there were some elements of the book where it a bit drawn out. This may be more my personal preference, as I like more fast paced books. However, readers who enjoy romantasy may like it more than I did. I did like the Beauty and the Beast vibe with the library scenes tho.

This didn't quite hit for me, but I think it's my fault for being unable to fully invest in the coziness of the setting rather than a flaw in the story. It's a general struggle I have with cozy fantasy where sometimes it feels like there are horrible things being pushed under the rug in the name of comfort and this book had so many massacres and tragedies in the background that I always felt at a remove from the genuinely charming relationship building between the protagonists.

Haunting and so beautiful. I loved it from page one to the end.

It was not what I expected but I think that made me love it all the more.

this was a beautifully done fantasy romance novel, it had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed in this type of book. Jennifer K. Lambert wrote this perfectly and was invested in what was happening during this, Jennifer K. Lambert was able to weave the characters and story together and worked in this world. I thought this was really well done and enjoyed the story-line going on through this. I'm excited to read more from Jennifer K. Lambert and am glad I got to read this.

Oh, what a delightful surprise this book turned out to be! I picked it up thinking, "This will be good," based on the blurb, but what I found was so much more—I adored it. There’s a delicious mix of quiet rebellion and tender moments tucked into every page. Oneira’s secret visits to Stearanos’ library are not about swiping knowledge, but about piecing together the parts of herself she never got the chance to discover. The back-and-forth between these two former foes is like a magical concoction—brimming with tension, laced with humor, and sprinkled with a pinch of mutual respect that neither can quite shake.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for the advanced reader copy in exchange for this honest (and gleeful) review! The book lured me in with its dark, mysterious cover and enticing premise, and I’m so glad I followed that curious little spark. The characters were wonderfully crafted, and the snappy exchanges between the leads had me grinning from ear to ear. I would’ve rated this even higher, but there were a few moments that felt a little stretched out—just a little nip and tuck here and there would’ve made it even sharper. Nonetheless, this book will absolutely find a permanent spot on my shelf once it’s published!

This reminded me of Beauty and the Beast...I think it was the castles and library part. This book was so good, the plot and romance kept me reading until 3am just to finish it.

I preordered a gorgeous physical copy. Those sprayed edges are perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

After finishing an intense fantasy novel, Never the Roses was the perfect slow and gentle read to unwind with. The story takes its time unfolding, immersing the reader in a world where magic is both unique and deeply entwined with duty. The concept of sorcerers possessing distinctive strengths—and being bound by blood contracts to serve the royals, willingly or not—was a unique and key aspect of the book- it helps for the reader to understand that the sorcerers cannot do as they would choose, but what they are commanded. .

That said, this is a very slow-paced novel, and readers should expect a meandering journey rather than a fast-moving plot. The tone is often playful, but also disjointed, as we experience the story through the mind of Oneira—a moody, dreamlike protagonist who embodies the essence of a "lost soul." The author does an incredible job capturing Oneira’s elusive and reclusive nature, though at times, this made her difficult to connect with. The first seven chapters were a challenge to push through, but the introduction of Stormbreaker (Stearnos) brought a welcome shift. His presence, along with the early playful miscommunications between the characters, added much-needed levity and intrigue.

Overall, Never the Roses is a unique and atmospheric read. If you're in the mood for a book that feels like drifting through a dream—sometimes aimless, sometimes profound—this one is worth picking up.

A profoundly poetic novel, where the language on the page brings the vividly magical world to life around you. Oneira is one of the most captivating main character’s I have ever read. The unique ability of her magic is original and well thought out. You do not only read about Oneira’s sorcery—you experience it. Even without any extensive explanations of the magic systems, I never felt lost or left behind, allowing me to move with the story continuously. Stearanos is a sensuous adversary, perfectly matched to Oneira. Between surprising good humor and feet-kicking romance, I could not put it down!

Wow. To be very, very honest, I didn't think I was going to finish this book. The first half I realized that maybe this book wasn't for me. The writing is beautiful and the best way that I can describe it is that it felt like a floating dream. I pushed through and wow. This is the reason I do not DNF books. I ended up loving it. I understand that some readers will think that this book moves too slow (which it does) but the way this is written feels more mature than a YA fantasy book.
When I got to the second half of the book, I fell in love. I loved everything about Oneira and Stearanos. The little notes they leave for each other and their dialogue is so cute and her pets. oh my god. It is so beautiful.

My favourite quotes from the book:

"Farewell," he corrected, stepping back and taking her hand to kiss it, "Thief of my heart."
"It was never about the roses."
"Thank you for healing my heart, for being both the question and the answer"

I enjoyed the world that was presented here, however I personally was not a fan of the FMC. I found the concept to be better than the actual book, as it was different than the run of the mill romantacy these days, the FMC and MMC don't actually meet face to fact until the middle of the book.

It wasn't for me. The beginning of the book didn't grab me and I didn't like the fmc. I'm all for grumpy fmcs, but she was a little to hermitty for me. I'm sure other people will love it though. It was well written