This book had me gasping and reeling throughout. I haven’t had a reading experience like this in a while and did I love that feeling or what. Obsessed with Briony and Toven and the dynamic building up. The world building takes a minute to grasp and understand but it’s SMART and honestly hell yeah Dramione. It’s dark, sexy, angsty. It has this layered secret you know is just going to explode with confessions, truths, and obsessions!! I love this type of dark fantasy and so impressed with Julie Soto’s magic system and writing, as always. Pacing was also different with flashbacks and so much happening in the book, my only setback. Even though I devoured it.

This is book one of three, I fear I’ll be more obsessed with the next two books since this book paved the way.

My Dramione/Auction loving heart is singing right now but this is 100% its own story and can absolutely stand on its own. If you loved The Auction or you just love a good slow burn romantasy, you need to add this to your TBR ASAP! The yearning, tension, and angst are absolute perfection! Julie created such an immersive new world w/ a fun and unique magic system. I loved the flashbacks as a way to give us world building without a massive info dump. I ate this up and didn't want to put it down. I can't wait to see how these characters develop in book 2!

💜 Enemies/Rivals to Lovers
💜 Forced Proximity
💜 The sloooowest of slow burn
💜 Yearning & Angst
💜 Political Intrigue

"There is a lake with still waters” 😭

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Julie Soto for the gifted e-ARC!

I was not fully prepared for how dark this was. I’m glad that the author included trigger warnings but they would’ve been nice to have before downloading the book. This has really strong themes of sexual slavery and sexual assault on women, and some of the scenes are very difficult to stomach. That aside, I was impressed with the way the author handled Toven, the man who purchased Briony. Based on current trends in the romantic fantasy space, this could’ve gone a lot of different ways, and I was very happy with how that thread is going so far, I also really enjoyed being in the mind of the main character. Briony is smart and clever and compassionate and skilled with magic. I really liked seeing her puzzle things out and help out not just as a damsel in distress. Some of the flashback scenes especially in the beginning felt like they hampered the pacing a bit, slowing it downso it felt like it took a very long time to get to the inciting incident. I also really liked the parents in the story, and I’m interested to see where it’s going to go next.

It breaks my heart to only give Rose in Chains by Julie Soto 3.5 stars, I’ve read all of her work (fic and published) and this is the only non 5 star read for me. In the past I’ve heard the critique that fan fic writers are better at building stories in a world that was already created then at creating their own, unfortunately, I think that is this case here. I think that anyone who is familiar with her fic work that was the inspiration for this book will enjoy the book more, then someone new to the story. My biggest issues with this story are that the characters are all pretty one dimensional, the world was pretty mid.
There is no real depth or individuality to any of the characters, the story failed to make me care about them. Even in what should have been tense or emotionally charged scenes they all just fell short, and I know that Julie can write these powerful scenes. Because of that our MCs have no real charm or chemistry between them. There are flashbacks throughout the book-though I personally feel the ones at the beginning of the story are poorly placed and really ruin the pacing of the beginning of the book- that show the MMC & FMC and their time in school but aside from the FMC having a crush on the MMC there was no chemistry. She fan-girled over him in her head, and he became disengaged anytime she tried to get close to him. There were some spice in the book, but once again I did not find it engaging.
The magic system and world building are just mid. I didn’t hate the world or the magic system nor did I love it. There are 2 different kinds of magic, but some people can use both? The only part of the world building that I really disliked was the names. I strongly disliked all the names, the people the places all of it. I’m not completely sure why but the utter irritation I had at all the names in this book was borderline irrational.

Thank you Forever Publishing for the e-ARC!

I’ll be thinking about this book for weeks.

Having never read any of the source material and only seeing the movies, I can see where the characters’ personality traits come from and the concept of the school of magic, but Julie did a fabulous job making this her own.

The betrayal. The hatred for the villains (because they absolutely deserve it). The tension. The magical aspects. I *devoured* it.

read this if you love:
- true enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- unique magic system
- morally gray MMC

I cannot wait for the second book. Rose in Chains is what I will be comparing future fantasy books to from now on, it's that good.

This had my mind wrapped up in chains and I don’t wanna be freed. It was exhilarating, sexy, and top-notch storytelling and awakened me to the genre in the best possible way. If you love fantasy books, mark my words, this will be your newest obsession.

Some deets:
📝 adaptation of “The Auction” fanfiction
🔥 rivals to enemies to allies
🧠 heart and mind magic (Paris Hilton voice *that’s hot*)
❤️‍🔥 excruciating push and pull slow burn romance
🦊 familiars (with a dash of jealousy, which tbh, I’d be jealous of Toven too)
🎀 the green ribbon!

Move over Rhysand – I need Toven like I need oxygen, in all his brooding, sexy and intelligent ways, even down to his mismatched socks. This had me giggling, fanning myself and punching the air. Who knew how hot heart and mind magic could be?! The chemistry between Briony and Toven was so HOT I could sizzle a full continental breakfast with it. It was an excruciating slow burn and constant push and pull between them, so much so, that I’d honestly argue that it felt like torture at times (but like, in a way I’m definitely not complaining). ROSE IN CHAINS is an adaptation of “The Auction,” a Dramione fanfiction from Lovesbitca8. I haven’t read it, but reading this as a standalone was magic in itself. Just like the epic dancing scene at a Winter Solstice party that had Pride & Prejudice written allll over it. I left a part of myself in Evermore and my bags are packed and I’m ready to return on the next ride back.

It’s not all roses, this story packed a punch with war, brutality and punishment. The treatment of women will make you scream (there’s a literal auction of women) but you’ll cheer even harder for the resilient characters who don’t back down without a fight. I’m invested in this storyline and can’t even think about the grueling wait until the next book.

I will follow Julie Soto across all genres. 🫡

Thanks @readforeverpub for the digital ARC and hooking me with another addicting read. They weren’t lying when they said this would be your newest obsession!

ROSE IN CHAINS is out July 8.

I think I was the only person on this planet who didn't realize this was originally a fanfic...? BUT NOW I AM OBSESSED. I already have grabby gimme gimme hands for the next book.

The slow burn between Briony and Toven is DELICIOUS. His one step forward, two steps back has me in chokehold.

I wish there was a teeny bit more worldbuilding but overall I love the storyline, the two-timeline format (present day and flashbacks), and where it's gonna go with their relationship.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for an ARC of this title.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc. This was one of my anticipated reads for this year. This book gave Manacled and Handmaids vibes. With every book, you will see similarities which is fine; however, I wanted to see more of the differences/the authors’ take and I felt that the book mainly focus on the haindmaids aspect. In addition, I felt at times the book was interesting and then it was flat. It was a consistent loop of this. I also wanted more from the MMC. I’m all here for a slow burn, but give me something. The MMC gave nothing besides basic human decency which should always be given. I would have enjoyed a tiny confession of his intentions directly from him.

Despite my hang ups, I thought this was a good start given this is the author first time doing a fantasy book. I feel book two will be better.

An absolutely perfect book.

From the very first page, this book had me by the neck. I couldn’t read fast enough. How am I supposed to go about my daily life?? How am I supposed to move on?!?

Storytelling at its most fun. An instant add to my reread list.

4.5🌟
wow what an incredible book! this book consumed me in every way and I loved every second of it. the magic system is SO INTRIGUING, but also easy to understand. the world building and pacing was perfect for me. storyline was so incredibly gripping I could not stop reading I just had to know what was happening next. I loveeeeeee a slow burn fantasy and when I say this delivered!!!! oh it was so SLOW but so worth it because the tension was so intense (in the BEST way) the yearning in this was everything, the longing, the little touches and stolen glances omg I was eating up every little crumb I could get. briony and toven are TRUE enemies to lovers like it doesn’t get more enemies to lovers then that! I loved how complex and how much layers there are to toven’s character. is he the good guy, is he the bad guy? can we trust him with all the secrets he keeps? but when that facade starts to fall slowly during the quiet moments him and briony are alone and we start to peel back the layers of the man underneath it all.. 🤭🤭🤭 it just gets me everytime!!! and I knew we would end on a cliffhanger and I knew THAT ending was coming but it just makes me SO excited to see where this story is going to go. the stakes are about to be even higher!!!

if you like:

enemies to lovers
forced proximity
SLOW BURN
secret pining and yearning
heart and mind magic
princess turned captive

then I highly recommend this book and please check TWs because it does deal with heavy topics!

thank you forever publishing for the arc! 🩷

I am hooked! I cannot wait to see how this series unfolds. I think that Soto made the exact right amount of changes when adapting this work. I devoured this book and I am so angry that I have to wait to see what happens next!

3.75 stars! As my most anticipated read of the year, this was a great start to a trilogy! There were a lot of layers to the story and the morally grey MMC was my FAVORITE! Shout outs to Toven <3 I will say that half way through the book, I sort of lost interest for a good 10 chapters but after pushing though those few chapters, I was running through the book needing to know what happens next.

I'll be posting a new in-depth review on my bookstagram closer to release date!

Rose in Chains is out July 8th, 2025! It is a must read this year if you love romantasy and Dramione fan fic!

There are only 2 reasons I cannot give this book a 5 star. 1. It was not a one and done book. This is clearly going to be a trilogy and I hate that I NEED them all. 2. I do not like the writing style of going back and forth in time for every other chapter. I can understand once or twice in a book, but every other chapter drives me crazy!

That being said, this book was so good. I have not read the piece of fanfic this book was inspired by, so this is my first read of the character and plotline. The interaction between Briony and Toven was so beautifully crafted and I cannot wait to see the next book and how they handle their evolving relationship. Julie also has a way of writing in triggering events. I as the reader knew what was happening, or going to happen but then she moved through the actual triggering event without unnecessary details and then immediately into the reactions of the characters in the scene so it wasn't just swept under the rug. (hard to explain, but the dinner scene at Biltmore best describes what I mean)

I fear I am going to have to wait 4 years for this entire series to come out, but I will be waiting and enjoying almost ever minute of it.

I love when a story makes me feel like I’m teetering on the edge of something dangerous, something inevitable, and this book does exactly that. It’s betrayal and desire, cruelty and tenderness, power and resistance all wrapped into a slow-burn that keeps you breathless. I can’t wait for the next instalment already.

With my whole chest I will tell you that this was my most anticipated book of the year. And with my whole chest I will tell you that it exceeded all of my expectations.

This was the first book that I had the honor of reading the fanfic before it was reworked for publication. It is one of my all-time favorite fics and therefore I was JAZZED about this launch. I, like many, did wonder how the story would hold up without the fandom pieces in place. I don't know why we ever wondered because Julie does not miss. I had the time of my life finding the Easter eggs she left for the Saturday Girls, but if I didn't know the original story, I would have loved it just the same.

This slow-burn is not for the faint of heart. We have three books to go in total, so she is a SLOW BURN. But I absolutely gobbled up every second of book one. The tension was delicious. The pining, divine. The world-building and new magic system? Outstanding. The flashbacks creating a juicy backstory? Marvelous.

One thing you should know about me is that I am "here for the vibes" kind of reader. I envy the readers who can read a book or series and be theorizing like the Swifties, but that has never been my reader experience... except for Rose in Chains. This is my Fourth Wing. This is my TOG. My notes app thought I was going to start a dicertatcion. I traded many minutes of voice notes with a friend who was also blessed with an ARC of this book. It was an honor, truly, to get to read this early. I knew what I was getting into when I picked up this ARC, but having finished it a month ago and still thinking about it daily, I'm not sure how I'll survive the wait for the next book.

Julie, I cannot thank you enough for this ARC. She is my prized possession and I marvel at her on my shelf regularly. Do you need another blood sacrifice for book two or will devouring IWTV and live reacting suffice?

If you read The Auction and thought “I already know what will happen,” THINK AGAIN!

Julie proved again that she can write any genre and still master it with such skilled precision your brain chemistry alters forevermore. (see what I did there??)

She never ceases to amaze me, and boy did she keep me on my toes. Yes this felt like coming home. Yes you will recognize the beloved story that made you fall for Julie in the first place.

“There’s a lake with still waters.”

But the new world she created? OUTSTANDING. And the new intricacies she added in? SUPERIOR. The plot? Left me mouth agape. That cliffhanger? MA’AM?! The yearning the yearning the yearning the yearning the angst the angst the angst the passion the pain the mindfuck the AAHHHH!!

I absolutely LOVED the magic system that Julie created here and how seamlessly it woven into the original story, complementing it more with every pull of the strings. Briony was everything I wished she would be -- braver, less naive and a lot less oblivious to Toven's feelings! The man is DOWN BAD and can we for the love of all things talk about THAT scene where they share 'memories' or try to mess with each others' minds??? I WAS GASPING FOR AIR.

My mind is whirling and my heart is squeezed so tight and I fear this book isn’t even out that I already long for the sequel, so I’m not sure what to do with myself.

I couldn’t put Rose in Chains down. I started it and finished within two days because I was reading at every opportunity. The characters pulled me in, and the flashbacks really worked, giving insight into how things unraveled before the story’s present timeline.

The pacing felt a little uneven at times—sometimes we got tons of details in what was actually a short span of time, and other times, there were big jumps that caught me off guard. But overall, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

One big thing to note: check the trigger warnings. This book is real. It picks up after the main character has already lost a war, and it doesn’t shy away from showing what happens to the defeated side. A lot of fantasy books keep things lighter, with the reassurance that good will win in the end. That’s not the case here, and some moments were tough to read. I wouldn’t want someone to go in expecting a traditional fantasy or romantasy book and rate it lower just because they weren’t prepared for how raw and gritty it gets.

For some reason, I thought this was a standalone, so when I hit that cliffhanger, I was not ready. It’s been a week since I finished, and even after moving on and reading other books I still find myself thinking about it. I already can’t wait for the next book.

I already have the book preordered because I need a copy on my shelf and the first edition editions are beautiful!

I have a lot to say but first, *SMASHES FIVE STARS ONTO TABLE*

Julie, Julie, JULIE!!??? I have to preface this by saying I read The Auction long ago (may she rest in peace😌) and Rose in Chains met every single expectation I had and surpassed them all. Everything that was added, changed or twisted only served to make the story better and add depth. It completely stands on its own, and that is my very favorite thing. I will read everything @juliesotowrites forever 😌

Briony!! Sweet, headstrong, empathetic, intelligent. The women and their fortitude, the way they find ways to overcome in the midst of circumstances. THAT is a message I love.

Toven Hearst toes the line of “morally grey” extremely well. I liked that while these two characters “hated” each other, the thin line between loathing and yearning is *chefs kiss*. Political self serving vs being obsessed with the girl you’re supposed to hate??? I eat it up every time. Also the RESTRAINT. I love to see it.

I thought the pacing was great, this is the first book in a trilogy and the highs and lows served the story and the development of the characters and relationships. This IS slowburn, and while we get some delicious crumbs, I am not disappointed and SO EAGER for them pretend they’re not absolutely obsessed. The magic system was both complex and easy to follow and I believe it made the story even BETTER.

Anyways this was incredible. I loved it, and I will shrivel into a husk of myself until I have the next one! This is an adult romantasy and it does explore dark themes so make sure it’s right for you!

Thank you thank you @readforeverpub reading this early made my whole month!!!

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#roseinchains #bookreview #juliesoto #reader

It was dark but not as dark as The Auction. It ended SO GOOD!!! I cannot believe I have to wait for a second book. Ahhhhh! I will not survive. It took such a good turn. Differently than the auction. I haven’t been this wrapped up in a book for so long. Like PINING for a second. Oh. My.

All the stars!!!!

I went into this book initially trying to figure out who each character was based on but I urge you not to make that mistake. Go into it like you would any other fantasy/romance book because as soon as I let my brain stop looking for correlations to HP, I absolutely devoured this book. So much emotional tension (without much pay off) but I was 100% invested in this world and these characters. Definitely recommend and cannot wait to keep reading this series in the future.