4.5 stars. this absolutely blew me away. I physically could not put this down. I do not know how I am supposed to wait for the next book to come out. There were so many twists and turns. As a lover of all things Harry Potter, this was absolutely giving me the same vibes. The magic system was so much fun and easy to understand. Toven was such a misunderstood king and was playing his role perfectly. An incredible masterclass of romance and fantasy.

My rating: 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes:
- dark romantasy
- forbidden romance
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- sloooow burn

❗️ The book contains triggers, please review them on the author's website before reading.

I’m thrilled by Julie Soto’s writing style. I haven’t read the original work (The Auction) and I'm not a fan of Dramione, but I really liked this story.

When her castle is taken by the enemy, Briony Rosewood realizes that her world has changed forever. The dark forces have won, and her people are faced with a choice: enslavement, imprisonment, or death.

Deprived of her magic and freedom, Briony, along with the other survivors, is sold at auction. After a fierce bidding war, she is bought by Toven Hearst, a scion of a family known for their cruelty.

I liked that, despite the presence of cruelty and numerous triggers in the story, they are not detailed enough to cause disgust.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Forever for the advanced reader copy!

𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 is a masterfully crafted dark romantasy! While it was adapted from a Dramione fanfiction, it shines brightly on its own and only draws inspiration for character personalities.

Evermore has lost the war, and its people are broken, separated, and enslaved. Its princess, Briony, is auctioned for a record sum to her childhood enemy, Toven, and sent to live in his mysterious, menacing mansion. Desperate to regain her freedom and reunite with her loved ones, she exhausts what little resources she has to uncover the truth of what's happening both outside the walls - and within the Hearst estate.

There's tension and yearning while Briony and Toven are forced to conform to their roles, leading to a complex web of emotions. For the most part, it's very well-written, and I didn't want to put it down despite its heavy premise. I was transported into another world brimming with magic, war and politics, and I enjoyed the flashbacks for context. I'll admit I wasn't surprised by a reveal at the end, and I had guessed it from very early on. It's a common twist in fantasy, and I was a bit disappointed as it made the end feel anti-climactic and formulaic.

It's definitely a slow burn romance, and it appears to mainly be providing background on Briony and Toven's relationship that will continue to develop over the rest of the trilogy.

I enjoyed the mind and heart magic system, and it was probably my favorite aspect of this story. (Other than the hint of dragons!)

Due to its dark nature, I struggled with how I ultimately feel about this book, because it does involve terrible treatment of women, amongst other dark topics. It's good - just be warned that it's dark and can take an emotional toll to read. Please research triggers ahead of time.

Things that stress me out about Dramione fan fics becoming novels: they’re dark! And the threat of rape is always so close.

The slow burn needs to contain a burn, people!! This story did not deliver that to me. A lot of build up for almost nothing. We don’t get a full romance until book 2? I’m raging!

I just don’t think this is my thing.

I still say, the story progression and writing was amazing. I just had problems with a similarity of stories in this specific fantasy category and the overall lack of delivery on the romance aspects

Rose in Chains 🌹⛓️‍💥🐦‍⬛🏰🕯️
♾️⭐️
2🌶️

Rose in Chains was my most anticipated release of 2025 when it comes to fantasy and OMG did it deliver and live up to its expectations.

This book was everything that you would hope for in a fantasy. Soto weaves an intricate magic system, builds a lush world, and developed extremely well-rounded characters. Her storytelling skills are on full display in “Rose in Chains” and she supplies the quintessential fantasy experience.

This book does have some incredibly heavy triggers that aren’t mentioned in the synopsis, so please reach out to me if you would like a short overview of them.

Without giving away any spoilers, this book was truly incredible and I loved every single word of it. I loved the world, the characters, their interactions, the backstory, and the fact that it started off as Dramoine fanfiction makes this one of my top reads of 2025.

This was so good! Julie Soto is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I loved all the magic and world building. Briony and Toven had a great slow burn with so much tension. I already can’t wait for the next book!




Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC!

This was a fast-paced story with lots of angst. Briony has to shield and hide so much of her self and be lesser than she is all for Rory her heir brother. But she never had to hid herself from Toven. Toven is Toven and I don't know how I fell about him yet. He is the enemy but is he. I gave this book five stars cause I loved the story so much but I think I would have loved it so much more if I hadn't know it started as a certain fan fiction. That pulled me out of some of the moment and made me question certain things. I love the magic system and how the different magics are either perceived as good and evil. I can't wait to see where this story goes and how it will play out.

This review is probably going to be all over the place because I have so many thoughts!

Like many, I wanted to read Rose in Chains because we know where it came from. Many of us read the original when it was fan-fiction and then followed Julie’s journey to revamping and traditionally publishing. Many of us hoped and prayed that with the required *cough*legal*cough* changes that need to be made that it wouldn’t lose any of its charm, emotion, and grit.

I can say whole-heartedly that I was not disappointed. I was hooked from the get go. I absolutely loved this story, the fantasy world that was re-woven, and the characters as they evolved throughout the journey. Especially who I would consider our two mains - Briony and Toven. Their relationship is so twisted with both keeping secrets and trying to survive and keep those they care about safe. And this is a slow-slow burn apparently, which I was not expecting because the language and themes were very not PG. But Toven was in fact a gentleman even though Briony told him she didn’t want one.

Honestly we were left with so many questions at the end of this one: Like What’s up with the Dragon and Mallow? What is going on with Rory? Why is Mallow so hellbent on this prophecy? Was anyone else not mad that the king had been beheaded because he was a complete douche canoe and made his daughter belittle herself over her brother? Like really WTH?

This is a trilogy - don’t be like me and miss that fact. I got to the end and only wanted more which I will wait for very impatiently.


I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for listing this as a Read Now on Netgalley where I was able to snag it and read it early.

It's a patient and high-stakes read, I binged the hell out of it when it came up on Netgalley 🥲 the writing is amazing, the slow-burn romance was EVERYTHING -- please please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book though, it's highly required.

Here they are again quoted directly from the book -This work contains explicit sexual content, scenes with gore and violence, and sexual assault of a POV character. Non-consensual sex is referred to, and the buying and selling of human beings into captivity is a core theme of Rose in Chains. Forced sterilization, death of minor characters, and torture are present in this story. For a more detailed list of content warnings, please visit www.juliesotowrites.com

~~
The villains won the war, the prophecy's hero is dead, and our MC Briony (along with so many others) has been auctioned off to be used as a magic source (and worse).

She's bought by her nemesis (also her longtime crush). As she navigates the horrors of the new world, she learns.. all is not yet lost. Help, and hope, may yet arise in the most unlikely of places :)
~~

It's an enemies to grudging allies to.. well, they're not lovers yet, it's a trilogy you know :") ✨ they're just extremely obsessed with each other ✨

- gritty adult fantasy
- heart magic & mind magic
- there's a dragon in the distance

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

JULIE SOTO IS THE QUEEN OF BANTER AND TENSION!!!!

I ATE THIS UP - 6 HOURS TO BE EXACT.

IF I COULD PUT VOICE MEMOS IN THIS REVIEW TO SHOW YOU HOW MANY TIMES I SCREAMED, I WOULD

All I can do now is lay on the ground and wallow that it’s over. I NEED BOOK 2!!!!

thank you Forever Publishing for the e-arc!

I'll start by saying that I haven’t read The Auction, which this book is based on, so I had no idea what to expect. I simply enjoyed Briony and Toven’s story without comparing the two books.

At the beginning, it took me a little time to remember all the characters, but after that, I couldn’t put it down. I loved the fictional world, the magic system, the atmosphere, and that incredible slow burn that keeps you reading, craving just a few more crumbs of their growing attraction. The dark moments also added intensity to the story—I was thrilled by how Toven protected Briony from others and refused to share her.

I feel that Julie Soto did a great job because this book feels completely unique. The ending is intriguing, so now I can’t wait for the second book!

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓ dark romantasy
✓ enemies to lovers
✓ forced proximity
✓ slow burn

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book took a much darker turn than I was expecting, creating a gripping and intense atmosphere throughout.

Interesting and twisty character dynamics, however, I found Briony to be a bit dense at times, which made some of her decisions and interactions quite irritating.

That said, the romance between her and Toven was slow-burn done masterfully and filled with tension that made me fly through this.

Overall, I'm excited to see where the story goes next and how the darker elements continue to unfold.

umm YEA. welcome dramione fanfic to my brain, you've now altered its chemistry! like i can't even describe how GOOD this was from the first page. it's dark (pls check trigger warnings) but i could not put it down for even a second. i didn't read the auction (i wish i did) and can definitely see where the HP inspiration comes from but this also felt like its own story. the past & present timelines were such a good balance and i was able to learn so much about the world, magic and characters. the yearning? the tension? the slow burn? the enemies to everything in between to lovers? i am obsessed with both briony and toven and they've both found a permanent spot in my heart. i will be running on july 8th to add this to my shelves, just to read & obsess all over again. i cannot wait for book two!! screaming in anticipation until then.

THANK YOU netgalley & forever!!!

I’m sitting here in a state of utter shock after finishing Rose in Chains, trying to collect my thoughts and convince everyone to read this.

In the beginning, the reader dives into a world of war and magic. There are rival kingdoms and political intrigue, but it’s introduced so masterfully that I could easily follow along and still immerse myself completely.

The characters, the magic system, the worldbuilding, the story, the plot's pacing, all of it is written flawlessly, making it the perfect binge-read. It sucks you in from the very beginning and only tugs on you harder and harder the farther you get. I loved the intricate magical elements and need to figure out how to travel to this world. Yes, I might’ve lost sleep over these characters, but I don’t regret anything. The pair have altered my brain chemistry.

The romance tugged on every last one of my heartstrings. There were moments I screamed, moments I cried, and the tension and angst caught my breath on more than one occasion. Slowburn lovers know that it’s the soft touches, barely there but leave a wake of a fire, the longing glances from across a room that show yearning in their eyes, the pining, that can stir the strongest emotions. Rose in Chains had all of that and more, and I ate up every moment. This was a slow burn at its finest.

Being the first book in a series, Rose in Chains is an addictive read with a captivating plot but also an exceptional setup for the next installment. Like Briony, I have a million questions about what’s to come, and I can’t wait for secrets to come to light.

As most people know, this is a reworked Dramione, but it stands on its own effortlessly. Although, I’ve become so obsessed with this book that I want to do a deep dive into that world.

Immense thanks to Forever for an early copy of this book! I’ll be desperately waiting for book two after that ending.

An absolute masterpiece from start to finish. I loved the care Soto put into this story, not only the characters and fleshing each of them out, but the world they inhabit and the particulars of it all. The scene was so lush and three dimensional, I felt like I was living everything right alongside Briony. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, both from the political intrigue, the war between the two countries, but also with the romance. My god, the slow burn was absolutely delicious. I actually really appreciated the way the romance unfolds and how drawn out it is, because I think given the circumstances, that’s perfectly natural.

OH AND THAT EPILOGUE?!

Everything about this was perfection, and I’m already salivating for book 2.

Rose in Chains by @

I am in a period of mourning for having already finishing this book 😪 I will need 5-7 business days to recover…

As a longtime lover of the original fanfiction, I was excited but also a little nervy to see this book being transitioned into a traditionally published book… I was nervous on how much was going to be from the original? How much would be new? What if a favorite scene was taken out??? I am happy to report that all of those fears weren’t something I needed to be concerned about because MISS JULIE SOTO YOU KNOCKED THAT SHIT OUT OF THE PARK!!!!! Absolutely obsessed 😮‍💨🔥 this is my official application to join the revolution.

Julie seamlessly created a story that was new, and completely its own, while also including a lot of moments and Easter eggs from the fics that I was absolutely kicking my feet, giggling about🤭 and that ending??? Set it up perfectly for an amazing second book to this trilogy and I cannot wait 🫶🏼

Rose In Chains by @juliesotowrites

INCREDIBLE. This book was absolutely addicting. I was on the edge of my seat. Please, please read content warnings at the beginning and take them seriously! There are some very heavy themes in the book but it’s for good reason. This story packs an emotional punch. The magic system is unique and fresh. The world is easy to understand. The villain… well, I can’t wait to find out more!!! The discoveries, the cliff hanger, the questions!!! It is Dramione mixed with Handmaids tale mixed with just good fantasy. AND THE ROMANCE! We just get a taste in this story, a little nibble, but it is FULL of years of tension and longing and history. Its SEXY. It’s addicting. I cannot wait for book 2!

Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for the arc!
Pub date: 7/8/25

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️.5

I loved this book. This was everything I expected it to be.

The magic system is very unique. Mind magic and heart magic!

Princess Briony is captured after her kingdom is overthrown. She is taken and imprisoned to be sold at auction as a golden heartspring (an amplifier of magic). She is sold to her childhood enemy Toven for a very high price.

Once she arrives at Hearst Hall she is in for a surprise. She is not there for the reasons she thinks and he is actually nice to her. He even helps her.

There is so many more layers to this story, I do not want to give spoilers.

The enemies to lovers in here was written so well! The tension was extremely high. I was screaming at my book for them to figure it out. The time jumps gave me readers whiplash but I know they are pivotal to the story and Briony and Toven’s growth!
I highly recommend this book anyone who loves Dramione and enemies to lovers.

Please check your TWs. Rose in Chains deals with dark themes and sensitive subjects.

I haven't read the original Dramiona fanfic, but this..?
This was bloody brilliant!

I knew this book will be good, as simple as a knowledge like that goes. But it's just even better than I imagined?

"Rose in Chains" comes out in July... And then I'll have to wait even more? Please, end my suffering faster!

Let me just point a few cool things, okay?
* The magic system was actually fresh! Like, I don't think I've read anything like this.
Did I expect wands and brooms? Maybe? And that was ignorant of me, huh?
* The angst! The slow burn? I'm not even gonna start, just know it's THERE.
* And well... Check the trigger warnings, 'cause this entire book will keep you on the edge of your couch, but not in an exciting way.

For now I'll go and try not to be book hangover...

I was admittedly a little worried this story might not live up to the hype it’s gotten, but Rose in Chains was truly a fantastic book.

I picked it up and didn’t put it down again until I was done and immediately wanted to start it again. A vivid world, flashbacks that actually helped the reader rather than take up space, and carefully crafted dialogue made this a show stopper for me.

Easily one of my top reads of the year and it’s only February as I’m writing this! Thank you to Forever for the opportunity to read this one early.