Rose in Chains is a dark, romantasy that kicks off a compelling trilogy. Set in a kingdom where magic is classified as either mind or heart—and where conquered citizens are auctioned off and drained of their powers—it’s both brutal and deeply emotional.

Former school rivals are forced together, slowly shifting from tension to trust, with a slow-burn romance that feels earned and gripping. The world is harsh, the stakes are high, and whispers of rebellion promise bigger things to come.

Inspired by the popular fanfic "The Auction", this book stands on its own with vivid characters and rich, dark worldbuilding. A strong start to the series that hooks you from page 1.

Loved it! I’m happy I went in blind without knowing much about the fanfic or anything HP shaped (yuck) and I could take this book for what it is. I adored it. It was slow at times but just setting up the series I imagined but I’m ready for book 2!!

I read The Auction and absolutely loved it, so I came into Rose in Chains with very high expectationsand honestly, Julie Soto delivered.

This book is dark, intense, and emotionally gripping, with a richly imagined world and characters that feel layered and real. Briony’s journey from a sheltered princess to a fierce, resilient woman is heartbreaking and empowering, and Toven? Lethal, complex, and the perfect foil for her in every way. Their slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic had me hooked from the start. The plot is non-linear and keeps you piecing things together in the best way.

That said, some echoes of The Auction were noticeable (not a flaw, but something I clocked as a returning fan), and the subject matter is definitely heavy this is not a lighthearted romantasy. But if you're here for dark magic, emotional stakes, and a romance that smolders with tension and pain, you'll find this unforgettable. I’m already desperate for book two.

Rose in Chains is dark, intense, and completely addictive. The enemies-to-lovers romance is twisted and full of tension—Toven is terrible, but somehow you still root for him. It’s emotionally heavy with some tough scenes, but the story and world pulled me in hard. I’m already desperately awaiting the sequel.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and HarpersCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn’t read The Auction so I came into Rose in Chains completely fresh - I do love a Dramione ship so this has been one of my most anticipated reads of the year!

I tore through this book at lightning speed, it’s really addictive! The characters are compelling, and the world-building is immersive without being overly complex. I loved how Briony’s personality starts to shine more towards the end; early on, she reads a little younger and more reserved, but as the plot unfolds, her development becomes more layered and satisfying.

The pacing overall is steady. There was a section in the middle where things slowed down a bit, and I found myself wondering where it was all heading, but it picks up again and finishes strong. And I did not see that cliffhanger ending coming - the epilogue is everything an epilogue should be!

I went in expecting some darkness, and while the book definitely touches on heavier themes (I'd recommend checking trigger warnings), it's mostly in references and atmosphere than graphic detail.

Briony and Tovan’s relationship is the crux of the narrative - and I was here for it! The slow-burn and emotional depth of its development is well done, and the flashbacks added so much richness to their dynamic. I’m already can’t wait for the next book to see where their story goes and how their relationship continues to evolve!

Rose in Chains is a new romantasy book by Julie Soto and fans of the fan fiction titled The Auction might be familiar with this book. The story follows Briony Rosewood who is captured when her castle falls. She is stripped of her magic and auctioned off. She is sold to Toven Hearst who she has had a long term crush on. She will have to play a role to survive alongside Toven who might not be as bad as she thinks.

This was alright. Firstly to start with the positives I can see many people who are fans of romantasy books enjoying this. To say this story originates from a fan fiction I think the world building was well done in this and whilst I haven’t read the fan fiction, the characters in this do feel fleshed out and real. The book was written well and the situations Briony was in felt real and I could easily emphasise with her. That said romantasy books just don’t seem to work for me. I struggled to stay engaged with this and that’s definitely my problem and not the books fault.

Ugh - so so so good! My book of the year no doubt. Everything I wanted it to be and more, I need the next book like right now. RIGHT NOW.

This book ripped out my heart, stomped on it and then shoved it back in only to go, lol, to be continued…

Julie Soto proves she can write whatever genre she puts her hands to in this first book on a new dark romarancy trilogy.

Following the end of a war, Briony is captured from her home and sent to auction to be a ‘heartsrpring’ for her enemies. Enemies who would pay a lot of money to have the Princess of their rival kingdom for themselves…

The first third of this book took me a while to get used to. There were a lot of similar names, jumps between places and a magic system to understand - but oh boy, once I got to grips with it all I WAS HOOKED!

There are some very dark moments in this book, but there’s so much excitement, drama, romance and just overall twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

The slow burn is so slow it’s barely an ember but omg you know it’s going to become explosive. The yearning, oh goodness the yearning!

The ending needs the TikTok sound of ‘that was rude’ to play with it.

I would like the next book now please!!!!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

This was the dark and sexy romantasy I didn't know I needed!

Rose In Chains was much darker than what I usually read (please check TW and take care) but I LOVED it! I was immediately sucked into this world of magic and deception, of politics and fallen kingdoms, of war and slavery, and I couldn't get enough!

I loved the world-building and the unique magic system! Especially everything about the "Heartsprings" fascinated me, how one can share their magic with a partner, willingly but also sadly, against their will. I don't want to spoil, so that's all I'm going to say about that!

I loved the MCs, Briony and Toven, and the tension slowly building between them. I was definitely looking forward to every interaction between the two, and I was definitely ready when things start to heat up!

From what I've gathered, this book orignally stems from a Dramione (Draco x Hermione) fanfiction called "The Auction". I'm not a fanfiction reader myself, but I can tell you this book stands on its own as a completely new and special romantasy.

I definitely recommend this book if you love dark romantasy, with a unique magic system and interesting politics! I'm EAGERLY wating for book 2 (this is a trilogy)!

Thank you net galley!

This was a 4.5 for me, I really like Julie Sotos writing and have enjoyed everything of hers I have read so far, this is different though, it’s much darker than I think I was expecting but the story telling is so good! I could not put it down towards the end!

Loved the use of flashbacks to flesh out the story and the world, in the beginning I felt like I needed more information on the magic system but you do eventually get it!

Looking forward to book two

If you are a dark fantasy lover then this one is for you! And if you like sexy scenes and sizzling romance this one is also for you. The story centers Briony, a princess that has to navigate intrigues and many adventures throughout the book. This is an enemies to lovers romantasy and they say it is a Dramione inspired fanfic. It is a pageturner and it ends with a cliffhanger. Can’t wait for the next one ❤️

So glad this has now been traditional published, Julie Soto is becoming one of my auto read authors and this didn't disappoint!

A story that really throws you into the deep end of family hierarchy, two kingdoms waring (lots of political scheming but also magic battles), forbidden feelings and a whole loads of angst.

What I always love about Soto's writing is her characterisation, you get such a good grasp on each of the characters and even side characters (hello Serena Hearst), plus the story jumps from past to present which allows for so much richness in the story and context of the relationships you see unfold.

Briony our FMC is on a journey of finding her feet in a world she was not expecting, now the sole heir to the Eversun kingdom after her twin dies in battle, she is captured and sold at auction by the Bombardi forces, she knows herself but has never been allowed to truly be herself .... will the person who she has always thought was against her, and now owns her, Toven Hearst, remain her enemy?

I can't wait for book 2 & 3, although I'm hoping we get some true Soto spice!

Warning - this book does deal with some darker tropes so check the trigger warnings before reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, & Magpie for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I do not have enough words in my vocabulary to stress just how much I loved this book. It was everything I hoped it would be, and more. The world is cleverly crafted, Briory and Toven are deeply intricate. The magic system is creative, but not so overly complicated that it took me half the book to understand.

I would love to sit here and write an entire love letter to this book and how much I loved it, but I'll be honest; I am now dealing with a book hangover that won't leave me for at least 7-10 business days. If that doesn't convince you, then I don't think anything else I could write would change your mind.

I tried going into this book with as little expectations as possible, having never read “The Auction” I wasn’t sure what to expect, but within the first 10% of the book I knew it was going to be a 5-star read: I was hooked, giggling, and completely head-over-heels for both characters!

Don’t get me wrong, there are darker themes and you should definitely read the trigger warnings, but I was expecting much worse. It is clear from the beginning that Briony and Toven have been pining over each other for YEARS, and it is such a slow burn that I was going insane by the end, begging them to just kiss already!!

I love how the author reworked the story to make it original: we are thrown in basically at the end of the story, the hero has lost and we are here for the aftermath. There are high-stakes, there is yearning (A LOT of yearning), emotional scenes, the tension between the MCs is hot enough to melt… basically everything you could want in a romantasy. The ending was surprisingly happier and less cliffhanger-y than I was expecting, but I need, neeeeed the next book right now! I think it’s safe to say I won’t be shutting up about this book anytime soon!

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperCollins and the author for the arc copy!

I knew before I’d even started reading that I would adore this book. I first read The Auction in 2023 and it has been on my list of all time favourites ever since, I’ve reread it several times. I can’t believe I got to experience one of my favourites for the first time again like this, it’s an absolute dream!

For those that have already read The Auction, all of those significant moments that made it so special were still there, with the addition of new characters and plot surprises to differentiate it and keep the reader on their toes. For those that haven’t, Julie Soto has created a unique world with its own political intrigue, magic system and original characters that made this an incredible story in its own right.

Rose in Chains is set in a land experiencing a recent division between two kingdoms, one with heart magic and the other with mind magic. To ensure peace was kept between them they previously educated their young adults together, so when war breaks out, the enemies the characters are fighting against are their classmates. After being captured, protagonist Briony Rosewood is purchased by her nemesis Toven Hearst in an auction of Prisoners of war and the story follows her as she adapts to life as a captive in his home. Along with scenes from the war you see flashbacks to their schooldays and gradually learn that relationships between the opposing sides aren’t as black and white as you’re led to believe.

The romance here is a true slow burn. There’s so much tension and yearning between Briony and Toven but almost everything remains unresolved at the end of book one. There’s so much further to go with this relationship and you can tell that the author will do a brilliant job of keeping the romance plot interesting throughout the entire trilogy. The side characters were great, especially Larissa, Serena and Orion who each added so much to the story. I really enjoyed the addition of the familiars, I would love to see more of Vesper in future books.

As someone who has never felt the need to highlight or annotate a book before, I highlighted 34 quotes while reading this. The dialogue was wonderful and the ending was so intriguing and went in a direction I wasn’t expecting. Rose in Chains absolutely lived up to my expectations as one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I cannot recommend it enough to every romantasy reader that enjoys a story with darker themes!

Rose in Chains in my new Romantasy obsession!

When I heard that a hugely popular Dramione fanfic was being reworked and published, I was beyond excited! Whilst I never got a chance to read the original fanfiction, I have always been a huge Dramione shipper so I went into this book looking forward to the similar vibes.

Rose in Chains was everything I could possibly ask for in a Romantasy book. It was dark, gripping and features a slow burn romance with ALL the tension. Julie Soto has done such a fantastic job of weaving a dark romance set in a high-stakes fantasy world that brought out every emotion in me at once. It features all the Dramione vibes that I was craving and yet feels so unique from the original fandom that that fanfiction was based on.

Briony Rosewood is a fierce-willed and incredibly brave FMC, who I admired throughout the book. She is not perfect by any means but that added a sense of relatability to her character. Toven Hearst is exactly what I want from a morally grey MMC and the Draco Malfoy vibes were so strong! Briony and Toven's romance was full of angst and tension, which left me kicking and screaming with glee. This first installment has set such a fantastic foundation for the romance and I beyond excited to read more of it in the sequel.

This series already has so much potential and Rose in Chains is definitely going down as one of my all time favourite books! If you are looking for your next Romantasy fix, look no further!

This book is the very definition of romantasy. A mesmerizing blend of slow-burn desire, dark fantasy, and high-stakes political intrigue...I was SAT from page one

Obsessive, addictive and absolutely everything that I had hoped it would be - dare I say my favourite read of 2025 so far!

I was lucky enough to receive a proof copy of Rose in Chains - which was already one of my most highly anticipated releases of this year - and from the moment that it was announced, I just had a gut feeling that I would love it. I was right. This book completely delivered on everything it promised, and then some.

Within the first 25%, I knew it was going to be a five star read for me. I devoured it over a weekend, completely consumed by the world, the characters, and the incredible, slow-burning tension. The yearning is next-level - the kind that makes your chest ache in the best possible way. I fell head over heels and didn’t want it to end... and when it did, I was devastated.

Julie Soto has created something unforgettable here, and I’m already desperate for the next instalment. If you love immersive fantasy, intense emotional stakes, and romance that simmers with every glance, this is a must read. I won't be shutting up about this one for a while (if ever)!

Firstly thank you to Netgalley for giving me an E-Arc of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re willing to push through the first 50% of this book then it is so worth it. 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

For the first half of this book the plot is incredibly slow, I almost considered DNFing. However, I had heard such great things about this book I was committed to pushing through. I was aware this book was a fanfic that was adapted to be traditionally published. And I did struggle to detach from the characters in the original version in order to give this book a chance. But I think if you’re opening this book with blind which n9 idea of the OG book then I reckon you’ll enjoy it a lot more.

When the pacing picked up dramatically in the second half of the book it was so much easier to read. I found myself more invested int he characters. I was also loving the bits between the FMC and MMC, the delicious slow burn romance. I’m hoping the character development and world building will continue to grow as the series progresses.

I am excited to see where the next book is going and I will continue to read the next in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc.

I feel quite conflicted about this book. The first half of this book was really slow in my opinion, and I very nearly DNF'ed it, as I felt like the world-building and characters just fell really flat. However, I decided to pick it back up and the second half of the book had me hooked. I read the second half basically in one-sitting, I was so invested in what was happening to these characters. Also, the romance is the slowest of slow burns, so it really has you hanging on to every single interaction between Briony and Toven. At times, their relationship dynamic reminded me of Rhys and Feyre in ACOTAR and the beginning of ACOMAF, so I really enjoyed those comparisons in my head.

I will say, I found the book quite predictable. For how long it was, I would have expected more to happen, or for me to have been surprised more, but I knew what the big plot twist was going to be from basically the first 50 pages.

However, I am still really invested in where the series goes, and I'm so sad that the next book isn't out yet. I will be keeping an eye out for when the next one comes out, because I need to know what happens next.