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.

Another romantasy to add to my 2025 favourites list.

Her family killed, castle taken, Princess Briony is captured by the enemy and auctioned off to be used as a heartspring - a secondary supply of magic to pull from. The Evermore Princess is also wanted for her virginity, cruel men desperate for power, revenge, and shame. She is sold to Toven, an ex-classmate she has an already fraught past with.

I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this. It sounded like a dark romance that would turn spicy and icky. Instead, we have a soft heroine who has a bit of bite (but not nearly enough for me which would be one of my complaints - grow a stronger backbone!) and a guy who is obviously hiding secrets.

The writing was so addictive and the pages flew past. I did not want to put this book down. Perhaps it is because the relationship never felt centre-staged. It was more characters-driven than lust-fuelled.

It did frustrate me how naive Briony was - in terms of her missing Toven’s obvious care and attention and trying to keep up this sweet, unknowing facade in the flashbacks and present.
Briony is someone who knows she deserves more but holds herself back. But Toven SEES. He knows. He appreciates.

I have not read the fanfiction this was based on (The Auction) and I understood everything.

Arc gifted by Harper Collins.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. - arc & monthly book box pick reviewer

THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST, MOST ADDICTIVE BOOKS EVER WRITTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look, I like many books, but I have only been addicted to The Cruel Prince, The Hurricane Wars, Crimson Moth, and This Monster Of Mine with honourary mentions to Sorcery And Small Magics and Acts Of Cupidity. But this??? Rose In Chains has my mind in chains, and dear my, I never want to be freed from this. Just let me be with Toven, please, I beg you.

First of all, this world is absolutely brutal. The sexual and physical abuse are a recurring theme in the book, so please be careful.

Second of all, Briony's father and brother should be very thankful that they can't meet my wrath because I can only take so much misogyny and idiocy. How dare you make a brilliant mind her brother's babysitter and make her actively not stand out like the bright star that she is? Ugh, men, that is all. Except Toven ofc.

Briony goes from a Princess inside a palace under siege to a forced Heartspring--a person meant to enhance someone else's magic. She is sold to the highest bidder, after the war takes a turn for the worst, and that bidder is her arch nemesis, King of Enigmatic Hotness And Astute Observation Skills, Toven Hearst. She goes through some of the worst violations imagined for a woman (however, no rape is committed on the page) and she pulls through. She is a survivor whose fortitude shines the brightest in the book. I absolutely loved her! Loved how she coped, how she used her analytical mind and powerful magic to the full of her abilities given her circumstances. She is a rockstar, and I adore her to pieces.

Toven is a powerful magician with a brilliant mind. He has a knack for strategy, for research, and for magic, and he also happens to be very, very, very hot. He is my ultimate love interest, he checks all the criteria, and nobody is happier than me. Someone who is smart and powerful? Who does everything he can to protect his loves ones, doesn't whine, doesn't fail, and doesn't hide? A man who does what is necessary without complaining or making up excuses. A man who respects Briony's mind, privacy, and dignity. I bow to his perfection.

Their chemistry is out of this world scorching! They literally put the air around me on fire with their banter, arguments, and intoxicating chemistry. Mutual pining on steroids! Brilliant idiots in love also on steroids! And we love it here!

The worldbuilding is quite refreshing. It doesn't remind me of anything, to be honest. There are two kinds of magicians: heart and mind, and young children choose which source of magic to practice. Magicians can still practice with the other source, too, so it's not mutually exclusive. Each kind has its own principles, and everything made sense and got explained well and when needed.

I loved how we saw them as students and later on after the war got a turn for the worst. We saw them as horrible students and as horrible people after their academics, and I thought it was quite refreshing. I loved the flashbacks because they gave us so much perspective into Briony, Toven, and the rest.

The plot was also intriguing! I had absolutely NO IDEA what was going to happen or how or when. Julie Soto blew my mind with every page, and I could only hold on the edge of my bed and seat.

Tropes:
- rivals to enemies to allies to more romance
- brilliant x brilliant romance
- misogynistic family of fmc
- brutal world
- familiars (one of them a jealous girl hehe but hey I'd be jealous of Toven, too, lmao)
- prophecy
- heart magic
- mind magic

I will be very surprised and very displeased if this doesn't get another special edition apart from the Waterstones exclusive. In fact, I don't think it is possible for it not to be in a monthly box or sold as a separate SE. This is one of the most addicting romantasy I have ever and will ever read.

And yes, I am a big fan of the author's work but this just takes everything to the next level.

More than obsessed! I'm a huge fan of the fanfiction so was SUPER excited to see how she worked it into a new story inspired by it, this was incredible, this reader ate and left no crumbs!

This was so much fun


I did get to read the Auction while on AO3 and I loved it. Not sure how I feel about the magic system, the names of spells felt a little juvenile at times but overall really enjoyed myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. I thought this was just ok, there were aspects I liked but overall the pacing was quite slow and there was just not enough in terms of plot and world building to keep me 100% engaged.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the e-arc.
Wow! I am not really sure where to start. This book was phenomenal. I didn’t know a lot about it : simply the origine of this story and that Julie Soto is one of my favorite author and I had to read her first fantasy book. But this book is not a simple fantasy, it is a dark romantasy that had my gut twisting and my heart racing during the entire book ! It has been a while since I read a dark fantasy of that quality that had me grasping for every spare time in the day to simply jump back into this story. I loved this book so so much and I am almost sad that I got to read it before it’s official release because now I will have to wait even longer for the next book ! Julie Soto is truly a talent at storytelling and I hope she gifts us with more stories like these !
Also, this book deals with difficult subjects, so I highly recommend reading the content warnings before hand.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Listen. The Auction is my favourite Dramione fic. I've read it multiple times. Seeing it reimagined as its own original story with new characters, world and magic system is incredible. I'm deeply impressed - and deeply obsessed - with everything about this book. I couldn't focus on anything else and needed to just sit down and devour the whole thing. I loved that while the characters of Briony and Toven are clearly heavily inspired by their fanfic counterparts, each has their own individual personality that shines throughout the book. Flashbacks to their shared past add to the believable chemistry between them. The story flows fast and strong, and there are so many mysteries and secrets that I really couldn't put it down (yes, even after knowing the original fic so well). As well as this VERY slow burn romance, there's also a dark political plot, the hopes of rebellion simmering and a terrifyingly evil mistress reigning over them all. A very easy 5 stars and I am DESPERATE for the next book.

**make sure to check the trigger warnings!!!

I haven't read the fanfiction this book originated from, but as an avid Dramione devourer, it was so obvious to see that's where this story started. It was fun trying to place the changes and work out what they had to be updated from. Whilst the changes to make this story its own were clever, I did find the politics not the easiest to follow, and I really think this book would benefit from a map to refer to.

I also found the choice of narration with a dual timeline slightly strange, because there would be references in the present timeline to things that happened in the past, before they were revealed in the past timeline. Vaguely referring to something that happened in the past that the reader is not yet aware of, then not mentioning it until later on seemed confusing at times, and was frustrating.

But the romance...
The slow burn.
The ANTICIPATION.
Exquisite.

The first couple of spicy scenes were imaginary/wishful scenarios, that made me blush and long for the real deal to just happen already! The first kiss was incredible.

The romance in general was simply fantastic, I loved the snippets into the past that showed Briony and Toven's attraction beginning and progressing before the main events of the book take place.

It's important to note that this is not a light story. It's slightly dark, uncomfortable at times, humiliating to the women. But I loved it.

The epilogue makes me beyond excited for the next book.

I read Julie Soto's contemporary romance book, and absolutely loved them, so was super excited to read her romantasy book!
I was not let down at all, and I will probably read anything she brings out in the future! Such a fun read

One of the easiest 5 stars I've ever given because WOW, did I love this book. It completely and utterly consumed me, and now that it's over, I’m not sure how to go about my everyday life. Rose in Chains is the epitome of romantasy. It's dark, mysterious, filled with adventure, and a whole HEAPING of slow burn and angst (is it just me, or is it getting hot in here?).

Julie does an incredible job of immersing you into this world with its unique magic system, complex characters, and political intrigue. I loved that you never quite knew what was coming next. Toven has EASILY slid his way up my list of book boyfriends. Think Jacks meets Rhys—an unexpected combination I never knew I needed until now. The forced proximity, the longing, the tension... I could not get enough!! This book had me addicted from start to finish, and I never wanted it to end.

It's books like this that remind me why I love reading, especially the romantasy genre. My attention was locked in from the very first page, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I was well and truly transported to a magical world. Oh, and did I mention there's dragons?! I’m telling you, this book is an absolute masterpiece.

I screamed a little (okay, a lot) at the ending, and now I’ll be replaying this book in my mind until the next one comes out. Mark your calendars, because your new obsession is waiting for you!

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC. Come July, I'm going to be living vicariously through everyone getting to read this for the first time 🥲

Rose in Chains is the excellent start to a new romantasy trilogy, which imagines the fallout following a villain winning the war. This is my first book by Julie Soto and one of my most anticipated reads of the year. It did not disappoint! It is worth noting that this is a dark romance, so check the trigger warnings before reading.

The slow burn romance between Briony and Toven was super drawn out (my favourite!), with a lot of yearning and forced proximity. The single person POV meant that Toven's motivations and feelings were unknown most of the time. I can't wait to see how the romance develops in the next book and will be reading it as soon as it becomes available. I need to know what happens!!

I sometimes find that the first book in a series can be a bit difficult to get into because of the world-building necessary to introduce the reader to a new world. I felt that this was the case for my experience with Rose in Chains. There was a bit of light info-dumping in earlier flashbacks, but this improved as the story progressed. I think that I will absolutely love book 2 now that I have become invested in the story. The politics and plot were interesting, and the ending was great.

This book has my heart!! A new favorite!

With her kingdom in ruins and her brother gone, Briony has lost her magic and is sold to the highest bidder. Her new owner, Toven, is powerful with ties to her past.

This book took everything I loved about the fanfic and elevated it to an entirely new and original level.

I loved the tension. Keeping us out of Toven’s head made every glance, every word, and every charged silence between him and Briony even more intense!! The chemistry between them was incredible.

The cliffhanger was brutal in the best way! I am so excited to see how she does the rest of the series!

I will be thinking about this book for a long time!

Thank you NetGalley, forever publishing, and Harper collins UK for the ARC

OHMYGOD. A MASTERPIECE. THIS IS MY #1 ANTICIPATED RELEASE THIS YEAR, SO I LITERALLY SCREAMED WHEN I RECIEVED THIS!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH, I ALREADY SOBBED OVER THIS OPPORTUNITY AHHH!!! THANK YOU!
Okay enough of the screaming now, haha! I am OBSSESSED with Julie Soto's writing and work overall. I was a hardcore fan even during her LovesBitca8 days, so this means so much to me truly, I read The Auction years ago so seeing the parallels between that and this new novel is amazing. I adored every second of this. The tension, angst, and banter while somehow preserving the dark essence of the setting? Phenomenal. Ugh, I devoured every damn second of this. I need more I fear. Cannot wait to continue this series eventually. I will not be shutting up about this one to everyone around me for a long time.

I’m not sure what Julie Soto sprinkled into this book but OMG I loved it. Also, part of a trilogy?!? YES PLEASE.

The tension in this book is utter perfection and so thick you could cut it with a knife. And not to mention the delicious slow burn 🔥

The world building and magic system was really interesting and easy to follow keeping me captivated throughout.

Having read The Auction I love that Julie Soto is getting the well-deserved recognition that all fanfiction authors deserve. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on whatever she writes next and cannot wait for my physical copy to arrive!

Thank you to Net Galley & Harper Collins UK for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

🏁 publish date - 3rd July 2025.

Review posted to Fable, Goodreads & Instagram 🩷