Rose in Chains by Julie Soto (ARC Review)

Title: Rose in Chains
Author: Julie Soto
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Romantasy
Publisher: Forever
Date published: July 8, 2025

A complimentary digital copy was kindly provided by Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.

The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, Briony Rosewood knows that the world as she knows it is changed forever. The dark forces of Bomard have won and her people, the Eversuns, face imminent servitude, imprisonment or death. Her brother, fated to be heir twice over and unite the warring kingdoms, is dead.

Stripped of her Mind Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly auctioned off to the highest bidders in an auction – and as the heir-apparent’s sister, she fetches the highest price.

After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven a high ranking Bomardsun – and her long-time and ill-fated infatuation. Scion of a family known for their cruel control of Heart Magic, the Hearsts are ruthlessly ambitious, and Briony knows they will use her however they can to further their own interests.

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help – and hope – may yet arise in the most unlikely of places…

⤖ My Review ⬻

I absolutely inhaled all of Julie Soto’s previous adult books, Forget Me Not and Not Another Love Song, so when I heard that she was going to release an adult romantasy book (heck a whole series) I was too excited to put into words. I hadn’t even read the synopsis yet and I was over the moon, haha. Once I took a deep breath and actually read the overview, I knew that I had to read Rose in Chains as soon as I possibly could.

I was very happy when I was provided with a digital copy, and while I didn’t read it as early as I had originally planned, I did read it when my mood was just right for it, because once I did start it, I devoured Rose in Chains. (Well…devoured it as quickly as one possibly could while caring for a cute 6-month-old.)

Right from the start Rose in Chains had action and a thick layer of mystery—I had all the questions! This was part of why I turned the pages as fast as I did. I also liked how the romance evolved, and even the darker elements (those who have been following me for a while know that I don’t typically jive with dark romance, so this is quite interesting). The chemistry and the pace at which the romance progressed were both perfect for my tastes!

I found I really enjoyed the magic system and was very invested in the political and cultural aspects of the world. Typically, I hyperfixate on the romance aspects of a romantasy book, but Rose in Chains hooked me with all of its different facets. The characters were very multidimensional and developed—they felt quite real. I was invested in many of the characters’ lives. Rose in Chains very much kept me on the edge of my seat. I absolutely need the next book and am near sobbing now that I checked Goodreads and saw that we won’t be getting it until December of 2026. Send help.