Rose in chains

Soto's fantasy debut does not disappoint. In the wake of losing the war and seeing her brother die, Briony Rosewood is taken prisoner by the enemy. Stripped of her magic by the metal choker around her neck, Briony is then sold at an auction to the highest bidder--Toven Hearst, a man she went to school with and who she once had feelings for. But as Briony tries to learn what it means to be kept by her enemy, she slowly comes to realize that her new owner is not everything he seems. The unique magic system and dark themes will draw many readers into Briony's world as she navigates her new situation while still mourning her brother. Fans of dark romance and romantasy will be drawn to Briony and Toven's dynamic as they circle their feelings for each other and try to call a truce in order to survive the dangerous world they both inhabit. Soto (The Thrashers, 2025) is an accomplished romance writer, and her deft hand at writing chemistry is apparent throughout.

In this thorny, series-launching romantasy, Soto (Forget Me Not) introduces a war-torn world split in half by magic forces. Princess Briony Rosewood, twin sister to the heir of Evermore, Rory Rosewood, is a master of mind magic. The people of neighboring Bomard, meanwhile, practice heart magic and the country has outlawed all mind magic following the ascension of Veronika Mallow to the Seat of Bomard. Veronika declares war on Evermore, which falls to her dark forces, leaving Briony captured and vulnerable. Along with other Evermore hostages, she is sold at auction to serve as someone's heartspring, a living source of magic more powerful than an animal familiar. To Briony's shock, her new owner is her former classmate Toven Hearst, heir to the sadistic Bomardi family. Briony won't surrender her dignity without a fight--but Toven is not what he seems, and Briony's time with him soon leads her to the heart of a brewing revolution. While allusions to sexual assault and on-page human trafficking place this firmly in the dark romance subgenre, Soto handles these difficult topics with delicacy and respect. The worldbuilding is robust, with Soto not shying away from the realities of war, and the political intrigue and enemies-to-lovers romantic drama keep the pages turning. Readers will be eager for more. (July)