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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
This was a quiet and dark romantasy that was pretty well written, even if it didn't quite draw my attention until the last third of the book. The fmc does not trust anyone and is a bit obsessed with death and not being around. She also has magic, dream walks, and is kind of a retired warrior for the cause, which I would actually love to know more about in the next book. The mmc is the fmc rival mage warrior from another place, and they meet after the fmc steals one of his library books.
This is a slow burn, and it's not an epic fantasy because there are no battles or anything, just magic, mind games, and banter. The fmc is isolated, so there are a lot of her thoughts and feelings. Im not sure I even rooted for the romance until the last part of the book when the banter and plot picked up. Overall, an okay read. Thanks to Bramble for the arc.
This is a slow burn, and it's not an epic fantasy because there are no battles or anything, just magic, mind games, and banter. The fmc is isolated, so there are a lot of her thoughts and feelings. Im not sure I even rooted for the romance until the last part of the book when the banter and plot picked up. Overall, an okay read. Thanks to Bramble for the arc.
medium-paced
4.5 stars
I originally picked this up because the synopsis sounded so interesting and I saw that the audiobook had Shane East narrating.
What I found was so much more. Chloe Campbell and Shane East both gave spectacular performances. Put that together with the production it made for a fantastic audiobook experience. Great narrators can really make her break a book now I think this story by itself would’ve been a four to 4.25 star rating for me, but with the narrators bringing it to life it really elevated it for me and up to a 4 1/2 star.
Now Jennifer K Lambert is a pen name for an author who has written other works. I have not read anything by this author and this is my first experience and it was delightful.
The world building the magic system. The pros all worked really well for me. Oneira and Stearanos are supposed to be enemies and I love how she goads to him. When all she wants to do is bring back these roses and she ends up, infiltrating his residence to steal these books. Girl I would do it too! His library is fantastic!
In the end, the story was so much more than I thought it was gonna be I don’t wanna go into it because I feel like you really need to experience it yourself and if I say anything more than I did, it’s just gonna take away from your experience. I definitely would pick up the audio as it was fantastically done. I will also be picking up the Physical deluxe edition. As it is gorgeous.
Thank you to Macmillan audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I originally picked this up because the synopsis sounded so interesting and I saw that the audiobook had Shane East narrating.
What I found was so much more. Chloe Campbell and Shane East both gave spectacular performances. Put that together with the production it made for a fantastic audiobook experience. Great narrators can really make her break a book now I think this story by itself would’ve been a four to 4.25 star rating for me, but with the narrators bringing it to life it really elevated it for me and up to a 4 1/2 star.
Now Jennifer K Lambert is a pen name for an author who has written other works. I have not read anything by this author and this is my first experience and it was delightful.
The world building the magic system. The pros all worked really well for me. Oneira and Stearanos are supposed to be enemies and I love how she goads to him. When all she wants to do is bring back these roses and she ends up, infiltrating his residence to steal these books. Girl I would do it too! His library is fantastic!
In the end, the story was so much more than I thought it was gonna be I don’t wanna go into it because I feel like you really need to experience it yourself and if I say anything more than I did, it’s just gonna take away from your experience. I definitely would pick up the audio as it was fantastically done. I will also be picking up the Physical deluxe edition. As it is gorgeous.
Thank you to Macmillan audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer K. Lambert, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
5 stars
The audiobook is well done. I felt like Chloe Campbell and Shane East did an excellent job performing these characters. I highly recommend listening to this one or immersing yourself in the reading.
4.75 stars
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this story. The comparison to Circe made me think it would get pretty dark. While it did have dark moments, its overall tone was cozy. It felt like cozy fantasy romance. I adored this story. I know I will re-read this one again. I was captivated by Oneira’s story. I would have loved more details about the world-building and Oneira's backstory. Her story is touching on her and there, but I feel that it would have brought more emotions out if I had heard more of her story. Stearanos was a great MMC. I liked how he knew how to treat her. He understands her on a level that no other person will be able to understand. That ending…..???
5 stars
The audiobook is well done. I felt like Chloe Campbell and Shane East did an excellent job performing these characters. I highly recommend listening to this one or immersing yourself in the reading.
4.75 stars
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this story. The comparison to Circe made me think it would get pretty dark. While it did have dark moments, its overall tone was cozy. It felt like cozy fantasy romance. I adored this story. I know I will re-read this one again. I was captivated by Oneira’s story. I would have loved more details about the world-building and Oneira's backstory. Her story is touching on her and there, but I feel that it would have brought more emotions out if I had heard more of her story. Stearanos was a great MMC. I liked how he knew how to treat her. He understands her on a level that no other person will be able to understand. That ending…..???
ARC and ALC review
Publication date 08 Jul 25
“Never the Roses” by Jennifer K. Lambert is a romantic fantasy.
Thank you Pan Macmillan and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.
The cover and description of the book convinced me to read it.
Oneira is a retired sorceress that is tired of fighting in the war.
But she gets bored and decided to make trip to the library of her most powerful rival, sorcerer Stearanos.
The story's pace is slow, but it did not bother me. There is a rivals to lovers romance that starts through notes.
I liked both characters and their story. Especially Oneira, had a good development.
Her magic was also interesting and the overall plot. This is a well written book.
It was a good experience reading the e-book while listening to the audio.
When possible, this is my preferred way of enjoying a book.
It is a nice feeling and helps me immerse in the story, especially if it is a fantasy.
The audiobook is narrated in dual style by Chloe Campbell and Shane East.
I did not listen to any other books narrated by Chloe Campbell, but I think that she was perfect as Oneira.
She managed to keep me captivated in the story and brought the characters to life.
I think Shane East's voice was great as Stearanos and I am glad that he narrates more fantasy books.
Overall this was a nice, emotional and magic book.
Publication date 08 Jul 25
“Never the Roses” by Jennifer K. Lambert is a romantic fantasy.
Thank you Pan Macmillan and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.
The cover and description of the book convinced me to read it.
Oneira is a retired sorceress that is tired of fighting in the war.
But she gets bored and decided to make trip to the library of her most powerful rival, sorcerer Stearanos.
The story's pace is slow, but it did not bother me. There is a rivals to lovers romance that starts through notes.
I liked both characters and their story. Especially Oneira, had a good development.
Her magic was also interesting and the overall plot. This is a well written book.
It was a good experience reading the e-book while listening to the audio.
When possible, this is my preferred way of enjoying a book.
It is a nice feeling and helps me immerse in the story, especially if it is a fantasy.
The audiobook is narrated in dual style by Chloe Campbell and Shane East.
I did not listen to any other books narrated by Chloe Campbell, but I think that she was perfect as Oneira.
She managed to keep me captivated in the story and brought the characters to life.
I think Shane East's voice was great as Stearanos and I am glad that he narrates more fantasy books.
Overall this was a nice, emotional and magic book.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Dual Narration - Shane East & Chloe Campbell
Fabulous voices. Very well narrated
Romantasy
This books cover is what drove me to want to listen. Then I saw who narrates and the description and I was even more intrigued.
The book is definitely in the slower side but it is beautifully written and a captivating story. The author wrote a beautiful world these characters live in. Magical and romantic. I enjoyed this. I would definitely recommend to all my fantasy readers/listeners.
Fabulous voices. Very well narrated
Romantasy
This books cover is what drove me to want to listen. Then I saw who narrates and the description and I was even more intrigued.
The book is definitely in the slower side but it is beautifully written and a captivating story. The author wrote a beautiful world these characters live in. Magical and romantic. I enjoyed this. I would definitely recommend to all my fantasy readers/listeners.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
When I started this I wasn’t really sure about it. Thrown into a world that made little sense, but I’m glad I continued. This story is hauntingly beautiful, a mix of tragedy and whimsy woven into something new and unique. The prose is poetic and the imagery captures the world of dreams perfectly. It turned out to be a great read.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is slow, I put it down several times and almost dnf it. But I’m so glad I stuck with it. About 1/2 way through the book really comes together. I love the dynamic between the characters. I need more of this story immediately.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Initial Thoughts: Interesting, but a slow book. I think this is going to get positioned as a romantasy, but it's really not. In many ways, it's an interior book asking questions about what it means to be powerful but be bound to the whims of someone else, what it means to use your power for harm and whether you can be forgiven, etc. It's a look inside the mind of older, powerful magic workers who do not fully own their actions. It was a third of the way through the book before I was particularly invested, however. The start is slow and has a lot of world building that ultimately seems irrrelevant. There are three magical, legendary animals who are also mostly irrelevant, which is weird. I enjoyed the book overall, and it's a bit different, but I think many people will be confused that it's not the romantasy they were expecting.
slow-paced