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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
This story offered an unexpected take on fantasy that really stood out to me. It follows Oneira, a battle-worn sorceress who’s chosen to step away from war and spend her remaining years in peaceful solitude. I enjoyed being immersed in her quiet world and meeting her magical companions, as well as witnessing the growing relationship between her and Stearanos. While the ending wasn’t exactly what I’d hoped for, the overarching theme of forgiveness and striving to become a better version of yourself was beautifully done.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A sorceress with magic based on her dreams. An interesting and unique magic system premise. Tired of war and fighting, Oneira is isolating herself away with her animal friends, books and dreams. There are times when the story does get a bit slow but never enough to make me want to stop or loose interest. About 60% in the story picks up. I enjoyed the dark and gloomy atmosphere they story evokes and I understood Oneira want to withdraw from the world.
This is nothing like the Romantasy’s that are popular right now. So if you are looking for fast paced, enemies to lovers or spicy forbidden love tropes, this books will disappoint. For me that is what I enjoyed about this book, the lack of the typical Romantasy tropes. Or should I say the the subdued nature of it. This story has a wealth of potential. I would have loved more info on the dream magic system. Over I enjoyed the story.
slow-paced
What a sweet story of redemption and love! It’s a slow pace and reads like a cozy book- but it’s not quite a cozy fantasy. Oneira is a dread sorceress who has finally bought her freedom. She sequesters herself away from all the kingdoms, growing her food and making fuzzy (and deadly) animal companions. She becomes bored and, on a whim, steals a book from the library of her enemy: Stearanos. He is a sorcerer of a rival kingdom. He immediately notices the missing book and through a series of missives a tentative relationship between the two forms.
There’s just the right amount of world building. The way Oneira’s magic is based on the dream world is fascinating. The freaking romance is precious.
One of the characters struck me as unbelievable, if not an annoying plot device. The book is fully character based, so the plot is a bit lacking. But ugh, the depth of the main characters is fabulous. I did NOT expect the ending. It left me in tears.
I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved it. Both narrators did a fantastic job. Their voices were quite soothing.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy.
There’s just the right amount of world building. The way Oneira’s magic is based on the dream world is fascinating. The freaking romance is precious.
One of the characters struck me as unbelievable, if not an annoying plot device. The book is fully character based, so the plot is a bit lacking. But ugh, the depth of the main characters is fabulous. I did NOT expect the ending. It left me in tears.
I listened to the audiobook and absolutely loved it. Both narrators did a fantastic job. Their voices were quite soothing.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy.
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
This was a beautiful story! It starts with Oneira paying off her debt to the queen (through one last act of destruction that still haunts her) and disappearing into the wilds for retirement away from everyone. And after that, what is a dream sorcerer supposed to do? It is a quiet start, peaceful, as Oneira figures out what she wants, tries new hobbies, and collects new friend animals (very powerful in their own right). Some people would think this was slow but it is so peaceful to listen to. Things do perk up when, following a dream/whim to find a question, she ends up in the fabulous library of her equal in power, Stearanos. I absolutely loved their notes back and forth! So cheeky and good for lots of laughs! It builds up from there with the two sorcerers figuring out a way to work together, learning that they (broken and damaged from years of fighting for their kings and queens who hold their bonds) can complete each other. I love their relationship! It started with roses and witty banter but ended up so much more!
Besides being a love story, which was good in its own right, it was also about finding forgiveness for the destruction Oneira caused in her long career as a sorcerer and Stearanos finding a way out of his own debt. There are sweet times, but also hard decisions by both of them and a beautiful ending with a touch of hope amid the heartbreak that just wrecked me! It was very well done though and I loved this book.
The narrators did a wonderful job in bringing Oneira and Stearanos to life in that world of magic, dreams, and roses that changed everything and allowed the two sorcerers to find what was needed to mend a broken heart. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to get lost in this land and I really would not mind seeing more books in this world!
Besides being a love story, which was good in its own right, it was also about finding forgiveness for the destruction Oneira caused in her long career as a sorcerer and Stearanos finding a way out of his own debt. There are sweet times, but also hard decisions by both of them and a beautiful ending with a touch of hope amid the heartbreak that just wrecked me! It was very well done though and I loved this book.
The narrators did a wonderful job in bringing Oneira and Stearanos to life in that world of magic, dreams, and roses that changed everything and allowed the two sorcerers to find what was needed to mend a broken heart. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to get lost in this land and I really would not mind seeing more books in this world!
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