Never the Roses

This is a romantic and magical story that pleasantly surprised me once it found its rhythm.The story follows Oneira, who has recently retired from serving her queen and is now restless and craving something new. When she remembers that her longtime nemesis, Stearanos Stormbreaker, has a vast library, she travels through the Dream realm to sneak in and steal one of his books on the cultivation of a rare rose. Stearanos wakes up, discovers the theft, and leaves a note—knowing this mysterious intruder will return. What follows is a clever and captivating game between two powerful sorcerers trying to outwit each other… and perhaps fall in love along the way.I’ll be honest—the first part of the book (about 40%) is quite slow. It focuses heavily on Oneira’s inner thoughts, her day-to-day life after retirement, and her magical creature companions. While beautifully written, it takes time to get into the core of the story.But once it does? It’s incredibly charming and emotionally rich. The banter between Oneira and Stearanos is delightful. Their dynamic is both clever and tender, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. I especially enjoyed watching Oneira—stubborn and guarded—slowly recognize her feelings. Stearanos, despite his grumpy exterior, is surprisingly romantic and kind. Their relationship feels like a slow-burn, emotionally complex love story that leans into themes of longing and bittersweet connection. It even had hints of a forbidden or tragic romance, which added depth and intensity.There’s also a larger backdrop involving political unrest and the threat of war, but the main focus stays on the evolving relationship between these two powerful figures. The world-building was intriguing, and I found myself wanting to explore more of the magic system, the gods and goddesses mentioned, and the different creatures introduced. While this is definitely more of a fantasy romance than a romance fantasy, the fantasy elements were still compelling and left me wanting more stories from this world.Overall, if you’re a fan of slow-burn romance with witty banter, rich emotion, and a touch of magic, this is absolutely worth reading. The beginning requires a bit of patience, but the payoff is a beautifully written, romantic tale that lingers with you long after the final page.

“How scandalized her former handlers would be to know she planned to use such a lethal weapon for gardening.”Overall, I enjoyed this slow-burn romance that deals with ideas of freedom, choice, and consent. I really like the concept of The Dream as a separate plane that has grown up out of everyone’s dreams over the course of centuries. I also liked how magic works slightly differently for different magic users. Oneira tends to think “big picture” and often acts on impulse, which goes well with the fluid nature of dreams. Meanwhile, Stearanos’s brain is so fixated on order, logic, and numbers, that his magic embodies that mindset and operates accordingly.I’ll be honest, it took me a while to warm up to this book. The first few chapters depict Oneira at the beginning of her self-imposed exile. She is not in a great headspace in that moment and the narrative reflects that—this section is choppy, flits around in time, and has a dreamlike feel. I found this section confusing and difficult to follow. I believe this was done on purpose to show just how damaged Oneira is at that time. For me, the story picked up when Oneira decided to raid the library (a.k.a. when she finally began to heal). I loved the low-stakes cat-and-mouse nature of Oneira and Stearanos’s early interactions. I also appreciated the way their connection slowly grew into something more.Romance Steam Rating: Gentle Simmer [2 out of 5] (Blurred Background/Limited Detail)

I was immediately swept away into the dreamy, evocative, fairytale feeling of this book. Oneira's exhaustion and despair after a lifetime of war-mongering came through clearly, and her choice to isolate from all living things made so much sense. I loved watching her come into her new life slowly as she began speaking to Stearanos, but all along, I felt a sense of creeping dread. The atmosphere of the book is so well done, bringing the reader along a bittersweet journey with the two main characters.

This is a quiet, emotionally layered romantasy that pairs lyrical prose with a gorgeously slow-burn rivals-to-lovers romance.Oneira’s journey gave me major Yennefer from The Witcher vibes. She goes from being unwanted and overlooked to exploited for the power she holds. Her arc is one of survival and quiet strength, as she slowly reclaims her agency, learns to forgive herself, and lets someone unexpected into the carefully built solitude around her heart.The romance builds slowly through a series of flirty and witty exchanges with her supposed enemy, a rival sorcerer with charm, secrets, and surprising softness. It’s tense, intimate, and beautifully earned.The audiobook narration was excellent. Chloe Campbell and Shane East brought so much life and chemistry to the story. Their performances during the back-and-forth correspondence were some of my favorite parts, it’s equal parts flirtation, challenge, and growing vulnerability. Rabid bunny anyone?This isn’t a fast-paced fantasy, but it’s rich with emotion, quiet magic, and character-driven storytelling. Perfect for anyone who loves introspective fantasy with heart and healing. The ending leaves just enough to hint at more to come for Oneira and Em. I’ll be waiting (somewhat patiently) for what comes next🤞Tropes:⚔️❤️ Rivals-to-Lovers🔥⏳ Slow burn💌📜 Secret identity🫶🏽🏠 Found Family💔➡️💖 Emotional healing & forgiveness👑📚 Court politics🐈‍⬛🐺🦜 Adorable magical animal companions

“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.