iamh is a seamstress who can sew emotions in fabric. When she's asked to make all the clothes for an upcoming royal wedding in a nearby kingdom, she knows that this opportunity will allow her to take care of her family. The groom, Kit Carmine, is immediately unlikable. He's harsh and unkind, and Niamh can't stand him, but after time, the two grow closer despite the fact that Kit will be married soon.

I loved Allison Saft's previous book set in this same world, A Far Wilder Magic, and I had such high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, I had a hard time with this book. For starters Niamh is unbelievably whiny and spends most of the book in a perpetual state of "woe is me." Kit is equally unlikable, treating Niamh like trash for too much of the book to bear. So if I didn't like both of the mains, who's left? A minor character? Not really. In the end, I decided that this just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

this had more romance than fantasy which i enjoyed. the writings was good and it felt very fast paced!

"A Fragile Enchantment" proved to be a delightful and rejuvenating literary experience for me. Prior to engaging with this book, I found myself in a considerable reading slump, yearning for narratives that would captivate my attention. This particular work successfully lifted me from my slump, demonstrating the power of a well-crafted story, even if the plot is straightforward and predictable, which, in this instance, did not diminish its entertainment value.

While acknowledging the book's categorization as Young Adult, where intricate plots may not be a prerequisite, I couldn't help but desire a slightly more nuanced narrative. Nevertheless, the book adeptly navigates themes of hypocrisy, loyalty, family, and duty, enriching the characters' depth and rendering them more authentic.

The intentional portrayal of hypocrisy among the characters added a layer of realism that I particularly appreciated. Niamh's self-sacrifice for family duty, the king's destructive actions driven by his sense of duty, and Kit's deliberate defiance of his obligations all contributed to a thought-provoking exploration of conflicting values. The evolving dynamics between Kit and Niamh, where their feelings and commitments underwent a significant reversal, added an intriguing dimension to the storyline.

However, I must express two notable reservations. Firstly, the characterization of Kit and Niamh as enemies seems somewhat misplaced, as Kit's behavior, though brash, did not necessarily equate to animosity. Niamh's initial misinterpretation of Kit's personality and distrust as hatred added complexity to their relationship, but the label of 'enemies' might be a stretch.

Secondly, Sinclair's conclusion felt unsatisfying, as he appeared to lack a genuinely happy ending. His actions, especially divulging his friend's private matters to the public, challenged the notion of unwavering loyalty. This departure from the proclaimed 'loyalty to a fault' was a narrative choice that I found discordant with Sinclair's character and the overall theme of the story.

Moreover, while "A Fragile Enchantment" provided a satisfying and enjoyable reading experience, it left me with a sense that there is untapped potential within the narrative. The characters and their intricate dynamics hinted at deeper layers waiting to be explored. Given the foundation laid by the book, I find myself hopeful for the prospect of it evolving into a series in the near future. Expanding on the existing themes and delving further into the complexities of the characters' lives could contribute to a richer and more immersive literary journey. This potential for expansion leaves me eagerly anticipating the possibility of future installments that may delve into uncharted territories, enriching the world and its characters even more. In doing so, the story could reach new heights and offer readers a more comprehensive and gratifying experience.

Picture Bridgerton with magical powers in this romantasy from Allison Saft. Niamh, the clumsy and blunt main character, is a magical seamstress who can imbue her fabulous outfits with feelings and special effects. Want to come across as confident to all who behold you in the magic dress? Or make people think of happy childhood memories when they see you? She can make that happen. Niamh is hired to make outfits for a royal wedding, and becomes immediately entangled in some politics and personal drama within the royal family. Not to mention she finds herself drawn to a prickly and handsome prince, Kit, who just happens to be the groom.

I think that the magical element in this book is unique and fun. I love the idea of magic combining with dressmaking, to where each garment can be custom tailored for you in looks and mood. The royals have some magical powers too. I didn't understand why Niamh's powers were slowly draining the life out of her while that didn't seem to be a problem for other characters. I appreciated how Niamh was so honest and straight forward throughout the entire book. I found it much harder to get to know Kit and look past his hostile personality, even when we delve deeper into his past and get to know why he is the way he is, it was still a bit off-putting. It almost seemed like there was no slow buildup to their romance, he went from being completely rude to Niamh to into her almost instantly. Almost like how Niamh arrives in the kingdom as a commoner, from a place that is scorned by many nobles, and is immediately in the middle of all the royal family's private and heated conversations. My favorite characters were Sinclair and Rosa, who both had the most personality in the book.

I thought this was a fun and quick read. It was very "opposites attract" romance with a sweet overall feel. There is a bit of spice but it's very tame, definitely geared towards YA. I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley for my opinions.

3.5 Stars rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC!

This was easily one of my 2024 books I was most excited for and it did not disappoint.

I loved the magic in the book… I wish there had been more but it was well written. Niamh’s enchantments were just fun to imagine. Kit’s magic was as well.

I felt like I lost some of the nuance in the world building— totally understanding the stakes for example— and even somewhat in the magic system. Though I think this was background to set the scene and not the main “point” of the book which was definitely the relationships. I really enjoyed the interplay in all the relationships and would have loved more of some of them!!

Overall it was incredibly enjoyable and a lovely palate cleanser with a little more oomph. Will definitely make sure I get to the rest of Saft’s backlist :)

This book was beautiful. It was whimsical and felt so magical like the way watching a fairytale movie for the first time felt. The characters were so well written and the world building/magic was so absolutely intriguing. Unfortunately this book falls under the SMP boycott and I stand in solidarity with my BIPOC and Palestinian friends and will not be leaving a review on this book or promoting it my friends/followers until SMP takes accountability for their employees and bigoted beliefs. Change must happen!

Holding my review until the SMP boycott is resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

Niamh has a gift for enchanting garments, and being hired to make outfits for the royal wedding seems like it could be her big break. Then she meets the handsome, brooding prince that is engaged to be wed and all bets are off!

This felt like a perfect blend of fantasy and romance. Kit and Niamh had wonderful banter and chemistry, and I was rooting for them to make it work despite all odds. The underlying tension of whether Jack was friend or foe made the stakes very high, and I couldn't put it down!

This book was written for you if:
1) You love a romantasy
2) You like when magic systems feel very quaint and possible
3) You like a brooding, magical mmc

I saw the offer to get this on NetGalley I jumped on it. I loved the author's previous work and I was excited to see where this could go.

This book was very very sweet and I'm not sure I loved it! I definitely liked it - and I did love all the side characters. I enjoyed the main two as well, and while I found their romance to be sweet it just... felt off? Something was definitely odd about it and how I certainly wanted a lot more from it, but instead, it was just good. Fine!

I'm sure this is a terrible review, but overall - I found the story interesting. I even enjoyed the world building, and the side characters, and their struggles. But I guess, I wanted more of that, and less of the romance? Even with the two main leads, I wanted to get more about them - it felt like we skimmed the surface and once they became besotted with each other, that aspect fell away.

Overall, I enjoyed it, and if you're looking for a book about beautiful outfits and and a sweet romance, this will definitely fit the bill.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a chance to read and review.

To be fair, 3 is a good rating from me- it means I was entertained and liked it- and if I could, I’d give this one 3.75 stars.
I am a sucker for some royalty romance and this was delightful. The writing was full of whimsy and I very much enjoyed the characters. I do recommend this tale if you too enjoy a crazy court with not one but two prickly prince brothers, magic and romance. 😂

Delightful! Allison Saft continues to be an auto-buy and auto-read author for me. I am not usually a fan of regency romances, and I think marketing this as similar to Bridgerton but with magic is a disservice to a book that is so much better and deeper than that. This brings me to my next point: I absolutely love the way Allison Saft explores heavier and more serious themes with nuance and respect, while also including enough humor and feel-good moments to give readers a break form the heaviness. The dynamic between our two main characters was so charming. The female main character will resonate with anyone who puts too much pressure on themselves and takes on m ore responsibility than they need to because they love so deeply. Our male main character was so grumpy in the funniest way - even when he tries to be nice, he's still grumpy - and getting to know him was so much fun. No one does character arcs, interpersonal relationships, and world building like Saft does, and I highly recommend all of her books.

This is my first book by this author. While I don’t read a lot of fantasy, I found this book to be a delightful read!

Allison Saft's work is...okay. Overall, I enjoyed the read, but I was left wanting more numerous times. I also felt like I had read this book before. Niamh Ó Conchobhair, the main character, is not given much depth. I constantly wanted to know more about her beyond a mystery illness and her drive to please her mother and grandmother. The supporting characters are alright, but again rather shallowly presented. The family and political drama unfold around Niamh, and all ends right with the world---
The setting was believable, the magic system mentioned but expected to just be accepted by readers, and the pace is a bit slow at times. All of these things together just mean that it took me a long time to get through this one, but this doesn't necessarily mean I didn't enjoy it.
If you like sweet, very Bridgerton-esque reads then this one is for you!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

What a sweet and captivating YA fantasy/romance! It has all the meat of an adult fantasy but with that touch of innocence that makes reading YA so delightful. Niamh (have no idea how to pronounce her name - in fact many terms are impossible to pronounce unless one is very well versed in what looks to be something Celtic) is a gifted seamstress who can sew emotions into her creations. This unique ability caught the eye of the crown prince and he has hired her to make the clothing for his younger brother’s wedding. She is thrilled because this opportunity could provide a way for her impoverished family to finally have some stability. The problem is, she is from a starving country that was conquered, then neglected by the very royal family who are requesting her services. Subsequently, she is a young woman with the weight of her world riding on her shoulders. This premise allows for more than a light-hearted, easy escape and gives the story much depth as we read.

Kit (Christopher) is the prince whose marriage is eminent. Sadly, it is a union he despises but is unable to get out of, making him surly at best, caustic at worst. So, when he sees the young Machlish woman who is tasked to make everyone beautiful, his ire and temper knows no bounds. As time progresses, however, both Kit and Niamh grow to understand each other more and a strong friendship is formed.

From this premise the story embarks on all kinds of twists and turns that keep the reader completely engrossed and turning the pages! There are secrets and deceptions galore while the characters unravel the reasons behind everything that is keeping Niamh’s people impoverished and why Kit’s marriage is so important. I did struggle with the big “betrayal” because there really shouldn’t have been one. The act was so small for Niamh that it seemed silly to cause such heartache and devastation because of it. Yet, all the final conflicts and climax revolve around it.

Still, the emotions and feelings behind the characters are so well written that any reader will undoubtably laugh, cry, and keep reading until that final page is turned. Then, cross their fingers in hopes another book in this fabulous world is in the making!

4.5⭐️, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

I’m holding my full review of this book until SMP addresses the boycott demands

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley for my honest review! Thank you Netgalley!

I so fully enjoyed this! The description says fantasy Bridgerton and it absolutely delivered! It so interesting and honestly it was a great ride! There is so much more political intrigue than Bridgerton and her magic is so interesting! This book was so fun and light compared to my normal fantasy reads! I adored these characters and honestly wish there would be more to be able to peek in to their lives again! I highly recommend it!!!

This was such a great read. I was just immediately pulled into this fantasy world. It felt very fairytale like, and I really liked the magic system. I thought it was so interesting, especially how it is tied to a craft at times, like with our main character. I thought it was quite different from anything I've read before, and I just thought it was incredibly interesting. I also liked how this book didn't really overexplain it. The magic just existed in this world, and I quite liked how that was done.
I also thought the plot was really well crafted. It is a more generic YA fantasy plot but I do think it was executed really well. The main focus of the book is the romance, and not the political intrigue, but I do like how it was incorperated into the story, and it felt very natural and real.
Of course, my favourite thing about this book was the romance. It was incredibly well developed. I loved seeing them slowly opening up to each other. They had a lot of really fun, light moments, but they also had a lot of really emotional moments where they get to open up to each other. I also really love how both of them put in such an effort to make sure the other person betters their life, even if it doesn't include themselves. I know, that might not make a whole lot of sense but I'm trying to phrase things without spoilers.
With the romance developement came also a lot of character developement. That's another element of this book I really enjoyed. I do wish it wasn't as closely tied into the romance. I just preffer it when character's want to change because they aren't happy with their lives, not just because the love interest alone sees they are not happy with their lives. Again, I do not know if that makes sense, but I hope you understand my point. However, I do really like the character growth both our main character and her love interest go through throughout this book. I really thought the characters were incredibly interesting and I loved learning more of that throughout the book. So yeah, I wasn't absolutely in love with this book but I did really, really enjoy it, and I highly recommend it.

This book is like wisteria. It grows slowly across a tree, undisturbed, and unmalleable. It’s beautiful to look at and forewarned not to plant near your home. For if you do, it weaves its way into any nook and cranny it can reach. That’s exactly what this story did to me. It crept up and enchanted me to the point where I could not stop smiling. Between Niamh’s soft sweet soul being similar to Cinderella’s sewing mice, to the bitter black coffee personality of Kit, these two fit perfectly together like buttons and their loops on a coat. 🥹 I loved the message of ending our constant sacrifice for those we love, and I highly recommend this one!

After reading the summary of this book, I was really excited to jump into a more cozy romantasy novel. And while the story was much quieter and less intense than the author’s previous novels, I enjoyed seeing a a softer side to her writing. It did feel like there were a lot of subplots going on throughout the story, with Niamh’s illness, Kit’s own demons, and a secret gossip columnist a la Bridgerton running amuck. Some of the plots had a beautiful arc but others seemed to fizzle out without much consequence to the main story. However, the main plot itself was beautiful and made for an exciting and addictive read.

Niamh was an exciting protagonist and I was grateful that the author didn’t alternative points of view in this novel, as I could see how it would have been tempting to do. Instead, we get to know the flawed love interest, Kit, through Niamh’s eyes which I think led me to love his character more than I would have otherwise. Niamh has her own faults as well, and I often said, “Ugh, Niamh, what are you doing?” while reading but I still found her to be lovable and fun.

One of the things this author does most beautifully in her writing is develop realistic and engaging worlds with touches of the real world in them. The plight and culture of Niamh’s home country, Macland, is strongly reminiscent of Ireland and Avaland, the neighboring kingdom she travels to seems to be inspired by England. The magic system weaved into this setting was fairly simplistic but I also haven’t read anything like it recently. It’s a cozy sort of fantasy that doesn’t require too much investment from the reader but still fills them with wonder.

A Fragile Enchantment is the third novel by Allison Saft and the third I’ve had to the pleasure to review. While I was initially surprised to find this story such a different change in tone from her first two dark, brooding stories, I came to enjoy the quiet and sweet style. This book is a great fit for lovers of Bridgerton or contemporary romances who just want a bit of fantasy to spice up their usual reads.

A Fragile Enchantment is magic, fantasy, and intrigue all rolled into one. Niamh is strong and incredibly likable. She doesn't let fear decide what is best for her or for Kit. Her fearlessness makes her an ideal heroine who is willing to fight for all that is good and worthwhile. The scandalous love story allows readers to hope that love will overcome even the most unlikely caste system.