I wanted to love this but just didn't. Some of the plot points felt inconsistent, I didn't find myself rooting for any of the characters, and I felt like the open door scene wasn't age appropriate for a YA romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for my complimentary e-arc of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Alison Saft did not disappoint.

This story is a fantasy historical fiction about a world with wide social disparities, and a girl with a magical gift is plucked from her impoverished island to sew magical clothing for the royal family. I loved the unique ways she used her gifts and the magical world Saft built. There is a enemies-to-lovers plot here, with some betrayal by friends. You could feel Niamh uncertainty as she tries to identify friends and enemies within court politics.

this was very slow for me. i liked the whole slow burn/forbidden love plus the magical aspects but it felt a little longer than it needed to be. i wish it had really kept me on my toes, i honestly kept reading because I wanted to know who Lovelace was, but once I found out I didn't really want to keep reading.

I really enjoyed this book. The atmosphere of it was enjoyable and it drew me in very quickly. I wish there was a little bit more in terms of the magic system as well as the political tension between the different countries. Other then that, the romance was incredible, specifically the forbidden romance aspect of it, which is why I originally wanted to read the book, aside from the fact that it is Allison Saft who wrote it. I love a good regency setting and once you add a magic system to it, it makes it even better.

Niamh is a magical dressmaker who has been commissioned to design the wedding attire for the upcoming royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom. Immediately, she dislikes Kit, the groom and prince set to wed. But as she gets to know him, the two start falling for one another. This felt like Bridgerton in a fantasy world, which should have been right up my alley. But the world building didn't feel complete. There were too many unanswered questions and it just fell flat for me. That being said, it will probably circulate well at our library and we will be purchasing it.

Bridgerton but add Magic? Sign me up! I was thrilled to receive A Fragile Enchantment as an advanced copy. Also that cover??? Absolutely stunninggggggg.

I started A Fragile Enchantment probably a week-ish ago, and the first opening didn’t wow me right away. However, I was intrigued enough to continue and I am SO glad that I did! It has been on my mind almost constantly the past few days. Once I got to about the 25% point I was hooked.

The story follows Niamh, a gifted seamstress from Machland, on her journey to tailor the royal wedding in the neighboring country of Avaland. Upon arriving at the castle and meeting the prince she finds herself immediately attracted to him and then just as quickly being told off by him. Niamh finds herself in over her head in Avaland, between navigating court life, politics, and having to deal with Kit, the thorny groom.

The story features a chronically ill MC, LGBTQ+ found family and relationships, forbidden romance, and a really fun magic system!

Also the romance in this is Top Tier. Like. So good. Allison Saft has a way with writing romance so full of pining and romantic tension that is just. My favorite. Chef’s kiss.

I am highly recommending this book to uh, everyone around me that ever interacts with me so we can talk about it. And if you have anything bad to say about it, then it’s not for me. This is my second book by Allison Saft that I’ve read (the first one was A Far Wilder Magic) and after these two, I will read everything by her. If Allison Saft has 1000 fans I am one of them. If she has 1 fan, it is me. If she has 0 fans, I am dead.
Read this book. 🙂

5 Stars.

A Fragile Enchantment was an enjoyable novel that gave me some good cozy romantasy vibes. I loved all the details regarding Niamh's clothes, and the magically induced feelings they evoked. I also enjoyed Niamh and Kit as a couple. I think where I lost focus was whenever any of the political aspects of the story came to the forefront. It just didn't provide the strong conflicts I needed to make me care. All in all, I give this book 3/5 stars. A Fragile Enchantment is worth the read, but I wish it was a bit more complex.

I received an advanced digital and audio copy. All thoughts are my own.

To me, this felt a lot like Bridgerton set in a fantasy world and with higher stakes. So of course I loved it! The whole cast of characters are fantastic. I found them very believable and easy to root for.

And I loved the progression of the romance between the two main characters. They start out pretty hostile to each other and even as they start to feel more for each other, some of that tension remains and they push each other to grow and be better versions of themselves.

The magic system was interesting but not complex, so I think it'll be really accessible to non-fantasy readers. And it's a standalone, which is always nice. As a fantasy reader, I really love a good standalone to break up all the series I seem to always be reading.

I would love to review this if and When SMP announces what they are doing about their racist employee.

Thank you until that happens. I will not be submitted reviews under Wednesday Books.

Allison Saft is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and "A Fragile Enchantment" further proves it.

In this tale of fantasy and romance, we follow Niamh, a seamstress (who kind of reminded me of Sofie from Howls Moving Castle) who gets called to the Castle to make the outfits for the Prince and his fiancé. As Niamh quickly unravels the true intentions of the marriage and the political maneuver, Kit, the Prince's brother, gets pulled into the whole mess. With banter, enemies to lovers, and a wonderfully delightful grumpy to sunshine trope, Kit and Niamh are absolutely captivating to read about.

Saft flawlessly weaves in topics of mental health as well as the push and pull of relationships throughout a politically enchanting atmosphere and the complexities of groups being portrayed as "insignificant." While I'm not the biggest fan of political intrique, this book was beautifully written and kept me hooked.

Endless gratitude to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this enchanting tale in exchange for my honest opinion.

Allison Saft is absolutely becoming one of my favorite authors. This book is magical, beautifully written, and will stick with me for a long time. Highly recommend for this for those who love a low fantasy/beautiful romance. Each character feels fully developed with their own motivations and trauma and the story was entertaining the entire time.

This cover is just so pretty. I enjoyed the story with the court politics and forbidden romance. Niamh is such an awesome character. She is the sunshine to Kit's grump. I love their magic it's so cool. I would love to read more in this world. Like a book about one of the side characters. That would be so fun! Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

A Fragile Enchantment is a Regency Era romantasy. The main character, Niamh, is a divine-blooded woman who is able to stitch enchantments into clothing. She made a name for herself on her home land of Machland for being a talented seamstress, and because of this, she was asked to make the wardrobe for the upcoming royal wedding in Avaland, which her country had separated from years prior after being oppressed. Hoping to provide a better life for her family, she accepts the offer. When she arrives in Avaland, it isn’t at all what she expects, as she is thrust into a world of political unrest, scandals, and secrets.

Kit, the groom-to-be, is being used as a political pawn by his brother and is willing to sabotage his own happiness and go through with the wedding under the guise of duty. The relationship between him and Niamh is full of angst and is very much grumpy x sunshine. 

I really enjoyed this book at the beginning, but I felt like it dragged on at times and that the author reiterated things about Niamh that we already established (how short she is, how clumsy she is, how desperately she needs this job for her family). 

If you're a fan of Bridgerton, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance, and LGBTQIA+ characters, then I recommend you give this book a try.

You only have to look at the cover to know if this is a book you're going to love. (Spoiler alert: you are)

I've read both of the author's previous books, but I have to say, I think A Fragile Enchantment is their best book yet! Right away the story feels whimsical and cozy, with a fascinating and unique magic system. The world borrows heavily from our real world, with Niamh's country resembling Ireland and Kit's country seemingly modeled after Great Britain, but I enjoyed the way Saft made the world feel new and fresh as well. The romance between Niamh and Kit was the perfect grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers that we all love, and I was eating it up! I can't wait to get my finished copy in a couple of days.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Allison’s writing is truly exceptional and unique: she forms sentences that are flowery, imaginative and beautifully sews emotions into the plot.
We follow Niamh, a chronically ill girl, from a divine bloodline carrying a unique magic: embroidering emotions into the garments she makes. We follow her days navigating through court life, while getting to know herself and learning that she deserves to love and live life not wasting it, she can accept to be loved as well.
She soon establishes friendships and befriends the prickly groom, Kit, who is at first all thorns, but turns out he has just built a steady fort around himself to protect his own feels.
Of course, life at court, the nearing wedding stirs up some gossip and the secret columnist, Lovelace strikes: Niamh and Kit in center.

I absolutely loved how whimsical and dreamy the whole setting was and I especially grew fond off the characters (the funny five I call them) and felt connected to their hardships and struggles. I especially saw so much of myself in Niamh’s viewpoint.🥹

Read it for:
🌹 regency setting
🧵 feels like a ghibli movie
✨ forbidden romance
🌹 grumpy x sunshine
🧵 unique magic powers
✨ in need of a good cry🫶🏻

Spice level: 1.5/3🌶️ kissing and half open door scene

Easy 5 stars, this book had me hooked from the first page. The vibes were in on point and I adored this story! Will definitely be reading more of Saft’s books.
Thank you Netgalley for the eArc

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, Allison Saft, and Fran Burgoyne for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of A Fragile Enchantment.

Saft does it again! Her stand-alone novels are diverse amongst her own writing and are always full of magic, mystery, and romance. So far, her debut, Down Comes the Night, is my favorite work of hers, with A Fragile Enchantment a close second, as A Far Wilder Magic should not be shunned.

Niamh is cursed with a special magic, one that will bring her to her death sooner, rather than later. She has the ability to stitch memories and emotions into fabric. She can even sway the viewer of one's wardrobe, depending on how she plays the threads. Considered to be from the working class and viewed as lesser, Niamh is invited to design a wardrobe for a royal wedding. Taking the offer means a sooner demise and ridicule from the nobles surrounding her, but stability for her family and their well-being.

Enter Kit, the second prince, engaged to be married. As royal weddings go, it is neither party's ideal choice, rather one of political advantage. Tasked with designing Kit's wedding outfit, Niamh finds Kit to be abrasive and standoffish. But the more time they spend together, the more she sees it's a front, and they start to get to know each other in a way Niamh did not expect.

Despite the looming wedding, the two take risks that could ruin everything for Kit's reputation. When a local gossip columnist starts writing about their actions when together, Niamh will do anything to find out who the anonymous writer is and save Kit's reputation, all for the sake of a romance she never expected possible.

Yet another beautifully crafted novel that is alluring and impossible to put down. Shoutout to the narrator, Fran Burgoyne, for bringing Niamh to life with a fun accent and adding to the Regency feel of the fantasy setting. A must-read for lovers of young adult romance. With Saft's craft for excellent romantic circumstances, I am more than trilled to see what her next novel, A Dark and Drowning Tide, will bring.

**ARC provided by NetGalley for honest review**

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft was a pleasant surprise for the most part. After DNF-ing Saft's previous work, I was a bit hesitant picking this one up, bit the premise sounded intriguing enough to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did. This story follows a poor girl who gets invited to the royal capital for her skills as a magical seamstress and all of the politics, classism, drama, and romance she inevitably gets entangled up with.

I loved all the characters in this novel, I thought they were all so interesting and varied, they really helped flesh out this world. The worldbuilding and magic in this story was also super fascinating, it just hooked me from the start. Even the romance, while a bit tropey, cheered my heart throughout this read.

The problems for me mostly came in the last chunk of this story. While I predicted pretty much every major plot point a mile away, I was still having a great time until the ending. I'm not sure if it was me, or if the author dug herself a hole so deep it was too hard to get out of or what, but the conclusion seemed to drag and drag and when it finally finished it all just seemed way too easy.

**SPOILERS** Like, oh sure, I'll totally go away and not start a war with you after you cancelled my daughter's wedding last minute. Oh yeah, the kingdom's broke, but we don't have to fix that right now. Lemme talk to these protesters and everything will be fine. **END SPOILERS**

I guess so many problems were built up throughout the story that the way they were resolved so quickly just felt a bit cheap and unsatisfying to me. But, overall, I still liked this one way better than the last and will probably continue to pick up this author's work.

Bridgerton but make it fantasy! I enjoyed this world a lot, as well as Niamh and Kit’s enemies to lovers ~journey~ but it took some time to really grab my attention. If the political intrigue had hit a bit earlier in the story I think it would have had me hooked much earlier.

A Fragile Enchantment follows Niamh who is selected to design the official wardrobe of the upcoming royal wedding. The opportunity to be part of a major event promises Niamh and her family a better life, so why would she not be eager? The problem: the groom. Kit is picky and indecisive, and he makes it REALLY hard to like him.

Something about this book did not hit. I just feel like it was a slow start for me.