I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover, which I think captures the mood of the book perfectly. I loved the magic system and how the different characters’ abilities were incorporated into the story. The story emphasizes the importance of family and friendship while also featuring a grumpy-sunshine forbidden romance. Although the main romance is MF, there is lots of queer representation, with gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters.

The story is told entirely from the perspective of Niamh, who is hired to design and sew wedding garments for a royal couple in a neighboring country because of her magical ability to imbue emotions into the garments she creates. Niamh is a commoner, clumsy, awkward, and impulsive, very much out of her element at court. Her choices sometimes disappointed me, but it was interesting to see her repeatedly get herself into trouble. She succeeds because of the strong relationships she forms with other members of the court, and I enjoyed getting to know these other characters.

I recommend this story to lovers of historical fantasy, fantasy romance, forbidden romance, grumpy-sunshine pairings, and fish out of water stories.

I received a free advanced review copy of the ebook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

Such a good read! Initially I expected a simple easy fairytale inspired read. However what I got was so much more. The characters and relationships were truly one of the best I’ve ever read. So many important topics were discussed while still managing to be in an entertaining book. The representation was a cherry on top. I will most definitely be buying a copy and recommending to my followers!

I just loved this book so much , I have been in a reading slump and this book took me out of it. I loved the story it reminded me of why I love fantasy romances so much 10/10

Bridgerton meets fantasy. I liked the magic element. The world building was decent. I just felt like too much happened with the conflict between lands. I realize it’s a take on British and Irish relations, but it just ….was distracting from the romance? Which I also kind of struggled with because it was so slow burn that by the time something happened it felt out of nowhere even though I knew it was coming. Maybe I’m the wrong audience because I see a ton of amazing reviews. Not to say this is bad - the writing was very nice. Just maybe not for me

3.5 stars

This book had all the things I like in a book and I enjoyed the writing, but it definitely fell flat for me after Down Comes the Night and A Far Wilder Magic, but it was enjoyable. I really liked the banter and characterization, but it was missing that special little something that Saft's previous books had. However, I would still recommend checking it out if you enjoyed Saft's other works or if you're a fan of the Bridgerton series.

This was delightful. Think Bridgerton, but with magic! The writing was great and the characters, each of them, were well developed and thought out. There was an array of sexualities represented in this, yet it didn’t feel forced. It felt natural, as it should be.

If I had one complaint, it would be that I didn’t get to experience enough longing from Kit’s perspective. The third-person POV was written favoring Naimh’s perspective and I did feel as if I were missing out on something with the lack of Kit’s perspective. I did love that he stayed true to character the entire book, and I loved how often he blushed! You don’t see that often with a MMC and I adored it.

Bottom line: this was a great book that I highly recommend!

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft was such a cozy story. This story described everything I love in a romantic fantasy. Romance, magic, tension, and enemies to lovers are the best stories. Of course, the characters were amazing too. Niamh and Kit were adorable and I wish there was more to their story because it wasn’t enough for me. Thank you once again NetGalley for giving the opportunity to experience more of Allison Saft’s writing. She has been turning into one of my favorite authors because her writing is truly captivating and magical.

What a world Allison Saft had woven! For fans of Bridgerton meets the YA series The Selection. I thought the plot was clever and the world Allison created very interesting. While I enjoyed the book, I do have to say there was quite a few draw backs for me. Although I normally love the same tropes and themes done in this book as it’s don’t it others, this just seems to not have been the book for me.

I struggled immensely connected to the main female character. There were times she was strong willed and other times that seem to be very contradictory to the back story that was written for her. I didn’t feel that we have enough of her back story and inner dialogue for me to feel like I truly knew and wanted to cheer for her. She seemed very wooed by court life and the possibility of being with someone she couldn’t have, that she quickly lost sight of her goals. I found it a little annoying than alluring in this circumstance. The world building felt a little sloppy at times.

Overall, I felt the book felt very YOUNG, more than young adult. There were things I enjoyed but overall was not something that I could readily recommend to my fellow friends and readers based on my experience. Thank you though for the advanced copy! I feel grateful to have gotten to read it!

“A Fragile Enchantment” was the perfect book delving into regency fantasy romance. The bickering and banter in here was filled with such longing and tension it was palpable. I often times was reminded of ‘bridgerton’ or ‘the buccaneers’ with the glitzy balls and blooming garden parties. This was magical, fantastical and filled with such beautiful emotion. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Allison Saft for providing this eARC!

✨ Book Review ✨

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5)

This book was so much fun to read and I’m glad I got to because I’ve never read anything from this author before!

If you want to read a book with royalty, the grumpy sunshine trope, a fun way to incorporate magic, and gut wrenching writing, this book might be for you!

The reason why I rated this 3.5 stars is because some of the dialogue felt a little off to me towards the beginning/middle of the book and I feel like a couple of things could have been fleshed out a bit more. Otherwise, this was a great read!

Niamh and Kit’s relationship is so interesting to follow along with and I’m so glad a person like Niamh was written because I see a lot of myself in her

Definitely check this book out if you haven’t yet!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest book review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Seamstress Niamh is determined to use her ancestral magic to create the most beautiful clothing possible to create a better life for her family - even if that magic is slowly killing her. When the opportunity to tailor the royal wedding of a neighboring kingdom is offered, she cannot refuse, despite the fact that the royal family is the same who oppressed her people and decimated her home. To make matters worse, the young prince-to-be-wed is violently opposed to cooperating with her. Suffice to say, Niamh has her work cut out for her.
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Happy pub day to this beautiful love story!!! I was honored to receive and ARC of A Fragile Enchantment (thank you NetGalley and author!!!!) and I could barely put it down. This story is YA Bridgerton - set in regency era, complete with a secret tattler publication and plenty of swoony ✨longing✨. What A Fragile Enchantment adds that is unique is a depth of theme and willingness to tackle difficult topics. Everything from cycles of hatred, parentification, reparations for past wrongs, to living with the burdens of expectations. I highly recommend this book if anything listed catches your interest!
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Content Warnings: alcohol abuse, language, sexual content, domestic abuse, verbal abuse, homophobia

thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC of this book!!

4.5/5⭐️!

this was my first Allison Saft book. and let me tell you… it was beyond good. im delighted to call myself an Allison Saft fan now.

a regency-inspired fantasy/romance, this story follows Niamh, a seamstress with the power to weave emotions into her pieces. she is commissioned by the prince regent of Avaland to create the clothing for his younger brother, Prince Kit’s wedding. of course, things get messy and a star-crossed romance blossoms.

Niamh truly is such a wonderfully written character. she is for the people pleasing girlies, for the older sisters, if you will. she and all the other main characters in this book were so easy to fall in love with. Salt’s writing is so descriptive and her imagery is gorgeous, something that i found especially important in having the clothing Niamh made come to life. i truly did not want to put this book down. i was enraptured from chapter one.

my only complaint with this book is that a few times it felt like some of the world building elements were just thrown in with minimal explanation. however, it usually wasn’t quite difficult to decipher these elements. just a bit confusing for a moment.

overall, this was a super fantastic read and such a lush, inspiring love story. couldn’t have wished to start off my new year with any other book. i will definitely be picking up the rest of Saft’s works!

This book was good just not for me. It immediately felt too YA and I didn’t connect with the main character. This didn’t feel as unique as I thought it would be.

A magical fairy tale that’s part folk lore, part Cinderella and part Rumpelstiltskin. You get whisked away into a magical place where dress are weaved with enchantments and princes control flowers . I really enjoyed this story and want more of Kit and Niamh story as well as the other characters

{3.5 stars}

I would say this one is Bridgerton meets This Woven Kingdom. It’s cute and fun but it’s your typical girl meets rake love story. I liked the magic. I liked the tension between the two main characters (although I didn’t really get why they were both queer but ended up in a heteronormative relationship - felt a little horned in, especially with the other queer characters). This is a perfect palate cleanser read between heavier stories.

Thanks to Wednesday Books for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.

happy pub day to a fragile enchantment! honesty temple, i am still in the middle of reading this one on netgalley, only because of a lack of time management on my part. it is absolutely delightful! the characterization is vivid, the magic subtle but distinct (and enriches rather than distracts from the plot), and the world building (inspired by regency era england) is detailed and expansive. it’s tracking to easily be at least a four star read for me… i can’t wait to finish it!

spoiler-free summary:

niamh (pronounced knee-ve) has a unique magical talent: she can weave memories and emotions into the fabric she sews. but the magic that runs through her veins is also slowly killing her. determined to provide for her family, she accepts a commission from the prince regent of avaland to be the tailor for the upcoming royal wedding of his brother, kit. much to her surprise, she finds him abrasive, rude, and entirely uninterested in his own wedding. on top of that, the working class of avaland - mostly hailing from niamh’s homeland of machland- are on the verge of revolution. despite his prickly nature, the chemistry between kit and niamh is undeniable — and soon catches the attention of the kingdom’s most notorious gossip columnist, who wants niamh to help unveil the royal family’s darkest secrets.
while listed as YA, I feel like it’s YA only in the sense that the characters are fairly young and the intimate scenes are closed door. i didn’t really know it was YA until looking up the genres for this review!

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is a young adult romantasy with a touch of magic. With an ode to Bridgerton series, there's a wonderful element of a gossip column as well.

Niamh is a tailor who has been commissioned to make wedding clothes of Kit a young prince. To add to the twist, there's underlying tension between the Prince Regent and Kit. There's also a tension brewing among the different provinces.

I enjoyed the magical aspects of this book, and the diverse side characters of this novel are wonderful. However, I wish that there was more world and character building. Even after finishing the book, I still am not sure of the magic system of Avaland, and I wanted to know more about Kit's perspective. It left me wanting for more. I might be in the smaller section of readers who are neutral about this book.

Thank you, the publisher and Netgalley, for this book.

“A Fragile Enchantment” 4/5 ⭐️

This was my first Allison Saft book, and wow! This book is so lovely. The setting and the magic are so whimsical.

About this book:
•Fantasy Romance 🤍
•Regency-inspired 🩰
•Prince MMC 🫅🏻
•Gossip, Scandal, and Politics 🗞️

I had so much fun being swept away into Niamh and Kit’s lives. During my reading, I became so attached to every single character. I’m so in love with all of them. 🥹 Also, the scandal and politics that comes with the royal family is so intriguing.

✨A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft✨

Niahm O’Connor leaves her home in Machland to serve as the tailor for the upcoming royal wedding between Prince Christopher and Infanta Rosa in Avaland. Niahm finds herself striking up an interesting friendship with the Prince, better known as Kit. As their paths become further intertwined, Niahm and Kit have to decide if their burgeoning relationship is worth the cost to their reputations and the crown.

Recommended if you enjoy: ✨ magical fantasy 🏰 palace intrigue 👗enchanted royal dressmaking 💘 forbidden romance 🤴grumpy princes

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy to read and review. All opinions are my own.

ARC Review ~ A Fragile Enchantment ~

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Allison Saft’s ARC of A Fragile Enchantment popped up on NetGalley between the beautiful cover and the description I couldn’t help but leap at the chance to check it out. I was honored to receive a copy.

The world Allison created is beautiful and messy in the best ways. Mixing political intrigue with a fascinating magical system. The FMC is a sweet and strong tailor trying to do the best by her family while the MMC is the epitome of a grumpy prince being forced to marry for the benefit of his country. They find a friend and eventually more in one another as they both find themselves entangled in the tenuous and fracturing relationships between the kingdoms of their realm

While the romance is great, I adored the side characters the most. They were intriguing and I couldn’t help but be invested in their characters just as much as the mains.

Features:
*Grumpy/Sunshine
*Political Intrigue
*LGBTQ Rep
*Chronic Illness rep
*Fun Magical System
*Dynamic characters

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for this ARC!