Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I've received an ARC of Saft's later 2024 release, so I'll be reading that, but at this time, that will probably be my last Allison Saft book. I can understand why people enjoy her books, so I'm not going to go into too much detail, but for me, this was not written/composed well in pretty much any way.

I felt like her writing was much, much weaker than it had been in her previous book, so much so that it read middle grade to me half the time. There were also countless tropes and cliches, which not everyone may mind, but the inclusion of the sassy gay best friend really irked me in particular. Every plot point of this novel was so predictable, which made it a lot less fun to read as well, because you knew the entire narrative from the start. The main character, Niamh, is such a nothing character. She's written to be a blank canvas for you to project yourself onto, it's clear. She's quirky, not-like-other-girls, oh-so-clumsy!!, overly naive and bubbly, hyper feminine, and really has no flaws or personality at all, making her extremely boring to read from. She also has an aspect of her character that is supposed to be a big twist but then is virtually forgotten about by the plot's end. What I <i>did</i> like was the character of Kit, but by the end, he seemed to lose a lot of his characterization as well and just fell into these flat tropes everyone was falling into.

I will also never understand why Saft makes such half-hearted attempts at her fantasy worlds. This was a problem I had with A Far Wilder Magic as well. When you barely change the names or details of groups, places, and historical events, so that any reader immediately knows what the real-world comparison is, it just feels incredibly heavy handed and pointless to me. She may as well just make the novels urban fantasy if this is all the world building she wants to do????

DNF at 36%. I'm bored and don't really care for any of the characters. I also can't get past Lovelace from The Tattler (Lovegood from The Quibbler).

This was a really cute romance! It was very slow burn for me which I’m not always a fan of. I did love the ending though! Kit was definitely my favorite character I loved his grumpiness and I loved the way his demeanor changes throughout the book and we learn more about him. Overall I really enjoyed it!

This entire book was a cup of royal magic with a touch of coziness that you'll find yourself completely submerged in. If you enjoy Bridgerton and books that give you butterflies, you will SWOON over this one. Niamh will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves, and Kit is the very definition of a prickly grump. I might just have not only a new favorite book couple, but favorite book, as well.

This was my first Allison Saft book but certainly won't be my last. Her writing is so rich and beautiful that you forget you're even reading; you're utterly transported into her story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this title.

Saft's prose continues to enchant. I adored the magic system in this book and Niamh is a wonderfully flawed and charming main character. Highly recommend.

This feels cozy and whimsical, like a true fairytale, it has vibes like Howl’s Moving Castle, Half Soul, and Jane Austen’s romances.

Niamh is a talented seamstress and also can stitch emotions and memories into the fabric; one day she receives an invitation to work at the royal wedding, this is an opportunity to earn fame, and money and help her family. But upon arriving at the palace, she will find a grumpy prince who is not interested in the wedding nor in making her job easier.

Niamh is a great main character, she is easy to love and understand, she wants the best for the family, and loves making unique clothes with what each client needs. All the cast, Niamh, Kit, Sinclair, Rosa, Jack, and Sofia are complex characters, and have their reasons for acting the way they do, they are smart and brave but also stubborn, I liked their character development, individually, and when they team up and talk. The romance was wholesome, but the friendship was lovely too.

I’m in love with the setting, living in a beautiful castle, wearing enchanted clothes, strolling through the gardens in bloom, and assisting in wonderful parties. It’s very charming and magical. The romance is a slow burn and sweet, kind of enemy to lovers, the story is more focused on romance, and although I love it, I would have liked it to develop a little more about the war and the differences between the two countries, the consequences of using magic, or what will happen with Avaland and his regent king, everything is mentioned but I think that in passing, even so, I enjoyed it a lot, and if you want a fantasy romance that is cute and a light-hearted and heartwarming love story, then this is for you.

Read it if you want:
Whimsical Setting
Regency Fairytale vibes
Magical Clothes and pretty gardens
Spring setting

My final read of 2023 was this little gem which releases tomorrow. A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is a standalone fantasy romance that reads like Bridgerton with a touch of magic. Niamh Ó Conchobhair is a commoner with divine blood, able to weave her magic into the fabrics she makes. She can make the wearer beautiful to those around them, provide comfort or create a shield all with the clothes she crafts. Her magic comes with a price though, her own health. So when she is asked to the royal dressmaker for the younger prince’s wedding, Niamh jumps at the chance to make her dreams a reality.

Niamh is an interesting character. I enjoyed being in her POV for the entirety of the story. Everything she experiences in the Avlish court is her first time just like the reader, making it easy to connect to her and empathize with her as she navigates her way through the prejudices of the court. Niamh’s honesty and innocence (for lack of better word) paves the way for her to create relationships with those around her. These new friendships come easily to her, all but one: Prince Christopher, or Kit to his friends and family.

Kit is not an easily likable character. He’s closed off, disagreeable, and bluntly honest which isn’t always a good thing. While you never have to wonder what he is thinking, his honesty is often unkind. Niamh, who is so likable that most who speak to her like her instantly, is unable to connect to Kit, who often antagonizes her and angers her. While their relationship is an enemy to lovers trope, I personally didn’t buy into it. The chemistry just wasn’t there for me.

Despite liking Niamh, I really struggled with this one. I wanted to like it. I was excited to pick it up and dove in with such high hopes that I was really disappointed when it failed to live up to my expectations. Niamh is really the only bright spot for me. The romance in this fantasy was blah, and the story itself dragged on much longer than it should have. By the time I reached the 70% mark, I found myself skimming to see how the story would end. I just was not invested in the characters, their story, or the romance.

Then there is the fantasy portion of the book. I’ve read and really enjoyed Saft’s other books so I was excited to see how she wove magic into this story. Unfortunately, it felt like an afterthought. While Niamh, Kit, and his brother Jack, all have divine blood, meaning they control some aspect of magic, it isn’t explained. There are no rules to this magical world. The Blight that is mentioned multiple times which affects Niamh’s homeland and was caused by the Avlish is never resolved or explained. Really disappointing.

Overall, A Fragile Enchantment was an okay read for me. I think this was truly a case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” The romance, the fantasy, and the story itself was just okay. I didn’t really love any of the characters. Niamh’s naïveté wore on me, and by the end of the book, I no longer believed her so called innocent act. The surprises and twists were predictable. The only bright spot of this story is the regency era setting as the Avlish court is inspired by British court. If you are a fan of fantasy romance, specifically regency era, you may enjoy it more than I did.

In A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker is hired to design and create the wedding wardrobe for a prince in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland. However, what was supposed to be a simple job is quickly complicated by scandal, political unrest, and Niamh’s attraction to the groom.

One thing Saft excels at is making each character feel like a fully developed individual, with their own personalities and mannerisms. All of the characters are motivated by their desire to protect and care for the ones they love, but each of them have unique ways of attempting to do so, which allows for their differences to shine. I loved the banter and playfulness in the dialogue with the side characters, especially Sinclair, Rosa, and Miriam. The dialogue itself is so realistic that it feels like you as the reader are right in the room with the characters, overhearing their conversation. There is also good LGBTQ, chronic pain, and (strongly implied) neurodivergent representation. I would add a content warning for homophobia for any future readers.

My main complaint is that I found it difficult to keep track of all of the different plot threads at times. The novel is extremely fast paced, and Saft drops you right into the action from the beginning. There is Niamh’s own work on weaving emotions into the garments, her desire to financially support her family, her attraction to and aggravation with Kit, her chronic illness, her investigation of the Crown Prince’s dealings, all over the backdrop of the protests of the Macklish workers and a politically-inflammatory gossip columnist. Overall, I enjoyed that Saft didn’t shy away from more complex topics or limit the plot to only the romance, but it was easy to lose the threads and get lost in the story, and I think the novel would have benefitted from having more focus.

While this isn’t my favorite book that Saft has written, I’m still a huge fan of her writing and am optimistic that I will like her upcoming novel, A Dark and Drowning Tide.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

𝙉𝙤 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨.

It’s been a while since a non-mm novel has grasped my attention so desperately I lost sleep because I just HAD to read more. Allison Saft is a phenomenal writer. Period. She weaves together tales of adventure and magic and romance, all while bringing to attention a variety of societal issues from class structure to sexual preference to expectations.

Niamh is a seamstress with the ability to enchant emotions into her fabric. She’s summoned to another kingdom to tailor the wedding of the youngest prince and his bride. Upon arriving, Niamh is introduced to the angry prince, Kit, and thrust into a world of political upheaval and secrets, all while navigating an illness and developing feelings for the surly man who is being forced to wed.

Vivid. The setting and pacing and descriptions are so colorful and detailed the only word to describe it is vivid. I could feel the warmth and chill. I could sense the turmoil and mystery. Niamh was an absolute delightful character with a perfect balance of vulnerability and backbone. And the side characters just added to the story so fluidly. I adored Rosa and Mariam and Sinclair the most. Wonderful additions.

“𝑰𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎?”
“𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒅𝒂𝒘𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕.”

And oh my, the romance was so well paced and swoon-worthy. It was passionate and electric and so beautiful. I can already tell you this will be one of my favorite reads of 2024!

𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: January 2, 2024
𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚. 𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮.

Romantic fiction is not my forté. Yet I fell in love with Saft’s tender, emotional writing in A Far Wilder Magic, so I was eager to enjoy more of it in A Fragile Enchantment.

Like the Bridgerton series, A Fragile Enchantment tells the forbidden love story of a prince and a working-class girl. Main character Niamh is devoted to her tight-knit family and her small village as well as her rare magical ability to evoke visceral emotions and memories from the clothing she designs. She is very practical in taking advantage of work opportunities despite her disagreement with the aristocracy’s politics, but she is also refreshingly imaginative, seeing the kindness in everyone and holding tight to her own dreams.

I love that there is no black-and-white sense of good and evil in this fantasy. Saft does not shy from themes of loneliness, disenfranchisement, and trauma, but every side character—from Princess Rosa, the prince’s arranged match, to Jack, a young ruler trying to keep his country afloat—is depicted sympathetically. Although romance remains the central force in this novel, it does not overwhelm other plot points but rather permeates and lightens them.

I would have liked more details regarding the magic system. There are mentions of the Fair Ones, magical lineages, and related religious beliefs, but I wasn’t able to get a cohesive picture of it all. None of this detracted from the story, though they could have made the regency-style world of A Fragile Enchantment even more immersive.

I was immediately intrigued by this book because the synopsis made it sound like Bridgerton meets magic. Niamh Ó Conchobhair is a seamstress from Machland who has been called to create the wardrobe for Avaland's prince Kit Carmine's wedding. Niamh can weave enchantments into her clothes in the form of emotions or memories. I really enjoyed Saft's writing style in this book. I feel like Saft really gets the Bridgerton vibes while also developing a world where magic is involved. I do wish there was more back story on how magic came to be in this world, but overall the world building was done well for a lighter fantasy read. The inclusion of the Machlish and Avlish conflict was good to add to the overall plot of the story and I loved the Lovelace pamphlets. I feel like it gave extra depth to the story in addition to the romance as the central plot.

The romance in this book was really well done! I was rooting for Niamh and Kit's romance the entire time. Kit was perfectly broody and I felt that Niamh really balances him out and calls him out when he was being difficult. The regency romance vibes were well developed and I enjoyed reading their story. The ensemble characters; Sinclair, Rosa, Miriam, and even Jack and Sophia added so much to the story. I loved the friendships portrayed in this book and the sibling dynamic was also interesting.

I do wish that there was some more resolution to the non-romance aspects of the book. Specifically, I was hoping for more from Lovelace and the Machlish/Avlish conflict. Overall though, it was a light fantasy read. I enjoyed the book and will definitely be looking forward to more from Saft!

2.5 stars, rounded up

This book had a lot of creative potential! Unfortunately, as it progressed, I grew increasingly (dis)enchanted with it.

Long story short, I really disliked the characters, esp. the FMC. Her inner monologue and her choices were so frustrating! I'm all for an unlikable female character, but Niamh was something else entirely and it grated on me for nearly the entire book. Also, Kit is mostly terrible, as is the rest of the cast. Except Sofia. Sofia rules.

But more seriously, I think this book had a really unique concept, but ended up trying to do TOO much, leaving many parts of it underdeveloped. I wanted more about the enchanted sewing! The complicated history of the kingdoms! And the synopsis talks about "an anonymous columnist [who] starts buzzing about [Niamh's & Kit's] chemistry," and I felt like that was not nearly as a big a plotline as the description indicates. It just felt like a shallow, rambling mess most of the time, which was a bummer because I really liked Saft's last book.

Not a winner for me!

But an extra half star for the "damn you" (exasperatedly fond) line that reminded me of The Artful Dodger, my favorite recent obsession.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT is out 1/2!

Starting off 2024 with a lyrical and beautiful fantasy novel. I would describe Allison Saft's writing as "fantasy for beginners" -- its whimsical and pretty and manages to feel like a warm hug.

Niamh is a dressmaker who has the ability to weave enchantments into the threads of her designs, making them not only visually stunning but giving her the ability to evoke certain emotions in the wearer. She receives the career opportunity of a lifetime when she is asked to design the prince's clothing for his wedding season, just what she needs to put herself on the map and open her own business to support her family. But once she arrives at court, she realizes it is in trouble -- with the prince's older brother Jack micromanaging every single detail and the prince himself, Kit, being a thorny and unwelcoming brute. As she gets closer to Kit she begins to fall for his warmer interior -- but everyone has noticed their growing attachment and it has put his wedding at risk. Both of them have to decide what comes first -- their sense of duty or their desire for happiness.

Charming and enjoyable to read, this is a great "fantasy light" book for anyone who wants just a touch of magic in their read.

The author has definitely made her mark with standalone romantasies and after enjoying both her previous books, I couldn’t miss this one. And it gave me the happy vibes I wanted for the beginning of the year.

This book is more on cozy fantasy side than the author’s previous books and it was fun to follow along. The writing is mostly joyful and breezy to get through, the magic just barely present in the periphery but showing up at opportune moments, friendships and found families that have my whole heart, and a story about the burden of carrying forward legacies. It’s fast paced, with not much twists or turns, and while it can be called slightly predictable, that didn’t take away from the enjoyment.

Niamh is trying her best so that her family legacy is carried forward and her mom and grandmother have a better life, even if it means she has to work for the prince of a technically, enemy country. But she is not cynical, wears her heart and compassion on her sleeve, and brings joy to everyone around her. Kit on the other hand is prickly and annoying, but we see him thaw once their friendship begins to blossom. Sinclair is a cheeky charmer who has more on his mind that no one could guess, Miriam is a delight, and Rosa may seem poised and unaffected but will do anything for the person she loves. All five of them make for a great group to follow along and I loved how each had their own dynamics and how it all resolved towards the end.

Overall, it’s a very enjoyable romance with a dash of fantasy elements. The vibes are mostly happy throughout, with some tension in the background, but that never overtakes the happiness of the storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to an ARC of this book!
I THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading this! In this charming book a magical seamstress and a grumpy prince grow closer as his wedding nears and the civil unrest of their kingdom grows. I adored the dynamic of the characters in this book and the supporting characters had some extremely clever one liners that had me giggling. The only thing I would like to note for avid romantasy readers is that this is YA and some of the more ‘spicy’ scenes are fade to black. However, the tension and dynamic certainly bridge that gap. Definitely give this one a shot!

4.5
Somehow, I got approved to read this on Netgalley.
While I expected to enjoy it based on the description, I didn't expect to absolutely love it as much as I did! (Books like this can sometimes be very formulaic, which can be enjoyable too, but only when I'm in a certain mood)
The world building was very well done; the basis on the Ireland-England tension was extremely interesting and not something I've seen much of, as well as the focus on what it means to actually be a monarch, and the responsibilities that comes with, which is overlooked morst of the time in books like these beyond the casual "I care about my people" from the prince/ess. While the ending was predictable, it still felt interesting the entire time.
There also seemed to be some a basis on the Beauty and the Beast storyline, but I'm not sure if that was intentional.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

4.25/5*

Allison Saft’s books are always so beautifully and lyrically written; there’s something so comfortable about reading her stories. A Fragile Enchantment did not disappoint in this regard—more than anything else, this was just a lovely read.

My main complaint really changed throughout the book. For the first while, Kit and Niamh really frustrated me. They fit into character archetypes I’m frankly just over seeing ever time I open a YA fantasy, and their initial dynamic is what seems to be the standard for the genre these days. I wanted something different from what I’m used to, and I didn’t get it. But then they grew on me—while they’re still never the most original characters or relationship, there’s something so endearing about Niamh as the story goes on. Some conflicts frustrated me, but generally speaking there ends up being something so fairytale-esque about the characters and the romance.

One constant dislike was Jack. From his introduction, I found him untrustworthy and cowardly. Throughout the story, he has countless chances to grow and simply never does. Even when Kit forces his hand in the final act, there’s never any impression that he’s changed at all. As such, Kit and Jack’s relationship could be very unbelievable; I love the complicated sibling dynamic, but Jack never acts positively towards Kit, and we’re simply told that their relationship has improved or is more intricate than their interactions imply.

Overall, this was such a lovely book, even with its flaws. It sucked me in more than anything else I’ve read in months, and it delivers on the aspects you’d expect from an Allison Saft book.

I really loved this! Quite honestly, a lot more than I expected. I was so drawn to the cover when I first saw it. If you’re looking for a story with forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, gossip, intrigue, and a touch of magic this will definitely be for you. Here and there I struggled with the pacing of the book but I breezed through and enjoyed it all the way through. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy of the book this month. I will gladly be picking up more of the authors books💙

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the eArc!

DNF at 44%

I was so excited for this book, but it was a miss for me. The characters felt too whimsical for the situation, and the magic and chronic fatigue (illness?) wasn’t explained at all.

3.5 stars

After reading A Far Wilder Magic, I was super eager to read more Allison Saft. I had really enjoyed that book, so I was glad I already had this as an ARC ready to go. Although it was still good overall, I just wasn’t as into the concept (specifically the romance) as I was for AFWM.

I loved the way that Saft uses real life culture, locations, politics, etc. and created fantasy world with them just as she did in AFWM. I love regency romance, and I loved the idea of the fantasy version of the regency world. The world building was very interesting and though it took me a bit to have to stop looking up people and place names (which always happens with fantasy novels), I enjoyed that part of the book. I also felt that the writing in this book was very beautiful, especially the way the surroundings and Niamh’s designs were described. It was very well written.

There was a great group of side characters in this. Sometimes I wanted to get more of them than Kit and Niamh. I even think I would’ve liked reading a book about the side romance between Rosa and Miriam more. I found their dramatic love confession and storyline more enjoyable than what Niamh and Kit had going on.

I really loved the first half of the book, but felt that as plot threads kept getting added on(and the romance developed far too quickly) I started to enjoy it less. Then everything wrapped up so easily and quickly, and the ending felt rushed. It just wasn’t believable that all of these complex issues could be worked out so quickly. Both with the political stuff and with the romance. Some stuff was just unresolved and it didn’t feel intentionally open, more so just skipped over.

Mainly, I just couldn’t get over the fact that they were apparently this deeply in love and literally a month and a half. This is not third grade!! I’m not an insta love girl at all, but I can tolerate it a bit more if it’s at least a slow burn, which this definitely wasn’t. That’s fine for some people, but it just wasn’t believable to me that they would both be so reckless and even willing to take so many risks. And it felt especially crazy that Niamh fell for Kit so fast when you consider that he’s a member of the royal family that represents so much oppression to her people.

In this end, I think this book just wasn’t for me. I’m rounding it up to 4 stars because pretty much all of my complaints are subjective. If you’re someone who likes forbidden romance, insta love, and enemies to lovers (all of which aren’t exactly what I consider tropes in the world), then you’re the person this is for. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would, even knowing that the concept wasn’t going to be my favorite thing. I am 100% going to be reading Saft’s other books though, and I’m looking forward to her next novel (which is Jewish fantasy <3)!