3.5 stars

I loved the premise, the entire world building and the tension between the Macklish people and the kingdom of Avaland. This started so well, but towards the end a lot of things were happening all at once.

I was hoping to get more background on the history of the two countries and more about the magic system in this world. There wasn't much character development and the plot seemed unfocused and rushed.

I loved the first encounter between Niamh and Kit. I saw so much chemistry between them, but I thought they developed feelings for each other too fast. There wasn't enough moments between them leading up to their eventual romance so it did feel too insta-love for me. I also wish we got more out of the side characters. I would've loved to learn more about Rosa, Miriam, and Sofia. They seemed so fascinating!

All that said, this was still an enjoyable read! I loved the characters, all of the magic and the Regency Era vibes this gave me. I will definitely be reading Allison's other books!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just wrapped up "A Fragile Enchantment" by Allison Saft, and let me tell you, it's a hidden gem! Saft's storytelling is pure magic, drawing you into a world where enchantment meets real emotion. The characters are beautifully crafted, and their journeys had me hooked from start to finish. The way Saft weaves fantasy seamlessly into the fabric of everyday life is nothing short of brilliant. It's the kind of book that lingers in your thoughts, leaving you with that warm, fuzzy feeling. If you're into heartfelt stories with a touch of magic, this one's a winner. Highly recommend!

This was an absolute delight. This was very reminiscent of bridgerton make it fantasy edition and I loved every second. It was truly so captivating, with a writing style quite unlike anything I’ve read so far and politics that were positively riveting, leaving me wanting more. Allison Saft is a true master at her craft and the romance was just as swoonworthy as the rest of her story. 100 percent recommend!

Allison Saft has blessed us with a hopelessly romantic YA fantasy inspired by Bridgerton, brimming with queer representation and the sacrifices we make for the ones we love.

A Fragile Enchantment follows a young Niamh (pronounced Neev) who travels to Avaland to tailor the wedding attire of prince Kit Carmine. Niamh is thrilled with this opportunity to earn a living in Avaland and be able to provide for her mother and grandmother, even if the rocky past between Avaland and Machland leaves her family less than happy with her decision.

Kit Carmine is a rose surrounded by thorns. His father's abuse and the loss of his mother pushed him to alcohol abuse until he was sent away by his older brother years ago. Now back at court for his own engagement, Kit cannot help but feel like a pawn in whatever games his brother is playing.

The unlikely friendship that blossoms between Niamh and Kit, along with Infanta Rosa (Kit's fiancée), Miriam, and Sinclair is so delightfully playful that you sometimes forget the unfortunate political landscape.

Like with Bridgerton, you get delightfully snarky commentary from an anonymous columnist who not only knows all the juicy details of the season, but is an activist for the Machlish.

I adored Niamh's character growth, and that her chronic illness remains with her even though there is mention of the potential for healers to better control her symptoms. Too many times, it feels as though fantasy settings erase chronic conditions because of magic, but Allison Saft does an excellent job of portraying Niamh's exhaustion and perseverance.

I enjoyed the central romance a lot, but I felt that the pacing was inconsistent— the story either dragged or happened too quickly. In addition, while I thought there was a good variety of side characters, there were so many that I felt we didn’t learn enough about some of them despite their supposed importance to the plot. However, the two main characters were fleshed out extremely well.

I will post my review once St. Martin's Press addresses the racist and Islamophobic author. No backlash to the author of this book, it is simply due to the ongoing boycott of the publishing company.

This book was whimsical and amazing at best and downright irritating at the worst. I fell in love with the main character Niamh because she was of course quirky and cute and fragile which at times was the reason why I couldn’t stand her as a character. But she had a lot more depth than that. I was pulled in from the very first sentence in this book and I did not want to put it down. I kept wanting to find out more and more on Niamh and her special magic powers that she spun into her clothes. I feel like the author could have gone a little more into the storyline of their magic and how they obtain it because it was a little flat but still interesting. I would definitely recommend this book if your looking for a whimsical romance with a touch of fantasy woven in there.
Thank you #netgalley for the early copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Whimsical and witty, A Fragile Enchantment is a delightful blend of historical romance and fantasy. Fans of Bridgerton and Margaret Rogerson will love this book.

If you read Once Upon a Broken Heart and fell for Evangeline Fox, prepare to fall in love again when you meet Niamh. Niamh is a hopeless romantic who is also loyal to a fault. Determined to make a better life for her family, Niamh travels to the capital to become the royal tailor for the prince’s upcoming wedding. Only she doesn’t expect to fall for the prince—especially not after how prickly and rude he was when they met.

A Fragile Enchantment swept me off my feet. The characters are instantly lovable. Watching Niamh and Kit slowly become friends before falling in love with each other was beautiful. They each bloomed like the flowers Kit tends to in his garden. Kit and Niamh pushed each other to grow and fight for the life they want.

I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun, magical, romantic read set in a fantasy version of regency England.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review this book.
A Fragile Enchantment is a cozy delectable regency Fantasy novel. It follows Niamh Ó Conchobhair who is commissioned by the Prince Regent to design a wedding outfit for the youngest prince named Kit and his bride to be. Niamh has magic that allows her to stich memories and emotions into whatever she is crafting. Niamh comes from a country called Machland which was mistreated horribly but the country of the two princes called Avaland. In Avaland tensions are high. Reputations are ruined due to secrets being reveled. During the high political tension, romantic tensions begins.
I found this novel to be a breath of fresh air. I was delighted to read about the representation of chronic illness and addiction. The magic system was unequally beautiful. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone.

So this novel is perfect for fans of:
. Fantasy
. Regency Romance
. Forbidden Romance
. Grumpy x Sunshine

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is one of the best books I have read this year. I was hooked from the start joining Niamh’s journey to Avaland. Reminiscent of Irelead and England, I was swept away to the mystical land of Avaland. One of my favorite things about this book was that it was so magical, but it did not contain typical magic. I won’t spoil what some of the magical powers are, but they go beyond shape shifting and mind reading (don’t worry- neither of those are in this book). Kit captivated me from the start, and to see him and Niamh grow closer and closer as the story progressed was just as magical as the character’s magic itself. I thoroughly enjoyed this book- from the background and premise, to the characters, to the setting all the way to the plot and the development of the story. This was the first Allison Saft book I have read but will not be the last.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book and a chance to review it. #NetGalley

Oh my goodness, I really loved this book! I was a huge fan of Saft's debut, but this book has captured my heart in even more than her first! Highly recommend!

Niamh (Neev) Conchobhair is from Machland. She has divine blood and her magic is creating outfits with special enchantments. Special memories and emotions. But as she uses her magic it's slowly killing her. The prince regent from Avaland commissions her to create the royal wedding garments in Avaland. This is a chance of a lifetime for Niamh and her family. She boards a boat and discovers so much beauty and heartache for the working class.

Not my usual genre but this book captivated me. Romance and magic. I loved it. I had to know what was going to happen to Niamh & Kit. The author does a fantastic job weaving magic into a new world. As the story progressed I kept thinking about the video game Fable. The two princes the older one and the younger one. I really loved all the magic and figuring out what the secret. I'm so excited to read more from this author and more fantasy.

OH MY HEART. What a wonderful story this was. I haven’t read a historical fantasy romance in awhile and this one was just perfect.

The magic system, the characters, the banter, the atmosphere, all of it was beautiful. I loved this book so darn much that I have no doubt it’ll stay with me forever. This is the perfect read for anyone who loves historical romance with a little bit of magic sprinkled in there. This beauty releases on January 2nd so make sure you check it out!

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the e-arc!

I went into this book already a fan of Saft’s work and expecting to enjoy this one too - which I absolutely did! The romance was as amazing as I’ve come to expect from this author, the atmosphere was lush, and the writing was both beautiful and digestible. It was like a combination of Bridgerton season 2, Half A Soul, and The Beautiful Ones.

Overall, it was a beautiful, romantic, vivid tale that I would highly recommend, that will leave readers swooning and smiling.

"Nothing is guaranteed, Niamh. We all die. You and I are dying right now, but we're also alive. Love is what makes life worth living. Love is what makes us act when we most need to That's what your legacy is. It's how you love the people around you, not how much you've sacrificed for them."

A Fragile Enchantment focuses on a regency England-inspired world and a whimsical cast of characters with themes of found family and love, in all the different forms it comes in. Niamh, a magical seamstress from Machland (heavily inspired by Ireland), is invited to Avaland to create a wardrobe for the royal wedding. Kit, the second son of the King, is getting married and is a bit surly about it... His mood certainly isn't helped when a gossip columnist starts spreading rumors about Niamh and Kit's chemistry!

I absolutely loved this book and seriously cannot wait to read more of Allison Saft's books; I may have just found a new favorite author! The front cover of this book is also absolutely gorgeous!

The writing was astonishingly beautiful, descriptive and provocative; you truly feel what the characters are feeling, and the descriptions of the environment and the clothing and especially the EMOTIONS just blew me away. I cannot wait to read more of Saft's books purely because of the writing style and prose.

This cast of characters is absolutely my favorite. Every single character has such a different personality, but for some reason they all fit together beautifully. The banter is top-notch, the relationship between each of the characters is so genuine, and the LGBTQ+ diversity in this story is top-notch. "Love conquers all" was the beautiful message that this book really celebrated, love in every form, platonic, familial, and romantic.

The character development was fantastic, extremely believable and just in time for the ending to turn out in the best way possible. The plot progressed at exactly the right pace, with exactly the right amount of tension and anticipation for what is coming next.

If you liked Bridgerton but wanted more fantasy and magical elements, this book is for absolutely for you! If you like fantasy romance and beautifully descriptive writing, please pick this book up!

*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This book sang to my inner child that drew fashion designs during school. I loved the universe and the world that Saft created. I was skeptical initially, as I do not normally read regency era works. However, it worked brilliantly for me in "A Fragile Enchantment". I believe this is in part due to the wonderful fantasy world that has been built.
I want Saft to write more books in this world, exploring the universe more in-depth.

I also loved the book because of the lead, Niamh. There is something so special about a protagonist who is not over powered. She has her own strength and power in her ability to wield magic into clothes. She is relatable and lovely. She is protagonist that you do not grow tired of.

I think that this book has something for everyone: a swoon-worthy and forbidden romance, a whimsical fantasy system, a regency setting, queer and chronic-illness representation, and a very engaging plot!

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

Thank you to Wednesday books and Netgalley for the gifted eARC.

Bridgerton meets fantasy with a dash of magic for good measure. I was really excited for this one, I saw Ava Reid promoting it and I got excited.

I can forgive when a character stumbles / knocks into something once. But when it becomes one of their personality traits I lose interest pretty quick. I think with in the first three chapters Niamh bumped / walked into / tripped over things four times. I really dislike the clumsy awe struck girls in books.

I thought the class division and the lore of this book was interesting. I feel like there needed to be more of it, or have it removed. With what was offered it didn’t feel like enough.

I liked her magic, it was something I personally hadn’t seen before and found refreshing. Weaving emotions / feelings into clothing was pretty neat.

Niamh and Kit got together quickly and it didn’t feel like a powerful enough event happened to bring them together and for Kit not to continue to dislike her? It just felt a little off. Maybe it just happened too quick? Them together / their interactions were not my fav. Overall this book was a miss for me.

This book has such a beautiful cover. It immediately drew me in and made me want to read this book without even knowing what it was about. Unfortunately, the story didn't quite live up to the whimsical, gorgeous cover.

Nothing much...happens in this one. The plot centers around court politics and Niamh sewing wedding clothes for the prince and his betrothed. Then the romance develops, and the plot centers around that. Sometimes that really works for me in fantasy, but I couldn't bring myself to truly care about Niamh and all the other characters. I wanted more intrigue, more high stakes, more tension to balance out the coziness of the romance. I ended up speed-reading most of the second half of the book, and I feel like I didn't miss anything major.

I think this book was just more cozy than I was expecting, so it didn't work for me. But I can see how others would love this book! This is my second "meh" book by Allison Saft, so I don't think she's the author for me.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 2
Character Development: 3
Overall: 3

Thank you, Wednesday Books, for the arc!
Releases Jan 2, 2024

Trigger/Content Warnings: parent death, abandonment, and cruelty recounted; smoking and drinking; swearing; one fade to black scene

A Fragile Enchantment is like if Bridgerton and a magical fairy tale had a cute little book baby. Niamh is a magical seamstress commissioned by the royal family of Avaland to design a wedding wardrobe. The groom, Kit, is the grump to her sunshine, but as Niamh spends more time with him, she discovers the layers that lay beneath his prickly (but very attractive) surface.

The beginning of this story enchanted me, as the magical elements were introduced, but as the plot progressed and more political and fantastical elements were introduced, I found myself losing interest. Niamh is an endearing and well-formed main character. I think you will enjoy this book if you like:
- grumpy/sunshine
- forbidden romance
- themes of sacrifice and family
- exploration of class systems in a fictional society
- political manipulations
- a lovely fantasy world filled with magic

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an ARC to review! All opinions are my own.

This was so beautiful, the writing was lush and immersive, and I will definitely be looking into more of Allison Saft’s work!