A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is the second book i've reas by this author and, sadly, this one wasn't for me.
What i felt didn't work for me mostly was the pace. It's excruciatingly slow with nothing happening for pages on end. A Far Wilder Magic felt mysterious, magical, even scary at times which only made me wanna read it more. this book just felt like a filler i guess.
The main character, Niamh, fell flat for me and Kit was just a meanie. All the characters felt like they were satire, too much at all times.
The magic system isn't explained properly and sometimes that works in a book but here it just made the story feel incomplete. I DNFed this book at around 50% - it just wasn't for me.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me, and I have to move it to my DNF shelf. I thought the premise to be really interesting: working magic into clothes, and that was what I enjoyed best. I thought that the way Saft writes magic was really intriguing and beautiful.

However, I couldn't help but find the writing to be a bit scattered, and it didn't pull me in. At times reading felt like an effort, moving too slowly. To me, a romance book needs to be like a bowl of soup, it is easy to go down and comforting . Unfortunately, this book was not.

I also couldn't find myself caring about the two main characters-- I found Niamh to be childish and undeveloped, and found Kit to be downright unlikable. I also didn't really feel the "regency" in regency romance--such as in other regency fantasy romances I have read like The Midnight Bargain or Half a Soul. It just felt like any regular fantasy magical world.

This was my first go at ARC, and really wanted to give it my best effort, but it just wasn't doing it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this earc

Sadly I didn’t love this book. Where did it go wrong? I think it was trying to do too many things at once. For example, the political plot line. It fell flat. The whole plot was set on two brothers not talking to each other. One conversation and the wedding could have been avoided completely and they could have asked their neighbors for help just like they did by the end of the book.

Next thing, Niamh having this sickness from her magic but not really explained or resolved. She’s still making magical dresses by the end of the story.

This story definitely needed more world building and magic system building and just pretty much plot building.

I feel like this book could have been so much better. But was just missing too many little pieces

A big Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic arc!
A Fragile Engagement is a cozy fantasy with great character development, and a lovely magic system.
I absolutely love the world building, and the way that the cultures of the world are portrayed. I really liked the protagonist, and the way that the story moved. I hope to see more of this world in sequels!!

At first I was super intrigued and into the magic system of this book and was looking forward to see more of that. But at 54% of the way the magic hasn’t really been explained beyond enchanted dresses. I find the plot was kind of slow and I just didn’t care about any of the characters and wasn’t reaching for this.

It could definitely be a case of right book wrong time and maybe I’ll end up finishing it in the future.

In this stand alone regency fantasy romance we follow a single pov of Niamh and she’s a dress maker with a gift to enchant the outfits she makes. She gets invited to the royal wedding, of her people’s nemesis, to make outfits for the season for the prince who is getting married. Little does she know that his attitude is going to ruin any chance she has at a comfortable work environment in their palace. Slowly they get to know each other and is the prince actually caring in his own way? At least with her he is, his bride to be on the other hand is only for political gain. I really enjoyed the magic in this world, it was unique with some people having power with divine blood while others didn’t. I also really enjoyed all the political aspects of the royal court and you get to see a good amount of it in this book. I thought this was a rather cute romance as well. I would recommend this if you looking for :
✨ regency time period
✨fantasy world with magic
✨ enemies to lovers
✨grumpy / sunshine
✨ commoner x royalty 🖤
✨court politics
✨croquet matches

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance (closed door)
Regency inspired fantasy

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has a gift. She’s a dressmaker who can weave emotions into her clothing, creating magical masterpieces that transcend the ordinary. When the Prince Regent invites her from her native Machland to the royal palace in Avaland to serve as tailor for a wedding wardrobe to his younger brother Prince Christopher Carmine, she jumps at the chance to make not only a name for herself but to send money back to her family. Kit Carmine isn’t what she expected - he’s surly and crass, and absolutely wants nothing to do with a wedding or his bride or even his tailor - but Niamh wants to see beneath his thorns (figurative and magical) to his true character underneath.

This was an absolutely charming and utterly sweet book with fairy tale vibes. It’s a standalone book that borrows from Regency England for a baseline worldbuilding. The political landscape is familiar, with Ireland (Machland), England (Avaland), and Spain (Castilia), and the exploitation of the lower classes and in particular the Machlish servants who have been carrying the oppression and poverty caused by a Blight brought on by Kit’s father, the Mad King. Saft is able to give us a light-touch magic system - those with magic have distinct powers - that feels wholly relevant to character development and plot.

A Fragile Enchantment is YA only in the sense that the characters are on the younger side and in the perfect simplicity of the prose. The inner monologues feel age appropriate but not immature, and the overall plot kept me - distinctly not a YA reader - engaged. Allison Saft’s writing style is gentle and moving. She also brings charming and delightful LGBTQ+ representation: both main characters are bi, and there are other queer characters throughout, both touched by scandal and transcending it.
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I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Allison Saft is the QUEEN of yearning. No one is doing it better than her. This is the kind of romance that dreams are made of. Very loosely reminds me of pride and prejudice in a few scenes (iykyk)

AFE is marketed as an ensemble cast, and Saft delivers wholeheartedly. I would die for every last one of these characters.

(The following not on Goodreads)
I have one small grammatical note.
In chapter 21, there is the sentence “Begrudgingly, she handed it to him. He traded her the one was wearing.” I think we are missing a “he” there.

After I read A Far Wilder Magic, I knew I would probably love everything else Allison Saft has or ever will write. This book did not disappoint in the slightest! I am now thoroughly obsessed with Kit and Niamh. Their story was dreamy and gorgeously-written, grounded in relatable themes and a full cast of flawed and wonderful characters. I can't wait for this one to hit shelves in January!

4 stars.

If this book had an alternative name it would be: The Obonoxious Prince and the Royal Dressmaker.

A thousand thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
If I wasn't a fan of Allison Saft before this, I came out of it being one. Reading this felt like stepping into my own fairytale. Not the popular ones but the ones that are often forgotten right after you close the book, it's magic safely tucked between the pages and your memories—the fairytales that live vividly in your dreams. This book created a personal kind of safe heaven that we can easily fall into and pretend to twirl around the stars with our prince charming just for one day. 'A Fragile Thread of Enchantment' was a soft fantasy/comfort read—by the fireplace, under the blanket kind of read. Every last thread that held the book together was enchanted.

Read if you like: (even if you don't, give it a try)
Rags to riches story with a magical twist
Bridgerton inspired setting
Royal x commoner
Grumpy rebellious prince x the sunshine sweetheart who always gets in trouble
He hates everyone but her
Forbidden romance
Enemies to friends to lovers
Anonymous scandal sheet and the mystery person behind it

Magic is gone from the world, only a few families are left with divine blood flowing through their veins. Niamh Ó Conchobhair comes from a line of skilled craftsmen; she can stitch enchantments on fabric and turn it into something of dreams. Her gowns helped maidens secure the attention of hundreds of suitors and turned normal girls into noble ladies. Her prestige as a dressmaker earned her an invitation from the prince regent of Avaland to work her magic on the youngest prince's wedding. Despite having a history of ongoing unrest between her people and Avaland, she feels obligated to give her family a better future and a comfortable life. The magic she weaves into fabrics is the same that chips away at her life; she's running out of time and the royal wedding is her biggest opportunity.

Niamh is sweet, responsible and kind to a fault, a bit clumsy at best but she knows how to pick herself up. She is naive and nice like all the fairytale girls are. She forgets and forgives easily and makes others around her feel comfortable. She's a little self-destructive as she goes; she gives and gives until there's nothing left of her to give. She is often mistreated at court for her heritage; however soft-hearted she is, she doesn't let others see her hardships, she'd smile away for them and cry when she's all alone by herself.

I liked Niamh but at times I couldn't help questioning her choices. In fact, I didn't expect her to get so involved in the brother's conflicts and state affairs. The involvement went only so far and thank god, her ideas are the worst.

Kit was opening up to her about his issues, how his father imposed horrible punishments on him, how he watched his mother die, immense public pressure and expectations that come along with his title, driving him to seek comfort in alcohol that resulted in him losing hold over his magic and hurting the people closest to him. All she said was 'Okay, I understand' and proceeded to copy-paste the same words he used to comfort her a minute ago.

She came off way too desperate. She asked him to stay with her one time, he refused. Two times, three times—that's enough rejection to last a lifetime but did she listen? No. She chased him down to the end of his wedding alter, almost costing him his life until he finally gave up and said, 'Okay fine, I'm yours'. The annoying thing was, she kept denying her intentions; she had a default answer on the run: 'Oh, I'm not doing it for me. I'm doing it for them' like girl, are you even hearing yourself?! Seft respect gone where?

I know I said I was okay with her clumsiness but oh my god! It was way too much. When she was asked why she trips over thin air all the time, she said it's not her fault, ghosts push her around? As if she wasn't a pushover enough. What?!

Prince who hates nobility, hates royalty and hates fashion.
If the kingdom of Avaland is the storehouse of gossip and scandal sheets, Kit Carmine is the scandal himself. He is ill-tempered, also self-destructive (and they say perfect match doesn't exist). The more he loves someone, the more he pushes them away. He goes by the principle that if they want to talk about something, he'll give them something to talk about. He has been banished from court for a long time for his irresponsibility and lack of control. Now he is to be wed to a foreign princess as a sign of friendship between both their countries on the persistence of his brother, the prince regent, which he wants no part of.

The friendship between Kit and Niamh won me over in no time; it was interesting since at first, they both silently vowed to criticize each other to death if possible. The holding hands, lingering glances, everything. I'd still say I liked them better as friends. Their friendship overpowered their budding romantic connection. That doesn't mean I didn't wish Kit to bring a little grovelling to the table or at least show equal desperation to pursue Niamh instead of leaving her to do all the chasing. I don't know but his 'too cool for love' act was actually too much.

This book is very magical, very atmospheric and I liked it a lot although the storyline was faulty at times.

The fact that I stayed up until after 1am, running on 3 hrs of sleep to finish this, should speak for itself.

It was a slow start, and I definitely prefer the audio format, but once I got the Bridgerton vibe, I was hooked!

Well, that was a lovely frivolous romance. It’s a YA, enemies to lovers, bad-prince-gets-good-girl, Bridgerton meets the Royals meets Irish history meets a modern lgbtq sensibility with a liiiiiitle bit of magic thrown in. I enjoyed it tremendously…It was also totally unrealistic and a bit tropey, but done in such a way that I honestly still really enjoyed it.

One thing I thought was brilliant was the very REAL history of the Irish Potato Famine and its legacy. Just like the Avlish, the English forced the Irish (Machlish) to export all the food they grew - to the point that the only thing left was potatoes. When the potatoes blighted, millions of Irish died of starvation while the food they grew was exported out of the country to England. And while the Machlish have their independence, the Irish haven’t gained it (or reparations) even today. I appreciated the history of that being interwoven into this otherwise lovely wish-fulfillment fantasy romance.

I enjoyed it a lot. If you need a little book candy (and you don’t mind…um kind of subpar dialogue but AMAZING descriptions) then this book is for you! Enjoy!

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books! Posted to Goodreads.

I really enjoyed reading this! It has such magical, whimsical, and beautiful writing that really brings the world and its characters to life. It was fun and romantic and full of so many perfect Regency moments (duels, rain-soaked confessions!!!) I loved Niamh and Kit and I loved all of the other supporting characters and the way they interacted. The romance, political intrigue, and magic all tied in well to create a lovely story.

I have grown to love Allison Saft and her soft, heartwarming stories that are filled with deeper messages of love, acceptance, loyalty, and sacrifice. She is now an auto-buy author for me.

I had a friend say that Saft writes books that are so atmospheric and she builds such an intricate world. My friend is right. Sadly, that's not at all important to me in a book. I love a fantasy that is faster paced and filled with characters and plot that I want to see moving forward. This was just slower and more detailed than I prefer.

I walked into this enchanting story completely blind but compelled by the stunning cover. I was transported into what felt like Bridgerton, imbued with magical bloodlines and whimsical elements. The world building was done beautifully with the most addictive descriptions. I fell in love with these characters and enjoyed watching their relationships unfold. This was my first and certainly not my last read by Allison Saft.

Read this if you're a fan of:
♡super slow-burn romance
♡forbidden love
♡Bridgerton sprinkled with magic
♡easy to follow fantasy world building/unique magic system

A big thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the chance to read this charming story ♡

A Fragile Enchantment has a super interesting premise and magic system. It is a low stakes, cozy kind of story.

I thought this was a bit slow to start and I had trouble with the romance. It was a little too insta-love for me. I couldn’t really connect to the characters and felt the MMC was a little bit of a red flag. He couldn’t really control his emotions and put poor Niamh through a lot. Even though she immediately forgave him once he looked deep into her eyes.

Overall it was cute, but for a romance, it didn’t have that swoon-worthy aspect that you would expect. There were also a lot of side plots in this. I wish there were a little less and we got a bit better of a conclusion to those stories.

This was nothing short of absolutely delightful. If you want a world to truly escape into, READ THIS! wow wow wow. I don't typically much for Young Adult / New Adult stories but this was a pleasant surprise - If you are at all a fan of Rachel Griffin, the writing style and story style I think are similar and would definitely recommend.
4.25 stars - loved!

A really fast and feel-good read. A Fragile Enchantment is a cozy and romantic fantasy standalone with a happy ending and a call to justice and equality. I really enjoyed this one.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Fragile Enchantment is a beautifully written historical fantasy romance full of learning to accept oneself and learning when it's okay to be a little selfish. Niamh is a young woman striving to give her family a better life, despite their poor conditions following the Avaland's greed when they stripped them of the majority of their resources. She accepts a job from the Prince Regent to design the wardrobe for the second Prince's (Kit) wedding. Despite his prickly nature, Niamh starts to grow closer to Kit whilst an anonymous columnist grows closer to uncovering hidden royal secrets and scandals.

We follow a former alcoholic whose current vice is self-loathing and a woman determined to set her family up for success while on suspected limited time, all the while not allowing herself to truly live. This setup is perfect for a self-love journey for both main characters, and I loved it to pieces (self-love journeys are an all-time favorite trope of mine).

The writing is delectable for the most part, with the exception that sometimes the characters seemed to speak with more modern phrases randomly within the historical context/dialogue. Sometimes, it was a bit awkward.

The court scandals, emotions, and the tension between our characters were all excellently done. I felt for both the main characters and loved their growth. The ending felt a little rushed through, I would've loved for my time to be in between the climax and the resolution of how the MCs relationship turned out so that it could be savored more after all that tension build up and slow burn.

I see why Saft is such a popular author, and I'm interested in reading more from her. Saft's writing style alone could draw me into a story.

Another fabulous book from Alison Saft!

A Fragile Enchantment follows a magical seamstress as she discovers intrigue and love at the palace.

The best part of this author’s writing is her deep characters. I loved how strong they were and how much I could feel every one of them. The examination of their personal wounds and intricacies was exquisite. I was rooting for them the entire time!

I also loved the romantic tension and build up, as well as the fun ending.

I would highly recommend this book to all YA fantasy readers!

TikTok review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8a81eYW/