I was really hoping to like this. The cover is gorgeous, the synopsis sounded amazing, but I was left disappointed.

First off, I really struggle with books where I have to read about 1/3 of it before it gets interesting.

I found I could never really care about the couple. I wanted more magic.

Overall, the writing isn’t terrible, but the story drags and I never could care about anything. Parts of it felt like fantasy stories I’ve read before

A Fragile Enchantment is a spellbinding story that takes place in a Regency England-inspired fantasy world where love, magic, court intrigue, and scandal intertwine. From the very first page, I was immersed in the story, which follows Niamh Ó Conchobhair, a magical dressmaker with a unique ability to infuse emotions and memories into her work, though this very gift is also the source of her impending doom.

When Niamh agrees to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the kingdom of Avaland, it propels her into a world she’s never known, and it gives her the opportunity to help her family. However, Avaland turns out to be far from the fairytale she imagined, with social unrest brewing, and a reluctant groom, Kit Carmine, who is being used as a political pawn. Niamh won my heart with her unwavering determination to secure a better future for her family and her unflappable drive. She’s a fantastic protagonist!

Niamh’s magical talent is fascinating, and I love the scenes where others experience her magic, especially the brooding Kit Carmine. Ugh, I adore him so much!! Kit appears prickly and abrasive at first, and it’s clear he’s unhappy with his situation. His reluctant journey to the altar reveals so much about his character, his honor, and his sense of duty. I couldn’t help but root for him throughout the story because underneath his curmudgeonly demeanor is a deep and complex and likable man who is very different than he professes to be. And his magical ability is amazing! It’s totally the one I’d want to have if I lived in this world.

Other characters are equally interesting and complex. Kit’s friend Sinclair is fabulous, and I love the friendship he develops with Niamh. Rosa, Kit’s intended, is a mystery that I wanted to solve, and her maid is delightful. I also was really intrigued by Jack, Kit’s brother, because he definitely acted like he had something to hide! Though they are secondary characters in the novel, they are all pivotal to the plot and add so much depth to the story with their varied pasts, goals, relationships, and responsibilities. I found myself as invested in their stories as I was with Niamh and Kit’s, and when Niamh is blackmailed because of her growing feelings for Kit, I definitely wondered if one of them, or someone close to one of them, was involved. It was an intriguing mystery, with a surprising revelation that kept me riveted.

Of course, for me, the heart of this story lies in the swoon-worthy romance between Kit and Niamh. They have my whole heart!! This pair has incredible chemistry, and I just adored their enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine romance. And the way they pine for each other as they slowly become closer and closer – Swoon!!!! The sparks between them are palpable, and their banter is brilliant. I love how their forbidden love blooms in the most delightful and unexpected ways.

The story also weaves layers of social and political tension that simmer just below the surface of the glittering court life, highlighting the effects of colonialism, the struggles for workers’ rights, and the quest for equality. The unrest among the working class and the growing disparities in society added even more dimension to the story, making it not just a romance but a powerful commentary on the challenges that real-world societies have faced throughout history. I’m always so impressed with the author’s ability to infuse depth and substance into her work, creating a story that is not only captivating but also thought-provoking and relevant.

Like all of my reviews of Saft’s books, I could go on and on. There’s so much I want to say about the characters, plot, and storytelling. I just love the author’s immersive writing style. In A Fragile Enchantment, Saft has masterfully crafted a love story that is both tender and profound, characters that you can’t help but fall in love with, a magical world so enchanting it’s impossible to forget, and messages that resonate in fantasy and reality.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I love this author but I will not be reviewing or recommending any SMP books until the publisher acknowledges and apologizes for the racist actions of their employee

A Fragile Enchantment is my first foray into Allison Saft's work. A Far Wilder Magic has been on my TBR for what feels like forever -- maybe now that I've dipped my toes into the water, so to speak, I'll finally get around to reading that book. BUT REGARDLESS -- I really enjoyed A Fragile Enchantment. It felt very low stakes throughout the whole book, which is exactly what I needed. I've been having a hard time reading anything lately -- the world is awful, I have a toddler, I'm pregnant with baby #2 -- there's a lot going on. But A Fragile Enchantment hit at just the right time for me. It's relatively easy to follow, written very simply without being boring, and has characters that make you feel for them.

All in all, it's a great read for anyone looking for an entry level fantasy romance. The spice level is almost nonexistent, but there are two scenes where something gets started, but we don't really see all the way to the end. It's a mostly fade to black, basically. Not my PREFERRED type of romance, but the rest of the story made up for that particular lack.

This seems to be based on the Irish potato famine, and Britain's involvement in it. It's all in a different world, but the way things are described, and the placeholder country names definitely seem to point this way.

Niamh is our main character (you pronounce this name as Neev) and honestly? She's okay. She just kinda blends into the background a lot of the time. Her personality is mostly 'clumsy' and 'interfering'. But you do grow to like her as the book goes on. Her love interest is Kit, a scandalous prince. This is mostly enemies to lovers. Or Dislike to Lovers, I should say. They aren't really enemies, ever. Kit's just an asshole for a good part of the book until you realize he's hiding some trauma.

Anyway, I enjoyed this. I think it will do well, but I can see parts where people are going to complain. But for me, this is a solid four stars!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

"A Fragile Enchantment" weaves an enchanting tale of love, sacrifice, and political intrigue set in a Regency England-inspired fantasy world. Niamh Ó Conchobhair, with her unique ability to weave emotions and memories into fabric, finds herself entangled in the intricate web of politics and forbidden love in the kingdom of Avaland. Through a richly crafted narrative, the author skillfully navigates the complexities of the human heart, societal unrest, and the unyielding pursuit of a better future.

Niamh's character is portrayed with depth and authenticity, her inner turmoil and determination palpable throughout the story. Her selfless desire to secure a better life for her family despite her impending fate evokes a profound sense of empathy and admiration from the readers. The budding romance between Niamh and the reluctant groom, Kit Carmine, is tenderly depicted, adding a layer of emotional depth to the narrative that resonates long after the final pages.

Amidst the elegance of candlelit balls and the charm of Regency-inspired settings, the author deftly integrates a palpable sense of unrest among the working class, highlighting the socio-political tensions simmering beneath the surface. This backdrop of societal conflict adds a layer of depth to the storyline, underscoring the consequences of power dynamics and the struggle for justice in a world teetering on the edge of change.

While the narrative unfolds with captivating momentum and intricate world-building, there are instances where the pacing feels slightly uneven, momentarily diluting the impact of certain pivotal scenes. However, this minor flaw is overshadowed by the author's masterful storytelling and the nuanced exploration of themes such as sacrifice, love, and the pursuit of justice.

In "A Fragile Enchantment," the author skillfully transports readers into a world teeming with intrigue, romance, and societal upheaval. With its evocative prose, rich character development, and a meticulously crafted setting, the novel stands as a testament to the author's narrative prowess. Through the compelling narrative of Niamh and Kit, readers are invited to explore the enduring complexities of love, sacrifice, and the transformative power of hope in the face of adversity. "A Fragile Enchantment" is a must-read for fans of fantasy, romance, and stories that resonate deeply with the human experience.

this was such a cute cozy fantasy read!! i was so lucky to have gotten an e-arc of this book through netgalley and OMG I LOVED IT SO MUCH!! it truly didn't disappoint

i loved the duality of niamh's magic and the way she's a magical dressmaker?? i devoured every single second of this. the relationships between the characters and the banter was chef's kiss 🤌🏼🤌🏼 i cant wait for everyone to love this book as much as i did!!

5⭐️

I was lucky enough to get an e-arc through netgalley, and this book did not disappoint. I LOVE IT SM!! Like the relationship between Niamh and Kit was just the cutest and their banter omggg, so good!! This book is definitely 5/5 and I can’t wait until it’s release date, and for everyone else to fall in love with these characters like I did!!

Thank you, St Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of A Fragile Enchantment.

Oh, I did not want this one to end! This was a cozy read that swept me up from the very beginning and kept me clinging for more until the very end. Have you ever wished a book was part of a series so the story could continue? Yup, that's this one. Enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, grumpy and sunshine, and a touch of Bridgerton with an anonymous scandal sheet rocking the lands. This one won't disappoint.

Niamh O Conchobhair is a magical dressmaker who finds herself commissioned to make royal wedding garments for an arranged marriage for nobles of a kingdom that has practically destroyed her village. She sees this as the opportunity she needs to bring her family over and start a new life in a land with more opportunities. When she starts to fall for the betrothed prince, situations only seem to grow more and more tense especially as the local anonymous gossip columnist begins to insinuate that there may be more than what meets the eye.

I wanted to love this. I wanted to love it so badly. But it fell so flat.

First, the relationship between Kit and Niamh didn’t feel authentic or real. It was forced, full of stilted moments. It was instalove. Hate that. Likewise, when the friendships were weird and stilted. Sinclair could have been a great character but again, too narrowly written without any character development.

Second, the plot is totally implausible. Niamh as a seamstress would never have access to the internal royal circle like she did.

Third, this was supposed to be like Bridgerton, I guess. It blatantly stole plot points, and it did so poorly.

I’m so disappointed. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024. Thank you for the arc and the opportunity to read this one.

Enchanting and sweet. Perfect for cozy fantasy lovers!

I will not be posting a public review until the St. Martin's Press review boycott is over.

Saft is a wizard with words. I love everything she writes and this book was no different. 5 stars, and even more if I could!

For fans of Bridgerton and Howl's Moving Castle, with a little bit of North and South thrown in, this is unadulterated romantasy. Picturesque settings are laden with flowers and characters scintillate with delectable magic. Charming charms, enchanting enchantments, and beguiling on so many levels. The romance is the focus of the story, but there is still room and time for court intrigue, personal scandals, and union strikes. The inspiration drawn from the history of Anglo-Irish tensions shouldn't be mapped too closely onto our own world, where storybook resolutions aren't so easily come by. And while I'm not wild about atypically clumsy heroines, it's seeded from the beginning it fits with Niamh's overall character, instead of appearing only when needed for the plot.

The emotions and intrigue are propulsive, and in the recent spate of cold weather all I could think of through my work days was how much I wanted to be curled up by the fire (with a cat) reading this book.

Thank you Wednesday Books, Allison Saft and Netgalley for the chance to read and review A Fragile Enchantment ahead of its publication, in exchange for an honest review!

I had high expectations going into this, given that it seemed like a combination of some of my favorite stories like Bridgerton, The Prince and the Dressmaker, and Once Upon a Broken Heart. Unfortunately, the story fell flat for me. I struggled with the worldbuilding and wasn’t invested in the stakes set up by political unrest. While the characters all had potential, I didn’t feel like they went beyond their archetypes or had consistent characterization. I also found myself frustrated by some of the side characters, especially Jack, who seemed awfully preoccupied with asking teenagers how they thought he should run his country and then completely ignoring their opinions or needs. I was also a bit disappointed by the seamstress element, as I am a huge fan of Regency clothing history and would have liked the details to be more vivid/accurate, as well as play a more integral role in the story. Finally, I found myself pretty bored with most of the book. The scenes that did interest me felt like they were taken straight from scenes in Bridgerton, with little new to recommend them.

An element I did enjoy was the magic system, which I found quite creative and intriguing. I would have loved more exploration into this instead of adding lots of other elements, such as the political drama. I also enjoyed the romance between Kit and Niamh, but it didn’t feel strong enough to outweigh the other issues I had with this book.

Overall, this story might be best suited for someone looking to enjoy the vibe of the story, even if it isn’t super impactful.

The moment I finished this beautiful romantic story, I wanted to turn to the beginning and read it all over again!

The romance in this book was delightful and the characters had me captivated from the moment I met them all. I also loved the small bits of magic that played into the fantasy setting. The main character, Niamh, has the ability to weave emotion into the clothing she makes. How cool is that??

The forbidden romance was swoon-worthy and the writing itself was gorgeous too. I'm of the opinion that this was Saft's best work yet (which says a LOT if you know how much I love her other books) and I'm already recommending it to literally everyone I know. Words aren't enough to convey my love for A Fragile Enchantment.

This was everything I needed and more.

It was such a cozy and whimsical book. I don’t usually read period pieces , but I absolutely devoured it. I’ll definitely be re reading/ getting the physical copy when it’s released!

The found family tropes is one of my all time favorites and this was done beautifully! I fell in love with the characters and how real they felt. Their banter was adorable and funny.

I always appreciate representation in books, and the author did a fabulous job at writing about them.

GrumpyxSunshine
Bridgestone vibes
Cozy fantasy
Enemies to lovers
🖤

I most certainly do judge books by covers and this one lived up to its cover!

The ending was *chefs kiss*

Like so many others, I think, I requested this initially based on the cover, though another lush Regency 'fantasy of manners' didn't really have to work that hard to pique my interest. While Saft's new entry didn't fully live up to the Olivia Atwater books that are so dear to my heart, it's a very worthwhile effort, and I know so many will fall absolutely head-over-heels with this book. The characters are well-developed, as is the political world in which they move, though I'm never going to be the biggest fan of introducing the male love interest as an abrasive jerk. I get the mass appeal these days, though.

I did not like this book as much as I wanted to Niamh is invited to the kingdom of Avaland to make wedding garments because she makes beautiful clothing and has a gift of magic she can sew into her clothing. Unfortunately the background relationships between her country and Avaland were not well developed. I know she is supposed to be a young teen, but I tired of all the people involved acting like very young teens. I expect the people in regency romances to be a little more grown up in their actions. It was a bit unreasonable for a mere seamstress from a province that is held in contempt by proper society to have as much access to the upper crust as she had. I was given this as an arc from NetGalley and am not under pressure for a positive review.

Netgalley/ARC

Allison Saft is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy writers. Her special blend of cozy yet gothic romantasy just perfectly hits the spot for me. Did you love The Witch of Blackbird Pond as a kid? Then you will love Allison Saft.

Her new YA novel follows Niamh, a gifted seamstress and Kit, a crotchety prince. It is Bridgerton with magic yes, but it also has that subtle brand of longing and lush writing that is a signature of Saft's novels so far. I adored this love story and I think you will too when it releases on January 2nd.

3.5 stars rounded down

A Fragile Enchantment follows Niamh, a tailor gifted with magic who is hired to make the clothes for a royal wedding. Things go wrong when she falls in love with the prince.

The world is a complete copy of our own with different names + magic, so I am not sure why Saft couldn't have gone the route of Half a Soul and others and just set the story in historical England with added magic. At least it's easy to get into, once you get past the info dumping of the first few chapters.

This book is very much a YA historical romance, with the fantasy elements being mostly set dressing. Actually the historic elements are also quite shallow - the dialogue can be quite modern/American sounding at times and no one pays much attention to propriety. I think your enjoyment of this book will hinge on how much you enjoy typical romance arcs. The book almost seemed like it was following a checklist for scenes to include - if you have read any romance book before you will recognize the story beats. Oh, the FMC just met the most beautiful man she's ever seen? And he's belligerent and rude to her for no reason? Wow, I wonder if they might develop feelings for each other 🤔 On the other hand some of the scenes themselves are fun to read, and the writing style in general is flowing and hooked me in easily.

The characters were quite charming and I liked that the side characters all got a chance to shine, something other romance focused books can have trouble with. I did think they all became close friends with Niamh far too quickly, but this may have been due to a lack of clarity regarding how much time was passing.

The messages and themes of the book, while worthwhile to include, were delivered with a heavy hand and basically everyone has given the MC a therapy session by the end. It is a YA book though so this is sort of to be expected.

The plot was fine but wrapped up a bit too quickly.

This was definitely not a bad book but I think I'm not the main audience for it. I would recommend it to people looking for a lighthearted, sweet YA romance.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was so wonderfully, whimsically delightful. The perfect cozy mashup fantasy and romance with a historical fiction feel. Think Bridgerton with magic.

Niamh's character is fantastic and I found her magic unique and loved every scene where it was displayed or seen by other characters. I found almost every character we encounter to be well-rounded and their intentions made sense. Christopher is a curmudgeon of prince which is chef's kiss. Love a good grumpy/sunshine.