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.

A little regency era-style romance with a dash of magic. A Fragile Enchantment tells the story of Niamh and Kit, a Machlish seamstress whose enchantments have made her creations famous at court, and a prince whose wayward tendencies have alienated him from his brother, the Prince Regent, and his new responsibilities.

The writing did a great job of setting a whimsical fantasy world, weaving descriptive and flowery language with fast-paced dialogue. It made the pacing of the story fit well with the action and painted the world of the characters vividly.

This is a romance at heart, but I wasn’t sold on the chemistry between the two leads. I am always looking for great characters in the books I read, and I found they lacked dimension and consistency for the relationships between them all to be believable.

This is a light, happy read for anyone interested in the magical-regency genre of romance books, but doesn’t dive much deeper than the surface of this story.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this eARC!
Wow. Allison Safts best work by far. The magic system was enchanting. The characters were charming. I absolutely fell in love with Kit and Niamh and their friends. The twist at the end was unexpected yet made sense. This is Romantasy in every sense of the word. Easy five stars.

An enchanting novel. Bridgerton meets fantasy.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

Rating: 3.75

What a fun and light romantasy! This book was a just a joyful read all around. Many are calling this the book form of Bridgerton, and I think that is a perfect comparison. It has all the banter and romance, with a little magic thrown in. Plus, I always love a grumpy prince!

The interactions between the characters is the strength for this book - relationships were well developed, interesting, and fun to read about. I also loved how slightly heavier topics were touched on, such as alcoholism. It was done in a serious manner that did not detract from the overall light vibes of the story. My favorite part of this book were the descriptions for the clothing that the main character Niamh creates. The enchantments for each fantastical creation made me wish I had the ability to try them on! I loved the delicacy of Niamh's power, and the different ways if affected those around her. Also - the banter between the two main characters! What fun it was to read each of their interactions. Their tension and banter were perfection and was the main reason I flew through this book.

I did find the fantasy/magic aspects of this book on the lighter side. Not much background was provided, which left me feeling like it was slightly underdeveloped. I would have loved to have some more information about the way the different powers worked and more background on the countries and wars that happened before the book's events. They are a source of motivation for several characters but without more context the emotions behind it landed a little flat for me.

I read this book after several heavier stories and it was a fun and dreamy pallet refresher. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a simple but cute whimsy regency read that relies more on romance and character relationships.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. All opinions are my own.

Sadly disappointed by this one!

The premise of a tailor and a stuffy prince was riveting--and I absolutely loved Saft's sweeping prose. Kit was so awful at first I was intrigued to see how Saft was going to craft it so we could care for him, and she nailed it--even if a part of me was screaming at Niamh to run away, because that boy has PROBLEMS, even for a fantasy love interest haha.

I think what threw me was how much a tailor was allowed to all the royal events, and to hang casually with the princes?! I also struggled with the slowness of the pace, even against all of the many plot threads--I think there was just way too much packed into this book. I couldn't keep up with how 'impactful' the gossip column was supposed to be, versus the revolution, versus the end motivation behind the gossip column which was... not gossip but revolution?! It was confusing, and gave the book a mixed tone rather than the cozy romantasy I was anticipating.

I think fans of Downtown Abbey or Bridgerton might enjoy it, though? And I'm still super grateful to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the arc! I really did think I'd love it.

2.5 stars rounded up.

Wow! I just finished this book an hour ago. I read it in a day! It's been a while since I've binged a book in a single day, but this novel was just so refreshing and delightful and so easy to get wrapped up in that I just could not put it down. Loved it!

What I loved:

- The romance! It was such a delightful slow burn that was so easy to get wrapped up in!
- As mentioned above - slow burn to the best degree
- Grumpy/sunshine - another marvelous trope
- The character development
- The banter and teasing. A novel with good romantic banter will always tug at my heart!
- The supporting cast - wish we got even a bit more of them and their character development!
- The magic system was fun and unique
- The overall story. It was so easy to get lost in it

What I didn't love:

- There really wasn't much. For the sake of saying something, I wish Niamh's illness would have wrapped a little more positively. I was fine without a cure, but maybe an acknowledgement from her that she'd have to approach life and her profession differently. This piece felt a little too open-ended or not acknowledged at the end for my preference.

Again, I love this novel! It was a 5 star read for me and I can't wait to own a physical copy of this! I would recommend it to all, but especially for those of romantic fantasy, regency era novels, slow burn, forbidden love, and grumpy/sunshine!