"A Fragile Enchantment" is just that: enchanting. I'm a sucker for Allison Saft - I've enjoyed everything she's written - and this book is no exception. Following a young seamstress named Niamh who is given the opportunity of a lifetime to design for the royal wedding, "A Fragile Enchantment" is a romance that focuses on classism, chronic illness, and poverty. This book is just as much about Niamh's quest for radical self-acceptance as it is about her dishy chemistry with the prince that is to be married - and I loved all the side characters so much!

What a delight of a book! This was my first read from Allison Saft and I thoroughly enjoyed every page! I loved seeing Niamh's strength and resilience throughout the book, and I loved the growth seen in Kit as his character unfolded on the page. The historical Regency-est feel was a first for me but I find myself wanting more! I really enjoyed this read and can't wait to get my hands on more from Allison in the future.

I enjoyed this book but it didn't wow me. The beginning was interesting and did hook me in, but I wished the world building had a bit more detail. Basically, its historical England with magic users, which is fine. But I personally like a little more detail when magic is involved. Some magical history was mentioned but it felt like an afterthought to justify the magic use.

Niamh felt very young to me for her age, but in general I liked her character. She did do some silly things. I liked Kit as well, but didn't connect with him well since we only see him through Niamh's POV. The political plots got a tad boring as the book went on. I liked the secondary characters and the bit of plot twist with the secret identity of Lovelace. I did think it strange that when Niamh was to go riding with Sinclair, that Kit acted as chaperone instead of a woman. I understand this was to give more interactions between the main characters but it didn't make sense. A single woman would not go out with a man and have another man for a chaperone. So small things like that felt out of place to me. The plot did pick up more towards the end, and I liked the way things were resolved.

Although this fell short for me, I'm sure others will love it. And that cover is gorgeous!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to the e-arc. All of my opinions and thoughts are all my own.

*4.25

I really enjoyed this captivating novel. It is has swoon worthy romance. It reminds me of Bridgeton and Pride & Prejudice vibes. It also has found family, sense of purpose and family drama.

It was stunning. I love the way the author writes this love story. This was my book from this author. It makes me want to pick up more of her books. I highly recommend this book.

The magic and the abilities in this world were intriguing and I was intrigued by the plot of this book but for some reason I couldn’t really get into to it. I kept putting it down (really scrolling to a new app) and then picking it back up hoping I would enjoy but I just wasn’t excited to finish this book.

Overall I’m giving it 3.5 stars because the magic was intriguing and the bridgerton/pride and prejudice vibes was fun but I just didn’t like it as much as I wanted to.

I loved this whimsical fantasy romance! This is the second book I have read by Saft and I am quickly falling in love with the worlds she creates. The concept of a magical dressmaker was fascinating and created an excellent backdrop for the romance with the prince who does not want to be dressed. This book has whimsy, enemies to lovers and a great cast of characters. This book is perfect for readers new to romantasy.

A Fragile Enchantment is the romantic tale of a prince and a magical dressmaker. Niamh never imagined she’d be making clothes for a prince. However, her magical talent has caught the eye of royalty and she’s been summoned from her homeland. Niamh soon finds the prince isn’t very princely and instead is a sulking grump. As she makes various outfits for his engagement, Niamh grows closer to Kit and learns his true personality. When scandalous gossip singles out Niamh, she must try and uncover who is targeting her. Will Kit go through with his engagement?

Kit and Niamh have incredible chemistry! They have a delightful grump/sunshine dynamic. Kit is protective of Niamh and Niamh is very intuitive when it comes to truly understanding Kit. I absolutely loved the scenes between them, they were filled with longing and heat. Niamh is the most clumsy heroine and I love that for her, as it means Kit must constantly be catching her. The cast of characters surrounding them are equally wonderful. I especially liked Rosa (Kit’s intended bride). I loved Rosa’s personality and who she ended up with. There is LGBTQ+ rep in this story, though it is not widely accepted everywhere in the world yet. This doesn’t diminish the joy and happiness that LGBTQ+ characters find in the story.

I love all of Allison Saft’s books but this is my favorite one yet! Allison Saft’s writing is lyrical and filled with descriptive prose. Niamh’s talent for imbuing emotion into the fabric of clothes was such a creative form of magic. The magic does come with a price that forces Niamh to reckon with her own mortality. This book would be perfect for readers who enjoy Regency romance with a magical twist. Readers who seek a grump/sunshine romance, atmospheric writing, and beautiful prose will love A Fragile Enchantment.

Thank you to Allison Saft, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, & Wednesday Books for this ARC of A Fragile Enchantment in exchange for an honest review! As someone who loves fantasy stories, historical fiction, and romances, I found this book to be an excellent combination of the three! This fantasy world is Regency Era inspired, so if you're looking for some Bridgerton vibes this might just be perfect for you. I think the story was well-written and engaging, as were the characters. I think I'd have liked a little more world building or a better understanding of the magic system, but that might just be me. Either way, I really think A Fragile Enchantment is an enjoyable YA romance! It is a charming read and I was hooked right away!

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

I would rate this book with 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the ease of the story telling and the premise of the book. The FMC has unique sewing abilities where she can sew emotions into her creations and is hired to create the wardrobe for a prince’s wedding. This was a quick, enjoyable read but I wasn’t dying to know what would happen next which is why I did not give it 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am OBSESSED to say the least. I expect everyone to run to their nearest bookstores on January 23rd, 2024 to buy this. This book has everything and more. The intimacy, the banter, the CHEMISTRY was off the charts. From the moment Kit saw Niamh you could tell that he was down bad for her. And I loved watching Niamh fall in love with Kit. (I also love my little bisexual babies 🫶🏼)

Niamh is my girl. She is my everything, I love her with my whole heart and I have put her in my pocket. She is so selfless, to the point of self-destruction, and watching her learn to care for herself is magical. I also love that she is a risk taker and doesn’t sit idly by and wait for something to happen.
I am so down bad for Kit. Yes, he may be a little rough around the edges and has absolutely no filter but dang he knows how to win a girls heart. Plus he really is a big softie on the inside. And my poor baby went through so much, how could I not root for him? I really wish this book has his pov because there were times that he felt a bit too closed off and I wanted to know what was going on inside of his head, but Allison Saft knows how to write characters who actually communicate with each other (for the most part). Niamh and Kit are the IT couple.
Let’s take a second for the plot because the balance between plot and vibes were excellent. The culture of the book was so rich and while there was so much world building, it felt natural and easy to understand. I felt so immersed in the world and you felt as if you were walking right alongside the characters.

Overall, this book was superb. I will be taking no criticism (kidding…sort of). If you are looking for a fantasy romance with a thrilling plot, a queer cast, and an excellent love story, this book is for you (aka everyone).

I love a good historical fantasy novel every once and a while. I relish the way it can weave magic, whimsy, romance, and manners into the fabric of a storyline yet still sprinkle in pangs of relatable human conflict. This is something that Allison Saft manages to do well in A Fragile Enchantment. She accomplishes this by giving readers an air of Bridgerton meets The Bridge Kingdom while also rooting her characters in familiar archetypes and tropes like grumpy x sunshine, forbidden love, and tense political and emotional drama so that they're engaged.

When the story begins, Niamh, the protagonist, is sent to Avaland from a poor and desolate rival nation to design the wardrobe for the members of an upcoming royal wedding. A gifted seamstress, the magic in her blood allows her to stitch feelings and memories into every scrap of clothing she sews. However, it is also the thing that, one day soon, will take her life. Knowing that time is limited, she is determined to do her duty to the prince and give her family a chance at having a better life back home.

The prince himself doesn't make this task easy, though. Because of course he doesn't. Not only is Kit Carmine haughty, insolent, and temperamental, but he is being dragged across the board of Avaland like a political chess piece.

To make matters worse, as he and Niamh slowly bury the hatchet and grow closer, an anonymous gossip columnist named Lovelace threatens to expose them, information which, in the wrong hands, could throw the kingdom into even more turmoil. Especially since unrest is already brewing amid the working class and a few neighboring countries.

All in all, this was a refreshing escape into a regency era kingdom where magic abounded. I liked the forbidden element to Niamh and Kit's love story as well as the themes of sacrifice, duty, and pursuit of justice that ran in undercurrent. It had a good balance of fantasy and real world challenges, and I particularly appreciated how it highlighted the obstacles encountered by more marginalized communities.

A warmly enchanting read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars

safty! even if it's my least favorite of her three young adult fantasies, it retains the same charm and ease of prose that made me like her to begin with

This book was like Bridgerton with some magic. It had a sweet romance that had me kicking my feet at certain points it was just so cute. So if thats what you're looking for, this book is for you.

For me, it was a slow start and the first 30% of the book was hard for me to get through. I didn't immediately connect with the characters and I just felt like I wasn't getting enough of anything. However, the romance is set up quite nicely and the characters do get more likeable as the book goes on. I will admit I wasn't expecting this book to get quite so Bridgerton (which isn't my favorite series) and so for me it was just an okay story. I think I was expecting more magic and more romance and less political intrigue. However, the characters grew on me, the world was easy to understand and I really enjoyed the magic system. In the end, I probably wouldn't reread this book, but I would recommend it to people who enjoy period pieces and fluffy romances

A Fragile Enchantment was, unfortunately, a DNF for me.
I really think most will enjoy this one- I just don’t think I was the right audience for it.

This was truly a charming romance filled with lovable characters!

From the beginning, I was enraptured with Niamh's voice and her magic. She had this calming essence from the moment the book starts that demands to be read. Kit added a flare to the story that had an edge to it. Seeing these two interact and bring out the best in each other was truly the best part of the story.

I also really loved the regency-era type of feel. It really painted the whole picture. However, I did wonder a lot about Avaland and the Machlish. When we were getting backstory between these two lands, it was said that the people who escaped from Avaland colonized Machland, but there was never an explanation about the people already in Machland (unless I missed something).

Moreover, I feel like the story began with many potential subplots that should have been explored, but they were ultimately forgotten. Niamh's friend, for instance, felt like a blip when she was mentioned so much near the beginning. We never hear more about Niamh's family after such a heavy opening chapter. And what saddens me is that those subplots could have been used to further accentuate what Niamh needed to learn.

Regardless, it was a really cute story that really delved deep and brought these characters to life. I wish the ending didn't feel so rushed. I wanted to linger in the world a little more.

“A beautiful ruse, like a glass apple filled with poison. Nothing was going exactly as she’d dreamed it.”~~

As a romance girly who pines for a slow-burn that takes its time to reach a boil—I am writing my review based on those feelings alone. FIRST, I would like to showcase my undying love for regency romance and the absolute JOY it brings me to read the subtle flirting, the obvious flirting, the all-type of flirting, really, especially when it is accompanied by a forbidden romance enemies-to-friends-to lover’s situation. Poor girls who have to work for a living and rich guys? Yeah that’s MY FAVORITE recipe for l-o-v-e.

SECOND, although this book is not insta-love, I would not consider it slow-burn either. The romance is the heart of this novel, so I want to estimate (from my kinda terrible memory) that the pacing from about 25 percent to 50 percent was a little slower for me based on plot alone, i.e., the ROMANCE is always there, your cheeks will be glowing but overall, it took me awhile to get through.
After being pulled in immediately at the start, I was really worried the novel was going to continue to decline as the story progressed, but it most definitely picked up plot-wise after the halfway mark was reached. Honestly, I think it would work so so well as a movie.


THIRD, the fact that this novel was not a slow-burn and that I still found it romantic has impressed me so & for that reason alone, you should not pass it up. Read this book if you love:


❥ Pride & Prejudice/Regency Romance

❥Family Drama

❥Grumpy Male Leads

❥Whimsical fairytales

❥A good laugh—the sense of humor delivered!

❥Are in the mood for a simple yet fresh, enchanting story

Overall Rating: 4.5/5


*Keep a look our for this book(/gorgeous cover), which releases on 1/23/2024! And special thanks to NetGalley for this arc!

This book from Allison Saft was a lovely delight. I really enjoyed the central romance between the two main characters and it kept me up late reading on several nights. I love the proliferation of more fantasy set romances that are fairly soft and cozy, as well as these Bridgerton-esque inspired series, and this is a wonderful addition to that genre.

I loved both main characters, and I especially like that their personality traits can't simply be boiled down to one dominant trait. Both characters are nuanced, and Kit especially is actually unlikable at times, but his actions also make sense in the context of the world and his character.

There were a few loose ends that I didn't feel were completely wrapped up, and a few that just didn't fully make sense to me, but I still overall really enjoyed this story.

A FRAGILE ENCHANCEMENT by Allison Saft is the first in a Young Adult Romantic Fantasy set in a Regency-inspired world. A newly-hired dressmaker who weaves emotions into all she makes finds herself on the edge of scandal when an anonymous gossip columnist notes the chemistry between her and the royal groom. I loved the two main characters, the setting, and the family and friendship dynamics. Before I gush on more, let me share the setup.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair is a poor dress-maker in Marchland who has the ability to infuse her creations with emotions. The more she uses her ability, the closer she draws to death. Wanting to help her family, she accepts the invitation of the royal family of Avaland to be the royal dressmaker for the upcoming nuptuals of the brother of the Prince Regent, Prince Kit.

When she meets him, she's overcome with how beautiful he is... until he speaks and is really blunt and rude. Despite his grumpiness, the sunshine that is Niamh breaks through and the resulting attraction between the two is evident. So evident, in fact, that the gossip columnist, Lovelace, eludes to it. With potential scandal looming -- a scandal that could jeopardize the fragile diplomacy holding off war -- Niamh and Kit must work together and with allies to avert disaster.

What I loved most about this book:
- I'm a fan of anything set in a Regency-like world, so I thoroughly loved the setting. The descriptions of it were so lush.
- The magic in this world was very original. What would it be like to wear something that makes people experience a happy memory? The royal family's magic was also unique, beautiful and terrifying at times.
- The grumpy/sunshine really worked for me
- One lesson from this novel that resonates deeply with me is that shared family trauma is experienced differently for each person, even two people as close as brothers. Jack as the oldest sibling shoulders the burden of leadership on his own due, in part, to his father's expectation, and while he makes many mistakes, I can understand that he was acting motivated by duty and love.
- The supporting cast of characters were enjoyable to meet and to follow on their own mini-arcs: Sinclair, Rosa, Miriam, even the Prince Regent, Jack, and his wife, Sofia.
- The political intrigue was just enough to keep me interested but not so much that I felt it dominated the story.

What didn't work:
- Honestly, I can't think of a single thing that needs improvement. I read this book in less than a week, which for me translates as, "I devoured this book in a week."

A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT is a pacey, enjoyable read with an original mythology, a swoon-worthy romance, and a strong cast of characters. I highly recommend it. Run, don't walk, to pre-order this fantastic novel! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest feedback.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

This is my first book by Allison Saft and I enjoyed it. Although regency era isn’t my go to for books, I was very excited to obtain this ARC.

I wanted to read this book for two reasons, the magic and I must admit that cover is pretty! The story started off slow for me. It took about getting halfway through for me to really get into it. The magic I really liked but I wanted more! The chemistry between the main characters was slow building. They had some really beautiful moments together that were tender and full of longing. He is grumpy and she is sunshine :)

The setting, supporting characters and theme of self growth kept this book going for me. The writing, descriptions are lovely and I had no problems building the world.

I am looking forward to reading more books by this author!