As someone who’s a sucker for stories with royalty or anything even resembling enemies-to-lovers I was so excited to get into this book. With A Fragile Enchantment, Saft has given us a beautiful romance sprinkled with magic and mystery. Our main character, Niamh Ó Conchobhair, is a magical seamstress commissioned for a royal wedding. The history between the royals and her people is dark but she knows she will never have another chance like this to make a name for herself so she can provide for her family.

This book gives off those grumpy/sunshine vibes so many love in a romance with the male lead being the irritable prince Kit Carmine who is being forced into a marriage for political gain. As Niamh works to break down Kit’s walls so she can design the attire for the wedding, friendship begins to bloom. That friendship begins to turn into something more as the two of them teach each other to let go and finally dare to consider what it is they want in life. The inclusion of a gossip girl-type character who threatens to expose their growing relationship adds an element of mystery that makes it stand out from your typical romance.

I really loved the themes of standing up for what’s right and following your heart that are present throughout. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it was also really nice to see so much casual representation in this story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it’s definitely one that I will be recommending to others.

A Fragile Enchantment will be available on January 23rd, 2024.

You had me at royalty and nobility attending candlelit balls and elegant garden parties in a distant fairytale kingdom. I’ve always thought that regency and fairytales can sometimes be similar in atmosphere. After all, both have princes and princesses, royal balls, ball gowns, and other similar elements that make fairytales so special can be seen in a historical regency setting as well. While this was penned as a fantasy regency inspired world rather than a fairytale (and fairytales are my thing) this was close enough in feel to a fairytale atmosphere. Just remove the regency details such as the Season, and you’ve essentially got a fairytale with kingdoms, opulent palaces, magic and all!

In true Bridgerton fashion, there is a version of Lady Whistledown in this, called Lovelace, who publishes scandal sheets, mostly related to politics each Season. This book has an exciting mesh of everything that I love about fairytales (despite not technically being a fairytale). Endless balls, opulent palaces, endless teas with buttery, floral biscuits, and fantasy kingdoms. The fantasy kingdoms also have distinct characteristics that make it easy to figure out what countries they’re based on (Machland is based on Ireland, Avaland based on England, Jaille based on France, Castilia based on Spain).

The atmosphere is this book’s strongest suit. Plot wise, the story is very slow moving, and feels even slower because this is quite a long book at almost 400 pages. By the time you are halfway, not much of anything happens. But, the beautiful atmosphere, stunning worldbuilding and regency feel of the book makes you want to keep reading solely for the escapism aspect. The story is very very slow moving though. If you don’t have a deep enough interest in a regency or fairytale setting, that’s not going to be enough to want to make you keep reading. Even I struggled and about 30% in, started to skim bits of this because it was just so long and uneventful. Once you pass the 60% mark though, things get much better! Sinclair is so hilarious and makes the book. By far the best character and makes the book so much more interesting. And the setting really is gorgeous too, taking you from stately events at an opulent palace to playing croquet at a countryside manor with green rolling hills. I really enjoyed this, despite the slow start. It made me feel nostalgic and I loved the worldbuilding. Diehard Bridgerton fans will especially love this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Fragile Enchantment is a YA fantasy romance set in the regency era in a world inspired by England and Ireland. This book was such a gorgeous and romantic story that feels just so soft and sweet. This is the perfect book if you like Pride and Prejudice and if you like Allison Saft’s other works.

My favorite part of this book was the dreamy atmosphere. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the old Barbie movies from the 2000’s while reading this. The idyllic springtime gardens in this book were enchanting and honestly the perfect setting for such a romantic story.

While I liked this book I definitely think at times it felt a little slow, especially in the beginning. It definitely picks up a lot in the last third of the book though.

I’d definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a bit of magic and whimsy.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. The story is inventive and I liked some of the banter between the characters and the character development, but I also felt like it moved very slowly. Almost too slowly. And the world building was a bit confusing for me as we got too little information especially at the start. For example, I never quite understood how the magic of the main characters worked and why things were happening even after the explanations. There were also some inconsistencies that jarred me a bit as I was reading, taking me out of the book to wonder whether I had read something wrong or not. And the ending (duel? clothing shop?) really didn't make sense to me. At all. Like I had to go back and re-read to see if had missed something key that would make these things make sense. I had not.

Kit is not very likeable for most of the book, and Niamh was not much better. I felt like she kept doing things that were out of place in the world she was in, and there was no rhyme or reason for why people simply let her get away with it. Kit especially, but also the other female characters who she confronts. After all, she's essentially a servant talking back to royals which, even today, probably wouldn't be accepted.

The book did get better for about 100 pages, when the romance takes hold, towards the end which is why I bumped it to a 3 star, but I'm not sure I'd read anything else by Saft.

What a story! The fantasy world building on this was amazing. And who wouldn’t love a mashup of Bridgerton and all of our favorite magic and fantasy series. Love, power, political unrest, and royalty. A wonderful mix! Some of the turns threw me for a loop which is why I stop short of a 5 star, but even still, I loved the book and it was a very enjoyable read.

**Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to net valley and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this!

I am SO heartbroken about this, I debated on even writing this at all.

This is literally a ripoff of Bridgerton with a sprinkle of magic. Down to the croquet scene and the lady writing and spilling all of the tea like nobody’s fucking business.

I really went back and forth on whether I thought this was okay—the ethics of rewriting scenes and kind of? Making them your own? I think that in terms of fanfiction sometimes this works—but for profit it just seems a little disrespectful to me, considering the Bridgerton tv series is obviously from a book series… I don’t know. I don’t know how to feel. I think my internal battle is waging so wildly with this because on paper this is something I should have loved, but the ethics of the situation just feel a little spotty to me.

The writing itself was fair, I’d say. The dialogue and inner monologue didn’t always match up, which kind of threw me, but there were only a few cheesy lines and nothing that gave me second-hand embarrassment to read. (like a lot of romantasy books, whoopsies) The characters were okay. Everything was just okay for me here. The magic system wasn’t ever thoroughly explained in a way that I personally understood, but it could be something I just absolutely failed to pick up on lmao.

I give this a 2.5… I can’t wrap my head around the scenes just being snagged from the show/book and then rewritten and BARELY TWEAKED, I’m sorry… I look forward to trying more books by Alison Saft in the future, because I really do think that the writing is for me, it’s just the principle of this story that was not it for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press for this digital advanced reader copy!

I was absolutely enchanted by A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT! This was the Bridgerton-esque magical fantasy I needed. I also can't turn down good embroidery/sewing magic since my Tamora Pierce days. Our main character, Niamh, was so relatable. She wants to support her family and is willing to travel to a different country to do so while something more haunts her. Her feelings, her movements, her mind... Allison Saft is a master of characters. And Kit? Oh boy, yes please. I am always here for a rebel prince with a past who says he doesn't care what anyone thinks. Add in some plant magic I am sold!

The romance and the tension between these two kept me reading page after page. I also loved the political involvement and secrets. While some of the reveals may be more predictable than others, I still enjoyed everything that came along. If Niamh can sew enchantments into gowns and clothes, then Allison Saft can write enchantments into her books. The way this book made me smile, giggle, gasp, and stand alongside the characters will stay with me.

Also, where would we be without the rest of the cast? Rosa, Miriam, and Sinclair captured my heart! I am here for them all! And Jack and Sofia and... honestly, all of her characters connected with me. I understood their reasonings, their pain, their humanity. Everything they felt was so reflective of experiences in life, so much truth.

All this to say, I loved this book. I can't wait to see what comes next from Allison Saft!

Thank you SO much to Wednesday Books in providing me an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

this book was FANTASTIC. i loved every second of it. the setting and writing was beautiful, there was so much magic, so much laughter, and emotions everywhere. i've read two books from allison saft and both have been incredible.

definitely will be picking up a copy when this comes out because it was absolutely incredible!

Thank you for the chance to ARC.
Honestly one of my favorite arcs so far!
If you enjoy these two tropes
Enemies to lovers
grumpy x sunshine
then do i have a PERFECT book for youuu
Allion Saft has brought me an amazing read that had me kicking my feet at times.

This book feels like a warm hug on a very cold day 100% recommend this book!

Roses: Regency hasn’t always been a go to for me because I found them to be incredibly slow moving. This one moved at a good pace and had the chemistry between the two MC start blooming early on but in a real organic way. I enjoyed the romance between these characters a lot and how they complement each other.

Thorns:
I didn’t like the illness troupe in this. The introduction to the illness seemed misplaced and as a reader I felt myself rooting for our main couple just to have it sightly darkened because of this troupe. The story would have been perfectly fine without it. It was just a weird thing to include to me. The family drama, a gossip writer and few of the stories big events felt like they were straight from Bridgerton. I was hoping for more magic to be involved in the kingdom which you didn’t get much of. So it was just lacking that piece for me.

I had a bit of trouble getting into this book, but I ended up loving it. I really felt connected to the characters and I found myself thinking about them long after putting the book down. This is a sweet, regency romance with political intrigue, found family, and a magical twist.

And for all the nerds out there... the characters wear BONNETS! Period-appropriate headwear!

WOW. I loved this book so much. It's a very character driven regency style fantasy which it three of my favorite things in one. I loved the main character Niamh and her thoughts and observations through the story. It's very low fantasy, easy to digest while still adding a lot to the atmosphere of the book. While the story dragged a slight bit in the first half I still devoured this book and fell in love with these characters. Fantasy, Regency era, found family, romance, this is the perfect romantasy read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had never read anything by this author before but now I must check out her other books. This one is beautifully written. I love how the relationship between the main characters develops. Kit is my favorite! Probably the best romantic fantasy book I've read this year.

I have really mixed feelings about this book. I've seen the story before a hundred times but it's a good plot.

This poignant fantasy romance casts a tender spell!

Wherever you fall on the Bridgerton love/hate scale, please do not pay attention to comments about comparisons! I am a Bridgerton fan, and this book does not have a Bridgerton vibe. It doesn’t share similar settings, time period, or themes. There is one plotline involving an anonymous society columnist. But Lady Whistledown and the mysterious Lovelace of this book do not have the same motivations for their actions. In sum, this novel really deserves to be read and reviewed without being tied into whatever expectations that have been set by Bridgerton and/or be lumped into the Regency romance renaissance.

The novel is set in the make believe kingdom of Avaland, which is undergoing societal unrest due to economic inequality. Jack, the prince regent of Avaland, has arranged a politically advantageous marriage between his younger brother, Kit (Christopher), and the Princess Rosa of Castilia, in an effort to restore stability. As part of the wedding preparations, Jack hires Niamh (an Irish name that is pronounced Neee-v in English) to design and sew Kit’s wardrobe, and Rosa’s wedding gown. What makes this world unique is the existence of magic. Magical abilities run in powerful families, to include members of the royal families. Less commonly, rank and file citizens, like Niamh, have inherited magical blood.

There are truly so many things to love about this novel. Niamh’s magical ability is to weave memories and emotions into the fabric she embroiders. The person who wears the fabric will then experience those emotions through their own memories evoked by Niamh's enchantments. This was a completely original plot for me so I really enjoyed reading about how Niamh uses her powers and how the enchantments work. The novel’s minor characters were incredibly well written. The author’s prose is absolutely lovely. The HEAs were satisfying, even if predictable. There is LGBTQ representation in the characters and plotlines.

The aspect that took this novel from a 5-star to a 3.5 to 4-star read for me was the romance arc between Kit and Niamh. It would be best characterized as a “grumpy/sunshine” pairing, which I typically like, but in this story our sweet, earnest Niamh did 100% of the work. By the end I was convinced that Kit did not deserve her whatsoever. It’s not that he didn’t meet her halfway. He was unwilling to do so much as meet her out on the front porch. At one point in the 3rd act, one of the characters outright asks Niamh: “You truly care for Kit this much? I don’t mean to offend you, but surely you could have chosen more wisely. You have unfortunate taste in men.” And I CHEERED because YES finally someone said it!

[SPOILER: The biggest cringe (and disturbing) part of the story for me was the final declaration scene itself, when Kit asks Niamh: “Don’t you get it by now, you fool? Are you really going to make me say it? Fine. Fine. Now listen carefully, because I’m not going to repeat myself. I love you.” Niamh answers: “What?” And Kit's response is: “I said I wasn’t going to repeat myself.” Honestly? That’s not grumpy. That’s straight-up a**h***e. Either because he's an actual a**h**e; or he's just as emotionally stunted and selfish as he was at the very beginning of the book, and he has not experienced an iota of character development. In that moment I was not squeeing. I was inwardly screaming: RUN, Niamh. RUN!]

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel. All opinions are my own.

4.25 stars
This book is a mix of Divine Rivals and Bridgerton and I devour it!

The story is about this kingdom that some people are born with magic, however the majority of the population don't. Our main character is a seamstress that has a very faint vein of magic in her family and allows her to imbue feelings to the garments she sews. Meanwhile, there is a royal wedding happening and she was hired to prepare the gowns of the groom and bride to be.
Although her people have been harshly neglected by the king, she sees this opportunity as her last chance of provide for gaining recognition for her work and providing for her family. She wasn't counting on starting having feelings for the groom to be.

I loved the several layers of the world. We have some class warfare going on, we have conflict between the king and queen as well as some secrets involving the bride-to-be, an anonymous columnist gossip... all of that aside from the reluctant forbidden love of the main characters.
Since this book is mostly focused on the romance aspect of the story I must say it was really nicely done. The pinning and angst were well built and I really just craved more Kit and Niamh!!

The only downside of this story in my opinion is that it left a couple of threads without a proper conclusion, and as it seems to be a stand-alone I thought these points should have been tied at the end, such the state of Niamh's health, Sinclair's position in relation to the king, and a proper ending to Rosie's story.

I loved the premise of this book: a magical tailor, an impossible Cinderella-esque romance with manners, and a brooding love interest. Oomph. Indeed, the story was fantastic, and I adored the plot. The pacing was great. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of queer characters, the book isn't promoted as LGBTQ, and both love interests were bi-sexual. While I loved the plot and setting, sometimes the dialogue was a bit cringy for me.

I recommend this to fans of "Romantasy', especially the Regency Fairy Tales series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Regency escapist fantasy romance involving royalty without justifying imperialism? Not something I expected to see, but here it is, and I absolutely loved it. This book really reminded me of Sorcery of Thorns, a book that I read about five times when it first came out, but with embroidery and sewing instead of books, (so in my case swapping out one interest for another) so if you like that book I would absolutely recommend this one.
We also have a very queer main cast of characters, with a group of five protagonists that do not have a single straight person among them. Both of our main characters are bisexual, and the book itself has no erasure of their identities. The book also has chronic illness representation– tied to the magic system and the fantasy aspects of the novel, without it being exclusively from the magic. That part is not really something I can speak about from my point of view, but I did really enjoy the way it was written.
I do think that the book would have benefited from the characters being at least a few years older, as Niamh is already cemented as having a career, and parts of Kit’s story do not make sense for someone who is barely an adult. However, I know that the Regency setting does make that difficult with the way that people in the upper classes were often made to get married so young, especially within the context of the plot, so the choices made sense eventually.

A Fragile Enchantment had all of the makings of a book I should have loved. Historical romance, forbidden love, bisexual leads, a fun magic system, and characters to root for. The issue became the fact that the most interesting people in the story were the side characters. Sofia especially was someone that I would have preferred be the main character. Every scene with her was so interesting, and every scene with Niamh or Kit had me rolling my eyes.

Simply not the book I expected.

A dreamy magic system, a kingdom on the brink of political ruin, a very grumpy prince and a magical seamstress: this book delivered all of the vibes. It’s giving Defy the Night meets Bridgerton with a sprinkling of Spin the Dawn too. Allison Saft strikes yet again creating such a comfort read for fantasy lovers.

Thank you so much to St Martin’s Press for my ARC of this book, I appreciate it so much 😍.

4/5⭐️