Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is an adorable little petit four of a romantic fantasy. It is a sweet pastel that is easy to digest, fast to enjoy and over before you know it. The names of the people and places are reminiscent of England, Ireland and Spain. There are political dynamics that help further the plot, but it is not very detailed. I read it after a really heavy intricate epic trilogy so it was a good change of pace.

A magical dressmaker Niamh Ó Conchobhair finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her continued interactions with prince/groom which are beyond what is acceptable for their stations and polite decorum. Their relationship, and their attempts to ignore and reject their growing attachment has political consequences and threatens to endanger the tenuous stability of their society.

Allison Saft’s writing only grows stronger with each story she publishes. Which, you know, you rather hope is the case with authors, but isn’t always.

A Fragile Enchantment takes all the whimsy and delight of historical romances and fairytales while exploring the dissatisfaction of the working class in Saft’s Regency England-inspired fantasy world. With a power for stitching emotions and memories into fabric, Niamh travels to the neighbouring kingdom of Avaland to create wedding garments for Prince Kit and his bride-to-be. But political unrest looms over the splendour of Avaland, and the self-absorbed nobles miss its shadow.

Niamh notices. She pays witness to the suffering of her recently independent people and the impact egocentric rulers of the past have had on her family. With each garment she creates, she threads them with her hope for a better future.

This future depends on her creating divine wedding garments for the royals—a task made all the harder by the abrasive prince. And as the two grow closer, a forbidden romance starts to blossom between them.

The plot pulls from beloved trademarks of historical romance novels. If you’re an avid reader of the genre or simply a fan of the Bridgerton show, the moments paying homage bring a sense of nostalgia and comfort. I imagine that readers unfamiliar with historical romance or Bridgerton will be equally entranced by the story.

Niamh makes for a charming protagonist. Clumsy but well-meaning characters are impossibly endearing, and she is the epitome of that description. Invitations from the palace end up stained with tea and every rug is a tripping hazard. Comparatively, Kit is closed off and abrasive. He avoids familiarity and warmth as if he’s a snowman sure to melt, though his personality is understandable. Cruel people pass their cruelty down to their children. Or do they? Many characters suggest that Kit is a product of his father’s mercurial moods and the story explores breaking this cycle.

Even once Kit opens up to Niamh, he still keeps parts of himself distant. Their relationship would only have been strengthened with more scenes where he’s softer. There’s a line where one character comments on how smitten Niamh is with Kit and I wish there were more scenes with him being smitten with her. Still, the romance is enough to leave you giddy and gleeful.

Saft’s descriptions are so lush that each scene is vividly rendered and apparent without traipsing into purple prose territory. With the story attempting to weave so many threads however, it's difficult to bring them all back together satisfyingly before the finale. As a result, some of them are weakened in their resolution. The story is beyond delightful nonetheless.

A Fragile Enchantment is for readers who love historical romance and fairytales, who seek out whimsy and magic and the feeling of springtime. It is hopeful and captures ephemeral emotions just as vividly as Niamh does with her stitching. Highly recommend!

4.5 STARS

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Fragile Enchantment is a standalone fantasy novel in which our Machlish protagonist, Naimh, moves to Avaland to design and create clothes for the upcoming royal wedding. This novel is a mix of Bridgerton gossip column vibes and romantic fantasy vibes. The magic system was very fun, and Naimh's power was really cool.

While I am usually a big fan of the grumpy and sunshine trope, Kit was not my cup of tea. Honestly, it was difficult for me to connect with any of the characters, and the "high-stakes" felt a bit muted. I also irrationally hated "Machland" and "Avaland" as names of countries. It was just England and Ireland with replaced prefixes.

All in all, this is a fun summer read when you want something fantasy, but don't want to think too hard about it.

Prepare to be whisked away in a story of social intrigue and unique magic in "A Fragile Enchantment". When it comes to the YA genre, a slow-burning romance paired with a character with powers isn't anything we haven't read before. BUT, Allison Saft is clever and creative in her choice of culture, dialogue, and the protagonist's magical abilities that made the aforementioned themes refreshing and enjoyable.

I liked both the pacing of the novel and the character development of Niamh and Kit. I can't wait to see if there is going to be a second installment!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Publish date: January 23, 2024

Synopsis from NetGalley and Amazon:

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

My thoughts:

An absolute must read. I truly loved this book. I did not want to stop reading until I had the book finished. It was magical, whimsical and it kept my interest until the end. I thought parts of the book to be cozy with mentions of a cozy candlelit library, a greenhouse tucked into the forest, twinkling grass and the sound of rain.

Please read to the end to see some of my favorite annotations.

Read if you love:

• Grump × Sunshine
• Fantasy × Romance
• Loves Bridgerton
• Forbidden love
• Lgbtqia+ representation
• England

Spice: 🌶️ Romance: 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Favourite annotations:

• The heavy curtains let in a gauzy spill of midmorning light. It sparkled on the glass beads of a chandelier and patterned the carpet with delicate slivers of rainbow.

• Flowers overflowed from pots balanced on marble columns, tumbled from the balconies, and wove through plates of cakes on the refreshment table. A few even floated in the punch bowl. Hundreds of candles flickered all around her, casting the ballroom in an intimate glow. Firelight winked off the low-hanging chandeliers and lacquered the hardwood floor to a breathtaking shine.

• The branches of a tree spread like a loom above her, heavy with limes and perfuming the air with its bright, citrus scent.

• Your magic makes me feel things.”

• Flowers burst into bloom around them, a riot of color: forget-me-nots and roses, sunflowers and camellias, lilacs and carnations, irises and dahlias, snowdrops and honeysuckle.


MD.

A Fragile Enchanment is a wonderful and romantic read reminiscent of Bridgerton meets Spin the Dawn. I loved the fantasy and magical approach to the traditional court life. Now, with that being said, I am not a fan of regency books so as beautiful as this book was, it wasn’t for me. I would’ve liked more of the fantasy side and slow burn, but it gives Insta love and regency. I’m giving this a higher rating, because I can appreciate and see MANY people loving this read.

I found this book to be really engaging and I loved the premise. I'm a sucker for charming romance so this story was right up my alley. I am looking forward to reading other books by the author.

I was THRILLED when I received an arc of this book! This was my very first netgalley book. I am still new to the feedback process, so if I did something wrong or you need clarification, please let me know!

I had heard of this author and her recent book, A Far Wilder Magic, but what really sold me on this one was the cover. It is absolutely gorgeous! I'm a big fan of the color-scheme especially--It is eye catching and was the main reason I requested it.

My favorite thing about this book was how it related to modern history. I totally saw the parallels to England, Ireland, Spain, and France, and as a history nerd, those parallels made this so fun to read! I enjoyed watching how the author addressed the historical issues between these countries.

The magic system was really interesting! I liked how the different colored blood signified magic--I have not seen that before and it was really intriguing to me. I wish it was fleshed out a bit more-- I would have liked to have seen more of the intricacies of the system.

The characters were all amazing! Even the ones like Sophie, who got very little page time, were all so wonderfully fleshed out and I feel I got the impression that the author was intending for all of them.

The plot itself was a wild ride! All the twists and turns made this one a thrilling read that was impossible to put down.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to those who love romantasy!

Rating: 4.5/5

First, thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC!

What a lovely little romance! This is perfect for those that enjoy historical romance with a touch of magic. The setting was lush and vibrant, and the characters were fun and unique.

Read this if you like:
- Enemies to lovers
- Forbidden love
- Regency style setting
- Scatterbrained, sunshine heroine vs. cranky, prickly princes
- LGBTQ relationships
- Chronic illness representation

I am eagerly awaiting this to be fully released so I can enjoy it again (hopefully) on audiobook!

A Fragile Enchantment is a lovely read and captivating romance about a magical dressmaker, Niamh, who is hired to make the enchanted garments for a royal wedding. The marriage is a loveless political arrangement, and as Niamh gets to know the prince, Kit, and his bride to be, friendships and feelings evolve. Niamh finds herself involved in a royal scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her and the prince’s affections for each other. There is also a backdrop of political unrest and tension that plays an important role in the story and Niamh and Kit’s relationship. I won’t go into the specifics because that tension leads to some of the more interesting plot developments.

I really enjoyed the character development in this book. Niamh is chronically ill and overworked and overextends herself for others at the expense of her own happiness. Kit is a damaged man with a troubled past with an abundance of family issues. Before Niamh comes along, he had never had anyone in his life who tried to understand why he lashes out or what the underlying reasons are for his generally detached, grumpy, and abrasive disposition. Their care for each other inspires them to want more and even the impossible for themselves. The secondary characters are a delight as well and I love all of the representation in this book. There is LGBTQ and both chronic and mental illness representation!

This is a slow burn romance set in a magical and potentially crumbling kingdom. The forbidden love, grumpy sunshine, and enemies (or more like, people who push each other’s buttons) to lovers tropes are there but read more interesting because of how complicated the characters are.

I loved the characters and I especially loved Kit’s character arc. The fantasy, the romance, and the political intrigue are artfully intertwined to make this a page turner! If you like historical or fantasy romance, you should check this out! It’s a nice and tidy standalone.

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

A Fragile Enchantment is a captivating story that revolves around the forbidden love affair between Niamh Ó Conchobhair, a talented tailor from Machland, and Prince Kit Carmine of Avaland.
Niamh possesses divine blood, granting her the ability to weave emotions into her embroidery. Subsequently, she has been selected to craft wedding dresses for both Prince Kit Carmine and his bride. The story focuses mainly on the forbidden love, intertwined with the complex political dynamics between Avaland and Machland.

The characters in the story are skillfully portrayed, each with depth and nuance, adding richness to the narrative.
Niamh is a kind-hearted, naive young woman, always striving to bring joy to others. In contrast, Kit is characterized by his stubborn and abrasive personality. They effectively embody the grumpy vs. sunshine trope. These distinct character traits contribute significantly to the heightened tension between the protagonists. Despite being a standalone story, the romance unfolds gradually, creating an engaging slow-burn romance.

The world-building was intriguing, offering a clear and comprehensive explanation of the Machland and Avaland situation. Additionally, the magic system was introduced straightforwardly, without unnecessary plot holes.

I'm not 100% sure what I was expecting when I requested this but I'm not sure this was it.

There is nothing that I can put my finger on that didn't really work for me... as you can see by my average rating, but I also can't tell you anything that stood out to me either. The characters were okay, but nothing that drew me in or kept me engaged and invested in their story. The plot was also... just okay.

thank you for the opportunity to read this early

Bridgerton, but make it fantasy. Niamh is selected to be the tailor for the royal wedding due to her ability to sew emotions into garments. While this is a blessing to provide for her family, she unfortunately finds herself drawn to the worst person she could pick - the groom. Add in a few fun best friends, family drama, political intrigue, a gossip columnist and potential spy, and you've got all the makings of sweet, but adventurous fantasy romance.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's press for a free e-ERC in exchange for this review!

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

Now for an honest review.

This book had so many magical aspects to it! Whimsical and fun!
Regency inspired Era with a cute enemies to lovers and forbidden romance. It was cute.

Okay. I wanted to absolutely fall in love with this book. I sat on four stars and kept going back to three stars. It did not keep me up all night in love. Did I enjoy the book? Yes I did and I would recommend this book to someone looking for a regency inspired clean romantic fantasy book. The cover is just so divine and the synopsis just had me head over heals excited to read this. I however for the life of me could not connect and fall in love with the two main characters. It might have been the dialogue between the two of them… or perhaps they just didn’t have strong character development. I did however love Sinclair as a side character he is 5 stars for me. I do love a good solid loyal best friend!

I did love the Regency setting of this book! If I could live in that time era I totally would. I thoroughly did enjoy the romance between Niamh and Kit. There was good representation in this book as well.

If you like Bridgerton and fantasy this book is worth a try! I enjoyed and would recommend to others.

My rating is 3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

This book sounded exactly like my cup of tea! Royals, magic, forbidden love…sounds great!

But somehow it missed the mark for me. Not sure why but it took me forever to get through this book. I had to push myself to pick it up and finish it. There was so much back and forth between characters and there were things thrown into the book that really didn’t help the story develop.

I’m sure a lot will love this book. Just not the book for me.
Thank you for the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

The perfect YA fantasy book for fans of Bridgerton. "A Fragile Enchantment" provides readers with romance, magic, and a little mystery. Characters are well-developed and you are transported into another world. Though at times the plot moved slow, the book still managed to captivate my imagination and I enjoyed watching Naimh and Kit grow into their story. I will purchase this title for my library.

I recieved an e-arc through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion about the book.

I give it 4.5 stars.
Sweet, heartfelt story. If you are looking for a Bridgerton vibe book but ya and with a bit of magic this is for you. The main character is a kind sweet young girl who is out of her element when commissioned to make outfits for the royal wedding. Her relationships that she develops within her time there are wholesome and fun to read. It is the grumpy/sunshine kind of story with the quarky, fun best friend. The story starts off a tad slow and I wish there was a tad bit more character development but overall this is a lovely little romance.

Loved this book! A Fragile Enchantment is the story of Niamh O' Conchobhair, a seamstress with the magical talent of stitching memories and emotions into her exquisite creations. This gift is responsible for her commission to design the wardrobe for the upcoming royal wedding in neighboring Avaland. Even though her gift is killing her slowly, the magic depletes her life force, she wants to use the situation to provide a better life for her mother and grandmother. She is surprised to learn that life in Avaland is not the fairytale she imaginied. The royal city is the seat of unrest, the unhappy working class demanding fair treatment long overdue. The Groom is chafing against his royal duties and the Prince is weighed down by managing his unruly brother and his unruly kingdom. Niamh is surprised to learn she will be kept close to the royals to show their willingness to treat their servants well. As she uses her talent to make beautiful, rebellious, creations for the unhappy groom and his equally uncomfortable bride to be, her friendship with the groom to be and his friend grows and she learns more about herself and her idea of life in the process. This book was so much fun to read. Allison Saft is an excellent world-builder, the plot was very well-paced, and the characters believable and entertaining. I was reluctant to finish the story, I hope the author continues with these characters. Fans of young adult fantasy/romance and good storytelling will love Fragile Enchantment. Many thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read the ARC.

Pride and Prejudice vibes but make it chaotic bi disaster children and magic. Also, a prickly personality that might be a little too literally prickly. I was actually highlighting things as I read and cringing because I felt called out a few too many times. 10/10 recommend. I might even love it more than A Far Wilder Magic. ❤️ I am absolutely an Allison Saft fan for life.


I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own and a review was not required.

For a YA fantasy read that was marketed as the fantasy version of Bridgerton, this had everything I wanted! I had fun with this read!