This was such a fun and sweet romance! I loved it because it offered me a break from those truly grueling and dark fantasy stories that I always read and yet this still had a lot of magic to it. I really had fun with the banter, the magic system, and even the political parts.

I highly recommend this read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my eARC!!

A Fragile Enchantment - A Sparkling Regency Romance

First and foremost, a big thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of "A Fragile Enchantment."
If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers tropes, grumpy characters melting under the sunshine, and a Bridgerton-inspired regency setting, this book is tailor-made for you. Allison Saft has woven a magical tale, brimming with enchanting prose and a darling romance, perfectly suited to the elegant world of the Regency era.

Meet Niamh Ó Conchobhair, a magical dressmaker whose talents have earned her the honor of designing a wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland. Driven by a desire to help her loved ones, Niamh embarks on this journey despite the knowledge that her own life is slipping away due to the same magic that fuels her creations. However, the Avaland court is not the romantic oasis she imagined, and even the groom, Prince Kit Carmine, seems disinterested in the upcoming wedding.

As fate would have it, Niamh and Kit find themselves drawn together despite their initial animosity. Niamh's tender and caring nature contrasts with Kit's gruff demeanor, but it's precisely this clash that brings out a feisty side in her. Their heated exchanges and undeniable chemistry make them a captivating pair to follow, especially as they catch the attention of those around them.

Niamh's character is sensitively portrayed, and her unwavering devotion to her family, who endured immense hardship, makes her an endearing protagonist. She faces her own struggles with a grateful and indebted smile, proving herself to be an uplifting and compelling character to root for.

Kit, has been battling against his own interests, unintentionally causing collateral damage to those around him. Despite his efforts to keep Niamh at a distance, his actions betray the affection he holds for her, making for an enjoyable tug-of-war between emotions.

While Niamh and Kit take center stage, the other aspects of the story are just as captivating. The plot is engrossing, blending seamlessly with the charming characters, and the pacing hits all the right notes. Saft's writing style perfectly captures the essence of the Regency era, transporting readers to a world filled with lingering touches, tender glances, and delightful banter.

"A Fragile Enchantment" left me sighing wistfully, eagerly awaiting its release date so I can dive into its magical world once again. Allison Saft's intricate tale of romance and charm is a must-read for fans of Regency-inspired stories, and it will surely sweep you off your feet with its sparkling magic and delightful characters.

Kit is a wayward prince with earthly powers but the really useful kind, like the ability to grow poison or wrap you in a vine. He couldn’t be further from his brother personality-wise and that’s caused a lot of tension. He’s returned from his exile to be wed. Niamh comes from a cursed working-class family. Her family depends on her earnings as a famous seamstress to make ends meet. Tasked with dressing Kit for his wedding, she travels to the castle to meet the infamous prince. Sparks fly at their very first meeting but not everyone is who they seem.

Allison Saft is an absolute master at atmospheric romantic vibes. A Fragile Enchantment is no exception. Here Saft delivers us a perfect grumpy-sunshine and opposites attract romance. Kit and Niamh’s romance offers a level of depth and exploration of family that perhaps her other books haven’t. Set in a world where politics are the name of the game and ruling requires a delicate balance in which both Kit and Niamh find themselves pulled into.

I could have used a little more interaction from some secondary characters. For instance, Niamh’s former neighbour and lover worked as a maid at the castle but then when Niamh arrives, she is no longer there. She gets mentioned a fair bit in terms of memories and then there’s a letter towards the end. It seemed like it didn’t really add anything to the story of her character development. I thought the plot was building to something nefarious with the friend, otherwise why else mention her?

It also seemed a little uncharacteristic of Niamh that she was so devoted to her family, that she packed up and moved off to give them a better life and yet barely mentions them except in a memory. Then something life altering happens at the very end of the book and her family isn’t even present for it? That seemed like it went against her very character.

Yet, I still thought this book was a great low-stakes fantasy that was both easy and enjoyable to read.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was simply magical. This novel stitched together so many familiar concepts like the gossip article from Bridgerton, the sewing/poor love interest like Cinderella and the magic of really any good fairytale. I really enjoyed the characters and more importantly their backgrounds I felt like we really got to know all of the main cast and could see potential sequels later on focusing on Rosa and Sinclair. My only negatives would be that if felt slow and a bit dragged on at some points.

“You’re like a weed.” 🤣 It’s not a very long or telling quote but it made me giggle and really that’s what’s important in a romance novel.

I got into this book not really knowing what it was about, and I have to say that it was probably one of the best books I’ve read in 2023. It had the perfect amount of magic, witty banter, and a FMC that you just could not help but fall in love with. I’m rendered speechless when trying to come up with this review as the book still remains so vividly in my mind.
I sometimes struggle with the immaturity and essence of time in YA Fantasy books, which is no fault but my own, however, in this book I genuinely had no complaints. I cannot wait to add this book to our library as I am confident that kids will be eating it up just as much as I did!

I absolutely adored this book! Everything was very well thought out and I think it’s perfect for anyone who wants a great hate-to-love slowburn with political intrigue and complex, but lovable characters!

Niamh and Kit’s relationship was so cute and I ate up the banter between them. Their relationship was a perfect balance of annoying each other and pining for each other and I couldn’t get enough.

I really have nothing bad to say about this book and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it! This is my first time reading one of Allison Saft’s books but I will now be going through her entire backlog and I look forward to any of her future releases! 4.5 Stars

I really adored A Far Wilder Magic, and was so excited when an ARC of this one showed up in my inbox. I love Allison Saft’s writing and I could not wait to dive into it.

This felt like Bridgerton meets Divine Rivals—and I think fans of those books will really enjoy this one. Unfortunately, I didn’t really love this one. It was fine, but it didn’t stand out to me as anything special. The characters were forgettable, the world building was messy, and the plot was slow, boring, and horribly predictable. Even the romance lacked the necessary chemistry or charm to keep me invested. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half, but overall I just don’t think this book was for me. And that’s okay. Not every book is written for every person.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC. All views reflected are my own.

3.4

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*Received an eARC from netgalley for an honest review. Thank you!

This book was a fun and easy read. I enjoyed it mostly for how effortlessly the writing took hold of my curiosity with the luscious descriptions of the setting and the fun banter. There were definitely some suspenseful moments here and there that kept me wanting to know more.

As much as I wanted to like more of the book, it ended up being basic. There were times where the book had a good sense of direction, only to fall short of my expectation or get lost in knowing what it wanted. The ending, for instance, was something I anticipated the most given how much the book wants us to believe that the odds of the situation ending tumultuously are overwhelmingly high. But of course, this is a book about happily ever afters, so I wanted to love the ending. However, it felt rushed and wasn't very gratifying.

My other main complaint was the magic system and worldbuilding. I liked the concept of the protagonist's magic being a part of a craft she loves that also lends her the ability to weave her emotions and memories into clothing. But the magic system becomes an after thought and it feels as if its included for sake of convenience. I was hoping we would get a more indepth dissection of how their magic works or the history of how they came to get these powers but there wasnt much substance there for me to feel engaged in the fantasy elements. And it's incorporation into the main character's life as a tailor could honeslty have been stripped away and it would read essentially the same way.

Overall, if you're looking for a simple story on the lives of royalty, the forbidden love trope, found families etc Id recommend this book. This book was still a captivating read and I look forward to reading the author's other books!

4 ⭐️

I was grateful to have had the opportunity to read this arc from NetGalley. When I read the synopsis of the story I knew that I wanted to read more. The idea of a woman who can stitch emotions and memories into the clothing that she makes was very unique. The book started immediately and there was no confusion regarding what was going on. At about 20% it started to get a tad bit slow for me (it may have also been due to some other things in my life) and it became hard to pick up the book. But once i made it 45%, the plot hit the ground running. The plot and suspense were coming together; I was putting clues together left and right. I started flying through the book wanting to know what happened next.

I truly loved Niamh so much. She was so strong willed and selfless, even knowing that her selflessness was hurting her. Her and Kit were truly incredible together. They both wanted the same thing; to be loved and taken care of, even if they didn’t voice it. Honestly it was clear that every character in this story wanted that. Niamh, Rose and Sofia were truly some of the female characters I have ever read about and I would love to learn more about Rose and Sofia’s stories in future books.

I really found this book to be very well constructed and written. Every word carried the story in its own way. There was never a hole in the plot where I didn’t know what was going on. Allison Saft truly has an amazing way with words and knows how to tell a story that will take the reader into the world she is creating. I am very excited for this book to come out in January so the world can read this incredible story!

I loved A Far Wilder Magic by Saft but it doesn’t hold a light to her upcoming title.
Woah, A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft was a stunning and magical story.
The characters and her world-building were amazing. So well done.
I was instantly hooked to their world and these characters lives.
Saft’s writing was utterly amazing.
This novel was truly magical and I could not put it down.
Another fantastic story by a brilliant author!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Wednesday Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

3.5 stars ✨ I received an eARC through NetGalley for my honest review. If you are a fan of Bridgerton or Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater, than you will love this book. It is a quick, easy to understand read mixing regency and magic. The magic system was unique, I liked seeing a different take and that being the MC being able to enchant clothing that she makes. I would go as far as to say the trope is grumpy x sunshine when it comes to the romance, with lots of bickering that leaves you giddy. The reasoning behind not a full five stars is because book felt rushed and then too slow at some moments, the pacing felt a bit off too me especially in the last 100 pages.

Thank you to the publisher for an e-arc of this novel.

<i>A Fragile Enchantment</i> has been on my TBR from the minute I saw the absolute gorgeous cover art. Of course, the story seemed to be right up my ally as well. I hit pre-order so fast! So it was extra special to be approved for the e-arc and also extra frustrating that this novel just didn't hit the right notes for me.

Niamh O Conchobhair has just arrived in Avaland for the opportunity of a lifetime. Her magical ability to sew emotions into her clothes has landed her a job as the tailor for the upcoming royal wedding. It should be a straight forward assignment, make the garments and earn a new life for her family. She just wasn't expecting His Royal Highness, Prince Christopher (Kit), to make things so difficult.

The biggest problem for me is that, on a whole, this was just on the very juvenile side of YA. The world building is incredibly basic, which is a problem because it's the basis for some pretty important plot points. For example, Kit (and his whole family) have an earth/plant based magic. In the not so distant future, Kit's father damaged the country of Macland with that magic that caused a blight and now nothing grows. The country is starving and people are dying which has lead to political unrest in Avaland. And yet, it's barely focused on. We don't know what the blight is. We don't know how it happened. We know the Maclish servants are unhappy and leaving their post but then what? Even Niamh states her whole reason for accepting the job as royal tailor is so she can provide a better life for her grandmother but once she starts falling in love with Kit, it's like her family doesn't exist.

The magic is also frustratingly vague and pointless. Supposedly Niamh gets her position because she has magic that allows her to embroider feelings into clothes. We see this happen, we see the consequences of this - sort of - but on a whole it feels like an after thought when it could be something so cool. I'm also not sure if Niamh's illness comes from the magic or not. It also feels like an after thought as if the author needed an excuse to have Niamh fainting all the time and have interesting "unique" hair.

All of those issues I might have forgiven had the romance been spectacular but I was let down there as well. Kit and Niamh had no chemistry and the build up was no existent. I kept waiting for the slow burn but it comes completely out of left field when Niamh claims she loves Kit. *sigh*

Overall, I gave this book a 3 stars. 2.5 for the actual novel and then rounded up for the gorgeous cover. I think the bones of the story are there... I just really wanted more from it.

this story was... magical. it is the second allison saft i've read, and it's safe to say they're now one of my favourite authors. the blend of historical and romance was so magical i almost wondered if it was fantasy. as a fashion professional, the nods to fashion were so heartwarming. and while i'm enthralled by the romance, the plot itself also escalates with every chapter, making the book impossible to put down. this story is truly a hug in book form.

This book was magical. I was captivated from the very first chapter. I had no idea how much I loved book with Bridgeton vibes AND magic, but it’s now a top genre. Essentially this is a forbidden romance between a prince and girl from lower class. ITS ALSO SO MUCH MORE THEN THAT!

We are thrown into a world that is in the midst or political turmoil. Where the labor class, that has been morally and financially taken advantage of by the nobles, are rising against the monarchy to defend their rights and fair wages.

In this story we follow Niamh, a seamstress with the ability to enchanted feelings and memories into her thread. Want a dress that makes you feel a memories of summertime? A coat that makes you “invisible” to other around you? A gown that makes you feel brave and powerful?

Niamh is called upon by king Jack to be the royal dresser for the wedding of his brother Kit and political rival Rosa. Niamh always puts others first, even when it hurts her. She is working herself to the bone ti try to provide her family with a better life, and Kit is not making that an easy job.

In the midst of it all is an anonymous columnist named “Lovelace” who is airing out the dirty laundry of the noble class. I don’t want to give too much away, as I went in semi blind and had an AMAZING time!

I highly recommend this book for all lovers of historical romance, dynamic of Bridgeton, enemies to lovers, and grumpy sunshine!

To begin, thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of A Fragile Enchantment.

To say that I flew through this book would be an understatement! Once I picked this book up I had absolutely zero desire to put it down. I really loved the world of magic, romance, and the kingdom's complicated political drama.
The main character Niemh, a young woman from a village that is economically struggling as it still heals from the war it was once involved in against the kingdom of Avaland, finds herself thrown into the world of that same kingdom that has hurt her village and her family for decades. In this world where magic exists, Neimh's magic allows her to stitch her emotions and memories into her designs, imbuing the wearer. Neimh has left her family, much to their dismay and distaste, when she is given the opportunity to design the wedding clothes for the soon-to-be-wed brother of the Prince Regent, Kit. Kit, embroiled in the politics of his kingdom, his family, and his past actions, is cold, rude, and completely standoff-ish to Neimh when she arrives...but could there be more to this relationship? And if there was, what would Neimh and Kit sacrifice to have it?

As I said, I really loved this book. While we only see a portion of the magic system, I really liked what I saw, and really loved Neimhs powers. I have never seen magic like hers in fantasy before which is exciting as I read a lot of fantasy. A common theme in my review is the strong desire (and perhaps a little bit of a plead) for there to be a second book and I think it would be fascinating to learn and see more about the magic in this book. I really love the side characters in this book and how we actually got to see them grow and evolve beyond how they influenced or were involved with the main characters of Neimh and Kit, that is not always the case with ensemble casts and I thought it was well done (but again....I would LOVE to see more in sequels....love story for Sinclair anyone?!). I thought that Neimh's growth throughout the book was great, and though sometimes slow and frustrating, that is what made it feel real, similar to Kit's. One area of Neimh's growth I found myself questioning was how she could be so lenient and offer so much grace to Prince Regent Jack, but overall I think it fits well with her character and was consistent, and I would love to see his growth and their relationship continue to grow and go through what I can only imagine would require growing pains (remember how I said there would be a theme to this review?). On the topic of side characters, I loved everything we got from Sinclair, Rosa, and Miriam (Rosa and Miriam book #2 and Sinclair book #3....please?).

I feel like I could go on for a very long time to be honest, so I'll just end with a resounding, read this book when it comes out on January 30th, 2024!

It is a pleasure to read a book by Allison Saft, so far they have all been delightful reads. This one in particular has been perfect to accompany on not so sunny afternoons, tea and chocolates. Loved Niamh and Kit's dynamic (I would have liked to know where their nickname comes from, though).

***actual rating of 4.25 stars*

Allison Saft has done it again with another cozy romance with elements of magic/ fantasy. This book was so much fun and so cute. It is THE grumpiest/ sunshiniest pairing I've ever read and honestly Niamh and Kit should be the mold from which all other grumpy/ sunshines are made.

One thing I loved about this book was the side characters. Sinclair, Rosa, and Miriam really stole the show for me. Saft's other books don't really go beyond the main pairings (except one or two side characters that don't get much "page time") but this book was really about finding your own family.

This book has so much heart and the plot kept me hooked. I read the whole thing in just over a day and loved every second of it.

My *only* complaint and the reason it doesn't get five stars is because it started really, really slow and took a minute to get into everything. It was also pretty insta-love-y, but that's a personal preference!

I highly recommend this book, and honestly all of her books!

Allison Saft’s previous book, A FAR WILDER MAGIC, was one of my favorites of last year, so I had really high hopes for A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT. Unfortunately, it didn’t measure up for me. I found the world/politics too overbearing and too similar to real life (AFWM does this too but it didn’t feel as shoehorned). I also wasn’t really interested in the Bridgerton elements, as Bridgerton did it better. I did like the two main characters and their love story, but overall this was just an okay read for me.

I have previously enjoyed Saft's writing and I was excited to read another book by her. Overall I enjoed this book, but I liked the previous book, A far Wilder Magic, better. I felt this story was a little long and the love story was a bit too instant for my taste. The writing was beautiful and the world was enchanting.

This feels like Bridgerton if it was a cozy fantasy, but keeping the secrets, gossip collum, scandals, and the romance of course.

This book is a wonderful and enchanting romance that has a flare of Bridgerton but the vibes of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, and just combines the best of both worlds to make this addicting romance. But there is honestly so much more that this book provides and tells the story of.

This is a Enemies to Lovers and a Sunshine x Grumpy kind of book that also have a good amount of forbidden love, and the mixture of all of these was truly amazing. It just checked so many boxes and had such variety when it came to this romance.

Additionally, this book had such a good supporting cast that really made it just that much better. The characters were unique, motivated, and had their own secrets. Not one character felt flat or unfinished in my opinion, and it really created an immersive story.

The world-building was another highlight of this read for me because it was done in such a way that it made it feel as if it could be a real-world/kingdom. There are definitely some ideas and real events that were used to create this world, but it really supports the story that is being told.

Finally, in this book, there is also a great representation of chronic illness and also mental health issues, and it was explained and shown in such a caring and informative way.

In conclusion, this book was such a perfect read and was just such a well-rounded book that had a fantastic cast of characters and superior story-building. A fantastic read, truly.