I received a free ARC from NetGallery in exchange for an honest review.
4.25/5
Minor spoilers below

Wow. I truly love how Allison Saft creates beautiful worlds with vibrant characters. I fell in love with Niamh and Kit so quickly and was so happy for their happy ending. All the side characters were wonderful, and had nice growth through their side stories. And I applaud the LGBT representation and love in the book. I love how the magic system is not overly complicated, though I do wish there was a bit more of an explanation of which of the Saints had which powers. It feels as though it was briefly mentioned and then not spoken of again. I still thought it was a clever was to incorporate it through.

Now I will say that the ending did feel a bit more rushed than her other books. Everything seemed to wrap up nicely, and I wish I could have seen more from Jack's meetings with the Machlandish people and how he intends to rebuild the country from what his father left it in. I would love to see a book about him and his wife, Sofia, and how they tackle their marriage and the country. All of that being said, I throughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it alongside of her other books. I am her for the Allison Saft world domination and cannot wait to continue reading her wonderful stories.

For my first standalone romantic fantasy novel, I thought this story was pretty good! Niamh is a magical dressmaker who, despite her divine blood, is a commoner from a working class group of people called the Machlish. She is hired by the prince regent of the domineering neighboring kingdom, Avaland, to design the wardrobe for his brother's wedding. The brother is the standoffish Kit Carmine who is not terribly happy about his upcoming arranged marriage nuptials. The resulting plot is a mixture of a Grumpy/Sunshine romance trope, the royal gossip of Bridgerton (with a far milder spice content), and the political drama of high society Downton Abbey. Since I love all three of those, this one was definitely for me. I only give 5 stars to books that absolutely blow me away. This one lost out for a few reasons. I thought the story started off a bit slow but it for sure picked up the pace from the middle to the end. I think one thing in particular that slowed me down was the Gaelic names that I couldn't pronounce. Once I learned how to pronounce "Niamh" I was ok. Otherwise I felt like I had lost the plot a little in the middle, but that was soon resolved when the action picked up! Overall, a worthwhile read!

Well, this book is truly captivating, providing us with a dreamy fantasy romance plotline that combines the charm of the Bridgerton series with the essence of Elizabeth Kim's "Blood of the Stars" duology, featuring well-developed characters.

The representation of chronic illness and mental health issues within a tense political atmosphere, where the labor class rises against the monarchy to defend their rights and fair wages, was a great addition to the overall execution of the story.

The forbidden love story between a noble prince and a labor girl from a lower class, who have been financially and morally taken advantage of by the aristocracy, is an intriguing idea that embellishes my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers and grumpy meets sunshine.

The main character, Niamh, with her magical hands creating marvelous dresses, is hired to work at a highly anticipated royal wedding. She's a little naive and self-sacrificing, putting others' needs first and pushing herself too hard to take care of her sick parents, even though she also suffers from a chronic illness. It's so easy to care for this character, but on the other hand, the prickly and aggressive groom, Kit Carmen, has every intention to make her job harder with his pretentious manners and mean comments that rub her the wrong way. Thankfully, she never hesitates to defend her talent, even when talking with a Prince.

As the story unfolds, Niamh realizes that the royal wedding between two kingdoms is a political maneuver, and Kit is dragged into a marriage by his ambitious brother as the Macklish people and supporters rebel against the kingdom. Amidst this intense political atmosphere, a columnist nicknamed Lovelace (reminiscent of Lady Whistledown) lurks around, implying that Prince and Niamh have chemistry. To keep her name clear, she wants Niamh's help to delve into the royal family's secrets.

Niamh finds herself in the middle of a forbidden love, increasing political tension, and a growing royal scandal as she gets closer to Rosa, the princess who is meant to marry the man Niamh is falling in love with.
The book effortlessly transports readers into a regency-inspired setting, complete with opulent ballrooms, lush gardens, and elaborate gowns, creating a vivid backdrop for the unfolding romance and political intrigue. The author skillfully weaves in elements of LGBTQ representation, highlighting the complexities of relationships and the challenges faced by marginalized communities within the kingdom.

One of the highlights of the story is the dynamic supporting cast, each with their own intriguing stories and compelling personalities. Princess Rosa, a character who deserves her own narrative, captured my heart with her strength and determination to challenge the confines of royalty. Sinclair and Princess Sofia brought depth and warmth to the story, adding layers to the interconnected relationships.

The fantasy world created by Allison Saft is both magical and believable, beautifully blending enchanting elements with the harsh realities of the political landscape. The tension between the labor class and the monarchy reflects real-world issues, making the story all the more relevant and thought-provoking.

As Niamh delves deeper into the secrets of the royal family, the plot thickens, and the stakes are raised, making it impossible to put the book down. The romance between Niamh and Kit Carmen is a delightful mix of passion, conflict, and vulnerability, drawing readers into their tumultuous journey of love and self-discovery.

Throughout the book, themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and the pursuit of truth resonate strongly, prompting introspection and sparking discussions on societal norms and injustices. Saft's writing style effortlessly captures emotions, creating a strong emotional connection between the reader and the characters.

In conclusion, this book is a captivating tapestry of romance, fantasy, and political intrigue, masterfully written to keep readers hooked until the very last page. It offers an enchanting escape into a world of magic and love while also addressing relevant and pressing issues. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone seeking an immersive and thought-provoking reading experience.

Once again, I extend my gratitude to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with the opportunity to dive into this mesmerizing tale and share my honest thoughts. It was truly a delightful journey, and I eagerly await more works from the talented author, Allison Saft. Happy reading!

Ok, so this was a major miss for me. I had a lot of grand expectations because I loved A Far Wilder Magic so much and some of the same themes were present there, but this book tried to tackle two major themes and a bunch of smaller ones and just ended up a tangled mess in my opinion.

I think Saft needed to cut some of these side themes to really dig into the historical significance she wanted to accomplish with pulling from Irish history. Unfortunately, I know too much about Irish history to find any of what I read charming.

I also didn’t love Niamh’s character motivations. They felt very half-baked to me and I would have liked more depth all around.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A warm and delicate, lyrically written fantasy historical YA romance that made me smile and swoon and even almost cry.

I admit it, I do judge books by their covers. I did not know Allison Saft or her books beforehand, and I only wanted to read this story because I fell for the magnificent cover. A book with a glorious cover must contain a fantastic story, right? And conversely, if the cover is ugly, the story must be terrible, right? So, what you see is what you get. Or …? Are we too prejudiced to see what more there is? A beautiful outside can have an ugly inside and the other way around.

Niamh makes beautiful clothes in which she even incorporates enchantments. And then she’s been summoned to make clothes for a royal wedding. But Kit, the prince and groom, doesn’t want beautiful clothes because beauty is nothing worth dedicating your life to.

At the start of this story, Kit is unsociable, hostile and sarcastic. But there’s so much more to him than one might think. Beneath all those prickly thorns is a kind and loyal boy. Slowly Niamh strips away layer by layer, torn by torn. Kit’s anger and aggression are only there to hide his fear. Niamh knows fear so well. She’s sick and might not live long. She’s working so hard but is still afraid to let everyone down. And those two beautiful people meet and fall in love, but Kit has to marry someone else.

The main theme of this book might be beauty and all its layers, but there’s far more. It’s also about oppression, about pressure, about mental health issues. And the writing is beautiful!

4.5/5 🌟

Thank you Netgalley and Allison Saft for the ARC!

I loved this book. I read it one sitting because I could not put it down! I highly recommend it!

Let's start with what I think truly made this book special. The characters. Niamh is an emotional and stubborn main character. As a stubborn and emotional person I loved her so much. Her unwillingness to submit to her disease feels very real to me. It isn't quite the same thing but as someone who suffers from chronic pain it was an incredible representation of the unwillingness to let it control every part of your life. And then there's the amazing Kit. I'm so in love with that stubborn and grumpy man. He is probably my favorite Allison Saft love interest!

I thought the war and xenophobia element was very interesting. Niamh's battle with her identity vs. her family's needs was really well written. I liked the way her families past controlled her future.

Overall, a wonderful and emotional book that I will 100% read again! I've already pre-ordered!

This was so fun and lighthearted! A great read. I enjoyed it. The writing was easy to follow. It was a great historical romantic fantasy! It reminded me of bridgerton.

A tailor who sews emotions and memories into clothes goes off to outfit a prince for his arranged royal marriage and they fall in love. The prose here was gorgeous; the magic in this book was amazing and I loved how personal it was to Niamh. I also really appreciated the story’s depiction of chronic illness and pain—by the symptoms it read like a type of autoimmune disease with secondary Raynaud’s—including how doing what you must and what you enjoy takes its toll on your health when this is your reality. I think a lot of teens will identify with Niamh in that regard. And Rosa, the princess the hero was meant to marry, was incredibly interesting and deserves her own story :) The politics of this book gave me pause, however, and I’m interested to learn how others readers react. I assume the nations were stand-ins for England (Avaland) and Ireland (Machland). It was odd to read about what the blurb calls a “Regency England-inspired fantasy world” where reparations and colonialism are major plot points, but slavery and racism was not part of the story world as far as I could tell. I hope that an author’s note putting this story in the context of the reparations movement is included for teen readers. Content notes for alcoholism, abuse, homophobia, discrimination, and on-page intimacy.

allison's writing has never failed— it's very sweet, and lyrical. however, it took me until the 40% mark to feel like things were picking up. kit was mean (for a ya book) and niamh was cute. i think allison made a good job writing niamh as the nice girl, but not in such a way where i rolled my eyes every time she came onto screen. my only issue was the pacing. other than THAT, the ending, and the blooming friendships AHHHH: so adorable.

A Fragile Enchantment is a low stakes regency fantasy romance, with a unique magic system and a hint of mystery!

What worked for me in this book was the world building & magic system. I liked the world Allison created, it’s obviously regency influenced and that fully come across in the setting. I really liked the magic systems, linked to the characters emotions (and heritage too) is always interesting to see, but I especially loved Niamh’s magic, maybe because it was more of a developed idea, but something about someone embroidering their emotions onto the fabric and that influencing the wearer or people around them is just so fascinating to me, such a wonderfully unique idea!

What didn’t work for me though was plot and characters. There wasn’t really a plot, which is fine if you like the characters, but I also didn’t really like the characters. I think this is somewhat quite a me problem, but I found them to be one dimensional and annoying. Usually I love a grumpy x sunshine/“enemies” to lovers trope, but here it just didn’t work for me, really it ended up being more of an “instalove” trope. The twist of the scandal sheet columnist was easy to guess and overall just a predictable story.

There was a lot going on at the beginning of the story and everything towards the end felt rushed and everything fell conveniently into place. I think this is marketed as a YA title too, but for me it read towards the younger end of YA, yet there was also a not fade-to-black scene which I found quite weird to be shoehorned in? It just didn’t hit the mark for me.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Allison Saft has done it again. A Fragile Enchantment is the whimsical, tender, regency romance sprinkled with magic that you have been waiting for. The story follows Naihm, a seamstress who weaves emotions into the garments she makes, and is summoned to make clothes for the royal wedding. However, working with the groom, Kit, proves difficult as he is hostile, brooding, and prickly. Yet as they spend time together, Naihm strips away his anger and uncovers a softer and more vulnerable side filled with pain and trauma. Still, Kit is set to marry another and the kingdom is bursting with political unrest and tension. A decision between what’s expected of them and what their hearts desire must be made.

This story is filled with warmth and angst. It was heartfelt and honestly just made me smile. There are some wonderful found family aspects, a diverse lgbtqia cast, chronic illness representation, and lots of themes surrounding mental health and addiction.

4.5/5 ⭐️

Read if you like:
- whimsical, cozy fantasies
- forbidden love
- regency romance
- grumpy x sunshine

do you like the sound of a forbidden love, grumpy x sunshine, regency romantasy with lgbtqia+ rep and set a in a bridgerton-esque world??

if so, definitely add A Fragile Enchantment to your tbr!

Niamh is a seamstress who weaves magic and emotion into everything she creates.
much to her surprise, she is invited to the palace to work for the royal family as they prepare for the prince’s wedding. there she meets Kit, the capricious, difficult prince in question who seems about as excited for his wedding as he is to meet her, which isn’t saying much. he gets under her skin like no other. as she navigates the court dynamics she quickly realizes that the kingdom of avaland is not quite the fairytale she once believed it to be. Niamh must decide whether to follow her heart or continue to pour her life away for the sake of others.

Niamh is so special to me. She is a soft, sensitive character who often catches herself daydreaming. she feels a deep empathy and understanding for others while also having a headstrong and self-sacrificial nature. emotionally, she is an open book and doesn’t shy away from what she or others feel. also the fact that she cries whenever she’s stressed or angry is sooooo relatable.

and Kit—bless him. a broody, prince who tries to keep everything locked inside. he reminds me of a combination of Mr. Darcy and Anthony Bridgerton. there are so many layers to him and I loved being able to better understand him as the book progressed.

the romance is swoon-worthy! I also love how connected and invested I became in not only the main characters lives, but also the side characters. I was rooting for all of them and I loved being able to see all the friendships and romantic relationship unfold!

brb, got to go devour all of Allison Saft’s books now.🫶🏻

thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday books for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc of this book in exchange for an honesty review!

If you enjoyed Bridgerton or Howl's Moving Castle (particularly the sewing scenes!), I highly implore you to read this book, and I hope it will bring you the same giggles, tears, and unbridled joy it brought me.

I think A Fragile Enchantment is one of those books that was the right person at the right time, because I do understand why some people who prefer romance subplots to heavily romantic storylines may have not enjoyed this book as much as they enjoyed Saft's previous works, especially A Far Wilder Magic. I would consider myself someone who generally prefers the same, but this book wounded and then healed my heart in a hundred different places that I was not expecting.

I genuinely think no one but Allison Saft could have written this book and felt it resonate with me in the way it did. Saft's signature atmospheric, witty, and romantic prose fits the tone of A Fragile Enchantment like a perfectly fitted glove. After two young adult novels, Saft has balanced the genre expectations with the voices of her characters near perfectly. And oh, goodness, was there much character to express. Niamh's character is immediately loveable, and even watching her thought process feels like being enveloped in a warm hug. Saft perfectly balances the "sunshine" character trope without talking down to Niamh's perspective or treating her as unreasonably naïve, immature, or unaware of the suffering around her. Niamh's good cheer is woven into the generational trauma she has inherited, and it's a perspective on the "sunshine" character I feel we are severely lacking and why Saft is a master of the trope.

There is the other half of the "grumpy/sunshine" trope as well-- Kit Carmine-- whose character development brought tears to my eyes. Saft once again upends the common understanding of the "grumpy" character as someone who cares for little but their partner and adds a depth to the trope of someone who has thought through this character in a nuanced and meticulous manner. Kit is one of the most charmingly-uncharming love interests I've had the pleasure of reading about in YA literature in quite some time.

The aspect of this book that took me the most by surprise were the nuanced discussions surrounding chronic illness and mental health that the characters shared. Allison Saft never shied away from the often gloomy reality of living with either of these conditions-- that you feel, baselessly, that every day is a race against time, or the unhealthy behaviours that people partake in during the lows of mental illness and addiction. However, A Fragile Enchantment, ultimately, does not ask its readers to despair for Niamh or Kit, though, but asks them to empathize and hope. It asks its readers to see a world for the characters and for themselves that sees the reality of the world, and allows them to be kind to themselves with the lives that they have.

A Fragile Enchantment, after all, is an incredibly hopeful book. Hope radiates from each scene, even in the characters lowest moments, and it is the simplicity and nuance with which Allison Saft handles these themes that I think will resonate with many readers and make this a romance to remember.

A historical romance fantasy I mean what more could a person ask for? And man did it live up to that. It was so perfect, I was so giddy reading this book. It was exactly what I needed: a romantic whimsical love story.
I have to admit that, this was my first read of Allison Saft’s work, and it won’t be my last. I look forward to reading her previous and future books. This book is exactly what I needed.

A Fragile Enchantment follows magical dressmaker, Naimh Ó Conchobhair, as she journeys to Avaland to become the primary dressmaker for the upcoming royal wedding of Prince Christopher Carmine. There, she becomes inadvertently entangled in controversy as her friendship with the groom grows, and politics threatened to ruin Avaland.

Allison Saft has stolen my heart once again with her lyrical writing. She made me feel a spectrum of emotions ranging from longing, to anger, and to warmth. The magic system woven into the Regency inspired setting transported me into a different world, and is what I loved most! This story is perfect for Bridgerton fans, and lovers of Olivia Atwater novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy! You can pick up A Fragile Enchantment on January 29, 2024.

I loved this! It was wonderfully sweet and whimsical, with stunning magic and an adorable romance. Niamh was a raw, relatable character, and I loved seeing her relationship with Kit blossom despite the odds against them.

Saft wove the politics of this society into the story so well, giving the plot more than your typical romantic substance. You sympathize with so many characters (even ones you’re meant to dislike), which shows how complex Saft crafted them to be!

Highly recommend this if you’re looking for a cozy, adorable romantasy book!

A True Enchantment (Warning: Be Prepared to Swoon)

"Her, heart twisting itself into lovesick thorns. Him, impossibly out of her reach for a hundred different reasons."

Thank you to netgalley for the eGallery! A Fragile Enchantment, narrated by our beloved Niamh, follows her and Kit Carmine, a roguish prince, as they navigate a Season full of drama, friendship, and unexpected attraction, one that might lead them, and perhaps the entire country, to ruin.

Honestly, I expected this novel to read as a fairytale. However, beneath Saft's lush writing and whimsical tone, it was an honest love story, if such a thing exists. Both Niamh and Kit were flawed (and endearingly foolish), and it was their vulnerability that stitched them together. Their love was as intricate and delicate as Niamh's beautiful creations, and just as divine. I adored them.

The women were the best part of the story; we follow not only the flowery Niamh, but have the pleasure of meeting Sophia (the queen), Rosa (the infanta and Kit's fiancé), and Miriam (Rosa's chaperone). I also must mention Sinclair, who made this story feel like a fairy dome.

I recommend the story for anyone who loves grumpy x sunshine romance, Bridgerton, and for all fellow swifties, for this novel was a whole damn Taylor Swift playlist. If I were to describe it only through songs, it would be: "speak now," "willow," "gold rush," and "I can see you." I am delighted to give it very shiny four stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday books for the chance to read this ARC.

First I love this cover, very cute and simple.
Second I was hooked from the start and could barely put this book down, the main characters grew depth as the story went on which is important to me.
Third I wish that Jack and some of the other side characters got more depth, Jack's attitude was important to the story line and at the end I felt as though we barely skimmed the surface of him. Rosa also could have used more too, she was an important character and I think it really would have added to the story.
Overall I did love the book and 100% recommend it making into your tbr piles!

Allison Saft has been on my radar since she published "A Far Wilder Magic", which I am starting next. When I heard news of "A Fragile Enchantment" I knew I needed to check it out, and I am so thankful to the publishers, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC.

"A Fragile Enchantment" follows Niamh, a Machlishwoman with the magical ability to embroider memories and emotions into fabric. She is hired as a tailor for the upcoming royal wedding of the youngest Avlish prince, Christopher. Niamh and Christopher, or "Kit", soon form an unlikely friendship that could threaten not only the wedding but the unsteady alliance between two kingdoms.

This book ultimately fell a little flat for me. While it wasn't boring, it also didn't excite me the way that I hoped a fantasy romance would. Niamh possesses an interesting magic that will eventually kill her, and the friends she meets along her journey have their own unique abilities as well. While we do see a bit of this magic throughout the book it's not much, and the lore behind it is covered in just a paragraph or two. I initially liked Niamh's character but at about the 30-40% mark I was getting tired of her. She is a typical quirky, emotional, clumsy female MC, so aside from her magic, she didn't stand out much to me.

Unfortunately, I also didn't love Kit. From the moment Niamh met him I found him spoiled and rude. As Niamh gets to know him we see more of his personality blossom, but something I noticed is that toward the end of the book, everyone seemed to act and speak the same. I may have disliked Kit less, but I never loved him. Of the main cast of characters, the two protagonists were the least interesting to me. I was far more invested in Rosa, Sinclair, and Sofia.

This story does have LGBTGI+ rep, which was beautiful to see. There are several gay and bi characters and I love to see bi representation in books. I LOVED the disability/ chronic pain representation we got through Niamh's magic, and there was one paragraph that really stuck out to me:

"But sometimes, the mismatch of what her body could give her and what her mind and circumstances demanded threatened to drive her mad."

I think anyone with a chronic illness or disability could absolutely relate to this, so I loved to see this included.

The story also had some political aspects as well. Niamh is a Machlishwoman and Kit and her employer are Avlish. Years before the events of the book, Kit's father, the King of Avaland, had squashed a rebellion of the Machlish people. Unrest is brewing among the working class of Avaland, particularly among the Machlish people and their supporters. We see workers quitting en masse, protests in the street, and an anonymous columnist prodding the crown to do something about it all. Class status and ethnicity play a big part in Niamh and Kit's romance, and Niamh faces prejudice around every corner in polite society. This was an interesting dynamic that was not explored enough. The tension between these two groups of people fizzled out quickly, and it almost made no difference by the end of the novel.

All-in-all this was a quick, enjoyable read. If you enjoy light fantasy and YA Bridgerton vibes then you will enjoy this. I do think there are aspects that could have been improved upon, but it was well-written and there were characters I truly enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Tropes & Rep: grumpy x sunshine dynamic, queer characters, chronic pain rep from MC

CW/TW: homophobia, mentions of alcoholism and parental abuse

I really liked the writing and was very entertained by the story in the beginning half. I liked Niamh a lot and found myself relating to her in some ways. Some of the things I liked about her was how she would speak up for herself and how she was able to acknowledge her flaws. I also liked the disability rep that we got from her. The character relationships were really good and the romance was developing nicely. The worldbuilding wasn’t necessarily bad but I did keep on getting pulled out of the world by how the characters mirrored certain ethnicities and nationalities from our world. We even got to hear some Spanish in the book, which I liked but found weird.

Now on to the second half of this book. The writing really started to decline for me. Things became more dramatic and unrealistic. The slow burn between Niamh and Kit, quickly turned into insta-love. The Lovelace plotline became utterly frustrating. Most of my frustration comes from Niamh because of how much I started to dislike her. The anonymous columnist is seen as some sort of antagonist or villain to Niamh, which I didn’t understand. Lovelace was rallying up the people of Avaland to protest against the royal family, who have seemingly been ignoring them. They’ve been suffering from famine and Niamh is constantly making excuses for the royals. At one point, when she thinks she’s found out who Lovelace is (with no proof but her gut btw), she is on a mission to find evidence and put them behind bars. Her motivations just didn’t make sense. She comes from a working-class family. She comes from a country that independentized themselves from Avaland. Her stance on this made it feel like she lost her self-respect, which I feel is the opposite of the girl we met in the beginning of the book. The ending was rushed. I was hoping it wouldn’t be but I expected it because of how everything else turned out.

Also, just to keep on ranting, as someone who comes from an immigrant family, I was infuriated for Niamh when people kept replacing her surname for something easier to pronounce to them. No one attempted to pronounce her name right. The topic was never pointed out. We don’t even have Niamh acknowledge it herself. It’s just something that happens the entire book.

Overall, this started out promising but turned into such a disappointing read. I wouldn’t recommend.