I want to start this review by thanking Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the an advanced reader's copy of this fantastically whimsical and ever-lovely jewel of a novel. This story follows our main character, Niamh, who is a bisexual queen that works hard for her family even at the cost of her own happiness. She falls in love with our other main character, Prince Kit or Christopher, who is a soft and gentle soul with so many struggles he has never let overcome him. Even if he only ever manages to stave off challenges through sheer will and spite, as the story says. Though their love affair seemed impossible at first, her being a commoner and him a being married off to a stranger, it was wonderful to see it all come together. Though, as with most standalone fantasy novels, there is a rough initial translation of all the magic systems and forms of government in this new world, it eventually cleared up into a really amazing book. I loved all the side characters, especially Sinclair, and I enjoyed how they all formed this lovely little family together. This book is banter-filled, romantic, and full of moments that will make you absolutely giddy. The love between Kit and Niamh is tender and makes you want to believe in love.

I think my biggest problems with the novel have to do with the rough start that the book had and how all the world-building was left for those first few chapters. It's hard to grab an audience's attention when you leave all the crucial bits at the beginning instead of spreading them out as to not overwhelm the reader. I also think that the ending, although we got where we were supposed to go, it was strange and choppy. I felt like the wedding day itself was too haphazard and didn't warrant the specific drama that it caused. I think it could have gone a bit differently and that some characters were to quick to anger, to forgive, and to forget. I would have loved it if it were less action and more emotion, the ending I mean, as the rest of the novel was.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and now I wish I were getting married. I love Niamh with all my heart and her and Kit are a golden combination. This whole book reminds me of "Speak Now" (TV) the album by Taylor Swift. Thus, I strongly recommend you pick this book up!

This book shows what it would look like if Lady Whistledown was transported to a world of magic. I especially appreciated the imagery and descriptions of all the custom made garments! It was a whimsical story and so would recommend it to any YA fantasy lovers.

A Fragile Enchantment is an upper YA historical fantasy with regency romance vibes, a cozy/flowery magic system, bi FMC and MMC (actually basically every character is gay 😁), and grumpy X sunshine forbidden love with an absolutely obscene amount of pining (because would I ever read and enjoy anything if there wasn’t obscene amounts of pining?). And I love love LOVED it!! A springtime regency romance with magic?? I swear- Allison Saft wrote this book with me and me alone in mind.

I definitely liked this book a lot from the very beginning, but I (once again) had too high of expectorations, and was expecting to just absolutely love and devour it from the first page. Which is a crazy expectation considering that I didn’t even do that with A Far Wilder Magic, my fav of Saft’s. But once I got a good portion into the book, I was definitely loving it. And I do think that reading it as a ebook was part of the reason I was struggling to get into it. However, although I loved this book so much and think that it was beautifully done, I do think that I still prefer AFWM. However, this is entirely due to personal preference and not any fault of the writing. (I’m a sucker for dual-pov and reverse grumpy X sunshine, okay?) But Saft’s writing absolutely shines in this book- as always. It’s rich and atmospheric and poetic but also witty and fun.

It’s a true feat of the writing the way every. single. character. in this book captured my heart. Of course I fell in love with the leads, Kit and Niamh, which I expect with Saft, but I was NOT however expecting to get attached to so many side characters. Sinclair! Rosa! Miriam! I loved them all! And their dynamic as a group was the sweetest thing in the world. I won’t spoil anything but the way things transpired with them all at the end made my heart so full.

But, of course, the main characters. As with any character who has ever pined over someone they can’t have, I related to Niamh a painful amount. She was such sweet, lovely character’s head to be in and, as always, felt so real and genuine. But KIT!!! I’ve never really loved a grumpy man but Kit is the typa grumpy man I will allow. The evidence is as follows:

“He is gentlemanly to no one but you. To the rest for the world, he is peevish, extraordinarily rude, and possesses no grace or decorum.”

Need I say more? But, seriously, I’m in love with him. But, even more than that, I’m in love with the way he loves Niamh. These two were so head over heels gone for each other and honestly, that’s kind of a rare find in romance for some odd reason. This wasn’t the slowest of burns for that reason, but I’ll allow it because UGHHHH these two were the cutest. The way they treated each other and helped each other grow was beautiful and emotional but they still had that helpless romantic tension which, ya know, is important (to me).

Speaking of just how far gone these two were for each other… the ENDING OF THIS BOOK. The mystery-ish plot and outward forces of this book were keeping me on my toes to the point where I was questioning if these two would get a HEA (not a good feeling). But they pulled through and, even though I already loved this book a good amount, the ending is what sealed the deal to make this book a true favorite. My heart was so incredibly full watching these characters finally get to be happy- I don’t think I’ve ever been so overjoyed and content with an ending before. I was smiling ear to ear while reading it. This is definitely one of those books that will break your heart and mend it and then give you a massive hug in just a few pages.

Cannot recommend this book enough if you love regency and/or fantasy romance, mature and well-developed characters, pining, lovely vibes, did I say pining?🪡🥀💐

Some quotes to prove my point:

“She supposed she was forever cursed to long for things she could not have.”

“It felt like a dream- a fairy tale. It didn’t feel possible, that she should’ve been allowed to have something she wanted so badly.”

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review !! 🥰🥰

Every time I logged into netgalley this book kept popping up and I decided to take a chance; and I'm so glad I did because this book was worth all the hype.

I really enjoyed this story. I was looking for something that was like a fairytale and Allison Saft delivered. Its sweet, and swoon worthy while also tackling some other themes making it easier to resonate with some of the characters that you may encounter through out this story that this author handles so well. Not to mention loads of romantic tension and of course magic.

I will continue to pick up any books that I encounter by Allison Saft in the future.

A Fragile Enchantment is…

Nothing less than whimsy personified.

Niamh grows so much in this story and you can’t help but fall in love with her. Her naïveté is easily seen early on, but her heart is what carries her through the story. She has a heart so large it is beyond her magical abilities. Her foremost focus is on others and she rarely takes care of herself. Selfless is the best word to describe it. She reminds me of Sophie from Howl’s Moving Castle, and the many sewing scenes and grey hair moments helped push my imagination further in that direction.

Kit is a male mc for the ages. He’s grumpy, mysterious, and albeit a bit too stubborn for his own good. He reminds me of an early 2000’s period drama lead circa 2005 pride and prejudice mixed with a bit of Anthony Bridgerton. He isn’t the most unique of male characters, arguably. He’s aggravating and where he is the most irritating is in his interactions with the lovable sunshine that is Niamh.

Niamh, to her credit, is very persistent and determined to build good communication between her and Kit even when they aren’t romantically linked to each other. I seriously appreciate any character in a fantasy book who actually sees a potential social problem and works on it lol

There were moments that were incredibly predictable and times where I saw that my comparisons to other works may have been too close for comfort.

However,

I still believe Allison Saft is carving herself a space in the romance fantasy genre. The way she writes is approachable and inherently readable, interweaving historical elements that landed so well for me.

✨ Four-point-seven-five, very very admiring and loving stars out of five! ✨

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of one of my most anticipated releases of next year. I’m eagerly awaiting release day where I can purchase a physical copy of this gorgeous book and support the talented Ms. Saft!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This story was truly ✨enchanting✨. I loved everything about the plot, the characters, and the climax. So a brief snipbit for anyone that hasn’t read it:

Niamh is a gifted seamstress who weaves enchantments into her clothes. She is hired by the Crown Prince to dress his brother, Kit, for Kit’s upcoming wedding. Kit is shadowed with intrigue, a poor attitude, and an arranged marriage (inset my squealing here). Niamh has the task of a lifetime to get Kit to work with her in order for her to help her family no longer living to make ends meet.

But when they both see that there is more that meets the eye things (specifically weddings) get complicated.

There is much more to this Allison Saft historical fantasy novel. The story holds intrigue, mystery, prejudice, found family, romance, and more.

Go buy this novel!

I need more!!! I need more on Niamh and Kit. This book was a magic meets Bridgerton and it was done well. Mixed with that Allison tackled something that I believe was done beautifully and that was the class struggles. The side characters even made the story engaging.

I would've loved more insight on the magic side. Not everyone is magical and those who do have it, everyone's powers are different. I would have also liked more insight on Niamh's background. It was slightly hinted at, but I had many questions still about her.

This is a book that I would come back and read again. I will read more of Allison's work in the future.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that Allison Saft had a new book, I knew that I needed to add it to my TBR list right away! A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft revolves around Niamh, who has the power to create magical clothes. One day, she embarks to a neighboring land to design the clothes for a royal wedding. But what will happen when Niamh grows much closer to the groom than she initially expected? Can this forbidden romance have a happy ending?

Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 1:

"As Niamh leaned over the railing of the ship’s deck, she was struck with the sinking feeling that she had forgotten something.
She’d folded all of her best pieces in delicate cream paper, packed her bobbins and fabric shears, and—most importantly—tucked the invitation safely away in her reticule. That was everything. Surely, that was everything. But then again, she couldn’t be certain. Keeping track of things had never exactly been her strong suit. And as much as she hated to admit it (and although she was secretly convinced her reticule did indeed contain a portal to a stranger realm, filled only with broken pencils and stray pocket change), there really was no arguing with the truth: everything she held dear, from her favorite pair of scissors to precious years of her life, had a way of slipping through her fingers.
It couldn’t hurt to check for the invitation again."

Overall, A Fragile Enchantment is an amazing slow-burn romance that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride and Stardust. One highlight of this book is the premise, which combines royalty in Regency England with magic. Another highlight of this book are the jokes and moments of humor.

If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that not much happens plot-wise. However, sometimes, you're just looking for a rom-com without a ton of action. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA romantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!

A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT is a profoundly healing story of love, friendship, familial commitment, and learning to be kind to oneself. It snares the reader in its threads from the very first page, weaving a tale of romance, political intrigue, and deliciously evocative magic that captivates until the story’s thrilling conclusion.

The writing is decadent (especially the descriptions of the memories and emotions that Niamh captures in thread) and the setting is richly imagined. But the most deeply satisfying aspect of A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT is the characters. Niamh is a seamstress with divine blood, allowing her to stitch emotions into fabric with her embroidery. After crafting a dress that snagged her friend an impressive match, she is asked to travel from Machland to Sootham, the capital city of the Avlish, to make clothing for the royal wedding of the second prince, Kit. When the two meet, they clash—and the tension between them grows with every chapter, until the reader is at the edge of their seat waiting to see what becomes of their relationship.

As Niamh says, it’s such a small thing to be good. But the protagonist’s goodness, shown through moments both tiny and vast, is the cornerstone of the story. By all rights, Niamh could have chosen bitterness and anger—she lives in a world riven by class struggles; comes from a country existing under the shroud of famine, colonial exploitation, and eventually revolution; and deals with the day to day difficulties of a chronic, life-limiting illness which will ultimately take her life. But in the face of all of this, she chooses happiness, kindness, and to seize on the little moments and emotions that make life worth living. While she has moments of sadness and frustration—Niamh is no unrealistically bubbly character—her fundamental worldview is one of hope, and of choosing to hope in the face of a society and situation that could easily lead to despair.

Kit, for his part, is a prince dealing with the repercussions of addiction and a difficult childhood. He keeps everyone at arm’s length, surrounding himself with thorns—but as his best friend Sinclair says to Niamh, he has a tender, gooey center. Watching him open up to Niamh was incredibly satisfying, as well as heartwarming. The both of them helped each other on the path to self-acceptance and forgiveness, a rewarding journey for the reader to go on with them.

“Most days, Niamh believed she’d accepted her lot in life: that her own body had betrayed her. There was a grim sort of comfort in knowing how she would die, even if she did not know exactly when.”

As a chronically ill reader, I connected on such a deep level with Niamh and the illness she struggles with. She often pushes herself past the limits of her body because she is worried about wasting the limited time she has, and this often leads to a worsening of her symptoms. Learning to accept that her limitations don’t define her is a key part of her journey, and I found myself emotional reading many of the parts of the book where she grapples with her complex thoughts about what it means to live in her body. And while Niamh thinks that “no good comes from loving fragile things” and endeavors to keep herself apart from suitors because of her illness, Kits wholehearted acceptance of her shows her that even if she is fragile, she is still deserving of love.

And speaking, finally, of love—as a queer reader, this book delighted me with its openly bisexual main characters, a cast of queer supporting characters, and a nuanced range of societal attitudes towards queerness. Readers looking to see themselves reflected delicately in a book’s pages will find that joy here.

It's official. A Fragile Enchantment is my favorite novel by Allison Saft! Every novel she has written has continued to be better and better, and once again I have fallen in love with a whole new world that she has created in a standalone fantasy novel. It amazes me how she has now created, not one, not two, but three completely separate fantasy worlds with their own magic systems, politics, themes, and characters. This time, I was totally sucked into Niamh's story as a tailor for the royal wedding of Avaland. Her power to weave enchantments into the clothes she creates was such a cool ability, and truly the most unique magical power I've seen in fantasy novel. Just like with every one of Allison Saft's novels, I wish we had a sequel solely to see this world and magic system expanded beyond what we see in A Fragile Enchantment because it's just that captivating.

My favorite part of this novel is definitely the regency romance. There are so many nods to some of our favorite regency media in this book, and all of the shenanigans that Niamh, Sinclair, Miriam, Rosa, and Kit get up to in this novel had me grinning. I loved how constantly flustered Kit and Niamh were around each other--seeing the two of them try their best to keep their composure around each other as members of the court while battling their obvious attraction to each other was everything! I loved Kit's constant careful eye for Niamh's clumsiness and the two's charming exchanges of banter when he lovingly teased her for her haphazard nature. Once again, Allison Saft killed it with the grumpy sunshine dynamic!

Overall, I know that fans of Allison Saft's previous novels will definitely enjoy A Fragile Enchantment. This book is also perfect for any regency romance fan, even if you haven't read any of her works before! I'd rate this 4.5 stars.

This book was a fantastic and whimsical read that flawlessly blends Regency-era charm with a delightful touch of fantasy. The book's Bridgerton-like vibes add a fun twist to the story, making it a captivating and enjoyable experience.

The world-building is rich and immersive, and the characters, especially Niamh and Kit, have delightful chemistry and interactions that leave you wanting more. I especially loved the idea of enchantments and Niamh's ability to incorporate them into the clothing she creates. While some plot reveals may be predictable, the overall cuteness and enchantment of the book make it an utterly charming and satisfying read. It's a magical and heartwarming romance that sweeps you away to a world you won't want to leave!

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I really liked the themes and plot within this book. I enjoyed most of the characters and was shocked by the reveal of who Lovelace was. I thought it played the line well of being YA while still addressing hard issues like drinking amount others.
My main annoyance with this book was that the main character falls into the category of ridiculously clumsy female leads. This made me rather sad as it often came across as making her less powerful within her own right, which she definitely isn’t and I loved the magic system within the whole story especially hers. My other minor issue was that sometimes the different kingdoms where difficult to track and what the alliances between each of them meant.

This was a great fantasy historical romance! Such a fun, cute and swoon worthy story. I loved the romance story between the high class and working class. It was a tender story set in a political world. Well written story!

Wow. I don’t think i can properly express how much i enjoyed this book. From the very beginning it pulls you in, and each chapter gets better and better. This book is filled with drama, magic, and romance. Once you start you can’t put it down. If you’re debating reading A Fragile Enchantment, please do! you won’t regret it.


Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing me this arc in return for a honest review.


My Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5669381466

I’ve loved everything I read by Allison Saft so this book was one of my most anticipated upcoming releases. I’m very pleased to say that I absolutely loved this one as well! It’s a regency-era fantasy romance with a flair of Irish folklore. It contains a magical dressmaker who always puts the needs of others before herself, a lonely prince with a prickly exterior, an anonymous gossip column that reaps scandal, and a mysterious underlying political scheme.
Similarly to the author’s other novels, this story is about self-acceptance, sacrifice, family, friendship, and love. It’s a slow-burn, which I love because it allows us to get to know each character individually before we grow to love them as a unit. Also, that book cover? Stunning!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC

Review posted on Goodreads on July 7, 2023
Review and rating to be posted on Youtube on August 2, 2023
Review and star rating to be posted on TikTok on August 2, 2023

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.


3/5 stars

I greatly enjoyed the whimsical vibe this book gave me as I read it. The magic system was unique and I enjoyed learning everything Niamh could do.

Niamh was naive, clumsy and every other characteristic to make her common. Her magic was enchantments and the ability to thread them into different outfits. It was really cool to see what she was going to make and what the extent she could do!

Kit was rude, tenacious, mean and every other characteristic that made him off putting. He also had magic but in the way of plants and flowers. He was also troubled and had a lot of inner demons. I enjoyed learning about him and what shaped him into him.

Overall this story was fun and whimsical. What made it difficult to read at times was how fast Niamh fell in love. One moment she was mad at him and the next moment she liked him and was in love. It felt slightly rushed. On top of that there is this huge political plot that is only around when convenient. Neither Kit or Niamh really look into it until they are trying to stop the wedding. It just didn’t feel like it fit the plot well. Especially since they were trying to rebel and have an uprising. Just seemed like the well being of the people really took a backseat for Jack and Kit.

Lastly I would have loved to explore magic a little more. We got to see that Miriam had healing magic but not too many other magics were discussed. Would love to see what else people could do and how it benefited the country!

Overall this was a fun read. Niamh and kit complemented each other nicely. The magic was the highlight with seeing what Niamh could do.

3.5

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Overall, I was quite excited by the premise of the book which promised a sweet romance between a prince and a magical dressmaker. While the novel largely delivered on this, my reading experienced was soured by the thin veneer between the historical-fantasy setting of the world and real life events that it clearly took inspiration from. If you have any knowledge concerning the Great Famine in Ireland that was constructed by England (and their relationship), then the fabricated fantasy element of the book quickly falls apart. This is because the author doesn’t really take any creative liberties with their relationship or their shared history so it consequently follows real historical events beat for beat. And yes, we have also have this magic system but this system hardly alternates or influences the social texture of society. Really, the only major changes we have is the name of these nations. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it really prevented me from detaching my external knowledge of events (and my personal opinions) from the story's plot.

We also have many political threads interwoven throughout the story that are constructed across class and ethnicity, but because they consequently mirror real life sociopolitical events, I really couldn’t fully invest in the romance. For instance, I kept wondering about the social and cultural repercussions of the relationship between the prince (who represents the oppression of her people) and a woman who faces constant prejudice in his society. The book does make a half-hearted attempt at exploring this area but ultimately, the subject was skirted around at the end— leading to rushed romance. We also see how the Machlish protests are shoehorned into this inconsequential space at the end as a consequence. I was disappointed to see the “power of love” as the solution to such issues.

However, that’s not to say there weren’t elements I did enjoy. I really did appreciate discussions surrounding chronic pain representation, familial duty, and discrimination, and the intersection between all three. Particularly, the usage of magic as an allegory for chronic pain was really clever and a highlight of this book. I also enjoyed most of the characters themselves and found Niamh to be particularly refreshing to read as a heroine. Saft’s writing is also still as beautiful and lyrical as usual— never quite tip toeing the line over to frivolous speech.

Overall, I think doing a reread with a romantic lens and suspending my judgement at the door will provide me with a different reading experience.

4.75/5

Allison Safts A Fragile Enchantment was as whimsical and romantic as its stunning cover promises. Having previously read Safts two other YA fantasy novels I went in with high expectations for an immersive setting and a swoon-worthy romance and oh did it deliver.

The story drew me in from the first sentence and kept me thoroughly enthralled all the way through till the end. Saft does a brilliant job of tying in the promised Bridgerton inspired setting with an intriguing yet simple magic system that I think fits the YA fantasy genre perfectly. The magic system was woven in nicely with no info dumps or plot holes which left lots of room for the actual plot (and romance!!) to shine through. As much as I loved A Far Wilder Magic and Down Comes the Night, I think A Fragile Enchantment is the most balanced in its content.

Niamh and Kits romance may be my favourite that Saft has written yet! The immediate juxtaposition between Niamh’s wish to please and Kit’s determination to do the opposite sets them up for a perfect grumpy/sunshine slow burn. Although their romance didn’t really pick up until the halfway point, each of their interactions in the beginning of the book still had me hanging on to every word.

The truly outstanding part of it all was the characters. From strong-willed yet selfless Niamh to Kits internal struggle between love and honour; each and every character Saft has written is complex and dynamic. The side characters were beautifully flushed out and it is impossible not to fall in love with cunning Sinclair and the wonderful but stoic princess Rosa.

My only wish was that we got a little bit more inclusion of the plot line regarding Niamhs family. We learn about it at the very beginning as it's her motivation for taking the job and it wraps up at the very end, but it felt like for most of the book that piece of the plot kind of disappeared.

All in all, if you love cozy fantasy, a little bit of mystery and a slow-burn, tension-filled romance then A Fragile Enchantment is the book for you.

Thank you to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for the ARC!

Overall, this was a slightly less-than-averagely enjoyable read for me. I realllllllly wanted to like it more, but I just found it slightly stale overall.

Some things that worked for me:
1. The interesting magic system
2. The initial world-building
3. The first act of the plot, characters, and writing

Some things that didn't work for me:
1. Once the initial story, world, and character building was over, the writing and narration felt clumsy
2. Somewhere in the middle, I became bored and not even the romance mattered to me.
3. There are several glaringly unresolved points

So, over all, a 2.5.