I think it's safe to say that at this point I will read and enjoy everything Allison Saft writes. ( no pressure tho but like I would read your grocery list )
This book is pure romance, in the best possible way. It's a low stakes fantasy with a beautiful cast of characters. Our main character, Niamh is instantly lovable. The grumpy/sunshine trope here is done beautifully, and their relationship develops slowly with all the tension. What I love about Allison's writing is that none of her books are the same, and all of her characters are different as well. Which I think is a force in an author.
This book treats with more delicate subject like alcoholism and anxiety, xenophobia, working class with injustice. All of this set in a fantasy historical regent time.

This book is magical, whimsical and just adorable. The forbidden romance between Niamh and Kit was perfectly done. I loved loved loved all the parts where she was sewing and creating beautiful clothes because I could picture it in my head so easily, which is not something I can usually do.

I don't know what magic Allison is putting in all of her man male characters but they are always so perfect and wholesome even if they are complicated and layered. Wes from A Far Wilder Magic is still my favorite, but Kit is definitely a close second.

Read this book if you love :
♡ forbidden romance
♡ grumpy sunshine
♡ magic
♡ bridgerton but fantasy
♡ lovable characters
♡ gossip girl-ish but make it historical

Also I already can't wait to re-read this, in January when I buy the boom, which says a lot in itself.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this e-arc. I am forever grateful for it.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Enemies to lovers, magic, a prince, a royal wedding. A quick, fun, sweet read.

What an incredible story by Allison Saft. This novel is filled with intense longing, beautiful character depth, and wonderful prose. Niamh and Kit have my whole heart. This is a true enemies to friends to lovers narrative. I loved every moment of this! Sinclair had to be my favorite character. The LGBT representation was wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (Wednesday Books) for the eARC in exchange for my review!

Overall, a really good book for teens that are starting out with reading historical fiction. I’m giving it 4 stars solely because based in the description I thought this book was gonna be more similar to A Court of Thorn and Roses and not more similar to Bridgerton. But, despite going into this with the wrong expectations, I still did really enjoy this book.

I totally loved this book! I am so going to get a hard copy of it when I can! I loved this so much! Regency England and muddle it up with a fantasy world and this is what you get. I cannot stop thinking about this book. Go good!
I just reviewed A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

I was so eager to read A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft because of the magical elements in this story. As I read Niamh's tale, there was inspiration of Bridgerton, The Belles, The Wedding Planner, and almost every royalty/peerage and commoner romance you can imagine. I loved the chemistry between Niamh and Kit. I don't know if I really understood the chronic illness representation but as someone who has been chronically ill for the last ten years, I can relate to her goal of wanting to accomplish so much for the sake of family but having limitations when meeting every goal. And then there's the backlash that comes from falling for someone that family doesn't want you to be with. As with all romances, there must be a happily ever after, so I really enjoyed that inevitable conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This dreamy fantasy that brings together ya and bridgerton , really captured me about 40% into the book. The middle being my favorite part. I think if you enjoyed this author's book before you will not be let down. I think it's a bit weaker than some and at times a bit jumpy. Over all its a pretty low stakes plotline. 3.5 stars rounded up

I'm not quite sure where I found out about this book but oh boy was I excited to read this one!

I love how we were immediately whisked off to the world of Avaland while simultaneously using the familiar theme of royalty and gossip. I love the grumpy/sunshine trope and we definitely got that with this book. Niamh is so lovable and the generational trauma was so relatable. The complexity of her relationship with Kit left me thinking about the book long after I was done.

Overall I loved this and it left me feeling so hopeful.

Honestly I don't even know what to say but this is exactly what I wanted an Allison Saft book to be. Thoughtful with a lovely romance, a world built with recognizable real-world touchstones but wholly her own. Saft is a proven talent and for me now an auto-buy author.

The magic system starts off clumsily and never really settles, every single character does something extremely stupid with no discernible motivation, and there are a good half-dozen completely unresolved points. So, nah.

thank you so much St Martin’s Press / Wednesday books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

a fragile enchantment is my first book by allison saft and i really enjoyed it – this book was dreamy, cozy, and overall a feel-good read. also, how gorgeous is this cover!!! 💚

it was easy to fall into this world, given how it read more like a “historical romance with a hint of fantasy” rather than the other way around. however, i did find that there were some slow moments in the book that i felt could have been advanced quicker. and while there was a fantasy element to this world, i wish we could have gotten more in-depth about the magic system — what types of magic exist? what is considered a powerful form of magic in their world?

i did love watching the relationship between niamh and kit unfold. it was a tender slow-burn with lots of yearning and secret rendezvous and stolen glances (which i love). i wasn't sure if i was on-board with their chemistry until around 40% of the way in, but i loved watching them slowly open up to each other and fight for their love despite so many odds working against their happy ending. the supporting cast of characters were also well-fleshed out and given their own backstories, objectives, and love lines.

if you love bridgerton / regency-era romances (or just looking for a sweet romance!), i would definitely recommend giving a fragile enchantment a read!

This was a really good read, the writing style reminded me a lot of Stephanie Garbers. This is a cute little whimsical fantasy romance, def worth the read.

I think this was a really interesting story line. The potential was definitely there! I was, however, disappointed in the writing -it felt choppy and unconnected at times. I did appreciate the diversity of the cast and that characters were bisexual without it being a HUGE deal. There wasn't some earth shattering moment, but it felt normal to the story, like a utopian universe where people can be whomever they would like to without everyone losing their minds. Overall, I would rate this 7 out of 10. I would recommend it to those who are looking for an entertaining fantasy world set in a past time or looking for a Celtic feel.

The skeleton of thos book was good. I enjoyed the magic system and the world. And for the first half of the story I enjoyed the characters. Having LGBT representation was great, especially having Bi characters that weren't just side characters. The motivations of Niamh wanting to make a better life for her family were understandable and drove her actions for a good amount of the plot. It was also nice to see Kit grow to care about the repressed community in the kingdom.

Alas, the love story between these two characters just wasn't it for me. They sort of had a slow burn going? But then instalove hit and the pacing of the story amped up tenfold. Not a way that was enjoyable for me. It felt kind of rushed after this point. Niamh's hunch to who the scandal sheet writer was felt strange as she kind of pulled it out of the air and her gut. The sequences of events in how the problem was solved felt strange. It just wasn't for me, and took me out of the story.

All in all, the bones of the story were good.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for accepting my offer of an ARC!
4/5
Even now, she could hardly process it. Her, a Machlish girl from a backwater like Caterlow, the tailor for the royal wedding. Finally, all her hard work had paid off.
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.
When I first started the book I was unsure on how it would go. Once the plot started though, I was all over it. I loved how it was an enemies to lovers.I found Niamh’s character to be really interesting. I enjoyed how the world building was put in with the main character also being new to the surroundings. The clothing in the book is what I feel really made this book special. The gossip column was always for me a welcomed addition, it added more drama to the plot.

I am so in love with Allison Saft's writing. Her stories pull me in from the very first page and don't let go. I really liked how this book mirrored historical England and Ireland while still being completely unique. I wish we had gotten to learn more about Niamh's life before her stepping off the boat, as well as a little bit more after the events of the book. I would've loved to spend more time in this world with the characters. The romance was excellent, as usual, and probably one of my all-time favorite YA romances.

today i finished a fragile enchantment by allison saft(@allisonhsaft), which follows niamh, a seamstress with a chronic illness hired to dress a royal wedding. soon after her arrival, she becomes embroiled in the political conflict between her homeland and her employers and in a relationship with the groom-to-be. and to add to all that pressure, this relationship is being discussed in one of the most controversial gossip columns in town. the main thing pulling me towards this book was its magic system and its world, but the romance is absolutely incredible. the relationship between niamh and kit is incredibly compelling, and it’s half the reason i devoured this book as quickly as i did. the other half is its interesting cast of characters. even if i didn’t like them as people, i enjoyed their role in the story. without spoiling too much, there was also a bit of surprise lgbtq+ representation, which is always welcome! the worldbuilding in this story was also very fun! it’s pretty obvious that this is an alternate europe, and i thought that it was established in a way that felt natural. the only place that the worldbuilding fell a bit flat to me was with the magic system. there’s little done to explain it or why niamh seems to be the only one dealing with adverse effects because of her magic, but i can overlook that and the few plot issues i had towards the end because of how wonderful this book was overall. if you love a good fantasy romance, this book is for you, and it’s out on january 30, 2024! thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for providing me access to this title in exchange for my review!

4.5 (rounded to 5 stars)

A Fragile Enchantment is a fantasy romance book that takes place in a regency historical period. It is whimsical and has a true romance with yearning and longing.

Niamh is a dressmaker that has a magical ability to imbue emotions and feelings in her work. She works hard to support her family that are from a poor province that's subjugated by the neighboring kingdom (keep in mind this is inspired by England and Ireland). Niamh is offered the opportunity to make the outfits for the prince that is set to be married. She travels to the royal court and meets Kit, a very prickly and rude prince. Over time, she gets to know him but also begins to discover things are not right in the royal family and is drawn into conspiracies and secrets.

This is regency inspired England, with Naimh being from Ireland after a great famine. The magic system as a whole isn't a hard magic system, with people having all different types of magic, but Naimh's magic is very obviously a very unique idea as a protagonist. The writing is so, so immersive and creates a wonderful setting that is rich and whimsical. It highlights the romantic moments in the book and makes them feel all that much sweeter.

The romance is easily the best part of this book. When we first meet Kit, he is mean and stubborn to Niamh and she can't stand him. But she peels back those layers and we meet the loyal and kind Kit who only wants to do right and prove the rumors about him aren't true. There is yearning and longing, and small moments that touch your heart. It is the driving force of this story and it is done so well.

The characters are also just so flawed and written to be dimensional, even the side characters. Niamh is optimistic, emotional, and definitely a touch naive. For me, this doesn't detract from her actions and it's not annoying in the sense that a lot of naive characters can be. Naimh is very in tune with other people's emotions and is able to draw out other people. Kit and Niamh are both deeply complex people and both struggle with responsibility and selflessness with this in turn, affecting their relationship.

Outside of the romance, we are seeing the inner workings of the royal court, elegant balls, and the court politics that are central to the story. One of the few criticisms I have is that it feels like Naimh's disease is addressed and is written to show how she pushes past it and how it affects her life. For the last 30ish% of the book, it isn't talked about as much and I do wish there was more about it other than, "it is manageable with the correct treatment."

Overall, definitely pick up this book if you like the regency era, forbidden romance, and political intrigue!

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

Well, Allison Saft has done it again. Another magical, perfectly whimsical story steals another piece of my soul.

"A Fragile Enchantment" is a delightful read that had me hooked from the first page. Niamh, a dressmaker who infuses her work with emotions, was so incredibly relatable, it was almost like reading about myself. Her kindness and charm worked really well with the other characters, especially the love interest, Kit - a grumpy prince with the power to control plants. I'm a sucker for well-done "opposites attract" plots, and this hit just the spot.

Perhaps one of my favorite things about this novel is how it deftly handles the idea of making oneself miserable to ensure the happiness of others. The theme plays an integral part in the story, depicting a fairly accurate (imo) representation of what people-pleasing your entire life will do to you, namely your mental and physical health.

I think at this point, it's safe to say I'll be picking up whatever Saft releases.

This was such an amazing read! I love the blend of fantasy and reality for the setting. It gave the story a background that was almost as beautiful as it was. The story was a bit slow at first, but once I got to the first ball scene, I couldn't put the book down. I love the reveal of Lovelace's identity. It surprised me as I thought I know who it was but I was wrong. Can't wait to pick up a copy when this comes out!