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!

This book was a romp. Niamh is such an enjoyable main character, and I always go in on the grumpy x sunshine trope. I also felt like the relationship between the MMC and FMC developed in a pretty believable way. I also felt like the political unrest and character manipulations within this story added much-needed structure and tension to the romance plotline—AND introduced the reader to my favorite (oblivious) character, the Infanta Rosa.

This book by Allison Saft was beautifully written and the romance made me swoon. This book gives major Bridgeton vibes while incorporating popular tropes such as enemies to lovers and grumpy/sunshine. I was worried Niamh would be naive and ridiculed as a "sunshine" character, while Kit would get away with being rude and a terrible person just because he exhibits the "grumpy" trait. Luckily, this did not happen and both characters were respectful for their traits. I also absolutely loved the mental health discussions in this novel. I think it was done in a very thought provoking way. Most books that talk about mental health either gloss over the topic or only discuss the downsides, but Saft is able to craft the hope and joy of life itself in this novel. I highly, highly recommend this book for someone who is looking for a joyous and sweet romance, but isn't afraid to shed a few tears.

This upper YA novel s perfectly fitting for students who love fantasy. There is a regency aspect thrown in with a twist of magic. Love it. It was frustrating to walk through the relationship of Rosa/Kit/Niamh since Rosa seemed so apathetic to her union with Kit. The added mystery of Lovelace helped push that book along as well, but made it seem political, too. A decent fantasy read.

To me, this entire book was pure perfection.

I've enjoyed all of Saft's novels and this one just adds to the list of amazing stories penned by her. Niamh is such a wonderful protagonist and I enjoyed her personal growth immensely but of course I most loved when she and Kit were on the page together. They had great banter from the start and beautiful moments the whole way through. Individually, they were incredibly well-thought out and developed which made the story feel both more real and more weighty with real people on the line.

It's such a tender-hearted love story touching on some really painful themes but they're such a sweet couple that you can't help but root for them. It's incredibly well-written and the magic is just the perfect mixture of cost and mystery while also being absolutely stunning to visualize. The supporting cast of characters really added to the story as well, with Sinclair being my favorite of them all.

I can't get enough of this book. Even though I got a free reviewer ebook copy, I already preordered a hardback for my own because I loved it so much. I definitely recommend it to any fantasy romance reader. It's an absolute delight!


Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Allison Saft has quickly become one of my new favourite writers. After the third book of hers that I've read (2 were 5 stars, and 1 was 4 stars), it just must be so! She's INCREDIBLE!

I read this in a 24 hour period because I cannot get enough of her writing, storytelling, and characters.

Niamh and Kit were an incredible duo, always at each others necks, but still generous with one another. I loved them so much. Their banter and wit with one another - trademark Saft dialogue that I just eat up every time. The magic system was really cool, and Saft has a way of not over explaining things to the point of boredom, but laying things out so we can understand just exactly what is happening and how it's happening.

I want more more more more more. She can do no wrong! 5/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book! After reading the author’s other book, A Far Wilder Magic, I found myself wanting for more. Imagine my happiness when I got approved for this arc. This book was delightful, the characters endearing, and the magic whimsical. Not to mention a romance that is almost sickingly sweet. I devoured this, and honestly, I wouldn’t mind another book that goes into the relationships of the side characters in this book. They truly added to its charm. I will for sure be picking up a copy when it releases.

This is now an Allison Saft fan account. When I get a physical copy of A Fragile Enchantment, it will be residing on my fave fantasy shelf next to Kristin Cashore, Marie Rutkoski, Tamora Pierce, Sarah J Maas, and Holly Black. I do not make the rules. This is just how it is now. A Fragile Enchantment was such a beautiful and, at times, heartbreaking, book. The chemistry was perfection, and the tension unmatched. When this book is released on January 30th, 2024, I need you all to give this the same amount of attention that Fourth Wing and Divine Rivals are getting right now. I haven't read Divine Rivals yet, and I know that this book is more delicate than Fourth Wing, but the emotions are there. We have the bad boy, who is really just a broken boy who is afraid of being loved, and then we have the bubbly girl that has always put others first and will call out any unkindness. Not to mention that they also have magic powers. Kit can control plants, and Niamh can embed feelings and memories into her embroidery. Did I mention that she is hired to make the wedding attire for Kit's arranged marriage?

I need you to love this as much as I do. I can not put into words how much this book has broken me and put me back together. There were a few times I did not think I could emotionally survive these two, but we made it. Please, please read this. Think of a more delicate, but just as passionate Cruel Prince. You will not want to miss this one, I promise. 
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[Disclaimer: I was given this eARC by St. Martin's Press- Wednesday Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!]