First I would like to thank Netgalley for approving this arc for me to read and give an honest review back.

I was a bit nervous going into the book that it would not live up to the excitement I have had for the book, and it did quite the opposite. I thoroughly enjoyed the book way more than I had expected. I love the banter between the girls as they navigate the bargain they have made with their lives, the banter of the princes, and the main character with both love interests. The turn of events and twists in the story kept the thrill going of what might happen or not, and Sasha Peyton Smith living up to how she ended her other series, gave us the same shock with this one. Another book I will add to my list this year I have enjoyed and some more characters I have really loved.

Such a fun adventure with the most exciting group of girls. This story was such a beautiful and devastating ride and I am hopeful for more adventures from these girls and this world that collides so magically between proper society and fae royalty. The characters are strong and uniquely intriguing on their own but the dynamic they create together is magic. Each trait and every flaw built in layers unfolding as the story does, perfectly paced. The depth of which I felt for these girls was a treat I didn’t see coming but that changed this story to be one that’s stayed with me long after an ending I was both devastated from and delighted by. The world is impeccably fleshed out in details written skillfully and in a way that drowns you with their beauty. I loved the adventure, I loved Pig and I loved rooting for Ivy and Emmett. I cannot wait to read more from this talented author.

This book had me hooked from the first page! The way it blends historical fiction with fantasy is just next level. The premise is super intriguing, and it had me thinking — I’ve always felt like if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This book definitely plays with that in a wild way.

Rose bargains are all about what a young lady in society is willing to sacrifice to improve her odds of landing a good match. London society is ruthless, where shinier hair, perfected pianoforte skills, or whatever else is deemed necessary to be considered "wife material" can make or break a woman’s prospects.

It all feels like the beginning of a cautionary tale for those who blindly sacrifice so much for so little in return. The idea of giving up pieces of yourself, your identity, or your values just to meet someone else's expectations or to fit into society’s narrow standards is a dangerous gamble. It’s a stark reminder of how easily one can lose sight of what truly matters when chasing after shallow goals.

But beyond that, the story explores themes of sisterly love, friendship, a complicated love triangle, challenges, and a jaw dropping twist that completely blew my mind.

It was such a thrilling ride, and I can’t wait to dive into the second part of this duology!

The Selection meets The Cruel Prince and I am HERE for it!! It was a bit slow to start but boy did it grab you and not let go the more you read! I loved the diversity of the characters and that most were fully fleshed out with their own motivations and backgrounds.

Also, who doesn’t love two brothers fighting for the same girl’s heart? *Swoon*

I did find a couple of the characters simply insufferable, but the rest of cast was so amazing that I could bear it.

Can’t wait for the sequel!!

3.45 ⭐️

The beginning of the story easily drew me in. It held my interest till around half way through the book. The writing style was easy to digest. It isn’t a type of story I’d look back to but I wouldn’t say I hated it either.

What kept me continuing on was how similar the relationship between Emmett and Ivy was to Eva and Jacks from ‘Once Upon a Broken Heart’, OUABH. I’ve been dying for a little piece of them again. The male leads had different motivations on why they pushed the female leads into certain situations but they were very similar nonetheless. Even the ending gave me Eva/Jacks vibes! I just wasn’t as fond of Emmett as I was with the Prince of Hearts.

Also, there’s not enough interaction between Ivy and Emmett to make me believe that they developed feelings for one another. The other POV’s were randomly placed which could have been replaced with other scenes to strengthen the main characters relationships. Though I did enjoy some of the POVs. Out of all the girls, I’ve grown to like Faith and Greer the most. They both had such rough upbringings but showed so much resiliency which I wouldn’t have gotten a chance to see without their POVs.

The trials weren’t’ that impressive or memorable. I didn’t care for these girly roles that each contestant had to play perfectly. Even though the characters were 18 and older, I felt like the story was more meant for 10-12 yr olds though the intimate scenes says otherwise.

I wish there was some world building. If a fae queen ruled in the human realm for 400 years, I’d expect some changes to society or the landscape that differ from what we know of Europe back then.

I look forward to the next book in the series. I hope that the otherworld will be explored more in of book 2!

Thank you Netgallery for an eARC in exchange for an honest review! :)

This was an absolutely phenomenal story that hooked me from the start, With elements of story remeniscent of The Selection ad The Cruel Prince, set in an alternate version of history with vibes similar to Bridgerton, this Upper YA story will absolutely enchant readers as they follow Ivy's journey as a suitor to the Fae Crown Prince, whiloe plotting with his brother to overturn a corrupt monarchy based on unfair and seemingly unbreakable Fairy Bargains.

The writing in this book was so confusing. Not because it was a complex world but it skipped around a ton. Each trial was so fast I didn’t even process what happened.
One second they are at the cottage, the next, she’s in the castle. Teleportation??

The transitions were not doing it. The was so little description of the space around them and so much more talking that you’d get lost when trying to imagine the scene.

Ivy was not an interesting mc and the love had no depth. Faith and Lydia probably had more potential!

Overall, did not love but the concepts were super fun and could’ve been something really interesting.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-ARC!

Once in a while I get a book that I just can’t put down and read in one day. This was that book for me! It was like The Bachelor meets Bridgerton meets a faerie tale. It was so much fun, and just a page turner!

I put the spoiler tag on here because I need to mention that the reveal of Bram being evil felt very parallel to Finn being evil in The Witch Haven. I was fooled both times, so I think I may just be naive and/or easily charmed by men pretending to be non-problematic. LOL

This felt fresh and unique. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is OK with the fantasy/YA genre.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

The Rose Bargain was very engaging. I was intrigued with the Queen being fae in an alternative England. The book is fast paced and interesting. The premise of the bargains was unique. If you like the Selection then you will love this book.

A fun, romantic, propellant read. Ultimately in the slew of books I read (it's my job!), THE ROSE BARGAIN is likely to become forgettable after a couple of weeks, but that matters little when I had a blast reading it. Combined with a cliffhanger ending (you've been warned...), accessible characters, and mostly likeable characters, I sped through this one. Worldbuilding felt decent if not a tad underdeveloped in some areas, the romance was cute, and generally was very fun.

3.5 rounded down.

I think this is the definition of a “popcorn fantasy.” This is so bingeable and easily digestible, but there isn’t anything particularly special about it. It hits all the right tropes and has a great premise, but it doesn’t do anything extra.

I love the plot (until the end). It was so interesting to read, but it definitely went the more predictable route at the end which was disappointing. I also felt that the romance was highly forced and underdeveloped. It was rushed and didn’t need to be since this isn’t a standalone book. A little more time and patience needed to be taken with the ending and the romance to really make it stand out and take it to a new level.

An absolutely stunning story I was drawn into from the very beginning.

I enjoyed Sasha Peyton Smith’s debut so I was excited for this story when I first heard about it. But oh my goodness, this blew it out of the water for me.

The Rose Bargain is a fascinating alternate-past story where the British royal court has been overtaken by a fae Queen. Each subject is allowed to make one bargain once they reach the age of majority, and must pay the price the queen demands. Young noble girls are expected to spend theirs on something to make them more desirable to prospective husbands, thus theirs are dubbed ‘rose bargains’.

But this year is different. The queen is looking for a wife for her son, and to be in the running the girls must promise never to take another husband if they are unsuccessful - a good deal for some, who don’t wish to marry anyway, or don’t wish to marry the man their family have lined up.

The group that choose and are chosen to compete for his hand are fabulous, and the tasks they are set portray the ‘cruel heartless fae’ stereotype which I really enjoy.

I was thrilled to realise at the end of the book that it’s going to have a sequel, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here!

I really enjoyed this! It felt like a mix of Bridgerton, the cruel prince, and the selection and all tied together. And the ending - I can’t wait for book 2!

I had so much fun with this one! I loved how like the bachelor it was, and the setting was so much fun. I do wish it had been advertised as the first in a series, not because it would've kept me from reading it, but because I was expecting a standalone, and I ended up feeling a little tricked when I got to the cliffhanger. Still, I'm very much looking forward to the sequel!

SO GOOD!!!! i really liked this one! really refreshing story. good plot. extremely likeable characters

This is absolutely the next big YA Fantasy. If you loved Heartless Hunter & Rebel Witch and you were left wanting more, look no further (except now I can't wait for the sequel to this book, too).

Set in an alternate 1848 London ruled by an immortal fae queen, this novel is a mesmerizing mix of court intrigue, deadly bargains, and high-stakes romance. For centuries, Queen Mor has kept England under her control, offering each subject a single chance to make a fae bargain in exchange for their heart’s deepest desire.

But as Ivy Benton prepares for her debut season (very Bridgerton-esque if you love that!), she knows that not even magic can fix her family’s crumbling reputation... so when the queen announces a competition for the prince’s hand, Ivy sees her chance to claim a crown instead.

From the very start, this book pulls you into a world that is both dazzling and sinister. The glittering ballrooms and royal court set the stage for a competition that’s far more dangerous than it appears. Ivy is a compelling MC... ambitious, determined, and willing to take risks, even when the cost of losing could be devastating.

Then there’s Prince Emmett, the charming but unpredictable younger brother of her intended, who offers to help Ivy win…for a price. Their dynamic crackles with tension, making every interaction between them layered with intrigue and unspoken motives.

What makes this book stand out is its balance of romance, political scheming, and the ever-present danger of dealing with magic. The queen’s trials become more ruthless as the competition unfolds, and the deeper Ivy gets, the more she realizes that winning a prince’s hand is the least of her worries. The writing is immersive, the pacing is sharp, and the twists come at just the right moments to keep you hooked.

If you love books with high-stakes romance, cunning heroines, and a world where every choice comes with a price, this one is a must-read. It’s dark, addictive, and filled with just the right amount of danger to keep you turning the pages late into the night. I listened to the audio of this one and it was wonderful and immersive!!!

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith is a beautifully written, magical story with a gripping plot and a strong heroine. The atmosphere is rich and eerie, making it a great read for fans of historical fantasy.

Illegal cliffhanger.

This book definitely gives vibes of The Selection, Bridgerton, and The Cruel Prince. There were a couple times I had to re-read to understand what happened, like a certain spicy scene that was kind of luke warm. All of a sudden things were happening and I was like where did that come from.
Now that being said, I was thoroughly entertained. The last few chapters were a whirlwind and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Ivy. She better get her HEA with a certain someone…

This book is an excellent mix of historical fiction and fantasy. The way that bargains that a fae queen makes with each member of the English aristocracy ties in with the series of trials for the prince's hand makes this an extremely compelling story that I didn't want to put down. Ivy having to learn to navigate through these trials, as well as form alliances within the court and the other competitors to try, and solve the mystery about what is going on with her sister all weave together to form a braid that makes the reader want to know what happens next. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited to see where the story goes from here.

Again, this was another almost 4-star read. It was pretty solid for the most part except the romance was a bit too detached for me, not too many moments really focusing on interactions between either Prince Bram and Ivy, or even Prince Emmett and Ivy (since this was a squiggly love triangle, in a way). Prince Bram x Ivy was pretty obvious, that it wasn't true and meant to be. She never even truly liked him, but I don't think she did enough to really grab his attention, as this was a competition to win his heart. The whole premise of these girls being pitted against each other to win his heart, and Prince Bram getting to move freely between all the girls was a bit icky for me. I didn't care for that at all as it doesn't give off the idea of true love. It's a very superficial way of simply finding a pretty wife that meets the mold. But I did like some of the moments where the girls stood their ground as a unit, even if it felt cheesy at times. The 6 girls were most definitely unique in their own way, as well as the two princes and Queen Mor. The prose/writing style was pretty good, and I very much enjoyed it. This was also very funny! I found myself laughing out loud and chuckling at some of the moments.

One of the biggest issues I had with this book was the timeline. It wasn't very consistent. There were multiple moments where Ivy "passed out" or "felt sick" and had to lay down for days at a time, and it felt like a cheap trick to make it seem like 5 weeks had passed (that's the entire timeframe of the book). There were also some scenes that really zipped by and felt too quick, like some of the trials, and dear god that sex scene. In all honesty, that really didn't need to be in there. It was so bizarrely placed, it literally made me for sure knock it down from 4-stars.