I went into The Rose Bargain without knowing really too much about this book and read about 30% in one sitting. I loved the premise and setting of this gothic dark fairy tale fantasy romance with a nod to Bridgeton.

Ivy Benton must win over the heart the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. The Queen is nefarious herself, but all in England must abide by her rules. Ivy's family has been through tough times and she has to win Bram's son in order to save them from ruin. They've already been involved in a scandal by Ivy's oldest sister and they can't afford another one.

The one person Ivy didn't count on helping her secure Bram's heart was Bram's half brother Emmett. Emmett has his own reasons of helping Ivy. But the longer the two work together the more their feelings start to get involved. Which brother will Ivy end up marrying?

I really enjoyed The Rose Bargain! The story moved quickly and I really liked the slow development of Ivy's relationship with both Bram and Emmett. I do feel like some of the pacing was off a bit during some parts of the book. This definitely felt more Bridgerton and less The Cruel Prince to me. I do feel The Rose Bargain was giving more OUABH vibes in terms of how dark it was.

That ending though?!?! I am eager to read the next book in the series. Overall, a great fantasy romance - solid 4 stars!

💗Ivy’s debut season arrives with a socking twist. A competition to secure the hand of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin and free her sister from the bargain that destroy her.

This book reminded me so much of The Selection but in a historical setting, though in this story their trials were a lil more sinister and dangerous. What I like the most was the idea of a Fae Queen among humans and that she will make bargains with them in exchange for a lil something. It was interesting to see what was the cost of each bargain.

The romance was ok I guess though to me it felt that Ivy fell in love to quickly and without much encouragement from the other part. At first I didn’t know what to think of Bram and Emmet the two love interests. I was so confused who to root for until the very end. I had my doubts about one and in the end I was correct. Also I was not a fan of her sister Lydia she felt fake to me so for this reason I couldn’t feel bad for her.

The transition between scenes was not so smooth so I kept getting confused and I had to go back and re-read multiple times. The plot twist at the end was somewhat predictable but at the same time a lil surprising since there was more to what I thought was going to happen.

Overall the story was entertaining I’m intrigued about how these characters are going to defeat the villain since they don’t possess any magic themselves. We’ll see how this plays out in the next book.

The Rose Garden completely surprised me in the best way. Sasha Peyton Smith creates this lush, magical version of 1840s England where faeries aren’t just part of the world—they run it. The story follows Ivy Benton, whose family is hanging by a thread after her sister makes a fae bargain gone terribly wrong. Ivy is forced into a competition to win the fae prince Bram’s heart, but—of course—nothing about the fae court is as simple as it seems.

The world is dark and gorgeous, with just the right amount of eerie. The fae aren’t the soft, romantic type you find in a lot of books—they’re sharp, dangerous, and completely unpredictable. The trials Ivy has to endure are intense and honestly wild. I loved that they were both magical and downright terrifying, but I also found myself wishing there were more of them because they were so good.

One star off for what was supposed to be the emotional depth of the story. Ivy’s relationship with her sister, Lydia, is the heart of the book. It’s complicated and raw but was ruined for me by how much I disliked Lydia, and for the convoluted and forced explanation of her missing weeks. I felt for Ivy as she struggled to save her sister while also figuring out how to deal with her anger at her.

The slow-burn tension was great Is it a little underdeveloped? Yeah, sure, but the longing and the angst made up for it. There’s this one scene where Ivy and her love interest. If you like forced proximity, one bed tropes, this one is for you.

The ending? I did not see that coming at all. The last few chapters were a total whirlwind. Just when I thought I had things figured out, it took a turn I didn’t expect, and now I’m dying to know what’s going to happen in the sequel.

If I had one complaint, it would be the pacing. Some parts felt like they dragged, and then all of a sudden, everything would happen at once. The relationship building, including the romance definitely had pacing issues. The ending made up for it though.

Overall, The Rose Garden is such a fun, atmospheric read. It’s perfect if you’re into dark faerie magic, courtly drama with unexpected twists, and plenty of tension.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for providing me this ARC copy in exchange of my honest thoughts.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
out.
"What are you thinking about?" Emmett asks.
"Stabbing you," I reply, eyes closed.
"That's not very polite."
"Running me over wasn't very polite."
"Again, you tripped."
4.75/5
Oh wow, where to begin? The idea that there is a new book that mixes fae with the bachelor, isn’t a surprise, but when I first heard of the book, I wouldn’t know I would end up liking it this much. The story was really good in my opinion, it was a medium pace with characters that were easy to tell apart, and they all got their time to shine so the reader could really get to know all the characters. The love interests for me were honestly the stars of the whole book. I loved Emmet as a character, Bram coming close second of course. I enjoyed Lydia and Ivy, though I am hoping there will be a sequel because I would personally love more world building. The whole vibe of the story reminded me of The Cruel Prince with a little bit more likeable characters. The only reason why I didn’t give it a 5/5 rating is because there was just a little something that I felt was missing, though I can’t point out what.

An intriguing YA-romance to sweep you off your feet!

Where to even begin? I had no idea the rabbit hole I was going to fall into when I picked up this title, but I'm so glad I did. This book was unique, and very well-written. This book had a nice blend of fantasy and romance with a little dash of history. The twist on British history was probably one of my favorite storytelling devices used in this book. I thought this book had a very good flow, and the pacing was also very well-matched throughout. I wasn't sure how I felt about the side characters each getting their own POV at first, but I think in this story, it worked really well. The trials aspect was also executed in a manor I didn't mind either.

The characters in this book were very interesting to watch and follow along with. The FMC was something else. At times, she was a little frustrating but overall I thought she was fairly complex. The MMC was a little hard to get a handle on, in my opinion. But by the end, he had won me over. The side characters were also very fun to read about. They added a nice little extra sparkle to the plot which was enjoyable. The magic and idea of the Fae was also super well structured in this book. It felt different than other things I've read which felt like a nice change of pace for me. Though at times I did feel a little confused by it.

The romance was honestly not really my favorite part...shocker, right? The romance felt a little clunky at times and rushed. It didn't really read like an epic romance or anything. I think their relationship was set up to potentially be more interesting in the next book. But it lacked a little depth for me and emotional intrigue. Also the little sprinkle of "spice" felt almost like an unnecessary scene in my opinion.

Overall, I think this book is a great YA fantasy read! It had a lot of great moments throughout, and all the twists and turns at the end which set up the sequel really well. Definitely would recommend this one!

I would like to give a big thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5

This story is the perfect mix of the Selection and the Cruel Prince and it was so fun! Set in a glittering version of Victorian England, but ruled by the same fae queen since the War of the Roses, the debutante ball has a dark twist where each debutante makes a disturbing deal with the queen. But this year, the queen is picking a wife for her fae son, and debutantes sign their names in blood to compete for his hand in marriage. This book had the dark, gritty fae bargains and intrigue from the Cruel Prince, mixed with the love triangles (this is a YA after all), dating competition, and romance of the Selection. I loved the characters and the twist at the end was amazing! I cannot wait to read the second book in this duology!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book feels like it's Bridgerton meets the Bachelor and in the best way possible. Set in London in the 1840s everyone is offered a life bargain with the fae queen who rules. Girls of higher classes are expected to make their bargain when they enter society. The common theme among them is that they ask for something to make them prettier or more attractive to suitors earning their bargains the nickname Rose Bargains. But this season is a little different since the Queen's fae son, Bram is looking for a wife and has decided to pick from the girls who are entering their first season. We follow Ivy who’s family is on the brink of ruin and in desperate need of some good fortune as she makes her debut in society and decides to enter the competition to become Bram’s wife. But as always with the fae queen, Ivy quickly discovers that not everything is as it seems and the behind-the-scenes is worse than she could have ever imagined.

This book had me hooked from the start. I immediately fell in love with the characters and their world. This book has a perfect combination of competition, courtly intrigue, tension, and romance. As well as a twist at the end that left me speechless and wanting more. I can’t wait to read book two and see what happens next. This will definitely be one of my favorite fantasy books this year.

Thank you so much HarperCollins and Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this book!

I received an advanced copy of this book. This is my own opinion.

I think this book was described as Bridgerton meets The Selection meets The Faerie Queen? I love the concept, but I feel I would connect with this one more as an audiobook. I'm not sure why, but I feel that medium would hit better for me, personally. The writing was great, the characters were fine. This is definitely a me problem, and I would still recommend this to readers based on their preferences!

I gave this 3.5-4 stars based on a flip through and the blurb.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the arc!

Hmm this book was ok. The concept was interesting and did feel like the selection mixed with Bridgerton. I loved our male main character and the ending was pretty good and left you with a lot of questions.

Thank you to the author and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for sending me this ARC! 💕✨👑🌹

When I say this book swept me away, I truly mean that I found myself completely immersed in its captivating narrative. The story possesses a delightful whimsy, interwoven with intriguing layers of mystery that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The plot unfolds with a magic system that feels both unique and believable, drawing me deeper into its world. The characters are richly developed, each with their own quirks and depths, and the unexpected twists add an extra edge. Everything about this story—from its enchanting prose to its intricate details—was nothing short of exceptional. Absolutely blown away. I never wanted this story to end, and I am so eager for the second book in this series. I already want to re-read this one.

What to expect:

🌹Fae / Human Worlds
🌹Royalty
🌹Bargains, Trials, + Competition
🌹Political Agendas/Scheming
🌹Love Triangle

This will undoubtedly be a book to look out for this year. Add it to your TBR now, and if you haven't already, you need to preorder it. There are so many beautiful special editions being crafted for this one. I cannot wait to get my hands on one come publication day.

p.s. GoodReads is also doing a giveaway right now, so make sure you enter!!!

Pub Day: 04 February 2025

And as always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC of The Rose Bargain!

The Rose Bargain is a perfectly okay magical YA regency romance. You’ll find the following tropes in The Rose Bargain:

🌹Bargains with a fae queen
🌹Royal marriage competition
🌹Love triangle…with brothers
🌹Found family/girlhood
🌹One bed
🌹High society

There were parts of this I loved, and parts that I didn’t. I particularly loved Ivy and Emmett, obviously. I’m excited to read more about them in book 2 and have high hopes that everything will workout for them. I also loved the sense of sisterhood between not only Ivy and Lydia, but between Ivy and the girls. It was important that they turned to each other for friendship and security during everything they went through with the trials.

I am rating this 3 stars as it just fell a little flat for me. I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters, even if I was rooting for Ivy and Emmett. Everything felt surface level to me, so I’m hoping to get a deeper dive on all the relationships in book 2.

This turned out to bet perfect book! The plot was intriguing and fun without being overwhelming, it was a tad bit predictable but I don’t mind that. There were stakes, romance, brutality, fae, just about everything you want in a romantasy set against the back drop of Victorian era England. The characters were fleshed out and felt real. I love getting chapter from different character other than Ivy every once in a while, I thought it added a lot of depth to the story. I didn’t know this was a series going in but I need to two now please thanks

I absolutely loved this book! I thought it was so unique and a perfect blend of romance and fantasy. It definitely reminded me of both Bridgerton and the Cruel Prince. The ending was shocking and fantastic.

I was not exacting that ending! I’m dying to know what happens next.

The story centers around Ivy, a young woman from a socially shunned family, who is competing against five other women to marry Bram, the prince during this year’s debutant season. The queen and prince are not human, but “Others” and are immortal. The queen offers a one time bargain to everyone once they hit a certain age, in exchange for something of her choosing. There is also a hot human royal brother, a series of horrific challenges from the Queen, family drama, and a big master plot in the mix.

I really enjoyed it. It’s set back in the day in England, but it still had a modern edge to it. Some things seemed a little slow and then all of a sudden things moved pretty fast. But overall, I really enjoyed the story as a whole and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review

This was so much fun. While I usually feel like comparing popular books to other books is a disservice, I feel like it actually fits here!

This was such an exciting read. I kept coming back for more and was intrigued by the blend of alternate English history, Georgian/Victorian high society, and faeries. I really liked all of the characters and especially liked the real friendship that develops between the girls. The "love triangle" is very light and the romance is very sweet. Just enough longing and buildup without being rushed. And that ending! I didn't see it coming at all.

I am very much looking forward to the sequel!!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I'm irrationally annoyed by the ending of this book and that alone is the reason it isn't a 5 star book, but we will get to that.
I was really looking forward to this book, and I was excited to get a sneak peak for 3 primary reasons. First, it KEEPS getting compared to the Selection, in reviews and even in the book description. Second, I judged the book by it's freaking gorgeous cover (especially the Lit Joy edition I have preodered). Finally, it was being sold as a stand alone ya fantasy book.
Soooo, I can see the Selection comaprison, however I think it is much more of a Fae story overall than a "dating contest" story. The Fae aspects kind of overtook everything else and made the parallels irrelevant, in my opinion.
Obviously, the cover is still gorgeous, and the title and cover did finally kind of make sense about 75% through the book.
I thought this was supposed to be a stand alone ya fantasy book, and it was not written like that at all. I remember being like 25% through and thinking that's a lot of world building and exposition for a stand alone, and wondering how she was possibly going to wrap everything up by the end. So I googled to check myself and it said it was a stand alone with the potential for additional books. Then I got to the ending. AAAAGGGHHHHHHH! I just went to Goodreads and it shows it as the 1st in a duology, lol, that makes it so much better.
I did actually really like the writing and the interweaving of all the different character viewpoints. The character development was excellent and worldbuilding was immersive. I highly recommend and now I can't wait to get my hands on book two.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. WOW! This book blew me away! I finished it in basically 24 hours because I could not put it down! It reminded me of the feeling I had when reading heartless hunter and how you just kept coming back for more. I love Ivy as a main character she is so cool! The friendships that she makes are so sweet even though they are in a competition they put aside their differences. I loved the little chapters that were thrown in showing other characters perspectives and giving you insight into other aspects of the story. It was a really cool way to get backstory of the other characters without having to info dump. Especially since the story is in first person and it makes it hard to tell what everyone else is thinking. I’m not usually a big fae book reader but the way this one was done was just amazing! The bargains and the magic were so cool! Plus weaving a little bit of actual England history into it as well. The end of this book had me gasping and I can’t wait for the next one!!!

Really enjoyed this one! It's YA Fantasy set in Regency England with court intrigue, rumors ruining girls' futures, and magical fae bargains costing everyone a finger, a toe, or a tooth (or similar).

At the center is Ivy, second daughter of a family struggling financially after her older sister's Season went badly. Ivy and her sister are close and genuinely care about each other, and it was so sweet to see.

Ivy competes at the palace to become the Fae Prince's bride against 5 other girls, complete with beautiful gowns and accessories, etiquette lessons, and a chaperone for time spent with the Prince. It was a very pleasant surprise to me how well fleshed-out these secondary characters and how developed their backstories are, including that each had a narrating chapter of their own.

⭐️ 4.5

Okay, this is so cute. The Rose Bargain is the perfect mix of sugary sweet and darkly magical. The prose was great and the setting is just realistic enough to keep you grounded but with that super fun fairy twist. I couldn't help but keep reading to find out what happened next! I really enjoyed the characters, their motives, and how, in particular, the girls interacted with each other. Sometimes these types of bachelor-esque competition books have cattiness between the female contestants that doesn't sit right with me and that's not there here. My only gripe is that the pacing of the romance did seem to stumble and then go too quickly towards the middle but that's a minor nitpick. Otherwise it was a delightful and suspenseful romance with the Bridgerton-like drama you'd expect from the synopsis. Also...there's an intense cliffhanger so I'm very excited for the next book in the series as well!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this is EPIC and i love this. i'm a huge fan of faerie stories and all that and this romantasy really pulled off that aspect of the chars. the MMC and FMC are awesome, the trials are interesting, and the twist is cool. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.