The description of The Selection meets The Cruel Prince is very appropriate. This is the story of Ivy joining a contest for Prince Bram’s heart in an effort to help her family. Along the way, we witness the Queen’s evil streak, Ivy’s soft spot for her recently returned from the missing sister, and the connection blooming with the princes brother.
This book combines a lot of themes I enjoy. A group of girls competing. A Bridgerton feel with the court and community. Fae and enchantments. The characters are well described and I could visualize most of the book happening. The last 20%, though, is a loud crescendo. Things are well paced and building and then BOOM. A ton of things happen in a short period of time and it didn’t match the pace of the rest of the story. There would be one big thing and I’d think this is the cliffhanger for the next book. But then there were like four more. So there’s definitely a lot to address in book 2!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing with me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The comparison to The Cruel Prince and The Selection is fully warranted. As The Selection is a series I go back to time and time again as a comfort read, I was of course very eager to read The Rose Bargain! Throw in an alternate 1840s England, sneaky fae dealings, and we’ve got a winner.

This was a really quick read and I had so much fun with it! I loved the setting, it was very atmospheric and my imagination could easily paint a vivid picture.

All the characters were great in their own way, but the chapters with the other girls pov really didn’t add anything to the story for me. I feel like those chapters could have been utilized by better developing the romance…While I adored the MMC and ate up the angst between the two, their romance definitely did feel a little underdeveloped. I hope we will see more interaction between them in book two!

The standout here really is the relationship between the FMC and her sister, Lydia. They have a strong but fractured bond that will be interesting to explore moving forward. I found Lydia and the mystery surrounding her extremely intriguing and can’t wait to see more of her story unfold!

And lastly, that ending! *mind blown* I truly didn’t see all of that coming and boy am I anxious for the next book now!

Overall, I thought this was a great beginning to what I expect will be a beautiful duology. It’s a fun, light read with just enough intrigue, that will have readers enamored.

Really enjoyed this one! I loved the courtly competition with the fae twist. It was fun to see all the bargains people were making and the repercussions to them. I think my favorite thing though was actually the relationships between the 6 girls and how they started as enemies and became friends throughout their shared experiences. I will say, the romance was a little 2D and I personally thought some of the romance was too adult for a YA book, but I'm definitely intrigued and can't wait for book 2!

The Rose Bargain
by Sasha Peyton Smith

A Victorian inspired romantasy that I couldn’t put down. I loved Ivy! She’s so brave and went after what she wanted. I also loved the bond between her and her sister Lydia! Family is so important and if you have a close bond with them, you are so lucky! The love triangle was crazy! It made the book so interesting! There was so much going on in the story, I was never bored. I just kept wanting more! I’ve never read a Victorian inspired romantasy so it was very cool to read something different. I’m looking forward to the next book!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Sasha and HarperCollins Children’s Books for the ARC!

Publication Date: February 4th 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#NetGalley #TheRoseBargain

This book started off strong and just didn't stop! This story starts with an unexpected twist for a group of young ladies who are entering society and ends with a twist that I am still reeling over!


A few key highlights: muddy maypole dancing, midnight dance lessons with the wrong brother, bargains that become a logistical nightmare, tunnels of love/hate, and a group of ladies who just need to learn their lessons!


Can ivy use this competition to bring her family back to society, or will she live to regret it?


And where the heck has Lydia been?!


Begging for book two at this point.

The Rose Bargain is set in the Regency era, where "every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen." I loved the concept of the bargains and the risk each carried. The trials throughout the novel became a bit too intense for my taste but I can see how some readers may find it compelling. I would have also liked more build up to the romance. However, I was intrigued from the very beginning, and I'll definitely be reading the second book when it's published.
Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Vying for the hand of one brother.

Falling in love with the other.

A new Victorian-inspired romantasy, perfect for fans of Bridgerton, The Selection, and The Cruel Prince.

London, 1848 - For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire.

As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family's social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy's marriage prospects are nonexistent. So when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram's hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. What a bargain can't fix, a crown certainly could.

Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner - with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram's brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother's heart...for a price. But as the season sweeps Ivy away, with glittering balls veiling the queen's increasingly vicious trials, Ivy realizes there's more at stake than just a wedding. Because all faerie bargains come with a cost, and Ivy may have discovered hers too late.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven comes a tale that will leave readers eager to bargain for a sequel."

Oh, no, I'm smart enough not toe bargain for a sequel. No faerie bargains for me.

LOVED!!!! This was unique and so fun! i love that it’s set in high society with faeries and bargains! The love triangle was painfully wonderful 😫

Did I suspect the ending? Somewhat but the full weight and reality shocked me! I need book 2 like I need air.

Highly recommending this to my audience!

Whew where do I even begin? First, let me say the comp titles for this book were spot on because it was giving everything I expected and more.

I loved Ivy, our narrator, so much. She was so fierce, so brave, and felt so responsible for reclaiming her family’s good standing in society that she was willing to do whatever it took to win. As a sister myself, I understood deeply the war she felt within herself about how much she loved her sister but also hated how much responsibility fell on her own shoulders.

Honestly, I thought the romance was great. Intriguing and…a few other words I could use that I think would be spoilery so I’ll refrain. But I somehow loved the friendships that developed between the girls competing for Bram’s hand more. The found family aspect was unmatched.

All said, I’m entirely obsessed with this book. SPS SLAYED this one, and I can’t wait for what’s next 🤭

Wow, wow, WOW. This was just the book I needed to read at the start of 2025. There was something so beautifully reminiscent about this book. As soon as I read the synopsis I just needed to read this book. It felt like I was being transported back into something so nostalgic, with faeries and magic. It was SUCH a good YA fantasy romance. Like there was the yearning, the drama, the angst, and the STAKES. This is just what I needed and more, and I need the next book right NOW!!

One of the things I loved the most about this book was the dynamic between Ivy and her sister Lydia. I felt so connected to their bond. I also loved the stakes in this book, as Ivy had make it through the competition to help save her family from ruin. Like it made things just even more nerve wracking. I honestly wish there were more games and to make things more thrilling.

I was truly transported into this book and this world and the twists and turns that came along with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for gifting me a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review!

“I think it was always going to be you for me.” 🩷

I absolutely adored this book so much! It had me hooked right from the beginning and I had no doubt it was going to be a 5-star read for me. It’s also easily going to be a top read of this year for me! I definitely am going to need to discuss this book with everyone once it’s released because there are so many great things to talk about (including that ending)!!

I will admit that I’m not always a fan of love triangles, but this one was done extremely well!! It was hard not to fall for one of the princes in particular when he’s genuinely such a good guy! Team Emmett for the win!! 🫶🏻

What surprised me the most, however, was how much I loved all the girls who were competing against Ivy for Bram’s heart! After the trauma they were all put through, it’s no surprise they all came out stronger in the end. I can tell they will all be really good friends going into the next book! (RIP Greer though 💔)

From about 80% onwards, this book was an emotional roller coaster. I genuinely sobbed reading Ivy’s letter to Emmett. The plot twists were also shocking! I expected some betrayal to happen, but I did not see it coming from Bram!! He truly tricked everyone, even the queen!! The cliffhanger made me want to scream because things were left in utter chaos. I desperately need book two!

“Have you ever been in love?”
“Just once.”
“What did it feel like?”
“Like getting run over by a carriage” 😭💗

I love these characters and this world so much and will be shouting from the rooftops for the foreseeable future for everyone to read this book!

Thank you so much to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the advanced copy! The Rose Bargain releases on February 4th, so run to preorder it or add it to your tbr. You do not want to miss this one!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!! Such an interesting story with so much drama and suspense. Love the Bridgerton and Selection vibes with fae. Sarah Peyton Smith did a great job with the foreshadowing and drawing in the emotions. I was engrossed the whole time reading and now I need a sequel…that ending was insane. Please make it a movie or tv show

4.5 ⭐️ I absolutely devoured The Rose Bargain, a magical YA romantasy. A perfect blend of The Cruel Prince, Bridgerton, These Hollow Vows, and The Selection, it delivers a high-stakes romantic competition with a dark fae twist.

Set in a Victorian-inspired world, the story revolves around a cruel faerie Queen and her son, Prince Bram, who is searching for a bride. Ivy, one of the girls competing for his heart, finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Bram’s human brother, Emmett, creating a deliciously forbidden love triangle. I especially loved the strong, evolving friendships between the girls. By the end, they’d formed a tight bond after surviving the unpredictable trials they were thrown into. While the pacing was a bit slow at the beginning, the last 30% is intense. There were lots of twists I didn’t see coming, so excited for the next book!


👑Political intrigue
🌹Forbidden love
👑Friends to lovers
🌹Slow burn
👑Love triangle-brothers
🌹Female friendship
👑Found family
🌹Faerie Bargains

Imagine a world where Edward the IV doesn't become King of England after the War of the Roses. Instead, he dies shortly after winning, and the Fae Queen, who helped him, takes the throne, cutting England off from the rest of the world and ruling for hundreds of years. This is the world Lady Ivy is born into. The Queen has ruled for hundreds of years, granting bargains to her subjects in exchange for something else. Ivy wants no deal or marriage, but with her family on the verge of financial ruin and because of a scandal involving her older sister, she has no choice. When the Queen announces her son, the fae prince Bram, will select a wife this year, she eagerly signs up and is one of six ladies chosen to compete for his hand. He seems charming, and with the help of his step-brother, the human prince Ivy is determined to win and overthrow the evil queen in the process. But she never expected to fall in love, and not everyone is who they seem to be.

It is a beautifully told story, mainly from Ivy's point of view. There is love, adventure, betrayal,
finding family, friendship, and so much more. I highly recommend this read to anyone who loves a good fantasy story with just the right amount of romance. The cliffhanger has you holding your breath and anxiously awaiting book two's release.

Man, I should’ve read this one sooner. It was surprisingly good.

I loved the London setting and Bridgerton vibes, while the competition and magical elements added some extra umph to it.

The characters were very well thought out. Each of the girls served the story as a whole very well.

The pacing was also phenomenal…there was almost no fluff and I was never bored.

I’d definitely recommend for the romantasy girlies.

Thank you Harper Collin’s and NetGalley for this eARC.

The Rose Bargain
Written by Sasha Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 ( rounded to five)

This story takes place in 1840s remained London, where a Fae queen has rules for 400 years. Everyone get a chance to make a bargain with Queen Mor - for a price.

Ivy Benton is her family's only hope to remain in the ton, after her sisters disastrous debut. She was going to use her bargain to make things back to how they were. Until the Queen announces that her son, Prince Bram, would be taking a wife this season. But there is a catch, it will be a competition. Surely wearing a crown would fix all of Ivys problems.

This book had me gripped beginning to the end! I can't wait for the next to come out!

The Rose Bargain is a set in a reimagined 1840s England with an immortal faerie queen reigning over the realm and provides each citizen a bargain - at a cost.

The story follows Ivy Benton as she makes her debut into society and is thrust into a competition to secure the heart 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 destroyed her. As she ventures deeper into the competition she soon realizes the contest has a dark plot and could destroy everything Ivy knows.

What I loved about the book:

- Sasha Smith did a beautiful job blending elements of historical fiction with a fantasy twist and fully immerses the reader into 1840s England.
As I was reading, the book was was giving me Phillipa Gregory vibes from White Queen, Sasha did a great job :)

- Strong Female Lead Character

- The slight love triangle between Prince Bram, Prince Emmett and Ivy.

- Political Schemes

- The ending- you will be adding the second book to your TBR list for sure with that rollercoaster of an ending!

Things I didn't like / I wish were more developed:
- Personally, I would have loved the competition stakes to be a bit higher but maybe that will happen in the next book.

The Rose Bargain is the perfect YA Fantasy book for any reader who devoured The Selection and The Cruel Prince series.
Overall, The Rose Bargain is a book I highly recommend and I look forward to book number two.

Thank you to the HarperCollins team, NetGalley and Sasha Smith for sending me the arc.

Can I just say I loved this! As someone who loves fantasy and historical romance, this book gave me EVERYTHING! It has romance, political intrigue, fae magic, tricksters, games and so much more. Just went you think you know what’s going to happen, the authors throws in another twist! I also enjoyed how we got mini chapters from all the girls and we got to see their motives for why they joined the contest. Great job! Can’t wait to read book 2!

I can't believe we're only a couple weeks into 2025 and I have already read what is likely to be one of my favorite books of the year. I absolutely loved The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith. The Rose Bargain is the perfect combination of Victorian-era romantasy, tense competition, brooding royalty, and fae. After an embarrassing and traumatic debut season for her sister, Ivy has absolutely no prospects or social standing as she prepares for her own debut. When the queen announces that this will be the season in which her son will choose a bride, Ivy knows that that is the only way she can save her family. Thus, despite the potential consequences, Ivy enters the competition for Bram's hand. Ivy enlists the help of Bram's brooding brother in order to ensure her victory. What follows is a fierce competition full of vicious trials, backstabbing, and court drama.

I seriously loved this book! The world building is absolutely beautiful and epic. The author creates an alternative England with a fae queen that is both believable and magical. The author cleverly weaves history with fae lore; I especially liked the emphasis on some of the darker characteristics of the fae. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. While Ivy and the princes are well-developed and fantastic main characters, the side characters are also super intriguing. The majority of the story is told through Ivy's POV; however, each of the girls receives their own POV chapter, which really adds to their development and the overall story. I honestly was just as invested in Faith's story (and Olive's and Greer's, etc) as Ivy's. Emmett is by far my favorite character, and I cannot wait to find out what happens in the next book (yes, this book does end on a cliffhanger). The Rose Bargain is such a fast read; it is action packed with some slow burn romance and just enough spice.

While I read this book on my kindle, I will definitely be buying a hard copy for my shelf. I can't wait to talk about this book with everyone once it comes out. I will absolutely be reading more by Sasha Peyton Smith. Easy 5 stars!

This is such a twisty read. I loved how the drama of high society and the rumor mill combined with the pressures of the magic system. It was interesting to have something so comparatively human and small still exerting so much pressure on Ivy as she tried to do what was best for her family. The concept of a rose bargain and how seemingly frivolous and simultaneously deeply important was so well done and it was interesting learning about different bargains the girls and other characters made. All around the magic system was so well done and really drew me in. I also really enjoyed the pacing of the book as the stakes got higher and the competition progressed it became very hard to put my book down. I really love these characters and the ending was marvelously done, I can't wait to see more of them in the second book, and love that this was done as a duology. All around a great book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good fey bargain.