Buckle up Bridgerton fans, this one's for you. What a fun, cozy, enchanting little read. I knew I would like this book the moment I saw the cover. Allison Saft's writing is enchanting and engaging and her characters feel so real. I loved the relationship dynamic of this book and found both of the main characters to be so charming. I also loved the vivid descriptions and attention to detail because that made this such a sensory experience. I desperately need more books like this please!

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

3.5 stars

There's so much potential hiding behind this gorgeous cover and intriguing title! Colonialism, classism, disability, economic tensions, childhood trauma, duty and honor are all big topics that this story could've explored in an accessible way. Unfortunately, very little of it comes to fruition. It's like the bones of a queer YA romance were draped with buzzy ideas to seem current and relatable.

First, the magic system seems haphazard. It isn't fully realized or explored, so it comes off as convenient. I loved that Niamh's magic has a physical toll but it hardly mattered to the story. Kit's magic is also interesting but these things weren't expanded upon.

Second, the tension between Niamh's people and the Avlish felt shallow. It was hard to accept Niamh's attitude towards all things Avlish. And Jack and Kit's behavior just struck me as nonsensical.

Third, the relationships didn't really make sense. They were hard to believe. I could kind of see how Niamh and Kit fall for each other but it felt really forced. And the ending was blind wish fulfillment! Nothing was solved or embarked upon. Nothing changed!

I also had issues with the pacing. It's not a long book but it sure feels like it is. It dragged on and on and on. I was invested enough to see where it would go but I was glad to finish it.

I do love how queer it is! That part made me so happy.

If you're looking for a fluffy, low-stakes romantasy, this checks those boxes nicely. But if you're looking for more substance, look elsewhere.

4.5. This was such a lovely little romantic read. Allison Saft has SUCH GOOD PROSE. It's just so very romantic and full of longing glances that are very Austenian. (Is that a word? It is now.) I loved every character, the stakes, the magic, the things being said about colonialism and rising against oppression, and the difficulty of being on the margins. The slow change of a grumpy, prickly, broken man to someone with hope, willing to bare his soul - delicious.

I'd like to have known a little bit more about the magic. I get the sense of how it works, so it isn't confusing, but there's very little history given, including about the curse on Niamh. We didn't need a whole info dump, but just a little more would have been nice to really round out the world. But overall it was a very enjoyable read, and Saft is an instant read for me.

This was such a fun read! I appreciate that Saft throws the reader into the world without explaining too much. The reader figures things out as they read.

Niamh is a tailor who has magical blood that allows her to imbue magic into the clothes she creates. Her designs allow the wearer to feel whatever emotion Niamh has willed into the thread and fabric. She is summoned from Machland to Avaland to design wedding clothes for the younger prince and his betrothed. She becomes friends with the prickly prince, Kit, and romance blossoms. However, political unrest and secrets make this a more layered romantsy. There was a lot of depth to this story which I enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Allison Saft's A Fragile Enchantment is a magical romance that takes you to a world where love defies expectations. Niamh, a dressmaker who can sew magic into clothes, gets the chance of a lifetime to work on a royal wedding in Avaland. But instead of a fairytale, she finds herself in the middle of scandals and secrets, especially when she and the groom, Kit, unexpectedly fall for each other.

The book shines with its magical setting, intriguing plot, and heartfelt romance. Niamh and Kit’s story is more than just love; it's about finding courage and fighting for what's right. Saft’s writing is beautiful, making every scene vivid and every emotion felt. A Fragile Enchantment is perfect for anyone who loves fantasy, romance, and stories about overcoming obstacles for love."

I was drawn to this book by the pretty cover and the premise. The rise of cozy fantasy has been interesting. They have all the fun of a fantasy world with a less intense plot. This book captures that perfectly with a mostly romantic plot, with some mystery and political intrigue. There were some higher stakes, but they don't really feel that way. The star of the book is Niamh, a magical seamstress, who is invited to create the clothes for the Prince and his fiance for their wedding. But, it is not a simple thing. Niamh wants this job to send back money to her mother and grandmother, even though the royal family is responsible for the destruction of her people, most of which who now live in poverty. While it is not a subject I am terribly familiar with it seemed to be loosely paralleling the history between Ireland and Britain. Then once she arrives she becomes entangled with the engaged Prince who has a troubled past and does not want to marry his fiance. Overall enjoyed the book and it had a very sweet ending. There was some representation for chronic illness, though it is never named. Will be recommending to my students and purchasing for our collection. (Thank You to Wednesday Books and Negalley for the ARC)

Whimsical and enchanting - this book was a fresh take on a classic fairytale type of story. I loved the rich history and lore of the geography. The characters were so relatable and rich, nobody was 2 dimensional or straight forward and that is something I really appreciate. Overall a really fun read!

Niamh has magic that allows her to enchant her embroidered garments with feelings and memories. This allows her to get a position as a dressmaker for the crown price of Avalon. She is interested in letting her talents be known so that eventually she can open her own shop while continuing to provide for her family back home. Prince Kit has no interest in her garments or anything having to do with the court until Niamh starts to discover secrets that only bring them closer.

This sweet, historical romance made me an instant lover of Allison Saft's writing. This is my first book of hers and I couldn't have loved it more. The characters are rich and well-developed! For a YA story, this had a mature tone to it that I appreciate as an older reader. I will definitely be recommending this book!

If you loved season two of Bridgerton then you will love this book! It follows a young dressmaker hired to make wedding outfits for the betrotheds and may lose her heart int he process! This is an extremely atmospheric and I loved every moment of it.

Just know that this book is slow-paced as is the romance in this book.

A wonderful read that feels reminiscent of a fairy tale.

A Fragile Enchantment is a YA story about a magical seamstress, Niamh Ó Conchobhair, who is hired to create the wedding attire for a prince, Kit Carmine’s arranged marriage. Niamh is a Machlish, a group who have been conquered and are servants or poor families who are not appreciated by the ruling nobles. Some of them have magic, Niamh being one of them. Kit doesn't want to marry the princess that has been selected for him, but his brother insists he must to save Avaland. There is unrest brewing among the Machlish and rebellion seems imminent. The problem is, Kit has fallen in love with Niamh. Will they be able to be together, or must Kit marry to save the kingdom?

I love the term Romantasy, as that is what this book is. It takes Regency England with all it's pomp and circumstance, young nobles making their debuts into society with candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, as well as the excitement of a Royal Wedding and throws it into a fantasy world with magic. I liked Niamh's character from the get go. She was a strong, independent woman who was just trying to make a living for her family. She was kind, caring, loyal and smart. She gets caught up in the rebelling when she is caught in a compromising position, but tries to do what is right. Kit was aggravating at the beginning. He was a prince, but didn't bother to find out what was going on in their kingdom. He wanted what he wanted, but eventually comes around. With secrets, corruption, sneaking around, magic that is not controlled, love and more, this story pulled me in and had me smiling at the end when everyone does the right thing and there is happiness all around.

Summary:

Niamh is a talented seamstress – made all the more notable thanks to her magic. Her magic enables her to infuse emotions into her creations. Needless to say, the kingdom is all aflutter about it. This is good because Niamh has to ensure her family is cared for.

You see, Avaland may be a place of magic (for some), but it is far from a perfect land. Classism and prejudice are tearing the people apart. Niamh's people are often considered at the bottom of this system. So when given the chance to create beautiful clothing for the royal family themselves...well it may just be the chance she (and her people) needs.

Review:

Oh wow. Allison Saft has done it again. She's created another enchanting fantasy (sorry, couldn't resist). Moreover, A Fragile Enchantment has strong political elements, a grumpy/sunshine romance, and much more. It's pretty perfect.

I saw that A Fragile Enchantment was being marketed as a blend between A Sorcery of Thorns and Bridgerton. I haven't watched the latter (forgive me!), but I did adore A Sorcery of Thorns. The overall aesthetic is pretty accurate, so if you're looking for something to help fill that book-shaped void, this is the book for you.

Basically, A Fragile Enchantment is a cozy fantasy. That said, I was fascinated by the magical system at play. I would love to see more books set in this world, if only so I could see different magic users and their abilities. The romance is sweet (if a bit predictable), the situation is complex (royalty always is), and the characters are brilliant.

Highlights:
Historical Fantasy
Romance
Politics
Grumpy/Sunshine Romance

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT by Allison Saft in exchange for my honest review! Allison Saft wrote one of my all time favorite books, A Far Wilder Magic, so to get an eARC of her latest release, "excited" would be an understatement to how I felt.

In A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT, we follow Niamh who is an ambitious dressmaker, hired by the royal family to tailor and design the garments for the upcoming royal wedding of Prince Kit Carmine. Niamh and the prince do NOT initially hit it off, but Niamh doesn't let Kit's abrasive and surly attitude sway her from her task. As the two get to know each other, the walls come down and the chemistry ramps up until an anonymous gossip column starts to poke at their budding friendship, eluding that it may be something more. The columnist swears to back off if Niamh helps them uncover some dirt on the royal family. What a predicament Niamh finds herself in!

Niamh is the type of character I feel a lot of people will be able to relate to---both positively and negatively. Niamh is compassionate, ambitious, and considerate of others. However, her desire to do right by others, while an honorable quality, nearly destroys her. She is the kind of girl who will bend herself over backwards and sacrifice herself to make others lives better. Selflessness is admirable, but being selfless doesn't mean making your own dreams and wants smaller or worthless. We see this "threaded" in her character arc throughout the story and, I'll admit, it could be really frustrating at times, but it also is part of what makes her so relatable.

Unfortunately the romance between Niamh and Kit was not one I fully got on board with. Some things were just lacking in that area, but there were still some very swoon-worthy moments.

The magical elements in this book were very cool, but I wanted more of it!

I think the vibes of A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT are immaculate, though. Readers who love regency era historical romances like Bridgerton will absolutely love that about this book.

This had an interesting premise and the promise of a Bridgerton-esque light fantasy but I think it could have used more. This book starts to touch on a lot of different topics but doesn't delve very deeply into any of them, including the romance. Everything moves too quickly without a lot of character or plot development. I feel like I didn't know the main characters at all so how could they have know each other well enough to fall in love.

Even so, I think the atmosphere is there and the writing itself is gorgeously done. I loved the idea of the magic system and the characters (what we get of them) are fun and loveable. I just think this could have used more pages and more development overall!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

I did not finish this one because I could not get into the regency vibes or the romance. I thought it was okay but I just had a hard time relating to the characters. I think it was supposed to be a grumpy/sunshine, but that wasn't quite the vibes I was getting from the story. I did enjoy the magic and how it was expressed through sewing. I lacked a lot of motivation to read and finish this one.

This book was a start for me. I almost stopped reading it but I am so glad that I kept at it. The last 1/3 of the book was so engaging. I was rooting for the main characters.

Niamh is hired as a seamstress for the royal family, specifically for the prince to be wed, Kit Carmine. Her magic makes it so that all the she weaves gets filled with emotion, but it also comes at a cost.

I liked the regency romance, but felt that the magic system wasn’t that well explained. It was a quick read that reminded me of Howls Moving Castle mixed with Bridgerton. Except Howl is more broody than dramatic, that is to say Kit is dealing with lots of stuff emotionally that he keeps bottled up inside.

This is definitely one of my favorite books of this year. The world building was so beautiful and intricate and the writing style that this author uses is always so up my alley. I loved the main characters who were so complex and had faults and flaws and were so human. I adored this book and am so happy I got to read it early.

This book started very slow and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it or even finish it. But once the plot kicked up and the characters started getting closer I became completely sucked in. The romance had me swooning and giggling, the friendships gave me warm fluttery feelings. The plot had me hooked and excited to see what would happen. But unfortunately the plot then derailed and descended into confusion right at the end and I went back to being quite underwhelmed. I’m really upset because I love Allison Saft’s beautiful writing and compelling characters. The magic was also interesting and the world building made me eager to learn more. It’s just that by the end, all she had set up felt like it was thrown out the window. The character’s motivations kept changing and their actions were contradictory. The plot felt like it just tumbled off at the end, no finalized ending. It was disappointing. I read A Far Wilder Magic by this author and really liked it so I will defintiley read from her again, I just hope her other works don’t resemble this one. The middle of this book being as good as it was earned the 3 stars, though.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars

I wanted to like this one. I was so excited when i got approved for this. But i could not get into the story, i kept skipping over It and coming back to It. The first half of the book is unbearably slow. I think it’s supposed to be world building but I’m still confused by a lot It, especially their magic. I thought most of the characters were annoying. The book is very YA and not in a good way.

I liked the bridgerton vibes. I got through the book. The romance was cute. But that’s about all i can offer positively.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Out now!