I've yet to read an Allison Saft book that I haven't enjoyed, but A Fragile Enchantment might just be my new favorite by her.

I absolutely adore the Regency England inspired setting, and I'm even more delighted that Saft didn't just borrow the aesthetics without addressing some of the social issues. Even though this is not technically our world, the class issues and relations between Avaland and Machland obviously mirror the fraught history between England and Ireland, while also allowing Saft a little bit more wiggle room with how her characters got to deal with these issues. I thought it was quite smart.

Niamh and Kit also had a fabulous dynamic. It's very much a classic 'getting off on the wrong foot, prickly/sunshiney' pair, but something about their romance just felt really tender and special. I got the sense that they really saw each other, and that can be difficult to pull off. These characters have layers, but they're each able to cut through the other with just a look, and that felt electric on the page.

I also quite enjoyed the supporting characters. Sinclair, Rosa, and Miriam rounded out the story quite nicely, and it felt like Niamh found a legitimate circle of friends to support her. I appreciated that Saft strayed away from the cliche cattiness that can occur between women in stories like this, and instead they actually talked through their issues and communicated like adults.

My only complaint is that it felt like everything wrapped up a bit too quickly/easily. Given that this is a standalone YA fantasy, and not a particularly long one at that, I'm not too surprised, but I wish the climax had been given a bit more time to play out.

This book was so charming and fun! Absolutely loved and recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having read A Far Wilder Magic and fallen in love with Allison Saft's way with words, I was ecstatic to get my hands on a copy of her newest release, A Fragile Enchantment. And while her prose continues to touch me, this story did not grab my attention the way her previous two novels did. Granted, I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, and this is a regency-era based fantasy, but I also just wanted a bit 'more' generally from this book. I loved the magic system in this novel, but I wish there was a bit more fantasy elements to it. And while I love Kit and Niamh, I wished they had a few more scenes of romantic development. All that being said, this is still a really strong story. I'm tough on the author because I know what she is capable of. Overall, I would recommend this to any "romantasy" reader.

oh my god!! this made me feel all kinds of emotions. i lost count of how many times my heart broke for Niamh, but also how many times my heart swelled for her. Niamh and Kit are such wonderful characters and i adore them both so much. best believe i’ll be preordering a physical copy of this book asap

Thank you so much to Allison Saft, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

A Fragile Enchantment is enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, forbidden love and magical. Let's just say Bridgerton (Season 2) set in a fantasy world makes for an enchanting love story.

Saft has created a layered romance mixing nobles and lower class love interests who overcome to love each other fully. The whole vibe of this book, its tenderness between its characters and their worlds made this read divine. I need more of their story,..can I have an extended epilogue?

Thank you Wednesday Books for the complimentary copy.

I was so excited to read this book! It was my first book that I received an early copy of to review, so it will be a very special part of my reading journey.
A Fragile Enchantment follows Niamh, a seamstress who enchants her work with feelings and magic. She is brought to the kingdom of Avaland to make the royal wardrobe for the crowned prince, Kit, and his future bride. Not only is Niamh a talented seamstress but she is also Machlish. The Machlish people have been wrong by the Avaland Kingdom and a group of rioters have been trying to get the prince to listen to their requests. All the while there is a rumor column written by Lovelace. Lovelace always seems to be in the know about the royal family and taunting the Machlish rioters all the while keeping their true identity a secret. Through an unlike friendship Niamh, Kit, and Kit’s best friend Sinclair, try their best to free Kit from his engagement to Rosa and help the Machlish people.
Overall the book was pretty good, I liked the world building and magic system but I struggled getting through the first half of the book. I found the second half much more exciting and easier to follow. At times I got annoyed with Niamh and the way she would like life and opportunities pass her but in the end she learned to stand up for herself and truly take the reins on her life. Kit was also difficult to like at times with his extreme stubbornness and sometimes arrogance. My favorite character in the book was Sinclair. I loved his humor and sarcasm and dedication to his friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Fragile Enchantment was a beautiful Regency-England influenced romance novel with a touch of magic and fantasy. This book truly had everything - there was an almost entirely queer cast, a very slow burn romance (with TRUE grumpy x sunshine), a unique form of magic in the hands of our main character, and an extremely charming world and characters.

If you’re a fan of Bridgerton, especially Anthony and Kate’s story, trust me when I say: you will eat this up! There were many connections between that series and A Fragile Enchantment, even including “The Tattler,” Allison Saft’s version of the scandalous gossip columnist (reminiscent of “Lady Whistledown” in Bridgerton). I don’t know what it is about these Regency era romances, but I was giddy and kicking my feet at almost every moment!

In my opinion, this really was the perfect little magical romance story. I’m truly looking forward to reading more of the author’s works in the future.

Upon further reflection after finishing this book, I have to update my review and my rating. This book was 5 stars for me. I absolutely loved this book. I am a sucker for fluffy regency fantasy romance. I greatly wish more books like this one existed. It gave me that same feeling I got when reading fairytales as a young girl, that hope for an epic, all-consuming love.

For me, what shined most about this book, apart from the love story, were the side characters. I loved each and every one of them, from Sinclair to Sophia to Rosa to Mariam to Jack. All flawed in their own way, but also likable. I would read a sequel about Sinclair falling in love in a heartbeat (hint hint).

I hope Allison Saft continues to write more books of a similar vein.

I think readers will love this book but it wasn't really for me. I felt like the author, rather than come up with something unique, just borrowed from various other novels (invisibility cloak, divine colored blood, silver-streaked hair, etc. for example). There was even some Robert Frost thrown in for good measure. The romance itself seemed to start out on the right track for an enemies to lovers and I was feeling the chemistry, but then it veered into instalove and I lost interest. I couldn't wrap my head around the magic Niamh possessed, although Jack and Kit's was pretty cool. If she could weave feelings into clothes, did that make her actions at the end (during the wedding) manipulative? Also, these were the worst-depicted royals I've ever encountered in a book. Jack seemed completely incompetent and the workings of the royal court really didn't make any sense. There were also dropped plots. Erin was mentioned as a friend/potential ex of Niamh who "left the palace quickly" (why? it wasn't explained) and her past with Niamh seemed to be thrown in just for a diversity mention. What did the turbulent history between Macland (Ireland) and Aveland (England) have to do with the rest of the plot? The rebel was thrown in for just one more plot point in a book already oversaturated. Why was Niamh the only one dying from using her powers? Regardless, I do think this will be very popular and others will enjoy it a lot more than I did so I would still recommend to the right audience. I will say, the cover is gorgeous. 3 stars. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this !!! I didn’t think I was going to like it as much as I did because it’s written in 3rd person but it didn’t bother me as much.

The beginning was slow but the it picked up for sure.

I’m definitely thinking about getting a copy to reread 🥹

A Fragile Enchantment is a Bridgerton-esk story with a magical spin. Niamh is invited to Sootham by the prince regent to create the wedding dress and cloaks needed for the upcoming wedding of Prince Kit and Princess Rosa. Niamh is divine blooded and possesses the power to enchant fabric with memories for the user and feelings for those who view the garment. Niamh hopes this opportunity will allow her to take better care and create a better life for her mother and grandmother who live in a land shunned by high society. Her dreams however take a different turn when love comes into play.

I adored the book, it had me wishing for spring and dreaming of beautiful dresses in faraway lands. I have been looking for a regency novel that felt whimsical while also keeping the style of a classic regency romance and this did not disappoint. I highly recommend A Fragile Entanglement to any fan of Bridgerton and magic,

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

This is another cozy fantasy that just did not meet the mark for me. The narrator of the audiobook is fantastic, which is what kept me interested for so long, but I ended up DNFing the book around 70%. I was just so incredibly bored. The characters have no real depth, and once the slow burn came to fruition and I did not care what happened, I knew it was time to set it aside.

The premise of the story is incredible. It is advertised as Bridgerton meets fantasy - I honestly thought more Pride and Prejudice with fantasy - which I absolutely adore. I believe it is loosely based off history, as well. Niamh Ó Conchobhair, the FMC, is a Machlish girl from a small town tasked with creating a magical wardrobe for the marriage festivities of the prince - Kit - and his bride - Rosa, the Infanta of Castilla. I believe Niamh is Irish, Kit is English, and Rosa is Spanish - though the story itself does not come out and say this. There is a gossip magazine that begins to report on all of these festivities - very much like Bridgerton - but it is brought up at the beginning of the story and doesn't say any more about it until midway through the book. While the writing is very lyrical and soothing - with the narrator adding to this effect - NOTHING really happens beyond some longing looks and sewing garments. It is just incredibly boring, and the characters are not well-developed.

This is another in a long line of cozy fantasies I just cannot like. Perhaps I will give up on the genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fluffy little romance set back in yesteryear time. Full of magic, kings and princes with their drama, the peasants and all that kinda stuff.
It was cute. I didn't hate it.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

This was such a dreamy, magical, Bridgerton- esque historical fantasy romance that was such fun to read.
At times I did find myself annoyed with some of the characters choices, but the back and forth between the two main characters had me by a chokehold. I couldnt get enough of their witty banter and small private moments. Those were definitely my favorite of the story.

Would 100% recommend though!!

Possible spoiler ? Ill keep it as vague as I can:


Otherwise I felt like some things weren’t completely tied up in the end, there was a lot of focus of politics falling apart but then things just happen the way they do and your kinda just left with a “well see what happens from here ” feeling. Which wasn’t completely horrible, just felt to me like the stakes werent really that serious.

This is a sweet, low steaks, regency romance with beautiful magic. The grumpy male main character says some lines that are just so sweet you could melt. The struggles felt relatable, and the found family vibes will give you the warm and fuzzies. Definitely worth reading!

I was so excited for this book…I liked the premise of a tailor being able to sew magic into her work but I was sort of disappointed. The writing felt juvenile and some of the tropes and twists I saw coming…this might just be me outgrowing Ya but…I still enjoyed it!

cute! just didn't vibe with it? idk it wasn't bad, just kinda bland. the writing felt overdramatic at times, and i couldn't get past the instalove.

Thank you, net galley, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read a ton of YA historical romance, so I was excited to read and listen to this one. It was such a beautiful story. I really enjoyed all of the deep topics that were covered in this book. I really enjoyed this one, and plan to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc of A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft. I really enjoyed this book!

This is YA Bridgerton with magic ✨our main character Niamh needs to raise money for her family so she gets commissioned as the magical dressmaker for the royal wedding in Avaland. Niamh believes that she would be living a fairytale during this time but she soon realizes that she is still looked down upon for who she is.
There is also the issue of the gossip columnist who wants to take down the royal family. They are pointing out the chemistry between the magical dressmaker and the prince who has been ordered to marry another!

This regency- fantasy setting is well developed and easy to follow along, in case you are new to fantasy! This book is full of magic, friendship and love.
I can’t wait to own the copy of this gorgeous book when it is officially released on 1.2.24! 🪡✂️🌹✨🎀

4.5/5 but rounded down due to just a few minor issues I had (that I think I wouldn't have noticed if I had read the physical copy rather than listening to the audiobook).

HOW CUTE! I am an Allison Saft STAN - ever since A Far Wilder Magic, I have been on a mission to read absolutely everything she has put out (which luckily, at that time, was only 2 books). So once I saw this pop up on NetGalley, I knew I absolutely HAD to have it.

Niamh (pronounced Neeve - for if you're like me, and didn't this know until listening to the audiobook) is such a sweet girl who is hired to make the garments for the future royal wedding of Kit and Rosa (who is from another land). Obviously... romance ensues, but not between the future wedded couple to be.

Pros:
- I loved this cast. This felt very much like Bridgerton (including our own version of Lady Whistledown), but just for a younger crowd. While there is some mention of sex, none of it is very explicit, so I think this would be considered YA. The side characters were almost as well defined as the main cast. I especially loved Marianne (I believe was her spelling) - I want her to be my best friend.
- The magic, duh. While I do think this could have been a bit more pronounced throughout the book, I still enjoyed the brief glimpses that we got as well.
- The descriptions of Niamh's magic. I loved this plot point so much and it made it feel very cozy.
- Diverse cast of characters!
- Just overall an incredibly cozy book that I didn't want to stop listening to.

My detractors that made me round down from 4.5 to 4:
- We are told constantly that Niamh has this sickness that has spread through her family through the years and doesn't hit every single person. However, she knows that she will die sooner rather than later if she continues to use her magic at the rate she is. However... other than a couple of mentions of her being extremely tired and her hair going a bit whiter... this is never really brought up. You would think it would be a bit more like in Frozen where there is a sense of foreboding every time Anna's white streak gets a little bit bigger.
- More depth to off page family members. We're meant to care about Niamh's grandmother being upset that Niamh would work for the people of Avaland, who caused the Blight to the Machlish people, or Kit/Jack's father and mother, who were apparently a brute and runaway. But there's not enough there to make me think about them at all, which took away from part of the main plot as well (at least the portion that revolves around Jack leading the kingdom)
- I think this third point wouldn't have annoyed me if I read it on paper, but hearing over and over about how Niamh loves Kit even with them only ever being snarky to each other except like one or two moments of sweet tenderness got to be too much at times. I thought the romance was very sweet, but it just annoyed me at a few moments (especially with the ending).

Overall, I think if I wasn't such an Allison Saft stan, it might be more of a full 4 stars (just because I'm now realizing how true my cons list is), but I'm also obsessed with her and her characters so I'd read the entire phone book written by her so idc what you say!! READ THIS!

A Fragile Enchantment is a beautifully crafted world of fantasy and romance. Allison's writing style is always appealing and accessible, making fantasy more fun to read—I was a huge fan of A Far Wilder Magic, her earlier work. There is a tumultuous romance that adds to the narrative, giving the Bridgerton vibes I love to read. This was a wild ride and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to get lost in a historical fantasy with quick pacing and a beautiful romance.