It was an enjoyable read overall. It was a cozy story with an interesting magic in it. I love that every character is fleshed out and flawed. I appreciate that it didn't have a black and white cartoonish villain like royalty stories usually do. However, I am not a fan of the last 25% of the book. It felt rushed.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review! 3.5 stars for enjoyable characters & a lovely romance plot.

This was a charming story. I could tell the author took inspiration from Bridgerton while adding a fantasy spin to it. The world felt a little underdeveloped and the beginning was a bit slow. Additionally the ending conflict was… oddly done & overall underwhelming. This book’s characters draws you in more than the plot. Kit and Niamh have a great back and forth and although their romance was a bit insta-love like I thoroughly enjoyed their scenes together. Overall a lot of plot lines felt underdeveloped - Jack/Sophia, Sophia in general, Kit/Sinclair (they seem to just… forgive each other at the end????) and Rosa/Miriam. Also it was pretty obvious who Lovelace was in my opinion.

Overall if you like Bridgerton, fairytale vibes, and prefer character studies as opposed to a rich plot you’ll find this enjoyable!

Lovely things:
- enemies to lovers romance
- lgbtq+ rep (bisexual, gay, lesbian)
- lots of dance parties
- lots of longing & stolen glances

Well this was an adorable read, even if some what predictable.
A seamstress gets the opportunity to make garments for a royal family. She’s asked because of her ability to sew memories and feelings into the clothes.
Nothing goes as planned, as one might expect- unrequited feelings, unexpected love, family riffs, and a bridgerton type gossip writer.
A cute and quick read that I highly enjoyed.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion

A Fragile Engagement follows Niamh Ó Conchobhair, a magical dressmaker commissioned to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding who gets entangled in a scandal when a gossip columnist brings to light her chemistry with the groom.

Perhaps chalk it up to me not being an avid reader of Romantasy, but this book just wasn’t my cup of tea. I want to start by saying it was a good book from a holistic standpoint but I just found it lacking in certain areas. Maybe this is a staple of the genre but I kept on waiting for the author to develop the plot, the world, or the magic system but the focus was entirely on the romance. Everything else felt kind of surface-level. I don’t mind a book where the romance takes front and center but at least for me I would like a plot or world-building that matches the intensity.

That being said, I did enjoy the characters. I really appreciated the fact that the author put in time to develop each character. This was a book where I found that the secondary characters had as much backstory and thought put into them as the main characters. The romance in the book was cute as well. The romance is the typical misunderstood bad boy who hates everything except for his love interest and who secretly has a heart of gold trope ( that was a mouthful). At first, I was worried that the book would fall too much into this trope but it actually managed to bring its unique spin on the trope, which was refreshing. Overall if you enjoy an enemies to lovers fun cozy fall Romantasy book with a bit of spice you might like A Fragile Engagement.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review </b>

A Fragile Enchantment is a lighthearted cozy fantasy about a magical dressmaker who is commissioned to tailor for the royal wedding of the prince who is arranged to marry a princess of a neighbouring kingdom. This was my first Allison Saft novel.

If you are looking for something fun and not serious, this might be right up your alley. I very much enjoyed the magical aspect of the tailoring where Niamh, our main character, can enchant garment with specific emotions and memories. However, don’t expect a book that’s heavy on the fantastical elements because it’s not a large part of the story.

While I liked all the characters individually and I thought the author did a good job fleshing out the main and side characters, I don’t necessarily love the idea of the 2 main characters together. Why do they like each other? I have no idea. Kit as our moody and reluctant prince with dry humour made him a funny character to read about, but I’m not sure how he endeared himself to Niamh so quickly when the extent of their initial interactions was him being rude to her and he is also a prince of the kingdom that has mistreated her people? This doesn’t make for great first impressions, but we brush past this quite quickly.

And as for Kit, maybe i’m too much of a cynic, but why does a prince have a crush on his tailor he wanted nothing to do with? fairytale maths, I guess. Perhaps if they had more of a slow burn, I would’ve liked the romance more, and for a book where the romance is supposed to be a large focus, this limited my enjoyment of the book.

That being said, this is definitely not a bad book and I think many people will enjoy it.

Unfortunately, I was bored during this book. The magic in it is interesting and I really liked the MCs magic - sewing it into clothing. But the world has no imagination. It’s basically regency England + some diversity + a little magic. It didn’t keep me interested.

I never got swept up in it and it was hard to keep going.

"A Fragile Enchantment" is just that: enchanting. I'm a sucker for Allison Saft - I've enjoyed everything she's written - and this book is no exception. Following a young seamstress named Niamh who is given the opportunity of a lifetime to design for the royal wedding, "A Fragile Enchantment" is a romance that focuses on classism, chronic illness, and poverty. This book is just as much about Niamh's quest for radical self-acceptance as it is about her dishy chemistry with the prince that is to be married - and I loved all the side characters so much!

What a delight of a book! This was my first read from Allison Saft and I thoroughly enjoyed every page! I loved seeing Niamh's strength and resilience throughout the book, and I loved the growth seen in Kit as his character unfolded on the page. The historical Regency-est feel was a first for me but I find myself wanting more! I really enjoyed this read and can't wait to get my hands on more from Allison in the future.

I enjoyed this book but it didn't wow me. The beginning was interesting and did hook me in, but I wished the world building had a bit more detail. Basically, its historical England with magic users, which is fine. But I personally like a little more detail when magic is involved. Some magical history was mentioned but it felt like an afterthought to justify the magic use.

Niamh felt very young to me for her age, but in general I liked her character. She did do some silly things. I liked Kit as well, but didn't connect with him well since we only see him through Niamh's POV. The political plots got a tad boring as the book went on. I liked the secondary characters and the bit of plot twist with the secret identity of Lovelace. I did think it strange that when Niamh was to go riding with Sinclair, that Kit acted as chaperone instead of a woman. I understand this was to give more interactions between the main characters but it didn't make sense. A single woman would not go out with a man and have another man for a chaperone. So small things like that felt out of place to me. The plot did pick up more towards the end, and I liked the way things were resolved.

Although this fell short for me, I'm sure others will love it. And that cover is gorgeous!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to the e-arc. All of my opinions and thoughts are all my own.

*4.25

I really enjoyed this captivating novel. It is has swoon worthy romance. It reminds me of Bridgeton and Pride & Prejudice vibes. It also has found family, sense of purpose and family drama.

It was stunning. I love the way the author writes this love story. This was my book from this author. It makes me want to pick up more of her books. I highly recommend this book.

The magic and the abilities in this world were intriguing and I was intrigued by the plot of this book but for some reason I couldn’t really get into to it. I kept putting it down (really scrolling to a new app) and then picking it back up hoping I would enjoy but I just wasn’t excited to finish this book.

Overall I’m giving it 3.5 stars because the magic was intriguing and the bridgerton/pride and prejudice vibes was fun but I just didn’t like it as much as I wanted to.

I loved this whimsical fantasy romance! This is the second book I have read by Saft and I am quickly falling in love with the worlds she creates. The concept of a magical dressmaker was fascinating and created an excellent backdrop for the romance with the prince who does not want to be dressed. This book has whimsy, enemies to lovers and a great cast of characters. This book is perfect for readers new to romantasy.

A Fragile Enchantment is the romantic tale of a prince and a magical dressmaker. Niamh never imagined she’d be making clothes for a prince. However, her magical talent has caught the eye of royalty and she’s been summoned from her homeland. Niamh soon finds the prince isn’t very princely and instead is a sulking grump. As she makes various outfits for his engagement, Niamh grows closer to Kit and learns his true personality. When scandalous gossip singles out Niamh, she must try and uncover who is targeting her. Will Kit go through with his engagement?

Kit and Niamh have incredible chemistry! They have a delightful grump/sunshine dynamic. Kit is protective of Niamh and Niamh is very intuitive when it comes to truly understanding Kit. I absolutely loved the scenes between them, they were filled with longing and heat. Niamh is the most clumsy heroine and I love that for her, as it means Kit must constantly be catching her. The cast of characters surrounding them are equally wonderful. I especially liked Rosa (Kit’s intended bride). I loved Rosa’s personality and who she ended up with. There is LGBTQ+ rep in this story, though it is not widely accepted everywhere in the world yet. This doesn’t diminish the joy and happiness that LGBTQ+ characters find in the story.

I love all of Allison Saft’s books but this is my favorite one yet! Allison Saft’s writing is lyrical and filled with descriptive prose. Niamh’s talent for imbuing emotion into the fabric of clothes was such a creative form of magic. The magic does come with a price that forces Niamh to reckon with her own mortality. This book would be perfect for readers who enjoy Regency romance with a magical twist. Readers who seek a grump/sunshine romance, atmospheric writing, and beautiful prose will love A Fragile Enchantment.

Thank you to Allison Saft, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, & Wednesday Books for this ARC of A Fragile Enchantment in exchange for an honest review! As someone who loves fantasy stories, historical fiction, and romances, I found this book to be an excellent combination of the three! This fantasy world is Regency Era inspired, so if you're looking for some Bridgerton vibes this might just be perfect for you. I think the story was well-written and engaging, as were the characters. I think I'd have liked a little more world building or a better understanding of the magic system, but that might just be me. Either way, I really think A Fragile Enchantment is an enjoyable YA romance! It is a charming read and I was hooked right away!

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

I would rate this book with 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the ease of the story telling and the premise of the book. The FMC has unique sewing abilities where she can sew emotions into her creations and is hired to create the wardrobe for a prince’s wedding. This was a quick, enjoyable read but I wasn’t dying to know what would happen next which is why I did not give it 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am OBSESSED to say the least. I expect everyone to run to their nearest bookstores on January 23rd, 2024 to buy this. This book has everything and more. The intimacy, the banter, the CHEMISTRY was off the charts. From the moment Kit saw Niamh you could tell that he was down bad for her. And I loved watching Niamh fall in love with Kit. (I also love my little bisexual babies 🫶🏼)

Niamh is my girl. She is my everything, I love her with my whole heart and I have put her in my pocket. She is so selfless, to the point of self-destruction, and watching her learn to care for herself is magical. I also love that she is a risk taker and doesn’t sit idly by and wait for something to happen.
I am so down bad for Kit. Yes, he may be a little rough around the edges and has absolutely no filter but dang he knows how to win a girls heart. Plus he really is a big softie on the inside. And my poor baby went through so much, how could I not root for him? I really wish this book has his pov because there were times that he felt a bit too closed off and I wanted to know what was going on inside of his head, but Allison Saft knows how to write characters who actually communicate with each other (for the most part). Niamh and Kit are the IT couple.
Let’s take a second for the plot because the balance between plot and vibes were excellent. The culture of the book was so rich and while there was so much world building, it felt natural and easy to understand. I felt so immersed in the world and you felt as if you were walking right alongside the characters.

Overall, this book was superb. I will be taking no criticism (kidding…sort of). If you are looking for a fantasy romance with a thrilling plot, a queer cast, and an excellent love story, this book is for you (aka everyone).

I love a good historical fantasy novel every once and a while. I relish the way it can weave magic, whimsy, romance, and manners into the fabric of a storyline yet still sprinkle in pangs of relatable human conflict. This is something that Allison Saft manages to do well in A Fragile Enchantment. She accomplishes this by giving readers an air of Bridgerton meets The Bridge Kingdom while also rooting her characters in familiar archetypes and tropes like grumpy x sunshine, forbidden love, and tense political and emotional drama so that they're engaged.

When the story begins, Niamh, the protagonist, is sent to Avaland from a poor and desolate rival nation to design the wardrobe for the members of an upcoming royal wedding. A gifted seamstress, the magic in her blood allows her to stitch feelings and memories into every scrap of clothing she sews. However, it is also the thing that, one day soon, will take her life. Knowing that time is limited, she is determined to do her duty to the prince and give her family a chance at having a better life back home.

The prince himself doesn't make this task easy, though. Because of course he doesn't. Not only is Kit Carmine haughty, insolent, and temperamental, but he is being dragged across the board of Avaland like a political chess piece.

To make matters worse, as he and Niamh slowly bury the hatchet and grow closer, an anonymous gossip columnist named Lovelace threatens to expose them, information which, in the wrong hands, could throw the kingdom into even more turmoil. Especially since unrest is already brewing amid the working class and a few neighboring countries.

All in all, this was a refreshing escape into a regency era kingdom where magic abounded. I liked the forbidden element to Niamh and Kit's love story as well as the themes of sacrifice, duty, and pursuit of justice that ran in undercurrent. It had a good balance of fantasy and real world challenges, and I particularly appreciated how it highlighted the obstacles encountered by more marginalized communities.

A warmly enchanting read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars

safty! even if it's my least favorite of her three young adult fantasies, it retains the same charm and ease of prose that made me like her to begin with

This book was like Bridgerton with some magic. It had a sweet romance that had me kicking my feet at certain points it was just so cute. So if thats what you're looking for, this book is for you.

For me, it was a slow start and the first 30% of the book was hard for me to get through. I didn't immediately connect with the characters and I just felt like I wasn't getting enough of anything. However, the romance is set up quite nicely and the characters do get more likeable as the book goes on. I will admit I wasn't expecting this book to get quite so Bridgerton (which isn't my favorite series) and so for me it was just an okay story. I think I was expecting more magic and more romance and less political intrigue. However, the characters grew on me, the world was easy to understand and I really enjoyed the magic system. In the end, I probably wouldn't reread this book, but I would recommend it to people who enjoy period pieces and fluffy romances

A Fragile Enchantment was, unfortunately, a DNF for me.
I really think most will enjoy this one- I just don’t think I was the right audience for it.