When I think YA romantic fantasy, this is what it should be.

Niahm is selected to move to the castle as a seamstress for the King and his brother. Unfortunately, meeting the second-born son, Kit, gets off to a rocky start, and the two start a bit of a dance to avoid each other as much as possible. As the story unfolds, the two break down walls to come together.

This is a story where the cast of characters are fun and likeable, even when they make poor decisions. There's some mystery, some intrigue, some action, and romance abounds.

Pacing was well planned and kept the story moving along easily. Descriptions were fitting and not overly flowery. It was a solid story through and through.

Overall: 4 stars
I'll tell my students about: LGBTQIA+, language, sex, alcohol, magic

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

A Fragile Enchantment follows Niamh Ó Conchobhair, a dressmaker with the magical ability to enchant her designs with emotions and feelings — the same thing that’ll eventually kill her. When Niamh is asked to design the wardrobe for Avaland’s royal wedding, she jumps at the chance to do so — A job like this doesn’t come often, especially with the promise of ensuring that her family will have a better life once she’s gone. But once in Avaland, Niamh is faced with more than she bargained for: a prickly groom, Kit Carmine, an anonymous columnist with a political agenda, and her own growing feelings for none other than the groom.

One of my favorite things about Allison Saft’s writing is how authentic her characters feel; they’re flawed, they’re traumatized, they’re doing the best they can. Niamh and Kit are no different; both of them are battling their own demons, and both of them feel so much like people I know in my everyday life. Both Niamh and Kit are struggling with many things, but at the very core of their character arcs is the idea of allowing themselves to be happy — and what they owe to other people, whether that’s each other, their family, their country, and lastly, themselves. I loved watching Niamh and Kit’s story unfold and how their feelings for each other encouraged each other to finally put themselves first for once. It was incredibly easy to root for them; both as individual characters, and together as a pairing — the pining and yearning was simply impeccable.

🧵 LGBTQIA+ Representation
🪻Magical Bloodlines
🧵 Bridgerton Vibes
🪻Forbidden Romance

This was such an adorable, magical read! The world was very interesting, and we get a bit of history and politics as we read. The characters and their decisions are very impacted by the politics and issues within their countries.

The brotherly relationship between Kit and Jack was great. The side characters are very well developed, and I loved getting to know them.

The romance between Kit and Niamh was so frickin cute. I love them.

There is a lot of Bridgerton vibes, but with magic. I enjoyed the magic and how families had a specific magic that was passed down.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes YA fantasy romance!

I thought this would be right up my alley but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I struggled to stay interested in it.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this early arc.

A Fragile Enchantment, Allison Saft: 2.75⭐️
I wanted to love this, but did not. It’s a historical fantasy romance following a dress maker commissioned to make the outfits for a royal wedding, but she ends up falling for the prince she is making the wedding cloak for. The main character drove me insane and the plot pacing just felt off. There also seemed to be too many loose ends with many things in the world not being explained enough. Even the bickering in the romance annoyed me and I did not find it cute or enduring at all. The best thing about this story was the side characters, who we did not get enough of. I really struggled through this one. That being said a lot of people seemed to like this one so maybe it just wasn’t for me.

Wow. This book exceeded my expectations and then some. This was a FIVE STAR read for me!

This was the first book I’ve read by Allison Saft, and from the cover art to the summary, I was intrigued. But once I started reading, it just blew me away. Saft has such a gorgeous way with words, it was truly like poetry on every page.

The way eager to please, magical seamstress Niamh and prickly, secretive Prince Kit reluctantly fall for each other was just exquisite. They each had such intense and heartbreaking backstories on their own that I not only fell in love with them as a couple, but also with each of them as their own character. The supporting characters in this book as well as a sub plot involving political unrest gave this story even more depth than I anticipated (in a great way), and the world-building and descriptions of the magic and settings made me feel fully immersed in the story.

This book felt like the exceptionally gifted and beyond beautiful YA love child of the Bridgerton series and The Last Binding series. I can honestly say this was my favorite book I’ve read this month, and now I need to read Saft’s backlist ASAP!

4/5 ⭐

A Fragile Enchantment follows Niamh who is a lowly seamstress from Machland who is tasked to sew enchanted garments for the Crown Prince's Brother's Wedding. In order to support her family she takes this opportunity and travels to Avalon for this job. Once she's there, there is more to Avalon than meets the eye and boy is she in for a surprise, this job is not as easy as it seems.

Niamh and Kit's love story starts off super rocky, and they clash right off the bat. Niamh is all positivity and happiness, while Kit is negative Nancy and grumpy. Your typical grumpy meets sunshine trope. But she ends up wearing him down over time. Their forbidden romance is entangled with complex politics and challenges. Allison Shaft does a great job of interweaving the characters and making us fall in love with not just Niamh and Kit, but also Sinclair, Princess Rosa, and Princess Sofia. This was such a cozy and endearing read, the political intrigue and mystery made the book hard to put down.

***I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to the author/publishing company and netgalley for this opportunity!

A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT follows a magic seamstress hired to make the garments for the royal wedding—only to fall for the groom. A YA romantic fantasy with a Bridgerton style scandal sheet, A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT is for readers who love:
✨Forbidden Romance
✨Forced Proximity
✨Grumpy/Sunshine
✨Court politics
✨Fluff

Not for you if you dislike third act break-ups and miscommunication.

✨Available January 23, 2024 ✨

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

3.75/5

Niamh (pronounced NEEV), a commoner with a unique ability to enchant her work, has been hired to work on the wedding outfits of the king's son, Kit. The enchantments on the clothing she creates makes the wearer and the people around them feel and remember different things based on the emotions and memories she magically infuses her work with as she is sewing.

Niamh has always wanted a fairytale story with romance and love, but she knows that is not something she will ever get the chance to experience. She is a Machlish commoner with an illness that she believes will take her life before she will have a chance at love. When she comes to the castle to work though, she finds herself falling in love with the last person she should, the soon-to-be wed Kit Carmine.

I really thought I was going to love this book based on the premise and the cover. It is a historical fantasy romance with a unique magic system, but it fell a little flat for me. However, this is my first novel by Allison Saft, and I may give one of her other books a try because I did love the beautiful written descriptions of the world and magic. I believe this book will be well received by many people, but in the end it was not for me.

What I did enjoy:
-Secret letters
-Beautiful descriptions
-Intriguing magic system
-The gorgeous cover
-Supportive and fun side characters

What I did not enjoy:
-Too much like Instalove
-Felt like there were a few things not fully explained at the end
-How the love interest was hot then cold over and over with the FMC

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-arc copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Saft's previous books and had high hopes I would love this novel as well. A Fragile Enchantment fell short for me and I ended up not finishing it. I did not feel like I was as attached to characters and their motivations as I wanted to be. Our library will still likely purchase this book but personally I would recommend Saft's prior titles instead of this one.

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is a captivating novel that skillfully intertwines the allure and ardor of a romance with a touch of enchanting magic and whimsy. This delightful tale is achingly romantic, brimming with heartfelt emotions that will surely captivate readers.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has taken it upon herself to defy fate. She will not allow her family to starve in their war-torn homeland of Machland and works herself to the bone making a name for herself as a dress maker. Her gowns, thanks to her magic of imbuing clothing with emotion and skill as a designer, become so highly sought after she is commissioned by the Prince Regent of neighboring Avaland to create the wedding wardrobe for his younger brother, Kit Carmine. After her journey to the new land, Niamh has only one plan-- make it through the wedding season with her health intact and her pockets lined with enough coin to open her own dress shop and support her family. However, Niamh soon finds herself in over her head as she starts to look past the shiny veneer of both Avaland and its Prince Kit.

Brimming with delicious longing and magic, A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT captures the spirit of Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle with all the frothy delight of a regency era romance. Its representation of the queer community and mental health is commendable, and Saft did a marvelous job of creating a truly stunning and enchanting world rife with political intrigue.

This was such a good story, and it was the first one that I have read by Allison Saft! First, the cover is just gorgeous! More importantly though, is the wonderful tale by the author. It is a forbidden love trope (a prince and a commoner) with some magic woven into it. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but it quickly picked up pace and drew me in so that I didn’t want to put it down. I have to say that I’m looking forward to reading more from Saft and I think you will too!

A big “Thank You” to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, Wednesday Books and Allison Saft for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for an independent, honest review.

I was originally drawn to Allison Saft’s A Fragile Enchantment in my search for a lighthearted fantasy, and while I certainly got a lighthearted novel, it can hardly call itself a fantasy. The character’s powers were so inconsequential and rarely employed that it felt as though the author sometimes forgot they had powers at all. As for the characters, I found it difficult to get invested in any of them and they didn’t seem to be invested in each other. Furthermore, the plot was very lacking. In fact, it felt like reading Niamh’s blog. Every time I picked up the novel, it was just “see which event Niamh is at now!” or “watch Niamh go shopping!” or “who is Niamh enjoying a stroll with now?” Niamh seemed to be the side character of her own story. There were major events unfolding regarding the Machlish rebellion, but Niamh was merely a spectator and, frankly, she didn’t seem to care. Ultimately, if you’re looking for outdoorsy summer vibes with a sprinkle of magic, then this novel is for you, if purely for the atmosphere. Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

A Fragile Enchantment is the third full-length novel from Allison Saft. It is set to release on January 23, 2024, but I couldn't wait any longer to pick it up. I have read all of Saft's novels now and IMO, they just keep getting better and better. I'm so drawn in by her writing and dazzling, gothic-feeling atmospheres.

In this story we follow a magical young seamstress, Niamh, who gets called to the castle to create the wedding day wardrobe for the Prince and his bride-to-be. This is putting it simply, but that is the basic set-up.

As Niamh arrives at the castle and is introduced to court life, it's clear she's a fish-out-of-water. Coming from the country, she's never experienced court politics close-up. Nevertheless, she feels blessed to have the opportunity and even though her people aren't big fans of the monarchy, she's determined to make the most of it.

The Prince, Christopher, Kit to his friends, is the younger of two Princes. His brother, Jack, is functioning as monarch. It was actually Jack who arranged Kit's engagement, as well as Niamh's services. When Niamh meets Kit, she's a little surprised by how abrasive he is. It's clear he's not overjoyed about his upcoming nuptials. The wedding isn't one that will be based on love, but rather on political advantage. So's the way of court life, Niamh supposes.

The bride-to-be has now arrived at the kingdom, along with her father, and it seems she is just a pawn as well. With a dark personality and darker fashion sense, Niamh finds herself puzzled by the Princess, Rosa. Nonetheless, she finds herself drawn to her and her charismatic lady's maid, Miriam. Along with Kit's childhood best friend, Sinclair, the five unlikely allies end up forming an entertaining friendship group.

Niamh is starting to feel like she belongs, though she never would have thought it possible, and the more time she spends with Kit, the less she is able to deny the chemistry crackling between them. Unfortunately, she's not the only one who has noticed the sparks and soon Niamh and Kit are the fodder of the anonymous gossip columnist, Lovelace. Will Lovelace's rumors and insinuations ruin everything for Niamh, or will she be able to survive the scandalous court life unscathed?

Y'all, I thought this was fabulous. It kicks off so quickly. Saft wastes no time getting Niamh to the kingdom and enmeshed in the complicated palace lifestyle. I loved that she was an outsider taking it all in for the first time. Additionally, I really loved Kit as a character. He had some depth to him and I feel like Saft spent enough time building-out his character, so that his caustic personality truly made sense.

I love a prickly, abrasive man, so his entire demeanor definitely worked for me. I enjoyed watching Kit's relationship with his older brother, Jack, and learning a bit about their family history as well. I was definitely picking up William and Harry vibes there.

Further, I enjoyed the friendship group that formed between Niamh, Rosa, Miriam, Kit and Sinclair. I was able to glean a lot of insight from their interactions and I felt it helped to better develop each character. The political intrigue really amps up in the second half and I felt that was exciting and extremely well written by Saft. There were some scenes, as we raced towards the conclusion, where I was at the edge-of-my-seat, biting my fingernails, just hoping for the best for the characters I had come to love.

Speaking of characters I loved, Kit's betrothed, Rosa, was such a fun character. All I could picture when reading about her was Wednesday Addams. She was bringing all that morose, gothic energy. As mentioned above, I started getting really tense towards the end. I figured, objectively that things would probably work out okay, but getting there sure was emotional!

Overall, I had such a great time reading this. Saft's writing is accessible and fluid. It's magical and enchanting, but without feeling over done. The plot never gets drowned out by flowery writing. It's easy to follow along and become emotionally attached to her characters.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
Saft has quickly become a go-to YA Fantasy author for me. I look forward to following her career for a long, long time.

This is a book that I picked by the cover. The cover art had me entranced. Ias fairy tale romance vibes and I love it. I would call this book a magical realism historical fiction Fantasy if that makes any sense. It was like Bridgerton the show but with Magic crossed with a fairy tale. The world unfolded as your read and you are engrossed in the wedding planning of Kit and Rosa. Niamh is commissioned to make a wedding outfit for Kit. Her magical abilities allow her to impart feelings and emotions into her sewing. When she meets him it is a true enemies feeling. Hate at first site.
As Kit and Niahm are thrown together more and more and they unravel the political unrest of the kingdom, they fight the attraction they hold for each other knowing they can't be together. A star crossed lover type vibe but he is also engaged gives you all the forbidden love vibes. The story moved through parties and balls, dinner parties and even has a crochet match alla Bridgerton.
There weren't any huge surprises but it was a lovely story and the writing was beautiful and easy. The story gave me sunshine feels of a true fairy tale. I would recommend to anyone that like fairy tales, forbidden love, worlds where magic is real and love overcomes all.
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Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy.

After reading Allison Saft's a Far Wilder Magic last year I was excited for the chance to read her next release. While a little different, less remote, more explicitly a romance, this had the same lovely descriptions and light magical systems as her last. The use of emotional magic, a softer magic than most flashy fantasies (and other characters in this story), was a nice change. Making a living off of sewing magic impressions into clothes - love it.

The political intrigue of the story is a bit oversold by synopsis. It's more of a romance - and a slow one. The questions around the problems of the kingdom, while popping up early on, don't get the team up, answer searching by the two mc's until close to the end.

The bridgerton vibes and sweet side characters were pleasant surprises.
In the end, I enjoyed niamh, if she would just stop being so clumsy. I liked her try hard, people pleaser love style. And kit was grumpy and sweet and totally messy.

There's a happy almost unrealistic ending but it was great.

Highly recommend for cozy fantasy lovers, ya/bridgerton fans and grumpy/sunshine lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press/Wednesday Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Writing this review pains me a little as I really wanted to love this book. I was reeled in by the cover and synopsis but it didn't deliver for me. It was an okay book but I'm sure there will be people who will love it.

I love a dialogue heavy book and there was so much information in between the dialogue, I found myself losing interest throughout the book.

The story follows a tailor as she gets hired by the prince regent to make his brother's clothes for the season as well as his wedding cloak. She has a magical power where she can sew enchantments into her garments to invoke feelings and memories to those that wear them. She is an outsider doing her best to fit in.

For me, there were plot holes and things that were left unresolved or things that weren't explained well.

I've read that this book is Bridgerton-esque but the only similarities are the anonymous gossip columns and a competitive game of croquet.

This book has forbidden love, political unrest, family issues, amd magic.

I'm sure this book will be popular but it wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed this book. It pulled me in right away and I fell in love with all of the characters.

All of the characters (main and support) were flawed, but their flaws are what gave them depth and brought them to life.

This book to me is a cross between the Brigerton books and the Cursebreaker books.

Niemh (pronounced NEEv) is a common girl who is brought to another land by the Prince Regent to use her talent and magic to make exquisite clothing embroidered in magical enchantments for his brother and his bride to be.

Kit (the brother who is getting married) is very aloof and angry at first and appears to want nothing to do with Niemh. He could not care less about what he wears to his arranged wedding.

In time, Niemh and Kit see both the best and worst in each other and in spending time together grow very close. However, he is a prince who is betrothed to another and she is a commoner from another land.

Is this arranged wedding all it is perceived to be? Will the wedding proceed? Will true love prevail?

I would recommend that you read the book to find out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this review ARC!

I gave this book 2.5 stars, but it's a benevolent rating. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy it, but I did feel that it fell flat in some ways. My personal rubric:

*diversity: .5 -- on the surface, the characters were diverse (from different countries, LGBT rep, religious differences, different powers), but as I continued to read it felt a little bit like romcom diversity, where they were just attributes and didn't actually play into the story

*writing style: 1 -- no complaints here.

*character development: .5 -- there was an arc, but it didn't always feel natural

*impact: 0 -- great in terms of readers who want MORE of something, but it didn't really bring anything new to the table for me

*investment: .5 -- I was up and down on this one. At times, I couldn't wait to get back into the story, but at others it slogged along and I wasn't super interested. Kit and Niamh's relationship wasn't super compelling to me, and I found that I more wanted to find out about the tailoring and magic system than the characters. (I was disappointed to find that there wasn't much in that respect)

Now for the qualitative thoughts:

A Fragile Enchantment is a historical fantasy romances with elements reminiscent of Bridgerton, Howl's Moving Castle, Sorcery of Thorns, and The Paper Magician. Themes of trust, duty, oppression, politics, and following one's dreams are present, as well as representation for mental illness, chronic illness, and LGBT relationships. I appreciated the parallels between the Avlish/Machlish conflict and real-life British/Irish prejudice (reminiscent of some of the court difficulties in Outlander), and the way the plot tied up in the third act, which was very true to the genre -- lots of whirlwind schemes, miscommunications, uncovering of intrigue, etc. Think Pride & Prejudice (2005) with the scenes involving Lady DeBourg, Pemberley, Lydia/Wickham and the meadow. The writing was soft, dreamy, and atmospheric, and the characters were charming. I would be very interested in reading more Allison Saft in the future!

HOWEVER. I wasn't a fan of the instalove between Kit and Niamh. Another reviewer said that their relationship felt toxic in a way that wasn't fun or interesting and I agreed. I also noticed a handful of threads that got left untied, for example, Niamh being bisexual (her relationship with Erin hinted at in the beginning) but then had nothing to do with the story. I also wish there was more attention paid to the magic system; I wanted to know more about how Niamh's powers worked. In this respect, it was a lot like the Ghibli Howl's Moving Castle adaptation, where several details of the world/plot that are explained in the book are just hinted at visually and never delved into in the movie.

All in all, I'm not sad that I read this book, I didn't feel that it was a waste of time and I enjoyed it overall! But I don't have a crush on it, the characters, or the world as much as I could have if there was more dimension to have a crush ON.

Thank you again!