The Rose Bargain is the Selection/Cruel Prince crossover that we needed. It takes the best elements from each to create a cohesive, immersive story that will have you begging for more. This book hits with so many elements — the Victorian era vibes, the marriage competition for the Prince’s hand in marriage, fae bargains, and political machinations. This book is sure to be an absolute hit. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Ivy and the other competitors. I especially enjoyed Smith’s approach to sprinkle in chapter’s from their POVs in addition to Ivy’s in order to get to know their backstories and motivations. I also loved the banter and chemistry between Ivy and both brothers, though one in particular was a standout. I felt the relationship between Ivy and her sister was interesting and added another needed element to the story especially with how the book ended. The Rose Bargain is a can’t miss YA fantasy.

This book has me written all over it, from the Victorian setting to the fae shenanigans. Absolutely in love!

4.5 stars. I picked this book up yesterday to get through a couple chapters since the release date is coming up, and I ended up reading 60% of the book in one sitting! The writing in this is so addicting. I truly was getting lost in the story in a way that I haven’t been able to in a while.

I love the setting in this book. I don’t know what it is about books set in 1800s England but they always manage to hook me. Then adding fae on top of that? Say less! The world is fun, the lessons/trials were entertaining and I love the characters. This is a really solid young adult book and I can’t wait for the sequel!

This was absolutely addictive and I ate it up like sugar. This is levels of addiction that I haven't felt since I finished The Cruel Prince. That ending?!? Torture because I definitely was NOT aware this was a series!!

About 30% through this book I was wondering if this was mismarketed as a fantasy romance as it wasn’t reading like one. It almost seemed too good to be categorized as a a fantasy romance? But I was so pleasantly surprised that this was not a cookie cutter copy of newer romantasy releases I've read. Then the story really hits its stride and I was tearing through the pages. If you enjoy twists and turns in a story or you enjoy stories like Bridgerton with its court intrigue you will LOVE this.

This does have a few minor issues, but none so glaring that I can really count them against the story. I was feeling that the relationships between the Princes and Ivy was a little rushed, like they have known each other longer than we are privy to. The other girls do get their own chapter, but I wished for a bit more.
This was a ride and so much fun!

This book was so fun! I love the Bridgerton vibes mixed with fantasy elements. I devoured this book and it was such a relief to read after reading some darker books.

Absolute must- read! This story is like if Bridgerton, The Selection, Red Queen, and faeries all mixed together to create an engaging fantasy story. Ivy is entering society and is desperate to save her family from Ruin. Queen Mor announces that her son Bram will be entering the season in search for his wife. The Rose Bargain is full of action and twists that will keep you on your toes.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook. This takes place in London but instead of King Edward taking over a fae Queen kills him and takes over. When women turn 18 they are able to bargain for one thing but they must give up something in return I.e. favorite memories, finger nails the ability to turn left etc.After her sister’s disappearance she become obsessed to find her then just as swiftly her sister returns with no memory of where she was and just says that her bargain was not worth it. When it becomes Ivy’s turn to make her wish when the Queen states that she cannot undo her sister’s bargain she says there is nothing else she wants and forgoes her bargain. After winning the first challenge to become the princes’ bride Ivy is crowned the May Queen, and the prince’s brother then helps her to gain the favor of Prince Bram so that he chooses her as his bride so that she can help Prince Emmett overthrow the Fae Queen

I was not prepared for the heart break that I got from the end of this book. Some of this book was a little slow for me but if you love fae and historical romance books then this book is for you. I may not recover from the end of this book.

🤍 Thank you Netgalley for the arc of The Rose Bargain🤍

When I tell you, this book CONSUMED me, it is no word of a lie. I could not get enough of this story and will be dying for book two.

From page one, I was pulled into this 1800’s era society with a twist. It was glittering with mystery, bargains, and a dark plot that must be unfolded.

I loved Ivy’s journey as she entered the marriage competition to save her family and as she stood up to evil, defied expectations, and fell in love.

For the reader who loves:
• The Selection
• marriage competition for the prince (with a violent twist)
• forbidden romance
• bargains with the immortal fae queen
• those kisses 🔥

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: fade to black (vague details)

This was Bridgerton, with a wonderful love hate back and forth, reminding me of Cardan and Jude vibes and I gobbled that up so fast...SO. MUCH. FUN!

My goodness was this so fun to read! My suggestion is to go into this blind. Don’t read the synopsis, don’t read reviews, just let the story take you on a journey. Finding out how events are to unfold throughout the story was just a joy to witness. Thank you so much to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the amazing opportunity to read an ARC of The Rose Bargain. I had an absolute blast with this read.

I’m not going to give a plot summary. Please go into this blindly! The vibes however I will give.. if you enjoyed the fae from The Cruel Prince series, the overall story that was Phantasma, and the time period of Bridgerton then this is the story for you. It’s marketed at young adult and while I believe that to be hold true, the characters are all over 18 years. There is one sex scene in the book but it does not go into the detail nor is it long. Perfectly fit for an upper YA novel in my opinion.

While reading I was listening to an 1800’s classical playlist and it was just so immersed into the story. I finished this in one day. It’s a very quick read and one you won’t be able to put down.

I do have some complaints about the book but they go into spoiler territory so I can’t really talk about it.. I will say I wish we got a little more time with one of the characters so we could have a better understanding of them.

I highly suggest checking out this book. You will have a blast while you’re in it!

I went into The Rose Bargain without knowing really too much about this book and read about 30% in one sitting. I loved the premise and setting of this gothic dark fairy tale fantasy romance with a nod to Bridgeton.

Ivy Benton must win over the heart the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. The Queen is nefarious herself, but all in England must abide by her rules. Ivy's family has been through tough times and she has to win Bram's son in order to save them from ruin. They've already been involved in a scandal by Ivy's oldest sister and they can't afford another one.

The one person Ivy didn't count on helping her secure Bram's heart was Bram's half brother Emmett. Emmett has his own reasons of helping Ivy. But the longer the two work together the more their feelings start to get involved. Which brother will Ivy end up marrying?

I really enjoyed The Rose Bargain! The story moved quickly and I really liked the slow development of Ivy's relationship with both Bram and Emmett. I do feel like some of the pacing was off a bit during some parts of the book. This definitely felt more Bridgerton and less The Cruel Prince to me. I do feel The Rose Bargain was giving more OUABH vibes in terms of how dark it was.

That ending though?!?! I am eager to read the next book in the series. Overall, a great fantasy romance - solid 4 stars!

💗Ivy’s debut season arrives with a socking twist. A competition to secure the hand 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 destroy her.

This book reminded me so much of The Selection but in a historical setting, though in this story their trials were a lil more sinister and dangerous. What I like the most was the idea of a Fae Queen among humans and that she will make bargains with them in exchange for a lil something. It was interesting to see what was the cost of each bargain.

The romance was ok I guess though to me it felt that Ivy fell in love to quickly and without much encouragement from the other part. At first I didn’t know what to think of Bram and Emmet the two love interests. I was so confused who to root for until the very end. I had my doubts about one and in the end I was correct. Also I was not a fan of her sister Lydia she felt fake to me so for this reason I couldn’t feel bad for her.

The transition between scenes was not so smooth so I kept getting confused and I had to go back and re-read multiple times. The plot twist at the end was somewhat predictable but at the same time a lil surprising since there was more to what I thought was going to happen.

Overall the story was entertaining I’m intrigued about how these characters are going to defeat the villain since they don’t possess any magic themselves. We’ll see how this plays out in the next book.

The Rose Garden completely surprised me in the best way. Sasha Peyton Smith creates this lush, magical version of 1840s England where faeries aren’t just part of the world—they run it. The story follows Ivy Benton, whose family is hanging by a thread after her sister makes a fae bargain gone terribly wrong. Ivy is forced into a competition to win the fae prince Bram’s heart, but—of course—nothing about the fae court is as simple as it seems.

The world is dark and gorgeous, with just the right amount of eerie. The fae aren’t the soft, romantic type you find in a lot of books—they’re sharp, dangerous, and completely unpredictable. The trials Ivy has to endure are intense and honestly wild. I loved that they were both magical and downright terrifying, but I also found myself wishing there were more of them because they were so good.

One star off for what was supposed to be the emotional depth of the story. Ivy’s relationship with her sister, Lydia, is the heart of the book. It’s complicated and raw but was ruined for me by how much I disliked Lydia, and for the convoluted and forced explanation of her missing weeks. I felt for Ivy as she struggled to save her sister while also figuring out how to deal with her anger at her.

The slow-burn tension was great Is it a little underdeveloped? Yeah, sure, but the longing and the angst made up for it. There’s this one scene where Ivy and her love interest. If you like forced proximity, one bed tropes, this one is for you.

The ending? I did not see that coming at all. The last few chapters were a total whirlwind. Just when I thought I had things figured out, it took a turn I didn’t expect, and now I’m dying to know what’s going to happen in the sequel.

If I had one complaint, it would be the pacing. Some parts felt like they dragged, and then all of a sudden, everything would happen at once. The relationship building, including the romance definitely had pacing issues. The ending made up for it though.

Overall, The Rose Garden is such a fun, atmospheric read. It’s perfect if you’re into dark faerie magic, courtly drama with unexpected twists, and plenty of tension.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for providing me this ARC copy in exchange of my honest thoughts.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
out.
"What are you thinking about?" Emmett asks.
"Stabbing you," I reply, eyes closed.
"That's not very polite."
"Running me over wasn't very polite."
"Again, you tripped."
4.75/5
Oh wow, where to begin? The idea that there is a new book that mixes fae with the bachelor, isn’t a surprise, but when I first heard of the book, I wouldn’t know I would end up liking it this much. The story was really good in my opinion, it was a medium pace with characters that were easy to tell apart, and they all got their time to shine so the reader could really get to know all the characters. The love interests for me were honestly the stars of the whole book. I loved Emmet as a character, Bram coming close second of course. I enjoyed Lydia and Ivy, though I am hoping there will be a sequel because I would personally love more world building. The whole vibe of the story reminded me of The Cruel Prince with a little bit more likeable characters. The only reason why I didn’t give it a 5/5 rating is because there was just a little something that I felt was missing, though I can’t point out what.

An intriguing YA-romance to sweep you off your feet!

Where to even begin? I had no idea the rabbit hole I was going to fall into when I picked up this title, but I'm so glad I did. This book was unique, and very well-written. This book had a nice blend of fantasy and romance with a little dash of history. The twist on British history was probably one of my favorite storytelling devices used in this book. I thought this book had a very good flow, and the pacing was also very well-matched throughout. I wasn't sure how I felt about the side characters each getting their own POV at first, but I think in this story, it worked really well. The trials aspect was also executed in a manor I didn't mind either.

The characters in this book were very interesting to watch and follow along with. The FMC was something else. At times, she was a little frustrating but overall I thought she was fairly complex. The MMC was a little hard to get a handle on, in my opinion. But by the end, he had won me over. The side characters were also very fun to read about. They added a nice little extra sparkle to the plot which was enjoyable. The magic and idea of the Fae was also super well structured in this book. It felt different than other things I've read which felt like a nice change of pace for me. Though at times I did feel a little confused by it.

The romance was honestly not really my favorite part...shocker, right? The romance felt a little clunky at times and rushed. It didn't really read like an epic romance or anything. I think their relationship was set up to potentially be more interesting in the next book. But it lacked a little depth for me and emotional intrigue. Also the little sprinkle of "spice" felt almost like an unnecessary scene in my opinion.

Overall, I think this book is a great YA fantasy read! It had a lot of great moments throughout, and all the twists and turns at the end which set up the sequel really well. Definitely would recommend this one!

I would like to give a big thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5

This story is the perfect mix of the Selection and the Cruel Prince and it was so fun! Set in a glittering version of Victorian England, but ruled by the same fae queen since the War of the Roses, the debutante ball has a dark twist where each debutante makes a disturbing deal with the queen. But this year, the queen is picking a wife for her fae son, and debutantes sign their names in blood to compete for his hand in marriage. This book had the dark, gritty fae bargains and intrigue from the Cruel Prince, mixed with the love triangles (this is a YA after all), dating competition, and romance of the Selection. I loved the characters and the twist at the end was amazing! I cannot wait to read the second book in this duology!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book feels like it's Bridgerton meets the Bachelor and in the best way possible. Set in London in the 1840s everyone is offered a life bargain with the fae queen who rules. Girls of higher classes are expected to make their bargain when they enter society. The common theme among them is that they ask for something to make them prettier or more attractive to suitors earning their bargains the nickname Rose Bargains. But this season is a little different since the Queen's fae son, Bram is looking for a wife and has decided to pick from the girls who are entering their first season. We follow Ivy who’s family is on the brink of ruin and in desperate need of some good fortune as she makes her debut in society and decides to enter the competition to become Bram’s wife. But as always with the fae queen, Ivy quickly discovers that not everything is as it seems and the behind-the-scenes is worse than she could have ever imagined.

This book had me hooked from the start. I immediately fell in love with the characters and their world. This book has a perfect combination of competition, courtly intrigue, tension, and romance. As well as a twist at the end that left me speechless and wanting more. I can’t wait to read book two and see what happens next. This will definitely be one of my favorite fantasy books this year.

Thank you so much HarperCollins and Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this book!

I received an advanced copy of this book. This is my own opinion.

I think this book was described as Bridgerton meets The Selection meets The Faerie Queen? I love the concept, but I feel I would connect with this one more as an audiobook. I'm not sure why, but I feel that medium would hit better for me, personally. The writing was great, the characters were fine. This is definitely a me problem, and I would still recommend this to readers based on their preferences!

I gave this 3.5-4 stars based on a flip through and the blurb.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the arc!

Hmm this book was ok. The concept was interesting and did feel like the selection mixed with Bridgerton. I loved our male main character and the ending was pretty good and left you with a lot of questions.

Thank you to the author and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins for sending me this ARC! 💕✨👑🌹

When I say this book swept me away, I truly mean that I found myself completely immersed in its captivating narrative. The story possesses a delightful whimsy, interwoven with intriguing layers of mystery that kept me eagerly turning the pages. The plot unfolds with a magic system that feels both unique and believable, drawing me deeper into its world. The characters are richly developed, each with their own quirks and depths, and the unexpected twists add an extra edge. Everything about this story—from its enchanting prose to its intricate details—was nothing short of exceptional. Absolutely blown away. I never wanted this story to end, and I am so eager for the second book in this series. I already want to re-read this one.

What to expect:

🌹Fae / Human Worlds
🌹Royalty
🌹Bargains, Trials, + Competition
🌹Political Agendas/Scheming
🌹Love Triangle

This will undoubtedly be a book to look out for this year. Add it to your TBR now, and if you haven't already, you need to preorder it. There are so many beautiful special editions being crafted for this one. I cannot wait to get my hands on one come publication day.

p.s. GoodReads is also doing a giveaway right now, so make sure you enter!!!

Pub Day: 04 February 2025

And as always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨