OKAYYYY. It’s been awhile since a twist shocked me. I did not see the end coming. I will be reading the sequel. My only gripe…the romance was kinda instalove which isn’t my fav, I didn’t necessarily 100% but the romance- and twice they had the line “aching clavicles” to which I could NOT get past. BUTTTTT this was fun and original

DNF @ 39%
This started off SO strong. I was absolutely invested and then it went downhill in my opinion. This story moves so fast. Is that a bad thing? Not always, but with this story, there are so many characters and it is hard to connect (let alone remember who is who) with any of them when the plot is full speed ahead. It just started to feel quite messy and I couldn’t keep up. This ended up not being for me, but you could enjoy this! It felt like Bridgerton but with Fae and make it YA.

This book had it all. The most adorable sister dynamic, a grouchy MMC with a soft heart, female friendships, ballrooms and tiaras, only one bed, and kissing practice lessons. I couldn’t put this down. If you like Bridgerton, the Selection, faeries, witty characters and a plot that has you on the edge of your seat, you won’t be able to put it down either.

Also that ending?? I need the sequel in my hands NOW.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

4.5 ⭐️ Books like this are why I love YA fantasy!! This book very much gave The Cruel Prince x The Selection x Bridgerton and I ate up every page. The world was fascinating, whimsical, and magical and I loved being in this setting. The political side of the story was also engaging and low key had me stressed. The premise was fun and entertaining and I was never bored. The story was constantly entertaining and I was on the edge of my seat wondering where things could be going. I absolutely loved the female friendship dynamics and their character growth together. The romance 😭 the romance was so good with the tension and the yearning and the secrecy of it all. I was rooting for them so hard and was so scared of what could happen. Maybe I should’ve expected the plot twist at the end but I didn’t and it has me ACHING for book 2!!! I’m so distraught that I thought this was a standalone. Loved every aspect of this story and can’t wait to continue.

pitched as bridgerton x the bachelor x the cruel prince, there was a lot going on in this one. i think it had some really interesting aspects, such as having a group of 6 girls vying for the hand of the prince, and seeing friendships form among them. i do think it should have just been an adult novel, as it has an on-the-page sex scene... pretty bizarre IMO.

what worked for me:
the pacing, the chapter lengths, the intermittent chapters of other character's POV
the bargains and prices of them

what didn't work for me:
foreshadowing was like.. rubber hammer to the head BONK
the aforementioned scene
essentially insta-love dynamic

are faeries played out?? im kind of over them but i am evil and contrarian so idk. i will still be reading the second book.

thank you to netgalley & harper collins YA for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Holly Black's The Cruel Prince and The Selection are perennial faves in our library, so I'm quite excited to find another book to recommend to our readers that have the best parts of these two books. Sprinkle in a bit of Bridgerton as well, and you have a hit of a book! It's fast paced, and engrossing, and perfect for readers who are just wanting to get into fantasy (but might be feeling a little intimidated). Highly recommend.

I devoured The Rose Bargain! A good combination for fans of The Cruel Prince and The Selection, this book will be so easy to book talk to my Fantasy and Romance readers. Unexpected plot twist and likeable characters makes for an amazing ride! Will be looking out for book 2!!

This is what a fantasy is made of…… the perfect amount of magic, plot, romance, heartbreak and it just left me wanting more and more!!!!!! The ending left my heart torn in two and I need more as soon as possible!!!!!

The Rose Bargain was one I knew I was going to love just by the description.
Even though we've seen a lot of royal competitions and fae bargains, here's what made this book stand out:

1) Ivy's competitors were not two-dimensional. Typically you have one character that's sweet, one that's mean, one that is secretive, basically just concepts of different character types. The chapter we get for each girl adds so much depth and explanation as to why they're all there and I appreciated it a lot. There was more to them then what you first saw.

2) I thought this was going to be a stereotypical FMC who just has every guy fall in love with her. For most of the book, this seemed to be the case. While I suspected Bram at times, I was NOT ready for how this book ended. That being said, I loved the twist. They were using each other and in a lot of ways, it's so poetically just.

3) Ivy makes the hard choice of letting Emmett go. Sure, this has little consequence by the end of the book, but I admired her resolve.

All I can say now is that EMMETT BETTER BE OKAY. And also I really hope this will be at least three books long!!

I think the concept of this book is really good. The Selection meets The Cruel Prince.

I was mostly enjoying this story, but somewhere in the middle the pacing got really slow for me and I felt like it was dragging. There’s some really good scenes with the characters and some of my favorite parts are all the girls!

I love how in the end all the girls are working together. I also really loved that we got multiple POVs to see things from their perspective and learn their back stories and motivations!

But the ending!!!! The last line, it made me absolutely want to continue with the next book.

Audiobook is very well done! Definitely would recommend this audio. 5/5.

I really loved this. I was feeling so tumultuous about the world and everything, but this book was such a sweet and well done romance with an interesting world and compelling characters. The BN edition is also stunning, and I had to get my own. I think that this is going to be a really popular YA book this summer--it has everything my teens at the library are always asking me for!

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the chance to read the ARC. Really loved the beginning and the world building! It had such a strong intro, and the first trial had me hooked. Interested in seeing where the series goes next.

Fans of The Selection, The Cruel Prince, and Powerless you’ll eat this up.

The book has so many plot twists within its pages. It also is full of so many cliche and roll your eyes moments. I really struggled reading this one. It was advertised as The Selection meets The Cruel Prince. Which are two of my favorite trilogies ever. I was fully prepared to devour this book in one sitting. The last 5 chapters saved this rating. I never expected that plot twist and I’m not kidding when I said I screamed “what” while reading. If you love dating shows like The Bachelor, if you love girly things, if you’re a fan of Stephanie Garber’s style of writing think whimsical/enchanting, and don’t mind love triangles this is for you. I am looking forward to the second book in this series.

The Rose Bargain is a young adult historical fantasy about a group of young women vying for the hand of a fae prince.

Ivy Benton has spent her entire life in the shadow of her seemingly perfect older sister, but now it’s her turn to debut to the Queen of England and London society. However, the throne is occupied by a fae queen who tricked her way into power hundreds of years earlier, making this debut unlike any other. The young women must strike dangerous fairy bargains and compete for the hand of the queen’s son, Prince Bram. Over the coming weeks, the six contestants will find themselves entangled in twisted games meant to amuse the queen—while Ivy fights her growing feelings for the prince’s stepbrother, Emmett.

This is an exciting novel that explores the dark side of the fae, filled with court drama, forbidden romance, and plenty of double-crosses. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next installment.

Our main character Ivy has been through it. Her sister went missing and ruined her chances of securing a strong marriage or being accepted in society where a girl’s match is all she is worth. In this London, the Queen is one of the Folk, and the fae love to make a bargain. When her sister returns, her family prospects are still in irreparable dire straights. So when the Queen offers a challenge for this year’s society girls, Ivy feels she has nothing to lose.

I liked Ivy as a character, I do feel like she painted with broad strokes, her personality is a little hard to pin down that being said.

The pacing for TRB is very fast. It’s not hard to keep up or exceptionally complex, though don’t let the pretty cover fool you; there are darker layers. I actually wish the pacing was maybe a hair slower just to allow for each even to breathe a little more, but it does make it an easy read as a trade off. If you don’t squint at it too hard and enjoy it for what it is. I couldn’t help myself, I did have to squint on occasion. For example, why does Ivy hate the Queen? Before the competition starts, I have no idea why Ivy would hate the Queen. Especially enough to try and ***spoiler*** take the crown? After the trials I get it, but before? Not so much.

Emmett is introduced early on, and he’s your typical Lothario and ruiner of women by reputation. He has no reason to trust Ivy but he does instantly which I didn’t love. I understand once again this is very, very fast paced, and you have to bring these characters together. I just didn’t love that part.


TLDR;
Fast paced and enjoyable, just try not to look for plot conveniences.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins children for the ARC in enjoy for a review!

The Rose Bargain is a spellbinding blend of high society 1848 London, faerie bargains, and a forbidden love so achingly romantic it will leave you breathless. Sasha Peyton Smith delivers a lush, atmospheric fantasy filled with intrigue, danger, and longing that cuts deep—especially when stolen glances across a crowded ballroom speak louder than words.

Ivy Benton is a heroine to root for—clever, determined, and fiercely loyal to the people she loves. Her journey through the fae queen’s treacherous courtship competition is layered with tension, as every bargain comes with a devastating cost. And at the heart of it all? A romance built on whispered promises, unspoken feelings, and kissing for practice that is anything but pretend. The just one bed moment? Utter perfection.

But what truly sets this book apart is its female friendships—strong, complex, and deeply moving. Ivy’s bonds with the women around her are just as important as the romance, making the stakes feel even higher. With glittering ballrooms hiding deadly secrets and a fae prince who is both alluring and dangerous, The Rose Bargain is an irresistible mix of dark magic and decadent longing.

For fans of The Cruel Prince and Bridgerton with a wicked fae twist—this book is pure enchantment.

I really loved this!! I haven’t read anything by this author before so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But it was great! Definitely had a lot of things that I loved. I’m going to buy a special edition with sprayed edges because the book was great and it’s so pretty! Excited to see more from this author in the future.

This is a fantastic YA historical fantasy romance! Fans of The Selection and The Cruel Prince will love this. While I can sometimes find historical books slow and boring, this book has some great twists and exciting moments that kept me engaged the entire time. The characters are well developed and interesting. The ending is mind-blowing and will make you want the next book asap. Highly recommend.

Wow, I loved this. The Cruel Prince meets The Selection is right. If you like YA fantasy, regency era England, faerie bargains, magical contests, secrets and mystery, court politics, and pining, this is the book for you. I was sucked in from the start.

I was truly surprised multiple times, and the banter was so well written. I also just really loved the format of the book with slow reveals of character backstories as the story unfolded. That ending was wild. I am going to be dying waiting for the next book to come out.

Thank you so much to the author and HarperCollins for the ARC opportunity!!

I really enjoyed this! The setting for this was a magical, alternate history 1800s and so much fun!

The Bachelor-esque competition à la the Selection series is a fairly common plot device these days, but I did enjoy how it worked here in context of the alternate history setting and all the bargains.

The romance parts weren't my most favorite, mostly due to limited development- I'm hoping there will be more development in future books.

It did feel like there were 3 different endings though...

Overall a very fun read though! Eagerly awaiting the next book! Excited to see what direction the story goes.