3.75

This book was w o w.

I am not normally a YA girlie but I finished this so fast. like faster than I've read anything in awhile.

I loved that it felt very Bridgerton like but also with a fae-like twist! I can honestly say that I was hooked on this from the second I picked it up. I did not want to put my kindle down for one second to see what was going to happen next.

When I started this I thought this was going to be new age take on the Twilight-like love triangle that I read so much of when I was younger but this was definitely not that. Ivy wanted Emmett but had to be with Bram to take care of her family and than later as she learns, all of Britain.

I liked Bram but he was so unseeming and sweet, we really didn't get to spend much time with him so the more moments we had of sarcastic and charming Emmett, I liked Emmett more anyway lol He just wanted to be loved.

I liked that the competition aspect of this did include some moments where the girls were suspicious of each other and sizing each other up but in the end they trauma bonded hard and became somewhat friends. Expect Greer, Greer deserved better and I like to believe that she did run away with the stable boy.

I did feel that this could have been a little longer to go more in depth with the Queen's trials and to give some more time for the romance to blossom between Ivy and Emmett but I don't think it was the most rushed all in all. The girls pushed back in a way I didn't expect in the trials, often with books like they, they have that "I don't have a choice" mentality, so it was nice to see them in the end be like you know what, no. Even if it back fired lol

Bram was sweet but Emmett was charming and witty. I liked Emmett.

This did not give me insta love vibes more than it gave me a young romance were everything can feel heightened and move at a quicker pace because young love. I am not normally a fan of that but since this was YA, I didn't seem to mind it.

I will say her sister annoyed me in this book up until the end. I did see her being over there in the other world, the clues were there but I just felt at times she was just annoying. I could relate to all of Ivy's love hate complicated feelings towards her sister.

I was very surprised at the ending. I did not see Bram being a king over there, I could see him either being bad or this being a love triangle - so when the love triangle did not come, I was wondering what was going to happen next when we got to the wedding. I will say the I am so shocked at where this story leaves us with a cliff hanger and I cannot wait to read the next one to see where this goes!

I love stories that are about the Fae and set in historical Victorian England, which The Rose Bargain is. There is just something about that atmosphere that brings its own kind of magic.

I had actually kept passing up the book at first, thinking that I would not be as interested in the fighting in a competition to win the Prince. I’ve enjoyed books with competition dating but I wouldn’t consider them my favorite. I really liked how the competition was done in The Rose Bargain, mostly because it wasn’t focused on the competition itself as it was the girls stories and what brought them to the point they were at. That made it interesting to me.

I’m a suspicious person and I think books make me that way. So I’m always like if something seems too good to be true it probably is. I thought the set-up for the way the book ends was good though.

While the topic is definitely becoming overdone (a la 2010s vampires), The Rose Bargain was an interesting take on the fae romance genre. The incorporation of actual historical elements gives it cross-appeal for fans of Bridgerton and other historical romances while the competition aspect makes it an interesting follow up to The Selection or The Belles. While the cliff-hanger might be frustrating for some, the twists were exciting and enjoyable to read.

Loved this book! YA books have been really hit or miss for me lately so I was pleasantly surprised to have loved this one as much as I did! I loved the plot and the world of this book! The characters were all interesting and I loved getting to go through a rollercoaster of emotions in this book! The ending was so good and I honestly was not expecting the plot twist that came! I cannot wait for the next book to come out to see how the story plays out! Definitely recommend this one if you haven’t picked it up already!

The Rose Bargain takes off running and doesn't ease up until the very last page. I hope you can keep up, because this book barrels through its storyline. This becomes a problem when the speed at which the plot advances in turn takes away the ability for the reader to become connected to it and its characters. Although this story contains several emotional scenes, it still felt shallow. The author threw in these traumatic backstories for all the characters, but I felt like none of them had the time to marinate and make me feel emotionally invested. And that's mainly because the plot was just going too fast. The plot itself had great potential, and I really enjoyed the idea of it. However, the execution was not that great in my honest opinion. As I said, it felt too fast-paced and shallow. The romance specifically felt like it had no real depth, and I didn't feel anything while reading it.

WOW! What a read! I was absolutely sucked in from start to finish. I love the blend of history and fantasy. This book served Bridgerton meets The Selection. I am already DYING for the next book.

I had so much fun reading this book, the characters were easy to follow and I was connected from the very beginning. I can't wait to read the next book.

What a twist, that ending.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley.

I really liked this book. I thought the writing and storyline were very good. It was unique and refreshing to see fae in the real world, where they rule during the Regency era – that was very creative. However, the only reason I didn’t give this book more stars was because I didn’t feel the romance. It felt too much like insta-love for me, and I was actually rooting for the other brother, but that ship got destroyed. Personally, I can't believe or ship a main couple when they’ve only met a handful of times, for just minutes, and are acting like they know each other their whole lives. I think I would have liked this more if the FMC spent more time with the love interest and got to know him as a person before becoming obsessed with him. I also didn’t think I would like seeing the other girl’s perspective, but it definitely added to the plot and I enjoyed it.

Compulsively readable and beautifully dark and lush. Fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses are about to have a new obsession.

Wowwww. That took me on a RIDE. my heart was in my throat the entire third act. This one was so much fun. A combination of my favorite things: Bridgerton and faeries. It was cleverly subtle until it all exploded in the end. I didn’t know this was a duology going in and so that was quite a shock since I excepted a nice wrap up…but I’m so eager for what book two will bring and who it will force Ivy to become.
This was my first book of Sasha’s and I found her writing beautiful and engaging. The prose itself but also the interiority of Ivy as a character. The sprinkling of extra POVs was a nice touch that really helped expand the story.
NOW I NEED BOOK 2!!

I was excited to read this book because Ive heard a lot about it. The book started out a bit slow but once the competition for Prince Bram's hand in marriage started, the pace improved. I love the slow burn between Ivy and Emmett. The plot twist of the wedding with Bram was unexpected and exciting!

Ever since her sister Lydia made a foolish bargain with the queen of England, Ivy has been a social pariah and her family's fortune is fading. When she is given the perilous choice to try for the hand of Crown Price Bram, she accepts....although the bargain is far more dangerous than it seemed.

I really loved the side characters in this book, Ivy's sister and the friends she makes while competing for Prince Bram. This is a book which as interested in the relationships between best friends and the bonds of sisterhood as they are in the romance, which was really refreshing. I loved the scenes that the women shared, and the parts of themselves that they revealed where the prince could not see. The Queen is also a complex villain, with more layers than it initially seems - there were times where I wanted to follow her out the backdoor and see what she was plotting.

I would definitely recommend this book and am excited to read the next one in the series. I think this would be particularly fascinating for YA readers who enjoy historical romance or fantasy.

I need to rave about how amazing this book was. It felt like the author asked me what my favorite tropes were, and then looked at my bookshelves and wrote it specifically for me. If you’re obsessed with The Cruel Prince, read this immediately. It’s got a lot of the same vibes, but with an added twist of a Bridgerton/The Selection setting. Ivy is one of six girls competing to marry Prince Bram, who is the definition of a golden retriever. He’s happy, kind, sweet, and a beautiful fae. What’s not to like? There is the small matter of his human brother, Prince Emmett, who is broody, damaged, snarky, and completely off limits. The romance is a swoony, angsty, delicious, slow burn, that is filled with yearning. I loved everything second of it. Ivy is completely awkward, and incapable of flirting, but it just makes her more charming. She’s thrown into a world of beautiful fae, cruel bargains, cutthroat competition, and the rumblings of rebellion. This was an absolutely enchanting read and I can’t wait for the next book!
🥀
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️ 1.5
🥀
Read if you like:
▫️Victorian era London
▫️alternate history
▫️faelike Others and bargains
▫️competition to marry the faerie prince
▫️rebellion and plotting
▫️multi POV
🥀
Thank you to EpicReads, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Sasha Peyton Smith, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

*4.5 stars*

WOW, I loved this book so much more than I expected to!!! It looked very Selection-like and as a certified Selection fan that made me choose the book altogether. I'm very happy to report this is the adult, more mature version of that, plus we get some faes to shake it up a bit.

The characters are very interesting, especially hearing about the girls in first person, and I loved the relationship they ended up having. There were a couple of things throughout the book where I was a bit sceptical (I will be including examples in my linked review since I can censor spoilers there.) but the plot twist at the end singlehandedly made up for the other details.

Plus I didn't realize this was a duology (my fault) so I'm in for a TREAT when the sequel comes out!

This book is a very interesting dichotomy of cute & cozy and surprisingly dark & epic. I can absolutely see where it’s likened to The Cruel Prince. It has very similar vibes. Ivy is a really fun FMC. I loved her stubbornness and that fact that she is very self aware of her flaws. She knows she is a bit coddled and unprepared for the world. I LOVED the chapters from other POVs and the glimpses they gave into everyone else’s backstory.
I will admit I had suspicions at the beginning of the book, but as the went on I was convinced myself there wasn’t some ulterior motive….only to be proven complete wrong in the last few chapters! 😆 It’s the kind of book I look forward to eventually rereading and trying to see if I spot any clues I missed the first time around.

If you cross The Bachelor with Bridgertons and add in a fae prince, then you’ll have this book.

Short Synopsis:
England is ruled over by an immortal fae queen. She grants each of her subjects one bargain - with society girls on their debut season. Most girls use their bargains to make themselves more attractive to potential suitors. But this season is different. Her fae prince son is looking to wed. And Ivy sees this as her chance to get her parents out of ruin.

My Thoughts:
There’s something about Sasha Peyton Smith’s writing that makes it addictive and THE ROSE BARGAIN was no exception. I gobbled this up like candy. It was so good.

The Prince brothers. The society girls. The found family. The competition. I loved every single second of it.

The longing and “practice” romance between Emmett and Ivy - whiles she’s trying to win the hand of his brother - just stab me in the heart why don’t you? I LOVED them.

And now I have to impatiently wait for two. Highly recommend.

What You’ll Find:
Trials for marriage
Fae prince
Royal brothers
Sister relationships
Forbidden love
Romance for “practice”
Just one bed

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith was an enchanting, fast paced read. High Society girls compete and make a bargain to win the Prince’s heart. There can only be one winner but Ivy Benton is determined to protect her family. With the help of an unlikely ally, Ivy will see if she has what it takes to free her sister.
This was a fun unique type of romantic fantasy. Although I was able to predict all the twist it was still an enjoyable read. I would say that the ending felt rushed but I am still looking forward to see how the duology concludes in the next book.
Thank you for the eARC! 3.5 🌟

Are you kidding me with that ending?! I need Book 2 IMMEDIATELY! Needless to say, I loved the Rose Bargain. The plot, character development, and the ending were all so satisfying. I devoured this book in one day and am so sad I will have to wait for Book 2.

I received an ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed parts of this book, but the bad was so jarring that I’ve had a hard time reviewing and rating this novel.

I love this concept, alternate history with magic is so cool and I feel like Smith does an ok job mixing fae folklore with Victorian history, but I think she could have done more. Also, some things just didn’t make sense in the context of this world. There was a Shakespeare reference that make me question how he could have written R&J in this world. Other social conventions didn’t make sense with all of England living under a fae queen.

As far as characters go I really liked our protagonist and the dark nature of the Queen, I thought that was fun and interesting and I think Smith could have made the fae even meaner. It felt at times like a tamer version of Holly Black’s fae dynamic.

Alright, on to what I fully didn’t like. I wanted to love the romance and at times I really liked it, but the pacing felt off. I couldn’t believe that they could fully love each other in this time frame.

My biggest qualm is that this is a YA novel. That means that this book should be closed door romance at the most and I was so completely shocked to have some sort of open/cracked door romantic scene. I feel like a fade to black would be more appropriate for teens.

What a very hit or miss book for me 😅

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Youngest sister Ivy has to take over the role of securing an advantageous match after her sister’s abrupt disappearance and reappearance from society has ruined their family’s reputation. In addition to entering society, she is expected to make a bargain with the faerie Queen Moryen to entice marriage prospects’ favor, but there is always a cost. Out of hope, Ivy enters the contest for fae Prince Bram’s hand in marriage. In a fight against the other ladies of the Ton, a dangerous faerie Queen with an agenda, and growing feelings for the wrong prince, Ivy has a lot to lose but everything to gain.

This has been one of my favorite books this year with its immersive retelling of an alternate British history that invokes the feelings of 1800s romance of Bridgerton combined with the nefarious faerie agenda of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia. I believe The Rose Bargain did everything right with the heart pounding romance, intense suspense, and unexpected life lessons. I was not expecting a novel about a love triangle to remind me 1) the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, 2) dreams/fantasies come at a cost, 3) sometimes it takes something tragic to remind us about the priorities in our life.

The love triangle had me going nuts! I could not decide whether I was rooting for Ivy to be with Prince Bram or Prince Emmett. The trio elicited such conflicted feelings and had me feeling betrayed when I would choose one brother over the other, which is exactly how I want to feel when reading about a love triangle. There was something so steamy about Ivy initially rejecting Prince Emmett’s advances and then him later teaching her how to make Bram fall for her. My only complaint is that I wish I could have had more of Ivy and Emmett and the building of their romance, but I guess I will have to wait for the second in the duology. It will be an especially long wait with the twist at the end!

The Rose Bargain is for romantasy readers who are fans of the tropes: one bed, love triangles, forbidden romance, found family, matchmaking, and reformed rake. Additionally, fans of Bridgerton, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia, and the Bachelor TV show will enjoy this novel.

Disclaimer: Thank you Harper Collins for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.