Thank you to Lydia Gregovic, Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

We all know that Romantasy is having its moment (if not many) and we are inundated with choices in this genre now with the danger of getting bored with repeated tropes and premises.

Nevertheless, I was excited for The Weaver Bride given its premise of female silkwitches, a marriage competition and an atmospheric and rich setting to satisfy the craving for gothic fall reads before officially turning the calendar into that season.

I was not disappointed. Following Lovett, a young silkwitch who is doing her best to survive being cast out of her family and trying hard to avoid a fate of being held captive in the cloisters should she not marry, was a delight. She uses lush language and an abundance of similes. She is clever but also holds the place of the reader in discovering details about her world and the contest she agrees to participate in called the Vainglory.

Lovett strikes a deal with Eliot, a Weaver aka a young Wizard that ultimately marries a silkwitch and wields powerful magic. Silkwitches come into power and display a unique Wit that allows for a special skill like reading someone's emotions, tracking objects or in the case of Lovett, opening locked doors. They are said to be less powerful than Weavers but their hair can be used to imbue objects with magic.

The silkwitches will lose their Wit as they age and therefore, their value and usefulness to society (in an interesting parallel/commentary? to women's fertility in real life, women being seen as less valuable in society when they begin menopause, etc.) Marrying is the best outcome for a silkwitch and she has until 21 to do so or be put basically in a mine for her hair until she dies.

Wanting to avoid that fate at all costs, Lovett agrees to help Eliot find out what happened to his own silkwitch sister Ophelia a year prior when she entered a marriage contest but fell to her death. Lovett will enter the contest and if she wins, will avoid the cloisters and hopefully, help Eliot get clues to his sister's fate.

The story has many twists and avoids the pitfalls of copying and pasting despite the contest trope and the love triangle trope is tread on lightly. There is a big plot twist at the end that is very satisfying and worth the wait despite it being a set up for book two. I will be happy to revisit the world that Gregovic built in order to see what happens next.

Enemies to lovers to who knows
Competition to marry
Secrets apon secrets
Murder mysteries
Spice level: low

Really enjoyed this book and want to read the sequel asap!

Lydia Gregovic's latest novel read like The Bachelor was being filmed in an escape room that was locked onto an old, run down carousel. I was hesitant at the beginning, and almost DNFed at 15% through,, but once things started moving I literally couldn't put it down. We have a friend staying with us, and this was the first time in a long time that I actively ignored someone talking to me because of a book. I mean, come on! I was at 90% through the book! We can talk about your ex later!

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I truly loved it. I can't wait to add a special edition of The Weaver Bride to my collection.

There were some parts of this book I really enjoyed, yet other parts left me wanting more. The plot was very interesting, and the writer’s prose was beautiful. I loved the metaphors she used; she did an exceptional job of painting the picture of how the FMC was feeling. Also, the magic system was interesting and unique. I think the biggest issue I have is that while I like the plot, I just don’t feel connected to the characters. For example, in theory, I love the way the MMC, Eliot, loves the FMC Lovett because we’re told about how much he does, but it doesn’t translate well throughout the story. I think if we got a better understanding of how Lovett feels about the personal things that happened in her past, I would have connected to her more. Also, maybe if the time the MMC & FMC spent training together before the competition was explored more, I would have felt their connection better. But as it is, that time was presented as a brief overview. After the competition began they spent so little time together on page that I had a hard time connecting with their romance, even though I really, really wanted to.

That aside, I did enjoy the plot twists at the end, even though I guessed one of them half of the way through, the writer did a good job of making me doubt my guess. I also really enjoyed the mystery and espionage that’s at the heart of the story. One thing that I can give big kudos to the writer is that these characters didn’t feel like kids, the way so many of them do in YA fantasy books. I would often times forget that they were kids until the FMC would call the MMC a ‘boy’.

One thing I did like about Lovett is that even though they were both guarded and mistrusting at times, I loved the way Lovett was able to express her emotions and insecurities to Elliot in the first half of the book, which I think helped Elliot express his feelings towards her in the latter half of the book.

Overall, while it wasn’t my favorite romantasy read of the year, I did enjoy this story and think that it’s worth the read. I look forward to seeing how the plot will continue to unfold in book 2.

“The Weaver Bride” is the first book in what I’m sure will be become a beloved YA fantasy series. The perfect story for fans of The Selection Series by Kiera Kass, “The Weaver Bride” tells the story of 18 year old Lovett Tamerlane, a silkwitch who has turned a life of thievery after struggling to be accepted into polite society within the city/kingdom of Balmoore. After being caught in the midst of a con, Lovett makes a deal with a handsome Weaver named Eliot to enter into a marriage competition with the goal of uncovering who had killed Elliot’s sister in the competition held the year prior.

I really enjoyed this book and am excited to see where the sequel will take the story. The magic system is really unique (silkwitches hair is magic) and made the overall story a little bit more novel than your typical marriage competition plot. I also enjoyed the slow burn romance between Lovett and Eliot, even if I was ready to throttle them a number of times for being too proud for their own good. I only wish that we as the reader had the opportunity to get to know the other “contestants” in the marriage trials a little better. I noticed as I was getting towards the final 1/3rd of the book, I was having a bit of a difficult time remembering who was who and how they each connected to the storyline.

Overall, I highly recommend this book and will definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel!

In a world where your hand can only be given to a select few... where your hair is a precious commodity... do you accept Fate? Or do you accept your ... eventually grim end?

In this sweeping, breathtakingly refreshing novel, we are introduced to our main character, Miss Lovett Tamerlane... who... after attempting to target the wrong boy, suddenly finds herself under a disguise, in a marriage competition for none other than the best of the best... the highest prestige.... more than she could've ever dreamed for herself ... if she had continued her "comfortable" path of thieving from the Weavers ... competing for the hand of none-other than the son of the Weaver King himself... within the twists, the turns, and the magic ... is a precautionary tale of men... and the deceit they can hold within for even the most tender of relationships.

Will our main character find herself free of her old haunts? Free of her thievery? Or will she fall for love's oldest game... and her inevitable fate?

I adored the unique magic system within this book, and I am definitely keeping an eye out for the second novel whenever it comes around, will our two main characters stay in love? Or will they be driven apart? Time will only tell....

My one issue with this book, was the slow-burning and somewhat clumsy-ish romance buildup.... otherwise, this is a definite recommendation to all of my book-loving friends!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this Advanced Reader's Copy!!

The premise was very intriguing, but after getting into this story a ways, the writing became a major hurdle for me. The author used many run on sentences with the same tempo over and over again to the point where it was very noticeable. It made it difficult to read. The MMC was a bit plain and I do not believe that I am the target audience for this as this was more YA.

3.75 stars! Rounded to 4.

Wow! This book was a fun and gripping read! The ending was so good. I lost time and suddenly I was reading the last page.

The mystery component of this book was very compelling. I was impressed with how the author didn’t lean into cliches when she could have. I absolutely adored the magic- especially our MFCs ability to open any door. So cool! The other silkwitches had really interesting abilities too, and I enjoyed watching them play off of each other and lead the narrative.

I found myself both enjoying our MFC and being frustrated with her at times. There is one line at the end, though, which I had to underline because it was so good. And it was towards the end where I really started to like our MFC a lot. (There was some growth that I’m glad she came to)

I do think the romance was a little lacking at times. I would say the mystery/suspenseful moments are what really carried the book. In the beginning, there was a little info-dumping which I found myself trudging through. I do think the secret at the end was a little anticlimactic, but other parts of the ending (involving the romance) were so good I was able to overlook it. I am so interested to know what happens next! (& what some characters are going to say/do!)

Overall, I really enjoyed this book: the plot & magic especially. Well done Lydia Gregovic! Thank you NetGalley for sending me an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Features:
-closed-door romance
-forbidden love
-themes of revenge & betrayal

The Weaver Bride is a YA fantasy with unique magic tied to young women's hair and hinges upon the use of a Weaver, usually their husband, to take advantage of powerful abilities. I found that the author did a great job regarding the magic's cultural impacts on the women and girls considered blessed with it in this fantasy world. The Weaver Bride felt like a remix of The Rose Bargain with murder and mystery, which was a fun idea but ultimately ended up being a little too similar for my tastes. I believe I would've enjoyed this more if the main characters were expanded on a bit more throughout, Lovett and Eliot are both incredibly one dimensional and lack basic character development or background. Their romance went from nonexistent, fury driven dislike to a sudden realization of love and a confession on both ends. There was no middle ground or reasoning for the shift besides possible petty jealousy. That being said, I enjoyed the mystery and twist, while absolutely loving the magic the author created. I would like to read more about the magic system and history of this world, but I probably won't pick up the sequel since I didn't enjoy the character elements as much. I think The Weaver Bride's magic system and mystery is worth the read alone and if you don't mind overly simplified characters, this could be a great one!

Thank you to Delacorte Press, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy.

THE WEAVER BRIDE - LYDIA GREGOVIC

A darker young adult fantasy book, with a marriage competition, secrets and a mysterious death to investigate - the Weaver Bride is all this and more. 

Lovett is a silkwitch, whose hair holds magical power. Silkwitches can only marry Weavers, who are then able to use their collective magic. That said, all silkwitches have an individual power - and Lovett has the ability to open any door. This leads to an offer she can't refuse: to enter a coveted marriage competition. The catch? She has to solve the mysterious death of a silkwitch that died during the competition the year before.

This book is set almost entirely at the royal manor, which is filled with secrets and deception - not only about the death of the silkwitch, but about the entire magic system too. 

What I loved most about this book is that the characters are complex and, refreshingly, often behave in ways that the reader won't be able to predict. This even applies to Lovett, who keeps us guessing right until the end. There is romance here too, and the writing stood out; full of vivid imagery and comparison, it's a beautiful book to read.

Thank you to Lydia Gregovic, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Release date: 30 September 2025

Review score: 4.5/5

TWs: d*ath, s*icide, injury detail, bullying, misogyny

4 stars ⭐️

For starters, the cover is gorgeous, so <i>obviously</i> I preordered the physical copy as soon as I finished this 🤪

Also, if you read and enjoyed The Rose Bargain earlier this year, then I am officially recommending The Weaver Bride to you, because this book gives the same vibes with a similar plot. (Emphasis on similar, NOT identical).

10 silkwitches. 4 trials. 1 heir to wed. Throw in the magical components and a mysterious death to top it off, and you've got yourself a fun competition.

I really enjoyed this, however I do wish the pacing would've been a bit more consistent, hence the 4 stars opposed to 5. It was a slow 25% to start, and then kind of ebbed and flowed from there, but it was still a fun read, and the ending was twisty and will make for a great sequel.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy!

I loved the premise of this book ! The characters I loved every aspect of. The way they played on each other and kept building. The romance was a bit lacking but it eventually picked up. Would recommend!

I assume this is the first in a series, because this basically ends on a cliffhanger. Though that would just be a great way to end a book. The protagonist makes a choice and then the reader has to decide where it goes from there. Or maybe that's incredibly mean.

I really liked this and that hasn't been happening a whole lot lately. The story is fairly original and the characters drew me in. What I did not love is that there are too many girls and they basically have very similar names. I had a hard time remembering which girl was which. This is quite possibly a me problem.

This is pretty light fantasy. The girls have magical powers. But there aren't any dragons or other made up animals. It is also YA, so it may have some romance, but it's all PG.

I definitely recommend this. Especially if you're interested enough to read a review about it.

I’m not going to lie, I struggled a bit with the beginning of this book but having enjoyed the authors previous book and the fact that I’m a sucker for any type of competition I decided to push through and I’m so glad I did, I enjoyed this immensely in the end.

Also, the finished hardcover is STUNNING and you should preorder it.

This book wasn’t really for me. I went into it with high expectations because the premise sounded amazing and I didn’t really feel like it delivered. From a slow start, to elements of the magic system that didn’t really make a lot of sense, I found myself constantly trying to figure out what the author was trying to convey. Overall it wasn’t a bad story but I think it could have used a bit more refining during editing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my review.

The Weaver Bride is perfect for fans of Allison Saft and Keira Cass. The worldbuilding was done nicely and I enjoyed the premise of silkweaving and magic.
The plot was interesting and the ending definitely left me excited for the sequel! I did struggle with the characters a bit - Lovett frustrated me with her instant obsession with Eliot, who in turn didn't stand out much as an MMC.
I loved how atmospheric and eerie the setting was and the weaving-based magic, and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC!

“You are ruining me, Lovett. You have destroyed me.” 💕

I absolutely adored The Weaver Bride! It’s such a perfect, well-rounded romantasy! The prose was beautiful and really sold me on the book as a whole! The plot was full of angst, tension, and suspense and it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I also really loved the magic system involved.

“I would advise you to remember that I am your partner, not your wife. And you do not control me.”

Lovett was such an amazing main character. She’s strong, bold and does not let men walk all over her. She’s also not afraid to put her needs first. I think her and Eliot complement each other so well and are truly made for each other! The yearning between them was so well done! I can’t wait to see where there relationship goes next, especially with the way things ended!

The murder mystery plot was definitely my favorite part! I was interested in each and every character involved and I found myself constantly thinking about putting theories together. I thought I knew what was going to happen next but was pleasantly surprised at what actually ended up happening each time instead!

If you’re interested in a murder mystery/thriller featuring witches and magic, a marriage competition, and lots of yearning, then be sure to check out this book! The Weaver Bride releases on September 30!

Thank you so much to Delacorte Press, Penguin Random House, and Netgalley for an advanced copy! I will be anxiously waiting for the sequel!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m so thankful to have been able to read an advance copy of this book💝
This was a gorgeous story filled with unique magic, an engaging romance, and characters that I cannot wait to see more of! I am looking forward to book 2!

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I was drawn in by the pink cover and the title—the concept of 'Silkwitches' sounded super intriguing—but this one just wasn’t really my taste. I loved the immersive worldbuilding and the concept was fun, and the writing was solid, but I didn’t fully connect with the characters or the magic system, which left me a bit confused at times.

That said, it was still enjoyable in its own way! I appreciated the darker, mystical vibes and the hints of romance, and I can see it being a delight for readers who loved The Selection, The Rose Bargain, or Heartless Hunter. It didn’t become a favorite for me personally, but it’s a cozy, atmospheric read that could work well as a palate cleanser between heavier books.

Lovett is a silk witch who must find a weaver husband before her 21st birthday or risk being sent away to the cloisters. Since the number of silk witches greatly outweighs the number of weaver men that is easier said than done. Lovett is offered the opportunity to enter a marriage competition for the chance to marry Noe Alaire and be part of one of the most prestigious weaver families. Elliot, also an influential weaver, agrees to get her a spot in the competition if she is willing to help him solve his sister’s murder which occurred during the previous competition.

I was immediately drawn to this book when I saw the pretty cover on Net Galley. Then I read the description: witches, murder mystery, competition and trials, sign me up!! This book is fantasy, murder, mystery and thriller all rolled into one! I loved the main characters they were well written and complex. Noe and Eliot have an interesting relationship and I vacillated between thinking they were the hero or the villain several times during the story. As the story unfolded and I learned more about their back stories a lot of light was shed on why they behaved the way they did. I also loved Lovett. She is a strong badass FMC. She’s been dealt a bad hand and has had to do some pretty shady stuff to get by. But she’s smart and not easily taken advantage of. I enjoyed the love triangle and I wasn’t quite sure who she should would end up with in the end.It ends on a cliff hanger and I NEED book 2 so I can know what happens. I hope we get to learn more about Eliot and his motivations in book 2.

Overall this was a really fun read!! It has a very simple magic system and basic world building that would be perfect for the beginner fantasy reader. And have you seen how beautiful the hardback book is with sprayed edges!! This will be another shelf trophy I will be purchasing for my bookshelf!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Children’s Books for the opportunity to review this e-arc.