I cannot wait for the second in the series! I know I have truly enjoyed a story when the moment I finish it I wish I had the sequel to dive right into. To me, The Weaver Bride is like a competition with battles and contests to find a husband, but with an Agatha Christy type murder mystery overlay. The author does a wonderful job describing the characters and providing the backstory and history of this world. The "contests" are not as eventful as some other books, but to me that is okay as I felt the mystery of who killed Ophelia Lear was the focus. This book with have you questioning everyone's motives right up to the end and making you wish the second book was already out.

I enjoyed this - there was mystery and magic and great characters to get invested in. That ending had me looking for more pages though so I’m hoping that there is another book on the horizon. The way Eliot was so tortured over Lovett has me dreading a bit where this next book might start.

Thanks for the early copy!

This novel was an enjoyable read, full of mystery and plot twists. The characters all have secrets and weave a web full of lies. The truth is difficult to uncover, buried beneath many falsehoods. The story unfolds from Lovett’s point of view. Lovett has been sought out by Elliot Lear, who needs her to find his sister’s killer. Not given much choice, Lovett, a silk witch, enters the contest for the chance to win the marriage to Noe, but she must win the Vainglory first. The competition is ruthless, but Lovett’s mission is find Lear’s sister’s killer. Lovett did not realize all the tangled web of lies she’d. get into or the feelings that would develop. The more secrets she uncovers, the more questions she has, and the truth is not what she expected.a novel that keeps you in suspense and keeps you guessing until the end. I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Okay, I need book 2 right now. There is a book 2, right? Because I’m shaking my fist at that ending.

I digress. THE WEAVER BRIDE focuses on a series of trials being conducted to determine who will marry the heir of an influential family of sorcerers, so it has similar vibes to THE ROSE BARGAIN, but the magic is more in line with A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT. There’s also a murder mystery and a unique magic system. It’s gothic high fantasy with scheming ladies and morally gray characters.

I found the main character petulant, but I suppose that’s par for the course for an 18-year-old main character; it is first-person POV. Though the book is entertaining, and I’m eager to read on, there are quite a few metaphors and similes. The purple prose can be tortured and awkward, and more concise writing would have made it more of a page-turner.

The Weaver Bride by Lydia Gregovic is a novel similarly to other fictional offering where a contest is created to wed the Weaver heir. It contains elements of magic (called Wits in this realm) but Lovett is recruited to solve the mystery of a candidate’s death the year before. This gripping novel may appear to start slow to familiarize the reader with the premise of the contest, the Wits and participants but picks up speed as well as enticing the reader to stick with the story until the final scene (or is it)? Five stars for The Weaver Bride and happy reading to those who choose to enjoy the ride! #CampNetgalley

It's like a Magical Gilded Age Bachelor. Lovett is a silkwitch, which is a woman with magical hair. Weavers are male magic users who can use the silkwitches’ hair to create magic-infused devices. Silkwitches are rare, so the law states that silkwitches can either marry a Weaver by the time they are 21 or go live out their life in the Cloister, where their hair is farmed for more widespread use. Unfortunately, unmarried, eligible Weavers are even rarer than silkwitches. Lovett moves to the big city, where she quickly realizes finding a Weaver husband is going to be much harder than she thought. Her silkwitch gift of Wit, however, is that she can open any door whether it's locked or not. She makes a decent living stealing from people’s locked rooms until she is caught by a Weaver who wants to find out what happened to his sister who died at Vainglory the previous year. They make a deal where she enters this Vainglory contest to win the biggest prize of all - a Weaver Prince, and he finds out what really happened to his sister who died at the contest the previous year.
Overall, it was a decent book, I’m not super into the marriage contest books as much, but this book grew on me the further into the book I got. By the time I ended the book, I was sad that I couldn’t immediately read the next book in the series because there will be more to the story. This is a “yes” for me, its very low spice and appropriate for teens and older. I will most likely buy the physical copy of the book when it comes out.

The Weaver Bride is the perfect fall fantasy! It’s achingly romantic with haunting atmosphere, eery suspense, and the hint of sinister forces at play. I could not stop reading!

I was once again blown away by Gregovic’s writing and the creativity of her world-building. The magic system, the competition, and the gothic atmosphere were all cleverly crafted, as were the characters. I lived for the banter between Lovett and Eliot. The angst and tension between them alone was enough to carry the plot, but the addition of the murder mystery elevated the story to another level. I truly didn’t know who to trust or why the silkwitches were being murdered.

This story is full of twists and turns that kept my guessing and gasping. I am so excited this story already has a sequel coming because I need to see these plot lines resolved!

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House Children’s Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Lydia Gregovic's "The Weaver Bride," set to release on September 30, 2025, is a magically charged read that weaves a compelling tale around silk witches and their unique abilities. While it touches on the familiar marriage competition trope, the true enchantment lies in the intricate magic system and the enigmatic role of the Weavers. With deliberate pacing, Gregovic masterfully builds anticipation, slowly revealing the secrets at the heart of the story. The hate, revenge, and fierce competition among the maidens, judges, and the Weaver King create a thrilling, high-stakes atmosphere.
The relationship between Lovett and Eliot is a whirlwind of emotional whiplash – a truly unpredictable ride. Their undeniable sexual tension simmers beneath the surface, delivering intense chemistry without explicit spice, which will surely appeal to a wide range of romantasy readers. "The Weaver Bride" is a romantasy where the emphasis is firmly on the fantasy and the high stakes of a world brimming with witchy intrigue.
This book sets the stage beautifully for the next installment, leaving you eager to delve deeper into the intertwined fates of Lovett, Noe, and Eliot. If you're looking for a witchy read with a unique magic system and a slow-burn, high-tension relationship amidst fierce competition, you won't want to miss "The Weaver Bride."

+++I have received this eARC in an exchange for an honest review+++

I want to thank @_lydiagregovic_ @netgalley @delacirtepress and @randomhousekids for allowing me to read this amazing eARC. I truly feel honored to have had the privilege to read and review it.

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It’s still July but this is in the front-running to be my favorite book I read this year. I love romance and I love fantasy, but more than that, I love good story-telling! You can tell the author knows how to write a story beyond just pushing the plot along. The world-building and character development were fantastic. Creating a magical world that feels unique is very difficult, and while I’m sure there are still secrets to this world for the author to reveal, I didn’t feel as though it was overly complicated or hard to follow. Reading it felt a bit like reading Sabriel by Garth Nix (a semi-familiar world and magical system taken to a very new place), and considering my profile name here relates to that book, you should know that is the highest of praise for me! I enjoyed the tension-building, both in the plot and between characters. Considering the majority of the story takes place in one (albeit humongous) closed-off location, which means there are fewer ways to introduce new plot twists, the palpable tension is impressive. Eliot and Lovett are both flawed but not unlikeable characters and I enjoyed that both of them were unreliable in many ways to many, many people. Neither were altruistic, and their decisions felt human. I’m looking forward to more of this world from this author!

**I received a free copy of this book for an honest review**

The Weaver Bride: from Goodreads
A sweeping fantasy about a witch who must navigate a ruthless marriage competition—and try not to fall in love along the way. Part twisting mystery, part thrilling romance, The Weaver Bride is an unputdownable romantasy steeped in a lush magical world.

I would say that the first half of this description by Goodreads essentially sums up the Weaver Bride in a concise way. I enjoyed the novel magic system in this book between the Weavers and the Silkwitches. However, I had a hard time actually connecting with any of the characters. While the mystery in this story did keep me guessing, I did not feel any overwhelming connection to Lovett, Eliot, Noe or any of the other Silkwitches.

It is clear Lydia Gregovic prefers sweeping language and descriptions of her settings, but I felt that in many cases it was overdrawn and repetitive.

While I enjoyed this story and would recommend for anyone who likes a unique magic system with slightly darker themes, the Weaver Bride is not a story that I will reread again and again. Though intrigued by the ending, I don't know that I will pursue reading the following volumes of this series either.

This book took me by surprise, in the best way! “The Weaver Bride” by Lydia Gregovic drew me in right away with Lovett’s character. It took me a bit to understand the “wit” concept and how that layered on top of the power found in her hair but once I figured that out, it was smooth sailing. I enjoyed the depth of Lear’s character and loved the banter back and forth. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Atmospheric and felt historical at points with a storyline that left me interesting and wanting to keep reading.

The setup in The Weaver Bride was stellarrr with a great introduction of characters, stakes, and vibes! But as the story progressed, the writing/symbolic language--though evocative and beautiful--started to feel heavy-handed and the characters' actions and plot developments confusing and unconvincing. I would have loved to seen more from the other silkmaidens which may have helped with the feeling of things just... happening?! Didn't stop me from finishing this in a few sittings though! Excited to see where author Lydia Gregovic takes the story in the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lovett is a silkwitch - a girl who's hair can be spun into a material called magesilk by Weavers and used to create magical items. Her hair is, naturally, her most sacred possession and kept under lock and key until the day she is married to a Weaver. While silkwitches don't innately have power, Weavers do and their bond together helps to continue to creation of magical items, making their unions incredibly important and coveted. Lovett, however, hasn't exactly started down the path of looking for a husband, instead working as a thief. The tale begins with her marking a promising victim but the story quickly progresses to a very different type with her competing in trials to be wed to the Weaver King's son. This is a tale shrouded in mystery and with complex and interesting social and political dynamics.

I quite enjoyed this book and the end was oh so worth it! The writing was easy to digest and fun, not focusing too much on either dialogue or descriptions to make a wonderfully balanced read. I think there was a bit too much of miscommunication with certain characters that made the story drag, which was unfortunate. Additionally, one of the most interesting facets of this book was the magic but it was really not featured enough in my opinion. In hindsight, I understand why this choice was made but it did make the story feel less unique than it could have been. I do hope another book comes out of this tale as I think it would have such great potential to expand on the magic system of the world and also the ending left off at such a prime spot for the next book to be absolutely riveting!

the weaver bride review!!

4.5🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

let me tell y’all—I ATE THIS BOOK UP! i don’t know what kind of magic lydia gregovic put in this, but i was giggling like a lunatic. the best way i can describe this book is like if the selection and an erin craig book had a baby. which, if you’ve ever talked to me for five seconds, you know are two of my favorite things in the literary world! this book stands entirely apart from those two things, but perfectly encapsulates the vibes i adore from both!!! if you like young adult, magical dating competitions, loathing-to-lovers, betrayal, and mystery set in a gothic fantasy, PLEASE get this book when it releases september 30th!!


thank you to Net Galley and Random House Children’s for this early copy!!

Really enjoyed the Weaver Bride! The tone and setting were just great. I loved the gothic vibe and suspense it just felt a little more traditional than some of the other deadly games/fantasies I’ve read recently. The epilogue was really good and set up a series I’ll want to continue with!

The Weaver Bride really surprised me, in a good way! With a seemingly clichéd structure (after all, how many times have we read the story of a woman, often poor, who enters a competition to wed an heir?) but with an original and very interesting magic system that evolves a lot over the course of the book, Lydia Gregovic manages to convey the atmosphere perfectly with her writing, but she does miss out on the excess of descriptions in the first half of the book, making the beginning slower - if you got stuck at the first part, I strongly recommend you keep reading, I swear it's worth it!

Despite this, the mystery surrounding the death of one of the characters and the dynamic structure of the challenges the protagonist faces makes everything flow a little more smoothly. I think one of my favorite things about the book is her personality, there's no way not to like a well-built morally gray character, especially when you're inside her head. Finally, I'd like to thank Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC! The book left me a little obsessed and, after the countless plot twists at the end, wishing to get to read the second one soon, I can't wait for it to be released too.

⭐️ 2.5/5 stars | 🫑 YA, no spice

Thank you to Lydia Gregovic, the publisher (Random House Children’s Books), and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Weaver’s Bride as an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Let me start with a quick disclaimer: YA isn’t usually my go-to genre. I tend to prefer stories with older protagonists, so that may have colored my perspective going into this book. That said, I was intrigued by the premise and excited to see something that felt fresh and a little different.

What Worked:
The magic system is genuinely unique and imaginative. In this world, magical power lies in the hair of “silkwitches,” women born with one innate ability (called a Wit)—usually minor talents like unlocking doors or finding lost items. However, they can't wield larger magic themselves. Instead, their hair is used by "Weavers," male magic-wielders, to craft enchantments. It’s an eerie and original twist that’s both beautiful and unsettling.

The worldbuilding had a sort of Bridgerton-meets-The-Selection vibe—think social hierarchy, elaborate traditions, and a competition to win the hand of the Weaver King’s son. This setting had the potential for some high-stakes intrigue and emotional payoff, which kept me reading.

What Didn’t Work:
Despite the promising concept, I struggled with the execution—particularly the protagonist, Lovett Tamerlane. She’s a silkwitch hiding her identity by dyeing her hair and surviving through thievery and deception after becoming estranged from her family. While morally gray heroines can be incredibly compelling, I never found Lovett likeable or easy to root for. Her choices often felt more frustrating than sympathetic, and while her motivations (survival, fear, desperation) make sense in context, they didn’t feel empowering.

The patriarchal society in this book made my inner feminist bristle, and not necessarily in a good way. Silkwitches are treated as commodities, essentially property once they’re married. If they don’t secure a husband, they’re sent to cloisters, never to be heard from again. And while Lovett occasionally questions the system, I kept waiting for her to challenge it in some real way—but that never quite happened. Her focus remained fixed on winning a husband, which made it hard for me to emotionally invest in her journey.

I understand this is the first book in a series, but I’m not sure I’ll continue. The world is compelling, but the character work and underlying themes just didn’t land for me.

The Weaver Bride totally pulled me in with its quiet intensity and emotional depth. It’s a slow burn, but in a really satisfying way. The writing is beautiful without being too flowery, and I felt so connected to the characters, especially the main character’s journey of love, loss, and resilience. It’s got this haunting, poetic vibe that sneaks up on you. Some parts moved a little slow, but honestly, I didn’t mind. It felt like sitting with a good story and letting it unfold. If you like a fantasy with heart, this is a solid 4-star read.

This book should not be sent as ARCs, it should be sent to an editor. Now. Immediately. As it is written, I am 85% sure it was written or edited my AI. I have no software to check that besides my human brain. However, I have several advanced degrees and work in communication. I will provide my edits on Chapter 1 only as I am not an editor, nor am I being paid as one. If you would like to share your gratitude for my free labor here with early releases or or hard copy ARCs, let me know. I was truly excited for this book and to receive an ARC from a big publisher.

General comments. The punctuation is a MESS. So many sentences are run-on and some aren't even sentences (but are still somehow too long...). There are WAY too many ellipses, semi-colons, colons, and em-dashes (frequently used incorrectly and unnecessarily). Seriously, most paragraphs have multiple of each of these. The word count could be substantially decreased by eliminating passive voice. The formatting is also messed up (e.g., the indents don't look like indents and there is an extra space between paragraphs). Many paragraphs have unintentional redundant phrasing. (Now this..now that..)

"It wasn't the only such accessory in the tea time crowd that packed the gilded lobby of the Diplomat, the cosmopolitan seaside hotel in which I currently found myself seated; it wasn't even the only one at the bar." --> That accessory wasn’t unique among the tea-time crowd filling the gilded lobby of the Diplomat, the cosmopolitan seaside hotel where I sat. It wasn’t even the only one at the bar.

"...crafting it was a labor- and resource-intensive process."

"More likely, the possessor of such an object was a Weaver themself..." --> should be himself, or themselves, especially since all male. Unless intentionally changing pronouns.

"Mrs. Catherine Pierce's valet--a stern-faced man named Guillame--was awaiting me. --> use commas not em dashes. Awaited me, not "awaiting me"

"--not a weaver himself--" --> really don't get all these dashes, semi-colons, and colons. This is a YA, children's book. And it's just wrong.

"Goddesses--" --> "!" or "."

"A pair of hands on my waist, steadying me as I wheeled forward, then pulling abruptly away again." -->not a sentence. --> Hands gripped my waist, steadying me as I wheeled forward, then abruptly released me.

"Or boy, rather--up close, he appeared. younger than I had previously guess, hovering somewhere on the cusp between adolescence and adulthood, right around my own eighteen." --> Or boy, rather. Up close, he seemed younger than I’d first guessed, teetering between adolescence and adulthood at about my own age of eighteen.

The whole description of the MMC is a horrendous run-on.

"He was gazing"... just one example of many. Why make this passive? It makes it hard to read.

"I felt a flush stirring in my cheeks--a whisper of heat." --> bad dash, passive. --> A whisper of hear stirred, flushing my cheeks.

"the filigreed clock..." This sentence has a ; (that should be a . ), and em dash, and two commas.

Back to back sentences. "Now read. Now seem"

"I felt myself tilt, as though on an axis." --> My insides tilted as though on an axis.

"From the east side of the ails, it was possible to see them:" --> why is there a colon here?

I think that's all I have time to do for free. I have many more editing comments just in chapter 1. Disappointed. This was not a debut. And this is a reputable publisher.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Weaver Bride (Book 1) by Lydia Gregovic A witchy “marriage competition” with murder, magic, and enough twists to leave you breathless. Intrigue, romance, secrets—and a heroine you’ll root for even when she’s playing for keeps.

Lovett Tamerlane is a silkwitch—a girl whose magic sleeps in her hair and can only awaken when married to a Weaver. Trouble is, she’s broke, status-less, and already outgrown the time limit. Her secret to survival? She can open literally any door. It’s equal parts gift and curse—until it lands her in the Vainglory competition, a ruthless contest for Noé Alaire’s hand. But to enter, she must solve the murder of Eliot Lear’s sister—the previous winner. Welcome to the dark side of fairy tales.

What You’ll Love
Worldbuilding with texture: Think gothic halls, silk-thread magic, and a system that feels lived-in: silkwitches, Weavers, and cloisters make it all feel tactile—like climate control for intrigue.
Magic that’s potent, not pastel: Silk-thread enchantments are clever, original, and tied directly to Lovett’s emotional arc. The stakes feel intimate but wide-reaching.
Lovett = queen energy: She’s brash, resourceful, layered, and stubborn—but that vulnerability underneath? Pressure-build gold.
Mystery & romance intertwined: Murder investigation meets slow-burn tension with Elyot Lear, reluctant ally and puzzle personified. Their banter is sharp, the chemistry is simmering, and the stakes keep rising.
Twist-laced tension: Nothing is what it seems. The revelations leave you reeling, and yes—last-chapter gasps are real.

A Few Fringy Thoughts
Starting pace: The early chapters do take a moment to warm up—some readers found it slow amid setup, but it builds beautifully once the mechanics are in motion.
Secondary cast: Intriguing, but a bit under-utilized. I wanted more dimmed-lights character moments—maybe a deeper snare of side drama.
Romance timing: The slow-burn is satisfying, but if you’re craving fireworks early, know it’s a simmer before it blazes.

4 stars—for its lush magic, sharp mystery, and heroine who steals scenes (and doors). Lovett’s voice carries you through courtly manipulation, high-stakes drama, and illusions of security. This is fantasy that flirts with danger—dark, romantic, and impossible to ignore.
If you’re into:
Silkwitches whose hair holds power (and secrets)
Murder mysteries wrapped in silk ribbons
Political theater, emotional tension, and a heroine who surprises herself …you’re in for a treat.
The competition is brutal. The secrets are deep. And Lovett? She’s the bright, stubborn light that threads it all together. Bring a bookmark—this one hooks hard.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this eArc, all opinions are my own.