everyone, say thank you netgalley and random house for always approving the fun arcs. magic, lite regency, reluctant allies, what more could i ask for?? turns out, a lot

this started off really strong and the writing was pretty solid ... at first. they had me in the first half ngl, but as the book went on, i went from wow what a fun plot -> ok it was nice at first, but let's tone down the similes -> not everything needs a simile. why is there a simile every sentence?? there are other ways to describe things! -> if you write another damn simile, i will throw my kindle across the plane (i did in fact read this entire thing on a long haul flight, so maybe that's a point in its favor)

you might assume that my opinion of the book was heavily swayed by the gross overuse of similes, and you'd be correct!! it genuinely overshadowed everything, from the characters to the magic to the mystery plot. i'm not even going to complain about any of the typical things, like predictability of plot points or the romance not really coming together, bc those are small beans compared to the huge simile bean. i'm still gonna read the second one bc i liked the bones enough and curiosity is my downfall. it might lower the word count, but pls don't let the second one drown in similes (especially since they became more and more nonsensical)

this also has trials for the hand of the throne and usually i'm not crazy about those, esp since we can't all be the selection, the best worst teen series lmao, but i was really pleasantly surprised by the rose bargain earlier this year. i unironically loved it and thought we could recreate that feeling here, but that might have been a fluke, so i'm back aboard the hate train

Thank you to Random House's Children's books and Netgalley for giving me this arc!! I loved this! Truly a great read. The characters are thoughtfully developed, complex, and true to their descriptions. Lovett is exactly who we’re told she is, she puts her own needs first, and that consistency is genuinely enjoyable. I really liked the sense of competition and the vibrant cast of characters. I wish we got to know more of the other characters, but overall I really enjoyed this story!

Thank you so much to Lydia Gregvic and Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press for the eARC of this book. I loved the magic, mystery, and Characters of this book. The Main FMC is unique and interesting to read about. It was a great YA Fantasy book that I would recommend. If you love the The Crimson Moth Duology, you'll absolutely love this! Highly Recommend.

A great new book with an interesting magical world! The main character gets recruited to enter a Bachelor-style competition in disguise to find out how a contestant of the previous year’s competition died.
I really enjoyed this one down to the writing style. I wish we had gotten to see more of the magic at work, and the romance was more in-depth. However, it kept me on my toes the whole time, and the ending was so satisfying and exactly what I hoped for!

Sometimes you just find a great, new and exciting book in the middle of the sameness of most romantasy these days, this is one of those times. This was a phenomenal book, I loved it from beginning to end.
The characters are well written, complex and they are coherent with the description. I am so tired of seeing badass protagonists that don't act accordingly with what the author tells us. Here, Lovett is exactly what has been presented to us, she will do whatever is best for her, she will put herself and her plans first no matter what. That is so refreshing.
The romance is there but it's low in the list of my preferred things in this book. I loved the competition, the cast of characters is great, I just wish we got to know more about the other girls, it's the only thing I can think of that would make the book better for me.
The ending was perfect, I need the next book immediately!
Please read this book, you won't regret it.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's Books for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Lydia Gregovic, and Random House Children's Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars

Omg, I was obsessed with this book. The magic system was unique, the characters were interesting, and the mystery had me on the edge of my seat. There was something about Lovett that I adored. She is a curious and intelligent FMC. I loved the fact that she was trying to uncover a mystery involving the competition. I do love an FMC detective-like character. That cliffhanger got me good. I truly hope there is going to be a sequel. I just have to know what’s next. I adored the selection series, and I’m glad authors are putting their spin on it. I will say that this is the uniqueness I was looking for from another book that just didn’t deliver for me. This book was unputdownable. I hope this book blows up when it comes out. Please, pick this book up if you loved the Selection series and the addictive story of the Crimson Moth series. You won’t regret it. I highly recommend it!

This is definitely a case of "Judge a Book by it's Cover"!

This cover is beautiful and so was the story! I loved everything about the cover, story, characters, and the ending! It was unique and something I wasn't expecting. It's been the first YA book I've read in awhile. The main female character is a special kind of witch that needs a weaver husband in order to use her abilities.

If you like intrigue, witches, and excellent world building, this may be for you!

Thanks to Netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy!

The Weaver Bride follows Lovett, a witch with the gift to unlock any door, who is thrown into a marriage competition...Talk about crazy!!

The competition is not all glitz and glam since that last one ended up with a body...yikes! Lovett is then tasked with one specific goal: to unearth the killer and solve the mysterious death (OH! And not fall in love with the infuriating man who sent her into the contest in the first place like excuse me?!…).

This book had a really unique and interesting magic system with each woman having a unique “wit” (or ability). I loved that it opened up a world of different kinds of romance books and magic. The atmosphere and setting was also stunning and intriguing, and I really enjoyed being in this world. The chemistry between Lovett and Eliot is so fun, as is their hatred of each other, and there are several twists and turns that keep you interested until the last page. I can't wait to see it blow up all over social media!

Overall, a fun take on the common *marriage competition* trope and an easy-to-follow romantasy world.

This book was absolutely amazing; I enjoyed every moment of it.

The characters are intricately crafted, multifaceted, and align perfectly with their descriptions. I am quite weary of encountering tough protagonists who fail to act in accordance with the author's portrayal. In this case, Lovett embodies exactly what we are shown; she prioritizes her own needs and plans above all else. This is incredibly refreshing.

While the romance exists, it ranks low on my list of favorite aspects of this book. I appreciated the competition, and the ensemble of characters is fantastic; I only wish we could learn more about the other girls, as that is the sole aspect I believe could enhance the book for me.

We follow Lovett Tamerlane who is a silkwitch. Like all girls of her kind, she possesses a unique magic—a magic that can only be accessed through marriage to a Weaver. However, securing a Weaver husband necessitates status, sophistication, and wealth, all of which Lovett unfortunately lacks. She spends her days utilizing her abilities to pilfer from affluent families and her nights evading the fate that awaits all unwed silkwitches: a life restricted to the cloisters.

Eliot Lear, the infamous son of a distinguished Weaver, presents her with a life-changing chance: entry into the Vainglory, a marriage competition with Noé Alaire, heir to generations of Weaver riches. The twist? Last year's Vainglory concluded in disaster. The victor perished. The terms are straightforward: If Lovett can uncover the mystery behind Ophelia Lear's death and reveal her murderer, Eliot will guarantee that she has her choice of Weaver suitors, irrespective of who emerges victorious in the competition. However, deciphering Ophelia's murder turns out to be far more intricate than either of them had expected.

Overall what an interesting read! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book hooked me right away and left me wanting more at the end. The two characters were were introduced to were so unique and interesting and I loved the mind games and banter between them. I can’t wait to see where this story goes if it is continued! I’ve seen a special edition is being made for this book and I know I need it!

"If I took you as my wife, would you lie down beside me in peace, or slit my throat while I slept?"


Lovett Tamerlane is a silkwitch. Like all girls of her kind, she holds a rare magic—a magic that can be harnessed only through marriage to a Weaver. But finding a Weaver husband requires status, refinement, and money, all of which Lovett sadly lacks. Lovett spends her days using her gift to steal from wealthy families and her nights avoiding the fate imposed on all unwed silkwitches: a life confined to the cloisters.

Eliot Lear, the notorious son of a prominent Weaver, offers her a life-altering opportunity: entrance to the Vainglory, a competition of marriage to Noé Alaire, heir to generations of Weaver wealth. The catch? Last year, the Vainglory ended in tragedy. The winner died. And the winner was Eliot’s sister.

The arrangement is simple: If Lovett solves the mystery of Ophelia Lear’s death and unmasks her killer, Eliot will ensure she has her pick of Weaver suitors, regardless of who wins the competition. Yet unraveling Ophelia’s murder proves far more complicated than either of them anticipated.

"You are far too interesting to be good, Lovett."


At last! I was beginning to think I should really give up requesting ARCs because all of the ones I've read lately haven't been the greatest. This was the second I was truly looking forward to but the first that I really enjoyed fully.

Those going into this expecting a fully fleshed out new magic system will be disappointed. It's definitely unique, but I didn't really understand the rules of how their society was set up or why since it seemed fairly wasteful in how they treat the silkwitches. You kinda just have to accept that it is how it is.

Those going into this expecting a "thrilling romance" per the blurb will find it a bit...lacking. The declarations didn't really match with the feeling you get between them. I rather thought this would have been far more effective as a slow burn (or none at all).

I'm tired of mishandled marriage competition tropes (I'm looking at you The Rose Bargain) so I was intrigued with The Weaver Bride because she didn't want to win at all - she was participating merely to unravel a murder mystery as an accomplished thief and liar. The mystery is really what carried this!

From the beginning, trying to determine if any of the previous potential brides were complicit in the murder was a rush. They are all catty and cutting, as you'd expect, each with different Wits that bring something fresh to the table. How the girls use their Wits, as well as the secrets that are slowly but surely unravelled keep this moving along.

"I was but one blade in a savage set, several of them far wickeder than I."


And the reveals at the end! I was wondering how it would all pull together and Gregovic did it beautifully. While this wasn't a standalone as I originally thought, it did wrap up in a satisfying place. It set it up for the second book all while feeling conclusive for the events of this one.

My only REAL complaint is the amount of similes and metaphors Gregovic used throughout. At one point I considered counting them all but decided not to. Honestly, fairly minor in the grand scheme of things.

Will be looking out for book two when it comes.

Recommended for those wanting a medium-paced mystery with a dash of fantasy!

Major thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC.

3.5 ⭐️
🫑

First, I’d like to thank the author (Lydia Gregovic), Random House, and NetGalley for the eCopy of the ARC for The Weaver Bride. This book comes out officially on September 30th, 2025 and I think people will enjoy it overall.

This is a YA Fantasy Romance book that, if I had to make a comparison, is like if the Bachelorette and an Agatha Christie novel got together but make it FANTASY! The story follows Lovett who is a silkwitch, whose hair contains magic. In the world this takes place in, silkwitches are bound by law to marry Weavers or to be sent to the cloisters by their 21st birthday. Problem being, those who go to the cloisters never come out again. Second problem, there are many more silkwitches than there are eligible Weavers.

Lovett comes from a poor background and doesn’t have the means to get a Weaver the traditional way. SO, when she meets the Weaver Eliot Lear and he proposes a deal to help her get to enter the marriage competition for the hand of the wealthiest of all Weavers in exchange for helping him discover who killed his sister at the same competition the previous year, she is in.

There are A LOT of twists and turns in this book. They have you guessing about the murderer, the accomplices, who can be trusted and who is a big ol’ liar liar pants on fire. Now, I thought this book was going to be an independent stand alone book… since it left off on a GIANT cliffhanger; I’m going to say it’s the start of a series. That or it’s the worst ending of all time, which I doubt.

The first 50-ish percent of the book was a bit hard for me to get into. I also had a hard time relating to the pull between the FMC and MMC, but was entertained by their grumpy X grumpy relationship.

Overall, I think people who like YA fantasy romance that revolves around marriage competition will likely really enjoy this read. Excited to hear about the release of book 2, as well.

This book totally caught my eye because of its absolutely stunning cover, and while it didn’t completely blow me away, there was a lot I genuinely enjoyed. The magic system felt original in my opinion compared to most of the fantasy romance novels I have read in the past.

The mystery surrounding the Vainglory competition and Ophelia Lear’s death kept me invested, even when I started going into a reading slump around half way through. This book had some amazing writing, however, I feel like there would have been more in the romance category. I am a fan of a good slow burn and this kind of felt rushed and it felt like there was a missed opportunity for a good love triangle.

Still, I did genuinely enjoy this read and would recommend this to any YA romantasy lover!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the opportunity to review this book.

The writing in this was beautiful and the plot was intriguing, the pace was a little slow for me and I got a little impatient but overall I enjoyed this story

3.25 Stars

This book has a fun and intriguing concept about marriage competitions that I always love to read about. The mystery about Ophelia’s mysterious death and the magic system really peaked my interest and I think was really engaging throughout the book.

The world building was easy to follow, but that reveals in the ending really makes me want to know more about their magical potential.

Unfortunately I do think the characters fell a little flat. The whole competition lasts a little more than a week and Lovett spends most of the time investigating or doing the tasks on her own instead of meaningfully forming relationships and bonds with the other female characters. I would’ve liked to explore those relationships more especially in relation to her backstory of being shunned by the society girls. I also think the relationship between her and Eliot wasn’t as strong as it could be. They didn’t really spend that much time together on the page besides their quarreling and attraction that felt more like insta-love just because there wasn’t parts of the book dedicated to them having a relationship outside of secret rendezvous mainly focused on their mission.

Nonetheless the writing was strong and I really enjoyed reading this book. The ending feels like there’s more to Lovett’s story that needs to be explored and I’m curious about what will happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

After his sister dies during a competition for marriage called the Vainglory, Eliot asks Lovett to enter the renewed competition to see if she can find any clues to see if his sister was actually murdered…

But when Lovett also catches the eye of the prize but has feelings for Eliot, things get complicated.

Loved this book and it really left you hanging on the final page. Can’t wait for book 2

Reviewed for NetGalley:

This had a strong start, interesting plot to get behind.

However, a quarter of the way through and beyond, I had difficulty following the characters and storyline as it progressed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.25 ⭐️

This had potential but ultimately fell flat for me. I felt no tension in the mystery, the competition, or the romance. I was mostly bored for the first 80%.

On top of that, it included two of my biggest pet peeves. The first, continually telling us how smart our fmc is while she remains completely oblivious and consistently makes terrible choices. The second is repetitive writing, specifically when certain phrases are used over and over. In this case, the author's overuse of the word "flinch" and some of its synonyms. It's somewhat related to my first pet peeve. The fmc is supposedly a smart, smooth talking thief... but any time she's confronted about ANYTHING she flinches.

The ending was intriguing but did not make up for the rest of the book. I do think the author could be setting up to say some interesting things about women's bodily autonomy (considering the magic system is based on harvesting these "silk witches" hair) but unfortunately, I am not interested enough after this first installment to find out what it will be.

DNF at 15%

I really tried to get through this book, but it seems impossible due to the purple prose and unnecessarily long chapters.

As a desperate attempt at making the writing sophisticated, there’s a lot of long words jumbled together. Paragraphs seemed like run-on sentences, and there were words I’ve never heard before replaced for the word “small.”

I feel like this book is a big case of “it’s not you, it’s me.” If the writing was better I think I would continue but this book was such a chore to read.

The Weaver Bride is what you'd get if Gothic Bridgerton, The Bachelor, and a murder mystery with magical flair had a very dramatic, very pink baby. The cover alone is enough to catch your eye (honestly, who can resist that blush-toned drama?), but the story inside delivers a unique fantasy concept that’s as enchanting as it is sinister.

Set in a world where Silkwitches—magical women marked by glowing hair—must marry Weavers (male sorcerers) by the time their powers fade around age 25 or risk confinement, the book introduces us to Lovett: a clever, sharp-tongued pickpocket with the Wit to open any door, literally. She’s recruited by Eliot Lear, a stoic, buttoned-up Weaver with major Mr. Darcy energy, to solve the murder of his sister—killed during last year’s marriage competition for the enigmatic (and possibly shady) Noé Alaire.

The magic system is fresh and original, especially the way powers are transferred and embedded into objects. The murder mystery aspect keeps the pacing tight—minus a slight lull midway—and the lush, gothic atmosphere is rich with potential.

That said, there are a few frayed threads. While the premise is golden, the competition trials could’ve packed more punch, and the romance felt a bit undercooked. Lovett and Eliot’s chemistry doesn’t fully sizzle, and Noé—despite being the central prize—feels more like a background prop than a compelling love interest. (Dorian, the “most beautiful man she’s ever seen,” also deserved more page time. Don’t tease us like that!)

There’s also a bit of info-dumping in the beginning, and the ending, while intriguing and clearly setting up for a sequel, wraps too quickly to feel fully satisfying. Whether or not you fall in love with Lovett may depend on your patience for proud, emotionally distant heroines—some readers found her witty and resourceful, others felt she lacked depth or growth.

Still, it’s an undeniably fun and unique read. Between the silk-bound powers, deadly courtship games, and a mystery that weaves its way through every chapter, The Weaver Bride has laid an intriguing foundation. Let’s just hope book two gives us more tension, more chemistry, and more Dorian. 👀