Lydia Gregovic delivers a beautifully imagined romantasy in The Weaver Bride that really stuck with me. I picked it up expecting an emotional, magical love story, and while I definitely got that, I was also pulled into a deeper, darker mystery that gave the whole book a richer feel.

The story follows Lovett Tamerlane, a silkwitch with the rare ability to open any door. She’s just trying to survive in a world that constantly underestimates her. When she gets the chance to enter the Vainglory, a dangerous marriage competition where the prize is Noé Alaire, heir to a powerful magical family, she takes it. But nothing is what it seems. The last woman who won the competition died, and Lovett quickly realizes there’s much more at stake than just a title.

Lovett is the kind of heroine I love to root for. She’s smart, a little rough around the edges, and refuses to back down. Watching her navigate the competition, make risky decisions, and try to protect herself while uncovering the truth made for a really compelling read.

The slow-building connection between her and Noé had a lot of emotional weight, and it felt believable. I liked that their relationship took time and had moments of real tension. Eliot Lear, who brings Lovett into the competition, adds another layer to the story and gives the whole thing a bit of an edge. The love triangle vibes are definitely there, but it didn’t feel forced or overly dramatic.

The writing is beautiful and detailed, and the world itself felt magical without being overwhelming. That said, there were a few points where I wished the pacing had picked up a bit. Some of the slower moments, especially early on, pulled me out of the story. That’s really the only reason I’m giving it four stars instead of five.

Overall, this is a strong debut that blends romance, magic, and mystery in a really satisfying way. The characters felt real, the stakes were high, and the emotional payoff at the end was worth the ride.

4 stars. I’m still thinking about Lovett and her journey, and I’ll definitely be picking up whatever Lydia Gregovic writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Lydia Gregovic, and Random House Children’s Books | Delacorte Press for this digital advanced reader’s copy. This is an honest review from my own personal, subjective POV.

Coming September 2025!

—————


“If it gives you any comfort, the destruction has been mutual.”

The romantic tension in The Weaver Bride is off the charts—utterly electric. Every glance, every brush of a hand, every loaded silence hums with intensity. It’s the kind of slow-burn that aches in the best, most delicious way.

The MCs give off serious Pride and Prejudice vibes—enemies to reluctant allies, steeped in pride and simmering with all the emotion they refuse to name. Add to that the aching backdrop of societal pressure—women forced to secure status and survival through marriage, in this case to a Weaver—and the stakes feel as emotional as they are magical. The finger flexes. The impassioned confessions. The tension so thick it practically breathes. I was all in.

To be honest, I showed up for that tension—and stayed for it. The mystery? Intriguing. The worldbuilding and magic system? Clever. The side characters? Compelling (and I wish we got more of them). But that romantic pull? That was the heartbeat of the story. Addictive, intense, and utterly consuming.

It’s a slower, more layered read than I expected—but in a way that rewards your attention. A solid 4 stars—and a must-read for fans of thoughtful romantasy with emotional depth, a sharp undercurrent of social commentary, and a romance that smolders without ever needing to burn.

I read this book as an eARC from Net Galley.

It is a YA Fantasy romance that follows Lovett Tamerlane - a thieving silk witch with the ability to open any door, even if it’s locked.
She is approached by a weaver named Eliot Lear, who presents her with a proposition: help him find the person who murdered his sister, and he will help her find a weaver husband so that she isn’t sent away to the “cloisters” where all unwed silk witches go.
Silk witches have magical hair, and weavers are similar to wizards in that they possess powerful abilities as well. For centuries, silk witches and weavers have wed to form mutually beneficial bonds. The silk witch wont be carted off to the cloisters, and the weavers can sell the silk witches hair.
Lovett enters a competition for the princes hand, which is the same competition where Eliot’s sister died just a year prior. But the castle in which the competition takes place holds more secrets than either Lovett nor Eliot could have imagined. Lovett must navigate this mysterious place and look for clues, all while keeping her mask in place to ensure no one finds out who she truly is. On top of this, her feelings for Eliot become confusing, and the relationship between her and the prince even more so.

I thought the story was interesting, with small plot twists scattered throughout. Very good choice for a person new to fantasy/romance and wants to take a small step in.

Thank you Random House Children’s Books, Lydia Gregovic and NetGalley for an ARC of The Weaver Bride.

The cover and title of this book caught my eye immediately. The cover is beautiful and the title is intriguing. The synopsis seemed interesting and different from anything I had read yet so I was excited to jump into this ARC.

I really love Gregovic’s style and the aesthetic she has put together for this story. The concept of Wit and the magical system were creative. That along with the mystery and the trials were definitely what helped keep my attention to the story as I read.

There was a lot that I really loved about this story but equally there was a lot that made me struggle with this story as well. I think the biggest problem for me was the writing style. I love beautiful writing but something about this book’s writing felt somewhat forced. The flow didn’t come naturally and I would find myself having to read and reread a sentence just for it to make sense. This would happen a lot throughout the story and because of this it took me much longer to get through than it should have.

I would have also loved to see more development among the main characters and their relationship, with this being a romantasy I wanted to experience a stronger chemistry between the two. And to be Lovett’s character was not my favorite. With the story having such a cool concept and her character having such an interesting roll I expected her character to leap off the page much more than it actually did. I also felt like she came off arrogant and just all around unlikable which made it harder for me to want to root for her.

All in all I did really enjoy experiencing this world and its story. I think Gregovic has a wonderful imagination and with a couple of changes this book could easily become a 5 star read for me.

4 stars 🕯️🗝🌷

"I wanted to inhale him, consume him; I wanted to devour him, and then finally, finally be rid of him, and I knew by the hungry way he touched me that he felt it, too."

Came for the gorgeous cover, stayed for the amazing magic system, mystery case, and complex social hierarchy.

Lydia Gregovic's prose is absolutely beautiful. Her flowery writing took me a while to get used to but once I did I could fully appreciate the story. I loved the world building and unique magic system, which kept me immersed in the story. The social hierarchy between silkwitches and weavers was a good parallel to women and men in today's world. I feel like I could literally write a whole literary analysis paper on it. Silkwitches being seen as disposable/useless after reaching a certain age perfectly captures how women are seen as insignificant once they get older while men stay in a positive light, just like how the weavers continue having power. I could go on and on but that's not the point of this review.

I loved how the characters were complex, not just our main character, but Eliot, Noe, and the other maidens. The concept of the Vainglory is an oldey but I was still interested throughout the different trials and challenges. The relationship between Lovett and other silkwitches of her kind is SO interesting to read about. Despite competing for the same thing, no silkwitch wants the another to be subjected to the cloisters. The dynamics throughout this whole book was just so fun to pick out, analyze, and think about.

The ending of this book KILLED me, I was not aware that it would end in such a cliffhanger and I'm begging to know what happens next, especially with everything that was revealed in the last few chapters (SO many plot twists and revelations). I will definitely be reading the sequel (fingers crossed that there will be one)

The only thing I wished this book had more of was romance. although I do appreciate a good slowburn--and trust me, this book was a SLOW BURN-- the ending may have felt more impactful if Lovett and Eliot's relationship progressed more. (I loved the jealousy though🤭) I think with more developments in future books will make me love these characters and this world even more! The potential is insane.

If you enjoyed the selection and love morally grey characters, an intriguing magic system, and an overall thought provoking book, I cannot recommend enough!

(ps. darcy hand flex vibes)

Thank you to Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press and Netgalley for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Updating my rating from 4 to 5 stars because I haven’t stopped thinking about this book since finishing it.

I picked it up for the gorgeous cover, but I stayed for everything else. It had all of the components of a great fantasy novel: a unique magic system, high stakes competition, and compelling characters. It was well written, and I found myself hooked on every secret, twist, and reveal.

I do think the romance was rushed, and I wish it would’ve stuck with a slow burn enemies to lovers as opposed to actually being another unbelievable love at first sight thing, but I’ll let it slide because I really like the main love interest otherwise.

Also, that ending!!! I’m impatiently awaiting the next book in the series.

🌙✨ 4 stars
The Weaver Bride by Lydia Gregovic is a lush and atmospheric debut that weaves gothic romance, mystery, and a clever magic system into something truly spellbinding. Lovett Tamerlane is a defiant, sharp-edged protagonist whose silkwitch magic and door-unlocking gift thrust her into the deadly glamour of the Vainglory marriage competition.

The tension between survival and desire pulses throughout the story, and Gregovic’s prose is both rich and haunting. The slow-burn romance is full of angst and secrets, though a bit more emotional depth would have sealed the fifth star. Still, the world-building dazzles, the stakes are high, and the final twist lands with weight. I’ll be counting down the days until the sequel.

🕸️ Recommended for fans of romantic fantasy, dangerous courtship rituals, and heroines who bite back.

#TheWeaverBride #NetGalley #YAromantasy #GothicFantasy #WitchyReads #FantasyDebut #MustRead2025 #MarriageCompetition #SilkwitchMagic #RomanticFantasy #BookReview #LydiaGregovic

YALL I DID A THING…..

I requested to review a book just because it was pretty… like come on just look at that cover. And yes I can already hear the internet as well as my best friend being like, “you can’t pick a book just because of its cover.” YEAH YEAH, I know. Listen in my defense no matter how old we get or long we’ve been reading/reviewing we still make mistakes. This just happened to fell into my meh pile.

The Weaver Bride follows witches as they enter into a ruthless marriage competition. Each witch has their own “Wit” -unique power. Our MFC Lovett is able to open any locked door. Lovett is forced to enter the competition after she’s caught stealing from our MMC Eliot. Now Eliot doesn’t care if Lovett wins or loses the competition, instead he wants her to uncover who murdered his sister in last year’s games. With no other options Lovett dives head first into the deadly games.

I gotta admit I’m not usually a fan of books that feel like I’m watching the Bachelor or Survivor. But the plot of this book had me intrigued. Plus the magic system and concept of the wit’s intrigued me. My only complaint was I wish we had more of it.

Now in terms of characters is where I found my biggest issues. Lovett in particular is a very complicated character. There were times I really hated her and times I really loved her. Sadly that hated part came stronger through. I just couldn’t connect with her and found her to be too prideful and aggressive. Same goes for Eliot. Now he wasn’t as terrible as Lovett but way too vanilla of a character for my liking.In terms of the romance aspect between the pair, I was expecting enemies vs lovers. Instead we were given more insta-love with two individuals who have zero chemistry with each other.My last big issue falls with the ending. The ending felt super rushed, almost like the author last minute went I’m going to make this a series when it didn’t have to be.

Overall, this was an easy read and even though it wasn’t my favorite YA fantasy I still had fun reading it. Plus I still think others would enjoyed this so I definitely recommend it. Lastly thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children's Books, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Lydia Gregovic for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy of “The Weaver Bride.”

OMG! LET’S GET INTO IT

Lovett Tamerlane is a silkwitch—her magic only becomes truly powerful through marriage to a Weaver. Problem is, she’s got no money, no status, and no shot... unless she cheats the system. With a secret gift that lets her open any door, she survives by stealing from the wealthy—until she’s caught by Eliot Lear, the charming but dangerous son of a powerful family.
Instead of turning her in, he offers her a deal: enter the Vainglory, a deadly, Selection-style competition to win the hand of the richest heir around—and secretly help him solve his sister’s murder. The magic system has major Rapunzel vibes, the romance is slow-burn and messy in all the best ways, and the stakes? Very much life or death.


I initially picked this ARC because of the beautiful cover and intriguing description, however, I was instantly enchanted by the story.
Loved this book from start to finish! One thing I’ll never get tired of is when fantasy digs into real-world issues, and this book nails that. It’s a sharp, magical take on how society tries to control women’s identities—especially through who they marry, what they’re worth, and what they’re allowed to believe about themselves. The silkwitches are told their magic—and their value—only matters if a man (aka a Weaver) chooses them. And honestly? I’m always here for the girls who flip the script, play dirty, and take back their power

On another note, I was giggling and kicking my feet at the banter between Lovett and Eliot. Their dynamic is electric, full of tension and charm in all the right ways. I was totally hooked on every interaction and am absolutely desperate for more of their story.
It’s no secret that I love The Selection series with my whole heart, and this had those same addictive, high-stakes competition vibes—but with a darker, richer edge and a world that felt entirely its own.
And can we talk about Lydia’s writing? Absolutely stunning. Her prose is so poetic and immersive—every sentence felt intentional, like it was stitched perfectly into the fabric of the story. Nothing felt rushed or out of place, just a beautifully crafted read from start to finish.

Overall, this book was an absolute gem, and I couldn’t put it down. It checks all the boxes: a captivating, high-stakes competition, a world brimming with magic and intrigue, and characters that make you root for them with every page. If you're a fan of thought-provoking fantasy with heart, a dash of romance, and a strong-willed heroine, this book is a must-read. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this world—and I’ll be first in line for more of Lovett and Eliot’s story!

I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this book to sit beautifully on my shelves!

I loved the premise of this book. Silkwitches and Weavers. Forced marriage or cloister. Trials to win the hand of the prince. All things I love, but this wasn’t it.

The world building is great. The author does a great job of it.

The characters, I’m not a fan. I didn’t like either main character. Both didn’t really have any redeeming qualities. Lovett was aggressive and felt betrayed by everything. Eliot wasn’t terrible but he didn’t have many redeeming qualities.

The chemistry? Not there. I don’t see how they fell in love. Yes it’s enemies to lovers. Hate to love, but they barely talked to each other, and when they did it was about someone betraying the other.

The pacing is soo bad. It’s slow and it’s long. I found myself skimming. I just wasn’t into it anymore so I DNFed at 65%.

Lovett is a silk witch, her hair is magical. Eliot is a Weaver, a sorcerer who can manipulate the hair to use the magic. As a silk witch Lovett also comes with a Wit (a small magical gift,) of being able to unlock any door. Eliot needs her help to figure out who murdered his sister, so he makes her a deal, help figure out what happened to his sister and he’ll make sure she ends up married instead of stashed away in the cloister to rot and die.
Lovett agrees and is whisked away to a compete in trials to win the princes hand (the same trials Eliot’s sister died in.) During the competition Lovett and Eliot start to fall for each other.

Thank you to Random House Children’s House and NetGalley for the arc.

Someone tell my Gregovic plans on writing a second book…because ya girl has so many unanswered questions. I NEED more. Loved the book but oof! You can’t leave a girl hanging like this!

If you love fantasy, and want something even your kids could read, this is it! Great YA fantasy novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the E-arc!

I was very disappointed in the execution of the premise. I feel like a large chunk of this book is explaining things over and over again. I honestly didn’t care for any of the characters either.

It wasn’t my personal cup of tea. Others may enjoy it.

This is such a unique and fun fantasy novel! It’s a breath of fresh air from the same basic premise that has overtaken fantasy lately. The characters are likeable and complex and Lovett is one of my new favorite heroines. It’s unpredictable and will keep you guessing to the end! My only complaint was that the end wasn’t what I wanted it to be but overall it is an amazing book and I’ll be keeping an eye out for any and all future books by this author!

The Weaver Bride 🌸
By: Lydia Gregovic
Releasing September 30, 2025


I was gifted access to this ARC through @netgalley and it’s taken me a full week to gather my thoughts. First and foremost, I think this book will be a sensation all over social media. Gregovic’s detailed world building feels effortless to read as she takes you through Ophelia’s journey. Her characters evoke true emotions, like the absolute feminine I rage I felt for Ophelia, the FMC, at the end of the book. *no spoilers* The banter she builds between characters is full of real humor, frustration, indecision, and yearning. In summary, she penned characters that felt real to me.

Who do I think will love this besides everyone? Well if you like witches, the main character is a witch, so ✔️. If you are a feminist, she is a breaker of male supremacy ✔️ . If you are a fan of star crossed lovers- be prepared to throw your copy across the room at some of the AUDACITY (I’m looking at you Eliot) that comes from some characters ✔️ . If you love books that reference our real world lore (never let someone have a strand of your hair), you will appreciate the references weaved into the story line ✔️. A fan of competitions? Ophelia is smack dab in the middle of one whether she likes it or not. ✔️

What I loved about this novel was that it avoided some of the tired “competition novels” tediousness, by integrating the trials, but mostly focused on Ophelia solving a mystery that brought her to the competition. I found myself staying up late to finish the book, and was slightly put out that the adventure was over. When it releases in September, The Weaver Bride will have a gilded PINK 💖 cover and sprayed edges. I would be remiss if I didn’t snag it for my treasure trove and I think if you like romantasy, or just a well written book, you are going to love this one.

Stars ✨: 4.5/5
Spice 🌶️: 1/5

A lush, spellbinding novel brimming with magic, mystery, and heart. Lovett Tamerlane’s rare gift allows her to open any door, but in a society that only permits silkwitches to fully access their magic through marriage to a Weaver, her independence is both her strength and her curse. Living on the fringes outside society, Lovett is forced to survive by stealing from the powerful. When an attempted heist goes wrong and she’s caught by the enigmatic Eliot Lear, she strikes a dangerous bargain: help him uncover the truth behind his sister’s mysterious death during last year’s Vainglory competition. The price? Entering the same deadly contest herself—for the hand of the Weaver King’s heir.

The world-building is sharp and immersive, with a rich, original magic system and well-drawn social dynamics. Lovett is a standout heroine—clever, vulnerable, and quietly fierce. The slow-burn tension, both romantic and suspenseful, is perfectly paced and deeply satisfying. Every detail feels intentional, from the politics of power to the personal stakes. And the ending? It absolutely left me gasping and begging for more 😮‍💨

The Weaver Bride is a captivating read for fans of high-stakes competitions, intricate magic, and simmering mysteries.

Absolutely five stars—highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was my first book by Lydia Gregovic, and I’m already counting down the days until her next one. I’m officially hooked.

I came across this book on NetGalley, poised to request it based on the cover alone, but it was available to read for free so I jumped right in.

Lovett Tamerlane is a silkwitch, revered for their magic that is only cultivated following marriage to a Weaver. Should she not wed, she would spend the rest of her life in the cloisters. Wanting to avoid this fate, Lovett finds herself faced with a proposition - join a ruthless marriage competition and solve a mystery so she may never face life in the cloisters. Unraveling this mystery, however, proves to be far more complicated than she bargained for.

Overall, I'd say this is 3.5 stars rounded down. While the ending was definitely an interesting twist, it proved to be fairly lackluster as it is accompanied by a very slow plot with little action, fair character development, and fair development of the magic system. I found myself finishing the book, wanting more from it. I wanted more from the characters other than the basic understanding of their skills. I wanted mkre from the magic system, though it seems in the ending that this could be forthcoming. The ending sets up strongly for a sequel, which I will likely read to finish the story, but I also worry won't redeem this story by providing the detail I feel that this set up sorely lacked.

Overall, this is a fair read, worth exploring if you like strong build up with a promise for more set up in the future. You may find yourself frustrated, as I am, with the lack of a strong lead up to a potentially stronger sequel.

Requested this ARC as soon as I saw the cover; it was so gorgeous. I really enjoyed this! I thought it was supposed to be a stand alone but I am now VERY curious to see what happens in a sequel. It’s very reminiscent of The Selection and The Bachelor, which made it up my alley. Yet, it is still its own thing which is nice! It mostly has great pacing and ruthless characters, and it always kept me guessing. The romance was okay, I wanted a little more from it, but oh well! I hope we get lots of romance drama and drama drama in the next book. The magical hair also kept reminding me of Tangled. I think the romance was what brought it down for me and the lack of some character development.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

Like I’m sure everyone else did I requested (well I guess not really since it was a “read now” ARC for the gorgeous cover! I loved The Selection by Kierra Cass and binged the series in high school and this book definitely has similar element but with a unique magic system thrown into the mix. Yeah the plot twists were a little obvious but I was still engaged the whole way through. The romance (honestly if you can really call it that??) felt a little forced and underdeveloped. I’m excited for a sequel so that maybe we can actually learn a bit more about Elliot.

This book took me by surprise. The mystery was great and i was kept guessing the whole time about who done it and what was going on. I never guessed right and the ending blew me away. I seriously hope that there is a book two. It's hard to tell because for the most part there wasn't much left open, but at the same time there is so much more that the author can do in this world.

What I really enjoyed about The Weaver Bride was the gothic atmosphere Lydia Gregovic created. You could almost feel the damp chill of the setting and the weight of the secrets hanging in the air. I also really enjoyed the marriage competition with trials aspect of the book. And the central mystery was also quite clever, with enough twists to keep me guessing without feeling contrived.

On the other hand, I found the pacing a bit inconsistent. There were stretches where the story moved along at a good pace, and then other parts where it felt like it was lingering a little too long.

Overall, it's a solid read with a good blend of mystery and magic.

Thank you Random House Children's Books for providing this ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.