"You have to choose your own happiness, whatever that looks like. You can't live your life for other people."

In a world where magic has been diluted from generation to generation, Niamh O'Conchobhair weaves emotions and memories into the clothing she creates. Coming from a land of poverty and strife, when her presence and talents are requested by the Avaland Prince Regent to create a wondrous wardrobe for the newly approaching Royal Wedding, Niamh sees it as her opportunity to create a better life for her family, and give them the stability and relaxation they deserve.

However, with this incredible talent, comes a perilous caveat, Niamh's magic is slowly killing her, and despite her perpetually optimistic and sunshine persona she exudes to those around her, she knows her time is limited, and although she longs for a love straight from her beloved fairy tales and day-dreams she escapes to, Niamh is aware that time is not on her side, and that heartache is an unfortunate and heavy burden to bear. As she settles into life within the confines of the Avalish monarchy, and in spite of being brought up to remember the horrors and atrocities inflicted upon her country by the Avalish, she still grips tightly to the beautiful stories of happily ever after, and hopes with her entire being that this could be the thing that finally breaks her and her family from the poverty line, and from being consistently belittled and patronised by those from more affluent areas. However, reality has a horrible way of punching you in the gut and crushing your dreams to ash.

A hopeless romantic with a heart of gold, who lights up every room she walks into with her charming yet naïve demeanour. Niamh cares so deeply for the happiness of those around her, even at the expense of her own happiness, she has this flawless ability of cheering the most grumpy of people up, that is, until she's forced to work alongside Kit Carmine, whose the complete opposite of her in every way. He's cynical, churlish and indignant, and he just so happens to be the begrudging groom to be.

Kit is a cutting presence in any room, he would love nothing more than to hide in the background, or disappear from Avlish Monarchy, but as that's not permitted, he decides to go for the violence route, and ensure everyone around him knows just how much her loathes being in any room, at any time. Kit thrives off spearing fear and intimidation into the hearts of any who deem themselves brave enough to go toe to toe with him. Rebellious and short-tempered, he plays up heavily to the idea of being the roguish, untameable Prince, and he will not be a pawn for anyone, especially if it's political. Forced into a marriage with a woman he despises, Kit is determined to fight dirty and ruthless to stop this wedding from happening.

However, Niamh is a totally refreshing and irritating presence to Kit, she seems sweet, innocent and full of light, but she's got a bite to her, and she's not afraid to humble him and put him in his place, Prince or not, and that shocks him in an intoxicatingly vexing way.

These two lonely individuals, who are often overlooked, ignored, and treated as different for who they are underneath, find kindred spirits in each other. They see each other completely under the armour they wear to protect themselves from others.

Then we have Sinclair, whose the sarcastic, witty and impeccably dressed side character we'd all love to have in our lives. Stuck in a society determined to ignore his desires and needs, and constantly treated as a nuisance within the royal circle, Sinclair is still a warm-hearted and loyal companion with a tenderness to him that was so endearing.

'A Fragile Enchantment' was a pleasant surprise, I wasn't sure I would enjoy this, but I was compelled throughout. A regency romantasy story with political intrigue, fun and quirky banter between the characters, and lush and vivid writing that wraps around you and immerses you into this intriguing and enticing world. I loved the richness to the lore of the gods and the history of the world itself, it added so much depth and complexity.

Brimming with deeply layered and multi-faceted characters with vibrant personalities that bleed through the pages and bring this world to life in remarkable ways, with lyrical and magical prose to enrapture and compel. A gorgeous exploration of found family, forgiveness, acceptance, and allowing yourself to be selfish without guilt.

idk why it took me so long to read this!!!! the characters were PERFECT and the story was so cute!!! i need more asap x

Sadly ,I've had to do a soft dnf for now and come back to the book in the future. I think the writing was very good. Based on what I've read so far I would still recommend this to people I know would love this type of story.

wasn’t really my thing; i couldn’t get into the writing style. sure it’s just preference and i really like the author, so i’ll be sure to buy this in anyway.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Children’s Group/Orion Children’s Books for providing me with an eARC of this book.

A Fragile Enchantment follows Niamh, a working class but renowned seamstress, as she travels from her oppressed and blighted homeland to the country of Avaland, where she serves as the official dressmaker for a royal wedding. She becomes embroiled in royal politics and scandal sheets, as well as an attraction to the betrothed Prince Kit.

While I really enjoyed the Bridgerton-eque vibes of this book, I unfortunately found the rest of the book to be lacking. The pacing was very slow, and the plot didn’t interest me enough for me to want to pick up the book. Up until the halfway point, nothing much happens. Then lots of issues are introduced, which felt overwhelming.

I also couldn’t connect to the characters. I found Niamh very bland, and Kit seemed to be overly grumpy and nothing else, almost like he was written to be the “grumpy man who only likes the FMC” type of character. While I do enjoy this trope, I needed more personality from him. I was hoping for a slow burn romance, but Niamh and Kit went from dislike to insta-love far too quickly.

The ending offered no real resolution, and I was left feeling unsatisfied at the lack of closure. Not one for me sadly!

A dreamy, captivating tale, magical and enchanting. I LOVE the regency-inspired setting and the descriptions of the various garments that Niamh creates. I loved the characters, particularly Niamh and getting to see her strength throughout the story, but Kit was my favourite of them all. I loved his grouchiness and prickliness and then to see him slowly open up to Niamh. I think they also had really great chemistry, although I definitely preferred them in the second half of the book to the first. I think I just wish this book had more of the Bridgerton aspect in the Lady Whistledown (or in this case, Lovelace) part - it didn't play as big or as mysterious a role as I hoped it would; I also wish that the worldbuilding had been a little more clear as I wasn't sure how the magic system worked entirely.

3.5 stars, closer to 3 compared to other books I've read recently.

I think my expectations were wrong going into this. Which is a pity as I was very excited.

I had so much fun with this YA fantasy with historical Bridgerton vibes, infused with embroidery magic.

It had a fairytale feeling writing style that captivated me instantly. I really liked her magic, and how she could sew emotions into clothes.

Kit was a good love interest. I liked all the faces we saw to him -- the standoffish front, his kindness under it all and playfulness with his best friend. Niamh was also nice, and I liked how we saw her learn some vital life lessons while meddling with the royals.

The secondary characters were great! They didn't overtake the story, but felt very alive and had their own obstacles. Especially the brotherly duo.

The most fun thing about this was how it was brimming with the best historical tropes. And the best parts of Bridgerton drama as well. It did them well, and made them fun and scandalous, and at times sweet too.

It's not an emotionally deep read, but rather one to pick up when you want something light, enjoyable and well written too.

This book is definitely a romance first and foremost, I felt it lacking for the magical side of things. The romance is very good and very sweet, however i felt slightly misold i was hoping for more enchantment. That being said it’s a goo overall plot and a nice easy to read pace, It had those definitive regency vibes if thats what you want in a book, but again these felt very generic and a bit predictable. I loved the side characters and wish we got more of them from this, and slihglty less of main two. Overall not bad, but nothing amazing.

This fluffy romance has an interesting premise, but falls flat frequently throughout the narrative. There was so much potential in the plot for political intrigue, power struggles, and scandal but all these tensions barely simmer - let alone come to a head - throughout the plot of A Fragile Enchantment. It’s not a bad book! If you’re looking for a cosy, fluffy romance that could fill the Bridgerton void while we all wait for season three - then A Fragile Enchantment could be right up your street,

For me though, as much as I liked the book, this romantasy fell a little flat. Nothing really happened with the plot, the magic system wasn’t explained, and I’m always left a little disappointed by fantasy novels that just seem to dredge up existing mythology and pop some slightly different names on it. All in all, this was a cute book and I enjoyed reading it - but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read a sequel to find out what happens next.

Loved the Bridgerton vibes in this one, it reminded me a lot of Hester as well.

Niamh’s character was fab, loved her development throughout and her relationship with all the side characters - Sinclair in particular. However, not really sure about her illness?

I felt the romance lacked a little in this, it didn’t give the angsty enemies to lovers/forbidden romance I feel that it wanted to. I just found Kit hard to like at all.

However, I loved the guessing on who Lovelace was and really enjoyed the fact it was Sinclair

Beautifully written, this book weaves real history into a magical world, and Allison Saft’s prose is again spellbinding. I absolutely loved the chronic illness and mental health representation in this. The tension and banter and forbidden love made this book absolutely swoon worthy!

Predictable but a cosy, entertaining, read with more depth than others in the same genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Children's Group for the e-arc, I requested this book because it fit in with a lot of other books I've been reading lately, and I really like the idea of the embroidery magic and the likening to Bridgerton (which I've never read, and only watched in passing for the clothes, setting, and cast rather than because I love the storylines). Weirdly, I didn't find myself in a Regency setting as I read this, it felt more generic period drama, than set in those times, which makes sense, because the world is fantasy not England, but I didn't get a sense of regency-style costumes or characterisation really, maybe that's where the comparison with Bridgerton comes in: sumptuous gowns, upper class and royal court, and anachronisms.

What I did find interesting, and set this book a bit above others, is that I found myself liking rather than cringing or rolling my eyes at the relationship between Niamh and Kit, and I also liked the inclusion of the coloniser/colonised people storyline. While only surface level, and with a simplistic take, I like that, as a fantasy romance, there was added substance and discussion of tough themes, and the parallel with England/Ireland but in a 'safe' fantasy setting is an interesting way to continue to discuss, acknowledge, and progress from difficult and damaging periods of our past.

Some aspects could definitely have been examined more closely, and the world and characters fleshed out further, but again, it is a fantasy romance, and leaves room for spin offs, fan art and fiction, so I don't mind too much. One thing that bugged me a little bit though, was that, given Niamh's ability, and that she is adept at it and sought after for it, I would have thought she would have learnt to control her emotions, especially while working to create her clothes, otherwise she might well have had quite a few unhappy customers up until this point, as her feelings get stitched into their wardrobe. (maybe we could have heard about those too, that could have been pretty funny)

I really enjoyed A Fragile Enchantment which is a fantasy romance book with Regency Vibes.
This was one of those books where once you start you can’t put it down. I was able to read it in just under two days!!

I really liked the unique magic which the book had and felt it came across fairly well when it was described but I did want more.

The books follows Niamh, whose talent as a seamstress is hired by royalty to create outfits for a royal wedding. For Niamh can weave emotions and memories into the outfits she creates but these come at a personal cost to her! She only accepts as she feels it’s her duty to her family.
The first meeting with Prince Kit doesn’t go so well between the two. I loved seeing how his character developed throughout the book. His grumpy but you learn why a littler later in the book and then you understand why he like he is.
The forbidden romance between the two soon sparks and it’s not long before the two can hide their feelings.
It’s such a sweet and slow burn between the two and it comes across so well. I enjoyed the other characters in the book too especially Sinclair.

I really enjoyed the authors writing style and felt it had a nice flow to it. The world building was great and I loved how the author was able to get the fairytale, whimsical vibes to come across.

I absolutely love the cover design of this book. I know this book is a standalone but I’d love to read more from this world and learn more of the different types of magic.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC copy. I very much enjoyed this whimsical fairytale romance. I loved the sprinkling of Mr. Darcy's grumpiness in the male lead and the idea of sewing emotions into clothing was just beauitiful.

This book felt like a cosy cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's night and I found it very easy to read. I would definitely recommend this book to other fantasy/fairytale readers and look forward to reading more from this author.

A sweet and romantic story full of warmth, longing and magic. I throughly enjoyed getting swept away in this story of forbidden love.

A beautiful regency romance, filled with heart and an unusual magic system.

Niamh is gifted and can weave magic and memories in to fabric... but this magic will eventually kill her.

She is from a land that has gone through war and a people who are seen as different and 'lesser' - The Macleash.

But when the opportunity arrises to change her and her families current poor state - how can she say no?
Whisked off to Avaland- a palace and all the finery that comes with it. She thinks her fate is made, but she has to work with the younger prince Kitt and he doesn't make it so easy for her.

I loved reading this, like a new fairytale come to life. The intertwining of romance, magic, scandal and Bridgerton vibes really kept me hooked. Kit is another firm favourite book boyfriend for me, misunderstood and grumpy as anything. but really a soft boy looking for more in life...

Thank you so much to the publisher @teambkmark for sending me the e arc on netgalley - a firm new favourite and I honestly can't wait to pick it up again. A feel good book that I will always hold dear.

Thank you so much for a copy of this book!

I have a love-hate relationship with 'A Fragile Enchantment.' There were so many enchanted elements to this story and such beautiful stolen moments between the main couple, but it was slow in parts, making me not particularly want to pick up the book at all.

It was very Bridgerton-like, but with added fantasy aspects. The characters were delightful, and the world was very magical.

I like that romance was a main focus and the very light enemies-to-lovers relationship. However, I believe that 'A Fragile Enchantment' should have been written as an adult fantasy rather than a YA.

I feel all mushy and warm after finishing this book 🥰

This is my first Allison Saft book and I will definitely be reading her other books as well!

I enjoyed every single aspect of this book, the characters, the plot, the romance, I cannot fault it whatsoever, I'm so so happy with how the book ended as well. Definitely recommend this if you want to feel all fuzzy and warm at the end!

3.75⭐️ This was a delightfully dreamy fantasy imbued with magic and set in a royal court with all the elegance, and of course scandal (including a Lady Whistledown-esque scandal sheet), of Bridgerton.

It follows Niamh, a working class but famed seamstress who has magic in her veins and can weave this into clothing. Asked to design the wardrobe for an upcoming royal wedding, Niamh believes this is finally a chance to give herself, and her family, a better life. Yet the groom, Prince Kit, is as prickly as the plants he can conjure and control, and is begrudgingly entering into the marriage as a political pawn. As Kit and Niamh get to know eachother, there is an undeniable chemistry, one which could destroy everything if the anonymous ‘Lovelace’ goes through with her threats to reveal all.

Although this was a sweet ya romantasy book, it also has a world that feels real, that isn’t all glittering opulence but also tackles issues of class, discrimination and disabilities such as chronic illness and mental health.

A Fragile Enchantment has:
💙Forbidden Romance
🩷LGBTQ Representation
💙Political Intrigue
🩷Courtly Politics
💙Bridgerton but make it magic vibes
🩷Captivating Characters
💙Grumpy x Sunshine

I enjoyed this story and found it to be an engaging and whimsical read- a standalone fantasy (something which feels quite rare now!) that tied off all its ends.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Children’s Group for the earc🫶🏻