A Fragile Enchantment is a YA fantasy romance set in the Bridgerton-esque fictional setting of Avaland. Protagonist Niamh travels from her homeland of Machland, an oppressed, blighted country to Avaland as the official dressmaker for the royal wedding. From there, Niamh is swept up in royal politics, revolution, scandal sheets and her increasingly unavoidable feelings for the betrothed Prince Kit.

Truthfully, I really struggled to get through this book. The plot felt very stagnant and the pacing slow-going for the majority of the book. It was only within the last quarter of the story that the action picked up and piqued my interest but even then the plot remained basic and there was no moment I found myself absorbed in the story. Any scenes of conflict were resolved far too quickly to have any real effect which added to the inertia and frustration I felt as a reader. However, the brotherly conflict between Jack and Kit worked well and I felt was the most interesting dynamic between any of the characters.

The setting also felt inconsistent and often jarring to me in that the characters’ diction and vernacular were in parts considerably more modern than the environment. They dressed in gowns and waistcoats, had chaperones and rode around town in curricles with antiquated ideas of etiquette and honour yet there were moments where the characters sounded as if they could be walking about in current day.

The characterisation could definitely have been strengthened. Niamh and Kit were the most well-rounded as the two main protagonists but even so, i still felt there wasn’t enough depth to them. A lot of the time it felt like they were repeating themselves in their words and actions over and over which became tiresome. However I will say I really liked the author’s depiction of the love between Niamh and Kit. Niamh’s narrative described it as something “banal” yet solid, unchangeable and significant — a legacy. Often in YA romances love is this great big overwhelming force but in this case I thought it fought against that cliché nicely.

I would like to make a point of praising Allison Saft’s prose. It had a flair and style that I truly enjoyed but the story itself didn’t grab me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gorgeous Romantasy with Bridgerton vibes.

This book is beautifully written and I loved the hate to love arc. The prickly prince was entertaining to read and I ADORED the slowburn romance.

The magic is woven (literally) into the story and I thought the FMC's magic was particularly unique.

In all honesty, I am sad that it's a standalone as I would've happily dived into a series with these characters.

Overall this book is dreamy, heartfelt and beautifully magical.

A Fragile Enchantment follows the main character Nimah as she adjusts to life in the royal palace and goes about creating her enchanted garments and attending extravagant court events whilst trying to avoid the prickly and cold prince Kit. There are so many great characters in this book and it's so easy to visualise every facial expression and mannerism thanks to the descriptive details Saft weaves throughout the story. There's found family and friendship as well as understanding for those different from one's self. It's fantasy meets historical fiction and romance in a highly enjoyable read. Alison Saft's writing is lyrical in parts and leaves you captivated by the story. I couldn't put it down and kept wishing the day away so that I could get home and read more. It's become an instant favourite!

Thank you to Hachette and NetGalley for providing me an eARC to review!

While still enjoyable enough, I sadly think this is my least favourite book I've read by Saft. I found it quite predictable and it didn't really fully pull me in to the world or the characters.

I think my favourite part was seeing Niamh work her magic with the embroidery and have her put her emotions into the thread work - it felt like these were the times we really got to see her character in an interesting way. There was also some chronic illness representation with her character - but like the social unrest plot and sadly a lot of this book, it felt very 'tell' rather than 'show', and wasn't really explored in much depth.

The romance also didn't feel quite as interesting as in Saft's other two works - yes they were prickly to each other at the beginning but I didn't fully understand why they were made for each other, apart from that they could argue by parroting hard truths about each other that again felt like the author just telling you what these characters' flaws were rather than letting you figure it out for yourself.

Overall a bit disappointed this didn't fully work for me, but I'm sure it will for a lot of people!

Such an amazing story and amazing book.

You have in this book everything that you wished for in a regency one.

Court intrigue
Forbidden love
Arranged wedding
Each other first choice

😍😍😍😍😍😍

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I enjoyed the overall plot of the book, though I thought some elements were a bit contrived. I liked the element of found family, especially the relationship between Niamh and Sinclair, and the romance narrative was fairly well done. However, I didn't really see how it was different enough from a lot of fantasy settings to deserve the term 'Regency-inspired'. A solid read but not one I'd go back to.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Hachette Children's Group, Orion Children's Books for a free earc in exchange of an honest review!

This book wasnt for me- i DNF'd this fairly early on as i had zero desire to pick it up. It had nothing to do with the writing style so would 100% pick up a different book by the author- the story themes and settings just werent a preference of mine!

Rating - 4.5⭐️

This book felt so whimsical, daydreamy and fairytale-like. I literally finished this book in less than 2 days because it was so addicting. I even had to increase my rating because the ending was so satisfying and it made me so happy that I couldn’t stop smiling.

Every single character (both main characters and side characters) felt fleshed out and they all had a complexity to them that made them all feel very human, the good and the bad. I also absolutely adored the friendship & sort of girlhood that bloomed between the women in this book, it was so heartwarming to read about that i teared up from joy.

Niamh gave off such INFP mbti vibes, SHES JUST SO ADORABLE and a ray of sunshine. I adore her clumsiness and her ability to bring out the good in the people around her. She’s so precious and I really liked her character growth.

Also this is pretty random to mention but while I was reading this book, the song: Mess It Up by Gracie Abrams kept playing in my head? The TikTok audio version somehow got stuck in my head and I kept singing it in my head while reading particular scenes, I guess it just suited the vibe of the book so much lmao.

'A Fragile Enchantment' is a mishmash of Bridgerton and These Hollow Vows and with every turn of the page I enjoyed it more. At the beginning I thought it might not be for me but, slowly and steadily, it grew on me.

The characters were all complex, with character arcs that developed well throughout the book. Reading from Niamh's perspective was a delight.

The pacing was great, keeping me appropriately engaged at all time.

This is exactly how representation should be handled and spoken about within fantasy. Discussions of queerness, gender and chronic illness were given time and respect within the story, only adding to the complexity without overwhelming the plot and making it feel like a modern social studies essay.

The way that the author incorporated the plot lines that were inspired by The Famine/British occupation of Ireland was interesting and tasteful. I understand why the more heartbreaking parts of what British colonialism did to the countries they occupied was downplayed.

Living in the world for a little while felt like a warm hug. A Fragile Enchantment was written like a fairy tale. Low stakes fantasy worked well to highlight the romance and the discussions on politics. For those who don't love "cozy fantasy" but would like a break from the ultra serious high fantasy, I would really recommend this one.

My one criticism was that there be more attention focused on the world building as there were a lot of aspects that I felt could have been fleshed out, I also would have loved to see a greater focus on the politicking - characters such as Rosa had potential for greatness but often felt slightly underused.

Otherwise, the pacing was great, characters were unique and the themes were interesting. A highly enjoyable read.

I really wanted to love this much more than I ultimately did, and I do think unfortunately Saft's newest novel fails in many ways to deliver on a lot of expectations.
I usually love these types of fantasy romances, but something about Niamh and Kit's relationship didn't sit entirely right with me. I did not walk away from the novel sold on them being together, and considering this was really the only plot point this is quite a difficult thing to get over. The ending itself felt very very rushed, and I wasn't filled with the kind of love and hope that I want to feel for the romantic leads. The dialogue also felt very forced throughout, with lots of cliched lines that did not read particularly well as real speech.
Overall this book was just quite a let down for me, though I did enjoy moments of it.
2.5

i don't have any beef with 1st person POV but it would be nice if the MC's trains of thoughts didn't all written down bc it makes the paragraph really long & unnecessary and makes me tend to skim it.

This was such a lovely and brilliantly written fantasy romance. Kit and Niamh's love story was compelling and angsty. I was desperate for them to get together! I also really enjoyed the other characters - there's actually a very charming and unexpected group of friends that forms in this book. .
My only qualm Is that I would have liked to see more of their relationship develop through her craft - I wanted Niamh and Kit to have more alone time. But generally really enjoyed it!

4.5, what a treat!! I was going through the motions reading this, I was blushing, giggling and crying.

This is exactly what i want from a romantic fantasy, it had interesting and unique magic, fantastic banter & the tension was 10/10. It was just so dreamy! & the world was so fascinating with believable court politics.

If you’re a fan of:

🪡enemies to lovers
🪡grumpy / sunshine
🪡forbidden love
🪡regency inspired (think bridgerton)
🪡royalty
🪡anonymous scandal sheet

Then please pick this book up! I promise you will be swooning.

I actually adored every single character in this book ( yes all of them) but I want to highlight Niamh and Kit! Sweet dreamy Niamh came straight for my heart, she is the kindest soul but a little naive. She’s always putting others' needs first and trying to support her family, while also coping with her chronic illness. Kit my beloved, he's a prickly little thorn but deep down is a romantic. Kit is dealing with a lot of his own past trauma throughout this book, and I really enjoyed seeing him open up and let Niamh in. Their chemistry was so captivating, I was blushing and kicking my feet.

This book also dives into more complex topics of addiction, chronic illness and sexuality, I found it really raw and well written. I just couldn’t put this book down, it was so enchanting and I loved every page. It's just so Taylor Swift coded.

“You don’t have to hurt yourself because some else hurt you”

“Because it’s not meaningful to kill yourself little by little to make people happy!”

“That’s what your legacy is. It’s how you love the people around you, not how much you’ve sacrificed for them.”

— 3.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❝She had always believed life was what slipped through her fingers while she was idle. That life was something she wasted, not something she had. But now, she understood how wrong she'd been. Her heart beat. Her lungs swelled with air. Life was here, right in front of her.❞

📖 | 393 pages
👤 | author Allison Saft
🏢 | publisher Orion Children's Books
📅 | release date 4 January 2024

What you can expect:
— Young-Adult Historical Fantasy Romance
— Third-Person POV
— Singular-POV
— Regency-Inspired Setting
— Enemies-to-Lovers
— Prince X Seamstress
— Forbidden Romance
— Grumpy X Sunshine
— Magical Bloodlines
— Found Family

Trigger and content warnings include: extreme poverty, discrimination and mistreatment resulting from years of colonialism, genocide, dead/sick parents, abusive parent (off-page, past), alcohol abuse (recounted, past), homophobia, panic attacks and anxiety, chronic illness and resulting fatigue (on page).

A Fragile Enchantment is a standalone Young-Adult Historical Fantasy Romance by author Allison Saft. Niamh Ó Conchobhair has made a name for herself as a magical seamstress that can weave enchantments into the garments she creates. When Niamh receives an invite from the Royal family to act as a personal seamstress to the Prince of Avaland and his bride-to-be in anticipation for their upcoming nuptials, Niamh doesn't hesitate to accept and leave home in the hopes of securing a financially secure future for herself and her ailing family members. Unfortunately the overexertion of her magic comes are a severe cost, and Niamh is determined to provide for her family as long as she is still able. After arriving at the Royal Palace Niamh is swiftly introduced to the Prince Regent and his younger brother, the groom-to-be Kit Carmine. Kit is the opposite of what Niamh expected of royalty as he speaks outwardly without decorum and clear disdain. It becomes very apparent that this is a marriage borne from a political manoeuvre and not one of love. Ignoring the prickly, rude and seemingly spoiled Prince proves to be a difficult task as Niamh desperately wishes to perform well and do her family proud. But as it turns out there's more to Kit Carmine than meets the eye. When a gossip column begins to report on the budding and undeniable chemistry between Niamh and Kit which threatens a scandal and ultimate social ruin Niamh must decide if reputation should come above all else, whether her magic curse will allow her to experience love, and what cost she is willing to pay for a future she never thought possible.

I went into A Fragile Enchantment with the likes of "Bridgeton" and "Gossip Girl" in mind, and it absolutely did not disappoint. Set in a Regency-inspired setting and an elusive gossip column that seeks to out the secrets of high society, you really can't go wrong if this is something you have an interest in. The story was well-paced and I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters that we follow on this journey to the end. The tone-of-voice was slightly more sinister than I anticipated with its high-stakes and the dark themes explored, but ultimately the romance gifted the softer voice that I had been initially expecting and hoping for. I was really glad to see that this seemingly light-hearted and fluffy romance story divulged into difficult discussions including poverty, chronic illness and alcohol abuse. It added a gritty and compelling layer to the story that added to the believability of the characters and their lives that we are introduced to. The political conflict acted as a continuous theme throughout the book and it was interesting to watch as Niamh, Kit and Co. tried to navigate the unrest whilst fighting the urge to act upon their own desires.

❝Contentment was stagnation. It was surrender. It was death. What lay ahead of her was dark and uncertain. But behind her was a collapsing bridge, and underneath, a rising tide she could not outswim. The only thing to do was run blind.❞

Kind-natured and sensitive Niamh Ó Conchobhair was a joy to follow on this story as I adored her narration and felt so much awe and respect for her sense-of-duty and the responsibilities that she bore on her shoulders. All Niamh wants to do is be known as a respectable seamstress that can provide a comfortable life for her family, and to be able to pass on a legacy for any potential future generations. Knowing how it feels to struggle and live within simple means has Niamh in awe of the lavish lifestyle of the Upper Class. Family is her driving focus as she continues forward despite the cruelty and judgement that is directed her way by Noble men and women alike who hold a disdain for her heritage. Niamh is even-tempered and known for being particularly clumsy, but nobody brings out the fire in her veins like Kit Carmine. Kit's sour moods and brooding nature sparks an internal battle and challenge within Niamh as she learns to go toe-to-toe with him and speak out when he is behaving unkindly. Kit frustrates Niamh like nobody ever has before, and with it begins the slow and fragile companionship that grows and blooms. I really enjoyed reading as Niamh found security and confidence in her demeanour when in Kit's presence whilst holding onto her nurturing nature. Faced with challenges she had never encountered before we get to witness Niamh as she grows and evolves, and ultimately fights for what she believes to be right. She acted as a sound-mind for Kit as he waged war within himself, and their overall relationship progression was beautifully explored.

Kit Carmine puts the "g" in grumpy when we are first introduced to his character. Mystery surrounds Kit as his tumultuous background is often referred back to and alluded but not yet expanded until much later in the story. When the truth comes to light I truly felt for Kit and the trauma that he had endured as a young boy. We witness as he continually battles his defensive instincts which often demonstrates him speaking rashly and unkindly as he wishes to be a better man for Niamh. Niamh truly encouraged the best from Kit and often spoke to him candidly with care about what opportunities his station can present him. It was really rewarding to read as he slowly let down his walls and better-learned emotionally lean on his peers. I particularly enjoyed his kinship with his childhood friend Sinclair, who for better lack of words encouraged a more playful and boyish side to an otherwise stoic Kit. For a character that begins the story feeling isolated and alone we get to see as he gains a small community of love and friendship. Overall I found the characters to be wonderfully fleshed out and explored which left a sense of completion upon the conclusion.

As for what I didn't enjoy as much within A Fragile Enchantment I'm going to begin with the magic system. What showed whimsical and promising premise fell flat with its lack of history and substance. Magical beings known as "Fair Ones" are often mentioned but not particularly divulged into. These beings seem to be the key to the history of magic itself, and whilst their stories are somewhat covered I would have better preferred and benefitted with more time explaining this to make it all the more believable and engaging. This next point is likely more of a knit-pick and a personal preference, but at times certain words were used which caught me by surprise. The writing-style by author Allison Saft was atmospheric and whimsical, and benefitting to what I would expect from a Regency-inspired setting. However at one point a character uses the term "awesome" in conversation which just struck me as odd and a standout to the rest of the dialogue. It felt too modern of a term to include within this story, but otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed the use of language and dialogue that was presented within this story. Lastly, as satisfied as I am with overall the conclusion to the story... I find that it ultimately felt unfinished. The conflicts were a core point throughout the entire book and in the end I didn't feel the finality and resolution that I had hoped for. What became of the political conflicts that are so present and highlighted? What else is in store for Lovelace and their identity? What did Sinclair go on to do with his life? Miriam and Rosa? How did Niamh better fare with her symptoms asocciated with the use of her magic? Did Kit and Jack truly resolve their issues? Jack and Sofia? For me, there was more room to offer a clearer and final conclusion for these characters and the storylines that I have grown to fondly care for.

Thank you to Orion Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.