Book Review: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Allison Saft
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 2nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC.

I’LL CALL IT ENCHANTING.

The first half of this one took me a bit to grasp. For a standalone fantasy I thought some of the world building wasn’t as complete as I was hoping for and I didn’t quite follow everything that was happening.

What I did love from the beginning (and throughout) was the fashion content. I loved all of Niamh’s magical sewing and seeing how she wove her thoughts and feelings into real life pieces. And I did like Niamh and Kit as the main characters. The second half really showed off their chemistry and I do admit to being smitten with them by the end. I will also mention, this is NOT young adult in regards to romantic content (though writing style wise it does feel younger YA?).

I did like how most of the story was wrapped up by the end. And I really enjoyed the soft moments between Kit and Niamh. This absolutely has Bridgerton vibes with the drama and scandal and a few other things in between. Combining this was the fantasy world was fun and ultimately I did like this book a lot.

Overall audience notes: