A Fragile Enchantment

"*Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Allison Saft for this e-ARC.* This was such an amazing read. This was my first book by Allison Saft and I'll say that her writing is just so immersive! I absolutely love these characters and my gosh the political intrigue! I'm not going to spoil anything because this is a story you'll just need to read. Even though I already got this ARC, I will be purchasing the physical copy because I know I'm going to want to read it again! Will I be reading more by this author? Yes, yes I will. Thank you again NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Allison Saft."

"If you are looking for a whimsical heart wrenching swoonworthy romantic story, here you go. It tries to give off "enemies to lovers," but really it gives off "love at first" sight vibes. I loved the lgbtq representation that didn't fall into characters, but I did get confused by some of the "hey you're like me" confessions because they seemed to contradict other "let me tell you about my past" confessions. You can clearly tell what influenced the story, but it does not give off fanfic vibes or just a plagiarized version of Bridgerton. I loved the characters and want more of their Merry adventures in the future. 9/10."

"A Fragile Enchantment is one of the best books I’ve read in months! It was whimsical, and sweet, and angsty. <br/><br/>The story follows Niamh (an extremely positive dress-maker that can embed her designs with magic that brings forth certain memories or feelings) and Kit (a moody prince with a sharp tongue who doesn’t have full control of his powers, when he feels intense emotions the plants around him seem to have a mind of their own). <br/><br/>Allison Saft is a master at crafting well developed magic systems and combining them with swoon worthy romances. As I was reading I felt like Niamh’s magic was real, it was so vividly described. It helped that her magic was tied to emotion because it made me feel everything Niamh was feeling as she sewed. <br/><br/>I like to think both Niamh and Kit are cinnamon rolls, although Kit might be one in disguise. The two were so clearly perfect for each other, but I’m glad Saft took time to develop their feelings. Niamh feels this need to put everyone’s happiness above her own and Kit has never really thought about what he wants for himself. So these two definitely made for an interesting dynamic. Add on top of that Kit’s inability to say anything without sounding a little harsh and Niamh’s sensitivity, CHEF’S KISS. <br/><br/>I truly don’t know how to express just how much I loved these characters. It’s like when you see a cute animal and want to squish its face. That’s me with Niamh and Kit. <br/><br/>(Also the side characters were well written, I just needed to gush about the MCs)<br/><br/>Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review."

"Thank you to Netgalley for the digital advanced reader copy! <br/><br/>A whimsical and cozy standalone fantasy, Allison Saft's newest book <i>(01.30.2024)</i> just about perfectly balances elements of fantasy, romance, magic, political intrigue, and oppression and family - both in pacing and emphasis. Complete with representation not dissimilar to her 2022 release <i> ([b:A Far Wilder Magic|48909025|A Far Wilder Magic|Allison Saft|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620919835l/48909025._SY75_.jpg|74303459]) </i> a briefly implied Jewish Spanish woman, and a handful of queer characters, all shimmer like the divine-blooded under the spotlight in this novel, diving into the relationship between what appears to be a magical version of Ireland and Great Britain.<br/><br/>A Fragile Enchantment heavily explores themes of what it means to live, to truly experience life<br/><br/><i>"Her heart beat. Her lungs swelled with air. Life was here, right in front of her." </i><br/><br/> as well as a romance that, at first, appears to be quite unexpected, despite the cover art. With a dazzling thread of strongly structured plot, threaded through the needle that is Allison Saft's enchanting writing style used to sew together the fabric of every detail, every romantic scene, every gesture, Saft guides the reader through the resulting story full of life, love, longing, and yearning, that is just as magical, just as heartbreaking and just as powerful as any single garment that Niamh Ó Conchobhair could sew by hand, imbuing the novel with all the emotions and care that were so meticulously described as the result of Niamh's own magical craft."

"It a cute book it took a while to get in to my rating is like 4.5."

"This book seems to be a favorite with other readers: it just wasn't mine."

"Thank you to Allison Saft and Wednesday books for a free audio ARC in exchange for my full, honest review.<br/><br/>3.9 stars, what a delight!<br/><br/>Readers of Divine Rivals and A Study in Drowning will love A Fragile Enchantment! This is my second Alison Saft book and I look forward to her work in the future. I think her characters and how she depicts romance works very well for me. The queer and chronic-illness rep also hit especially close to home. I'm not a big fan of regency romance usually but it I think it suits the story and general light-heartedness well. I was really blown away by the characters, which I didn't especially connect to in A Far Wilder Magic. Kit and Niamh were lovely, very grumpy-sunshine if you're into that, and Rosa and Sinclair made for great background characters. If you're looking for a really soft, happy romance with just a touch of fantasy elements this will absolutely be your jam.<br/><br/>The issues I have with this book are not really the books fault. If you want something a little angsty with some dark moments, this will not have that. I like my comfort with a healthy dose of hurt, so this wasn't entirely satisfying for me. I also have some trouble with fantasy worlds that very strongly mirror real life history and nations because for me it compromises immersion. Avaland is very much just England, and Machland is very much Ireland, potato famine and all. Not necessarily bad things, just not for me and possibly not for you.<br/><br/>That being said, I absolutely recommend this and look forward to seeing more from Saft in the future (particularly if she writes a series!)"

"First off thank you so much to Netgalley and Wednesday books for allowing me to read an ARC of this masterpiece. This book is so beautifully written and the descriptive imagery was amazing. While reading this book I was watching it all play out in my head. The combination of enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, and forbidden love was an absolute whirlwind. I loved this book and I will be looking into reading more by Allison Saft."

"3.5"

"Oh my god! I don’t even know where to start with this book, it's everything I’ve ever wanted. The relationship between Niamh and Kit was so cute and beautiful. They had me from the beginning of the book, as did all the other characters. Rosa and Miriam’s relationship was amazing as well and just as beautifully written as the main couple. Even the magic was pretty."