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meganpbell's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
If Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was a YA book, it would be this fantasy and its aching forbidden romance between a magical dressmaker from a former colony, hired for the royal wedding, and the king's wayward, plant-magic-wielding second son, the groom. Together, Niamh, soft as velvet, and Kit, prickly as a briar patch, risk not only scandal, but war, ruin, uprising, and the loss of all the armor and thorns both have used to protect themselves from life and love ‘til now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness
Minor: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Sexual content, Death of parent, Child abuse, Car accident, and War
pagewanderer_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I am such a huge fan of Allison Saft’s writing style. It is lyrical and cozy and silly which made A Fragile Enchantment such a quick and fun read.
I don’t usually gravitate towards Regency Romance books, but knowing it would incorporate Fantasy, and being such a fan of Saft’s work, I knew this was a perfect time to give it another try. And she did not disappoint. If you like Bridgerton-esque books with a magical backdrop, look no further.
Niamh is an impoverish seamstress who gets the job of a lifetime when she is offered to create the Prince’s entire wardrobe for the “Season” leading up to his wedding. The Prince, Christopher (Kit), however, is a grumpy unwilling participant in the arranged marriage and makes Niamh’s job very hard.
Niamh’s life is limited due to a “generational magical disease” and this job is the last hope she has to providing for her family. So she works even harder to try to get Kit to cooperate. But as they spend more time together, she sees he’s not as prickly as he makes himself out to be. With the Season in full swing, Niamh has to navigate not only court etiquette and the politics behind the marriage, but also her burgeoning attraction to Kit. (The slow burn is unreal and so satisfying!)
But this is why Niamh is the perfect FMC. Despite everything she has been through and is going through, she is resilient and kind and a little naive but so true to herself while continuously growing and learning to be better.
Saft hits on a lot of very big themes with not only her beautiful world building, but also with each character we are introduced to. Every character is so well thought out and has a purpose spotlighting things like LGBTQ issues, alcoholism, chronic illness, race, status, and politics.
I think the only critique I would have of this book is that the fantasy of it all is just in the background. As in, it exists and some people have it, but there’s not really much backstory. I guess I just wanted more of it.
Regardless, it was a whimsical tale with so much underneath the YA surface that will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, Allison Saft for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Alcoholism, and Chronic illness
Moderate: War
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