Reviews with content warning for Grief - A Fragile Enchantment

I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great read. I was just immediately pulled into this fantasy world. It felt very fairytale like, and I really liked the magic system. I thought it was so interesting, especially how it is tied to a craft at times, like with our main character. I thought it was quite different from anything I've read before, and I just thought it was incredibly interesting. I also liked how this book didn't really overexplain it. The magic just existed in this world, and I quite liked how that was done.
I also thought the plot was really well crafted. It is a more generic YA fantasy plot but I do think it was executed really well. The main focus of the book is the romance, and not the political intrigue, but I do like how it was incorperated into the story, and it felt very natural and real.
Of course, my favourite thing about this book was the romance. It was incredibly well developed. I loved seeing them slowly opening up to each other. They had a lot of really fun, light moments, but they also had a lot of really emotional moments where they get to open up to each other. I also really love how both of them put in such an effort to make sure the other person betters their life, even if it doesn't include themselves. I know, that might not make a whole lot of sense but I'm trying to phrase things without spoilers.
With the romance developement came also a lot of character developement. That's another element of this book I really enjoyed. I do wish it wasn't as closely tied into the romance. I just preffer it when character's want to change because they aren't happy with their lives, not just because the love interest alone sees they are not happy with their lives. Again, I do not know if that makes sense, but I hope you understand my point. However, I do really like the character growth both our main character and her love interest go through throughout this book. I really thought the characters were incredibly interesting and I loved learning more of that throughout the book. So yeah, I wasn't absolutely in love with this book but I did really, really enjoy it, and I highly recommend it.

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briannad4's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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krisalexcole's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT is an emotional story of complicated paths to happiness, featuring a seamstress who falls in love with the prince whose wedding clothes she's designing. With much to prove and everything to lose, Niamh tries to hide her feelings in order to not make a volatile political situation even worse by upending the upcoming wedding. But, as they spend more and more time together, her feelings become impossible to hide, and his protectiveness is starting to include her wellbeing.

The worldbuilding is excellent, working with the characterization to set up a fantasy version of regency England (Avaland), complete with a magic-fueled but no less terrible history with fantasy Ireland (Machland), including calling out this fictional version of the potato blight and contributing policies as genocide. One of the core tensions in the book is that Kit's brother and current regent, Jack, is ignoring the frustrated calls for better treatment and redress of concerns from the Machlish. Niamh is a Machlishwoman, invited to Avaland for her magic and skills as a seamstress. She finds herself falling in love with Kit when she's supposed to be making the clothes for his wedding and the formal appearances leading up to the bit event. Rosa, his betrothed (from what I'm pretty sure is fantasy Catalan or perhaps Spain), is as personally uninterested in the wedding as Kit is, but they are both going through with the political union for the sake of others. This leads to a very fun narrative space where Niamh is trying to navigate her feelings for Kit, but isn't automatically breaking someone else's heart in pursuing her own happiness. The mysterious gossip columnist, on the other hand, keeps having something to say about it, driving the threats of scandal even if the parties directly involved don't see it that way.

I love Kit and Niamh's chemistry. I'm a sucker for most variants of grumpy/sunshine, and especially for brooding (masc) characters who get pulled out of their shell, and this one is excellent. As the story unfolds, Kit's initial combativeness and disdain makes much more sense. I laughed and laughed when I got to the part with the very first item Niamh made for Kit. It's such a fantastic bit of characterization and plot, just the idea of that coat as his first real introduction to her skill in a public-facing setting. They've both become used to putting aside their own wants and needs in order to sacrifice for others, but each of them has been going about it in different ways. Kit has been floundering and frustrated because none of his direct attempts make it through to his brother and he's oscillating between desperately trying and abandoning all hope. Niamh is using up her time and body by being reckless with her energy when she has a hereditary chronic illness which will eventually turn terminal. They've both been trading pieces of themselves to help other people, and their relationship is the first positive and selfish thing either of them has attempted in a long while.

I'm very pleased with the ending, it's even better than I could have hoped for and more than any of the characters dared to dream. I'm looking forward to what this author does next.

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meganpbell's review against another edition

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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.

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chronicacademia's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes

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