A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Title: A Fragile Enchantment

Author: Allison Saft

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy

Series: N/A

Hardcover, 384 pages 

Publication: January 2, 2024 by Wednesday Books
Source: Personal library 
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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.

MY THOUGHTS

A Fragile Enchantment was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. I’ve been wanting to read it since it was first announced with its beautiful cover of soft pastel colors and intriguing synopsis. A Fragile Enchantment was the perfect blend of Pride and Prejudice and Bridgerton with a dash of magic. The story is narratored by Niamh, a Divine Blood Dressmaker. Niamh is able to stitch her feelings into the garment she creates; allowing the wearer to feel all types of emotions. With the household and financial responsibilities on her shoulder, Niamh accepts a deal of a lifetime; to dress the Duke and future Duchess of Avaland. Except things become complicated when she meets the young Duke himself, the groom, Kit Carmine.

 I’ve been reading a lot of heavy or intense fantasy fiction lately and A Fragile Enchantment came right on time to lighten the mood. The book incorporated my two loves which are period pieces and magic. The whole book was very sweet and wholesome. I absolutely adored Niamh. She was just incredibly kind and pure-hearted, even when the nobles were being cold and snarky. However, there were times  when her innocent nature created unnecessary drama. And oh how perfect was Kit, the complete opposite of Niamh. The epitome of the popular trope grumpy and sunshine. I love their interaction and banter. The plot was very straightforward, the world building interesting enough to engage the reader without being overly complex. I would say this book leaned more on the younger side of Young Adult as everything was very PG-13. But that didn’t take away my enjoyment of the story.

The only con for me was The Tattler in the newspaper. It was pretty much a straight copy of Julia Quinn’s gossip column, Lady whistledown. I couldn’t read it without my mind drifting to Quinn’s books or the TV show, Bridgerton therefore it pulled me away from the story  more than I liked. 

Overall, I am happy to have read A Fragile Enchantment, it lived up to my expectations. And it was exactly what I needed at the moment; something quick and easy to read with wonderful characters. Bonus it’s a standalone, so everything wrapped up nicely.  This was my first Saft book and it surely won’t be my last. Looking forward to checking out more of her work.