NetGalley Review: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
Hey all, Sam here.
This has been the longest week, or it has felt like the longest week. I will be so glad to get finished with my work shift today and head into my “weekend,” which actually is Sun-Tues. I’m hoping it also means that I’ll have time for more reading, writing, and blogging.
All right, we are back with another review of a book I read last month. I had this read in time for its release day (Jan 2) and had wanted to have the review written up then, but with the way work went because of the holiday weekend, I was extremely tired and it didn’t end up happening. That seems to be a recurring issue at the moment, but I’m working on keeping a steady routine again, which means there will be plenty of posts and reviews coming.
Let’s jump into it.
My Thoughts
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.
Rating: 4.5 stars
This was a soft cozy gentle fantasy (I mean, look at that cover. It’s just dripping with soft gentle romance) that held a little bit of edge, and it was extremely clear that “Bridgerton” had a heap of influence on this book. There is a Lady Whistledown-style character sharing gossip and opinions on what is going on in Avaland.
There is a little political intrigue that brings some tension and drama to things, especially as Niamh and Kit grow closer. My main issue is that I thought some of the romance and world-building was a bit lacking at times. While I enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery and the wedding preparations, I wanted more detail about the magic of the world, especially Niamh’s magic. To me it felt like we were just scratching the surface of detail about it, and just expected to move on with the story. But I love understanding the magic. Niamh knew that stitching emotions and memories into her designs had a cost, but it was like she herself felt trapped and obligated to keep using her magic, even though it was clearly killing her.
Honestly, from the beginning, I just expected Niamh and Kit to be together and so following their story was a little less exciting for me. I wanted to know more about the side characters…and some were given more focus than others, which felt a bit disappointing.
Wow, I feel like this review is making this feel less like a 4.5 star rating, but I promise that I was swept away by this book overall, and I did read it fairly quickly. And honestly one of the most fun mysteries of the story was discovering the identity of the gossip columnist. I thought I had figured it out, and I ended up being completely wrong, and that made things really interesting.
Oh, and the relationships/romances of the side characters…or rather the tension and build-up and longing of some of the side characters for other side characters….I wanted more of that because it was delicious.
Anyway, I have enjoyed every story by Allison Saft that I have read so far, and I know I will be reading her next release as well, an adult debut coming this fall….and that I’ve already been approved for on NetGalley.
Well that is all from me for today. Thank you so much for stopping by and I’ll be back soon with more geeky content.
