readwithria's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
A Fragile Enchantment was a sweet, lovely book about love, duty, and putting oneself first. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Niamh and Kit are so adorable, and I love their friends as well. They all complement each other so wonderfully, and I loved seeing not only the romantic dynamic between our two leads but also their blossoming friendships as well.
I think that the balance of romance and political intrigue was done quite well! That can be a struggle for me with historical romance, but Saft did a great job. She also balanced the obvious inspirations of Ireland, England, and Spain with the fantastical worldbuilding of Machland, Avaland, and Castilia. I could easily tell where she found her inspiration, but I could also tell that she took that history and made it her own. I wish there had been a bit more separation of the real-world history and the fantasy world of the book, but that is my personal preference.
Read this book if you love
🪡 Regency romance
🪡 Grumpy/sunshine
🪡 Queer found family
🪡 Political intrigue
🪡 Royalcore
🪡 Cottagecore
🪡 Gardening
🪡 Sewing
I will say that some of the plot points felt either not quite resolved or resolved too quickly, but otherwise, this was so lovely and I can’t wait to read more from Allison Saft. 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC and the opportunity to leave an honest, voluntary review.
Niamh and Kit are so adorable, and I love their friends as well. They all complement each other so wonderfully, and I loved seeing not only the romantic dynamic between our two leads but also their blossoming friendships as well.
I think that the balance of romance and political intrigue was done quite well! That can be a struggle for me with historical romance, but Saft did a great job. She also balanced the obvious inspirations of Ireland, England, and Spain with the fantastical worldbuilding of Machland, Avaland, and Castilia. I could easily tell where she found her inspiration, but I could also tell that she took that history and made it her own. I wish there had been a bit more separation of the real-world history and the fantasy world of the book, but that is my personal preference.
Read this book if you love
🪡 Regency romance
🪡 Grumpy/sunshine
🪡 Queer found family
🪡 Political intrigue
🪡 Royalcore
🪡 Cottagecore
🪡 Gardening
🪡 Sewing
I will say that some of the plot points felt either not quite resolved or resolved too quickly, but otherwise, this was so lovely and I can’t wait to read more from Allison Saft. 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC and the opportunity to leave an honest, voluntary review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Violence
intensej's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I would consider this a romance book with a fantasy setting. The characters were interesting and likable, but I felt like the plot and writing style was too predictable and trite. The unknown Lovelace character who sends anonymous letters to the nobility was very reminiscent of Lady Whistledown in Julia Quinn books. This was a light romance read with some decent worldbuilding. The sex scenes in the book were not overly graphic. A Fragile Enchantment may appeal to YA readers.
I would consider this a romance book with a fantasy setting. The characters were interesting and likable, but I felt like the plot and writing style was too predictable and trite. The unknown Lovelace character who sends anonymous letters to the nobility was very reminiscent of Lady Whistledown in Julia Quinn books. This was a light romance read with some decent worldbuilding. The sex scenes in the book were not overly graphic. A Fragile Enchantment may appeal to YA readers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
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
chronicacademia's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Ableism, Colonisation, Infidelity, Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
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