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A Fragile Enchantment

by Allison Saft

Narrator Fran Burgoyne

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Length 14 hours 5 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“If Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was a YA book, it would be this fantasy of manners 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, a.k.a. 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. ”
— Megan • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Between the politics, magic, and romance of this story I can't get enough! You can feel the care and thought of this world seeped into the page. Kit and Niamh's romance is swoon worthy and adorable until the very end. ”
— Lana • E. Shaver, bookseller

Summary
About the author

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 gossip 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 listeners 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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books.

Romance Historical Fiction Fantasy YA Fiction

Allison Saft is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic and Down Comes the Night. After receiving her MA in English Literature from Tulane University, she moved from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast, where she spends her time rolling on eight wheels and practicing aerial silks.

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Audiobook details

Author:
Allison Saft

Narrator:
Fran Burgoyne

ISBN:
9781250331250

Length:
14 hours 5 minutes

Language:
English

Publisher:
Macmillan Audio

Publication date:
January 2, 2024

Edition:
Unabridged

Libro.fm rank:
#8,838 Overall

Genre rank:
#423 in YA Fiction

Reviews

“Saft expertly weaves together magic, political intrigue, and slow-burn romance in this evocative fantasy… Fans of both Regency romances and alternate-Earth fantasies will find much to pour over in this sweeping read.” –Publishers Weekly (starred)

“Fans of Regency romances will revel in this fantastical affair.” –Kirkus Reviews

"Fantasy of manners at its very height. A Fragile Enchantment brims with longing: between the bantering characters and in their desires for a better world. Allison Saft has a talent for dynamics you’ll adore." —Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"This delightful novel weaves together the romance and passion of a Regency romance with the magic, whimsy, and heart of a Ghibli film. I was left utterly enchanted." –Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

"Achingly romantic and full of heart....Saft proves that her ability to craft a heart-wrenching, healing love story is unparalleled. Like Niamh's enchanted gowns, Saft's story is woven with a kind of magic that keeps you in the palm of her hands from the first page to the very last." –Courtney Gould, author of Where Echoes Die

“Full of gorgeous prose, a captivating magic system, and lovable yet deeply flawed characters...Come for a romantic Bridgerton-esque escape into a beautiful fantasy world, but be prepared for danger, intrigue, and incisive political commentary at every turn." —Jamie Pacton, award-winning author of The Vermilion Emporium and The Absinthe Underground

Praise for A Far Wilder Magic:

“If simmering romance between two people with their walls all the way up is your jam, then this book will win your heart…romantic but not romanticized, A Far Wilder Magic suggests that the true quest isn't hunting the mythical beast, it's finding the truth within yourself.” —NPR.org

"Teeming with magic and alchemy, A Far Wilder Magic is an utterly transportive read...Saft crafts a deliberate, intricate romance that will have you as unmoored as the characters." —Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"This atmospheric, emotionally driven story focuses on the slow-burn romance between two outcasts who yearn to belong...Deeply romantic and utterly magical." —Kirkus Reviews

"Innovative, romantic, and intoxicating. A Far Wilder Magic is a diamond of the YA fantasy genre, with a fresh and artfully layered world and extraordinary characters to match." —Amanda Foody, author of Ace of Shades

"Saft's detailed alchemical system and rich, lyrical prose bring this dark fantasy to life, crafting a tale of perseverance and passion that will linger with readers long after they reach the final page." —Aden Polydoros, author of The City Beautiful

"Tender, intimate, and atmospheric...With devastatingly gorgeous prose, intricate worldbuilding, and an utterly original plot, Saft weaves a love story that will tear you apart and then stitch you whole again." —Ava Reid, author of The Wolf & The Woodsman

Praise for Down Comes the Night:

"Saft interweaves intrigue, romance, and magic to fashion a slow-burning and atmospheric fantasy debut." - Publishers Weekly

"Fans of Leigh Bardugo’s “Grisha Trilogy” and Marie Rutkoski’s “Winner’s Trilogy” have been waiting for this Darkling-esque romance...Those who pick up Saft’s debut will be richly rewarded on all counts." - School Library Journal (Starred Review)

"A tale of politics and war wrapped around an enemies-turned-maybe-something-more romance and all set inside a crumbling mansion full of deadly secrets all combine to create something truly unique." - Culturess

"Complex, carefully rendered, and utterly addictive, Down Comes the Night is a YA fantasy classic in the making." - Christine Lynn Herman, author of The Devouring Gray

"A twisty dark ride through a gothic world that‘ll keep you up all night....engrossing, haunting, and beautiful." - Isabel Ibañez, author of Woven in Moonlight

"Atmospheric, romantic, and just a touch eerie—this is the kind of story I love to get lost in." - Emily Lloyd-Jones, author of The Bone Houses