A Fragile Enchantment

October 15, 2023
A tailor and a prince become entwined in a tenuous romance. When Niamh, who's from a working-class Machlish family, receives an invitation to serve as the tailor for the royal wedding of Avaland's Prince Christopher to the Castilian Infanta Rosa, she boards the ship, convinced that this Season will change her family's fortunes. Her ability to imbue emotions into her embroidery has earned her a reputation among the high-born, but using magic comes at a cost to her lifespan. Niamh arrives on Avaland's shores, only to find the country in turmoil. The exploited Machlish are striking in droves, a gossip columnist has alienated the court, and most troublesome of all, the brooding and reluctant Christopher, who goes by Kit, simultaneously vexes and beguiles her. With patience and persistence, Niamh pierces Kit's thorny, magicked defenses, but personal and political histories threaten their future. The descriptions of Niamh's handiwork are delicately crafted, as is the worldbuilding, which evokes a European historical setting and population. Names, the Machland crop famine, and Machlish legends point to Irish influences. Kit's prickliness and Niamh's empathetic nature create a heated attraction of opposites that risks positioning Niamh as overly self-sacrificing at the expense of her individuality and a satisfying character arc. However, well-rendered supporting characters are gratifying additions to the narrative, which wraps up somewhat hastily. A bit uneven, but fans of Regency romances will revel in this fantastical affair. (Fantasy romance. 14-18)

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Starred review from October 30, 2023
Saft (A Far Wilder Magic) expertly weaves together magic, political intrigue, and slow-burn romance in this evocative fantasy. When working-class dressmaker Niamh Ó Conchobhair is hired to use her magical abilities to create the marital outfits for high-society Infanta Rosa and Kit Carmine’s upcoming nuptials, she’s unprepared for the brutally frosty reception from Kit—as well as for how easy he is on the eyes—while she takes his measurements. As her feelings for Kit grow, so too does her awareness of how the court machinations Kit is embroiled in have devastated the rest of the kingdom. A gossip columnist known only as Lovelace blackmails Niamh into helping them uncover the Carmine family’s skeletons, forcing Niamh to choose between her perceived duty to the working class and her all-consuming love for Kit. Saft breathes enchanting life into this Regency-influenced fantasy world, and the intricate worldbuilding and class politics never come at the cost of the romantic leads’ titillating chemistry or the riveting plot that drives the action forward. Fans of both Regency romances and alternate-Earth fantasies will find much to pour over in this sweeping read. Characters are described with varying skin tones. Ages 13–up. Agents: Claire Friedman and Jessica Mileo, InkWell Management.

January 1, 2024

Gr 7 Up-Niamh � Conchobhair is a magical dressmaker with the ability to sew memories and emotions into her wares. She is invited to make a dress for the upcoming royal wedding in the Kingdom of Avaland. Her excitement is dashed upon arriving to the new land; the groom, Kit, is pretentious and unwelcoming as he prepares for a ceremony that he believes is more about politics than romance. The attraction that Niamh has for the groom is undeniable and also the subject of the local gossip column. A commoner among properly mannered characters who treat her rudely, Niamh finds herself in the middle of a scandal. Her awkwardness is evident in her interactions. While she has affection for Kit, she is overly giving and seems to sacrifice her beliefs in order to please him. The setting and worldbuilding is magical and has a strong European feel. Saft has included not only great imagery and forbidden romance, but also a coming out and politics; she takes on plenty of topics amidst the romance, making the flow of the novel slightly uneven. Characters are cued white; some are commoners with a background that stems from Machland, which is similar to Ireland based on historical references, while others are royalty. VERDICT Fans of regency fiction with a touch of magic will enjoy this gossipy romance with plenty of secrets. Recommended.-Karen Alexander

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January 1, 2024
Grades 10-12 Niamh, a young dressmaker with innate magical abilities and a rare talent for designing and making exceptional clothing, sails from her defeated country to Avaland, the home of their oppressors. The prince regent has hired her as a tailor, to create clothing for his sharp-witted, rebellious younger brother, Kit, whose arranged marriage will take place soon. Meanwhile, Niamh hopes that, if successful, after the wedding she can start a dressmaking business in the capital city to help support her family. From catty courtiers to rebellious servants to the enigmatic members of the ruling family, there are plenty of mysteries to distract her from her goals, but none is so compelling as her increasing attraction to Kit, the reluctant royal bridegroom-to-be and "the most curmudgeonly, unsociable client in the entire world." Though the novel's pace is uneven and romance fans can easily predict the story's outcome, many will keep reading to find out how it happens. A genre-blending combination of fantasy, court intrigue, and period romance.

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