read if you like: ♡ enemies to lovers ♡ grumpy x sunshine ♡ bridgerton, regency inspired setting ♡ fthank you netgalley for the arc !
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 5/5 stars
read if you like: ♡ enemies to lovers ♡ grumpy x sunshine ♡ bridgerton, regency inspired setting ♡ forbidden love ♡ an anonymous scandal sheet à la lady whistledown & gossip girl
➸ swathed in sparkling magic, stitched with lulling prose and a darling romance unspooling through its filaments, allison saft has outdone herself with the very fabric of a fragile enchantment, so nimbly tailored to a regency inspired setting. for any bridgerton lovers who have a thirst for something in that vein, look no further and slake yourselves here.
➸ in a stroke of good fortune and thanks to her growing prestige as a magical dressmaker, niamh ó conchobhair has been summoned to the neighbouring kingdom avaland’s court to assemble a wardrobe for a royal wedding. needing no encouragement whatsoever, niamh summarily sets off to better the lives of her loved ones - for soon she will no longer be in a position to do so. the same magic coursing through her veins with which she creates these impossible articles of clothing is slowly eating away at her life-force and her time is limited. now, as she arrives on the shores of avaland, it’s become more than clear to her that for all her imaginings, it is not the romantic oasis she had in mind. she’s even disenchanted with the man of the hour himself, the groom and second prince kit carmine, who regards her as disdainfully as he does the impending wedding. as the two of them chafe against one another only to then draw together against all odds - it's only a matter of time before they start drawing the notice of those around them.
➸ sensitive, inexhaustibly sweet niamh feels beholden to her family who suffered through a genocide and then rose up in rebellion to secure a future for posterity. in the face of such wholesale trauma, she feels that her own strife is a mere trifle, thus enduring everything with a grateful, indebted smile on her face. and yet, in spite of niamh’s even-temperedness, the truculent kit brings out a feistier side to her as the two of them exchange words as heated as a house-fire. little wonder then, that beneath it all the two of them do get on like a house on fire. as a fierce romantic, niamh’s gaze affords us a cozy prospect of the story to look out upon. her mind was such an uplifting place to take up residence in.
➸ his character piercingly distilled in a description by sinclair quite early on, kit has been helming a campaign against himself and his own best interests for so long that those around him are casualties in the fog of war. despite his best efforts to lead niamh into believing he cares not a whit for her, his actions, bristling with affection for her, betray him relentlessly - to my great enjoyment. another detail in kit’s composition of note was his shorter stature and spare frame; i’m all for diversity and range in characters so this was a welcome addition!!! he’s like a chocolate cookie posturing as a raisin cookie.
➸ even though i’ve gone on and discussed kit and niamh ad nauseam - it’s not in any way a reflection of my being unenthused with any other facet of the story. on the contrary, it’s all so wonderful i’d probably drone on at such great length it would be suspect and someone might then fall under the misapprehension that i’ve been paid for this. no, the plot itself is equally as captivating as the characters inlaid within it, the pacing accommodates everything perfectly and the writing is finely tuned to the era.
➸ conclusion : awash with lingering hands, tender looks and charming banter laced with dandelion-seed soft affection, a fragile enchantment leaves me sighing wistfully until its release date when i’ll doubtless be reading it again....more
This was absolutely heart wrenching and devastatingly beautiful. I have no criticisms to offer for once. I urge anyone and everyone to read t5/5 stars
This was absolutely heart wrenching and devastatingly beautiful. I have no criticisms to offer for once. I urge anyone and everyone to read this ...more
This book made me feel angry, upset, sympathetic and hopeful all in a quick, sharp read. I haven't felt so much emotion from a novel in a lon5/5 stars
This book made me feel angry, upset, sympathetic and hopeful all in a quick, sharp read. I haven't felt so much emotion from a novel in a long, long time and I think it's a true testament to how painfully accurate O'Neill manages to tell the tale of so many women. Sarah is selfish, bitter, cruel, manipulative and extremely unlikeable and yet you are forced to care for her. That's no easy feat. Sarah's story is one most women will experience at least once in their life and the trauma that comes out of it is rarely ever discussed. I hope that more women can read this and grow just as Sarah does and most importantly, know that they're not alone with this....more
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