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⭐️⭐️⭐️ | It’s Okay. Still Recommend.
Faerie bargains, royal drama, and a dash of romance set in an alternate London—The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith offers plenty of vibes, even if it doesn’t fully deliver on character depth.
Summary:
London, 1848—For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire.
As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family’s social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy’s marriage prospects are nonexistent. So when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram’s hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. What a bargain can’t fix, a crown certainly could.
Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner—with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram’s brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother’s heart…for a price. But as the season sweeps Ivy away, with glittering balls veiling the queen’s increasingly vicious trials, Ivy realizes there’s more at stake than just a wedding. Because all faerie bargains come with a cost, and Ivy may have discovered hers too late.
Read this if you like:
- Sneaky faerie bargains
- Royal intrigue in high society
- Alternate historical settings
- Slight love triangle drama
- Dark undertones with a romantic edge
📖 What’s Inside:
- High society ballrooms 🏴
- Single POV + extra POVs
- Trials and challenges 🪡
- 🌈 Inclusive cast
- Explicit language
- On-page intimacy 🟡
- 🛏️ Only one room at the inn
- Dark undertones 🖤
✨ Vibes:
Pride and Prejudice meets The Selection with a dash of The Cruel Prince.
💭 My Thoughts:
This one was a mixed bag for me. The setup? Super intriguing. I loved the concept of faerie bargains woven into an alternate historical London. It’s unique, and the premise hooked me fast.
But here’s where it stumbled: the characters. The FMC had flashes of wit—her banter made me laugh more than once—but her internal voice felt flat compared to her dialogue. Same goes for the MMCs: decent on the surface, but lacking depth. The romance didn’t leave a strong impression either, though I appreciated the tension of the almost-love-triangle.
So, is it perfect? No. Is it fun? Absolutely. The Rose Bargain is more of a vibe read—a story you sink into for the atmosphere, politics, and sneaky bargains, even if the characters don’t leap off the page. And yes, I’ll still be picking up book two.
✨ Loved this review? Don’t lose track of it! Scroll down and pin this post for later so you’ll always have your next fantasy escape ready. ⬇️
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