The Rose Bargain was one of the most imaginative and interesting fantasy books I have picked up recently. It is like the tricksy fae and politics of The Cruel Prince meets the Regency romance of Bridgerton with a pinch of The Selection.
At the centre of it all, we have Ivy. She is passionate, loyal and deeply loving, though she can sometimes be a bit spiky or a bit too trusting. The mystery surrounding her sister’s disappearance pushes her to want to uncover the truth, at any cost. There is a social aspect, with her family relying on her to save them from ruin. This all weighs heavily on her shoulders and causes her to push everyone away from her. However, she is in a nest of vipers and trust is not always worth the price exacted. Something I really enjoyed was the relationship Ivy had with Lydia, which is complex and tangled up in secrets, but is ultimately one of love beyond everything. Ivy has her own guilt over what happened a year ago and this affects how she moves through the competition deeply. The twists and turns surrounding this were excellent and I look forward to seeing more in book two.
I would be remiss to not talk about the romance that weaves itself into the book. This is such a fun and complicated dynamic that is juicy and adds new elements into an already dramatic situation. It heightens the emotions involved with a few complications to boot. Not everything is at it may seem and this includes romantically entangled characters. Some of these scenes will make your heart flutter, others will break them. Sasha is great at creating chemistry that sparks off the page. It keeps you guessing, with several twists and turns along the way. Love is a weapon and a force for good within these pages. It is dangerous and all-consuming, but it may also set you free. Romance is also very much interwoven with the main plotline, as you would expect from a book all about a courtship competition. Watching different scenes gives you a glimpse into what might be and what may have been. It is deeply messy and rich. There are plenty of avenues left open with the final page, so we will see what develops in the next book.
Within the thorns of court, there is a sweet friendship that blooms. These suitors are in direct competition, with sky-high expectations weighing on their shoulders and stakes that are more dangerous than they initially seem. There is a tenuous truce formed at times, which is a nice reprieve, but you are keenly aware that it is all too temporary. As part of this, I loved the inclusion of chapters from every potential suitor‘s point of view. It just added a depth to them that moved them beyond the stereotypes they may fill at the start. You get to know a little about their motivations and beliefs, while also seeing how their dynamics shift and change.
A key concept of this book is the bargains made with the blood-thirsty Queen Mor. They are fascinating and I loved that Peyton Smith includes examples of them to flesh out the world-building around them. They are used in interesting ways, to advance the characters socially or to give them something they desperately need. Ultimately they are a question of sacrifice and exemplify the fae as the trickster beings they can often be presented as. There is a sense of cruelty and malice to them, but also of ambivalence and randomness. The bargains highlight how insignificant the mortals are to the fae—silly little playthings for amusement. This is continued in the trials within the courtship. These are brutal, mind-twisting games that add a darker element to the plot and add tangible stakes beyond the societal repercussions of failure.
The Rose Bargain sets a high price—you may lose your heart to this splendid story of deception, intrigue and cunning, wrapped up in a lavish bow of fantasy and romance.
The Rose Bargain is available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble, Waterstones, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of February 13th 2025.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen.
High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one’s happiest childhood memory. A perfect smile for one’s ability to taste.
But Ivy Benton’s debut season arrives with a shocking twist: a competition to secure the heart of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin… and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her.
Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart—and at the center of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything Ivy knows.
Sweepingly romantic and deceptively enchanting, this alternate history romantasy will enthrall readers of Holly Black, Stephanie Garber, and Adalyn Grace.
