“The Rose Bargain” is a historical fantasy book written by Sasha Peyton Smith. Smith had previously written a duology in the same genre, “The Witch Haven” series, combining history and magic in a chaotic, but beautiful clash. Written to explore the dark side of fun fairytales, Smith wrote “The Rose Bargain” during a hard time in her life, and leans into the joy that reading brought her in her youth.
Set in mid-19th-century England, “The Rose Bargain” follows an English girl, Ivy. Part of high society in London, Ivy lives under the shadow of her older sister, Lydia, and the threat of her parents’ rapidly declining wealth and status. Ivy and her sister had a plan: Lydia would marry a childhood friend to secure the family’s place in society, and Ivy would live with them and never need to marry. All is going well until the night of Lydia’s Pact Parade. Because England isn’t normal, but run by a powerful fae queen, Mor. In the year of every girl’s 18th birthday, they can make a bargain with Mor to become prettier, smarter, or gain talents to help them find husbands. After her bargain, Lydia is devastated and can’t speak of Mor or her deal with the fae queen. As Lydia recovers, it is left to Ivy to save her family from ruin, and compete with other girls for the heart of the fae prince, Mor’s son Bram.
Personally, “The Rose Bargain” was a great read, and I finished it the day I received it. I was originally drawn in by the title, knowing it would be a fantasy book. Smith does a great job incorporating both darkness and light into the book, while sticking to original fae myths. With history, romance, and more than a touch of magic, “The Rose Bargain” is a great read for lovers of Holly Black and Emily Lloyd-Jones. It incorporates old stories of the fae and the culture of old England. Throughout the book, chapters featuring different characters give deep insight into what it was like to be a woman in high society and the stifling pressures that came with life. “The Rose Bargain” was a good read for a moderately light mood, but it also goes deeper to explore themes of romance and the difficult decision that Ivy, and dozens of other characters, have faced: love or duty? Ending with a surprising twist and sharp cut off, “The Rose Bargain” leaves room for a second book. If cliffhangers aren’t your thing, wait until book two of this series comes out in April of 2026. Book two is called “The Thorn Queen” and will complete the duology.
