Book Nook February Read: The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith

For February, the WE ARE ELIXIR Book Nook picked up The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith, a fantasy that blends the drama of the Ton (yes, Bridgerton fans, you will feel right at home) with the danger and intrigue of the faerie world. It is set against a backdrop of old-world expectations where women are treated like bargaining chips for their family’s social standing, while men move through society with far more freedom.

How we chose this month’s book

Our Book Nook has 8 members, and we all lean toward different genres. That is kind of the point of the group: each month we try something new so everyone gets the chance to discover a genre they might not normally pick up.

Before choosing the book, members suggested what genre we should start with. Fantasy won by majority vote. After that, Ryan and I narrowed it down by browsing Amazon and comparing a few options, and The Rose Bargain was the one we landed on.

Our TikTok discussion

On 28 February, we all jumped on TikTok to talk through our thoughts. A few people could not make it, and a couple chose not to finish the book because they could not get into the structure and presentation early on.

We also had someone join who is not part of the Book Nook but had read the book previously, and honestly, that was a really nice touch. It added a fresh perspective and made the chat feel even more community-driven.

My reading experience (and why the first chapters were tough)

I will be real: at the beginning, I struggled. The opening flashback threw me off, and for a while I felt like I was fighting the structure rather than enjoying the story. But I am not someone who likes leaving books unfinished, so I pushed through.

After chapter 5, everything clicked. The atmosphere shifts into something more mysterious and dangerous, and it stops feeling like a straightforward faerie-tale romance. The bargains themselves become the real hook: deals made in exchange for jewels, beauty, or even memory. Some characters are willing to trade anything for an advantage, while others refuse to bargain for themselves and instead try to change someone else’s fate, only to be shut down by the Queen.

Ivy’s character development

One of the strongest parts of the book for me was Ivy’s growth. She starts out focused on revenge for her sister and her family, but over time she begins to care about the other girls she is competing against. On top of that, she develops feelings for Prince Emmet, which complicates everything because she is supposed to be battling for Prince Bram’s hand in marriage.

Her hatred for the Queen and the royal family is constant, and she does not exactly hide it. It is also not random. Ivy’s sister Lydia debuted before her, and after making a bargain, Lydia lost her memory of what she asked for. Then she went missing, which brought shame on the family and caused their social standing to collapse.

The relationships that stood out

I really liked the small LGBTQ+ romance the author included between Marion and Faith. It brought a modern warmth into a world that can otherwise feel rigid and cruel.

And then there is the dynamic between Bram and Emmet. Bram’s innocence and the brotherly bond between them is genuinely captivating. It reads like a heartfelt “brother sticking up for brother” relationship, which makes later developments hit even harder.

The Queen’s challenges (dark, chaotic, and addictive)

The Queen’s trials, designed to ensure Bram ends up with the “best” possible wife, are dark and chaotic in the best way. Every time a new challenge appeared, it raised the stakes and made me want to keep reading just to see what awful thing she would force them to endure next.

The twist I did not see coming

By the end, I was fully invested, and then the book pulled off a twist that genuinely shocked me. Bram, who has been positioned as the sweet, innocent prince, turns out to be the villain.

While everyone assumes the Queen is the true enemy (and to be fair, the bargains make that assumption feel reasonable), the story flips it completely. Bram dethrones his mother to take power for himself, becoming King of both the human realm and the faerie realm. When he does, every bargain the Queen ever created is suddenly reversed. For some people, that is a blessing. For others, it is devastating.

Lydia’s missing time, explained

Another reveal that hit hard was learning what really happened while Lydia was missing. She was not just “gone.” She was in the faerie realm, held prisoner by Prince Bram.

Lydia had bargained for more adventure, and the Queen’s twisted interpretation of that wish was to send her into the faerie world. She found plenty of adventure, but Bram took a liking to her and kept her there. Eventually, Lydia escaped back to the human world, but because of the bargain, she could not remember where she had been or why.

The ending (and the setup for book two)

During Bram and Ivy’s wedding, when the bargains are lifted, Lydia finally remembers who took her. In a moment of distraction, Bram takes her again.

Ivy has no idea what has happened and searches desperately for her sister, but she cannot find her. That is when Ivy and Emmet realise the truth: they were never the only ones trying to dethrone the Queen. They were helping Bram get exactly what he wanted, and in the process, Ivy’s sister is in danger all over again.

Now Bram is married to one sister, while the other is locked away in the faerie world.

What could possibly happen next?

Final thoughts

In the end, The Rose Bargain turned out to be wildly entertaining, especially once the story finds its rhythm. The darker tone, the bargains, and the betrayals make it hard to put down, and that ending absolutely sets up the next book in a way that makes you need answers.

The sequel comes out in April this year, and I cannot wait.

If you enjoyed this review, give the book a read and tell us what you think. We love hearing different sides to every story.