Graceless Heart

By Isabel Ibañez

Book Overview

#1 New York Times bestselling author Isabel Iba ez makes her adult debut with a gorgeous, historical, and romantic fantasy perfect for fans of One Dark Window and Ever After. A lush tale full of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: 1399742728
• ISBN13: 9781399742726
• Release Date: January 2025
• Publisher: Hodderscape
• Length: 489 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.

Customer Reviews

"After such a drawn-out story, the abrupt ending was incredibly frustrating..."

First off, I’m confused about whether this is meant to be a standalone or part of a series. The synopsis calls it an “achingly magical standalone,” but Goodreads lists it as book one in The Spellbound History series. That distinction matters, because the story doesn’t actually wrap up by the end. Instead, it stops mid-moment. Ravenna starts to say something, Saturnino tells her to come with him—and that’s it. After such a drawn-out story, the abrupt ending was incredibly frustrating and left the conclusion feeling unfinished. The beginning also drags, and the world-building left a lot to be desired. I understand that the author intended this to be historical fiction, but I wasn’t thrilled with her depiction of religious leaders in the Catholic faith or the way she chose to weave real historical events into the fantasy elements. The secondary characters also fell flat, as most of them were either nonexistent or felt like plot devices meant to further the MC’s storyline. It was a missed opportunity to develop friendships and give us more reasons to like—or dislike—the other people Ravenna interacts with. Instead, it’s Ravenna doing almost everything on her own, and Saturnino undergoes a noticeable personality change about halfway through the book. Yes, he starts to admit feelings for Ravenna, but I didn’t think it meant he also had to change so drastically. There’s also a hole in the story that doesn’t make sense. A prominent character is the child of two other important characters, but they’re also said to have a brother. How does that work? The main focus is on this one child, and it’s clear that the two weren’t conceived by the same parents. In the end, Graceless Heart didn’t wow me the way I was expecting. All the ingredients for an amazing story are there, but I think the author botched the recipe. The book could have benefited from more emphasis on world-building and character development. While I liked Ravenna, it would’ve been nice to spend time with other characters as well. Saturnino had the makings of a good morally gray love interest, but the switch from bad guy to lover didn’t feel natural or smooth. I’ll be curious to see whether this stays a standalone or turns into a series, but either way, it’s probably not one I’ll continue. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.