Swordheart is, unsurprisingly, an absolute delight. Classic T Kingfisher; full of lovable characters who you want to follow forever. I’m always happy in the world of the white rat!!

I really enjoyed this book (no surprise there).
Halla is trying to kill herself in order to escape having to marry a man with clammy hands. The sword sword she chooses to throw herself on happens to be an enchanted on and it turns into Sarkis, ancient warrior turned ... well, sword.
He's bound to protect her from everything, including herself. So he helps her escape and they set off on a wild adventure to try and find a lawyer to help Halla keep her inheritance.
This book is set in the world of the Paladins. It was really nice to see lawyer from the Temple of the Rat again (great non-binary rep). This book was interesting and Halla was genuinely funny. She's a heroine who has weaponised her 'incompetence' (she says 'they don't kill stupid women, they just kick them aside'; she's not stupid, but she's really good at pretending to be when needed). Sarkis is old fashioned and has his own code of honour. It's all terribly cute and funny.
If you like cosy fantasy that's funny and interesting and character driven, you'll love this book.

This was a fun ride! Not my favourite from this author, and a little slow in places, but it was cute. Loved the characters, especially the non binary priest. It’s definitely one I’ll be recommending.

The book starts with Halla locked in her room in the house she has just inherited. She has been cornered by the family who expected that they would inherit it, and who intend to force her to marry as a way of bringing things back in line with their expectations. Halla's way out of this predicament appears when she draws a sword which summons an immortal warrior to come to her aid.

Kingfisher regularly writes books that are fun and easy to read, and this is no exception. This one is on the lighter side with plenty of humour and friendship and romance and only a few touches of horror. It also includes a fair amount of the Temple of the White Rat, an institution with a practical and not always legal attitude to getting justice for those who call upon it, and which I have an existing fondness for based on Kingfisher's other books in the same universe.

DNF 40%

This had a promising start but unfortunately it's just too slow to allow me to really get into it. The characters are cute and I really like both of them but I don't really buy their romantic chemistry. The world is really well built and interesting, and the characters are charming as always, but the plot wasn't really for me.

A really funny and delightful romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. Halla is a fantastic character with her constant questioning that comes in handy when befuddling the many dangerous people they encounter. Would love to read more books in this series as hinted by the end. I desperately need to know what happens to the others who were trapped in swords! I can only hope that this reprint means more books might be coming. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Swordheart is a delightfully funny fantasy romance romp by T Kingfisher (aka one of my favourite authors). It is / has:
• F/M fantasy romance with older main characters
• An unlikely alliance, he is bound to a sword…
• Quests
• Dual POV
• Set in the same world as the Clocktaur War dulogy and The Saint of Steel series.
In Swordheart we follow Halla, a 36-year-old widow turned housekeeper who is left a surprise inheritance upon the death of her uncle-in-law; however, her relatives-in-law are not too pleased and hope to manipulate the situation to their advantage. Cue Halla, whilst locked in a room contemplating her options drawing a mounted sword, which isn’t all it seems…it summons Sarkis, the immortal warrior bound to the sword and now Halla’s protector. What follows is the story of Halla seeking her inheritance whilst romance blossoms.

Obviously, I loved the slightly zany plot, but I also loved so much more:
• One of my favourite things about T Kingfisher is the engaging and unique main characters she pens. Halla like many other T Kingfisher MCs is very endearing, she is in her mid-30s, she is inquisitive, and I loved following her in the story. Sarkis is also brilliant; he is a little grumpy and frequently baffled (and enamoured) by Halla; but their opposites attract dynamic kept my romance seeking heart very happy.
• The romance! Halla and Sarkis’ first meeting is so funny, and the relationship develops from allies to more. Plus there are some tropes I love (sharing warmth, forced proximity to name but a few).
• We also have great side characters and villains. For readers that have read the other books in this world they will be happy to know that we have a representative of the Temple of the White Rat (Beartongue even makes an appearance) and a gnole, as side characters. Our in-law relatives, aka the main villains were dastardly, Alver’s ‘clammy hands’ and manipulative self-serving aunt Malva, I impatiently awaited them getting the comeuppance.
• Like I have already mentioned, this story is hilarious, from Sarkis’ reactions to Halla, and the absurd situations they both find themselves in, this was a hugely entertaining read.

This book is a fantasy romance with unique twists, I would say it is a must read for fans of T Kingfisher (if you’ve not read it already), and a great option for fans of the fantasy romance genre.

4.5

I’ve been wanting to read a T. Kingfisher book for some time now and was delighted to get the chance to read Swordheart. I went into this book not knowing a great deal about the premise and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I think Halla may be one of my favourite characters ever put on the page. She is relatable, smart, hilarious, curious and an absolute pro at pretending to be stupid. This was especially enjoyable when brought out in front of actually stupid and ridiculous male characters. Halla was wonderful and should get all her flowers.

Sarkis, the sword, was also brilliantly written. He was impatient, scowly and oh so loving. All the main characters love boldly in this story. Also, I was so here for the conceit of a man living in a sword and his back story was really intriguing.

Zale is a delight and I loved their friendship with Halla. Brindle was also wonderful. A human loved this gnole and his ox.

This was a great story with a lovely balance between plot and romance. The world building and magic was also concise and cool. I can’t wait to read more T.Kingfisher.

While plotting to end her own life to avoid marrying her overtly clammy cousin, girl finds and accidentally frees a man in a magic sword. Cue a cross country road trip featuring the slowest ox in existence, a non-binary Rat Priest, a witty badger and numerous encounters with some annoying individuals that absolutely don't end up in a frozen lake.

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Plot
I really enjoyed this plot. The premise itself is simple, but the way this entire story is put together, with the witty nuances and clever characters is just excellent. Every step of their journey is creative and filled with interesting dialogue and more religious organisations that is perfectly reasonable.
I even enjoyed learning about Sarkis' past and how this tied in with the ongoing plot.
There was a little spot of filler, but this in itself was so unique that I didn't really notice until they'd driven the cart right out.

Characters
FMC
I really liked this FMC. She was clever, showing her intuition no matter the situation and using her brain to get herself out of trouble, no matter how unorthodox. I actually really enjoyed her wittering, especially in the face of danger and ever more so when in conjunction with the Rat Priest; they made a wonderful pairing. At times she did come across a bit too absurd (I'm looking at you jar scene), but you know what, it worked.

MMC
Sarkis is a great MMC. I didn't really know what we'd get from a 500-ish year old sword-man, but I'm really glad we got a strong and caring individual who was pleasantly shocked to have this particular FMC as his wielder. I also enjoyed exploring this world through his eyes.

The Rest
Zale - our Rat Priest and solicitor, adds another hilarious voice into the mix. I particularly liked his interactions with the other priest sects and her family.

Brindle - the bestest badger ox cart driver.

Her family - deliciously horrible.

The Chemistry
These guys have great chemistry. And do you know what's even better? They're both adults. Who act like adults (at least most of the time).

The Good
This premise is just wonderful and I love it so much.

The Bad
Maybe a squidge long? Naaahhhh

The Ugly
Definitely no uglies.

The Wrap Up
For those folks looking for their true love, have you considered checking any swords around the house?

Massive thanks to Little, Brown Book Group (UK) for letting me read this ahead of its release (re-release?) in return for an honest review.

This was amazing! I'm so happy I discovered T. Kingfisher; I absolutely love how she writes and how she got me completely hooked from page 1. I will definitely pick up other Kingfisher's works.

Swordheart is a beautiful adult cozy romantasy that made me genuinely laugh with the characters' banters… they're so hilarious. It was definitely a refreshing reading, nothing like what I've read before.

I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a cute magical story with very witty and mature characters (finally not 16-year-olds!!)

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!

There's nothing that T Kingfisher does better than a beautifully crafted couple, bantering in a fantasy world that's slightly falling apart around their ears.

What makes Kingfisher such an exceptional writer is the way that she handles the tougher subjects, things that are somehow deemed taboo rather than openly talked about--such as birth control and the fact that heroes really aren't allowed to go on a murdering spree, regardless of what our D&D campaigns may have told us.

It was a joy to return to the world of the Clocktaur Wars, as Kingfisher's stories are driven primarily by their characters and its easy to slip within these stories.

I'd recommend to fantasy and romantasy fans alike.

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is such a joyously cozy feel good read, I literally wanted to hug it when I finished.
Halla is a widow in middle age who has unexpectedly inherited a large estate, immediately making her a marriage prospect for her spineless and sweaty palmed cousin who has cooked up a plan with his scheming mother that would see the estate and fortune pass into their hands. Halla wants nothing to do with the man or the plan and soon finds herself locked in her room to think it over, while instead thinking of increasingly desperate and rather silly ways of killing herself, a fate infinitely better than the planned marriage. When she spots a dusty sword as part of the room's decor she pulls it from its sheath and is shocked to find herself in the presence of Sarkis, a rather grumpy warrior, though of course it is pretty reasonable to be grumpy when you have been cursed and trapped in a sword for hundreds of years, sworn to protect its wielder. In order to protect Halla he will not be facing an army, but rather her in-laws, some bugling bandits...and maybe an Inquisition.
This grumpy sunshine quest was so much fun, but you do have to be willing to go with the whimsy and enjoy the humour, if you are looking for high stakes and drama this might not be the book for you. The found family that Halla surrounds herself with is delightful, including a non binary Rat Priest /Lawyer whose pragmatism sometimes outstrips his piety, and Brindle, a badger like creature with surprisingly keen observational skills. If you are willing to meander along in some excellent company then pick up this book.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Unfortunately this was not a book for me. After trying to pick it up a couple of times, I couldn’t get into the story and the characters, especially the FMC. The FMC annoyed me to the max and couldn’t get past her behaviour. This meant that I DNF it at around 20%, instead of getting more annoyed with the FMC and pushing myself through it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love reading anything written by T. Kingfisher. This is also one of my favourites from her. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I can't wait for her new work.

What a marvelous read! This is exactly how Romantasy touches my heart! I am a devoted fan of small stories set within vast, epic worlds. And “Swordheart” is a beautifully magical, utterly adorable, and hilariously charming tale that captured my soul.
Hella is a widow who has just inherited her late great-uncle’s estate and fortune. Yet, her family cannot bear the thought of losing the family wealth to her, especially not to her. They try to force her into a marriage with her cousin. Faced with despair, she contemplates surrendering to her fate, but then a mystical, immortal warrior living within a Sword appears—stopping her and helping her toward justice.
The characters are simply extraordinary. Each one shines brilliantly through their interactions, and the romantic chemistry between Hella and Sakis feels so genuine and compelling. What touched me deeply was how Queerness is woven so seamlessly into this magical world. Zale, the nonbinary priest and attorney, is always respected and never questioned for their gender. Marriage customs are discussed with a non-heteronormative tradition. Meanwhile, Sarkis as the fierce warrior and Hella as the caring housekeeper are traditional roles that T Kingfisher masterfully reimagines with a feminist, empowering twist.
The humor in this book is absolutely delightful. Watching Zale and Hella investigate the science behind the magical Sword in which Sarkis resides had me laughing out loud multiple times.
Aside from “What Moves the Dead,” this has quickly become one of my favorite books by T Kingfisher.

This was such a fun time! The two MCs were hilarious, I love T. kingfisher’s humour and wit.
Halla after being left her late husband’s relative’s inheritance and being kidnapped by his family, she unsheathes a sword and a warrior comes out of it. Sarkis is bound to a sword and has to protect whoever owns it. Halla runs with Sarkis to the temple of the rat to seek help and get back her house and her life.
Personally the relationship between the two MC was hilarious, they were perfect for each other. They reminded me a lot of other works by the same author, which I’ve loved so far. I loved the connection with the other paladin’s series and I cannot wait to get a sequel for this as well as end the other series. The trips and tumbles that the main cast of characters take were super fun to read. The plot was fun and fast paced as well. The humour is top tier in my opinion and I loved my time with this.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars
This was fun, albeit it felt a bit too long or like it dragged a bit but still very engaging.
I like the author's writing style and the way the characters were written.
The plot was fun and cute and different.
Overall, it was a very entertaining read.

A perfect grumpy x sunshine dynamic that really works.
On one side: Sarkis, a grumpy warrior magically trapped in a sword.
On the other: Halla, a witty, talkative widow who's intelligent, funny, and refreshingly normal—not a typical badass heroine, but so endearing.

The pacing is slow, and there’s not much action, but that’s the charm of it. It’s a cozy fantasy filled with sharp dialogue, heartwarming moments, and a lovely found family vibe.

It’s fun, clever, and comforting. A refreshing read that doesn’t rely on epic battles or drama, but on character connection and quiet strength.

Recommended if you’re into soft fantasy, memorable characters, and romance that feels genuine.

Halla is such a yapper and I love it! Her rambling sessions were so amusing and hilarious, especially when she would confuse everyone around her to a point they forgot what they've even wanted to do with her. Sarkis's grumpy personality went very well with her sunshine-ness and their conversation were adorable, albeit sometimes exasperating for Sarkis.

I loved Zale with their bendable morals and Brindle's obsession over his ox and muttering about how humans are stupid. The whole found family element with these four (five if you count the ox) was my favorite part of this book and I'd like to follow them on more adventures.

This was my first mostly fantasy leaning book by T Kingfisher and it blew me away with its clever humor and its interesting and complex characters.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review ✨

As soon as the mmc was introduced, his first line made me laugh, and I thought I was going to love this book. I found the pacing too slow so it became a bit boring. If you want something easy then this is probably a good pick, but it just wasn't for me. Maybe it's too soon after reading assistant to the villain - both mfc's are very similiar. Halla is sweet and naive, and very likeable. Zane is a great character, but I just found there wasn't enough going on to excite me