I love Isabel Ibañez’s writing, so I knew there was no chance I wouldn’t love this, and how right I was.
The prose is lyrical, lush and inviting, the setting is unique and so engaging. Renaissance Italy with magic? I didn’t know I needed that until I started reading, and now I want 10s of novels set across Italy (preferably written by Isabel of course).
I loved Ravenna as our protagonist, she is fierce but frightened and acted exactly as I think I would as an oldest sister in defence of my family. The characters are fascinating, each with their own morals and justifications. I adore Ombretta so very much, all books would be better with a black cat in my humble opinion.
The world building and magic system is so enjoyable in this novel, I love the small reveals of a wider system outside the story we are currently in.
I won’t lie, I did tear up multiple times and I was very close to all out crying at the end, stopped only by my intrigue at the final page…

If you only read one book in 2026 let it be this one. Everything about it was perfect, the characters, the world building. I was hooked from the first chapter. The world building is heavy but easy to follow, and I loved the history within the pages. The main character is strong, kind, and easily likeable.Eldest daughters who love reading about eldest daughters will enjoy her and find her incredibly relatable. The mystery of the MMC kept me intrigued throughout, and the plot twists absolutely blew my mind. So many twists and turns that I did not see coming! I was captivated until the end. I hope we get to revisit this world at some point, there are some characters that I am very interested in learning more about. The anti-hero MMC and the amount of yearning make a good story even better. I cannot wait for everyone to meet these characters. Truly, I cannot recommend this book enough.

Spellbinding! Bewitching! I had such a wonderful time reading this book. If you're a Reign fan, you'll love it, I'm sure! A historical romance book set in the Italian Renaissance with a plot filled with magic. Florence, where the Luni family live to protect the Medici, who are both in favor of magic. Volterra, where magic is banished, and people are against it. The Pope Sixtus IV, who wants to unleash war against all magic, but the one used by himself. Ravenna, a sculptress from Volterra who enters a competition held by the Luni family, in order to save her brother from death, but in a turn of events, the Luni family have other plans for her as a sculptress. Saturnino, a knight of the Luni family who hides a family secret. Lorenzo di Medici, on his own, has a surprise as well. There are glimpses of the Fae lands and their powers, "vampyres", witches and wizards, and also an amazing cat that will steal your heart. You'll also read about outstanding historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci. You'll encounter an interesting magic system that comes with a glossary of the “Pietra Magiche” from the Fae lands (Sunspire, Seaweaver, Shadowglass, Nightflame, Moonhaze, Lodestar, and Echostone). At last, but not least, the incredible plot twists will keep you hooked until the end! Beautiful design, layout and cover! Overall, one of the best books I've read this year so far!

Thanks so much to Hodderscape and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy of Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez, to be published on January 15th 2026.

Graceless Heart is a beautiful and atmospheric fantasy set in renaissance Italy. As someone who studied history at university, I loved the setting of the book and how rooted it is in history. Yet the fantasy elements are unique.
Ravenna is the daughter of inn keepers in a city where magic is forbidden, yet when the chance arises for her to free her brother from captivity, using her magic is the only thing that will let her win.
She enters a sculpture competition held by the immortal Luni family, and upon winning they take her with them to Florence; away from her family.
She is set with a task she must complete or risk losing everything. In doing so she captures the attention of the magic-hating pope and he wants to use her against the Luni family.
Ravenna finds herself in the middle of a war between Florence and Rome and she must choose between love and duty.

The plot had me gripped, I read this book so fast.
The romance was full of tension.
The book also gets a bonus point for the cover because WOW it is beautiful.

Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for the arc! It’s mid-October and this book might be my favorite this year, I’m totally obsessed!

"You are ruinous, Saturnino. But I won't let you ruin me." Ravenna lifted her chin. "We don't have a bargain, we don't have trust. We don't have anything."
"That's not true. We have this."

- enemies x lovers
- slow-burn
- magic vs religion
- political intrigue
- 15th century Florence

What I liked:
* The main characters are perfection! Ravenna is determined, sharp-tongued and clever. I loved that she could keep up with the scheming men even when she was afraid. Saturnino is strategic, cunning, and ruthless. Their chemistry was amazing and I loved their witty banter and their attempts to outscheme each other!
* The setting was amazing! Renaissance Florence, opulent dresses, powerful families like the Medici plotting against the pope, all mixed with a unique magic system. Even Leonardo da Vinci had a small side role.

What I didn’t like:
* I didn’t quite understand the magic system based of the different stones, but it didn’t really bother me throughout the story.

Writing style: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Story & Plot: 5/5
Vibes: 5/5

This book follows Ravenna, a sculptress, she's enters a contest to save her family but makes some mistakes on the way!

The world building was perfect, I gobbled this book up and never felt a lull..

I haven't read a book like this - history and religion based in Italy.

I saw one of the twists coming around 2/3 chapters before if happened but still enjoyed it.

5* , off to find more books by this author!

I’m gonna start by saying that I’m not a historical fantasy girlie at all, but I bloody loved this.

Set in renaissance Italy, it’s clearly well researched and has characters rooted in reality, but it didn’t feel super historical romance-y? I think this book sits somewhere on the borderline between historical fantasy and romantasy and that’s why I think it worked.

The YEARNING - yes please. The romantic relationship is amazing. He’s just the right amount of villain, she’s headstrong and determined to save herself, but still falls for him bit by bit. The tension between them is delicious, and it really builds throughout the book.

Pacing was great - it’s mostly told from FMC POV, but there’s a few chapters from other character POVs. Great decision tbh; some of these chapters were flashbacks so rather than spend 3 chapters drip feeding us information about side characters motive, we got it all in one go in their chapter.

There were a few reveals that I hadn’t seen coming (or rather, something felt off but I couldn’t work out what it was), which was nice to be kept guessing what would come next!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

I absolutely loved the Renaissance setting and Saturnino and Ravenna's love story. Impossible love, yearning and longing. So Much Tension. The best thing about this story is how impossible the love between our main characters is and how perfect they are for each other.

Isabel's writing is as always, lush and romantic, inviting us to learn about our characters closely. We go through this journey with Ravenna as she finds her place in the world as a sculptress and finds love.

There is intense political intrigue, sizzling romantic tension between the main couple, twists and turns and vivid Renaissance details. There is even a cameo from Leonardo da Vinci!!

It's not high-fantasy so don't expect elaborate world-building. Instead i loved how the fantastical elements were threaded into the fabric if Renaissance history. I found the gemstone based magic system so interesting that I wanted to more of it.. hopefully it will get used in a future story!

4.5 stars rounded up

I have been meaning to read Isabel Ibañez’s books for quite a while, seeing the praise received by her Secrets of the Nile duology, but never quite found the right time. Then, I found out about Graceless Heart and was drawn in immediately by the gorgeous cover. After reading the description, I immediately ran to request an ARC, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I got my approval during an extremely chaotic week in my life followed by mid-terms which made starting the book significantly more difficult than usual. However, once I found the time to completely immerse myself in the magical world of Graceless Heart, I ended up reading most of it in one day, unable to put it down for long.

I have always been fascinated by historical fiction, especially when there is magic involved. When I was younger, I was enamored with the world of the Stravaganza series and the similar setting of the world in Graceless Heart drew me in easily. Despite obvious significant differences, the reading experience felt essentially the same and thus nostalgic, which made it all the better. The world of Graceless Heart is vivid and alluring, so it is safe to say I was completely enchanted by it. There are just the right amounts of magic and political intrigue.

Moreover, the love story at the core of Graceless Heart is absolutely beautiful. The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers storyline unfolds at the perfect pace, and it is seamlessly woven into the larger story of freedom and discovering oneself. Ravenna is a strong, determined protagonist and Saturnino serves well as her equal, making the romance feel balanced, which is something I personally find to be important.

And to talk about the larger story, starting with Ravenna’s apparent capture by the Luni family to getting entangled in plots and schemes larger than she ever could have imagined finding herself in, it kept me on my toes from the beginning until the end and I never knew what to expect next–or, when I started expecting something, it turned out to be wrong—and I adore it when a novel manages to fool me so well.

Overall, what a thrilling read this was. I am happy for it to have served as my introduction to Isabel Ibañez’s books; I definitely will keep reading them from now on.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape for providing me with the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this wonderful ARC for a honest review.
Ravenna is a sculptor who has to enter a competition for a family who are all beautiful powerful people don't know their secrets it's whispered they are fae.
Her brother is caged up in the town waiting execution/judgement. She sneaks out at night giving him food and water when she bumps into a handsome knight with eyes as green as moss but she is also spotted by a law man she quickly escapes.
She goes to the competition to ask for her brothers freedom as her boon if she wins.
Ravenna as dark magic helps her sculpt this beautiful statue of Pluto his face is a mirror image of the handsome knight. The problem is he's once of the family she is judged by?
Knowing her nightflame stone would give her the upper hand.
Ravenna as dark magic helps her sculpt this beautiful statue of Pluto his face is a mirror image of the handsome knight. The problem is he's once of the family she is judged by?
Knowing her nightflame stone would give her the upper hand.
She wins although the patriarchal males start calling her a witch she gets her boon but unfortunately their bargain comes with a cost too.
Excellent writing new author love for me? If you like deep glancing lustful moments, cats who interfere, historical fantasy. Myths legends and folklore.
This book is for you, readable, strong female lead morally grey main male.
Read this if you like once upon a broken heart, rivalry of hearts and historical romances or fantasies.
Adored this book read it in two nights I didn't Want to put it down but sleep took me

I am such a fan of Isabel Ibañez and this did not disappoint. I was so curious throughout how this was going to turn out and I enjoyed the twists and turns which felt imperative to the story.

Loved this book and would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Isabel Ibañez, Hodderscape, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I had such a great time reading this book. There were moments I found myself squealing into my blanket and snacking my way through chapters because I simply couldn’t put it down. While I initially struggled to immerse myself in the world, I’m glad I kept going, because the payoff was absolutely worth it.
It’s clear the author conducted solid research on the era and put real care into weaving fantastical elements with historical details. Because of that attention to worldbuilding, I did end up wishing we had learned more about the other fantasy species mentioned — but overall, the blend worked beautifully and gave satisfactory results.
The characters were a standout for me. With multiple POVs, each voice felt distinct, with clear motivations and personality. The FMC and MMC in particular were a joy to follow—from their first meeting to the epilogue. Both characters are flawed in engaging ways and show meaningful growth throughout the story. I especially appreciated the romance between them.

Inside this book you’ll find:
✨ yearning (a lot!)
✨ tension
✨ clever schemes
✨ a heroine who learns how to play the games

My only real criticism is the lack of translations for some Italian words, which were occasionally difficult to decipher from context.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and engaging read, and I’m excited to see what the author does next.

If a book could seduce you with atmosphere alone, Graceless Heart would have you undone in the first chapter. This was an easy 5⭐ for me — lush, magnetic, and dripping with Renaissance intrigue, Isabel Ibañez delivers a fantasy romance that feels like stepping into a Caravaggio painting touched with forbidden magic.

Set against the marble brilliance and political brutality of 15th-century Italy, the story follows Ravenna Maffei — sculptress, survivor, and secret wielder of magic in a world where it’s outlawed. From the moment she reveals her gift in desperation, the book grabs you by the throat and doesn’t loosen: the shadows of Volterra, the dazzling danger of Florence, the intoxicating power plays of the immortal Luni family. It’s a masterclass in atmosphere.

And then there’s Saturnino dei Luni — sharp edges, frozen exterior, and a vulnerability you can feel pulsing under his armor. Their dynamic? Perfection. Enemies-with-leverage meets forced proximity meets “I shouldn’t want you but I do,” and every interaction crackles with tension. It’s slow, simmering, and beautifully devastating.

Ibañez balances romance with political stakes flawlessly. Between Medici schemes, papal tyranny, whispers of ancient power, and Ravenna’s fight to save her brother, the story never stops spiraling deeper. The pacing is elegant — no drag, no wasted moment — and the emotional beats land hard. You feel Ravenna’s fear, her determination, her dangerous attraction, her impossible choices.

What really makes this book shine is how rich it feels: rich in setting, rich in longing, rich in the kind of magic that feels ancient and sacred. Florence becomes a character, the Luni family a haunting presence, and Ravenna’s power a myth unfolding in real time.

Dark, romantic, and fully immersive, Graceless Heart is a rare standalone that feels both grand and intimate — a story of love, magic, and ambition that leaves you breathless.

An absolute standout. 5 ⭐, no hesitation.

I was impressed with the historical detail of this novel. This is my third book from the author and she writes fantastic historical novels with strong female main characters. I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

At first I found the main character a little overly bold, and it felt shocking that she was being so abrasive to her captors when they could harm her and her family. However it didn’t take long to really understand why she behaves the way she did. From that point I was hooked. This novel was tense, the main character is being pulled in multiple directions, with powerful people seeking to use and threaten her for their own purposes.

There’s an interesting magic system here relating to sculpture. Our main character ends up in a difficult and dangerous situation because of her talent as a sculptor and her own dark magical ability she’s always had to suppress and that sparks fear in her family.

The real gem in this book though is the fascinating history. There’s a beautiful interweaving of real historical figures with new and imaginative magical elements. I would read this book again.

'Graceless Heart' is advertised as Isabel Ibañez’s first foray into adult fiction having previously written YA fantasy/romance novels. I’m not sure that the distinctions between adult and YA are always that clear and there were many times reading this that I felt distinct YA vibes. That’s not, though, to detract from the impact of a beautifully written and very engaging novel.

The story is set in 1478 in Italy. 23-year-old Ravenna Maffei lives and works in her family’s locanda in Volterra but has secret ambitions to be a sculptor. When Volterra is forcibly annexed to the Republic of Florence, Ravenna’s brother, Antonio, and many of her friends join the fight for freedom but are captured or killed. The wealthy Luni family – allies of their Medici overlords – stage a sculpting competition, so Ravenna sees a way of securing influential patronage and freeing her brother. However, she then meets the darkly mysterious Luni heir – the extravagantly named Saturnino – and Ravenna is drawn into political intrigue and a dangerous forbidden romance.

The basis of the plot nods to 'Twilight' but with an Italian Renaissance setting. Historical events and characters are presented; but historical purists be warned – they are imaginatively recreated to serve the needs of the story. For example, the assassination of Galeazzo Sforza is depicted even though, historically, it took place two years before the story opened. It’s not entirely clear why these changes were necessary. There are also plenty of fantasy elements: magic stones, witches, ancient curses, vampyres adding colour and excitement to the narrative.

The main story focuses on Ravenna but interspersed with other perspectives and backstories. There are deeply sensual descriptions of colours, fabrics and food – the smells and tastes of the time are all captured evocatively with an artist’s eye. And the story itself is very exciting: the tensions and betrayals of the complex political situation are admirably presented and full of surprises. The central romance is tantalisingly developed, the innocent, intelligent female attracted to the aristocratic and emotionally remote male – a tried and tested device that goes back to Victorian fiction but, nonetheless, successfully presented here. And the ending is satisfying and not without some wry touches of humour.

In all, this is an immensely enjoyable read and imprecisions of historical accuracy are well compensated for by an imaginatively lush and atmospheric recreation of medieval Italy.

What a surprise Graceless Heart was for me! Being honest here, I wasn’t sure what to expect because as much as I want to say I was sure I’d love it, it wasn’t the case. In fact, I was reluctant to request it because I didn’t enjoy a previous duology from this author.

But oh boy, good thing I did request it and thankfully got approved because I adore this book! From the historical point to the romance that was there but didn’t poke your eyes out as the main thing, to the magic! I loved every moment of it.

We have Ravenna, a witch hating her magic, a sculptress willing to risk her secret to save her family, a woman who loves with her whole heart and wishes to do everything in order to protect the ones she loves, even if sometimes the risk is higher than the reward. I loved her, she stayed true to herself and she didn’t play games. The way she spoke and acted in front of Saturnino was refreshing. She didn’t hide her attraction towards him, even when she didn’t like it. And she spoke to him when she noticed he tried to play with her.

Saturnino was the highlight for me because he was so good with his denial and acting out to try to keep being the bad guy, but he was so obvious. Everyone else noticed it, commented on it and Ravenna was in denial as well until she figured out how strong her own emotions were and when Saturnino showed his emotions better. He was her protector while also trying to act as her villain but the poor guy, didn’t count how out of character he’d act towards her.

This is a standalone if I’m not wrong, and it was fast paced but not rushed in my option. I loved how everything went in the story and then wrapped up. I wouldn’t mind reading more about this world because its mix of history, magic and creatures being mentioned like fae, vampires, other immortal creatures, made me so much curious about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the arc!! I really appreciate it!

4.5 out of 5 stars
- Enemies to lovers
- Adult standalone romantasy
- Furry sidekick
- Twisty turny plot

In one line...
A sculptress is kidnapped by an immortal family and forced to do their bidding by their unfeeling and enigmatic son.

Setting...
15th century Renaissance Italy.

The vibes...
⛲️ Plucky and compassionate FMC
⛲️ Impossible choices
⛲️ Complex family dynamics
⛲️ Lots of yearning

What I loved...
Being completely immersed in 15th century Volterra and Florence .

What I didn't love...
I felt like Ravenna and Saturnino needed a heartbeat longer in that delicious grey area between enemies and lovers.

Favourite character...
The mysterious courier.

Themes...
⛲️ Family
⛲️ Religion and politics
⛲️ Magic and power

Best for...
Anyone who loves a richly painted historical world with a magical twist.

Oh. My. Word!!!! This book was everything, I could not put it down even if I wanted to, it consumed my whole life!

I was intrigued by the world, the characters and the politics. It was so messy, so full of drama and yet I gobbled up every second of it.

There were also twists in this book I never saw coming. The amount of times my jaw dropped was insane.

Ibañez knows how to write a good and gripping story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This novel was full to the brim of the magic of the renaissance and I loved diving into this story. The characters were as full of depth and dimension, and the relationship between progressed naturally as the story did.
Twists and turns dominated this story and with each one I was more and more engrossed.
The best part for me though was the way Ibanez described the artwork of the period and the sculpting process. This was filled by magic and love for the creation of art.

Fantasy romance set in Renaissance Era in Florence???? SIGN ME UP

You totally get transported into that period of time from the very beginning and you wont be able to put the book down
We see Ravenna in her comfort zone, then we follow her journey in Florence and with Saturnino and let me tell you, it’s a story worth reading because we get everything we are looking in a fantasy book.

The magic system and the mix between sculpting and stones, witches and a certain cat was so refreshing in the best way possible.

The politics, the balance, the romance, the family dynamics was so well written.

This is out on the 15 th of January, I highly rec picking this one up you will not regret it.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc.

GRACELESS HEART - ISABEL IBANEZ

Oh, how I LOVE this book. Historical fantasy is my favourite subgenre, but combine this with Isabel Ibanez's beautiful prose and the setting - this was a five-star read for me from the first page.

Set in 15th-century Italy, Ravenna is an FMC that becomes hopelessly caught between allegiances. She's torn between obligations to her family, faith and morals, as well as to new relationships as the story progresses. A sculptress with a secret, Ravenna exists in a world that has magic, vampyres, witches and immortals. In a bid to save her brother, she's taken by the powerful Luni family to complete a seemingly impossible task.

I loved the unique gemstone magic in Graceless Heart, as well as the slow burn and yearning between key characters. The writing is meticulous; while we mostly see Ravenna's PoV, standalone chapters are dedicated to other characters, which really helps the reader to get a more complete understanding of the plot and what's really at stake.

And the cameos from real historical figures? I don't think this book could be more perfect. Thank you to Isabel Ibanez, the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

Release date: 15 Jan 2026
Review score: 5/5
TWs: d*ath, injury detail, v*olence, s*xual content

This is a beautifully written, enchanting historical fantasy. Ibañez has created excellent characters and a plot line that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and binged it in 2 days! I can’t recommend this enough. Perhaps one of my favourite reads of the year! It was so engaging, filled with mystery and intrigue with a genuine slow burn, yearning romance.

Graceless Heart has an immediate, punchy start, which grabbed me straight away. I liked the tension that the story had and it maintained my interest all the way through. The FMC, Ravenna, is a skilled sculptor, and a brave and honest person, and I particularly loved how she didn't compromise her morals throughout the story, even in the awful situations she found herself in. Ravenna was a strong contrast to the Pope in the story, who acted hypocritically in order to seek his revenge and to gain and keep his power.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Graceless Heart because one of the author's previous books, What The River Knows, was way too slow for me and I didn't feel a genuine connection between the two lead characters. I didn't have those issues with Graceless Heart at all, and I was invested in both the plot and in Ravenna and Saturnino's relationship from the start.

The fantasy Renaissance Italy setting with fae, vampyres and witches was instantly interesting to me too. I'd definitely recommend Graceless Heart for fans of Leigh Bardugo's The Familiar, which had a fantasy version of the Spanish Golden Age as its setting, and was also a standalone with a female witch and an immortal love interest.

Speaking of this book being a standalone, it does tell a complete story but it definitely left the door open to another book, as there were some unanswered questions that were non-critical to the plot but still piqued my interest. I definitely wouldn't be surprised at all to see a certain side character appear as the new MMC in a connected standalone title. He had Main Character Energy for sure. Generally, it felt like there's a lot of potential for more stories in this world, particularly with the vampyres and fae. I would have liked some of Saturnino's relationships with his family to be a bit more fleshed out, and to find out more about them as individuals but it didn't reduce my rating in the end.

Overall, this fantasy standalone had a really interesting setting, with tons of potential for more stories, and I really loved the main characters and their relationship. As soon as I started it, I was sucked in and was racing through to the end.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

It is my first book by this author but certainly not my last. I love everything about this book.
1. Setting Italy/Tuscany in the 1400/1500s?-Yes, please!
2. Immortal morally grey love interest? - YES!
3. Amazing heroine with magical skills? - Oh yes!
4. Enemies to lovers? - Double yes!
5. Politic scheming and intrigues?- Hell yes!

It is like A dance of lies mixed with The cruel prince set in the Medici era. Oh how I loved this book!

There is also no cliffhanger, which makes the book even better!

4.5⭐
I really enjoyed so many aspects of Graceless Heart and found it such an intriguing story and absolutely loved the historical setting and you could really tell the author has done just the right amount of research needed for this story.

Once I started, I just found it so hard to put down, everything about it was just done so well and had enough mystery and suspense and such an engaging plotline and the romance between the two main characters was filled with so much tension. The best way to describe this book, is pure art from the amazing worldbuilding with such clear and vivid descriptions. Isabel's writing is so beautiful and i just love the way everything seamlessly pulls together to create such an unforgettable story.

Finished Graceless Heart I felt utterly enchanted. It's set in a vividly alive Renaissance Florence with vividly alive characters. I Loved so much Ravenna e Saturnino!! Their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance is electric — full of tension, restraint, and emotional depth. Watching Ravenna chip away at Saturnino’s emotional armor was heartbreaking and beautiful.
Beyond the romance, the story offers political intrigue, secrets, and quiet, artistic magic.
The sensual scenes are steamy but earned, the character arcs are satisfying, and the HEA is heartwarming with just enough left unsaid for a sequel ( I hope!). There are a few inaccuracies in the use of Italian expressions, which I noticed as an Italian reader. Slightly distracting, but nowhere near enough to dim the brilliance of this book that left me teary, thrilled, and desperate to reread. A masterpiece of romance and atmosphere.

I have nothing to say, other than I loved every word I read here.

I was sold the minute I saw this bewitching story takes place during the italian renaissance: the Medici govern Florence by will while Rome and the pope rage a war against them ; but on top of this reality you add witches and wizards, fae, vampyres, immortals, secrets and lies (a lot), schemes and games, and -cherry on the cake- a well written enemies-to-lovers.

Graceless Heart is the kind of book you can't wait to finish your day to go back to, you don't want to put the book down, and if you have even two minutes of free time you'll want to read a few ligns. That's that kind of drug.

One thing I loved most, other than the balance is perfect between the political intrigues and the romance, are the characters. They are mature, well written, mysterious for some, growing along the story for others. Bonus point for Ombretta, she is utterly perfection!

If you need to choose one book to read to begin 2026, it's this one!
How am I suppose to go into another book now?

Graceless heart
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Oh yes, this book was made for me:
- Art lover (specially sculptures) ✅️
- set in renaissance Italy ✅️
- slooow burn romance ✅️
- lots of political intrigue for those of us who were obssesed with tv shows like The Tudors and The Medici ✅️

I came for the stunning cover and stayed for the beautiful prose and the intriguing plot. Graceless heart had me gripped from page 1 and I couldn't let go till it was over.
Everything about the setting was simply fenomenal; the colors, the food, the arts, the dresses, they jumped out of the book and it was so vivid that it played in my head like a movie.

The plot was also pretty cool, the political scheming was a bit like a chessboard, everyone was a piece or trying to control a piece and no one could be trusted, it got intense and really engaging.

Another plus for me, were the multiple POVs. Ravenna as the main character had the majority of the spotlight of course, but from time to time, in between her chapters, we got a different point of view from the rest of the characters and this was helpful to enrich them and let us see what they were really thinking and their motivation. Cause in the middle of it all, most of the characters weren't just good or bad but trying to play the game with the cards they were handle.

Another thing I loved, was how Isabel portrayed the religious hypocrisy, the powers moves, the ambition over love.
The romance had me giggling and kicking my feets with excitement. This is slooooow burn and with a good amount of hate and mostly distrust first. Nothing about the couple felt rushed or weird and for me, the author really did a good job balancing the love, the fantasy aspects and the plot.

Now, one thing that has me confused!!! This is advertised as a standalone, which yes, I see it, but also, that ending had a few loose threads so maybe this is not the end for this world? I REALLY hope that is the case, because even tho I appreciate a standalone fantasy in the middle of so many long series, I honestly could spend more time with these characters expanding the universe and such.

So, long story short, of course I recommend! I had the best time with story and I'm looking forward discovering what's next for the author.

What can I say about Graceless Heart except for it is a pure masterpiece.

The story revolves around Ravenna, a sculptor and helper at her parent's inn in the city of Volterra. It’s a complex and intricate world set in 1478 where people with magic are burnt at the stake and ostracized by the church ruled over by an intimidating but revered pope. Ravenna has such magic although we're never quite sure what it is, but it seems she can basically suck the life out of people, as she does unexpectedly as a 13-year-old girl. Her aunt, the only person attuned with her magic is no longer in her life and although she spends her days and nights helping out the family, even they are nervous of her powers and the risk of being found out by the pope and the people of Florence.
When her brother is arrested, Ravenna sees a chance to free him by entering a competition to sculpt for the famous Medici family, Guardians of Florence and enemies of the pope but it's all a clever ruse.
On winning the competition by adding a priceless Nightflame gem to her statue, Ravenna is taken to Florence and forced to work removing four gems from blocks of stone within the basement of the Medici's sprawling estate.
It is here we meet Saturnino, the brooding, grumpy son of the family who also happens to be a ruthless knight famed throughout Italy.
I'm sure you can see where this is going.
There are twists and turns that I don’t want to reveal here but the selling point for me with this book is definitely the slow burn between Ravenna and Saturnino, it's so appetising. She hates him, he hates her, its perfection. I could read about these two for several books over.
As with most of Isabel Ibanez books it's the sheer volume of research that she does for her novels. Florence, and even Volterra, are described in minute detail for the time period especially. The clothing, food, sights and smells all meticulously unravel for the reader and it makes reading the book and experience not just a simple book.
The plot flows naturally and I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Every character and side character is wrapped in vibrant history taken, to some extent, from the real-life ruling families of the time. The genuine history makes this novel even more interesting to read.
My only complaint is there isn't more. I have seen that this is a standalone but there's still some unanswered questions. What is Ravenna's magic? Why her? Where is her aunt and more importantly who is the courier protecting!
I'm so grateful to receive an arc of this book. Isabel Ibanez is one of my favourite authors and I have no doubt I will purchase a copy of this on release.

Graceless Heart drew me in with a relatively uncommon setting for a fantasy (Renaissance Italy) that inspires gorgeous imagery, and a unique plot in which a sculptress successfully competes to earn a favour from the immortal Luni family and save her brother. However, this favour comes at a cost - she’s forced to leave Volterra for Florence and become their resident artist. The price of her freedom? To extract five magical stones from the statues that hold them.

I took Ravenna immediately as an FMC. She’s a very kind-hearted, straightforward and bold heroine who reminded me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I did find her to be quite frustrating toward the end of the book, as her blind spots became less understandable, but I loved watching her come to terms with and embrace who she is.

With Saturnino, there’s so much character development to be seen as the author gradually peels back the layers. Initially, he comes across as coldhearted - often cruel or spiteful - though not irredeemably so, and he’s clever and witty enough to draw you in. I was pleasantly surprised to end up rooting for him more than Ravenna by the end!

Their relationship is believably antagonistic, a drawn-out game of chess where neither wants to blink. The slowburn absolutely pays off in the end, with plenty of yearning and sweetness to be found, some light spice, and some utterly dreamy lines from Saturnino.

I generally really liked Isabel’s writing style, vivid but not overly flowery. While some of the scene-setting descriptions did start to feel pretty repetitive toward the end, this book is full of beautiful prose and witty banter that I really enjoyed. Her pacing was slightly slower than I’d like, but the plot twists kept me going and she really delivered with the ending, which I felt was absolutely perfect.

I’d recommend this historical fantasy to readers who’ve enjoyed books such as The Knight and the Moth, The Sacred Space Between, and The White Queen.

Thank you to Hodderscape, NetGalley and Isabel Ibanez for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own.