Graceless Heart
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Description
'A lush and dangerous story' MARY E. PEARSON
'A breathtaking blend of intricate magic, riveting intrigue, and hypnotic romance' AVA REID
A lush, atmospheric and achingly magical standalone adult fantasy romance set in Renaissance Italy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author.
In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent-a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.
There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family's enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended.
Meanwhile, Ravenna's forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign.
As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.
TROPES TO DIE FOR . . .
enemies-to-lovers
slow-burn
magic vs religion
political intrigue
EARLY READERS LOVE IT!
'The prose is lyrical, lush and inviting, the setting is unique and so engaging' ¿¿¿¿¿
'If you only read one book in 2026 let it be this one' ¿¿¿¿¿
'Spellbinding! Bewitching!' ¿¿¿¿¿
'That tension? That yearning? The mistrust? Absolutely amazing' ¿¿¿¿¿
'I was on the edge of my seat multiple times, praying for a resolution' ¿¿¿¿¿
Book Information
Characteristics
1 reviews
Mood
Protagonist(s)
Pace
Writing Style
Posts
What I learned from the author's previous books: her stories are all vibes coming from historical settings. And if you loved The Secrets of the Nile duology, you will love this one too. Graceless Heart is placed in Renaissance Italy - and the picture Ibañez is painting is so colorful and intriguing that I couldn't help but vibe along. In combination with her marvelous prose, this is already everything I needed from this book. Add to it plots surrounding the Medici, the Pope and Leonardo da Vince - and I'm truly satisfied. The MCs are Ravenna and Saturnino, the former with secret magic and kidnapped by the latter for her abilities. The romance is not what I came for, and it would not have made me stay. Both characters are likable enough, but the author's character descriptions and arcs have never been what hooked me in her books. What hooked me again though, was her way of placing women who "should not be seen" in settings where they just aim to reach their goals despite society (aka patriarchy) wanting them to stay small. The only thing that can make them stray from their path are...well...men. That said, I would love for the author to write a book xwhere there's no male to distract them from their path. But that's just me. I'm wholeheartedly recommending this book if you loved any of the above. 4/5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC! #GracelessHeart #Italy #Netgalley #Bookstagram
What a nice Italian-vibed read.
I adore Isabels‘ book for at least one reason and that’s the way she always catches the reader, wherever they might be, and transports them into her world. And by that do you not only get introduced to the world in a nice and pleasant way, but you feel the breeze in your face, the sun on your skin and all the sounds and smells she describes in her worlds. This book was more and the depressed side, but it never got too dark. I laughed the detailed way the surroundings were described as well as the characters. After this I really wanna go on a vacation to Italy. Two things that were mildly annoying: 1. a lot of chapters start with Ravenna… this is my OCD speaking but it annoyed me a bit. Might me bc it was an eARC I got from NetGalley. 2. the ending… the book being a standalone I expected a more satisfying ending. I would have love more on page time for some characters are matches… Still a lovely book m, that is not only magical but also historical
Genre: Historical Fantasy (Florence, 1478) Audience: Adult
I visited Florence when I started listening to this story, which gave a lovely touch to it - recognising places and buildings by name. What I thought to be the first part of the story (rescuing her brother) turned out to be told in only a couple of chapters. This is the event that sets up the rest of the story, which was quite confusing at first, when I realised it. Maybe that's the reason why it took me a bit to dive into the story and connect with the characters but when I did, I enjoyed it a lot! I confused people and motivations throughout the story and after finishing it I'm still not 100% sure if I got everything correct in that matter, but that's ok. Also, there are mentions of Fae, Vampires and even demi-gods, but I'm not quite sure, why. They don't seem to be particularly necessary for the story - magic, sorceress and witches would have done the job. We have a lot of characters with different goals, all very selfish (or/and blackmailed) and I didn't care for a lot of them to be honest. But I did like our main couple and I liked the Courier (mostly, because he is mysterious I think). The conclusion was satisfying - a good thing! I needed a happy ending after the last couple of books I read. I don't have anything negative to say about it and I will read following books (apparently this is a quarted of interconnected standalones) but I doubt the story will stick in my brain for long. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Beatrice Grannò, an italian actress which was great to dive deeper into the setting with correct pronunciation and a lovely accent.
Characteristics
1 reviews
Mood
Protagonist(s)
Pace
Writing Style
Description
'A lush and dangerous story' MARY E. PEARSON
'A breathtaking blend of intricate magic, riveting intrigue, and hypnotic romance' AVA REID
A lush, atmospheric and achingly magical standalone adult fantasy romance set in Renaissance Italy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author.
In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent-a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.
There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family's enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended.
Meanwhile, Ravenna's forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign.
As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.
TROPES TO DIE FOR . . .
enemies-to-lovers
slow-burn
magic vs religion
political intrigue
EARLY READERS LOVE IT!
'The prose is lyrical, lush and inviting, the setting is unique and so engaging' ¿¿¿¿¿
'If you only read one book in 2026 let it be this one' ¿¿¿¿¿
'Spellbinding! Bewitching!' ¿¿¿¿¿
'That tension? That yearning? The mistrust? Absolutely amazing' ¿¿¿¿¿
'I was on the edge of my seat multiple times, praying for a resolution' ¿¿¿¿¿
Book Information
Posts
What I learned from the author's previous books: her stories are all vibes coming from historical settings. And if you loved The Secrets of the Nile duology, you will love this one too. Graceless Heart is placed in Renaissance Italy - and the picture Ibañez is painting is so colorful and intriguing that I couldn't help but vibe along. In combination with her marvelous prose, this is already everything I needed from this book. Add to it plots surrounding the Medici, the Pope and Leonardo da Vince - and I'm truly satisfied. The MCs are Ravenna and Saturnino, the former with secret magic and kidnapped by the latter for her abilities. The romance is not what I came for, and it would not have made me stay. Both characters are likable enough, but the author's character descriptions and arcs have never been what hooked me in her books. What hooked me again though, was her way of placing women who "should not be seen" in settings where they just aim to reach their goals despite society (aka patriarchy) wanting them to stay small. The only thing that can make them stray from their path are...well...men. That said, I would love for the author to write a book xwhere there's no male to distract them from their path. But that's just me. I'm wholeheartedly recommending this book if you loved any of the above. 4/5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the eARC! #GracelessHeart #Italy #Netgalley #Bookstagram
What a nice Italian-vibed read.
I adore Isabels‘ book for at least one reason and that’s the way she always catches the reader, wherever they might be, and transports them into her world. And by that do you not only get introduced to the world in a nice and pleasant way, but you feel the breeze in your face, the sun on your skin and all the sounds and smells she describes in her worlds. This book was more and the depressed side, but it never got too dark. I laughed the detailed way the surroundings were described as well as the characters. After this I really wanna go on a vacation to Italy. Two things that were mildly annoying: 1. a lot of chapters start with Ravenna… this is my OCD speaking but it annoyed me a bit. Might me bc it was an eARC I got from NetGalley. 2. the ending… the book being a standalone I expected a more satisfying ending. I would have love more on page time for some characters are matches… Still a lovely book m, that is not only magical but also historical
Genre: Historical Fantasy (Florence, 1478) Audience: Adult
I visited Florence when I started listening to this story, which gave a lovely touch to it - recognising places and buildings by name. What I thought to be the first part of the story (rescuing her brother) turned out to be told in only a couple of chapters. This is the event that sets up the rest of the story, which was quite confusing at first, when I realised it. Maybe that's the reason why it took me a bit to dive into the story and connect with the characters but when I did, I enjoyed it a lot! I confused people and motivations throughout the story and after finishing it I'm still not 100% sure if I got everything correct in that matter, but that's ok. Also, there are mentions of Fae, Vampires and even demi-gods, but I'm not quite sure, why. They don't seem to be particularly necessary for the story - magic, sorceress and witches would have done the job. We have a lot of characters with different goals, all very selfish (or/and blackmailed) and I didn't care for a lot of them to be honest. But I did like our main couple and I liked the Courier (mostly, because he is mysterious I think). The conclusion was satisfying - a good thing! I needed a happy ending after the last couple of books I read. I don't have anything negative to say about it and I will read following books (apparently this is a quarted of interconnected standalones) but I doubt the story will stick in my brain for long. The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Beatrice Grannò, an italian actress which was great to dive deeper into the setting with correct pronunciation and a lovely accent.