Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is a delightful romp through a cozy fantasy world that'll have you chuckling and rooting for its quirky characters from start to finish.

Our heroine, a chatterbox with an endearing innocence, finds herself fleeing her greedy family's clutches. Her trusting nature often lands her in hot water, but it's this very quality that infuses the story with humor and heart. Watching her navigate this magical world is like seeing it through fresh eyes, making even the most fantastical elements feel wonderfully new.

Contrasting our chatty protagonist is the sword's mysterious protector. His depth comes from a past he'd rather forget, adding an intriguing layer to the narrative. As his story unfolds, you'll find yourself equally invested in unraveling his secrets.

The supporting cast is a colorful bunch, each adding their own flavor to this entertaining adventure. While "Swordheart" might not be my absolute favorite of Kingfisher's works, it's certainly a fun ride.

What really stands out is how Kingfisher weaves themes of family conflict and personal growth into the fantastical elements. It's this blend of the magical and the deeply human that creates such a unique reading experience.

For me, "Swordheart" is like a warm hug in book form - comforting, funny, and with just enough depth to keep you thinking after you've turned the last page. It's a perfect pick for when you need a break from heavier reads but still want a story with heart.

Thank you, Bramble and NetGalley, for my free book.

T. Kingfisher’s Swordheart is a delightful blend of fantasy, humor, and unconventional romance, delivering a refreshing take on the sword-and-sorcery genre. The novel follows Halla, a widowed housekeeper who unexpectedly inherits a fortune—only to find herself locked away by greedy relatives. In a desperate attempt to escape, she unsheathes an ancient sword, inadvertently summoning Sarkis, a surly warrior bound to the weapon.

What follows is an engaging and often hilarious adventure as Halla and Sarkis navigate legal troubles, magical threats, and their own growing attraction. Kingfisher’s signature wit shines through in Halla’s pragmatic, often flustered narration, contrasting beautifully with Sarkis’s battle-worn gruffness. Their dynamic is one of the novel’s highlights, filled with sharp banter, slow-burning chemistry, and refreshingly mature emotional depth.

Beyond the romance, Swordheart excels in world-building, setting its tale in the same universe as Kingfisher’s Clocktaur War books. The story’s whimsical yet grounded approach to fantasy elements—including cursed swords, divine bureaucracy, and nightmarish creatures—creates a uniquely immersive experience.

While the novel’s pacing occasionally meanders due to its conversational tone, the humor and charm more than make up for it. As a huge fan of T. Kingfisher’s books, I absolutely loved Swordheart! Her ability to mix heart, humor, and the bizarre into compelling stories is unmatched. Fans of unconventional love stories, strong-willed heroines, and fantasy with a touch of absurdity will find Swordheart a thoroughly enjoyable read.

T. Kingfisher has such a penchant for weaving her distinct brand of humor into whatever she writes, whether that be horror or fantasy. While I am more familiar with her horror works, this will serve as my motivation to check out the rest of her fantasy novels - especially The Saint of Steel series!

Halla isn't all that broken up about the recent deaths of both her husband and great-uncle-in-law, but she is a little disconcerted by the fact that she was left the elderly man's entire estate after his passing. When his other relatives swoop in to try to force her to marry back into the family and give up all rights to the estate, she figures it's as good a time as any to literally fall on her sword and end it. At least, until unsheathing the sword causes an ancient warrior to appear and vow his loyalty to her. Sarkis is a multi-centuries old swordsman, and his with her on this quest to save her life, her freedom, and her new estate.

This was such a cozy fun adventure that had me cackling out loud multiple times. The rambling, slow nature of the story works so well for this particular tale, and it's lovely watching Halla and Sarkis slowly fall in love in typical grumpy X sunshine fashion. There's something just so unique in a story about a widowed thirty-something finding adventure and love again... with an ancient immortal man. But the real stars of the show are Zale the lawyer priest of the Rat Temple, happily dragged along on all sorts of murder-y adventures, and Brindle the absolutely precious gnole who also gets dragged along for the ride.
While this book doesn't necessarily do anything revolutionary, it is a lovely cozy little romance and I'm invested in the rest of the world Kingfisher has created!

I really loved reading this book and I can not wait for more by this author!! I flew through this book because it was that good. The author did an amazing job keeping the plot interesting without it getting boring or slow. I will be recommending this book to all of the family and friends.

OK who's responsible for the fact that this was published in 2018 but I haven't read it until now? I am so excited that Bramble has rereleased it in 2025!

I have mixed feelings when it comes to "cozy fantasy," but I think this qualifies. You see, this book is about Halla, whose great uncle-in-law just passed and left her his entire estate. His other relatives have descended upon her to try to make her marry her (also deceased) husband's cousin to keep the money in the family. She can't think of anything to do. It's really lucky for her, then, that when she pulls a sword down from the wall and unsheathes it it turns out to be housing an immortal warrior who is now magically bound to serve her.

So they set out on a super low stakes quest to hire a lawyer and get her money back. The plot is pretty rambley, but in such a fun way: Halla and Sarkis don't really have a plan, so they're just trying to survive all of the minor mishaps, footpads, and mean relatives that get in their way during their 3 road trips. Swordheart is set in the established fantasy world of the Clockwork Boys, but I haven't read those and I never felt like I was missing any worldbuilding or context.

But you know what REALLY worked for me? The romance. Halla is 36 and for most of her life has been an overlooked drudge, first for her husband, then for his one relative who took her in. Sarkis is a 40-something warrior (who's been immortal for 400 years, it's complicated!) and Halla isn't his usual type. But he soon realizes that while her personal strengths may not be the same as his, they're just as powerful.

Also, this book is so, so, so funny! It's a zany, unhinged, silly kind of humor that had me laughing throughout the entire book. So yeah, I loved this.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Swordheart by T. Kingfisher in exchange for an honest review.

Halla is ready to end it all. A plain, middle-aged widow, a wealthy relative has just left her a big inheritance. Now her scheming aunt has locked her in a room until they can force her into marriage with her odious, clammy-handed cousin. At a loss for what else to do, she tries to commit suicide with an antique sword that has been a wall decoration until now. But when she pulls the blade from the scabbard, she discovers that it's actually an enchanted sword, inhabited by the spirit (life essence?) of long-dead warrior/mercenary Sarkis. Sarkis is bound to serve the blade's owner, and so is obligated to help free Halla from her family's clutches.

Aided by a lawyer priest from the Temple of the White Rat, a gnome. and a gnome's ox, Halla and Sarkis undertake a quest to get her inheritance back. A grand adventure follows, filled with typically quirky, snarky, hilarious side characters and a few creepy bits.

If you've read T. Kingfisher before, you know what you'll get. (And if you haven't, get right on it! What are you waiting for?) It'll be funny. It'll be irreverent. It'll give a middle-aged woman agency and allow her brilliance to shine, aching back, extra weight, and all. It'll have a sweet romance, with a man who is ready and willing to aid her but also respect her abilities. (Although, admittedly, it does take Sarkis a little while to get with the program.)

This is set in the same world as the Clockwork Boys, so the setting already has some development in place and the story doesn't waste a ton of time with world-building. You happily jump right into the tale, and figure things out from there. (Not unlike our plucky heroine, actuall.y.) Sometimes teetering on the edge of silly, it's refreshing to read a fantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously while somehow avoiding parody. No Tolkien clone here.

Highly recommended for people who want a romantasy that isn't a teenager coupled with a partner 2oo times her age and/or trying to kill her, for preexisitng fans of T. Kingfisher, and for folks who want to a fantasy that is wholly and happily unique.

Ok, I originally said no notes, but I do want to comment on the other land they got sucked into then afterwards that didn’t speak much about it. I thought maybe that bit of trauma would be something the FMC carried for a while. Otherwise, I enjoyed these characters and loved the banter.

I don’t often compare titles to "The Princess Bride." In my experience as a reader, it’s difficult for a fantasy book to mimic the silly humor that is present in the beloved story by William Goldman. "Swordheart" has come the closest. I’ve read a few of T. Kingfisher’s works so I am familiar with her skills as a writer but I was especially charmed by "Swordheart." Kingfisher was able to blend the romance, the plot, the world, and the jokes seamlessly into a delectable smoothie of a book. The humor is genuinely funny; I laughed out loud at several scenes. The characters are all so loveable. Halla and Sarkis have a particularly fun dynamic. The world is an expansion of the author’s previous series therefore she spent time in establishing the landscape and cultural division within this sector of a larger, fantastical realm. I had so much fun reading this book and I would consider this the ideal romantasy.

I’m going to start by saying T Kingfisher has yet to disappoint me, unless I’m forgetting something but they are a very reliable author so I was excited to finally get to this novel. It’s for the people who love cozy fantasy. We follow Halla who was her late husbands great uncles caregiver however, he passes away and the family wants to marry her to someone in that family for the inheritance the great uncle left her. Lots of family drama ensues, she tries to escape, grabs a sword hanging off the wall and suddenly a man named sarkis comes out of the sword, and that’s the cliffhanger I’ll leave you on. Honestly this is funny and lighthearted and a good story.

Big thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing for providing an arc of this book. The thoughts and feelings below are my own.

I feel like before I get any further I should mention I have a love/hate relationship with T. Kingfisher. For example, I enjoyed Nettle & Bone but hated A Sorceress Comes to Call. And to top it off going into Swordheart I had no idea this book had previously been published and was being re-released. So going in I didn’t have a whole lot of expectations. I am happy to report that Swordheart is now my new favorite by this author even though it’s far from prefect.

Swordheart follows our MFC Halla, who picks up a sword only to discover there is an immortal warrior our MMC, Sarkis trapped inside it. Since Halla is now the owner of the blade Sarkia is now bound to protect her. They two travel across the country so Halla can collect the inheritance that her late husband’s family is trying to steal from her. Along the journey they end all sorts of danger ranging from bandits to flying jelly monsters.

Overall verdict we are giving this book 3 stars. Swordheart started really strong. The concept was great. The banter and early romance between the two leads was flowing perfectly. Then about half way through the book just lost steam. The plot felt like it basically disappeared and then randomly reappeared at the last minute. The ending was honestly a big let down especially with how strong it started. And the only thing distracting me from how ungodly long this book was, was the banter between Sarkia and Halla. Regretfully even though the grumpy v sunshine banter was delightful it wasn’t enough to save all aspects of the book.

Now the age old question, would I recommend it? After some thought, Yes I would. I think anyone who’s a fan of cozy fantasy’s will enjoy this. So definitely give it a shot and see for yourself when it rereleases later this February.

Thank you Netgalley for an early arc of this one. The Special edition cover is so beautiful, I can't wait to have get a physical copy of this. T.Kingfisher is an amazing author. I have and love all her books. Thank you for writing this. I gave it 5 stars.

I love T. Kingfisher. She does such an excellent job of combining fantasy, comedy, and romance elements to make for a fun, adventurous story. It’s wonderful and refreshing to read a fantasy book with a main character over thirty, and with queer representation that’s so natural it doesn’t even register.

I loved the world of Swordheart. The storyline is very interesting and original. The characters jump out at you. The very heroic but reluctant hero and the very commonsense but deceiving heroine. The side characters are quite fun as well. I am interested in the stories of all the swords but I really hope the other stories are as interesting and funny. If you like a good fantasy with some romance to spice it up, this will be a good pick for you. There is quite a bit of profanity and for me that was distracting so I can't give it full stars.

Read this if you like:

✨cozy fantasy
✨slow burn romance
✨found family
✨an immortal swordsman

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an e-copy of this book in exchange for a review!

This was a cozy, low-stakes, romantic fantasy that gives a few god laughs! SARKIS, the man that you are 😍

What immediately grabbed my attention when I applied for the ARC was the blurb—it sounded like the perfect mix of adventure, humor, and just the right touch of romance. The premise? Halla, a housekeeper, unexpectedly inherits her great-uncle’s estate… along with his unruly relatives. But the real twist? She accidentally frees Sarkis, an immortal swordsman who has been trapped in an enchanted sword for centuries. Now, instead of enjoying his newfound freedom, he’s magically bound to protect her from bandits, inquisitors, and, of course, her chaotic in-laws. How could I resist a setup like that? 🤭

Halla and Sarkis delivered peak grumpy x sunshine energy, and their dynamic was such a joy to read. Their relationship had the perfect enemies-to-lovers slow burn, which was painful in the best way possible. However, while the romance played an important role, it wasn’t the main focus of the book. The story itself had a solid and engaging plot, though I have to admit that, at 480 pages, some parts felt a bit dragged out. That being said, the writing was immersive, and the pacing, for the most part, kept me hooked.

That being said, Zale and my sweet Brindle (the gnole) absolutely stole the show for me!😭 I adored their characters and the warmth they brought to the story. The enchanted sword concept also added a really fun and unique twist, making the narrative feel fresh and different from other fantasy books I’ve read.

As someone who has been shifting from reading mostly romance to more fantasy, I really appreciated the lighter world-building in this book. It made the transition feel much more manageable without overwhelming me with overly complex lore or heavy descriptions. I loved the balance of adventure, humor, and character-driven storytelling, and it’s definitely left me excited to dive into even more fantasy this year!

A huge thank you to @NetGalley and @ArgyllBooks for the ARC—I had such a great time reading this one! 💓

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! As far as low stakes fantasy books go, this might be my favorite; where many lose interest due to lack of driving plot, Swordheart kept pace and carried the storyline with witty banter, character development, and interpersonal relationships among all characters.

Halla, a respectable widow, suddenly inherits a great sum, to the dismay of her remaining family members. This sum also includes an enchanted sword, who also houses a protector of sorts, named Sarkis. The pair journey across the country and back to ensure Halla's inheritance, while encountering a handful of problems and characters to stall their quest.

Halla is the most realistic character I may have ever read, and I can relate to her whole heartedly! She isn't brave, worldly, or experienced in anything outside of homely duties, and although willing, struggles to adjust to life outside of her comfort zone. She asks too many questions, is very awkward, and tends to ramble on when uncomfortable. It was wonderful to read about a FMC that wasn't inherently good at everything despite a lack of experience and training.

I highly recomend reading this book if you're looking for a cozy/low stakes, and easily digestable fantasy novel.

This was such a fun read! Some formatting issues, but I'm sure that will be fixed at publication. T. Kingfisher is a writer I often have hits and misses on, andt his was definitely a hit. There's no doubt the talent present, and the characters and world are both so well developed. Sarkis and Halla are easy to root for, and I enjoyed the development of their romance. I also appreciated that Halla is an older character and that Sarkis isn't just a super hot man. This is what I want from a Romantasy! More of this!!

This is such a cozy fantasy, perfect for someone who wants a low-stakes plot. The banter between Halla and Sarkis was entertaining and the blossoming romance was sweet.

One of my favorite things is that T. Kingfisher writes characters who are older, allowing me to connect on a deeper level. I find it refreshing to read a badass FMC who is not in their 20s.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing group for this ARC. This is an honest review and my thoughts are my own.

I loved the world building in this book, but most of all I loved the characters. I found myself incredibly invested in their adventures and rooting for them the whole time. Mythology has always been my love- whether historical or imagined- and the gods and their chaos and quirks made this book so much fun.

Beware the man with clammy hands!!

Halla has had nothing but loss in life but it does not get her down. Even now, she's locked in her own bedroom by her dead husband's aunt because she had the audacity to inherit the estate of said husband's great-uncle. Malva is incensed that it did not fall to blood family and that Halla is refusing to marry her son, the man with clammy hands, but Halla will stay in her room until she is forced into marriage. Until Halla discovers a secret in her room. Her great-uncle collected many, many things that piled up everywhere in the house and when she unsheathes a sword she has decided to kill herself with, Halla is saved by none other than the magical warrior living inside the sword. Sarkis is sworn to protect the wielder of the sword and soon he remedies Halla's situation and rescues her from her insane family. They go on a journey to help get Halla back what is rightfully hers and it is nothing short of eventful!

I looooved this book! Swordheart is only the second book I've read by T. Kingfisher and she is fast becoming one of my favorite authors! The quick witted, dry humor present in this book is such a fun surprise and Kingfisher executes it perfectly. I could go on and on, this book was perfection and I cannot wait to see more in this world!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.