Not my favorite T. Kingfisher, but still a fun romantic romp full of her signature wit and humor. I enjoyed the characters and the overall plot, but as I'm not a huge fan of romance novels, and this leaned more into the romance than the fantasy, I felt it was a little long.

4 stars! “Swordheart” is such a fun read! The story kicks off with Halla, a widow trapped by her greedy relatives who want her inheritance. Things take a wild turn when she accidentally releases Sarkis, a cursed warrior who lives inside a sword. Yeah, literally *inside* a sword. The two of them team up to escape Halla’s situation and take on the ridiculous bureaucracy of the Temple of the Rat to secure her freedom.

The dynamic between Halla and Sarkis is a blast. She’s clever and practical, and he’s a grumpy but lovable swordsman who’s stuck being magically bound to whoever wields his sword. Their banter is spot-on, and watching their relationship grow from wary allies to something more is super satisfying. The romance is sweet without overshadowing the adventure, and their chemistry feels real and earned.

There are some great twists along the way, especially with the Temple of the Rat. Instead of epic battles and dark sorcery, a lot of the conflict involves legal loopholes and the temple's ridiculous red tape, which somehow makes for a lot of laughs and some surprisingly tense moments.

The ending wraps everything up nicely. Halla outsmarts her family and, with the temple's help, keeps her inheritance. Sarkis finally gets his freedom, and they ride off into the sunset together—well, not literally, but it feels just as satisfying.

Overall, *Swordheart* is a charming mix of humor, adventure, and romance. It’s not overly serious, but it’s got heart and a fresh take on fantasy tropes. I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something light and clever with a bit of romance and a lot of laughs.

3.5 stars! This is my second T Kingfisher book and though her characters are charming, I’m not totally sure if she’s an author I’ll continually reach for. I liked both Halla and Sarkis, as well as side characters Zale and Brindle, but the pacing was a bit too slow for me. I especially felt that the third act dragged. The ending was also a bit unsatisfying, like the story is incomplete, not sure if there’s a sequel to this?

Also I’m not sure if this was intentional or just because it’s a galley, but there was a LOT of punctuation missing from the Kindle format. If it is intentional, it makes the writing style have more of a stream of consciousness vibe, which I didn’t really like. Kingfisher’s style of writing dialogue in general doesn’t always jive with me, but overall this was enjoyable enough.

This was a cute, cozy romance! The beginning was fast-paced and full of drama, which immediately pulled me in. Unfortunately, the middle felt repetitive and dragged, so much so that I ended up skipping about 20% and could still follow along just fine.

Halla, the FMC, is a 30-year-old woman but often came across as an 18-year-old with her constant questioning, which was a bit annoying. While their banter had its endearing moments, it wasn’t quite strong enough to justify how much of it there was.

For a cozy fantasy, it was just okay. The MMC’s strange obsession with certain parts of Halla’s body was...interesting. That said, the concept of a man being stuck in a sword was fun and added a unique twist!

I went in half blind, and I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this was sooo good! Halla is so quirky, and Sarkis is a grumbling man.. It was fun and heartwarming to see these two grow as individuals and fall for each other. I thought the world building was interesting but not too over powering and I am looking forward to continuing on with this series! Definitely a cozy fantasy with silliness and heartwarming abilities.

thank you mrs kingfisher for blessing us with sarkis, halla, and their companions. i loved every minute of this book. i hope sarkis and halla and zale and brindle all live happily forever.

Kingfisher is one of those writers who writes in so many different tones that i'm never sure what i'm gonna get when i read her. this one was up and down for me. it's quite a romp and often funny, but didn't compel me the same way Thornhedge did (that's still my fave i've read of hers!). similarly, i found myself very fond of some of the characters and rooting for their happiness, but it took me a while to reach that point.

of the two POV narrators, Halla charmed me the most—i can almost never resist a practical middle-aged woman! her predicaments, her outside-the-box thinking, and her cleverness all delighted me. the other narrator, Sarkis, won me over eventually too—there were times when i really felt for him, and sometimes his gruffness was fun—but i think i'm just not the right audience for gruff warrior men who think quite a lot about trying to control their lustful urges. like, good for him and Halla, but the romantic and sexual tension between them didn't hit for me. the side characters though!!! i adored Zale the nonbinary lawyer-priest, and Brindle the hardworking badger-creature. i would read a whole book just about them!

the plot was also mixed for me. on the one hand i really enjoyed a lot of the shenanigans and zany inheritance drama, but on the other hand the plot as a whole felt unfocused to me, more like a collection of things that happened without a lot of tissue connecting them. the storylines that did carry through, and the "twist" reveal (which wasn't hard to see coming, but i think the reader is intended to see it coming), were compelling to me. but there's a lot of traveling in this book, and i didn't feel like the journey was more important than the destination(s) in this case; the bonding that happened on the road just didn't draw me in the way i think it was meant to.

so overall, up and down! it was fun, and i think for a reader who's more invested in hetero romance it would be a satisfying read. it's neither spectacular nor bad, just fine. they can't all be winners to me specifically, i guess!

halla is a housekeeper who suddenly finds herself in possession of her great uncle’s estate…much to the dismay of his relatives. sarkis is an immortal swordsman…“swordsman” in both the sense that he is a man of swords, and, well, also a man in a sword. when halla draws the sword that imprisons him, sarkis finds himself defending his new wielder against more threats than the average person encounters.

this seemed like such a fun concept, so i was very eager to read this book! i loved the dynamic between the two characters. normally when we have an immortal x mortal relationship, the mortal is barely an adult (or sometimes not even an adult yet). in this book, though, the mortal, halla, was middle-aged. this was really cool to see since there aren’t many fantasy books (at least, that i’ve read) with middle-aged main characters. i liked how this played into the plot and her motives.

this was also a pretty funny book! the other characters had a LOT of fun investigating exactly how sarkis’s sword magic works, which led to some funny moments. that said, there are tons of heavy moments; in my opinion, though, these were well balanced!

i’d recommend this to any adult fantasy fan. i look forward to reading more books set in this universe!

I went into this book not knowing anything about this author, but my gosh! I'm glad I discovered her!
This cozy fantasy gave me all the feels and I absolutely loved the romance between Halla and Sarkis!
The banter and overall vibe is what I long for with FMC and MMC's.
Thank you NetGalley for introducing me to this author and I look forward to reading more!


Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

My actual rating is 4.75 stars. This book is so close to perfection it's not even funny. This is my first T Kingfisher book and it was an absolute delight! There were several moments I had to put this book down because I was laughing so hard. I would categorize this book not as romantasy, but fantasy with a romance subplot. The main reason I did not give this five stars is because it meandered a little too much in the middle for me. Also when I say the banter is bantering I am not being hyperbolic. The chemistry between our two main characters, not necessarily romantically just as two people forced into a situation, their friendship just jumps off the page. Our main characters are complex and incredibly likable. I don't know if I have ever felt so compelled to read every single work by an author after reading one book by said author. This book is for fans of The Princess Bride, Monty Python, and Legends and Lattes.

Halla has been living with her late husband’s family. She took care of his family member, Silas, before his eventual passing. He ended up leaving her all his money. The family is mad, and locks her in her room. They have come up with the idea of forcing her to marry her cousin by marriage. She’s panicking and decides she can’t live like this, so she’s pulls a sword from the wall of the room. Planning on ending it all. Until a man known as Sarkis comes out of the sword after she wields it. He ends up helping her escape, and they journey far to get help on her getting her inheritance. So much happens in that time and the bond between her and sharkas grow more and more. romantasy to the fullest, a lot of world building in this magical realm, a rat priest, wild adventure, bodyguard and widow

This is my first book by T. Kingfisher and I am hooked! This felt like a cosy version of a tabletop RPG, where the characters were all rolling to figure out what would happen next in a largely planned story. It was absolutely amazing. I read this book so quickly because I felt like I just couldn't leave it be. And unless I am reading for the purpose of diving deep into a philosophical/political/theoretical concept, that's the marker of the best book. So if you are searching for something serious, this might not be the best book for you, but if you want a romantic adventure with a bit of magic, mystery, and a happy ending, this is one to pick up! There are ways to go deep in this book for sure (e.g., what different strategies do women employ to protect themselves when they are considered naturally weaker and given little societal power if they aren't connected to a man), but I think it's best when enjoyed as a fun story with elements of real issues rather than the other way around.

I loved the first 40% and last 10% of this book. But that middle 50%ish? A bit too slow paced for me. I think this as a novella could’ve been 5 stars for me, but a novel was just too dragged out. I do think cozy fantasy fans will love this though. It just didn’t land for me like her other fantasy works. I will still eat up any book Kingfisher puts out because she is such an incredible writer. She definitely writes the best banter out there.

Apparently this is set in the world of The Clockwork Boys, which I haven’t read, but I didn’t feel confused or lost with a book set in a previously established world.

This book made me want to read every book T. Kingfisher ever wrote. A cozy fantasy sprinkled with romance makes this a book you won't want to put down. A man who has been trapped in a sword was not a plotline I expected to like but the author really made it work! Highly recommend! Thank you Bramble for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was so close to being really good! Unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, and I was excited to read about the journey these characters were going to go on. The plot was quite dull, and despite the odd few chapters, I couldn't get invested into the story.

The pacing was incredibly slow, and there was very little excitement. I did enjoy the relationship between Halla and Sarkis, and the backstory to both characters were interesting. I would have loved if there was a little bit more of an exploration into the relationship of these two. I usually hate a third-act breakup, but this book had me wanting more tension during that time.

Overall, I think the idea of this book was great, but it was a little boring for what was promised.

🩵Thank you NetGalley & the author T.Kingfisher for the access to the ebook of Swordheart🩵

🗡️ Cozy Fantasy
🗡️ Protective Bodyguard
🗡️Banter
🗡️ late 30s/ early 40s FMC & MMC

Synopsis:
⚔️ Halla, a widowed housekeeper for her great-uncle, inherits his estate upon his passing. However, his relatives are determined to seize it from her. Sarkis, an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison—a sword—finds himself compelled to defend his new wielder, Halla, against various adversaries, including bandits, roving inquisitors, and even her own in-laws, all in an effort to protect her inheritance. ⚔️

My thoughts:
⚔️ I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The banter between Halla and Sarkis was particularly delightful, eliciting multiple outbursts of laughter from me. Additionally, I appreciated the fact that the characters were older, which provided a refreshing change from the typical younger protagonists. ⚔️

Having never read anything by T. Kingfisher before, I didn't really know what I was getting into when I started Swordheart and I was surprised...in a great way! This book was delightful! I laughed out loud multiple times, and I adored the characters. Halla is hilarious and clever and Sarkis is grumpy and adorable. I loved that Halla was not your typical 19-year old "chosen one" main character: she's older, she's a widow, and she's finally about to truly start living her life if her awful relatives would just leave her alone.

This is very much a "quest" fantasy and it was so fun. The side characters were great (except Halla's relatives) and the entire story was enjoyable from start to finish. I loved the romance! I would absolutely recommend this for lovers of cozy fantasy, and I will definitely be reading more by Kingfisher!

This book is charming as all get out. For younger audiences, "as all get out" is a less explicit way of saying "AF." And it is.
The story starts with one of the funniest, most understated asides I have ever encountered in my long life as a reader and it just keeps getting better.
The characters are delightful. Halla reminded me of one of my best friends whom I would never ever travel with, ever again, but for whom I would absolutely take a bullet. Sarkis is exactly my type and exemplifies why I shouldn't be trusted in the dating pool. Zale is perfection. I would 100% road trip with them.
The story is nonstop chaos and makes a strong case for reading Kingfisher's Paladin's Grace series, which, up until now, I haven't made time for but fully intend to set upon in the nearest future.
Kingfisher clearly deploys an editor and her writing is crisp and compelling. If you've read any of my other reviews you will know I have mad respect for good editing.
I rate this book 4 stars out of 5 because I think anyone that enjoys a cozy fantasy will love it, but it may not be for non-fantasy readers.

Thanks NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Bramble for this arc!

4.5/5 stars rounded up!

This was a fun adventure from start to finish! Halla, a widow in her mid thirties, was left everything in her uncle's will - much to the dismay and displeasure of his relatives. After being locked in her room for days, the only way out she can see is impaling herself on the dusty old sword that's been hanging above her bed since she moved in. However, when she draws said sword, a - brooding and dashing - warrior pops out, swearing to protect and serve her. What follows is an exciting quest to reclaim her inheritance full of adventure, mayhem, peril, romance, and humour. Halla is as clever as she is chatty, and it's so fun to watch her and Sarkis fall for each other! I really loved Zale's character, and with the teasing of more in this series I hope we see more of them in future novels, not just Halla and Sarkis! I'm looking forward to reading the other books currently published set in this world, too!

ARC Review: Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

T. Kingfisher delivers another delightfully offbeat fantasy with Swordheart, a book filled with humor, heart, and just the right amount of absurdity. This is a fantasy romance that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet still delivers on adventure, character depth, and emotional stakes.

Halla, a widowed housekeeper, suddenly finds herself the sole inheritor of a great fortune—and her late husband’s family isn’t happy about it. While trying to figure out what to do next, she accidentally releases Sarkis, a warrior who has been magically trapped inside an ancient sword. Bound by duty (and possibly magic), Sarkis must now protect Halla, even as she barrels headfirst into danger with her unshakable practicality and sharp wit.

The banter between Halla and Sarkis is the highlight of the book. Halla isn’t your typical fantasy heroine—she’s refreshingly unpolished, full of curiosity, and not the least bit graceful, while Sarkis is a grumpy, long-suffering warrior who has no idea how to handle her. Their dynamic is pure gold, with plenty of grumpy vs. sunshine energy and awkward-yet-endearing romantic tension.

Beyond the romance, Swordheart also weaves in clever worldbuilding, a fascinating magic system, and a great supporting cast. The mix of slice-of-life moments and adventure made the journey feel immersive and lived-in, creating a story that feels both intimate and epic. While the pacing slows at times, the book’s charm, humor, and heart make it an absolute delight.

If you love found family, sentient swords, and a romance filled with chaotic energy, Swordheart is a must-read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
🌶️ 1/5 (a few suggestive moments but mostly tame)
LGBTQ+ rep present

Note: This ARC was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review.