(4.5) Where to begin with how much I enjoyed this book? First of all, the cover is GORGEOUS! I’ve been so excited for this book since its reveal.
Secondly, this book didn’t disappoint! I think this is the author’s best work yet. Isabel Ibañez has always done a great job at world building but I’m still left in awe at how immersed I felt while reading this book. As someone with not a lot of knowledge of Italy during the Renaissance period, it was not difficult to keep up or be immersed in the story at all and in fact I was fully invested the whole time. I definitely appreciated reading the Author’s Note at the end as well.
I’m so amazed at how this story was written with such an intense and exciting plot the entire time. There were definitely twists that I didn’t see coming. This story and many of the characters felt very original to me, like nothing that I personally have read before and I loved it. The pacing and multiple POV also helped keep me interested, I definitely binged the second half of this book.
My one note would be that I’m almost left feeling like perhaps it should’ve been a duology? I definitely felt like I wanted more!

And now, the ROMANCE. This is a true enemies to lovers romance, and the male interest is a true morally grey character (which I LOVE) but I can also see that it may not be for everyone. I personally love a good slow burn and this definitely sufficed. I truly enjoy when it’s not just about initial chemistry but conversations that add depth to the attraction and getting to know the characters more, and I feel like this was very well done. I was so excited for every scene with these two characters.
It is spicy, and as someone who’s not super into reading reading books with spice I think it has a moderate/low level of spice and I personally didn’t mind it as a it was written in a more romantic way vs. smutty, which I personally like better (for my taste).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to have a physical copy on my shelf. This is definitely one that I would re-read and I’m looking forward to reading a physical copy.

Side note, but I would definitely enjoy finding out more about the Courier!

If Barbie as Rapunzel and Shakespeare had a baby, it would be this book.
Saturnio had me ABSOLUTELY sat from his very first scene, he’s the perfect amount of morally gray and yet the sweetest man ever and i am so obsessed and i fear it shall never go away.
Ravenna was such a refreshing character! It’s not often that you get a soft hearted fmc and Isabel delivered beautifully with her!! She’s such a sweetheart and yet so resilient to everything that happens and i adore her!!
The plot was so intriguing and i loved the multiple povs we got! It shared such a good look into the other characters lives and their motives!
Genuinely my ONLY complaint is that the ending moved so fast and i felt i didn’t get much closure with the characters i loved so much 😕

Graceless Heart
by Isabel Ibañez

Release day: January 13th , 2026

5⭐️
2🌶️

Graceless Heart was phenomenal!! The Yearning and Tension! The forbidden love, the political intrigue, the unique magic system, I was completely hooked from page 1!!
The author does a beautiful job with the depiction of 15th- century Renaissance Italy!! I’m a huge fan of the Renaissance era and this book just took it to a different level!
The story was so different and unique and it’s a standalone so the author did an amazing job filling in all the pieces!

MFC Ravenna a sculptress, is such a strong and intelligent character and is just trying to survive political battles and her mysterious magical abilities. And a forbidden love between her and a mysterious knight.

MMC Saturnino is misunderstood knight/ villain, with many secrets. When his true identity is revealed I was truly shocked! It was such unique take on a “fantasy character “ that I never read anything like before.
Ravenna and Saturnino are pushed together and their banter was priceless! Their tension and chemistry was off the charts! The hot and cold side of their relationship was just a perfect enemies to lovers scenario!

Overall I loved everything about this story!! And I’m looking forward to reading more from author Isabel Ibañez !

Thank you St. Martin's press and Netgalley for this wonderful arc!!

One of my favorite reads of the year!

Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez completely captured me. Set against the backdrop of Renaissance Italy, this story follows Ravenna, a sculptress with forbidden magic, who enters a sculpture competition to save her brother.

What follows is a thrilling blend of art, danger, and slow-burning romance. Ravenna’s relationship with Saturnino is filled with tension, complexity, and vulnerability. Their dynamic is one of the best enemies to lovers arcs I’ve read in a long time. All of this unfolds under the looming threat of the Pope’s war on magic, raising the stakes in every direction.

The premise is unlike anything I’ve read: magic through sculpture, wrapped in a lush historical fantasy with political intrigue, gothic vibes, and emotional depth.

I’ll be thinking about Ravenna and Saturnino for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In Graceless Heart, Isabel Ibáñez delivers a lush and intoxicating historical fantasy set in Renaissance Italy, where Ravenna Maffei—a gifted sculptress with secret magic—enters a deadly competition and is kidnapped by the enigmatic Luni family, thrust into a lethal world of political intrigue, forbidden power, and immortal heirs. Her evolving, tension‑fueled romance with the merciless yet magnetic Saturnino dei Luni crackles with chemistry amid deadly stakes, while the looming Pope’s crusade against magic adds urgency and moral complexity. Rich in the atmosphere, betrayal, and emotional depth, this standout adult debut weaves magic, ambition, and slow‑burn enemies‑to‑lovers romance into a tale that feels both sweeping and intimate.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Isabel Ibañez for providing this e-ARC book for my honest review. All opinions on this book are my own.

First of all, the cover art is so beautiful 🤌🏽. Hats off to the artist. This book has something that I haven’t PERSONALLY seen done before in fantasy and that is combine artistry with magic. Ravenna, a 15th century Italian woman in her 20s, tries to juggle being the perfect eldest daughter with her love for sculpting all while hiding a terribly dark secret that may doom them all. She doesn’t know who to trust. Her life and family are constantly on the line from not only constant burnings from witchcraft claims and executions for staying out past curfew but also from threats coming from two very powerful enemies. Ravenna is forced in the middle of it all with seemingly no end in sight.

I loved the setting of this book. I’ve never visited Italy but I felt immersed in the environment. I also enjoyed learning about some Italian renaissance history. Loved the inclusion of the very famous artist/visionary we all know. The author took some historical figures and facts and expounded/tweaked them. I love a fiction that makes me want to research history.

The romance was tense in the beginning but, ultimately, didn’t feel like much to write home about, in my opinion. Unwanted allies to lovers. The spice was alright. Not terrible or super cringe-worthy but not great. The FMC was a little too “perfect” for me. I wish the magical world building was more in depth. This is a standalone (as far as I know) and I’m still confused about many magical beings and the magic of key characters. The book has a HEA yet I still felt somewhat dissatisfied.

Overall, the pacing was good. I could put the book down but I was not bored by the story. I also wasn’t overly engrossed in it but I wanted to see how it ended. I’d recommend this to someone wanting to read an Italian Renaissance romantasy somewhat highlighting witch trials and religious crusades by the Pope.

1 🌶️ (a little spicier than YA)

Tropes: adversaries to lovers, forced proximity, morally grey MMC, Stockholm syndrome, religious themes


* please disregard grammatical errors due to accessible voice texting. Thanks!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.75 stars

I needed a few days to sit and think about how to review this book after reading it. I was super hopeful at the beginning of the book and thought it was such an interesting/original premise for a book.

Nothing I love more than an enemies to lovers where the characters genuinely show a strong dislike for each other without immediately falling in love at the switch of the hate. I felt the distaste between Ravenna and Saturnino in the first part of the book and was absolutely loving it. I was slightly disappointed when there was a very quick switch to Saturnino being in love with Ravenna.

I enjoyed seeing chapters from various characters perspectives. At times it was a bit confusing but I felt that was part of what the author wanted, as we as readers did not fully know everything that was going on in the story. That being said, some of the alternative characters perspectives seemed pointless once reflecting back on the end of the book.

Overall the ending felt very rushed and considering it is a standalone, so many things were left unanswered and unexplored. The beginning part of the book, a number of gem stones are described in detail but rarely explored in the book. Ravenna’s magic I felt was under explained and not as significant to the story line as initially expected. The couriers character felt abandoned at the end and was not given a good conclusion.

2.5 Stars, rounded up to 3

This is an adult fantasy romance / romantasy book intended for a mature audience.

Here’s some of the highlights you can expect:

-Gorgeous cover art – it’s really what caught my attention the most to decide to read this
-Magic / Powered individuals
-Fantasy set world based in alternate reality Renaissance Italy
-Very atmospheric world and storytelling
-Slow burn romance
-A standalone story

About our protagonist:

Ravenna is a sculptress with a secret. She’s got witch blood, which means she awakens magic within her that endangers her life and all who know her. She’s a determined and loving main female protagonist. As fear-filled as she is about this strange power, she does not hesitate to use all her talents to save her family, even in the face of the mysterious Luni family.

Overall:

This was my first Isabel Ibañez read. I did enjoy the way the story swept me away in an atmospheric whimsical slow-paced way. I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical fantasy settings with a slow burn mature / spicy romance plot.

This book’s biggest strength was in its romance storyline and atmospheric storytelling. Something I would have loved to see developed a lot more was pretty much everything else with the story. We get a peek into the world we’re in with its various magical beings but it isn’t explored or explained in any tangible way, the stakes for being a magical being never really felt all that high with the main antagonist being cities away. If you’re expecting a high fantasy, this might not be the story for you. But if you’re okay with being swept up and just moving along in uncovering the mystery behind the family, you will have a lot of fun. For me, I just wanted a little more depth to the romance, characters, the world building, and the stakes for our FMC.

Overall, I would still recommend this book and would look forward to more in this world. I think there’s promise in this story and world the author has provided us, and I am looking forward to reading more of her books in general now that I know what to expect.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC for this review! :)

Isabel Ibañez delivers something truly special with Graceless Heart—a richly imagined historical fantasy that balances political tension, slow-burn romance, and quiet emotional devastation, all without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard. I genuinely could not put it down.

The pacing is slower through most of the book, which I know will divide readers, but that’s not a complaint. I was fully invested, chapter after chapter, and never felt bored or restless. The slower development gave the world and relationships room to breathe, and it was a relief to read something that trusted the reader’s patience. The stakes are clear but unforced, the emotional build subtle but deeply satisfying.

That said, the final third of the book does accelerate quickly. Plot threads that were given so much room to simmer suddenly start snapping into place all at once, and while that made for a dramatic finish, it also made the romance feel a little compressed. Regardless, the dynamic between the main characters is one of the book’s strengths. I loved the way their relationship unfolded—hesitant, fraught, and full of tension. Even early on, when the male lead came off as cold and almost entirely lacking in humanity, I couldn’t look away.

There is a nice little plot twist, and while I won’t spoil it, I will say: I didn’t see it coming. It was smartly done—quiet, but effective—and it reshaped how I saw earlier parts (and the rest) of the story without feeling like a gimmick. I also really appreciated the author’s note at the end. It’s clear Ibañez did her research, but she also made intentional choices to deviate where it served the story.

Finally, if this turns out to be the start of a series, I have one humble request: more of the courier. He’s a side character, but every scene he’s in just makes me want to know more about him, and I’d happily read an entire book from his POV.

If you like your fantasy with political scheming, layered characters, a romance that actually takes its time (until it doesn’t), and a world that feels like it could have walked out of a dusty primary source, Graceless Heart is worth your time. I’m already thinking about a reread.

This was a very well written historical fantasy novel. I loved the incorporation of real life historical figures and the magical elements that existed in the book.

This story is about a young woman named Ravenna who gets entangled with a magical family in the Renaissance era of Florence, Italy. The writing was great and the author captured the time period perfectly. The story contains romance, politics, art, magic and some pretty high stakes. The twists and turns of this book kept me intrigued the entire time, I just wanted to know more about the magical aspects/ different powers people could have. I wish that had been emphasized more.

If you like historical fiction + romance + fantasy in the young adult or a “new adult” genre, I would highly recommend to this you!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez !!

Graceless Heart is historical fantasy—but don’t let that scare you. I usually avoid historical settings like the plague, but this one was beautifully done and never felt heavy or dull. The research is clear, but it’s woven in so seamlessly it never slows things down.
We follow Ravenna, a young woman entering a deadly competition to save her brother… only to end up entangled with a strange, secretive family who definitely gives off Interview with the Vampire vibes. That gothic, eerie dynamic hooked me fast.

This is the kind of fantasy I’ve been craving—less war, more political intrigue, layered characters, and a plot that actually surprises you. I did not see the twists coming, and that almost never happens.

Told mostly from Ravenna’s POV, we also get a few other character perspectives that deepen the story without slowing the pace. Everything—setting, language, romance, and tension—felt fresh and so well done.

If you’re tired of reading the same fantasy over and over, give this a shot. It’s clever, immersive, and genuinely unputdownable. I loved it.

I have enjoyed work from this author before and was excited to receive an arch to read.i thought the world building was great and the story was good. I was surprised by the reveal, but it fit into the theme of the book. I also really enjoyed the main character. Overall a good read, I would recommend to others.

I could not put this book down. Isabel Ibañez delivers such a unique, fast-paced story in Graceless Heart, and the romance between Ravenna and Saturnino completely hooked me. Their chemistry is intense, emotional, and complicated in the best way. I loved how their relationship built slowly, full of tension and trust issues, but also so much heart.

What really stood out to me was how original the story felt—it’s rich with magic, political stakes, and worldbuilding that feels alive without being overwhelming. There were moments that totally surprised me, and I was fully invested from beginning to end.

2.5 rounded up. Unfortunately, this made me realize What the River Knows was a fluke for me with this author, because I'd have been happy DNF'ing this one.

I just wanted so much more than what I got. Especially since this could have been fabulous. Historical fantasy romance set in renaissance Florence with a magical sculptor and appearances from the Pope and Medici family? This was screaming my name. But Ravenna was very "not-like-other-girls," Saturnino was described with every animal/emotion/dangerous object all at once, and the magic was just never really used or explained. Now that I've finished, I still have so many questions about so much of this world. The romance as well felt very clumsy. The entire book felt like it needed more focus.

Character:
The main characters are interesting on their own but as they come together in the romance I found the story falling back on the "ol' reliable" tropes of romantasy. Near instant love, captor and captive, big strong man and small woman (although points for being a strong woman since she sculpts from marble and stone!), "who did this to you?", dark backstory that gets redeemed by falling in love, etc. Some people are going to love those things! I simply find them... overdone, to say the least.

Conflict:
I love a political B-plot, but combining real world figures with fantasy is tough. There were no glaring issues here, I suppose, it just wavered between being realistic and not so much, which broke immersion at times.
There is also the conflict between the FMC and the Luni family, which was a bit confusing. Did they need her powers desperately or not? The timeline also moves in a way such that it's difficult to determine what all progress is being made in the FMC's challenge.

Context:
I don't think that the author is Catholic or had any Catholic beta readers. There would have been more accurate Catholic guilt. 😅 I appreciate a story that wants to dig into the vast mythology of the Catholic church but besides the Pope and his singular immense power in the story, I feel like it was wasted as simply a backdrop.

Craft:
The book was well written at a line level with only a few errors or confusing sentences.

Overall:
It was fine, but honestly felt like it could have been so much more!
2.5 stars rounded up to 3

It is with a literal heavy heart that I say I just didn’t love this. I was so looking forward to this book based off of the description, vibey setting, & beautiful cover. But alas here we are. I think that in this book, we had an incredible idea but an execution that didn’t pay off. The writing of our main cast felt incredibly surface level, & I genuinely struggled to read it because of my lack of connection. UGH! It’s breaks me! Because there was so much potential in everything!! Ravenna had potential to be cool!!! But she just had really no character development & depth to me?? & same with Saturnino!! Their romance felt unconvincing, I don’t know. I so much loved the setting, & in fact long for more fantasy set in Renaissance Italy!!

I’m giving this 2 stars, simply cause I always give the benefit of the doubt when it comes to me LOL I know I can be very picky with my books, & I think there’s a lot of room for people with different tastes to like this story. Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for my first read in their early readers program & to NetGalley!

I really, really struggled with this one. I have to say first that I think it was a good idea that failed in execution—in the fantasy, the romance, AND the writing.

First, I cannot overstate how wordy this book is. It is WAY too long and needed an editor to slash through at least 20,000 words. Ravenna’s internal dialogue was expansive and repetitive and at most moments, completely unnecessary. LOTS of “telling not showing” if you will. (The amount of skimming I did in this book? Whole pages. To be clear, I *never* do this.)

The romance? Ma’am. Saturnino is a VILLAIN. He’s not only a stone-cold murder (serial killer, if we’re being honest) with very little prompting, he’s also unkind and even downright cruel to Ravenna for the first 60% of the book??? And then suddenly they’re in love??? Because he’s got and he’s horny??? Nope, I don’t buy it.

Lots of these fantasy elements were rushed in explanation and execution. It’s clear the book is begging for a sequel and I, for one, will be shocked if that is warranted after reviews come in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The following review will be posted on Goodreads on January 6, 2025, one week before the publishing date.

Graceless Heart is a reimagining of Renaissance Florence with more conspiracy, family betrayals, and magic. In this world, magic and the supernatural exist but are heavily sanctioned and outlawed by the Church.

We follow Ravenna Maffei, the daughter of innkeepers from the village of Volterra. As the eldest daughter, Ravenna is both the caretaker of her family and the manager of their inn, but she has a secret talent for sculpting and, more damnedly, she is a witch. When her brother is imprisoned for rebelling against the Medici, the ruling family of Florence, Ravenna decides to join a sculpting competition hosted by a family of immortals, the Luni. The reward for winning the competition was a boon, which Ravenna intends to use to free her brother. However, she quickly finds that the Luni family have other agendas, one that would threaten her life and the lives of everyone that she loves. Ravenna is torn between her faith and beliefs, the love of her family, and her newfound connection with the enigmatic eldest son of the Luni family.

I found the premise to be interesting and unique. I think the author captured the extravagance of the Medici’s Florence while also giving light to the struggles of the ordinary. There’s a prevalent theme of humanity and community that we constantly revisit with Ravenna and Saturnino. Ravenna, for most of the book, rejects what makes her unique and what aligns her with Saturnino, the Luni family, and even the Medici. She values belonging and having a community and the fear of losing those things are what drives her to turn on the Luni family. On the other hand, Saturnino finds a camaraderie and understanding in Ravenna that results in him betraying his family for her. Ravenna undergoes a transformation in her desperation to hold onto her values while Saturnino learns to adapt and shift his view of the world because of Ravenna. Their development as individual characters and then as a couple was interesting and compelling because of those transformations.

I also really enjoyed the emphasis on love, specifically the discussion about familial and conditional love. Ravenna’s epiphany about her faith because of the pope’s actions is something that I think a lot of people go through. Her relationship with her family and her steadfast love for them despite their fear of her or their own shortcomings is the heart of her character.

I do wish there was a little more of the magic and the supernatural. A lot of this book is political intrigue and magic served more as a plot device and catch-all than an actual developed idea. I would’ve loved to know more about the fae, witches, vampyres, and other magical creatures.

If you like Renaissance Italy, dangerous magic with high stakes, and a book boyfriend who makes liberal use of the “who did this to you?” trope, then I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Graceless Heart is a gorgeous mix of historical fantasy and dark romance set in a vividly imagined Florence. The story follows Ravenna Maffei, a sculptress hiding a dangerous secret who is pulled into a deadly competition by one of the city’s most feared immortal families. The magic system feels tactile and grounded in art and stone, and the political tension from the Pope’s crusade against magic adds a constant sense of danger.

Ravenna is the strongest part of the book. She is fiercely loyal to her brother, flawed in ways that feel human, and pragmatic in how she navigates impossible choices. I also loved the sibling bond that drives so much of her story. The pacing kept me hooked and the mix of competition, court intrigue, and gothic atmosphere felt fresh and immersive.

My only reservation is the male love interest, Saturnino. I liked the initial premise he brings to the plot, but I never felt fully connected to him. Even with that minor complaint, overall I had a great time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow. I really enjoyed this story!

The world-building, the intrigue, the plot; it was amazing. I thought the pacing was good, although maybe a little slow sometimes, but I still found the text engaging.