In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of Heartsong by S.E. Wendel in exchange for an unbiased review.
Heartsong is technically the second book in Wendel’s War of the Underhill series, but it works well enough as a standalone. I had no trouble following the plot, and I certainly didn’t read the prequel novella first. Heartsong throws together a fiercely independent, emotionally guarded heroine, a possessive-but-sweet gargoyle in tight gray sweatpants to create a romance built on slow-burn intimacy, emotional baggage, and mutual healing.
Frey is your classic grumpy gargoyle with a heart of gold—protective, a little clueless about modern life, and wildly devoted to his mate. Anna, meanwhile, is a guarded, pragmatic heroine with a chronic pain condition and a deep well of emotional trauma that actually felt thoughtfully handled. Her refusal to immediately swoon at the idea of a “mate bond” was refreshing and grounded her character in a way I appreciated, because I’ll be honest, the fated mate genre isn’t usually my jam, so I appreciated that Wendel didn’t take it in a 100% instalove direction. Most of the story plays out in the domestic rhythms of daily life, and while I liked the coziness of that dynamic, I did start to feel the repetition. Their emotional cycle of “Frey protects, Anna pushes back” got a little predictable by the halfway point, and I found myself wishing for a bit more variety in their interactions, although to be fair, I did love the big angst-fest where they finally realize the power of communication (what can I say, I love a third act break-up, and while this was not that, it still delivered all the feels).

Also, I love a cinnamon-roll caretaking MMC as much as the next girl, but Frey was a little too much at times. Like, I absolutely caught myself thinking “please stop monologuing about your eternal devotion while she’s just trying to make coffee” at least twice. And I love an emotionally constipated, tough as nails but trying to be better FMC, but Anna was a little too self-absorbed for the entire first act. The guy is essentially a 1950’s househusband, and you couldn’t even think about getting him a phone or teaching him how to read? Like girl, buy him those sweatpants, but also maybe put him in a parka and take him for a walk around the block?

Things I liked: Anna’s stubborn streak, her self-awareness into her own issues which I thought were portrayed well, and the chronic pain rep. I also enjoyed the little insight we had to the other gargoyles, especially the one who appeared in a pivotal moment - I want more of his story! The slice of life vibes were nice, and of course Captain was adorable

Things I Didn’t: Anna’s obtuseness when it came to the actual stalker. I’m sorry, but it wasn’t exactly a plot twist. The repetitiveness of some story beats, as mentioned above. And it seemed like Frey acclimated to modern life a little too well a little too quickly. I would have like a little more non-mate related fish out of water situations.

Perfect for fans of: Monster romance, size differences, grey sweatpants, cute cats, communication, fated mates, cinnamon roll MMCs and skeptical FMCs, domestic role reversals, and happily ever afters (seriously, everyone got a happily ever after, even the asshole mom).

Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Not a perfect book, but a warm, well-written, and occasionally swoony one that I enjoyed more than I didn’t.

3.5⭐️ (rounded to 4)
This was such a fun read!

This story follows a gargoyle named Frey who has been freed from being stuck in stone for over a thousand years and finds his mate Anna is the one who accidentally freed him. This causes so much (good) tension and adventure between the two and trying to navigate their new reality. I loved seeing how Frey is thrust into a modern world and is slowly trying to adapt while also trying to win over Anna. I really enjoyed seeing how Anna is coming to terms with everything in her life changing in the blink of an eye. She's dealt with the reality of a stone gargoyle coming to life, being told she is his mate, and then also managing her chronic migraines. As someone who deals with this, I loved seeing the chronic illness representation and how well that was done!

With that said, I did feel like this story did drag on a bit. There was enough going on to keep me engaged enough to finish it out but there were times where it just got a bit boring and repetitive. Also there were some side storylines thrown in that felt unnecessary. For example, the storyline with her mother and how the detective asked about her moms ex-boyfriend felt very random because nothing ever came from it.

Overall, I still really enjoyed the story and all of the characters. If you're a monster romance lover this is a book you definitely should be checking out! This is a new to me author but one I will definitely be reading more from.

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for this eARC!

Highlights
Grumpy x Grumpy
Forced Proximity
Fated Mates
Slow Burn
Adorable Sidekick

I’m sure most of you read my highlights and thought “Ahren, you don’t like slow burn romance” and you’d be correct but I make exceptions and one author that gets a permanent hall pass to torture me is SE Wendel. And the reason she gets a pass is because in her stories the buildup is so delicious and very much makes sense with the story. It is no different with Anna and Frey.

I LOVE these two grumps. The only thing better than a grumpy x sunshine trope is a double dose of grumpy. Life hasn’t been easy for these crazy kids and it was equal parts sweet, torturous and cathartic to see their relationship unfold. This series is so good. As a lover of history I love how integral it is to the story. It was a big reason why I loved Stone Hearts (Book 1) so much and it’s true for this book as well.

Heartsong has everything. Curvy and feisty human FMC. Brooding gargoyle MMC. Adorable pet sidekick. Mystery. Intrigue. Grey Sweatpants. Sleeve rolling. Forced proximity.

SE Wendel does an amazing job of bringing us beautifully crafted stories that are easy to read and connect to. I cannot sing her praises enough.

Absolutely lovely story about a museum worker who finds that one of the statues she’s been studying is actually alive! I found the story heartwarming and fun. Wonderful job S.E. Wendel I am looking forward to more of your work.

I adored the concept to this book. I found that I had to put it down a few times, due to life stuff, but I also started to feel that the book was longer than it needed to be (?) I’m not sure that’s exactly wheat I mean, but it felt like it dragged a bit. There was a lot of incorporation of the scholar and I figured there was something there, but she felt less like a cliffhanger and more like a random character inserted. Especially when the book finished around the primary characters and they never had contact by the epilogue.

I still want to read the next book. I loved the dynamic between the couple. But the other relationships felt a bit…not forced, but less developed. And all of the ignorance felt too willful. These demons have enhanced senses but it felt like there was some intentional oversight to further the plot. I would love to have felt more consistency throughout to best understand the world and these creatures’ abilities.

Heartsong by S.E. Wendel took me a minute to really sink into because I am not usually one for gargoyle romance (and now I am definitely a fan), but once I did, I was hooked. I’m so glad I stuck with it because the story completely pulled me in with its cozy, spicy, and emotional monster romance vibes.

Anna and Frey are both incredibly strong, deeply layered characters, each carrying their own kind of damage, which made watching them slowly open up and heal (both individually and together) all the more rewarding. Frey might come off as a bit overbearing at times, but it’s clear he’s learning, and just as Anna is trying to work through her own walls, he’s trying to become a better partner. Their growth felt organic, and I loved how their relationship was interwoven with the mystery surrounding the cursed gargoyles and fae magic.

Also, the world building in this book? It was truly fascinating. I need more of this universe ASAP. I loved the blend of ancient lore and modern life. It was fun and immersive, especially watching Frey try to adapt to current times (and fumble through modern tech!).

One thing that really stood out to me was the representation of chronic pain through Anna. As someone who deals with chronic migraines myself, I felt really seen. It wasn’t overly dramatized or “miraculously cured” by love, but it was real, raw, and a consistent part of her life that impacted her choices and relationships. I appreciated how it was handled with honesty and care.

All in all, Heartsong is the perfect blend of cozy monster romance, emotional growth, and magical intrigue. If you're into grumpy but devoted ancient warriors, fated mates, a soft yet strong FMC, and gargoyle spice (yes, really), this is definitely one to check out. I’m already counting down until the next book in the series.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and S.E. Wendel for the ARC!

I will admit it took me a little to get in to this book. But I am very glad I stuck it out because I'm hooked. I loved these two characters. Both are strong in their own way and 'damaged' in their own way. Frey may have had (and still does) some overbearing traits not be worked on them, just like Anna worked through hers. Reading as their love grew and they grew as individuals was well woven into the mystery and adventure of it all. This entire world being built is interesting and I need more!

Thank you Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and S.E Wendel for the ARC

A cozy, smutty gargoyle romance novel? Sign me up!

This was such a cute read where the fmc works at a museum and accidentally wakes one of the gargoyles on display. He is ancient and and falls first and hard.

I loved seeing how Anna had to teach Frey how to deal with modern technology and navigate their relationship. It was also nice to see a fmc who is dealing with chronic pain. As someone who deals with it myself, I really enjoyed the representation. It wasn't overly dramatic and watching Anna struggle with the healthcare system that isn't set up to handle her migraines as well as the funds it costs to pay for frequent doctors visits and how Anna and Frey handled that together.

I am excited to see the next characters story and how everything comes together in fixing the rest of the gargoyles and fae who are still trapped.

This was the first book I've read by this author, it was good but there was one part that gave me the ICK. When Anna asks Frey to use condoms to be extra cautious on top of her birth controlit felt like a natural, caring request. But Frey immediately shuts it down, saying they're both "clean" and insisting he'll “be extra careful” because he wants to feel her through it. That rubbed me the wrong way. It created an uncomfortable vibe and pushed me out of the moment. abnd, it was out of character. Frey had been thoughtful and respectful up to that point, so this sudden dismissal felt jarring.

the first half of this was really lovely and felt like the best portrayal of chronic illness in a romance ive read in a while but then the latter half kinda fell off for me?

idk i just got to the 60% mark and got bored in a very “happy for yall or sorry that happened” way like the book almost could’ve been 100 pages shorter for that reason + i didnt really care for the explanations at the end (yes it felt lore dumpy but mostly…once i realized it didnt really impact the story, i didnt really see a reason to care)

that being said anna and frey did have my heart a little and i loved watching anna slowly warm up to him, even tho some of that dynamic made frey seem a little doormat-y

nonetheless i had a good time! thank you so much to netgalley and avon & harper voyager for this arc to review!

I really, really wanted to love this. I enjoyed that this story had chronic illness rep, a regular sized FMC, difficult mother / daughter relationship, and an FMC who learned independence all on her own. The MMC was down so bad, and he was funny! He had some great one liners, and he put himself in some hilarious situations. The spice here was good too.

But unfortunately I was incredibly bored. The first 15% went so fast. The last 15% went so fast. But the middle 70%? I was on the struggle bus. While I do enjoy character stories which allow the relationship to fully develop and even bits of monotonous real life, this was wake up, go to work, come home, fight with gargoyle over and over again. And sadly I felt what little external plot there was here was extremely predictable. And our FMC was just so mean almost the entire time. Oh, and the MMC sniffs her panties when he’s stressed.

Idk. I think if you want just a low stakes, intro to monster romance, this could be an ok start. I will continue reading this authors work though. Lot of promise for future stories.

This was my first book by S.E. Wendel, though I've been eager to read one of her monster romances because i’ve heard such great things, and this one definitely didn't disappoint on the monster front!

Frey, a gargoyle (actually grotesque) statue come to life, was possessive and hard-headed and a little clueless but still so genuine and eager to please, which is a description of my ideal monster mmc actually. His various attempts to win over his mate, Anna, were so heartwarming—I really appreciated his POV in those instances as insight into his thoughts made my heart pang over just how hard he was trying, despite how resistant to it all Anna was.

And her reluctance actually made this book a lot more angsty than I had anticipated. Their relationship does the one step forward, two steps back dance for quite awhile. And I found myself frustrated with Anna at certain points, though there were also many things that I did like about her: the unflinching way S.E. Wendel tackled her chronic migraines and how it affected so much more of her life than she wanted it to, the insight we got into her background and how it made her distrustful of others and particularly of love, and her ability to make the best of a bad situation.

when Anna does finally come around, it is so satisfying and warm. I was mainly just relieved and ecstatic to see Frey finally happy. The lore and the set-up for more books in the series—with Frey having an entire clan of gargoyle's who are still in their stone statue form—has me intruiged, and I’m definitely planning to pick up the next book in this series (as well as other books by this author)!

I would recommend this one to anyone who loves the bittersweet pain of a rejected mates trope, a domineering but well-meaning mmc, and fascinating welsh magic blended with a modern romance.

loved this romance and finding love with a guardian - gargoyle. loved that many secrets came to life and that they were able to find love and try to help the other guardians.

3.5 ⭐️ (rounding up)
3 🌶️
eARC Read
Tropes: Monster Romance, he falls first, fated mates

Firstly, a big thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and S.E. Wendell for letting me review an advanced copy of Heartsong. I am a big fan of S.E. Wendell’s Monstrous World Series and excited to see this series will continue as well.

This story follows a museum docent who suffers from chronic migraines and a troubled past with her mom, named Anna. Anna recently starts working at a museum where they have grotesques/gargoyles on display.

Odd things start to happen and one of these gargoyles gets brought to life because Anna touches him and she is his Heartsong. The gargoyle Anna frees is named Frey and he is all in from the start, but Anna doesn’t immediately buy into the fated mates shenanigans. Frey has to learn how to get Anna on board because he loves her but also because she is likely the key to breaking the stone cure for him and maybe his clan.

They meet other mythical creatures along the way and the plot thickens. Much of the underlying plot was not resolved, but this series will plug on with a new couple to continue the storyline.

Now, I will say I think this book could’ve been about 30% shorter. There was A LOT of time spent on random date nights at Anna’s apartment and he saying over and over that she isn’t ready or right for a relationship… it literally felt like that was 40% of the book. It made it a bit of a slog at points, but overall, the story was good. I would recommend it and am interested in what comes next in this series.

Side note, Captain was clearly the best character and I will be taking no questions. 🐈‍⬛

I knew I wanted to read Heartsong from the moment I saw the gorgeous cover. By the time I finished the blurb, I was hooked. I love a sexy paranormal romance with fated mates and a swoon-worthy MMC, which made this the perfect read for me!

Both Anna and Frey have interesting backstories that very much define them. A migraine sufferer with an unstable upbringing and tentative healthcare throughout her life, Anna is hurting in more ways than one. I can understand why she's so careful with her trust and feelings, considering what she's experienced, and it made her relationship with Frey so special.

I absolutely loved Frey, and if you like strong, ancient, cursed warriors who fall first and fall hard, you’ll love him too. He is so devoted to Anna, and he is not afraid to show it. To him, their bond is everything, and he proves it to her over and over, which is great, because it takes some time to win the more resistant Anna over. Their romance is positively swoon-worthy, from the gentle and thoughtful ways he takes care of her to the sexy and passionate things he says and does. My word, Frey is the kind of MMC that makes you melt!

I really enjoyed this suspenseful and romantic read. The characters are great, the found family vibes are fabulous, the stakes are high and suspenseful, and the love story is gorgeous. I did wish for a different outcome with Anna’s mother, but other than that I loved the story, and I’m looking forward to continuing the series. There was a twist that made me eager for the next love story and to find out what happens when certain characters find our MCs. Plus, I have to know what happens to the other Guardians still suffering under the curse! Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Main thing I liked in the book was the idea of the museum and the gargoyles being cursed. I liked how it included Welsh history along with mythology.
The romance was entertaining but there were parts when it just felt dragged down. I fully support the idea of Anna being a hard-worker, independent and self-sufficient. Her dealing with her migraines give her a whole other side. Frey as a gargoyle was quite interesting, I always find it fun when reading of characters adapting to the modern world.
As for the big plot with the curse, I enjoyed the mystery but I struggled with the big dump of knowledge when Carys explains what happened and how the fae are not quite the villains. It was too much information at once and I don’t think I full understood. I still liked the happy ending and how Anna and Frey adapted to their new lives

*Thank you to Avon, the author and Netgalley for providing me with a E-ARC of "Heartsong" in exchange for an honest review *

This was so cute and spicy! I loved it!

I love paranormal and monster romances so I was super excited to read this gargoyle romance. This was the second book in the series which I didn't realize going in (I literally realized that as I was starting to write this review) but I don't think that affects reading this book on its own, since I never felt confused or like I was missing any crucial information.

The relationship between Frey (MMC) and Anna is of course a bit unconventional due to Frey being a thousand year old gargoyle come to life, but I honestly thought the romance between them was super sweet. Frey is very overprotective of Anna since she's his fated mate and he has no idea how the modern world works, but it was very fun to watch him obsess over her and be so protective of her.

Anna is a strong woman who has to deal with a lot, from her personal struggles with migraines, to figuring out her relationship to Frey and keeping him safe, to the mysteries of the museum that she works at where Frey was being kept. She was a character who was really easy to root for throughout the story.

I did generally like this book but some of the issues I had with it were that it was a bit boring at times, which was a bit disappointing because I felt like there was a lot of potential for action with the plot that was just not utilized. There were also times where Frey seemed very confused about certain modern-world things but there were other times where it seemed like he didn't even need an explanation, so there was definitely some inconsistencies there.

Overall this was a very sweet romance and a unique premise, since I haven't read a gargoyle story before, let alone one where the gargoyle has come to life after thousands of years.

Heartsong begins with Anna being hired to work at a private museum which mainly features grotesques, a.k.a. gargoyles. There is a certain statue there that Anna gravitates toward, Frey. Events happen and Frey wakes up after 1500 years of being frozen in stone. Frey immediately tells Anna that she is his mate, but Anna isn't so certain. There is mystery surrounding events and people at the museum, which only adds to Anna's uncertainty.

Anna has chronic migraines in the story, and I appreciated that she isn't cured by some magical simple solution. I also liked both Anna and Frey, and Wendel does a good job of making Frey a mostly human character, albeit one who is obsessive about Anna. I was expecting more action in this novel, but it read more like a contemporary romance than anything. Anna's daily routine became repetitive, so the book could have done with fewer pages or more action.

On a personal note, I absolutely loved Wendel's Dedication in Heartsong. She mentions chronic pain and migraine sufferers and people telling them to drink more water. As a migraine sufferer who has been told to drink water myself, I felt seen and like I had an instant connection to Wendel.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eBook! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wendel is becoming a must read for me. After reading Halfling and the Broken Wing Duet, I just really like the worlds and characters.

Same world just different time as the Stone Hearts prequel novella, now we are in modern day!

Anna and Frey are a fluffy and sweet romance. The heart warming and wonderful romance is a sweet read. It's a good length read for a weekend trip at just under 400 pages. I prefer long books to really enjoy the story and characters.