Graceless Heart Book Review

Synopsis

She was never meant to be seen. Now she’s a weapon the world can’t ignore.

As a sculptress, Ravenna Maffei has always shaped beauty from stone but she has a terrible secret. Desperate to save her brother, she enters a competition hosted by Florence’s most feared immortal family, revealing a dark power in a city where magic is forbidden.

Now a captive in the cutthroat city of Florence, Ravenna is forced into a dangerous task where failure meets certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the immortal family's mesmerizing but merciless heir. But as he draws her closer, Ravenna realizes the true threat lies beyond Florence’s walls.

The Pope’s war against magic is closing in, and Ravenna is no longer just a prisoner but a prize to be claimed. As trusting the wrong person becomes lethal, Ravenna must survive the treacherous line between a pope's obsession and the seductive immortal who might be the end of her ― or surrender her power to a city on the brink of war.

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.

Expected publication date is 13 January 2026.