Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez. I was drawn in by the stunning cover and the promise of a setting in Renaissance Italy. Did the story deliver? Read on to find out!

A lush, atmospheric and achingly magical standalone adult fantasy romance set in Renaissance Italy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author.

In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent–a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.

There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family’s enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended.

Meanwhile, Ravenna’s forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign.

As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.

***Thank you to Saturday Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

Unfortunately, my first review of the year is not a positive one. Graceless Heart really let me down. The premise was so good. A story set in Florence involving the Medici and a magical sculptress? It sounded so promising. The execution of the story just didn’t deliver, and I have very little nice to say about it. So, buckle up. lol.

From the very first chapters of Graceless Heart, I couldn’t stand Ravenna. She was incredibly rash and naive, and most of the trouble she found herself in was a product of her own stupidity. The best thing I can say about her is that she was brave but always only in the dumbest way possible. Infuriatingly, that never really changed much over the course of the novel. I did appreciate how she came to accept herself and her powers, though, even if I still found the character as grating as nails on a chalkboard.

The thing that kept me reading this book was Saturnino and the mystery of his family, the immortals. I needed to know what their deal was, and the reveal was probably my favorite thing about the book. I also enjoyed the snippets of politics and scheming when the book wasn’t focused on Ravenna. Unfortunately, they were few and far between since most of the book was from Ravenna’s POV. The romance between Saturnino and Ravenna had its moments, and I did enjoy some of their banter. It just suffered because the characters always felt a bit too one-dimensional.

The world-building in Graceless Heart could have been good. All of the bones of a fascinating fantasy version of renaissance Italy were present. There were plenty of supernatural creatures, magical gemstones, and a despotic Pope determined to root out all magic that didn’t serve him. They were just criminally underutilized. Other than a few mentions, most of the creatures don’t play much of a role at all. There were supposedly seven gemstones, but only one of them ever truly gets explained or used in the story. It made the ideas feel underbaked and underwhelming, and I just wanted more from it.

Ultimately, I probably should have DNF’d Graceless Heart. It was an underwhelming start to my year of reading that felt like it dragged on forever. Therefore, I can’t recommend it and rate the book 2.75 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez. Have you read this book? Did you enjoy it more than me? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!