The Spellbound History Quartet · #1
Graceless Heart
#1 New York Times bestselling author Isabel Ibañez makes her adult debut with a gorgeous, historical, and romantic fantasy perfect for fans of One Dark Window and Ever After. A lush tale full of enemies-to-lovers tension, whimsical magic, villain romance, and slow-burn desire, set in an enchanted, perilous Florence where forbidden power could ignite a war.
“Truly radiant.” Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window
LOVE IS THE MOST DANGEROUS MAGIC.
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.
“This book will carve itself into your heart and never let go.” Adrienne Young, New York Times bestselling author
Read if you love:
· Enemies to lovers
· Forced proximity
· Villain romance
· Whimsical, atmospheric magic
· Slow-burn tension
· Moral grayness
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Start a discussionThe series
In a Renaissance Italy where art, politics, and magic intertwine, The Spellbound History Quartet invites readers into a world as beautiful as it is dangerous. From the sun‑baked streets of Volterra to the opulent courts of Florence, every alley and cathedral hides secrets, power struggles, and forbidden enchantments that can change the course of history.
Read full series description
At the center of this immersive historical fantasy is Ravenna Maffei, a sculptress whose rare magical talent makes her both a prize and a target. Driven by loyalty to her family, she must navigate treacherous contests, hidden factions, and the looming threat of a Church determined to control—or destroy—those who wield magic. Alongside her is Saturnino dei Luni, the enigmatic and immortal heir whose intentions remain shadowed between danger and desire, drawing Ravenna into a delicate dance of trust, power, and attraction.
The series blends richly detailed worldbuilding with high‑stakes political intrigue, weaving magic that is as subtle as it is powerful into the fabric of historical reality. Readers encounter a cast of layered characters, from ambitious rulers to secretive mages, all bound by the fragile threads of loyalty, love, and survival. Themes of ambition, forbidden romance, and the weight of inheritance pulse through each volume, creating a narrative that feels both epic and intimately human.
Perfect for fans of historical fantasy, slow‑burn romance, and magical intrigue, this quartet opens with Graceless Heart, a story that sets the stage for a sweeping journey of artistry, ambition, and enchantment. Every page pulses with tension, beauty, and the quiet, relentless question of who gets to write history when magic lingers in the shadows.
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