In the summer of 1518, the citizens of Strasbourg are dancing themselves to death.
Brilliant medical student Evelina del Valle arrives determined to stop the plague before the quarantined city collapses… while keeping a terrible and fatal secret: she’s a witch. But she’s left her coven, her sister, and that life behind her for good. All she wants now is a career in healing.
But Strasbourg’s sickness defies everything she knows about medicine. Every experiment of hers fails in uncovering how and why the plague is spreading. The afflicted cannot stop dancing, and the local physicians insist they must “dance it out,” even as bodies fall and no natural cause can be found.
Then Alaric Keller crosses her path—secretive, dangerous, and bound to the shadowed Black Forest beyond the city walls, where rumors whisper of hidden fae courts, gemstone magic, and bargains struck in the dark. His mother was the plague’s first victim, and he is desperate to save her. He needs Evelina’s help, but the way he looks at her suggests he already knows the secret she keeps—and he threatens to use it against her.
As suspicion tightens and the death toll climbs, Evelina is forced to choose what she’s willing to sacrifice: the life she’s built, the identity she’s hidden, or the man who may not only hold the key to the truth and her heart, but also her ruin.
Because Evelina fears this is no ordinary plague.
And she knows that once the dance begins, it does not stop.
The 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.
Don’t miss this book’s release
Add this book to your To Read or Wishlist list and we’ll automatically notify you when it is released.