Graceless Heart – Ibanez Isabel (2026)

Set in Renaissance Italy, this atmospheric standalone adult fantasy romance follows sculptress Ravenna Maffei in 15th-century Volterra. She enters a competition hosted by a secretive immortal family, whose prize is an invaluable boon, hoping to save her brother. To win, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent, a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and the Luni family kidnaps her and takes her to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and ruthless 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. Beneath his cold reserve, however, lies a vulnerability that draws her closer than she intended. Ravenna’s forbidden magic also attracts the attention of the Pope, who is waging war against Florence, the Medici and magic itself, and sees her abilities as a potential weapon. As alliances shift and war approaches, Ravenna must navigate the perilous boundary between survival and betrayal, love and duty. Her choices will determine not only her own fate, but also the fragile balance of magic and power threatening to unravel Florence. The English-language novel features enemies-to-lovers romance, slow-burn tension, political intrigue and a conflict between magic and religion.