Soulgazer is one of those debut novels that you did not know you needed in your life.

It has been a LONG while since I’ve read a pirate fantasy that I absolutely sunk my teeth into. It has a delicious mix of tropes: pirates, found family, marriage of convivence, mythical island, and chosen one, all of which make this story one worth pre-ordering.

Character driven, our main girl Saoirse beautifully transforms from this powerlessly caged bird to a fierce wolf, with sharp teeth and a formative magic not even she can fully understand. Plus there’s the rakish wolf pirate who, for those who LOVE pirates, will find their newest book boyfriend.

Side note, if you've been with me for a while, you'll know I am a fan of dual POVS. For me, it gives me the bigger picture of knowing what's going on in both characters heads, while navigating their journey towards their hopeful happily ever after.

Now, this is a debut novel, so I get why the author decided to choose only Saoirse’s POV. But, I am ever hopeful with that epilogue that Rapier chooses to have both Faolan and Saoirse in the second novel. Fingers crossed.

A debut not to be missed. Soulgazer grabbed my attention and never let go. I still can’t stop thinking about it.

Go grab a copy of this one book friends!

Saoirse has spent her entire life afraid of her own power. Living in isolation, she’s terrified when her father engages her to a cruel king. To escape one marriage, she enters into another, bargaining with the clever pirate Faolan for a marriage of convenience. In exchange, she will use her power to find a lost island that can finally set dead souls to rest. But as old enemies close in and time runs short, Saoirse’s most dangerous enemy may be the curse she refuses to confront.

There is something undeniably enchanting about Soulgazer. It may be the writing, or the setting, but I think it really comes from the way the characters are aware of their own legacies. Faolan is obsessed with being remembered while Saoirse’s memories trap her, creating an interesting dichotomy for readers to explore. While most fantasies are driven by external plot, this story is slower and internally motivated. Watching Saoirse struggle with who she was and grieve rather than rage was a much-needed breath of fresh air. She was innocent without being annoying, delicate without being weak, and hesitant without being cowardly. Saoirse is a heroine quiet readers can find themselves in, and her journey is a love letter to those who’ve had to carry others’ sins for so long that they no longer know how to stand without them.

The romance in this story is slow and tender. Though Faolan is a dastardly pirate, he never forces Saoirse into anything she doesn’t ask for. Instead, he requires her to see the best in herself; he doesn’t let her shut down, confronts her self-loathing, and values her voice. In turn, Saoirse reminds Faolan of his existence beyond the legend and allows him a space to be vulnerable.

With flowing prose, aching tension, and witty dialogue, Maggie Rapier’s Soulgazer is sure to enchant readers who hear the call of the sea. Read if you like…

🌊Ancient curses and tumultuous seas
🌟Witty pirates who always have clever things to say
🌊Found family willing to battle to the death for those they love
🌟A woman coming into her own power
🌊“Hurt her and I’ll kill you.”
🌟Complicated family dynamics
🌊Trauma that isn’t loud or angry but that still hurts
🌟Tending to wounds in moments of vulnerability
🌊“Who did this to you?"

I gotta say going into this book completely blind may not have been my brightest idea. However, once I realized this book was about magic, pirates, marriage of convenience and found family I was all in. Now was this book perfect, sadly no. But did I have a fun time reading it, I 100% did.

Let’s start with the Cons:
- The world building. If you struggle with heavy world building this book may not be for you. Especially if the world building consists of massive info dumping right at the very beginning. Coming from a person who does enjoy vivid world building even I struggled with this one. Especially the very beginning the ceremony/ritual still has me confused and I finished the whole book. My brain knew it was important but it was a lot to comprehend right off the bat.
- My next big issue several scenes and larger plot moments felt very jerky. Like we would jump from one plot point to another without answering or resolving the previous. Almost as if this book was supposed to be a duology but at the last minute got condensed to one book. Maggie’s writing style is strong I think there just needs to be more clarity and context.

Next up, the most important the Pros:
- I have to say my favorite part of the entire book was the romance. I loved the slow build between Saoirse and Faolan. They both balanced each other out so well and I wish we had more scenes with them together. Their witty and sharp banter was perfection and I would’ve taken 10 more chapters of just that.
- The found family element. As soon as we stepped on Faolans ship I knew I was going to fall in love with the entire pirate crew. And they did not disappoint. I loved how loyal they were to Faolan. And I loved how they immediately took Saoirse as one of their own.

Overall, would I recommend this book? Yes, I definitely would. Even though it wasn’t my favorite Romantasy it was still an action magic packed ride that I definitely think is worth everyone checking out. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read and review an ARC!

I 100% picked this book for review based on the cover. I’m not even going to downplay my absolute adoration for this gorgeous, gorgeous work of cover art.

This is the story of a young woman, Saoirse, who is burdened by her power. The power to see the souls of the dead and kill with just a touch. She’s been told by her father, the king, that this affliction stems from her touching a soul stone as a girl. Kept isolated and alone, shuttered away in a cabin far from anyone, her one goal is to find a way to get free of this terrible curse.

There is something about the marriage of convenience trope that I just love. This book explores the trope *beautifully*. Honestly, I loved every minute of reading this book (and stayed up way too late to finish it because I literally could not put it down). If you are an Allison Saft stan, then you will *love* this book as well.

✨ Themes I loved ✨
Marriage of Convenience!
Pirates!
Found family
Touch *my wife* and die
Maritime adventures, navigating difficult terrain
Growing into herself
He makes her feel safe
Slow burn romance full of *tension* 🤌🏻
Low spice! (shorter slightly cracked open door without overly explicit descriptions)
Complicated family 😭
He calls her love, Wolf Tamer, Trouble, Ocean Eyes, lass, clever thing
Learning to fight for herself, that she has *worth*
Magical system based on *vibes* (soft magic)
Who did this to you?
Interesting cast of characters
Beautiful and lyrical writing
He writes a song for her
Healing from childhood trauma
STUNNING cover art
Runaway princess x silver tongued pirate
Quest to break a curse
Magical visions
He believes in her
Learning to choose and *want* things for herself
"Don't leave me."
Irish/Scottish cursing (which honestly I can only hear in the voices of the Bound By Ravens series' narrators)
Building trust, brick by brick
Finding their people, loving and being loved means to never be truly alone again
Book club discussion questions (why are discussion questions so hard to come up with?)
Being alone *together*


Content: attempted forced marriage with abusive partner, strong language, medical descriptions, de*th of child, blaming a child for everything that went wrong, withholding of love and affection, isolating and abandoning teen child to their own devices for seven years, manipulation, visions of de*th, misogyny, lower spice s*x

Thank you to NetGalley and Ace Books for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

This book was so good..... it was gotic in feels. The couple cemetery was super hot. I wanted more. The ending was underwhelming though and kinda of put me off of the 5 stars i was leaning towards throughout the book.

Soulgazer is an enchanting adult fantasy debut, with the most magical prose and charming characters. I thought it was a very well written novel, with characters you can't help but care deeply for. The worldbuilding had me captivated, the plot had me hooked, though it took a few chapters for me to be completely immersed, as I felt a little detached from the first few chapters. My only real critique would be that it left me wanting a little bit more explanation, especially in those first few chapters. But I'm smitten with the story and cannot wait to see what else Maggie creates.

I also posted a slightly longer review over on my Goodreads. Thank you for my ARC copy!

I don't know. I wanted to love this, but it was a struggle to read. I love the gorgeous cover and I love the premise. (Did you say rakish pirate?!) But it just wasn't for me. I kept checking the progress bar on my Kindle. I was bored out of my mind. Some parts I found myself skipping. I was just really glad when I got to the end. I barely even remember what I read so I'm sorry for this very generic review.

4 Stars ⭐️

Soulgazer had everything I love in a romantasy—adventure, a strong FMC, and so much tension and longing. The mix of action and emotion kept me hooked, and I am an absolute sucker for the found family dynamic.

The writing was beautiful and lyrical, though sometimes a little too flowery, and the magic system took a minute to click. HOWEVER, the story was so immersive that at nearly 500 pages, it flew by!

If you’re looking for your next pirate read and love a slow-burn romance… this one’s for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with this e-ARC.

Honestly a very, very solid book. LOVED the dynamics between the two leads and the banter was peak. Somehow Saoirse's innocence didn't bother me like it can--- it feel genuine instead of forced.

While I loved the characters and their interactions, I sometimes felt that I lost the plot.

Read this if you want: piratey vibes, marriage of convenience, difficult family relationships, and lots of found family.

After reading the author’s note, I’m so glad the author decided to make this book adult rather than YA. Nothing against YA, but I feel like most pirate books are about teenagers so it’s refreshing to have slightly older characters. I’m going to be so honest: the cover is what drew me to this book. However, don’t worry—it’s not just a pretty cover. It’s also phenomenal book. I absolutely adored the adventures, the world building, and all the pirate lore. The magic system was definitely unique and it was interesting to see how Saoirse’s relationship with magic changed over time. Faolan is a new fav book boyfriend and the romance was top notch. I’m so excited to see where the next book will take us!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

This was a really well written debut novel! I really enjoyed the story and omg the main character!!! It was really refreshing to see a different representation of FMC. We do not see the typical fighter and lean girl we are used to from fantasy novels. It was very unique which I really appreciate.

I truly recommend this story! The journey and chemistry between the characters was everything you need and more!!

Get ready to meet your new book boyfriend and obsession. I honestly loved this book and the banter and the well-developed characters had me turning page after page. I was able to feel the salt in the air with how she wrote. It was honestly a lyrical book and I cannot recommend it enough.

I can't remember the last time a book had me under its spell like Soulgazer. Reading it felt like a lush, moon-drenched dream. Saoirse and Faolan were perfection and their chemistry leapt off the page. This book managed to touch on emotional, profound themes while also being complete swashbuckling fun. I'm going to need the next one ASAP because that ending was a jaw-dropper!

I want to scream out that i loved this story. It was amazing full of adventure and the one thing that had me hooked, pirates.

What a lovely debut. I was immediately drawn in by the cover, and I’m so glad it prompted me to pick up this book.

Soulgazer is peak romantasy, with equal attention to character and atmosphere as plot. If you have a weak spot for pirates, you’ll especially like this one. I’m a sucker for marriages of convenience, but I appreciated that it was still a slow burn. I kept wanting to push them together, but of course, the payoff is worth it in the end.

I truly appreciate that Saoirse is a soft heroine—not a skilled physical fighter, and more sad than angry. It’s a refreshing change from other stories I’ve read. Her not having the typical slender, muscled body type was also welcome. All in all, I loved Rapier’s writing style, which is balanced and beautiful.

It’s rare I find a book where I can rate the sexual content as “moderate” rather than graphic or minor. The characters’ physical relationship was important to their story, and we weren’t completely shut out of it. But the scenes aren’t vulgar or extremely descriptive. I’d let a high schooler read it.

There were a few scenes I felt like I was missing some context, and I’d have to go back and reread to see what I’d missed, but then was still confused so I just plundered on. This was mainly during the quests—I found myself not exactly knowing what they were seeking and why. The bone ring was clear, but the other parts aren’t as much. I’m sure I’d understand more on a reread.

I was so glad to see that the author plans to continue this as a series. It’s a fascinating world and lovable, interesting characters who deserve more page time. I will definitely continue reading.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. I’ve published my review on Goodreads, The Storygraph, and Fable. I will post it on my book Instagram and Amazon closer to/at pub day.

This is a highly descriptive and emotional love story full of magic. I loved how indulgent the prose felt on a line level. The magic was unique and the story itself! I think romantasy readers will love this one!

This was a fun pirate romantasy debut! I liked the adventure of finding the lost isle and the main character learning to embrace her magic. The romance was also cute!

I REALLY wanted to love this! The cover? Gorgeous. The plot description? Promised everything I wanted in a pirate fantasy. It just didn't deliver the way I expected it to. The MMC and the FMC seemed like caricatures of who they were supposed to be and didn't give me enough depth. The world itself was interesting at a surface level, but could have been further fleshed out. Overall, cool concept, lacking in execution.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the eARC!

I really enjoyed this book, and I think it’s a really great fit for fans of Rebecca Ross and Megan Rogerson!

‘Treacherous’ by Taylor Swift is a good representation of this debut romantasy by Maggie Rapier.

This is a lyrically magically book with a deeply wounded FMC, the old gods and dead and she’s a cursed girl.
Watching Saoirse grow and heal was such a treat. She is a soft protagonist, which was a nice change of pace from our fire breathers(still love them but not everyone is like this.) Soft does not mean weak however, and she really challenges herself to find herself, and make decisions she choices to live with.

Our MMC is charming and deceptive, what else do you except from a pirate? Faolon has been searching for Saoirse most of his life and when he does, he’s not going to let her go.

There’s form forced proximity by the nature of this romantic adventure and simmering burn as Saoirse grows in confidence.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for this dreamy romantasy!