When Riccardo, a struggling writer on the verge of eviction, receives unexpected news of his estranged grandmother Perihan’s passing, it feels like a stroke of fate. He has inherited her villa in Milan, a crumbling estate filled with dusty remnants of a life he barely remembers—including her famed butterfly collection, once a marvel, now a macabre display of decay. Hoping the change of scenery will spark his stalled creativity (or at least provide financial salvation), Riccardo packs up his meager belongings and heads for Italy.

But the villa is not as he remembers. The grandeur has faded, replaced by a sense of quiet rot. The butterflies—once shimmering in vibrant colors—seem almost watchful in their glass cases. The greenhouse doors remain bolted shut, despite the fact that Perihan was known to spend hours inside. And her group of eccentric, ever-present friends seem far too invested in his every move.

Then Riccardo finds her diary.

What begins as idle curiosity quickly morphs into something darker. The pages whisper of rituals, transformations, and an obsession that consumed Perihan in her final days. As Riccardo reads, he starts to sense a shift within himself—his dreams grow vivid, his reflection seems altered, and the butterflies, lifeless as they should be, appear to move in the corner of his vision.

And the greenhouse? It isn’t empty.

Steeped in gothic unease, creeping dread, and a touch of the surreal, this book will haunt you! #harlequinaudio #yigitTurhan #theirmonstroushearts

It is funny how usually the worst monsters in a book end up being human, especially when they are trying to stave off death or looking for immortality. I would call this a slow burn horror with the insidious of it slowly creeping up behind and you can feel the wrongness but don't know when it will hit you. Riccardo was abandoned by his family at a young age, struggling to make ends meet and he is a good character so you feel for him when he arrives back at his grandmothers house in Milan and something is not right. I told him to run so many times as I listened to this audiobook but I was also fascinated by the journal he found that Perihan left for him. So, it goes between the past (via the journal) and the present, weaving together I tale of magic and horror. This was a fun book to listen to and the ending was not what I expected and left it with just the right touch.

The narrators did a great job in making the characters of Riccardo and Perihan come alive and twist the story to darkness. Nicely creepy! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to listen to this audiobook!

I'm really sad this book wasn't for me. It was beautifully written and had a really interesting plot I just never really got into it. I may just not have been in the mood for such a literary horror and that's on me because this book really had all the elements of something I would love. I am sure other horror and suspense readers will love it as well. In the case of this book I really think I was the problem so don't let my rating stop you from reading this.
Turhan wrote a beautiful and lyrical tale of horror and family. This book did an amazing job of exploring themes of family and belonging. The slow building dred this book evokes is perfect. As well as the thrilling ending hand me on the edge of my seat. This is definitely one I would recommend.

Their Monstrous Hearts felt like a fairy tale inside of a fever dream in the best possible way. It's eerie and unsettling, with prose so beautiful that it almost reads like poetry. The story follows Riccardo, a struggling writer who inherits his late grandmother Perihan's villa in Milan, hoping the change of scenery will spark his creativity and give him a financial lifeline. But when he arrives, the villa is far from the glamorous retreat he remembers, and it’s filled with ominous clues that something is very wrong.

The atmosphere in this book is brilliantly crafted—the decaying villa, the unsettling butterflies, and the cryptic group of elderly friends all create a sense of growing dread, one that steadily increases until the ending that I'm STILL not over. The narration was perfect for the story, and just added to the creepy, surreal atmosphere.

I'm not sure the ending will be a popular one for a lot of readers, but I loved it. You might not if you need everything wrapped up and tied in a neat bow. I don't think that kind of ending would have had as much impact in such a gorgeously artistic yet haunting work, though. This is going to stay with me for a long, long time.

As much as I enjoyed the mystery around the grandmother, there simply wasn't enough suspense to keep me hooked or a strong enough protagonist to relate to. I DNFd at about 30%, partially due to being uninvested and partly due to the narrator. It was unclear why the audio only featured accents for dialogue and not for the entire novel, which would have been more immersive. More than that, the pacing was too slow after such a promising initial scene with the butterflies, and it was difficult to discern what kind of themes the author wanted to convey. I just needed more tension and more compelling characters.

A haunting tale of one man's discovery of his grandmother's secrets, written in a book he finds after her passing. Riccardo returns to Milan to honor his late grandmother and claim his inheritance, but when he begins to read a manuscript addressed to him, he uncovers his grandmother's history and pieces together the horrific truths of her life - and what it means for him.

Admittedly, this story was difficult to get through for the first... 60%? I had both an ebook and audiobook and still couldn't find myself becoming invested in the story. The gothic undertones set a nice atmosphere, but the plot moves along very slowly. I feel like there really is no plot for a large portion of the middle.
The final 25-30% does pick up quite a bit, with the horror elements becoming more prominent, and things begin to come together and make sense. For me, it took too long to get to this point. If I hadn't been reading it for an early review, I would probably have dnfed this.

Audiobook:
The narrators brought the story to life, breathing inflection and passion into the voices of Riccardo and Perihan.
The narrator for Perihan's manuscript was excellent at delivering the events in a mysterious and fascinating way.
Riccardo's narrator also did a great job, but it was a bit jarring at first to have his accent change between dialogue and sidebar narration.

The writing was beautiful but it lacked urgency and I found myself wandering.

Perhaps the slow pace was the point? Long meandering diary entries that I was loving wasn’t enough for me to get really behind our writers blocked 20 year old protagonist.

Beautiful but boring.

The narration, like the writing, was beautiful, but I found I couldn’t get excited or care about the events. Too slow. Everything was too slow.

I enjoyed this but I’m still very confused. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be but it was still attention grabbing. In the end I still had questions!!!

That last fourth had me screaming “these people are so f*cked up” while driving and probably looking unhinged 😂. Thanks to HTP Books and HTP Hive for the ALC and eARC.

This is a really slow build and it took me a while to get into as it didn’t capture me right away. I’d say the first half is pretty slow. But then things got more twisted the more Rodrigo unraveled his grandmother’s past and I was enthralled. The author explores what it means to be a monster, whether it’s the appearance of one or the actions. The monsters that walk in human skin, disguised by their well mannered appearance while committing horrific atrocities for their so called higher purpose.

The twists and turns were unpredictable and the horror level went from zero to a hundred in the last fourth. It’s like when you know things are about to go horribly wrong but you can’t look away. But the ending was so abrupt. I was hoping for an epilogue because of its abruptness but that was not the case. Regardless, the audiobook narrators did fantastic work and fans of the genre will most likely enjoy this one.

The audio production of this story was pretty good. I truly did enjoy the narrators and the life they brought to this book. While I tend to lean in more towards duet when listening to audiobooks, I didn't mind that this was dual. Both the female and male actors did a wonderful job.
The story itself though...it wasn't my favourite.
It was super long getting to the point, while still maintaining an eerie vibe. I don't know how I feel about butterflies as they now haunt my dreams.
The symbolism of using beauty to cover up deep dark secrets...it was different.

While I believe put in a lot of heart into this story, unfortunately for me it was just so, so, so, slow.
There were moments where I was listening to the story and my mind would wander leaving me to back track to figure out what was going on.

I compared it very much to the film I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House. It was unsettling because you knew there was something lurking in the darkness but never knowing what it was.

If you can push through it, the pay off at the end is worth it.

I didn't completely hate the book but I didn't love it. It was-good.

Thank you to HTP and NetGalley for the chance to listen to the audiobook in advance.

Oh intergenerational trauma!
Ricardo, abandoned by his family years ago, finds himself struggling. A one promising author - book advance spent, isolation and desperate, Ricardo clamps onto his grandmother's death. Returning to her home, finding her manuscript, Ricardo has his next book idea and a family obsession.
Definitely kept me drawn until the last word.
Loved the audio - each character was individual, well done.

Out of money and ideas for his book, Riccardo needs a story. Can he live with the one that finds him?

Things I loved:
🦋 magical realism
🎙️ narrators’ accents
🥀 dark fairy tale vibes

Fans of The Picture of Dorian Grey and The Shadow of the Wind will want to check out this chilling tale!

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I thought both the narrators did a great job and it was always easy to tell which characters were speaking! The story itself was a little out there for me, even in the world of obscure horror. I did like how the old stories got passed down and how they weren’t the typical ones that you’ve heard a million times before! I would recommend if you’re into horror stories with a touch of science fiction!

I received this audiobook and honestly had to DNF it. I was able to continue the story through a paperback arc that I received separately, so I can leave a review for the entire story, as well. Audiobook-wise, this one was really hard to listen to. The accents can be difficult to understand at times and it's very hard to tell when different characters start speaking, when Riccardo is reading the manuscript, and when it jumps in time/thoughts. The male narrator kept switching between an accent for the MC and no accent for his inner thoughts / general narration. It was a bit jarring at times.

Now, for the story itself - I really, really wanted to like this one. The cover is gorgeous and the premise is super interesting. However, it's incredibly slow and I didn't find myself caring about the characters, at all. There is also a lot of repetition and metaphorical writing, without really driving the plot forward at times. It is so impressive that an author was able to write a book entirely in a second language, but honestly, as a native English speaker, it was tough to read at times. Sometimes the writing felt very YA, but then other times it was very deep and eloquent.

I really liked the overall story and ending, and creepy vibes. The execution was just not there for me, unfortunately.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and the author Yigit Turhan for the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

So I was drawn to this one based solely on the cover, and went into it completely blind. I was hooked from the very first page, and could not put it down! Even though the pacing was a bit slow to start, there was just something about it that kept pulling me back into the pages.
The story was so unique, blending elements of horror and suspense, while taking a deep dive into the human psyche. The tale was deeply atmospheric, the narrative driven forth by beautiful prose, intrigue, and a perpetual undercurrent of impending doom. I felt utterly immersed in the Gothic landscape, and became deeply connected to the protagonist.
Throughout the entire book, I was at a constant state of unease. With every return of the page, I wanted to know more- the mystery built to such an exquisite crescendo, I was wholly transfixed by the last quarter of the book. The author tied everything together brilliantly, and I was blown away.
If you’re looking for a good Gothic suspense to get lost in, with a dash of horror, beautiful writing, and enough twists and turns to get your heart racing, I highly suggest adding this to your TBR.
🎧As for the narration, I thought it was nicely executed, adding depth, and nuances to the story, creating a fully immersive experience that I got lost in.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the ALC.

I definitely think I’ll give this one a go with an ebook after publications as I struggled a bit with the audio. I had a hard time keeping track of any character/narrator changes. The premise sounded so good and mysterious, the cover is stunning, so I’ll definitely give it another chance. I found the story to be super super slow and hearing the grandmothers history was just not engaging for me. It lost all my attention during those parts. I feel like a book should have waves, this one did not.

Thank you for the gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

This was quite interesting and not what I expected at all. It took a while for the horror to begin, but I found it intriguing. I believe this story might be a better read in physical form rather than as an audiobook. I'm definitely planning to reread it in print to see what I might have missed.

Actual rating:3.5

I found this really hard to follow along with, and the overall story was repetitive unfortunately. I liked the idea of the plot it just seemed a bit too surface level and needed some more development.

Dark and oh so delicious.

Their Monstrous Hearts begins with us meeting Riccardo, a young man with a writing talent currently stuck with writer’s block, an impending deadline and major financial issues. He could use a miracle, potentially in the form of him inheriting a villa from his estranged grandma in Milan. Riccardo takes a chance and goes to Milan, where he finds his grandmother's manuscript. He reads this haunting story that is a mixture of fantasy and reality- or so he thinks.

The story itself is pretty slow, and there's a ton of metaphorical writing. At times, it seemed a bit too slow for me, but I stuck with it, and I was not disappointed. Some graphic moments might catch you off guard, but I loved it, especially the ending.

Thank you to Yigit Turhan, Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In "Their Monstrous Hearts," we meet 20-year-old Riccardo, who’s stuck with writer’s block and financial issues until he inherits a villa from his estranged grandma in Milan. Seeking inspiration, he stumbles upon his grandmother Perihan's intriguing manuscript, unraveling a chilling narrative that intertwines her past struggles in Turkey with his present.

The story unfolds a bit slowly, especially the parts where Riccardo reads, but things get really intense and surprising towards the end. There are some graphic moments that might catch you off guard, yet the butterfly imagery is a nice, eerie touch. If you're into books that weave together dual perspectives and have unexpected twists, Turhan's debut novel is totally worth a read!

This book is a gripping blend of dark glamour and mystery that will definitely change how you see butterflies. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it, especially since horror isn’t usually my thing. It seems perfect for fans of creepy stories filled with little clues. I can’t wait to reread it in the fall—Halloween vibes, anyone? Big thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!