Halla may be a bit of a nobody, but she just wants to live her life! A widow and now the unexpected inheritor of her great-uncle's estate, his greedy family wants to force her into marriage so they can get the estate. Halla, locked in her room, draws a sword on which to throw herself on...only to release Sarkis, an immortal warrior sworn to protect the wielder -- who happens to be Halla. Things go questingly and charmingly sideways as only Kingfisher can.

I adore this book and I was so delighted to see that it will be receiving the special edition treatment. Hopefully this reprint will draw more readers' attention to this overlooked romantasy gem.

When Halla inherits her uncle's estate, her relatives try to trap her in a marriage to claim her new assets as their own. Fortunately, Halla discovers that part of her inheritance includes a sword -- and that sword has a warrior magically bound to it. What follows is a nice, low stakes fantasy adventure about estate settlement. Plus some slow burn romance between middle-aged main characters. Swoon.

Because it's Kingfisher, there's lots of humorous dialogue and lovable characters. If you need a cozy fantasy that doesn't follow the mold of some of the more popular romantasy titles, I highly recommend you check out this one!

I really enjoyed this as a fantasy romance novel, it had a great world going on and enjoyed the overall element to this world. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed getting to go on this journey with them. T. Kingfisher always does a fantastic job in writing this and was glad I got to read this. It had that writing style and world-building that I've come to expect from T. Kingfisher.

One of my favourite Kingfisher books purely based on the specific level of fantasy that is written in this genre. I enjoy the written prose and fantastic characters. Though it is my favourite book of hers, I feel is it slightly underrated compared to the rest of her catalogue, therefore I recommend it to readers of Kingfisher for the first time and if you want a brilliantly crafted fantasy story.

I am a huge T. Kingfisher fan and I was excited to see that Swordheart was getting re-released. Swordheart is prime romantic fantasy, I think it's the perfect balance between world building and fantasy elements and romance. The story follows the widow fmc on her journey to becoming independent from her less than ideal family. Kingfisher's writing is top tier. Her ability to combine succinct story telling with witty humor and great character work is unmatched. Also, if you like Swordheart her Paladin series is set in the same world and are also some of my favorite books.

This story is full of lovable characters, witty banter, delightfully awkward moments, and a storyline that had me rooting for the FMC from start to finish. I couldn't put this book down and I read it over a weekend!

Halla's greedy family wants to lay claim to her inheritance, a vast estate and fortune left to her by a great-uncle. They decide that in order to take what is hers, they will force her into a marriage that will allow them to gain complete control over her land, money, and life. Halla feels so abandoned, alone, and hopeless that she feels there is only one way out of her predicament. That is, until she draws a familial sword and is suddenly face-to-face with Sarkis, a warrior bound to serve and protect whoever wields the weapon.

From there the adventure begins with plenty of amusing dialogue that will keep the reader entertained and thinking about this story well after its finished. Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC of this book!

Hilarious and sweet! I love the world and everyone in it (at least those on Halla's side). Halla is spectacular in a sensible way (mostly). Sarkis is excellent at adapting to unexpected circumstances. Zale and Brindle are delightful.

I read this book so quickly at the recommendation of a friend. It has led to me reading many others by the same author, and I have loved all of her writing. Swordheart is a romantic adventure that feels like playing an RPG. It's set in a quasi-medieval setting. The main character discovers that a sword hanging on her wall is imprisoning a man who was bound to it as punishment. The pair go on a quest to free her from the family demands that come to the surface after she inherits the property of her great-uncle. There are some horror elements, but the book is primarily a rom-com adventure. I loved this book and the world it introduced to me!

I love T Kingfisher's work and Swordheart is no exception! She continues to create female characters that are weirdly relatable considering the fantasy/faux-historical settings. Any book that allows me to visit the world of the white rat will be a winner to me, and I love her ability to write a romance that is also a full-fledged fantasy. I really hope Kingfisher writes the stories of the other sword warriors.

I loved this book. This was my first five star read of the year. I love when I get to follow an older character. There was adventure, a little romance and quirky characters that had me laughing. I love this author and I will read anything they write.

More cozy fantasy involving road trips and sarcastic, quirky buddies. As always with T. Kingfisher, this hit my sweet spot — funny with heart — and can I tell you what I really appreciated? Halla’s incessant questioning of how Sarkis’s curse worked. You better believe that if I met a man trapped in a sword, I’d be running all kinds of tests, especially if I found myself falling for him. The miscommunications around their relationship did annoy me a little bit, but I am of course willing to put that aside because everything else was so delightful. And I freaking love this new cover. AND I was even more excited to finish and find out that there would be more adventures to come.

This is a fun romance between a sensible widow and her enchanted sword. After an unexpected inheritance, she has to escape from her greedy relatives with the help of the warrior spirit she found inside a magic sword, embark on a quest for legal aid, and avoid creepy forests and menacing priests, all while falling in love. It's a good adventure - with bandits, creepy monsters, and rescues and escapes - but also a very touching love story between two people who have been hurt before and are uncertain why anyone would want them. (Pretty sexy, too, without being graphic about it.) It's an engaging story, the characters are great, funny and sensible, and you can really see how well they complement each other. I'd recommend this to anyone, especially if you want a fantasy that isn't about saving the world.

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher 4⭐️

I am so happy and surprised that the main female lead Halla was a woman in her late 30’s. Not only was she funny but she is kindhearted. Plus I love how she rambles on when she’s kinda nervous or trying to avoid being killed. LOL This was a refreshing read and i was rooting for Halla and Sarkis the whole time.

The story follows Halla and her magical sword (Sarkis). Halla inherits her uncle (in-law) house and everything he owns. Shes pretty much force to fight his family for the will and it’s an interesting adventure.

Sarkis is a man stuck in a sword and is probably over 500 years old. So there’s technically a huge age gap but he’s technically a magical sword… kinda? LOL

Anyway it was a fun read and I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc! I’m going to pick up the deluxe edition so it can live on my shelf forever. Enchanted sword who protects you? Sign me up please 💙🥰

Thank you, Kingfisher, NetGalley, and Tor publishing for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I've read by Kingfisher, and it did not disappoint!
The world building was exceptional, and the characters were so well written. As an over thinker, and an answer seeker, I've never related to a character more than I relate to Halla. She is hilarious. I also appreciated reading a story where the main characters were not in their teens. Halla is an average 36 year old woman.
As a reader who imagines myself as the main character, I was easily able to picture myself on her journey. Books with parapets and life or death trials also hold space in my heart, but I enjoyed how the adventure in Swordheart simply stemmed from Halla avoiding marrying her cousin. It made it a lighthearted, comfy and cozy, fun read.

4.5 stars rounded up and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

I loved this story so much! Kingfisher writes horror really really well, so I'm not at all surprised that her fantasy/romance books are just as amazing.

Halla is trapped by her in-laws after the death of both her husband and his elderly uncle whom she was caring for. Trapped both metaphorically and physically, she's about to be forced to marry her late husbands cousin and locked in her bedroom until she agrees to such. When she finds a sword, she unsheathes it in preparation to kill herself, only to have a handsome knight suddenly appear and swear fealty to her.

Halla and Sarkis had such a fun relationship throughout the whole book. Halla trying to survive and Sarkis trying his best to prevent her from causing trouble. I loved the banter between the two of them, especially near the beginning when they were first learning each other.

The only thing keeping it from the full 5 stars was the length of the book. I think it probably could have been cut maybe 50 pages or so here and there. There was a part of the novel that seemed like it was going to set something up with Sarkis and finding out more about him, but then it went nowhere and meant really nothing to this story.

This special edition of T Kingfisher’s 2018 Romantasy Swordheart was released this week. There is nothing like the way Kingfisher gives her characters such a sarcastic and yet endearing voice that is hilarious and cozy. I have mostly read her horrorish novels in the past so I was a little unsure about a romantasy, but Swordheart was everything I wanted it to be and more.

A 30 something widowed housekeeper finds herself the soul inheritor of her great uncle’s property and fortune. His hideous family is not happy and plots to force her into a marriage with her cousin so they can get the money. But when Halla unsheathes a sword she discovers, an immortal man appears and announces he is sworn to her service.

For most of the story Halla and Sarkis travel together to call on an order of priests to help her receive her inheritance, but along the way we find some great side characters and some adventures. But the real jewel is how the journey allows time for us to get to know Sarkis and Halla, and surprise surprise, see them fall in love. Given that Sarkis has his own backstory, and his inability to not serve the sword-bearer, things get pretty complicated.

This was a fun read and I’m in love with these characters. It’s not Kingfishers best novel, but that bar is pretty darn high at this point.

If you like a fairy tale vibe with grown ass characters with an attitude, I would highly recommended this adorable romantasy.

A funny and fantastic adventure story from one of my favorite authors! Such a good revamp of her earlier work!

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher was a breath of fresh air.
Kingfisher shines by writing a light, pithy story while simultaneously detailing the woes of women in society. The way Halla felt she had to “dumb herself down” was enraging, AND YET, through Kishfisher’s writing, is undeniably hilarious.
The story's premise is refreshingly unique: a widowed housekeeper mistakenly draws an enchanted sword, forever tying herself to an immortal warrior bound by magic to protect her from harm. The peculiar cast of characters collected along the way quickly endeared themselves with wit and charm. And the world-building was not once overwhelming.
I will say that Swordheart is not a high-speed, high-stakes (or, in general, anything fast) read. It is a funny, low-stakes, cozy fantasy I looked forward to cuddling beside my fireplace to read each night.
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Bramble for allowing me to read the advanced copy of this rerelease!

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is probably my favorite book written by T. Kingfisher.
The writing is genuinely stunning and incredibly emotional, genuinely it's such a rush to read.
I couldn't put this down and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

I really enjoyed this story. A cute, cozy fantasy perfect for a rainy or snowy day with strong elements of found family and redemption. Reminiscent of older princess tales with rotten-to-the-core families who treat the FMC like dirt and a hero who comes to her rescue from the unlikeliest of places. I found myself laughing more than I thought I would at their back and forth banter, witty quips, and Halla's incessant questioning. High recommend the audio version of this book as well!

This was SO cute!! I loved all the characters, but especially Zale - more Zale please!

I still haven't read a Kingfisher book I haven't loved - this one is no different. With a light-hearted, Princess Bride kind of vibe and a delightfully real feeling middle aged woman MC, this was a joy. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this universe.

So I’m here from reading multiple books by T. Kingfisher. I enjoy the writing style and how the plot unfolds. The characters are interesting and the world building well written. This is an easy read. I always add this author to the TBR.

Thank you to Bramble and the author for a gifted copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book so much. I’m so happy I got to read it for the release. This book was heartwarming and heartbreaking. It had laughing at loud. The characters were lovable all around, the villians were truly hate worthy. There was romance and adventure. This has it all!

This was everything I could’ve possibly wanted in a cozy fantasy. I was giggling and kicking my feet through all of it. The characters were amazing, the banter was great. I loved it so much and highly recommend to anybody needing a smile.

an absolutely delightful journey featuring bureaucratic nonsense, money-grubbing relatives, a slow-burn romance between a literal murder-sword-man and a woman with an unmatched ability to roll with weird situations, and just enough humor to make me snort-laugh in public. The dialogue is sharp, the world is immersive without feeling bogged down in lore, and the romance? Chef’s kiss.

Laughed out loud—Frequently! Not bad for the 2nd time around!

I had so much trouble controlling my laughter especially as it was 3am in the morning and my partner was sound asleep. 😂🤣😂
Halla had to her complete surprise inherited her great uncle Silas’ estate. Silas’ sister Malva is not happy. So much so that Malva has imprisoned Halla in her attic bedroom until she consents to marry Malva’s son, Cousin Alver, he of the clammy hands. Looking around for a way to escape and finding none, she resorts to trying to stab herself using an old sword. She draws the sword a few inches when with a flash of electric blue light, out pops the sword’s resident guardian who will protect whomever draws the sword. He’s shocked because Halla’s scantily clothes, and Halla because, well, could this day get any worse? Halla becomes garrulous. She asks questions when she faces danger. Most people ignore her and think she’s empty headed. However it seems Sarkis is now sworn to defend her, garrulous or not.
Which leads to them fleeing Rutger’s Howe and heading for Archen’s Glory the capital of Archenhold to find the temple of the White Rats.
The White Rat priests become involved—always fun!
A wonderful tale of missteps, misadventure, and misdirected set in the very dynamic world of Archenhold.
(The Deluxe hard cover edition.)

A Tor ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was a bit of a swerve from my recent reading tastes but took me back to the days when I only read fantasy. If you are looking for a cozy fantasy, this is it. The stakes are fairly low and its banter was charming. It really fit my two favourite genres, romcom and fantasy, together to make for something quite fun. We need more romcom/fantasy books out there! My one complaint- it was a little longer than necessary for the story being told.

The banter was the best! This is a cozy read that I enjoyed. I feel like it could have been a bit shorter but other than that it was a fun time.

This will be the book I suggest for a palate cleanser for the rest of time.

The banter in the book made me laugh out loud over and over again. I loved all of our main characters. Many times books are compared to "The Princess Bride" but, baby, this one hits.

Following Halla as she accidentally becomes acquainted with Sarkis..the sword (Yes, our MMC is essentially a sword. )
He helps her escape from her delusional and money-hungry in-laws on a journey that consists of mostly Halla asking questions and strategically playing a fool. I loved every moment of this book. I will be buying the audiobook because I KNOW the banter will be made so much better.

This book originally released in 2018, but now with a stunning new hardcover and teal edges! This was a great cozy fantasy. It was unassuming and the witty banter was top notch.

I liked the author's portrayal of both the FMC (Halla) and MMC (Sarkis) in that they both didn't take each other too seriously. The love felt real between the two characters. There adventure together was also really fun in that it wasn't too serious, and seemed low stakes.

you want a romantasy without assassin teenagers or evil ones to overthrow? Would you prefer older main characters and constant humor? Kingfisher has got a story for you!

This may be the best romantasy I have read to date- developed characters, hilarious inner monologues, an easy meandering plot- that somehow still felt high stakes even though they were just dealing with matters of a will. Halla and Sarkis are so cute it makes me want to scream.

I found the world building so easy to understand (no info dumps!) and I want to venture into the Paladin’s series now as well. Kingfisher’s characters and stories have always been a win for me but I really enjoyed the lack of horror for once- glad that I have already purchased the new edition of this rerelease!

Halla inherits her uncle's estate, unfortunately her greedy relatives want it all for themselves. Her family decides to force her into a marriage so they can access the estate. Locked in her room, Halla draws a sword to end her life, only to release Sarkis, an immortal warrior sworn to protect her. Halla and Sarkis escape her uncle's estate and set off on an adventure to claim her inheritance and avoid the arranged marriage.

This was a cozy, feel good, romantasy book I didn't know I needed. I loved the banter between the characters, esp. the inner dialogue of Halla and Sarkis. It was laugh out loud funny.

T. Kingfisher adds another cozy fantasy romance to her world of the White Rat, and I couldn't be happier! As someone who has only read a couple of the books set in this universe, I am delighted that I can pick up a standalone novel like Swordheart and enjoy it without needing to read everything else first.

Kingfisher is remarkably talented at writing older characters simply existing and trying to find small happinesses in their normal lives, even if world-altering events are happening elsewhere. Halla is a widow who finds herself embroiled in dangerous, small-town family drama that she doesn't care to entertain. Sarkis may be bound to a magical sword, but he's also a middle-aged mercenary who's got baggage on baggage. Their personalities endear them to the reader immediately, so much so that even though this story was 80% road trip I wasn't bored for a single moment. The supporting cast of Zale, Brindle, and the iconic Prettyfoot round out the group for banter and some skills our main duo can't cover all by themselves. Zale in particular was so exciting to see in the spotlight after several mentions and cameos in other works.

The possibility of "sequels" is there, albeit from the perspective of characters only mentioned in Swordheart, but I want them!! I want those stories! For anyone who enjoys Kingfisher's Saint of Steel books or other cozy, small scale fantasy adventures, you will like this book

This is a HYSTERICAL, utterly delightful, glitteringly-heartwarming romantic fantasy! As usual, Kingfisher has created incredible, not-very-genre-typical main characters - Halla, a 'respectable widow' who asks lots of questions, is wonderfully practical, and is on the run from the kind of *mundanely* evil relatives who need to be dropped in a volcano; and Sarkis, an ancient warrior bound to the sword Halla tries to kill herself with. (It all makes sense in context, I promise.)

Sarkis' ancient code of honourable behaviour had me SHRIEKING with laughter - see, not wanting to interfere with Halla's niece coming to rescue her! - but as I'm used to with Kingfisher's love interests, he is far too world-wise not to realise how wonderful Halla is. The moment early on, when he realises that she's babbling in order to distract herself from how physically miserable she is...GAH. Instant heart-eyes from me! Kingfisher's heroes are never shallow, and I love that about all of them. But Sarkis might hold a special place in my heart, less for his tragic backstory (and it is quite tragic) than for the way he helps Halla realise how worthy she is.

And Halla!!! Hi, I love her!!! I feel quite strongly that we would be excellent friends. (ATTACK SHEEP. Hysterical!)

It's amazing how much Kingfisher can make you hate her villains; they're never comically, over-the-top evil, but realistically so - I suspect most readers recognise something in most of her villains, and that's definitely the case here. I had to keep putting the book down to take a break from grinding my teeth at these UTTER ASSHATS!

Swordheart is immensely satisfying in every respect - it even works pretty well as a standalone, although it's the start of a trilogy! - and it's CATAPULTED to the top of my favourites list. Recommended MOST STRONGLY!

What a unique premise! This on the cozier side romantasy hit the right spots for me. While it took some suspension of disbelief initially to accept he’s a man and also an enchanted swords once I wrapped my brain around it I sank into it

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher follows Halla, who has been imprisoned in her room by her family following her inheritance of a great fortune. The only escape for her is death by sword, which is lucky for Halla considering she has one hanging above her bed. Unfortunately, the being that lives inside the sword, a warrior named Sarkis, won’t allow Halla to die. With the help of Sarkis, Halla escapes from her house arrest and the two go on a great adventure.

My personal thoughts: I’ve loved every T. Kingfisher book I’ve read, this one included. The writing is immersive and entrancing, and the plot moves quickly enough to keep you hooked. This book has its share of romance, but it isn’t the entire focus which I appreciate. Halla and Starkis both felt fleshed out, which I also appreciate as a reader. A glorious fantasy filled with all the romance my little heart could ask for. Another great from T. Kingfisher!


I would recommend this book to lovers of cozy fantasy and lovers of Travis Baldree and Rebecca Thorne. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Tor Publishing group for allowing me to read this e-arc!

Swordheart stole my entire heart. I did not expect it to, but wow, it did. I mean of course I thought I'd enjoy it, it's T. Kingfisher after all, but I did not expect to absolutely adore it as much as I did- so much so, in fact, that I had to pre-order it. It's driving itself to my house as we speak type. This is basically the definition of romantasy, before romantasy even called itself that. (Shoutout to Bramble for re-releasing it, for 2018 Shannon would have never noticed it, while 2025 Shannon devoured it.)

What's there to say? It's definitely on the cozier end of the spectrum, and the romance is a big focus (though not the whole focus, which I appreciated). I adored Halla, and felt a real connection to her, and the side characters were the best. The snark and banter was 1000% on point, as always. Sarkis is a wonderful love interest too, and I enjoyed his backstory. And look, the book is perhaps a wee bit longer than it needed to be, but I was having so much fun that it hardly mattered. It is charming, and so downright funny, I could not put it down!

Bottom Line: Amazing characters, a great story, a ton of fun. What more can you ask for?

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor/Bramble, and T. Kingfisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Ironically enough I have read several books this month purporting to be Princess Bride-inspired and THIS one was my favorite, by far, of them all. Plotwise it isn't necessarily the same, but the same jaunty tongue-in-cheekness was there and the characters, OMG, absolute perfection.

After all, a gnole knows what is best for a gnole. IYKYK

I LOVED Halla, Sarkis was absolutely spot-on, I really all the various priests and priesthoods and Zale was absolutely terrific, gnoles in general were great and Brindle was my fav character in the entire book. I realize this review is less of a review and more of a written fangirl squeeeeeeee! but rarely ever has T. Kingfisher steered me wrong and THIS is the best of of the bunch. I really really hope that the "World of the White Rat" tagline GR has posted above the title is a real thing and that there will be more books set in this world.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I think one of my favorite parts about this story was that the romantasy aspect was with a heroine who was older and who wasn't the hottest, tiniest, longest-haired, biggest-eyed, curviest, etc. person in the entire fantasy world. Don't get me wrong, I love tons of romantasy that contains all of that--but this was just such a refreshing read and my brain very much enjoyed it. I think that the relationship building for the romance was very masterfully done, it was very real and believable. I just loved this. I thought the set up was great, the characters were compelling, and the romance was great. I had a lot of fun with this one, and I cannot wait to get our physical copies in at the branch!

This book was so much fun! I loved Halla and I loved reading a Romantasy with an older heroine who wasn’t amazing at being in a fantasy novel and wasn’t overly special. She did inherit a sword that was special, but it was a breath of fresh air to have her be quite useless at combat and be so funny. Sarkis was also fun and I loved that he didn’t just immediately have heart eyes for Halla, but genuinely got to know and love her and also admit she had her quirks and flaws, such as her incessant talking, which turned out to be useful in many situations.
This book was just perfection! I absolutely loved it, highly recommend it, and can’t wait to see more books set in this world. There was fun, adventure, high stakes, romance, and a ton of laughs along the way.

A woman who is left a large inheritance by a wealthy uncle finds herself being trapped by family members hellbent on getting the money from her and the only way to escape is with the help of the mysterious immortal warrior trapped in the sword that her uncle owned. Romance, adventure, and magic await! Halla was never really attached to her husband so when he died his uncle took her in... and when he died he left Halla all his fortune... his considerable fortune that the rest of his family means to take from her, whether by forcing her to marry a man she wants nothing to do with or to kill her for it.... they've locked her in her room and put guards making her only true option to escape is to end her own life.... except the sword she picks up to do it with suddenly has a man appearing in her room! Said man is named Sarkis and he is an immortal warrior trapped inside the sword and he is forced to be the bodyguard of anyone who wields the sword. Sarkis is used to fighting off dragons, wars, deadly assassins... but he never expects to be doing is helping a woman escape her in-laws and going against bandits! Halla and Sarkis find themselves journeying together as they escape trouble and find a soft romance brewing between them... but can a romance between a wealthy widow and an immortal warrior really work out or are they just too different? This was such a fun cozy fantasy romance. I loved the soft romance between Halla and Sarkis and I enjoyed the ending they got. It's a cute read and the story itself felt fun to read, I immediately liked Halla and had so much fun with her adventure. I've always been a huge fan of T. Kingfisher's writing and seeing this story get a whole new deluxe edition was a pleasant surprise!

Release Date: February 25, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

“Halla of Rutger’s Howe had just inherited a great deal of money and was therefore spending her evening trying to figure out how to kill herself.”

Man, this was a fun read. I’ve been reading a lot of really high fantasy books with complex worlds and magic systems and this was a perfect palette cleanser. It’s a light fantasy romance with a heartwarming story and fun characters. Swordheart was wickedly funny throughout and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the interactions between Halla, Sarkis, and Zale. Halla in particular is a highlight, with her wacky responses and witty humour making this book incredibly entertaining. Sarkis broods a bit too much for my liking, but I’m sure there’s a lot of people who would really like it. I also appreciated that the characters were actual adults, not freshly-turned 18-year-old kids - though Halla did act quite naive at times. If you’re looking for a light romance with some fantasy elements, I’d definitely recommend it!

New T. Kingfisher? New T. Kingfisher!

Okay, new-ish. Swordheart was first published back in 2018, but it's getting a shiny new reprint courtesy of Tor's Bramble imprint. So, new!

Halla doesn't have a lot in her life. Her husband died years ago, and she's been living in her great-uncle Silas's home, caring for him and the household in his old age. She describes herself as a respectable widow, and while she is infinitely curious, she's also relatively content to live has she has been.

Silas's death changes everything. Due to Halla's having cared for him, he left her (and her alone) all of his possessions in his will, and his other relatives are livid at the perceived slight. Her great-aunt Malva and cousin Alver vow to lock Halla up in her room until she agrees to marry Alver, so that Silas's house and things will remain in their possession. In her desperation, Halla decides to kill herself, drawing a sword that was in Silas's collection. Her attempt to stab herself is cut short when a man appears in the room with her. His name is Sarkis, and he is bound to the sword that she just drew. Remove the sword from the scabbard, and you can command him, a la a genie in a lamp. With a duty to protect Halla, as she is the rightful owner of the sword now that Silas has died, Sarkis sets about freeing her from her imprisonment.

After breaking out of what is, by all rights, Halla's own house now, she and Sarkis flee the small town of Rutger's Howe (and I can't help thinking that T. Kingfisher is a Blade Runner fan). They set off on a journey to secure Halla's inheritance so that she has something to bequeath to her own nieces, having no children of her own, but there are many obstacles in their path. Soon, they have to face off against brigands, lawyers, priests, and unspeakable horrors. With the assistance of Zale (a representative of the Church of the White Rat) and a gnole named Brindle, the adventurers journey from Rutger's Howe to Archen's Glory. They need not only to prove that Halla is the rightful heir to Silas's house and the sword that contains Sarkis, but also solve the mystery of Sarkis's entrapment in the sword almost 500 years prior.

And what's an adventure in a medieval-inspired fantasy world without a little romance? This is a Bramble title, after all. Halla is a respectable widow, and Sarkis is an ancient soul bound to an iron blade. That's not about to stop either of them from developing feelings toward each other. They might be able to eventually tell each other the truth, but truth is often more complicated than it should be. Is Halla attracted to Sarkis only because he saved her life? Is Sarkis only attracted to Halla because he's been barely able to live as a man over the last few centuries of sword-dwelling? Is it right for a widow to fall in love with her bodyguard and vice versa?

Set in the same world as Kingfisher's Saints of Steel series, Swordheart will delight fans who will recognize elements of Halla's journey (and maybe several of the characters she meets along the way). For me, it was my first foray into the world of the White Rat, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Halla is delightfully disarming and has much to learn about the world outside of her small home town, while Sarkis is brusque and harsh but slowly comes to understand the people of the "decadent south" as time passes with her. The influence each has on the other is slow-building, but masterfully written. The reprinted version of Swordheart hits shelves Tuesday, February 25th. Check it out.

My utmost thanks to Tor/Reactor/Bramble and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for a fair review.

This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2025/02/24/swordheart-a-review/

T. Kingfisher doesn't miss. This was such a good slow burn read. I cozied up on the couch and devoured it.

As always, I can't wait for the next.

Absolutely loved this book! Can’t wait to read more books by this author. The ending was a little open ended for me though.

What do I not like/love about this book? NONE
Has T. Kingfisher ever disappointed me? NO

I've been preaching this for a while now: WE NEED MATURED HEROINES. If you need a case study on it's efficacy or if it matters/affects the story, add Swordheart to the list. Halla is 36, a widow, and she's LIVED and her insight about life is refreshing. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the occasional book with younger characters, but now that I'm in my 40's, I'm seeking heroines that are around my age and have experienced life. I don't want my age bracket to be relegated to the Literary Fiction or other genres, I want us to be in the forefront with the youngins because our voice is different and it lends a different perspective to the story. So, thank you Ms. Kingfisher for featuring older women in your work and championing us.

On to the story. Swordheart is HILARIOUS, Halla's talkativeness and curious questions (often in the more inopportune time) juxtaposed to Sarkis' steadfast demeanor is the source of amazing comedic relief. I was chuckling the entire time and totally love their interactions. The romance is a slow burn, and I love that we hear from Sarkis more on this than Halla. The cast of characters are well developed and I will never forget Alver Clammy Hands. Reading Swordheart was time well spend on my part, the pacing is amazing, the humor is on point, and the cast unforgettable.

An absolute delight of an adventure, full of chaos, hilarity, danger, and love.

Halla is a widow who has been living with the uncle of her deceased husband, Silas, and cares for him until his death. All hell breaks loose when the extended family learns that Silas left Halla everything. After a whole lot of drama and ridiculousness, Halla gets locked in her room, a 36 year old adult treated like a child, until she does what they want. Desperate, Halla takes the sword off her wall with the intention to end things, but when she pulls the sword from the scabbard there's blue lightning and then a hot warrior. Halla learns that the warrior, Sarkis, is bound to the sword and bound to serve the one who wields it.

Sarkis helps Halla escape and they start an adventure across the decadent Southern lands to help her claim her inheritance, and find what freedom might look like. Sarkis is drawn to Halla and all her frustrating but surprisingly wily ways, and the way that they overcome danger and missteps together.

This world was so much fun, and the side characters filled everything out so perfectly. There were a few times I was shouting at the page for them to trust their suspicions (or be MORE suspicious) and maybe a few times that I wish they had stabbed someone, but overall I think I smiled for most of the end of this book as Halla and Sarkis figure their crap out so they can focus on the fact that they want each other SO BADLY.

Seriously, a delight.

This book was what I needed to read at this moment in my life. It was the right combination of adventure, humor and romance. I liked that there was romance but it wasn't the main focus of the book. The characters were all so vibrant and likeable. I wouldn't mind going on an adventure with all of them.

🗡️❤️ Swordheart by T. kingfisher ❤️🗡️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Swordheart was originally published in 2018, but is being rereleased in this beautiful special edition format TOMORROW, February 25, 2025.

Halla is a respectable widow who has spent the past decade caring for her uncle and his home. He passes away and she inherits his estate, along with some terrible, greedy relatives who refuse to accept and let her claim what was rightfully left to her. While they have her locked in the bedroom, she takes down a sword that has been hanging on the wall for years and upon unsheathing it realizes it is housing Sarkis, the immortal warrior/sword-bearer who is bound to protect the swords owner (which is now Halla). The duo set off on a low stakes quest, full of shenanigans, across the land to find an attorney who will help Halla claim her new fortune.

This was the epitome of a cozy fantasy and brought so much wholesomeness and humor, I couldn’t get enough! I truly have nothing negative to say, this was very easily a 5 star read for me! I can’t believe it took me 7 years to discover this book and T. Kingfisher in general. I can’t wait to read more from her.

Swordheart is set in the world of The Clockwork Boys, but you do not have to read one to understand the other.

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is one of those rare books I didn't want to stop reading. I fell in love with the unconventional leads, Halla and Sarkis, as well as the side characters, Zale and Brindle. T. Kingfisher does an excellent job balancing the darker aspects of this medieval fantasy world with lighthearted humor and cozy consent-forward romance. I truly enjoyed this and can't wait to share it with others.

This is going to become a comfort read for years to come. There was something simply magical about this book and I could not put it down. The banter between Halla and her bodyguard-in-a-sword, Sarkis, was hilarious and had me laughing most of this book. It may be my most tabbed book ever with all of the funny quotes.

“I have a great deal of experience skinning my enemies,” he said, deadpan.
“Do you have many enemies among the potatoes?”
“Not any longer.”

The supporting cast of side characters, especially Zale and Brindle are some of my favorites from recent reads and really stood out on their own. I loved Brindle’s manner of speaking and how Zale, despite being a priest, knew when to bend morals a bit to keep the group alive and moving toward their goals. Speaking of which, anytime Halla came into contact with the Priests of the Hanged Mother was hilarious as she made them uncomfortable by either crying or talking too much and this usually sent them away from her.

I was hooked from the first line as it was jarring and funny at the same time and piqued my interest immediately.

“Halla of Rutger’s Howe had just inherited a great deal of money and was therefore spending her evening trying to figure out how to kill herself.”

The pacing and structure of this story were brilliant and again make the argument that T. Kingfisher is a master of the modern fairytale. I cannot wait for Angharad’s story.

“Mortal flesh may not last as long as immortal steel, but it will last long enough to be happy.”

Our FMC Halla, a respectable widow who was housekeeper to an artifact collector and scholar until his recent death has been willed his entire estate. After being imprisoned by her husband’s family until she agrees to marry her brother-in-law, Halla decides to pull an old sword down off the wall and end her life. But when she unsheathes the sword a magical warrior, Sarkis, appears with a sole purpose, to protect his sword's wielder. Halla and Sarkis set off on a journey to find Halla a lawyer so that she can claim her inheritance.

T. Kingfisher is one of my favorites so it is no surprise that she made me fall in love with a sword. Sarkis is baby girl, even though he is giving grumpy uncle vibes. Kingfisher is fantastic at writing dialogue and banter, both shined in Swordheart. Halla and Sarkis had me laughing out loud and kicking my feet. This pairing took opposites attract to another level. We have a woman who talks and questions things non-stop and a man who would speak in only grunts if possible. The side characters also shine through with unique personalities and quirks.

Swordheart is for readers who love banter, grumpy x sunshine, the found family trope and cozy fantasies. Although it is a low stakes story, it gives you the sense of an epic adventure.

Swordheart is set in the world of the White Rat - the same world as T. Kingfisher’s Clockwork Boys duology and her Paladin’s Grace series and is a romantic fantasy tale of a 30s something heiress who must overcome her greedy family to claim her inheritance. It’s a lush fantasy with a cosy feel filled with amazing awkward moments, witty banter, and a splash of almost screwball comedy —and a cast of well formed characters which add to the joy of reading.

The books in the White Rat series of Kingfisher’s are also sometimes referred to as ‘paladin romances’. Not to give too much away, but the sword Halla draws to defend herself releases Sarkis, an immortal swordsman who protects and serves the wielder of the blade. He’s also valiant and charismatic. It’s not a huge surprise when the romance begins… Together Halle and Sarkis seek a way for Halle to claim her fortune, and along the way deal with bandits, inquisitors, and of course the dangerous in-laws desperate to keep Halle in the family. Originally published in 2018, Swordheart is being re-released in a stunning new edition with a fabulous new cover which will delight both new fans and steadfast collectors.

It’s also a perfect book to curl up with on a wintery day.

Thanks to @NetGalley and the TOR Publishing Group for an advanced reading copy.

I've gotten used to offerings from T. Kingfisher being more in line with gothic horror, so this romantic adventure (with a dash of monsters and magic) was an interesting departure, and it was just as expertly-done as her more usual fare. Halla is a terrific protagonist, a fish-out-of-water for most of the book, but with a hardy spirit and a willingness to adapt and learn as the journey throws chaos her way. (Including a handsome, gruff man whose spirit inhabits a sword.) Even the supporting characters are given their moments to shine, and Kingfisher has made sure that her cast of characters is varied and distinct, colorful and unique. I just thoroughly enjoyed it, and am glad to know that there will be at least one more book in the world she has built in "Swordheart."

I fear that T Kingfisher is turning into an autobuy author for me. I have loved everything that I have read by her so far. Swordheart is a cozy, funny, adventure based fantasy featuring Halla, our 36 yo kind-to-a-fault FMC, and Sarkis, a brutal killer trapped in a sword for years who is doomed to protect whoever draws him from the sword. Halla and Sarkis go on an adventure to fight for Halla’s rights to her deceased husband’s estate and obstacles, witty banter, and sexual tension ensue along the way.

I had so much fun with this one and found myself laughing out loud at points. I will absolutely be reading anything that T Kingfisher publishes from now on!

Thank you Tor/Bramble for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a fun little book! A woman and her enchanted sword, what could be better? Maybe a very curious, non-threatening sweetheart who has never swung a sword in her life and the big scowly guy who pops out of the sword and is determined to protect her from anything that comes her way. Fortunately for both of them, she's in a pickle of a situation. The only thing left to do is run away together, right?

The secondary characters are also wonderful: Zale and Brindle. Love them.

T. Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors and writes some of my favorite books, and this title is no exception. Kingfisher writes heroes past the age of twenty with levity and humor while also creating a fantasy world I always feel immersed in.

Thank you NetGalley and Bramble for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have never been that excited to get approved for one before.

Nothing can stop me from raving about Kingfisher's writing now, and you can say whatever you like but she’s one of the very few authors who make me highlight entire passages just because of how brilliantly they're written. I savoured this novel like the “decadent” comfort food of a book it is. She had me from page 1, and I will be here for the rest of the series, patiently waiting for the next trip into one of my favourite fantasy worlds ever created.

Swordheart is a cozy fantasy romance following a very respectable and impressively self-aware widow Halla and her morally ambiguous bodyguard, who also happens to be an enchanted sword, on their quest to liberate Halla from the loving clutches of her late husband's family and oppressive societal norms.

The story takes a linear fairytale-like approach to moving the plot, which fits the light mood of the narrative perfectly. There are quite a few fairytale tropes in play that absolutely delighted me as the kind of childish reader who enjoys it when the genre is shown proper respect. In true Kingfisher’s style, most of the characters are very fond of thinking out loud and talking to themselves at length, bringing extra lightheartedness to the overall mood, and yes, ohhhh yes, there are even some creepy monsters, although not as many as I would have liked.

I wholeheartedly recommend this to enjoyers of Emily Wilde’s adventures and cozy fantasy readers who like to see their characters not take themselves too seriously.

P.S. If this review wasn’t based on an advanced copy, it would’ve been littered with my favourite quotes, of which there are too many so maybe it’s in everyone’s best interest that it remains quoteless.

This book is everything I want “romantasy” to be - sweet, silly, comical, romantic, emotional, adventurous, with euphemisms and pining galore. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it has so much heart. I loved that the main characters were mature people with feelings and flaws and history. Just all around a really wonderful read!

“I will always love you, as long as this cursed steel endures.”

I loved the fantastical world and slow burn romance in this book, as well as the normalization of genderqueer/non-binary people. All the characters were well-realized, there was solid plot but also time for humorous diversions. Will definitely read the sequel!

Our intrepid heroine Halla inherits her great uncle's estate and is locked away by her greedy relatives until she agrees to marry her clammy handed cousin. While wasting away in her room, she unsheathes an old sword hanging on the wall and suddenly a grizzled warrior Sarkis appears in front of her. He is sworn to protect whomever owns the sword and together the two of them embark on a few misadventures in order for Halla to get her inheritance back.

This was my 2nd T. Kingfisher book and what an absolute banger! I had so much fun reading this book and did not want it to end. Halla and Sarkis were unconventional romantic leads and it absolutely worked. Despite their relationship only developing over a couple of weeks, it was so sweet and heartwarming. They so obviously wanted the best for each other, I just loved it. I am also grateful to Kingfisher for having a heroine in her 30's and centering a woman who does not want children. It is so nice to see that in a romance book particularly with a male love interest who supports all her reproductive decisions.

Kingfisher's writing was hysterical with just non stop wit. There was a whole chapter discussing the logistics of magical swords and bodily fluids that had me howling with laughter. A true highlight was the nonbinary lawyer-priest Zale as they had so many good quips as befitting a lawyer. And an entire religion dedicated to lawyers and providing legal defense for anyone who asks? Fucking genius.

If you are looking for cozy romantasy book, please look no further. You will laugh, you will smile and you will sigh happily. The story doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel for the bodyguard romance trope but it definitely provides a fun and unique twist on it.

Review posted on Fable on 2/18 and Goodreads, Storygraph and Tiktok on 2/19.

~ "Why do you have a sword, anyway?" "To fight with. It's a sword."
"Yes, but you came out of a sword. It seems redundant." He stared at her as if she had lost her mind. ~ 
Hehehe all this and so much more banter straight from the beginning! This was such a wonderful fantasy adventure of a book that keeps you entertained the whole time. Halla is a housekeeper who is taken on an adventure of a lifetime alongside Sarkis... who came out of a sword. Halla is very relatable and it is so nice to finally have an FMC that is actually close to my age instead of being 18  . I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to read more from T. Kingfisher and of The World of the White Rat series! 5 stars, would definitely recommend!

With T. Kingfisher, you never know what the next writing may bring, but I eagerly look forward to these book every single time. From Fairytales , to fantasy, and horror, to everything in between, I swear T. Kingfisher really is a master of the writing craft and I hope you will do yourself favor and find one that feels right for you! This one is a cozy fantasy with romance and I would say, tactful spiciness.

This world opens with Halla and the death of her great-uncle who she's been caring for before his passing. Upon his death, he bequeathed his house and estate to her instead of to his "family" and now they are holding her hostage until she agrees to marry Alver which would keep the inheritance where they feel it belongs.

As Halla is trapped in her bedroom, she decided the best way to resolve the situation of the impending marriage, is to use the sword hanging on the wall to just remove herself from the situation entirely. However, when she draws the sword, a battle worn man appears in her bedroom and she figures she may have another option to get herself out. They go on a bit of a madcap adventure across the countryside to find a temple which should be able to help resole the issue. And I really liked the twisty ending we got as well.

The characters are fun and I loved Brindle who seems to be a furry creature with sharp teeth but does a great job! The rest of the characters are flawed in all the right ways, naive, stubborn, secretive, etc. The dynamic is fun as they make their way across the countryside.

This book has so many tongue in cheek, and stream of though moments. Lots of the things that are often unsaid are said out loud which frequently puts the characters in interesting situations. You will be glad you read it!

*Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing an ARC/DRC for review. All opinions are my own. *

This is my second T. Kingfisher novel, and it did not disappoint. The book begins with 36-year-old Halla, a longtime widow who has spent the last decade keeping house and caring for her deceased husband's grumpy great-uncle. After his death, the will is read, and the loathsome relatives who come out of the woodwork are horrified to find she has been named as the sole inheritor. They hatch a plan to marry Halla to one of her husband's cousins, and when she refuses, they lock her in the attic and refuse to let her out until she agrees to marry him so they can get their hands on the inheritance. Despondent and disgusted at the prospect, she grabs a sword off the wall and contemplates removing herself from this mortal coil, but when she unsheathes the sword, she finds that it is inhabited (genie-style) by an immortal warrior who is sworn to protect the wielder of the sword.

The scene is set, and the journey that follows is full of understated humor any unconventional adventure as our bumbling heroine and her scowling sword-warrior set out to escape and right the wrongs that have been wrought upon her.

Reminiscent of The Princess Bride, the wit and banter between the two protagonists is delightful as their grumpy and sunshine attitudes clash whenever they encounter an obstacle in their path. Sarkis has loyalty in spades, but it deepens from being obligatory to respect (and more) as he wars with his conflicting feelings and hidden past. As their growing friendship unfolds, Halla and Sarkis go from resenting each other's shortcomings to viewing them in a different light as they see beyond their first impressions. They navigate two-timers, power-tripping priests, highwaymen, moving mountains -and luckily, no dragons - unsure of who they can trust, all the while trying keep the secret of the sword close at hand.

Kingfisher's storyline is refreshing, funny, unique and distinct. It's fantastical while avoiding worn-out settings and clichés of the genre. It doesn't waste time on world building and setting up rules for its magic. Its characters are unconventional - and Halla is relatable, her methods and strategies for dealing with nefarious adversaries anything but what one would expect from a protagonist.

Halla unexpectedly inherited the estate of the wealthy uncle she's been caring for for the past decade. Unfortunately, money-hungry relatives want the inheritance. As he hides from them, she unsheaths an ancient sword. A man named Sarkis appears, explaining he is an immortal warrior who had been trapped inside it and sworn to protect whoever wields the sword. Sarkis doesn't have to fend off armies, only bandits and relatives, and ignore the threat of the sword itself.

Originally published in September 2024, there is now a special edition! As a childless widow, Halla's inlaws mostly ignored her until the inheritance. They were willing to lock her into her bedroom as a means to coerce her into marrying a cousin to keep the inheritance within the family, but Sarkis appeared and helped get her out of the house. The pair wind up having a hilarious adventure on the road to the city to find a lawyer, who is a priest of the God of the Rat, and the trio makes their way back for the inheritance. Along the way are priests of another god that harasses travelers, paladins of yet another god eager to fight demons, and a stretch of land that wanders about to catch travelers just because it can. Of course, the road isn't a smooth one for Halla, but she and Sarkis complement each other well and we get to watch them fall in love.

This is a great example of T. Kingfisher's writings and is the first of a trilogy of haunted swords. Sarkis' two captains had also been turned into swords, and I would love to see what happens to them, as well.

I loved this! The humor and banter was just so good! And the romance was light but very swoony.

One note is that the errors in this ARC were horrifying. I’m talking whole paragraphs with no punctuation, multiple sentences that were unreadable. It really took me out of the story at times just trying to figure out if something was dialogue or where one sentence ended/began. I know advance copies are not finished with editing but this was insane.

This is the first book in a trilogy according to the author's note. Set in a fictional land where there are more guilds to saints and gods than people have appendages, some not-so-human creatures, and certain artifacts that may contain magic. Our main character, Halla, is being held against her will by relatives trying to force her to relinquish an inheritance bestowed upon her by her late husband's uncle that she took care of until his death. She is so filled with hopelessness that she pulls an ancient sword hanging on her wall from its scabbard, intent on ending her own life, when a magical protector and immortal swordsman, Sarkis, appears. With Sarkis now by her side, Halla flees the Estate and begins a complicated journey to obtain legal representation to enforce the will of her great-uncle.

Halla is an inquisitive character who downplays her intelligence in hostile situations in order to get through unscathed. Sarkis is the typical male character who uses brute strength to get his way. They are in a forced proximity situation, have a grumpy/ sunshine relationship, and start to develop feelings for each other. We also meet some interesting characters from some of the holy sects along the way that play a part in the story. The author did a great job with the world building, Sarkis' backstory, and explaining some of the background of the different religions. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Cozy. Fantasy. This book was the perfect read for this chilly winter day! T. Kingfisher simply knows how to write fun adventure fantasies - with just the right amount of romance! I absolutely loved Halla. Her wits and deep curiosity was so refreshing. It made her character so complex yet so easy to relate to. Sarkis was the perfect brooding bodyguard for this rather intriguing situation. I didn’t realize that this book was part of an existing universe that Kingfisher has created, The World of The White Rat. While this story can be read as a standalone, I am definitely going to read her prior books in the universe and the series that was published after!

I was thrilled when I read the author’s note at the end and it said that Kingfisher is working on a sequel to this book but then I realized that this was originally published in 2018 so I’m afraid that trilogy has been put on the back burner. I am still holding out so much hope though. I would literally read their grocery list at this point.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Tor/Bramble publishing for this ARC. Please feel free to reach out to me with ANY T. Kingfisher books!

Halla is a respectable widow who has been trapped by her in-laws. They want the inheritance she’s set to received. Determine to not have to deal with them any longer she sets out to end her life using a sword. But instead a knight materializes and is shocked by her state.

And thus begins an adventure with humor, a slow burn, vengeance, and great friendships.

I’m a big fan of how dang funny this book is, I hadn’t expected it.

Great read! This cozy fantasy draws you in and delivers romance, humor, and adventure. It appears this may have a sequel and I’m definitely read for it!

This was my first T. Kingfisher book and I enjoyed it so much that I'm currently seeing what other books of hers my local library has. It was a perfectly delightful romantic fantasy romp with low stakes but such great characters that I was fully invested in their journey, and I can't remember last time a book made me laugh out loud so much. This is going to become a beloved comfort read of mine, I just know it.

As a widow, Halla accepted her uncle's offer for her to come and care for him and his home. It worked out well, she saw to it that he ate, made sure his home was cleaned while not getting in the way of his accumulated antiques, curios, and what-nots, or upsetting his research. It was a comfortable life and gave her a place in society that had few options for women other than wife or housekeeper.

But her uncle died and, without asking her opinion, left her his house, money, and contents. It was the worst thing he could have done as now the house was filled with distant greedy relations of her uncle plotting to take over her life and force her to marry a cousin she didn't know and didn't want. All of this finds her when the story opens, locked into her room until she comes to her senses and agrees to all their conditions

While searching for a solution to her problems, Halla removes a sword that had hung over her bed since she moved into the house and gets the beginning of a plan. Unsheathing the sword, there's a bright blast of light, and now a man—a warrior with his own sword—standing before her in her bedroom. He says he came out of the sword, his name is Sarkis, and now he will serve her. Of course, she doesn't believe him and they argue.

Thus begins the adventure.

Together, they escape from the house and the grasping relations to find assistance to rid of the house of her relations, prove she is now the owner of her uncle's property, and, most importantly to Halla, avoid being forced to marry anyone unless she wants to.

Sarkis and Halla are an interesting team. She's not the usual type of person to command the sword and thus himself. They argue. They solve problems. They learn to trust each other as they are attacked by brigands, those who seek the sword, religious fanatics, and others who feel they can use them.

All in all, Swordheart is a rollicking adventure with characters that seem somehow to be more than words on the page but people who readers will begin to deeply care about.

I was so happy to receive an arc for this book because I love the entire premise. It's a great romantic fantasy read with witty banter, an interesting plot, and characters that you root for. I also loved that the FMC was someone who was older. She's a widow and has lived an entire life, and it makes her story more believable to me. So often we get characters that are so much younger, so it was nice to see a fantasy story where it was a women in her 30s, and not a 19 year old.

It is always a pleasure to read Kingfisher’s work. Swordheart perfectly encapsulated Kingfisher’s knack for creating gripping characters and storylines that readers cannot help but to read till the very end. I will absolutely be recommending this work, as well as Kingfisher’s other works, as they are all simply amazing.

This is a unique and enjoyable story. Halla inherits a house and all its belongings from her late husband's great-uncle. Just as she is about to claim her inheritance, her late husband's aunt and cousin come by. They lock Halla in her room until she agrees to marry her cousin. In this room, Halla discovers a sword. When she unsheathes the blade, a magical mercenary, Serkis, appears. He is bound to the sword and anyone who wields it. They escape the aunt and cousin together and travel to get help claiming her inheritance. The rest is adventure, action, magic, and fun. I gave this book 4.5 stars instead of 5 because I sometimes found Halla's banter annoying. I would have loved to bop her with a frying pan over the head. Otherwise, the rest of it was great. I enjoyed the new magical creatures and the world-building. Also, Serkis's backstory was unique. This book had very little spice. It was just a tiny sprinkle that was tastefully done and did not detract from the story.

Note for the publisher: I have not posted my review on socials yet but I plan to this week , once I take a decent enough photo.

Review: This book was the most fun I’ve had reading in a LONG time. I genuinely was cackling out loud at the comic relief this book provided. Even explaining how utterly dorky this novel was to my husband was entertaining for him.

Swordheart to me felt like if you mixed The Princess Bride with the Lord of the Rings world.

The interactions between Halla and Sarkis were so much fun to read, and their love story felt natural and believable. I also loved the friendship between Halla and Zale; it was one of my FAVORITE book friendships ever. I also loved the seamless inclusion of a non binary character with Zale. Absolute chefs kiss. I have to shout out to Brindle too; that gnole was SUCH a hoot.

I think Swordheart is going to become a lifelong favorite novel for me that I will reread time and time again. I absolutely want this special edition when it comes out and I have already added all of the other books in the World of the White Rat to my TBR.

I cannot wait to see where this series goes , as I am assuming we will see more!

Once I discover a favorite author, it can only be expected that you’ll probably see a lot of reviews for them going forward. So as not to just run through them one after another, I’ve been trying to hold off on picking up a new Kingfisher novel until I feel like I’ve been in a bit of a slump. And, for whatever reason, many of my October books were a bit underwhelming. While this was a bummer, it gave me the only excuse I needed, so I immediately jumped back into the world of the Clockwork Boys with this standalone book.

You would think being left a grand estate and all the wealth and prestige that comes with that would be a blessing. But for Halla, the housekeeper turned unexpected heiress, it has lead to nothing but trouble. Hounded by the relatives of the deceased, Halla has all but given up hope of collecting on her inheritance. That is until, when trapped in a cluttered room in a mansion that should by rights belong to her, Halla draws a dusty old sword and finds…a swordsman as well? One who is enchanted to the sword and sworn to protect its wielder for the remainder of their life. But while Halla seems like an easy enough individual to protect, Sarkis, the swordsman, is in for a surprise.

I think it would be a bigger shock than anything if I read a book by this author that I didn’t enjoy. There are enough strengths in her general storytelling ability, her solid characters, and her witty dialogue that it’s hard to imagine a book that felt like a flop. There have been stories I’ve enjoyed more than others, however. So where does this one fit on that scale?

While much of the appeal of this book lay in the strength of the qualities I listed above, there were a few aspects of this story that I found particularly charming. For one thing, Halla is an “older” heroine, coming in with an age somewhere in her 30s. Kingfisher has used several older heroines like this to helm her books, and it’s something I always appreciate. Life and adventure doesn’t only come for twenty-somethings! And, indeed, we get more variety and life experience with an older lead who brings more baggage (both good and bad) to the story. Halla is an unlikely leading lady in that she starts the book out as a bewildered heiress who seems as if she may have been happier remaining a housekeeper for the rest of her life. What’s more, as the story progresses, her romance with Sarkis comes from the perspective of a woman who has already been married once and knows what’s what.

I also appreciated that this was one of the longer books I’ve read by this author. She tends to write books that come in between the 200-250 page count, just enough to be considered full novels instead of novellas, but noticeably shorter than the average fantasy novel out there. On one hands, this is a quality I love as there are so many massive fantasy tomes out there that not only don’t need to be the length they are (and are often worse for it) but the sheer amount of time it takes to read one lengthy novel necessarily limits how many one can get through. That said, I loved being able to settle in to this story a bit more than I have with past, shorter books by this author. I became highly invested in Halla’s journey towards self-worth and Sarkis’s work to restore the humanity he gave up when he became attached to the sword. We learn a lot about their personal histories, so it’s truly gratifying to see them come up against similar challenges here and make different choices.

That said, there came a point around the three quarters mark where I began to feel like the book was quite literally tracing the same road back and forth. This is played for good humorous affect, but the final go around did begin to feel a bit tedious as I began to wish that our characters could finally have something go right for them.

Overall, however, I really enjoyed this book. It was enjoyable and solid in all of the ways I’ve come to expect by this author, and I appreciated the increased page length to really soak in this particular world and these characters and their romance. Fans of this author or for those looking for a cozy fantasy novel, this is definitely a book for you!

Rating 8: Everything you could want from cozy fantasy fiction!

Link will go live on Feb. 28 on The Library Ladies blog

This was my first T. Kingfisher book but it will not be my last. My goodness this book was a breath of fresh air!

Full of hilarious dialogue with a beautifully developed MC, Swordheart is the story of a woman who unbeknownst to her is the beneficiary of a great estate. This draws Halla (our MC) into some bigtime drama in a story full of cozy fantasy vibes. A swoony love story with a real adult FMC, this is sure to please fans of My Lady Jane.

Swordheart further cements T. Kingfisher as one of my favorite authors! Kingfisher’s signature witty dialogue is hilariously woven into this cozy fantasy. Housekeeper Halla is shocked to discover that she is the sole recipient of everything in her former employer’s will. The fury of his family is swift and they attempt to pressure her into a marriage by locking her up. Halla despairs and concludes that her only option is to throw herself upon a sword- except when she unsheathes it a man appears from thin air. Absolute shenanigans ensue and I loved every minute of it!

Halla is such a strong and smart character who has learned how to navigate a world that underestimates her. I loved how she uses her ability to small-talk someone into defeat! Halla and Sarkis’ romance is sweet to watch as it unfolds through their misadventures. The worldbuilding is rich and filled with interesting magical details. I absolutely loved the found family of Halla, Sarkis, Zale, and Brindle that is formed as they travel together. The dialogue is both clever and hilarious. I hope we get to read the stories of the other swords! I’d highly recommend this book to anyone. Readers who love The Princess Bride, witty dialogue, found family, and lovable characters need to read Swordheart.

Thank you to T. Kingfisher, Bramble, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

thank you to netgalley and tor publishing group for this eARC!

i really liked this book! i haven’t read any thing else by kingfisher, so i don’t know if this is similar or not, but it was freaking adorable.

i loved the world. i wish i had seen a bit more of how the magic worked and the expanded world, but i get why we didn’t. mostly i just wish this wasn’t a stand alone because i’d love to see more of this world. i also think the way that exposition was handled was perfect. it felt like a very natural way to learn the information. i was a little confused about the gnole situation, so a tiny bit more clarity on those characters (?) would have been appreciated, especially since they have later importance.

i love halla and sarkis. they’re adorable. i would have maybe liked to see a conversation about halla’s insecurities and see how the two would handle that, but that’s more a personal gripe and not an actual issue with the book. their relationship developed very smoothly and it didn’t feel rushed or drawn out. i think that the conflict with why he was in the sword, was a little silly. i don’t know maybe it’s a me problem, but i just didn’t really understand why it upset her as much as it did; i think it either should’ve been a bigger issue or i wish kingfisher had gone a little more in depth into why it bothered her. i do think, though, that it is a fine conflict, since she got over it fairly quickly and it was a small problem, it was just written as though it was a huge conflict and that tone threw me off.

i really liked the plot. i think the way that magical elements were integrated with a legal issue is amazing. i loved it the whole way through.

this book was such an interesting take on fantasy and it was so so fun to read. would one hundred percent recommend, especially to anyone looking for an easy romantic fantasy.

Goodness! I fear I've stumbled upon an author that I absolutely adore. The concept was fun and the execution was perfect for me. I was so torn between zooming through the story and savoring it - that's the kind of chokehold it held on me. Wildly enough, this may be my favorite read of the year and we've barely just begun. Hard five stars and I will defend my love for this book till my dying breath.

Thanks again NetGalley. Loved this non-arc arc. Reading along with the audiobook made the experience that much better.

Heat Factor: What are you implying??? Halla is a *respectable widow*

Character Chemistry: Sarkis spends a lot of time counting under his breath

Plot: Halla’s terrible relatives are trying to steal her inheritance. Luckily, she finds an immortal sword man to help her. Road trip with much mayhem ensues. Like, so much mayhem.

Overall: What a delightful book.


So technically I read an ARC of this because a beautiful deluxe edition with sprayed edges is being released later this month, but it’s actually several years old. But you know what? Who cares that it’s not new. I still had a blast reading it. (It does mean that it seems like the promised sequel is…not happening any time soon, so try not to get excited about it. Luckily for me, Kingfisher has written a bunch of *other* books in this world.) I will say that my copyeditor’s soul shriveled up a little at the (lack of) punctuation and, unfortunately, I now know that that cannot be blamed on this being an advance copy that hasn’t gone through proofreading. Be warned if you are a fan of things like em-dashes, ellipses, and, hell, commas—you know, the things that signify pauses in sentences.

Anyways, the basic premise is that Halla is a widow who has been thanklessly keeping house for her great-uncle-in-law for the past decade. (Sidenote: apparently I’m a haggard crone because Halla is 36 and “middle-aged.”) Now, the old man has died and left all his worldly belongings to her. The rest of the family is Not Impressed (understatement), which means that they plan on forcing Halla to marry the cousin with clammy hands. Halla would really rather not, and so she decides to kill herself. However, when she unsheathes the heirloom sword that’s been hanging on her bedroom wall for years, a man pops out. A very attractive silver fox with big muscles, to be precise. Turns out, the sword is a magic sword that is also a man (the metaphysics are a bit hazy, despite many experiments in the middle part of the book), and he is now sworn to protect Halla—the wielder of the sword—until she dies or gives the sword away. The plot, such as it is, follows Halla and Sarkis as they escape, travel to another town, get help from the Rat God (patron god of lawyers), travel home, and have a black moment. There are many adventures along the way, very few of which are fully resolved beyond the bare minimum of Halla and Sarkis escaping. So epic fantasy readers, be aware that there’s a lot of worldbuilding that happens here that’s just…left hanging. Like, what’s up with the deer people and the slime monsters? Why were the priests of the Hanged Mother so obsessed with Halla?

But honestly, the plot doesn’t even matter. All you need to know is that it’s a one damn thing after the next type situation so you can buckle up. What is actually delightful about this book are the characters and their interactions because they are so. Friggin. Funny.

There’s nothing like a good example, so here’s a snippet:

Sarkis emerged from the scullery, looking soggy. “I have defeated the dishes.”

“Were there any survivors?”

“The only casualty was some kind of monstrous serving plate with pears on it.”

“Oh, that,” said Halla with relief. “Dare I hope it’s broken past any possible mending?”

Sarkis considered this for a moment, then went back into the scullery. Sounds of breaking crockery drifted through the open door. “Yes,” he said, returning.


True love is breaking that ugly serving platter your mother-in-law gave to you for a wedding present that you feel guilty about getting rid of.

While that short passage does capture the tone of the book, it doesn’t quite capture the characters and how delightful their dynamic is. Therefore, I must obviously include another one. This particular interaction happens right at the beginning of the book, but highlights the essentials of the characters:

“My lady Halla, I have fought dragons on multiple occasions.”

Halla considered this. “Did you win, though?”

Sarkis coughed, looking suddenly embarrassed. “Well, one time.”

“What about the others?”

“It was more of a draw. The point is that they were dragons, not your cousins.”

Halla folded her arms. “How big is a dragon, anyway?”

“What?”

“I’ve never seen one. Are they rabbit-sized? Cow-sized?”

“They’re dragon-sized!” he started to roar, caught himself, and continued in an angry whisper, “They’re the size of a house!”

“All right, but a big house or a small—”

Sarkis turned around and began to beat his forehead very gently against the wall. “The great god is punishing me,” he said softly, “for my crimes. I cannot go to his hell, and so he has sent a woman to torment me.”


Sarkis is a big tough man who is utterly baffled (and charmed, obviously) by Halla. Halla asks tons of questions—both because she’s curious about everything and because she’s found it to be a remarkably effective shield (as she says later, people don’t kill stupid women; they just kick them aside). Halla believes the best in everyone; Sarkis believes that everyone they meet is trying to murder them. Watching them bounce off each other is just fun.

Honestly that sums up my feelings about the book as a whole: it’s just fun.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

I thoroughly enjoyed the chemistry between the characters as well as the characters themselves. This book was incredibly fun to read.

Only two things bothered me about this story. One: that they spent almost the entire book traveling back and forth on the same road and back and forth again. It makes for kind of a boring setting. Two: the priest is only ever referred to as “they” with no gender assigned to them. How did the characters know to use those pronouns? I don’t remember it being explained which ended up making it feel like social commentary being shoehorned in, and not organic to the story. A simple conversation in where either Halla or Sarkis fumble their way through the first social interaction and have it explained to them would have felt more natural.

T. Kingfisher has not disappointed me yet! Swordheart is an absolutely hilarious and chaotic fantasy romance.

Our FMC, Halla, is stuck in a bind when she inherits her late husband’s uncles property and is then locked up in her room until she agrees to an unwanted marriage. Contemplating suicide to escape the situation, she draws a sword and meets Sarkis - the man inside the sword.

They take off, escaping her house and heading for the Temple of the White Rat to request help with her inheritance. Along their adventure they wind up in several dangerous situations, make new friends, and have some pretty awkward moments together.

If you’re looking for a completely unserious fantasy romance with low spice, you may love this book too.

LOVED this fantasy romance. I never had a chance to read it the first time around, so this reprint was a welcomed surprise for me to allow me to experience this fantastic novel. Really good world building by Kingfisher, as always.

First of all, I had no idea this is a rerelease!! I mean look at this cover!! I cannot wait for the physical copy on my shelf.

Enter your newest fun and creative cozy fantasy. I honestly had such a blast with this. It’s will have you laughing and kicking your feet. Such fun escapism!

OK who's responsible for the fact that this was published in 2018 but I haven't read it until now? I am so excited that Bramble has rereleased it in 2025!

I have mixed feelings when it comes to "cozy fantasy," but I think this qualifies. You see, this book is about Halla, whose great uncle-in-law just passed and left her his entire estate. His other relatives have descended upon her to try to make her marry her (also deceased) husband's cousin to keep the money in the family. She can't think of anything to do. It's really lucky for her, then, that when she pulls a sword down from the wall and unsheathes it it turns out to be housing an immortal warrior who is now magically bound to serve her.

So they set out on a super low stakes quest to hire a lawyer and get her money back. The plot is pretty rambley, but in such a fun way: Halla and Sarkis don't really have a plan, so they're just trying to survive all of the minor mishaps, footpads, and mean relatives that get in their way during their 3 road trips. Swordheart is set in the established fantasy world of the Clockwork Boys, but I haven't read those and I never felt like I was missing any worldbuilding or context.

But you know what REALLY worked for me? The romance. Halla is 36 and for most of her life has been an overlooked drudge, first for her husband, then for his one relative who took her in. Sarkis is a 40-something warrior (who's been immortal for 400 years, it's complicated!) and Halla isn't his usual type. But he soon realizes that while her personal strengths may not be the same as his, they're just as powerful.

Also, this book is so, so, so funny! It's a zany, unhinged, silly kind of humor that had me laughing throughout the entire book. So yeah, I loved this.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Swordheart by T. Kingfisher in exchange for an honest review.

Halla is ready to end it all. A plain, middle-aged widow, a wealthy relative has just left her a big inheritance. Now her scheming aunt has locked her in a room until they can force her into marriage with her odious, clammy-handed cousin. At a loss for what else to do, she tries to commit suicide with an antique sword that has been a wall decoration until now. But when she pulls the blade from the scabbard, she discovers that it's actually an enchanted sword, inhabited by the spirit (life essence?) of long-dead warrior/mercenary Sarkis. Sarkis is bound to serve the blade's owner, and so is obligated to help free Halla from her family's clutches.

Aided by a lawyer priest from the Temple of the White Rat, a gnome. and a gnome's ox, Halla and Sarkis undertake a quest to get her inheritance back. A grand adventure follows, filled with typically quirky, snarky, hilarious side characters and a few creepy bits.

If you've read T. Kingfisher before, you know what you'll get. (And if you haven't, get right on it! What are you waiting for?) It'll be funny. It'll be irreverent. It'll give a middle-aged woman agency and allow her brilliance to shine, aching back, extra weight, and all. It'll have a sweet romance, with a man who is ready and willing to aid her but also respect her abilities. (Although, admittedly, it does take Sarkis a little while to get with the program.)

This is set in the same world as the Clockwork Boys, so the setting already has some development in place and the story doesn't waste a ton of time with world-building. You happily jump right into the tale, and figure things out from there. (Not unlike our plucky heroine, actuall.y.) Sometimes teetering on the edge of silly, it's refreshing to read a fantasy that doesn't take itself too seriously while somehow avoiding parody. No Tolkien clone here.

Highly recommended for people who want a romantasy that isn't a teenager coupled with a partner 2oo times her age and/or trying to kill her, for preexisitng fans of T. Kingfisher, and for folks who want to a fantasy that is wholly and happily unique.

I don’t often compare titles to "The Princess Bride." In my experience as a reader, it’s difficult for a fantasy book to mimic the silly humor that is present in the beloved story by William Goldman. "Swordheart" has come the closest. I’ve read a few of T. Kingfisher’s works so I am familiar with her skills as a writer but I was especially charmed by "Swordheart." Kingfisher was able to blend the romance, the plot, the world, and the jokes seamlessly into a delectable smoothie of a book. The humor is genuinely funny; I laughed out loud at several scenes. The characters are all so loveable. Halla and Sarkis have a particularly fun dynamic. The world is an expansion of the author’s previous series therefore she spent time in establishing the landscape and cultural division within this sector of a larger, fantastical realm. I had so much fun reading this book and I would consider this the ideal romantasy.

I’m going to start by saying T Kingfisher has yet to disappoint me, unless I’m forgetting something but they are a very reliable author so I was excited to finally get to this novel. It’s for the people who love cozy fantasy. We follow Halla who was her late husbands great uncles caregiver however, he passes away and the family wants to marry her to someone in that family for the inheritance the great uncle left her. Lots of family drama ensues, she tries to escape, grabs a sword hanging off the wall and suddenly a man named sarkis comes out of the sword, and that’s the cliffhanger I’ll leave you on. Honestly this is funny and lighthearted and a good story.

Thank you Netgalley for an early arc of this one. The Special edition cover is so beautiful, I can't wait to have get a physical copy of this. T.Kingfisher is an amazing author. I have and love all her books. Thank you for writing this. I gave it 5 stars.

I loved the world building in this book, but most of all I loved the characters. I found myself incredibly invested in their adventures and rooting for them the whole time. Mythology has always been my love- whether historical or imagined- and the gods and their chaos and quirks made this book so much fun.

Beware the man with clammy hands!!

Halla has had nothing but loss in life but it does not get her down. Even now, she's locked in her own bedroom by her dead husband's aunt because she had the audacity to inherit the estate of said husband's great-uncle. Malva is incensed that it did not fall to blood family and that Halla is refusing to marry her son, the man with clammy hands, but Halla will stay in her room until she is forced into marriage. Until Halla discovers a secret in her room. Her great-uncle collected many, many things that piled up everywhere in the house and when she unsheathes a sword she has decided to kill herself with, Halla is saved by none other than the magical warrior living inside the sword. Sarkis is sworn to protect the wielder of the sword and soon he remedies Halla's situation and rescues her from her insane family. They go on a journey to help get Halla back what is rightfully hers and it is nothing short of eventful!

I looooved this book! Swordheart is only the second book I've read by T. Kingfisher and she is fast becoming one of my favorite authors! The quick witted, dry humor present in this book is such a fun surprise and Kingfisher executes it perfectly. I could go on and on, this book was perfection and I cannot wait to see more in this world!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh my, Halla cracked me up. It was after bedtime when I was reading this, and Halla, Zale, and Sarkis were doing an “experiment” (that’s all I can say) and my laughter woke everyone up. This book is so funny! I’m sorry I never went back to read this before.

I love the idea of a man being trapped in a sword because it’s a clever plot concept. The world building and various aspects are superb. I only wish I would have read this sooner, it’s a fantastic read!

I really enjoyed this fantasy world with quirky gods and immortal warriors! It was a perfect balance of cozy romance with humor and sword slashing. I would recommend this to anyone that is has read a lot of high fantasy but wants to explore the genre!

After falling in love with T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead last year, I knew I had to dive more deeply into her work. So when Bramble and NetGalley kindly granted me an eARC of Swordheart (out Feb. 24), I couldn’t resist jumping in immediately.

This story is wildly different from my first Kingfisher read but just as enchanting — possibly even more so. Set in the shared universe of The World of the White Rat (Clocktaur Wars and The Saint of Steel series fans, take note!), Swordheart is a cozy, laugh-out-loud fantasy romance about a respectable widow, Halla, and the magical, cranky sword-wielding warrior, Sarkis, who she unexpectedly inherits.

The humor here is exactly my kind — dry, clever and sprinkled with delightful absurdity. (When the story opened with a village named Rutger’s Howe, I knew I was in for a treat.) The cast of characters stole my heart, especially Brindle the gnole, who might be my favorite, though Halla, Sarkis and Zale are close runners-up.

This book delivers cozy fantasy vibes with just the right touch of romance. It’s lighter on the spice than a lot of fantasy romances, but the chemistry and humor are there and I don’t tend to read a lot of romance anyway. If you enjoy stories like The Princess Bride, Assistant to the Villain or Tress of the Emerald Sea, you’re going to love this one!

I laughed, I grinned and every time I had to put the book down, I wanted to jump right back in. T. Kingfisher has firmly secured her spot as a favorite and I can’t wait to continue my journey through her works.

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is a wildly entertaining blend of humor, adventure, and fantasy romance that manages to be both cozy and chaotic in equal measure. With an enchanted sword, a grumpy immortal warrior, and a delightfully odd heroine, this novel leans into its whimsical absurdity while delivering a heartfelt story about self-discovery, found family, and reluctant companionship.

Halla, a middle-aged widow who finds herself locked away by greedy relatives, stumbles upon an ancient sword—and in drawing it, she accidentally unleashes Sarkis, the warrior bound to it. From that moment, the two are stuck together, traveling across the land while dodging bandits, inquisitors, and an unreasonably determined extended family. Along for the ride is Zale, a snarky nonbinary priest-lawyer who frequently steals the show.

Kingfisher’s signature humor shines through with dry wit, exasperated banter, and bizarre yet oddly pragmatic fantasy elements. The characters are the highlight—Halla’s rambling naïveté hides a sharp mind, Sarkis is every inch the brooding, battle-worn protector, and Zale is, quite simply, a delight.

The romance itself is sweet, with plenty of awkward blushing and endearing moments. The pacing meanders at times, giving the story a relaxed, slice-of-life feel, though the middle section occasionally slows down. While the book leans into cozy fantasy, it doesn't entirely shy away from darker themes like power dynamics, coercion, and violence, all handled with Kingfisher’s signature blend of humor and thoughtfulness.

With a laugh-out-loud premise, endearing characters, and a whimsical yet heartfelt narrative, Swordheart is a delightful fantasy adventure. It’s The Princess Bride meets Howl’s Moving Castle, with a dose of Monty Python-esque ridiculousness. The story may not be as tightly plotted as some of Kingfisher’s other works, but it’s a fun, charming ride filled with snark and sincerity.

I will truly read anything they write. Their books are atmospheric and addicting. Felt good to be back in this world again.

Please note: The link provided is scheduled to go live on February 25, 2025 at 12pm eastern time.

Title: Swordheart
Author: T. Kingfisher
Source: DRC via NetGalley (Tor Publishing Group | Bramble) in exchange for an honest review
Publication Date: February 25, 2025
Synopsis: Goodreads
Purchase Link: Amazon

Other books by this author:
The Hollow Places
A House With Good Bones

Why did I choose to read this book?

The more stories by Kingfisher that I read, the more I am convinced that she is one of my favorite authors. Whether it's horror or fantasy, it's all gold. Anytime I see her name pop on NetGalley I'm gonna request it, and I need to put the books I haven't read yet on my library holds list. Every single book grabs me by my eyes and heart and doesn't let go until the last page has been turned. I love that.

What is this book about?

This book is about misfits and how, when they come together, they can move mountains as long as they stay true to themselves. A magical sword/man, an overly intelligent and well-endowed woman who has learned to act stupid to survive, a gnole, and a priest of the White Rat are gonna take you on a wild ride and you're gonna like it!

What is notable about this story?

I have never, ever wanted two characters to touch each other romantically more than I wanted it in this book. Sarkis' appreciation of Halla's breasts alone was enough for me to be like GIRL HE'S READY TO APPRECIATE YOU LIKE YOU DESERVE PLEASE!!!! The yearning almost killed me. How is Kingfisher so good at anticipation? Like, don't worry reader, if you just read a little further I promise you'll get to see them...accidentally brush arms? But I'm gonna make you want it REALLY BADLY. And honestly? She's right.

Consent is important! BOTH Sarkis and Halla hold their desires back because of a perceived obligation to the other: Sarkis believes that Halla might only be with him because she needs her inheritance back, Halla believe that Sarkis might only be with her because of his magical obligation to the sword's wielder and not his actual feelings. This is the main reason they do not get together sooner, but it's a pleasant and not-forced plot device. Their consideration for each other only deepens their feelings for the other.

This ending was very, VERY satisfying in every way it could be AND it left me wondering what was coming next at the same time. I love an ending that is both an ending and a beginning. Where is the next book please?

Was anything not so great?

This is not a critique of the author's writing but more my own personal gripe - I feel like I had to wait too long to see Sarkis and Halla together. I don't feel like I had long enough to bask in the glow and sunshine of their affection for each other. I wish that pivot had happened earlier in the book so I could have enjoyed it for longer.

What's the verdict?

5 stars on Goodreads. This story is 100% pure gold and I will throw it at anyone who feels like they need something new to read. You like fantasy? BOOM read this. You like romance? BOOM read this. You like modern concepts of consent and obligation? BOOM read this. You like weird ladies who don't meet conventional standards of the time but thrive anyway? BOOM read this.

Preorder this one. You can be sure that your money is well spent. If it's after publication, buy it immediately, what are you waiting for?

Swordheart is a fantasy tale about our main character, Halla, whom we meet locked up inside a bedroom by her Aunt Malva in an attempt to force Halla to marry her son, and Halla’s cousin (by marriage), Alver in an attempt to reclaim Uncle Silas’s inheritance that was left only to Halla. Out of time, and options, Halla takes a sword off the wall to end her life but after unsheathing it finds Sarkis standing in her room. Sarkis claims he came from inside the sword. Sarkis also claims that he is duty bound to help the wielder of the blade.

A wonderful story of adventure blooms off this plot, which only is further enhanced by the character development of the characters throughout the story. The banter only serves to drive the character development and plot forward. In moments when Halla tries to downgrade herself or call herself stupid, Sarkis is there with an inner monologue of insight to disperse her fears of how she will appear to him (or anyone else) with not only kind words to drive away her negative thoughts but to assert in her a positive relationship in which it seems Halla never had before.

It’s a refreshing take that puts added importance on the fact the characters in this tale aren’t young people in their twenties. They are middle-aged (and maybe a few hundred years old give our take) and full of wisdom or bleakness that only the world can show in all its beauty and brutality over the years. And yet, through her own bleak circumstances, Halla remains ever positive with an outlook on life that looks for the bright instead of the dark. It’s a love story, of sorts, that progresses in a way we can believe; Halla’s kindness to Sarkis and in treating him like a man and not a weapon. Small gestures of decency we, as the reader, come to find endearing and touching that drive home how Sarkis’s viewpoint of Halla changes throughout the course of their journey with the same being shown for Halla.

The side characters we meet throughout this book are equally as endearing and funny. Zale the Rat Priest and the gnole, Brindle becoming unforgettable companies that spark a new level of kinship for Halla that she didn’t have before.

Swordheart exceeded every expectation I had while going along on this journey. A grew attached to each character, including the side characters, and found myself laughing out loud more than a few times while reading. T. Kingfisher has only solidified themselves further as being one of my favorite authors of our generation and I cannot wait to continue to devour more of their works.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this advanced reader copy.

SWORDHEART is peak T. Kingfisher. A fleshed out world, found family, and a grounded romance. Who doesn’t love a meet cute that starts with trying to end it all? Halla is a heroine you can’t help but root for. She’s smart, resourceful, and loves with her whole heart. Sarkis is a grumpy immortal, dedicated to his mission and, now, his chance at a new future. But most important for me, Kingfisher gave me side characters that not only added to the story, but that I wanted to read more about! It was peak friendship watching Zale, the priest/lawyer, nerd out with Halla. And Brindle is a relatable gnole, beyond exasperated with humans. SWORDHEART is well paced, funny, and reaffirms for readers that good help may be hard to find, but it’s definitely worth the trip.

I can't express how much I LOVED Swordheart! Halla and Sarkis are absolutely wonderful! I adore T. Kingfisher's writing and this book is no exception. It was so funny and sweet, with the world building always present in Kingfisher's work. I have to!d anyone who will listen to read this book.

Thank you so much, Netgalley and Tor books for an ARC of this gorgeous book!

Swordheart is a delightful romantic fantasy. The romance and fantasy are very well balanced. It is a journey story with definite fairy tale vibes, although I do not believe it is a retelling of an actual fairy tale. I would not characterize this book as cozy due to multiple scenes of explicit violence, but it is otherwise very sweet throughout.

Our main character, Halla, goes on a journey to escape her evil in-laws and receive her rightful inheritance, accompanied and protected by the warrior, Sarkis, trapped in her magic sword. They are exasperated with each other, but as the journey progresses, they begin to yearn for one another. The spice level in this book remains at about a 2🌶️ level.

The most of the secondary characters are well developed and interesting, though the in-laws are cartoonish villains as might be expected from a fairy tale. I appreciated the inclusion of women in non-traditional roles, and the diverse representation of gender and sexuality throughout.

This book was in 5⭐️ territory for me throughout most of the book, with the exception of a repetitive section at the end that left me a bit frustrated. I still believe it is a wonderful book, landed on 4.5⭐️s, and strongly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an e-ARC in advance of publication of a new edition of this book.

Where do I even start with this book. It is a light hearted story, with lovable characters. Halla is one of the most enjoyable main characters I’ve read about in a long time. Her and Sarkis, the warrior imbued to the sword make a dynamic pair, and their journey together is whimsical, but at times very unsettling. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the Assistant to The Villain or The Prince Bride. The only down side to this book is that there is no book two, yet.

Cozy. Romantic. Thrilling. Hilarious.

I don’t understand how T. Kingfisher’s World of the White Rat isn’t more popular with the romantasy crowd. This book, and her Saint of Steel series, are the ideal formula for a cozy, but often thrilling, romantasy read. There’s just so much to love about it.

✨The heroes are compelling, charming, well-rounded folks that have their own (very complicated) inner lives.

- Halla, our relatable main character who is in her thirties (how refreshing!), wields naivety and curiosity like a well-honed sword.
- Sarkis, our “touch her and I’ll kill you” male lead is so much more than the mere weapon he claims to be.
- Zale, solicitor-sacrosanct priest of the Temple of the White Rat, becomes a clever, close friend—it’s also so refreshing to see our characters, even the aforementioned dark and dour wall of middle-aged, but immortal muscle, make friends that become family by the end.
- Brindle, job-gnole, keeps the group grounded because, as we’re often reminded, “humans can’t smell.”

✨The villains are disgustingly evil, but horrifyingly real.

- Grasping, entitled in-laws with clammy hands and no regard for the free will of a widow.
- A fascist, bullying order of priests.
- Bandits who are only trying to confirm whether or not someone can become invisible.

✨The world is thoroughly built, part of a larger story that interweaves with this one.

- The Temple of the White Rat and their army of lawyers
- The recent Clocktaur War
- Wonderworkers and artificers
- Smith saints and paladins
- Sentient, wandering hills

Kingfisher has a wonderful talent for making people speak like actual people—bumbling, blunt, and oftentimes laugh out loud hilarious.

“I’m going to put on my pants and go stab her.”

“That’s your solution for everything!”

SWORDHEART is simultaneously one of the funniest books (Where does your piss go when you disappear inside a sword?) and the most romantic (”You wouldn’t have hurt me!” “Couldn’t take the chance. Not with you.”). Halla and Sarkis fall for each other in realistic increments, and the whole core of characters are steadily bonded together through hardship and hijinks.

The only ehhh aspect is the pacing—we’re stuck on the road between Rutger’s Howe and Amalcross for what feels like, both to our characters and the reader, centuries. I get that travel was no easy thing in this medieval-ish setting, but going at an ox’s pace can be agonizing. In hindsight, all the encounters on the road came together in the end, but sometimes they felt like they were thrown in to give the characters something to do while they slowly, slowly, slowly journeyed forward.

As long as you don’t get mired down in that middle bit, SWORDHEART is a great read that I foresee becoming comfort reading for me in the future. It’s a warm cup of tea. It’s ooey-gooey macaroni and cheese. With the smallest hint of spice. ✨

Thanks to NetGalley for the special edition copy which is GORGEOUS.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6966454386

Who doesn't just want to live their life - so fun the first time I read it, and again, I hope that the new special edition will bring more people back to this book since I'm pretty regularly surprised that more people haven't read it. 10/10, go read it!

Oh This is delightful, I'm so sorry I missed the original printing but I'm so happy a new HC copy is available and it's just as gorgeous as its story.

Swordheart, is set in Clockwork Boys Universe, but you absolutely do Not have to have read those books to enjoy this one. I, for one, did not know about the Clockwork Boys and now they are on my TBR. (As well as the rest of Kingfisher's books.)

What an absolute joy. If you're a fan of of the kind of humor and warmth from a story and its characters found in TP's Discworld universe... You will have a BLAST here. There are one or two scenes on the spicier side, but nothing Explicit. After all, Halla is a Respectable widow.

First off thank you for letting me receive this arc via net galley - this truly was such a ball to read! A previous book I read by the same author was Thornhedge - which was also a 5 star book for me - leading me to have hopes for her newest book Swordheart....and Kingfisher delivered tenfold!
This was such a cozy fantasy read, with characters that lead me to literally laugh out loud during most of the read. The world building was so well done, I felt as if I was actually in Amallcross every time. Moreover, the writing style perfectly fit the story and plot setting. I cannot wait to read more of this author

Rating 5/5 ⭐️
Spice 2/5 🌶️

O.M.G!

This book I would consider a “cozy fantasy” and it read like a warm hug!

Halla is a widow who is living with her husband’s great-uncle who passes away leaving her his money. She is being forced to marry so her husband’s family can get access to her inheritance. As she contemplates what to do and how to get out of this situation she draws a sword where a man (Sarkis) happens to dwell!

I laughed so hard during this book. I thought Halla was such a refreshing FMC. She is older, witty, super curious, and unashamed of who she is.
Sarkis our MMC is rather brash but understanding. He often finds himself unsure of how Halla has so many questions.

The romance is a slow-burn and so wholesome. The adventure is low-stakes fantasy but fun to watch them navigate through it and find each other and their own “found family”.

I highly recommend for those who enjoyed “The Spellshop” or similarly Lowe-stakes, cozy fantasy romances!

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and publisher for the ARC!

Note: I Received A Copy of Swordheart from Netgalley Free of Charge

I really enjoy T. Kingfisher's work, having read her horror and most recently Clockwork Boys. She's got a dark sense of humor that really works for me. Swordheart is no different in the humor department.

That is not to say that the book fails to take things like plot or character seriously. It does. Halla is a widow who had been taking care of her late husband's uncle for years when he dies and surprisingly leaves the entire estate to her. Cue the family trying to remarry her to various cousins to try and keep the fortune in the family. But one of the items in the house turns out to be an enchanted sword with a warrior inside who helps Halla to escape her family. But will they be able to prove Halla's inheritance and what about these strange feelings they've both started having?

Halla and Sarkis are both great characters, and when Zale the Lawyer/Priest and Brindle the gnole with "opini0ns" on humans enter the book, it just becomes a fun travelogue about their voyages to Halla's hometown to recollect her inheritance.

Oh, and also, because this *is* T. Kingfisher, there are absolutely bloody battles that are simultaneously silly. I really enjoy reading T. Kingfisher books.

But overall, just a nice silly and fun read.

I really had fun with this story! I was so glad to see a mature female MC! Halla and Sarkis were a slow burn worth waiting for. The banter among all of the characters really made the book for me. There were several loose ends that I can't wait to see tied up. Will they go back into the Vagrant Hills to pursue a "cure"? Will Sarkis find his fellow swords? What is actually wrong with Silas' bird??? Kingfisher really knows how to create a flushed out fantasy world, and I hope that she gets the trilogy of the swords finished this time around!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I'm never not going to recommend a Kingfisher book, but so far this one is really delightful. A plus sized, middle aged widow escapes from her cruel family with the help of an enchanted sword who turns into a man. Action, banter, and feelings follow. I think this one has taken the number one spot amonst Kingfisher's books. I can't reccomend it enough!

Ok, I loved this! Witty, fun, lighthearted—everything I wanted in this story and this concept. I hadn't read anything else by T. Kingfisher and I guess I'll have to change that!

Nobody does it quite like T. Kingfisher! The humor, the adventure, the quirkiness, mixed with a little dark fun is almost always a grand slam performance for me! I LOVE the cover redesign here too! Can't wait to pick up a hardcover copy!

T. Kingfisher is the author I didn't know I needed in my YA collection. There seems to be a pattern in YA to push out as many books as possible with little consideration to literary merit. This book and all others written by this author will be purchased immediately not only for the sublime writing, but for the beautifully crafted stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Halla is just a poor, widowed, middle-aged woman who is suddenly left with all of her great-uncle’s wealth. With this sudden unexpected situation, Halla’s remaining family is desperate for a piece of the estate. In an attempt to escape her wretched family, Halla unsheathes the sword mounted to her bedroom wall and reveals the immortal Sarkis! Now sworn to defend and protect his wielder, Halla and Sarkis are forced to adventure together as Halla attempts to take back what’s rightfully hers.

I think this is my favorite T. Kingfisher book thus far! I loved the banter! The characters were amazing and the story was awesome. This is a bit of a slow burn, romantically and in general, as our to MCs galavant across the world together getting into trouble from one place to the next. I loved Halla’s goofy personality and Sarkis is such a heart throb! Some may not like the long travel from one place to the next but I adored it. It is very The Hobbit meets Princess Bride. If you’ve never read a Kingfisher book and don’t want to step into the horror fantasy books she writes, this would be a great place to start! With that said, there are other books in this world (clocktaur war and saints of steel) but I did not read any of them prior to this read. This was a 5 star read for me!!

I heard so much about this book and I was so excited to read it! This was excellent. It absolutely blew me away!! Thank you so much for the early copy :)

I am a huge fan of T. Kingfisher, if you haven't read any of her books, you should stop whatever you're doing, right now, and read one! I love her take on adventures, that perhaps the end of the story isn't when the adventure ends. That all our stories continue and our lives continue.

I really loved the characters in this story, Halla and Sarkis. The magic behind the sword is well explained, going as far as doing some experiments on exactly how the magic works. I enjoyed the politics, and the clash of religion in regards to politics and other religions. And I cheered for both Halle and Sarkis to succeed.

I am hopeful for more books in this series, the story's of the other warriors and their swords will be at the top of my TBR!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Publishing for an advanced copy of this book to read and review!

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. For a mid-length book, it sets up the word and story effortlessly. It's refreshing to have a fantasy (and light romance) book with middle-aged characters! From the first sentence, this book had me laughing - it's surprisingly funny. The premise of the magic/conflict is unique, and it made for some cool situations throughout the story. I feel like it will stick with me because of all of this. The middle was the only part that felt slower, but the side characters who enter into the story are so delightful that I didn't mind. I'm really interested to explore more of this author's works after how much I enjoyed Swordheart!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first T. Kingfisher book I ever read!

Prior to this release, I read this book as a self-published Amazon e-book. It blew my mind then and it blows my mind now!

Halla is the type of woman who never felt she was in control of her life. When she inherits a house from her uncle, she finds herself locked in her small attic bedroom by her money-hungry relatives. When thinking about how to end her life, Halla finds a sword....a magic sword.

This might sound like a strange beginning, but it gets stranger and is funny and heartfelt throughout. Because of Swordheart, T. Kingfisher is an instant purchase for me.

This book was absolutely lovely. I was already somewhat familiar with the world, having read all of the released Saint of Steel books. The way T. Kingfisher writes fantasy romance is just so addicting! The humor and internal dialogues are some of my favorite parts. This book had me laughing so hard right from the beginning.

Halla is an incredible character, I adored her! The way she "weaponizes ignorance" actually shows how intelligent she really is, and it's also just funny. She also asks the questions (and then some) that we're all wondering. Sarkis is a fictional man who's easy to fall in love with. Zale is also a delightful addition as a side character, and the nonbinary rep is nothing less than I'd expect from T. Kingfisher, happy to see it!

The pacing gets a bit slow at times, it's a book that I took my time reading, just enjoying and taking it all in. I didn't find it boring, but it wasn't a page turner either.

Thank you Tor and NetGalley for the ARC! Easy 5 stars. T. Kingfisher remains a favorite author and auto-buy/read for me!

Thank you to Tor/Forge, Bramble, and NetGalley for the chance to review this book, all opinions are my own.

I am so excited that this fantastic romantic fantasy from T. Kingfisher is getting the special edition treatment and being re-released with a beautiful new cover and sprayed edges. I already have my copy pre-ordered!

I actually read Swordheart back in 2022 after falling in love with Nettle & Bone and diving into Kingfisher’s indie pubbed back catalogue. I loved it then and I am so happy to report that after rereading it almost 3 years later it is still a fantastic book! I’m so excited for new readers and T. Kingfisher fans to be introduced to this delightful story.

Swordheart is about Halla, a 36 year old widow who has just inherited her uncle-in-law's estate. Unfortunately his other relatives have issues with this and they seek to force Halla to marry one of them so they can keep this inheritance in the family. Halla disagrees. They lock her in her room. And then she discovers a man in a sword! I won’t say too much about the plot because it’s more fun to just enjoy the story as it unfolds but if you are a fan of a ragtag group of characters going on a journey and experiencing trials and tribulations along the way (with a healthy dose of humor and sarcasm) this is a book for you!

I think the vibes of this book are closest to Kingfisher’s Nettle and Bone, so if you enjoyed that one I think you will definitely love Swordheart as well. And anyone who can appreciate dark humor and levity in stressful, emotional times will love the dialogue, banter, and Halla’s incessant questions driving Sarkis up the wall.

I appreciate that Kingfisher almost always gives us older MCs, Halla in her late 30’s, Sarkis the sword is in his 40's, and that the side characters are diverse in appearance and identity. I also love the queer normative world.

If you have loved any of Kingfisher’s previous books (even if they were of the horror variety) I think this is a book you will definitely enjoy and if you have been craving a lighthearted but emotional romantic fantasy with older MCs, this would be great one to start with!

And once you finish, don’t forget to read the Clockwork Boys and the Saint of Steel series, the world is interconnected and side characters from this book return!

First, I would like to give a huge thank you to Tor Publishing Group, NetGalley and the author for a copy of this wonderful book!

This was such a fun and refreshing story- going in, I had no idea that I would laugh as much as I did. The witty banter and quirky humor of the characters were both entertaining and captivating- it pulled me into the book right away. I loved that the author’s characters were older than the characters in most books nowadays- being in their mid thirties, was a welcome and relatable surprise. However, I will admit that sometimes Halla drove me absolutely nuts with her babbling- Sarkis though, he was adorable.

This was my first T. Kingfisher book and the writing style was great. It was well written, easy to follow, and flowed well for the most part. There were some points where the dialogue felt a little repetitive and slow but overall, this was a cozy little adventure, with a side of cute romance- a fantasy story that I would definitely recommend.

Wonderful, charming and HILARIOUS!! I absolutely LOVED T. Kingfisher's Swordheart.
It has the feel of an epic quest, without the world saving. I guess it would be more of a personal epic quest.
The characters are absolutely loveable, the type I'd want to go on an adventure with and stay friends forever. Hella has unconventional talents, unending curiosity and an almost bouncy personality. Sarkis is brooding, tender and humorous.
I enjoyed this so much, and the ending left it in such a way that it could be a series. I am hoping. So I went to look it up and Swordheart is a novel in the World of the Rat series, which is comprised of three other series. It did not feel like I had to read the others though. Although I loved this one so much, that I'm absolutely going to read the the others.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group for this ARC!!

4.75 ⭐️

First and foremost, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me and eARC to read and review Swordheart by T. K. Kingfisher! I laughed, I cried, I laugh-cried at so many parts/chapters. I really love this authors writing style/sense of humor. Halla, Sarkis, and the other minor characters were so fun to read. Halla is my spirit animal and Sarkis is the man every woman wants. This was a very comedic, quest driven book and I definitely recommend. I feel like the pacing in the last 25% was a little funky but I enjoyed regardless and I will continue to go through all this author’s backlog.

Thank you so much to Tor PublishingGroupfor the E-ARC!

I really enjoyed this book. It felt very different from a lot of the romantasy I've read. The dialogue felt particularly unique. Halla's rambling and curiosity stood out so much. The dialogue was also just hilarious at times. It was so fun! My favorite scenes are the ones where Hall and Zale were debating/hypothesizing what happens to Sarkis's bodily fluids after he goes back into the sword. I about died.

While I really enjoyed it, the plot, the dialogue, I found that it dragged at times. This book was so long, and really not a lot happens. It's a lot of back and forth between locations. I thought i would never finish. Still, I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it!

Also, Bartholomew is a snake.

I love this book with my whole heart. I've read the previous version and I don't think there were any significant changes (not that it needed any), so this was a delightful reread for me. Where so many other "romantasy" books fail me, this one works. It has strong fantasy elements with a unique world AND a compelling romance. Character growth, dark humor, an engaging plot, and a dash of spice too. What more could a reader want?

Halla is contemplating suicide instead of marrying her despicable cousin, when she unexpected gains a magical bodyguard named Sarkis. He helps her escape and they go on a quest to gain her inheritance, making unlikely friends and enemies along the way.

This exists in the same world as several other T. Kingfisher books but can be read by itself. The epilogue does have me wondering if we'll get a more direct sequel though. Hopefully!!

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is another delight. Halla, a diligent widow who served her deceased husband's uncle as his housekeeper, was shocked to learn that her employer made her his heir. But she was not as surprised as some of the other relatives! One particularly unpleasant niece decided to solve the problem by forcing Halla to marry her son. Instead, Halla draws a sword to try to escape and finds that the sword is the enchanted home of Sarkis, a solder from days long past. Sarkis defends Halla and helps her escape to find legal recourse to gain her inheritance. Along the way, they face corrupt priests, betrayal, and magical mountains.

Anything by T. Kingfisher is an auto buy for me. She can write horror & the most unsettling but somehow cozy fantasy books? Sign me up. This book had a cozy adventure, fairy tale vibes & a slow burn romance. What more could you want?

“Swordheart” by T. Kingfisher had me in its grip from the moment I started it! Halla finds herself in trouble when her great uncle leaves her his estate. Quickly Sarkis enters the scene and from there, the wit and jokes do not stop! Throughout the story, there is also a quest as Halla tries to get help for the trouble she has found herself in. After reading this book, I found out that it was part of The World of the White Rat, and even though I haven’t read the other books from this world, I found that it did not take away from my enjoyment. Thank you to Tor- Bramble for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I love this book.

Why do I love this book? Well, the top reason is the dialogue. It goes beyond the usual flirty banter. It is great among all the characters and brings them to life. It is this endearing, funny, heartfelt back and forth between all characters. It made what they were experiencing and who they were so vivid in my head.

The book is a bit of a cozy read. You follow this cast of characters on an actual journey, and they encounter problems along the way.

Halla is a fantastic FMC. For one, she is in her late 30s, which I greatly appreciate. She is quirky and witty and uses her observations to get the upper hand. And her relationship with Sarkis - swoon! It is a slow burn at its finest. And since you have both their point of views, it is so great to follow along.

Now, I have to mention my favorite trope: found family. And, of course, it is in this little gem. Halla is without family because her relatives are horrible, but through this journey, she forms one! It is a family with its protector and grump in Sarkis, a soulmate of a friend in Zale, and a voice of reason in the gnome who protects no one but his slow-moving ox.

The only downside is that it has a slow start. There is a bit of setting the stage and understanding why this journey must begin. But the story picks up when they hit the road and never lets up. I was with it until the last page.

It’s such a great book for the first read of the year!

This is actually my first T. Kingfisher book and I loved it. The voice, the unique plot, all of it. It gave me cozy vibes.

This book was a warm hug. That’s the best way I can put it. Halla was the best mix of funny, courageous, and sweet. Sarkis was the best mix of grumpy, noble, and sarcastic. It was filled with adventure and had plenty of moments where I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. I fell in love with this world instantly. T. Kingfisher is such a wonderful author!

T. Kingfisher does it again. In Swordheart, widow Halla inherits her great-uncle’s estate after his death because she took care of him. His family want to force her to marry his relative so that they can keep his house, land and possessions. When Halla draws a mysterious ancient sword in the house, she releases immortal swordsman Sarkis who is bound to the blade. He must help the bearer of the sword so he helps her escape and protects her in the road. She seeks the help of the Temple of the White Rat who have lawyers with the authority to help her settle her inheritance. Halla and Sarkis are joined by lawyer priest Zale and head back home to get her inheritance. A series of adventures ensues- they are pursued by various foes, the relatives try to stop her from getting her inheritance, there’s magical shenanigans and Halla and Sarkis are falling in love (even though he is an immortal warrior trapped in a sword). It was great!
Note: Swordheart was originally published in 2018. This seems to be a new edition of the book. I had not read it prior to receiving this ARC.

This book was an absolute delight, a cozy fantasy adventure with just the right touch of romance and humor.

It follows Halla, a clever and determined widow who ends up with a magical sword containing Sarkis, an immortal warrior bound to protect her. What follows is an adventurous trek across the land as they try to secure Halla’s inheritance, dodging greedy relatives, bandits, and some surprisingly creative monsters.

The dynamic between Halla and Sarkis was the real highlight for me. Halla’s wit and resilience paired perfectly with Sarkis’s grumpy loyalty, and their slow-burn romance had me grinning through so many scenes. There’s also a lovely found-family vibe that develops as more characters join their journey.

While the middle dragged a little, the charming dialogue, vivid world-building, and emotional moments more than made up for it.

If you love low-stakes fantasy with sharp humor, warm characters, and a romance that feels earned, this one’s a must-read.

Kingfisher is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. This book has the slightest hint of spice, but it’s just as much a fantasy adventure story as it is a romance. A perfect balance like all romantasies should be. I loved Halla as a character. I related to her sheltered life and how adventure was just thrust upon her. She’s pragmatic and curious and asks too many questions. She doesn’t know or believe in her own sexiness but not in an annoying “oh who me?” kind of way. Sarkis allows her to be her full self and desires her completely. They each understand the power imbalances in their situation but everything happens in good time. The tone is lighthearted and funny. The fantasy world is creative and well-fleshed out. Five stars for me.

Caution for recommending this title: the book opens with suicide. It's dealt with in a lighthearted way, but it is there for anyone sensitive.

The best sword and sword-wielding duo I've ever read-- this book had be laughing out loud one moment and screeching for vengeance the next! T. Kingfisher is a new romance must-buy author for me and I'm so glad this odd, endearing, steamy story made it's way into the universe.

I really enjoyed this fantasy novel, which included elements of historical fiction, romance, drama, and action. I fell in love with the main character and could not wait to follow along with her story. Hoping for more to come from this story!

I absolutely loved “Swordheart” by T. Kingfisher. There is nothing I didn’t like. The characters were all delightful, whether that means delightfully endearing or delightfully horrible, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t realize that this was set in the same world at Kingfisher’s Clocktaur War books or The Saint of Steel series, but it is basically a standalone. I will, however, be reading both series now because I really enjoyed this world and want to explore more of the things that were mentioned.

“Swordheart” follows widow Halla, who is a housekeeper for her great uncle by marriage, until he dies and leaves her everything in his will. Her extended family (by marriage) is not happy at all with this turn of events and goes as far as locking Halla up in her room until she agrees to marry her cousin to keep the estate and money in the family. Halle wants nothing to do with clammy handed Alver or his mother and decides to take her life in her own hands to escape that fate.

Great Uncle Silas collected all kinds of things. One item being a sword that has hung above Halla’s bed for the last decade. Upon unsheathing the sword, Halla meets the Servant of the Sword, Sarkis, who is now bound by magic to protect Halla with his life. Together, they go on a journey to oust her relatives out of her newly inherited house and secure her inheritance once and for all.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fun, cozy fantasy with great humor and awesome side characters. There is no real magic system, but more a fantastical world they live in.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

In the first installment of T Kingfisher’s newest trilogy, the widowed, middle-aged protagonist comes into the possession of a magical sword…with a warrior inside. Luckily, she can use one, as her in-laws have locked her away in order to solicit her agreement to marry (and relinquish her new inheritance to) he late husband’s cousin. Got to keep it in the family, you know?

Full of inquisitive conversation, a long-suffering romantic interest, incompetent familial villains, and great hi-jinks, Swordheart is a delight to read!

This book was exactly the balm my weary soul needed to close out 2024. Sweet, funny, and delightfully odd at times, I loved Halla as our somewhat awkward heroine, and Sarkis as her grumpy, reluctant (though duty-bound) protector. Don't want to give too much away, but it was great to visit this world again and the mention of previous sects from other T. Kingfisher stories was a welcome surprise. Look forward to more books in this Swordheart world!

***received a Netgalley ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

I absolutely devoured Swordheart! This book hooked me right from the first chapter and kept me completely engrossed until the very end.
The dynamic between Halla and Sarkis is chef’s kiss.
Halla is such an unexpected heroine—practical, funny, and so relatable. Her banter with Sarkis, the grumpy yet loyal swordsman, had me melting!
I also loved the world-building. It’s rich and vivid without being overwhelming, and the blend of magic, adventure, and dry wit kept me completely engaged. The secondary characters, from quirky innkeepers to scheming relatives, added so much charm and depth to the story.
Honestly, Swordheart is everything I love in a fantasy novel. It’s fun, fast-paced, and filled with heart. I couldn’t put it down and honestly expected nothing less from the author! If you’re a fan of cozy fantasy with memorable characters and a dash of romance, this one is a must-read.

T. Kingfisher's Swordheart masterfully blends romance, fantasy, and humor in a way that feels both fresh and comfortably familiar. The novel takes the classic trope of an enchanted weapon and transforms it into something uniquely charming through its focus on character development and witty dialogue.

The plot kicks into gear when she unsheathes an ancient sword and releases Sarkis, an immortal warrior bound to protect the sword's wielder. This premise could easily have fallen into predictable territory, but Kingfisher subverts expectations by focusing on the smaller, more human moments rather than grand magical adventures.

The pacing is deliberate and character-driven, allowing the relationship between Halla and Sarkis to develop naturally. While there are plenty of action scenes and moments of tension, the story never sacrifices character development for spectacle.

Beyond the romance and adventure, Swordheart explores deeper themes of agency, duty, and the nature of freedom. The relationship between Sarkis and the sword raises interesting questions about free will and obligation, while Halla's journey touches on themes of self-discovery and empowerment.

Overall, Swordheart is a delightful addition to the fantasy romance genre, offering a perfect blend of humor, heart, and adventure. It succeeds both as a romance and as a fantasy novel, with strong character development, engaging dialogue, and thoughtful world-building. The novel proves that fantasy romance can be both sophisticated and entertaining, making it a recommended read for fans of either genre.

I absolutely loved this book! I think it is my favorite of the series. Although this isn’t really a series is it? It doesn’t follow just one group of characters in each book, but it is all set in the same world, so not sure what you would call that. Whatever you want to call it, this one is my favorite.

I just adored all of the characters in this book. I think Halla and Sarkis are my favorite couple of the year. They are perfect together, but they also do well as individuals. Hala asks a lot of questions, which would probably make me just as crazy as it did Sarkis, but I also loved that about her. She also had such a quick and witty mind. I loved how she used her wits and her ability to question people to death to get them out of some very sticky situations.

Sarkis also had his charms, and he was a perfect straight man to all of Halla’s comments and questions. I also found him pretty hot, even though he is an old soldier who has seen better days. His backstory is slowly revealed over the course of the story and it was one that I really need to know more about. His loyalty to Halla makes up for some of his mistakes of the past. I also loved how willing he was to do all of the experiments Halla and Zale request of him to help them figure out how the sword works. Some were quite hilarious.

This book had two of the best side characters as well. I loved Zale, a priest of the white rat who helps Halla get her inheritance back from her nasty relatives. Zale was very sweet and also committed to helping both Halla and Sarkis. Brindle is a Gnole, a type of sentient badger like creature, that we first meet in the Clocktaur War books. I enjoy reading about the Gnoles, but I think Brindle is my favorite so far. His comments about human behavior are often hilarious.

I really enjoyed the world building and the writing was of course wonderful. The story is well paced with lots of action and adventure. Even the somewhat boring times while they were traveling were taken up by their experiments to help them understand how the sword worked were fascinating. And even though this is the third book set in the same world, we are still learning more about it.

So this was originally published in 2019, and the author mentions in her acknowledgements that it is the start of a trilogy, but so far no other books to be seen. This one left me with so many questions, I certainly hope we get those other books someday soon. But even with all of those questions, this is one T. Kingfisher you don’t want to miss.

This charming fantasy romance is an absolute delight! The dynamic between Halla and Sarkis is pure gold, with their witty banter and slow-burning tension making every moment between them a joy to read. The plot is full of light-hearted adventure and surprising depth, balancing cozy moments with moments of tension and danger. If you’re looking for a tale of love, loyalty, and a touch of magic with plenty of heart, this book is a must-read. It’s a perfect blend of humor, romance, and fantasy, with a heroine you’ll root for and a hero who will steal your heart.

Top tier humor. Lovable, quirky characters. Fast-paced adventure. Something about the ending didn't quite do it for me but will be a go to comfort re-read for sure.

Too many cozy fantasies forget that things need to happen to keep a novel moving, but Kingfisher doesn't fall into this trap. The stakes of this are fun but not stressful and Halla and Sarkis are so charming.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc. This was such a beautiful cozy fantasy with strong romance and adventure

5 stars

Fantasy is a more challenging genre for me. While I can enjoy it, that's an uncommon result. However, I have never met a T. Kingfisher book that I don't love (or at least really like), so I'm not too surprised that I ended up really enjoying this one.

Halla is in a precarious, unprotected spot, and to some degree, this matches the state in which she has existed throughout her life. It's extra convenient, then, that when Halla draws a particular sword, it's a special one; it serves as a prison for Sarkis, an immortal swordsman! Since Halla possesses the sword, she also possesses Sarkis, and this turns out to create a lot of learning - in many ways - for both of them. It also results in a pretty charming romance.

I enjoyed this so much. The romance is great, but the character development, touches of humor, and world building are even more satisfying. I'm so glad I had the chance to read this and look forward to continuing to read more from both the back catalogue - and hopefully prolific future additions - from this fantastic author.

Halla’s surprised to inherit her wealthy uncle’s estate when he passes, despite the fact that she’s been the person caring for him during his waning years. What should be a positive thing quickly turns sour, with gold-digging relatives ready to take control of Halla’s life–and force her into a terrible marriage. While locked in her bedroom by said relatives, she discovers a magic sword––and an ancient swordsman bound inside it. With Sarkis at her side, Halla sets out to regain control of her life, and her inheritance. Along the way, Halla grapples with what it means to be a respectable widow and what she actually wants her life to be.

I found the story cozy in the best sense––deeply substantive and meaningful within the scope of a single life and the lives it touches. The secondary characters are fantastic, and the world is brimming with interesting and horrible (delightful) things. I particularly loved the paladins.

This is such a breath of fresh air where romantasy is concerned. Halla is a 36-year-old widow who has unexpectedly inherited an estate. Sarkis is a man trapped in a sword, bound to its wielder, who happens to be Halla. Together they journey all over the place in efforts to keep her family from stealing her inheritance and wind up falling in love.

Okay, simplistic wrap up, but it's a very inventive story and its characters are unlike the typical mold you'll find in all the big romantasy books. So if you're sick of the TikTok trends, give this one a try.

Was this a bit predictable? Are there a few tropes flying about? Yes and yes.
Did I love it? Absolutely.
In a masterclass on why oft used tropes are... well so often used. T Kingfisher brings us a delightful story of Sarkis (grumpy) and Halla (sunshine) a beleaguered knight to save the damsel from her inheritance grasping relatives. Throw in a a few trek across the countryside, some competing religious orders and a little backstabbery and and it all adds up to a wonderfully humorous, slightly romantic romp.

As always, with Kingfisher loved it!

I really LOVED this book. T. Kingfisher has now become an auto-buy author for me!! I can’t wait to pick up the physical when this comes out next year!!

If you love romantasy this book is for you!!

This was such a joy to dive into. T Kingfisher has created a charming bunch of characters (and yes, I want more adventures with them) who make you care about them, while making you laugh at their misadventures.

Halla is having an exceedingly bad day. Her obnoxious relatives are refusing to accept that the elderly man she cared for has left her his house, and are insisting that she marry one of them, a man who holds no attraction for her whatsoever, and who is completely under the control of his mother. Halla accidentally unsheaths a sword in the room, and frees Sarkis, a warrior who has been enchanted into the sword, and who must serve the sword's wielder - Halla. Chaos, as you might imagine, ensues.

This is a romp, yes. It is a romp, however, that has some solid things to say about the way we judge those who are not like us; the way religious groups sometimes get caught up in their power; the way women are sometimes perceived as "less than". That's my favourite kind of book. Throw in a non-binary legal advising priest and a rather wise and dependable badger-like creature to complete the company of adventurers, and you've got an engaging crew to help untangle Halla's difficulties. There's even a lovely romance, and alternating narration between characters. Pretty much perfection if this is your jam.
This was a solid 4.5 star (rounded up to 5) read for me. A little romance, some sarcasm, some laughter, a grand adventure and some things to make me think? Yes, please.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bramble for the e-arc.

Swordheart is an absolute delight—cozy and wise with wonderful dialogue between unconventional protagonists, one a middle aged widow, the other an enchanted sword-dweller. For such a quick, lighthearted read (perfect for hard times and stormy skies), this book is remarkable for the compassion and humanity that marks every page. I will be talking about this one for a while.

All the stars. Highly recommended!

5 Stars

This book is part of the larger series The World of the White Rat, and all the books I’ve read in this world have been excellent, including this one. This is my second time reading it; I first read it a few years ago, and I’m excited to see it getting a reprint. Reading it again, I found that it still holds up as one of my favorite books of all time.

Like many readers, I enjoy T. Kingfisher's work, but I especially love this particular genre she writes in. The fantasy world she creates is unique and imaginative, offering something I haven’t encountered in other books. It has the feel of a fairytale, but with characters that are full of heart and depth. The dialogue is outstanding, and it feels like I’m watching real people interact, which adds to the charm of the story. The banter and realistic responses between the characters make this book stand out.

In this story, we follow a widow who is being held captive by her cruel in-laws. She’s being forced to marry her cousin, who has "clammy hands," in order for her in-laws to gain access to her wealth, which was left to her by her late husband. When she opens a sword in her room, something unexpected happens—a man appears. From this point, the journey of discovery and adventure begins.

For fans of T. Kingfisher’s fantasy novels, I highly recommend the books in The World of the White Rat. This book can be read out of order, as I haven’t read The Clockwork Boys yet, but I have read The Saint of Steel books. I didn’t feel lost, nor did it spoil anything from The Clockwork Boys.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing group for this advanced ready copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I’ve managed to avoid the surge of romance books at all costs. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t condemn anyone who exclusively reads romance. If that’s your thing, I’m no one to judge you, but personally, I’ve stopped attending book clubs because all they want to read is romance and I just… can’t.

Same thing with the very sexual books. It’s not that my opinion will change about you if you’re reading about *insert mythical creature here* having sex with women, and even if I take book recommendations from you, I’m still staying away from the genre, as much as I can.

My original premise for my stance is that I can’t empathize/stand/tolerate weak women. I just can’t handle meek, or women that want to be dominated and that will sacrifice any autonomy, self-confidence or dignity to be dominated sexually. Some of those areas seem morally gray to me and I just don’t exist well in that state. I visit it often, roam in it, but definitively not in the context of romance or sexual gratification. It’s too adjacent to sex*al ab*se for me.

I say all that because for some reason, NetGalley decided to bless me with this book, Swordheart. It’s been out for a while, which leads me to believe the author re-published it with the intent of re-writing or modifying some parts, but one way or the other, it fell on my lap.

In the book, a woman named Halla, inherits a great deal from her political uncle (her deceased husband’s uncle) and other family members want to stop her from receiving the inheritance. Between a rock and a hard place, Halla finds a swords and unsheathes it with the intention to end her life only to be met with an (sort of undead) warrior that has been cursed to “live” in the sword.

Fast-forward a bunch later, Halla meets a priest who helps her fight for her right, has a bunch of encounters and adventures and falls in love with Sarkis who manages to leave the sword and gets married to her.

Honestly, I didn’t even know it was a romance until I was midway. When Halla started having impure thoughts about the warrior, I pulled a browser and my search unveiled the word…
“Romantasy”

Anyhow, I kept going because the story line was moving quickly and it got me wrapped up until the end. The sex scenes are not terrible. Somewhat descriptive but not cringy and all done in a consensual, but pleasurable and fun way for the characters.

I empathize with Halla in the sense that she was a woman that discovered more of her sexuality later in life and Sarkis is mindful and respectful, but pushes the line here and there with the intention of getting her to enjoy herself.

The book also includes other characters that take non-human forms, presents a gender neutral priest and defies the rules for normal, organized religion since there’s many gods and they all have their purposes, orders and servants. I particularly enjoyed the Rat God, god our priest served, since it gave them multiple opportunities to say “Oh Rat’s tail” or “for the Rat’s sake”, which made me chuckle every time.

I plan on reading more of her work. Glad to read books about women by women. And most of all, thank you for giving me a romance experience that wasn’t dreadful.

4.5/5- you’ve popped my romance cherry, T. Kingfisher.

Rating/Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 | 🌶️🌶️ | Yes

My Thoughts

I loved this book. It was so funny; I was constantly laughing. There was so much dry humor. I loved the fantasy aspect of it. And the romance was very high-tension, slow burn. Sarkis is a “kill first, ask questions later” MMC, and it’s soooo good.

If you want a hilarious adult fantasy romance, go read this.

Cons: The word “decadent” is used so much it made me annoyed.

Representation: Non-binary character representation.
Content warning: Adult language, sexual content that fades to black, murder.

This was such a fun, cute, and cozy adventure! I loved that the characters were older and had been around the block a time or two. It was so refreshing! I loved their chemistry and banter. They had me laughing out loud. I could easily read a book twice as long about them! I also looked up the audio book and the narrators did such a good job! I will 100% be reading this again sometime in the future when I get a hankering for an excellent, quick read!

I’ve heard a lot of praise for Kingfisher and after reading this novel, I can understand why! Perfect for people who’ve enjoyed Assistant to the Villain and Dreadul— this is a lighthearted, low-stakes fantasy with a dash of romance shrouded in witty comedy. I loved all the characters and each of their distinct personalities, the pacing was done well, and even the world building was done well. It’s a talent when authors can really make their characters feel like real, living people, and Kingfisher certainly has that talent! Will look forward to exploring more of their works as well as any new works they release. Thanks to NetGalley for ARC access!

Love T. Kingfisher! Please keep them coming! The imaginative dialogues, just on the edge of innuendos was wonderful. I shall be reading this again!

The hero of "Swordheart," Sarkis, is an immortal knight is trapped in a sword by a magical spell. The heroine, Halla, a former housekeeper who (naturally) inherits an estate, inherits (as part of the estate) this man who is also a weapon. And Sarkis-the-Sword is hot, of course. This makes Halla's life easier and also far more complicated, and keeps the story endlessly funny. Why don't all men have a weapon alter ego? And how does T. K. keep coming up with these totally original plots and monsters? She is reaching Terry Pratchett levels of imaginary prowess at this point. Fantastic. She has written not one but TWO amazing novels for 2025.

Of course, T Kingfisher never ever disappoints her readers! Gosh I absolutely loved Swordheart. The banter. The characters. The romance. It has it all. So thankful to have received this ARC. Full Review to come.

Soft DNF because I realized after starting this that this is part of a series that I have yet to start! Very excited to dive into the world of the Clockword Boys! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC {of the new republished version} :)

Swordheart is pure joy from start to finish. It’s funny, heartfelt, and refreshingly original, with characters you can’t help but love. Halla is resourceful and endearing, while Sarkis, the grumpy sword-guardian, is both hilarious and surprisingly sweet. I also love the band of side characters, which really didn't feel like side characters at all. The story balances quirky humor with genuine emotion and plenty of adventure, making it one of those books you can’t put down. It’s the kind of fantasy that sticks with you in the best way.

Such a happy and exciting book! Romance and adventure and long rambling stories to distract annoying relatives and priests. When Halla inherits the estate of her dead husband’s great-uncle, the rest of the annoying family shows up and locks her up. This amazingly leads her to contemplate death and discover an immortal warrior trapped in a sword. Left me smiling for hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this DRC.
#Swordheart #NetGalley

I was not aware that this a rerelease for a book that came out in 2018. I rated this 5 stars back then and the bonus content made it that much better, however since it is a special edition, I feel like an actual physical copy should have been provided since the selling point is for sprayed edges, special end papers, redesigned covered, etc.

My first Netgalley read! TOR never seems to disappoint when it comes to publishing incredible fantasy novels!

Swordheart is a journey between two, one who is human and one who is... not human? A desperate attempt for freedom leads the two all across the kingdoms, scouring for materials, fighting off enemies, and slowly falling for each other?

Halla takes us on a marvelous journey filled with adventure, love, excitement, heartbreak, grief but most of all her trust in sarkis - even if he isn’t telling her the truth about everything.

I really enjoyed this read! I found myself reading it every night and staying up until 2am because i just had to know what the next chapter had to offer! It was so easy for me to fall in love with halla and sarkis’ characters! I love how we also got to see halla’s character develop from a somewhat scared, submissive girl to this brave and determined woman. She’s not your typical gal either! we get a funny, curvy, sassy-mouthed woman

An EXTREMLY cozy fantasy, adventure read! Funny and compassionate, Somewhat gruesome scenes but in a laughable context, oh and closed door romance!! VERY enjoyable read and also my first T. Kingfisher!! Excellent writing!! Excited to see what else comes in this series!

This had been on my radar so long because T. Kingfisher is one of my backlog authors. I love their writing style and I've enjoyed everything I've read from them so far. I had heard great things about this one and, honestly, I think it's underhyped.

It's one of the funniest romantasies I've read in my romantasy journey and it was just a wonderful time, I ate it up!

The characters are lovable and interesting (I looooved Halla and Sarkis so much!), the romance is wholesome, the sense of humor was top notch IMO, and the fantasy elements are very nice even if the worldbuilding doesn't go super deep (granted, this is set in a world that I think is established in Clockwork Boys and The Wonder Engine, which I haven't read, but definitely will).

I have nothing bad to say about this, I enjoyed every moment!

Oh my goodness, I loved this book so much!! All of the characters were delightful, from the leads Halla and Sarkis, to all of the supporting characters, most notably Zale and Brindle. The humor!! The humor present in this book is probably not for everyone, but it was absolutely perfect for me. It made me laugh at so many unexpected moments during the tale! If you're looking for a fantasy with a cozy feel (that still somehow has high stakes), a unique sense of humor, and a lovely romance, I highly recommend SWORDHEART!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Tor (Bramble) for the ARC!

My god how I love T. Kingfisher - and this is by far one of my favorites by her!

I enjoyed the Clockwork Boys duology, but they definitely weren't my favorites of Kingfisher's - but Swordheart, while in the same world, was so different. It was weird and quirky and refreshing in it's insistence on being uniquely what it was. I adore the concept of a warrior being stuck in a sword forever, only to accidentally be drawn, and thus sworn to, a respectable and adorably optimistic widow. It was such a perfect mix of cozy, charming, romantic, and just downright strange - exactly what I expect from T. Kingfisher.

And oh my, the spicy lust in this one! It's not something I've read a ton of in the other Kingfisher books I've read but it was deliciously written and I absolutely adored both Sarkis and Halla, finding their mutual attraction but also self-consciousness adorable and endearing.

Seriously if you want some of the most fun and unique fantasy out there, look no further than anything by T. Kingfisher, including Swordheart.

Reading this book was so glorious! I really enjoy her writing, and I loved the first 2 books in this world, and I was excited to pick up this one. The whole set up with her (deceased husband's) great-uncle dying and leaving her everything, and having the family dispute that (including to locking her up) and her ending pulling an enchanted sword that was or contained a person? Yeah it was such a fantastic idea!

Halla is pragmatic and sensible-and curious. She knows how to fade into the background, putting an act of a silly woman, rambling and asking strange questions. And Sarkis, who is in an unfamiliar land, and is bound to serve the sword's wielder-but never before has there been a wielder like Halla. I adored them to pieces!

Their romance was really sweet to read, with the power dynamics that they have, that he's a warrior so she might be scared of that, but then she's his wielder, so that's a position of power. That she's a respectable widow complicates matters, and I really watched as their relationship developed! Especially given their different outlooks, she is sure of the good of people, and Sarkis is sure everyone is out to murder everyone.

Banter was excellent in this book, which I think might be a staple of this series. Sarkis who keeps mentioned the decadent south, and such things, and oh, Zale, servant of the White Rat and Brindle, gnole! The humour and the wit, was so clever, and all together they were a great cast of characters

One big question I had, was what the sword said, because Sarkis kept thinking about it, what it meant, and what it would mean for them. So that part of the story was difficult, because they had just had some victories, and yeah, that was a complication.

Honestly, in the back of mind, I was waiting for Bartholomew to do something nefarious, because he wanted the sword that Sarkis was. Like when he was asked to be a witness of Silas being sound of mind when he made his will, I was afraid that he was going to lie. That he might have been the one behind the footpads that came after them in Archen’s Glory. So I loved how that part of the story resolved!

This book was an absolute delight and I can't wait to continue on with this series!

This was a wonderful adventure! I loved Halla and Sarkis of course, but Zale and Brindle were absolute scene-stealers. I found myself laughing out loud more times than I could count. I never knew what was coming next, and I loved every minute!

Swordheart is a rom-com set in a fantasy world full of colorful characters. And though it is a humorous story it does not lack world building. Like any good fantasy book it builds beyond the central location of the story. Referencing the past and wars that took place and the multitude of gods that are present during the time that the story. As you follow along the journey of a widow who has almost lost all hope you watch as she finds love in the most unexpected place. Inside a sword. A man cutthroat man summoned from a sword joins her on her journey as her guard but finds himself wondering if she needs protection from him as he falls in love. Sarkis’ often serious demeanor is contrasted by Halla’s flippant personality as they traverse the countryside. They encounter a myriad of colorful characters including Zale, a non-binary priest serving a rat god. I love how they took on a supporting role throughout the story. Their gender and identity is never outright addressed, which solidifies the idea that gender fluidity is the norm in this fantasy world. Their gender identity isn’t their whole character which means they just get to be who they are. That normalcy is incredibly validating. I adored this story though my one wish is that there had been a different part of Sarkis used to experiment with his magic the time spent talking about urine both then and later seemed a bit odd to me. I feel there could have been a better way to test Zale and Halla’s theory, like cutting off some hair. Overall a great read and I look forward to recommending it to people at our sore.

This delightful tale introduces us to Halla, a seemingly unassuming housekeeper who inherits her great-uncle's estate and a cascade of problems ranging from dastardly relatives to unwanted marriage proposals. One night, she attempts to end it all and unleashes an immortal swordsman, Sarkis, bound inside an enchanted sword. The premise alone is intriguing, but the writing is what truly shines.

Halla is the heart of the story. She is clever, resourceful, and much sharper than her soft and inquisitive demeanor suggests. Watching her outwit everyone is immensely satisfying. Sarkis is a gruff mercenary whose reluctant allegiance to Halla evolves into something more profound and beautiful. The humorous narrative, quick-witted banter, and absurd situations keep the reader engaged and dying to see what comes next. Despite the silliness, the story doesn't shy away from exploring meaningful themes of trust, freedom, and forgiveness.

It's a sweet, uplifting read that leaves you grinning, especially as Halla repeatedly surprises Sarkis and readers with her cunning solutions and boundless questioning. This book is a character-driven fantasy with a dash of romance, laughs, and a capable heroine. You'll enjoy this story and remember it long after you've turned the last page... and please don't step on a bear.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing, Bramble.