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Our Gifted Hearts
When she’s accused of witchcraft, Fortune must flee her village to spare her neck, marrying a man she barely knows. But is the man who promises to be her saviour all he seems?
Fortune Blyth suffered the loss of a secret child when she was sixteen and vowed never to let another man touch her. Ten years later she is content with her beloved birds. But when witch hunters come to town it isn’t long before fingers are pointed at the spinster and she is forced to choose; stay and hang, or marry a man who can offer her safety far from home.
She chooses marriage.
Her husband’s island home is not the safe haven she expected, with a surly housekeeper and an eccentric mother-in-law to contend with. And there is something else; secrets hiding in the walls, demons creeping in her nightmares. Something sinister in the concealed tunnels below the house. It turns out she is not his first bride... Perhaps she would have been better off hanging after all.
Fortune Blyth suffered the loss of a secret child when she was sixteen and vowed never to let another man touch her. Ten years later she is content with her beloved birds. But when witch hunters come to town it isn’t long before fingers are pointed at the spinster and she is forced to choose; stay and hang, or marry a man who can offer her safety far from home.
She chooses marriage.
Her husband’s island home is not the safe haven she expected, with a surly housekeeper and an eccentric mother-in-law to contend with. And there is something else; secrets hiding in the walls, demons creeping in her nightmares. Something sinister in the concealed tunnels below the house. It turns out she is not his first bride... Perhaps she would have been better off hanging after all.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2025
8 people are currently reading
6279 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Kennedy
1 book30 followersJennifer Kennedy is a gothic horror author from the North West of England. Her short stories and flash fiction have been published in various magazines and anthologies. Our Gifted Hearts is her first novel.
When she isn’t writing she dreams of living in a haunted castle on the moors. Until then, she is content in her tiny house with her son and their extremely black cat.
When she isn’t writing she dreams of living in a haunted castle on the moors. Until then, she is content in her tiny house with her son and their extremely black cat.
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September 5, 2025
Our Gifted Hearts by Jennifer Kennedy
4.25 rounded down to 4🔮🔮🔮🔮 orbs
Est. Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
I am but a mere oak tree, standing tall overlooking the graveyard of the previous residents of the Quickly house on this remote island. From where I stand, I also have an unimpeded view within the windows of the manor itself. The winds beat my branches as my seeds feed the flock of sparrows and crows nearby. The weather is bitterly cold as the fall season approaches, and from a distance, I can see a boat come ashore. Who is this, a beautiful young woman to grace the family's presence once more? Cutting through the bitter air, her name materializes as it reaches the base of my existence: Fortune Blythe. What brings this good fortune?
Jennifer Kennedy has written a marvelous tale in Our Gifted Hearts. Dripping with weepy emotions, readers are sure to love Fortune Blythe. Foolish and yet tenderhearted, she believed in the love of a man as a young teen. The result was an unwanted pregnancy and a subsequent encounter with a devil-like creature with whom she made a pact. We fast-forward and see Fortune living with her “Ma”; she has just witnessed the hanging of Rita Warren, a presumed witch, by the locals. The mob marches in angry protest and finds its way to Fortune’s home, with allegations and murder in mind. Sweeping through the door, Isaiah Quickly gives Fortune an option to marry him and run away to his remote island.
As Fortune enters through the doors of the Quickly house, a bird furiously flaps its wings to get her attention, as if to signal her of something. Of what? Friendship, a warning perhaps? I know this bird; it often feeds and sits upon my limbs. Its name is Purdie. Fortune has been blessed with the ability to befriend and communicate with birds. They gravitate towards her in a seemingly protective manner. Fortune discovers she is pregnant, and Isaiah, seemingly satisfied, decides to abandon Fortune and leave on a lengthy business trip, only to return right before the baby is born. Why would her husband leave her in the hands of Esma, Isaiah’s mother; Mathis, a caretaker; and Zena, a grumpy old housekeeper, all of whom she barely knows?
Winter approaches, and with it comes blinding whiteness in the form of snow. An underlying sense of dread floats from the house. Terrible secrets are unfolding. As a tree, I have sat here solemnly for longer than I care to remember, but I have seen other women come and go. Through the veil of sleet, I spot an eagle that holds the secrets in its clutches, like a freshly caught fish. The signs are abundant, if only Fortune could open her eyes in time.
I immediately recalled my horrifying experience of watching The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock as a child. I was traumatized for life. Naturally, I have been somewhat leery of a crow; their lack of color and beady eyes torment my soul. With an immediate sense of dread, Kennedy wastes no time in playing with readers' emotions. I felt as though I had experienced a journey of a thousand papercuts, one by one, exacting their pain, only to be guided to another area on my body. While there is an underlying sense of loneliness that exists, there was warmth that Fortune found in the clutches of an unexpected presence. If the book sounds bleak, it can be. Though the light at the end of the tunnel is still shining, and with it, the hope that readers will escape with a satisfying experience still draws breath. Dear reader, as I look towards the rocky ocean, I am reminded of those beings with a nurturing heart. Cheers to those mothers, for without them, life would not be possible. A magnificent read!
Highly Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher Angry Robot for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
4.25 rounded down to 4🔮🔮🔮🔮 orbs
Est. Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
I am but a mere oak tree, standing tall overlooking the graveyard of the previous residents of the Quickly house on this remote island. From where I stand, I also have an unimpeded view within the windows of the manor itself. The winds beat my branches as my seeds feed the flock of sparrows and crows nearby. The weather is bitterly cold as the fall season approaches, and from a distance, I can see a boat come ashore. Who is this, a beautiful young woman to grace the family's presence once more? Cutting through the bitter air, her name materializes as it reaches the base of my existence: Fortune Blythe. What brings this good fortune?
Jennifer Kennedy has written a marvelous tale in Our Gifted Hearts. Dripping with weepy emotions, readers are sure to love Fortune Blythe. Foolish and yet tenderhearted, she believed in the love of a man as a young teen. The result was an unwanted pregnancy and a subsequent encounter with a devil-like creature with whom she made a pact. We fast-forward and see Fortune living with her “Ma”; she has just witnessed the hanging of Rita Warren, a presumed witch, by the locals. The mob marches in angry protest and finds its way to Fortune’s home, with allegations and murder in mind. Sweeping through the door, Isaiah Quickly gives Fortune an option to marry him and run away to his remote island.
As Fortune enters through the doors of the Quickly house, a bird furiously flaps its wings to get her attention, as if to signal her of something. Of what? Friendship, a warning perhaps? I know this bird; it often feeds and sits upon my limbs. Its name is Purdie. Fortune has been blessed with the ability to befriend and communicate with birds. They gravitate towards her in a seemingly protective manner. Fortune discovers she is pregnant, and Isaiah, seemingly satisfied, decides to abandon Fortune and leave on a lengthy business trip, only to return right before the baby is born. Why would her husband leave her in the hands of Esma, Isaiah’s mother; Mathis, a caretaker; and Zena, a grumpy old housekeeper, all of whom she barely knows?
Winter approaches, and with it comes blinding whiteness in the form of snow. An underlying sense of dread floats from the house. Terrible secrets are unfolding. As a tree, I have sat here solemnly for longer than I care to remember, but I have seen other women come and go. Through the veil of sleet, I spot an eagle that holds the secrets in its clutches, like a freshly caught fish. The signs are abundant, if only Fortune could open her eyes in time.
I immediately recalled my horrifying experience of watching The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock as a child. I was traumatized for life. Naturally, I have been somewhat leery of a crow; their lack of color and beady eyes torment my soul. With an immediate sense of dread, Kennedy wastes no time in playing with readers' emotions. I felt as though I had experienced a journey of a thousand papercuts, one by one, exacting their pain, only to be guided to another area on my body. While there is an underlying sense of loneliness that exists, there was warmth that Fortune found in the clutches of an unexpected presence. If the book sounds bleak, it can be. Though the light at the end of the tunnel is still shining, and with it, the hope that readers will escape with a satisfying experience still draws breath. Dear reader, as I look towards the rocky ocean, I am reminded of those beings with a nurturing heart. Cheers to those mothers, for without them, life would not be possible. A magnificent read!
Highly Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher Angry Robot for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
December 5, 2025
A classic gothic horror, complete with a mysterious secluded manor, ominous ghostly apparitions and the added ingredient of witchy magical powers.
I really enjoyed this atmospheric, dark tale. From the beginning the suspense kept increasing, and even if the plot fell within the expectations of the gothic horror genre, it wasn’t predictable.
I only wished we'd seen the main character explore her powers a bit more. Other than that this is an excellent October read!
Thanks to Angry Robot via NetGalley for providing an eARC
I really enjoyed this atmospheric, dark tale. From the beginning the suspense kept increasing, and even if the plot fell within the expectations of the gothic horror genre, it wasn’t predictable.
I only wished we'd seen the main character explore her powers a bit more. Other than that this is an excellent October read!
Thanks to Angry Robot via NetGalley for providing an eARC
September 30, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was a gothic, emotional, and atmospheric read that gave a Crimson Peaks and Rebecca vibe. Fortune is a very flawed, desperate woman, and haunted by her past. She agrees to marry a man she barely knows and move with him to an isolated island. She rarely sees him, as he is always away on business, and spends all her time with her mother in law and the servants. Things are not what they seem here and is the perfect spooky season read.
This was a gothic, emotional, and atmospheric read that gave a Crimson Peaks and Rebecca vibe. Fortune is a very flawed, desperate woman, and haunted by her past. She agrees to marry a man she barely knows and move with him to an isolated island. She rarely sees him, as he is always away on business, and spends all her time with her mother in law and the servants. Things are not what they seem here and is the perfect spooky season read.
September 26, 2025
ARC received from NetGalley!
I think Our Gifted Hearts would be an excellent book to recommend for fans of Weyward by Emilia Hart, and I’m struck by how many comparisons there are between the two - you have a woman accused of witchcraft who has a special affinity for nature, a developing pregnancy, and even a villain who is killed the exact same way! That being said, Our Gifted Heart’s origins as a Bluebeard retelling ground it in a lot of classic Gothic staples too - the isolated house on the sea, the forbidding housekeeper, the mysterious husband, the decaying wealth and luxury, the nights of creeping through a manor for clues. The book definitely shines the most in its supernatural moments, unsettling, grotesque details and descriptions of wild, rugged nature.
That being said, Fortune is a somewhat frustrating character to spend time with because she is so incredibly passive throughout almost all the book, resigned to the inevitability of her pregnancy and impending death until the birth of the baby and support from her (very sweet) love interest finally kickstart her into action. While this could be a good way of exploring the effects of her early grief and trauma, her characterization and interiority never quite feel strong enough to make her time spent so resigned and passive feel very interesting or realistic compared to the very final stretch of the book where she is suddenly extremely active.
I also didn’t get along very well with the author’s writing style, which includes a lot of comma splices and short, declarative sentences that end up combining to feel somewhat awkward overall. Tl;dr, this is a Gothic Bluebeard retelling that has some positive elements of creepiness and atmosphere, but if you’re looking for the GOAT, Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber still reigns supreme!
I think Our Gifted Hearts would be an excellent book to recommend for fans of Weyward by Emilia Hart, and I’m struck by how many comparisons there are between the two - you have a woman accused of witchcraft who has a special affinity for nature, a developing pregnancy, and even a villain who is killed the exact same way! That being said, Our Gifted Heart’s origins as a Bluebeard retelling ground it in a lot of classic Gothic staples too - the isolated house on the sea, the forbidding housekeeper, the mysterious husband, the decaying wealth and luxury, the nights of creeping through a manor for clues. The book definitely shines the most in its supernatural moments, unsettling, grotesque details and descriptions of wild, rugged nature.
That being said, Fortune is a somewhat frustrating character to spend time with because she is so incredibly passive throughout almost all the book, resigned to the inevitability of her pregnancy and impending death until the birth of the baby and support from her (very sweet) love interest finally kickstart her into action. While this could be a good way of exploring the effects of her early grief and trauma, her characterization and interiority never quite feel strong enough to make her time spent so resigned and passive feel very interesting or realistic compared to the very final stretch of the book where she is suddenly extremely active.
I also didn’t get along very well with the author’s writing style, which includes a lot of comma splices and short, declarative sentences that end up combining to feel somewhat awkward overall. Tl;dr, this is a Gothic Bluebeard retelling that has some positive elements of creepiness and atmosphere, but if you’re looking for the GOAT, Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber still reigns supreme!
October 21, 2025
Our Gifted Hearts
by Jennifer Kennedy
Gothic Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Oct 14, 2025
Angry Robot
Ages: 14+
At the young age of fourteen, Fortune lost the child she conceived out of wedlock, which shattered her heart, and she vowed never to be with another man.
Keeping mostly to herself, Fortune's only company was her mother and the birds in the woods, though her mother kept inviting a traveler over for dinner, pushing Fortune to marry him if he asked, not knowing of the heartache and vow her daughter made.
Then a witch hunter came to town, and Fortune is accused of witchcraft. Her only choices are to hang or marry.
Traveling alone to her new husband's home, to wait for him to finish his business, she finds a neglected castle with only her mother-in-law, an old housekeeper, and a gardener as human company; though the birds, especially a raven, are welcome companions when she ventures out to explore the isolated island.
But she starts to hear and see things; ghosts that haunt the halls.
This was an OK of a story, but I was put off by how easily Fortune left her mom. Yeah, she believed she was protecting her, but she knew what witch-hunting really was. If she had been even remotely traumatized/fearful of her mother's well-being, other than the passing thought here and there, then maybe I would have enjoyed this better. Besides saving herself, she was saving her mother; there should've been some more feelings going on with that.
The twists weren't that 'exciting' because I had suspicions of what was going on/to happen. Granted, they weren't exactly what I was expecting and were a tad unique, but I still wasn't grabbed.
Maybe some more of the 'ghosts' and 'jump scares' would have helped keep my interest, but as is, it was a little boring and bordering on cozy.
As for the book cover and title, they both fit with the story. There is some violence and touchy content, but I think it's still suitable for readers fourteen and older.
Almost reached the next star.
2 Stars
by Jennifer Kennedy
Gothic Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Oct 14, 2025
Angry Robot
Ages: 14+
At the young age of fourteen, Fortune lost the child she conceived out of wedlock, which shattered her heart, and she vowed never to be with another man.
Keeping mostly to herself, Fortune's only company was her mother and the birds in the woods, though her mother kept inviting a traveler over for dinner, pushing Fortune to marry him if he asked, not knowing of the heartache and vow her daughter made.
Then a witch hunter came to town, and Fortune is accused of witchcraft. Her only choices are to hang or marry.
Traveling alone to her new husband's home, to wait for him to finish his business, she finds a neglected castle with only her mother-in-law, an old housekeeper, and a gardener as human company; though the birds, especially a raven, are welcome companions when she ventures out to explore the isolated island.
But she starts to hear and see things; ghosts that haunt the halls.
This was an OK of a story, but I was put off by how easily Fortune left her mom. Yeah, she believed she was protecting her, but she knew what witch-hunting really was. If she had been even remotely traumatized/fearful of her mother's well-being, other than the passing thought here and there, then maybe I would have enjoyed this better. Besides saving herself, she was saving her mother; there should've been some more feelings going on with that.
The twists weren't that 'exciting' because I had suspicions of what was going on/to happen. Granted, they weren't exactly what I was expecting and were a tad unique, but I still wasn't grabbed.
Maybe some more of the 'ghosts' and 'jump scares' would have helped keep my interest, but as is, it was a little boring and bordering on cozy.
As for the book cover and title, they both fit with the story. There is some violence and touchy content, but I think it's still suitable for readers fourteen and older.
Almost reached the next star.
2 Stars
October 4, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up. This was incredibly haunting, suspenseful, and satisfying. Kept me on my toes the entire time, eerie and atmospheric, and so fast paced I couldn’t put it down!
The story follows Fortune, a 26 year old woman forced to flee her small village after being accused of witchcraft. While she has a strange affinity and ability to communicate with birds, she is no witch. She doesn't want to leave her home and mother, but left with no other option, she agrees to wed and run away with a seemingly decent, relatively attractive stranger passing through town, Isaiah Quickly. A tragic event in her past made her vow to never love again, but she finds herself at Quickly's isolated, remote island. At first, things just seem a little eerie and creepy, but as time goes on, Fortune realizes things are very much not as they seem. Isaiah is often gone for long stretches and it seems like he has more secrets than he initially let on, and the other inhabitants of the house (Isaiah's elderly mother and a stern and cold housekeeper) are strange and difficult to read to say the least. She forms an alliance with Mathis, a handsome, elusive, but seemingly well meaning staff member at the household. He seems to be the only other one clued into how strange things at the manor are.
This was incredibly eerie and atmospheric. I felt transported into the world as early as the first page. I've been in a weird rut of reading really slowly recently, but I couldn't put this down and flew through it. It's creepy, suspenseful, haunting, and yet hopeful and empowering. Thoroughly enjoyed this debut!
Thank you Angry Robot Books for the review copy.
The story follows Fortune, a 26 year old woman forced to flee her small village after being accused of witchcraft. While she has a strange affinity and ability to communicate with birds, she is no witch. She doesn't want to leave her home and mother, but left with no other option, she agrees to wed and run away with a seemingly decent, relatively attractive stranger passing through town, Isaiah Quickly. A tragic event in her past made her vow to never love again, but she finds herself at Quickly's isolated, remote island. At first, things just seem a little eerie and creepy, but as time goes on, Fortune realizes things are very much not as they seem. Isaiah is often gone for long stretches and it seems like he has more secrets than he initially let on, and the other inhabitants of the house (Isaiah's elderly mother and a stern and cold housekeeper) are strange and difficult to read to say the least. She forms an alliance with Mathis, a handsome, elusive, but seemingly well meaning staff member at the household. He seems to be the only other one clued into how strange things at the manor are.
This was incredibly eerie and atmospheric. I felt transported into the world as early as the first page. I've been in a weird rut of reading really slowly recently, but I couldn't put this down and flew through it. It's creepy, suspenseful, haunting, and yet hopeful and empowering. Thoroughly enjoyed this debut!
Thank you Angry Robot Books for the review copy.
October 16, 2025
Huge thank you to @angryrobotbooks for the gifted copy and for letting me be a part of this tour!
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭, 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬?
From just one look at the cover, I knew this was going to be a story that stuck with me for a while and, boy, was I right.
Inspired by the legend of Bluebeard, Our Gothic Hearts is a gripping gothic tale that sucks you in from the first page. I was quite literally fighting for my life at 3 am on a work day because I couldn't fathom putting this book down.
The story gives everything: witch hunts, deals with the devil, feathery sidekicks, and even a romance subplot!
Oh, and did I mention this is Jennifer's DEBUT novel?!
This is the perfect book for spooky season, go grab your copy today!
𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞....
🐦⬛Isolated island settings
🫀haunted pasts
🐦⬛grief filled gothic fiction
🫀feminist retellings
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭, 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬?
From just one look at the cover, I knew this was going to be a story that stuck with me for a while and, boy, was I right.
Inspired by the legend of Bluebeard, Our Gothic Hearts is a gripping gothic tale that sucks you in from the first page. I was quite literally fighting for my life at 3 am on a work day because I couldn't fathom putting this book down.
The story gives everything: witch hunts, deals with the devil, feathery sidekicks, and even a romance subplot!
Oh, and did I mention this is Jennifer's DEBUT novel?!
This is the perfect book for spooky season, go grab your copy today!
𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞....
🐦⬛Isolated island settings
🫀haunted pasts
🐦⬛grief filled gothic fiction
🫀feminist retellings
October 29, 2025
4.5 🌟
"There was no hiding in darkness. It was in the darkness that I was exposed. It was in the darkness that the horned beast would come looking for me." (Ch 5)
Dark Gothic Fantasy Fiction | Paranormal Horror | Inspired by the legend of Bluebeard.
"The solid, real world around us had slipped away. We were in the realm of secrets and dreams now, just the two of us floating in the orange glow, the shadows twisting and contorting. Anything was possible. It was a dangerous place to be." (Ch 23)
Fortune is a woman who has actually had a life of misfortune with past emotional trauma, heartbreak, and a dark secret. Circumstances beyond her control lead her to an island, a house full of secrets that are darker and more sinister than her own, ever deepening mysteries, and a husband who is no more than a stranger to her.
"I had only delayed death, and this time round he would be even more cunning and cruel." (Ch 23)
It is an eerie, haunting story with paranormal vs. psychological torments, peculiar inhabitants, unusual relationships, and disturbing machinations. Some scenes nightmarish as if they were straight out of a horror movie. Unnervingly deep, like a soul-screaming in silence aching to escape, but helplessly wilting and writhing in the isolation and disquieting dim... questioning sanity, questioning whether life is worth fighting for. It is only a small kindling of connection that offers a sliver of hope, a precarious grasp upon a fragile branch to which survival may yet be possible.
"Something awful was down there. A terrible, dreadful secret. The truth isn't always the best option, ignorance can be kinder. But I had been ignorant long enough." (Ch 25)
If this were a movie, I'd go see it in the theater!
ARC courtesy of Angry Robot / Watkins Media
"There was no hiding in darkness. It was in the darkness that I was exposed. It was in the darkness that the horned beast would come looking for me." (Ch 5)
Dark Gothic Fantasy Fiction | Paranormal Horror | Inspired by the legend of Bluebeard.
"The solid, real world around us had slipped away. We were in the realm of secrets and dreams now, just the two of us floating in the orange glow, the shadows twisting and contorting. Anything was possible. It was a dangerous place to be." (Ch 23)
Fortune is a woman who has actually had a life of misfortune with past emotional trauma, heartbreak, and a dark secret. Circumstances beyond her control lead her to an island, a house full of secrets that are darker and more sinister than her own, ever deepening mysteries, and a husband who is no more than a stranger to her.
"I had only delayed death, and this time round he would be even more cunning and cruel." (Ch 23)
It is an eerie, haunting story with paranormal vs. psychological torments, peculiar inhabitants, unusual relationships, and disturbing machinations. Some scenes nightmarish as if they were straight out of a horror movie. Unnervingly deep, like a soul-screaming in silence aching to escape, but helplessly wilting and writhing in the isolation and disquieting dim... questioning sanity, questioning whether life is worth fighting for. It is only a small kindling of connection that offers a sliver of hope, a precarious grasp upon a fragile branch to which survival may yet be possible.
"Something awful was down there. A terrible, dreadful secret. The truth isn't always the best option, ignorance can be kinder. But I had been ignorant long enough." (Ch 25)
If this were a movie, I'd go see it in the theater!
ARC courtesy of Angry Robot / Watkins Media
October 7, 2025
I loved this one. It’s the perfect kind of gothic read dark, eerie, and completely haunting in the best way. From the first few pages, I was hooked by the atmosphere. You can practically feel the damp fog and hear the creaks in the old house.
Fortune’s story pulled me right in. After being accused of witchcraft, she ends up marrying a man she barely knows and moves to this remote island that feels straight out of a nightmare. The isolation, the weird servants, the mysterious husband it all gave me chills. And the way the author blended the eerie tension with this thread of feminine strength and quiet defiance? So good.
I also loved the touch of magic with her bond to the birds it added this fragile beauty to all the darkness. The writing felt immersive and unsettling in that deliciously gothic way, and I flew through it.
If you like creepy houses, haunting secrets, and that slow-burn, eerie tension that keeps you on edge, this book absolutely delivers. I loved every page. Thank you to Angry Robot for the gifted arc!
Fortune’s story pulled me right in. After being accused of witchcraft, she ends up marrying a man she barely knows and moves to this remote island that feels straight out of a nightmare. The isolation, the weird servants, the mysterious husband it all gave me chills. And the way the author blended the eerie tension with this thread of feminine strength and quiet defiance? So good.
I also loved the touch of magic with her bond to the birds it added this fragile beauty to all the darkness. The writing felt immersive and unsettling in that deliciously gothic way, and I flew through it.
If you like creepy houses, haunting secrets, and that slow-burn, eerie tension that keeps you on edge, this book absolutely delivers. I loved every page. Thank you to Angry Robot for the gifted arc!
December 12, 2025
2.5**
I just wanted more from this book.
I went in thinking this book would be about a Devils bargain and witchcraft, and while there were some gothic and unsettling scenes, this book didn’t delve into the magic, the gothic setting, or into the Devils bargain (which I would’ve loved).
This was a very quick and easy read with some gothic scenes similar to Rebecca and Jane Eyre. I am unsure if this was YA or adult fantasy due to the language used.
Thank you to Net-Galley for the E-Arc
I just wanted more from this book.
I went in thinking this book would be about a Devils bargain and witchcraft, and while there were some gothic and unsettling scenes, this book didn’t delve into the magic, the gothic setting, or into the Devils bargain (which I would’ve loved).
This was a very quick and easy read with some gothic scenes similar to Rebecca and Jane Eyre. I am unsure if this was YA or adult fantasy due to the language used.
Thank you to Net-Galley for the E-Arc
October 1, 2025
I loved this book! A gothic, feminist retelling of Bluebeard, twisted with magic, witches, feminine rage, and evil that gripped me from the first pages and was hard to put down!
Fortune enjoyed her simple life with her birds. But when an incident in her small town causes her to be accused of witchcraft, she has no choice but to accept a proposal from a seemingly good-natured man; one who promises to take her away and help her escape persecution for a crime she did not commit. But when he brings her to his house on an isolated island, she learns its halls might hold secrets far more deadly than the town she fled.
I loved the story here! Wrapped in an eerie atmosphere, with ghosts, secrets, and mysterious staff members, Our Gifted Hearts offers a chilling, gothic tale that will keep you awake at night thinking about it.
I really enjoyed Fortune’s character arc. Watching her growth as she travels from her small town to her new husband’s estate, then as she learns the insidious secrets it holds, had me glued to the pages.
There are only a few characters throughout the majority of the book, but Jennifer Kennedy does so much with them that you don’t need more! Each character has their own secrets to be revealed, and their own haunting tale to tell.
🥀 Isolated Island
🥀 Haunted Mansion
🥀 Mysterious Staff
🥀 Eerie Family
🥀 Bird Familiars
🥀 Witches & Magic
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥.”
*Disclaimer: I was generously provided with an advance copy from Angry Robot Books. However, all viewpoints expressed above are my own!
Fortune enjoyed her simple life with her birds. But when an incident in her small town causes her to be accused of witchcraft, she has no choice but to accept a proposal from a seemingly good-natured man; one who promises to take her away and help her escape persecution for a crime she did not commit. But when he brings her to his house on an isolated island, she learns its halls might hold secrets far more deadly than the town she fled.
I loved the story here! Wrapped in an eerie atmosphere, with ghosts, secrets, and mysterious staff members, Our Gifted Hearts offers a chilling, gothic tale that will keep you awake at night thinking about it.
I really enjoyed Fortune’s character arc. Watching her growth as she travels from her small town to her new husband’s estate, then as she learns the insidious secrets it holds, had me glued to the pages.
There are only a few characters throughout the majority of the book, but Jennifer Kennedy does so much with them that you don’t need more! Each character has their own secrets to be revealed, and their own haunting tale to tell.
🥀 Isolated Island
🥀 Haunted Mansion
🥀 Mysterious Staff
🥀 Eerie Family
🥀 Bird Familiars
🥀 Witches & Magic
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥.”
*Disclaimer: I was generously provided with an advance copy from Angry Robot Books. However, all viewpoints expressed above are my own!
October 14, 2025
4.5 ⭐ rounded to 5
A truly gothic tale of survival and resilience when all is lost and one’s fate is tragically sealed. An effective retelling of the story of the Bluebeard folk tale with a beautiful character’s arc and an action packed ending!
When I first delved into this book, I was immediately attracted by the character of Fortune, the embodiment of what women had and still have to go through in a world that doesn’t allow them to fully be how they want to be, but always expecting something, even after being abused. With an ultimatum of either marrying someone much older than her, or being hanged as a witch, Fortune chooses to marry this person that is literally a stranger and being shipped to his isolated island, a world away from her mum and what she knew.
Since coming into this life Fortune starts experiencing weird things and she’s sure there’s something not right, but as a woman, she’s led to believe that what she feels is actually coming from herself, thinking she’s cursed and that this life that she now has to endure, is what she deserves for being herself and for what she suffered in the past.
I felt so much for Fortune and for so many chapters I hoped she would find her strength and rebel against her situation, but with no luck. That is until she finds purpose and something worth fighting for, as well as after what she discovers about her husband and mother in law.
I found the mystery part really good and compelling and I was invested until the end, trying to understand what really was going on in this wretched house.
I also loved the change in pace throughout the book, conveying the increase in urgency and danger and the shortage of time until tragedy strikes!
Overall, this is a very engaging story with a satisfying final girl trope and character arc, with enough weirdness, eeriness and revenge to satiate my reader’s needs! A perfect read for this spooky and moody season!
Thanks to the author, Angry Robot Books and NetGalley for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
A truly gothic tale of survival and resilience when all is lost and one’s fate is tragically sealed. An effective retelling of the story of the Bluebeard folk tale with a beautiful character’s arc and an action packed ending!
When I first delved into this book, I was immediately attracted by the character of Fortune, the embodiment of what women had and still have to go through in a world that doesn’t allow them to fully be how they want to be, but always expecting something, even after being abused. With an ultimatum of either marrying someone much older than her, or being hanged as a witch, Fortune chooses to marry this person that is literally a stranger and being shipped to his isolated island, a world away from her mum and what she knew.
Since coming into this life Fortune starts experiencing weird things and she’s sure there’s something not right, but as a woman, she’s led to believe that what she feels is actually coming from herself, thinking she’s cursed and that this life that she now has to endure, is what she deserves for being herself and for what she suffered in the past.
I felt so much for Fortune and for so many chapters I hoped she would find her strength and rebel against her situation, but with no luck. That is until she finds purpose and something worth fighting for, as well as after what she discovers about her husband and mother in law.
I found the mystery part really good and compelling and I was invested until the end, trying to understand what really was going on in this wretched house.
I also loved the change in pace throughout the book, conveying the increase in urgency and danger and the shortage of time until tragedy strikes!
Overall, this is a very engaging story with a satisfying final girl trope and character arc, with enough weirdness, eeriness and revenge to satiate my reader’s needs! A perfect read for this spooky and moody season!
Thanks to the author, Angry Robot Books and NetGalley for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
October 14, 2025
4.25⭐️
The story follows Fortune Blyth, accused of witchcraft, she has to marry a stranger to escape execution—only to find his island home is full of dark secrets and sinister family ties.
Absolutely loved this one — it’s everything I love in gothic fiction. Think Rebecca meets Crimson Peak: an isolated setting, a crumbling house, and dark secrets lurking in every corner. The atmosphere was perfectly eerie and immersive. It starts off a bit slow, but that steady build-up made the final reveal so worth it!
Read if you like:
🕯️ Accused Witch
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🏝️ Isolated Island Mansion
👁️ Dark Family Secrets
🏚️ Haunted / Gothic Vibes
💔 Hidden Past & Grief
✨️please check the trigger warnings on the author website before reading✨️
The story follows Fortune Blyth, accused of witchcraft, she has to marry a stranger to escape execution—only to find his island home is full of dark secrets and sinister family ties.
Absolutely loved this one — it’s everything I love in gothic fiction. Think Rebecca meets Crimson Peak: an isolated setting, a crumbling house, and dark secrets lurking in every corner. The atmosphere was perfectly eerie and immersive. It starts off a bit slow, but that steady build-up made the final reveal so worth it!
Read if you like:
🕯️ Accused Witch
💍 Marriage of Convenience
🏝️ Isolated Island Mansion
👁️ Dark Family Secrets
🏚️ Haunted / Gothic Vibes
💔 Hidden Past & Grief
✨️please check the trigger warnings on the author website before reading✨️
October 22, 2025
This one has all the right ingredients, especially for this time of year! A dark, feminist Bluebeard retelling with witchy undertones and a setting and vibes straight out of Rebecca or Jane Eyre??? Yes, please! I loved the atmosphere and the gothic tension, and if you're into slow, eerie stories that build on mood and isolation, this will definitely hit the spot. However, after a devastating loss, a whispered devil's bargain, and a desperate escape from an accusation of witchcraft (by way of marriage to a complete stranger who whisks Fortune, the FMC, off to an isolated island...), the story slows way down. For a large portion of the book, not much happens beyond Fortune's unease and the strangeness of her new home. It's more about mood than momentum, and I found myself wishing for a little more. Still, the themes—feminine rage, biding one's time, survival—are powerful, and I'm glad I read it.
Thanks so much to Angry Robot Books for the gifted copy!
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
Thanks so much to Angry Robot Books for the gifted copy!
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
August 16, 2025
What a fantastic book! I really enjoyed this haunting tale. I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
This is a tale of a woman in a desperate situation when she catches the attention of witch hunters. All she wants is to stay home with her mother and enjoy her affinity with birds. However she is forced to leave her home, marry a man she just met and travel to a remote island. Her husband is frequently away and she’s left in the company of his eccentric mother and two taciturn servants. She soon starts to see odd things and seems to be visited by an uncanny presence. This leads her to uncover some dark secrets about her new home.
I flew through this story. I was absolutely fascinated. There was just so much to love here. The setting, the creepy home on the remote island worked perfectly. It was haunting, eerie and the isolation compounded the fear the main character experiences as she starts to see uncanny things in her room. I absolutely loved that the main character had a power with birds. Her close companionship with a raven gave a layer of hope and broke up the loneliness she feels being separated from her mother. The way the secrets of the house were unravelled was paced very well. The final reveals were done so satisfyingly and the book was great from start to finish. The set up with the desperate choices just framed this so well for what comes next.
I had a fab time reading this! An excellent gothic novel.
This is a tale of a woman in a desperate situation when she catches the attention of witch hunters. All she wants is to stay home with her mother and enjoy her affinity with birds. However she is forced to leave her home, marry a man she just met and travel to a remote island. Her husband is frequently away and she’s left in the company of his eccentric mother and two taciturn servants. She soon starts to see odd things and seems to be visited by an uncanny presence. This leads her to uncover some dark secrets about her new home.
I flew through this story. I was absolutely fascinated. There was just so much to love here. The setting, the creepy home on the remote island worked perfectly. It was haunting, eerie and the isolation compounded the fear the main character experiences as she starts to see uncanny things in her room. I absolutely loved that the main character had a power with birds. Her close companionship with a raven gave a layer of hope and broke up the loneliness she feels being separated from her mother. The way the secrets of the house were unravelled was paced very well. The final reveals were done so satisfyingly and the book was great from start to finish. The set up with the desperate choices just framed this so well for what comes next.
I had a fab time reading this! An excellent gothic novel.
September 9, 2025
Thanks to Angry Robot Books and NetGalley for the preview. All opinions are my own.
Wow this was HAUNTING. This story is like Rebecca meets Crimson Peak meets The Skeleton Key. It’s gothic, atmospheric, and it gets a little more unhinged as you go further. It’s also completely bingeable; I would have absolutely finished it in one sitting if I hadn’t started it so late at night.
The story draws you in from the start, and the grip just tightens with each chapter. By the end you’ll be gasping for breath and a little sick from the lack of air. The house and its residents are so unsettling. And when the secrets are revealed, it’s somehow a little worse than you imagined. But the end is really satisfying.
Highly recommend for an ideal spooky season read.
CW: miscarriage
Wow this was HAUNTING. This story is like Rebecca meets Crimson Peak meets The Skeleton Key. It’s gothic, atmospheric, and it gets a little more unhinged as you go further. It’s also completely bingeable; I would have absolutely finished it in one sitting if I hadn’t started it so late at night.
The story draws you in from the start, and the grip just tightens with each chapter. By the end you’ll be gasping for breath and a little sick from the lack of air. The house and its residents are so unsettling. And when the secrets are revealed, it’s somehow a little worse than you imagined. But the end is really satisfying.
Highly recommend for an ideal spooky season read.
CW: miscarriage
August 21, 2025
I want to thank NetGalley and Angry Robot Books for the opportunity to read this book, as it was a literal dream come true. This story was an absolute rollercoaster of emotions and intrigue. The plot was incredibly unique, evolving into something wonderfully bizarre that was impossible to put down. What truly set this book apart was its distinct atmosphere—the weird, spooky vibes were expertly crafted and completely captivated me. I was also impressed by the main character, who made genuinely smart decisions throughout the story, a refreshing change that grounded the narrative. I was left completely amazed by this one-of-a-kind read.
October 13, 2025
(4.5/5 stars) This is a fantastic new gothic horror novel! It has everything I love about the classics: the ill-advised marriage, the isolated mansion, and a sense of creeping dread—knowledge that the walls are closing in, the trap is snapping shut, the end is nigh.
This book is genuinely spooky. I raced through it, furiously turning pages while my heart pounded in my chest. If you, like me, are always looking for new yet timeless gothic horror, look no further!
Thank you to @angryrobotbooks for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
This book is genuinely spooky. I raced through it, furiously turning pages while my heart pounded in my chest. If you, like me, are always looking for new yet timeless gothic horror, look no further!
Thank you to @angryrobotbooks for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
December 3, 2025
A solid, creepy first novel, but I finished it wanting more from it. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I think fundamentally this could have been a short story. The atmosphere is really good; it has the feel and content of a gothic novel. I also quite liked the bit at the beginning with Fortune in her home town, as well as the crumbs we get on how magic works in this world. However, the characters are pretty flat, the romance is about as engaging as a saltine cracker, and the whole piece feels a little bloated. Fortune's total refusal to acknowledge that anything weird is happening (when there are a LOT of weird things happening) feels like a strategy to lengthen the work and also makes her seem incredibly stupid, when in other cases she's capable. It is inoffensive among Bluebeard retellings/inspired pieces, but it takes a lot of time to say little in particular.
I think fundamentally this could have been a short story. The atmosphere is really good; it has the feel and content of a gothic novel. I also quite liked the bit at the beginning with Fortune in her home town, as well as the crumbs we get on how magic works in this world. However, the characters are pretty flat, the romance is about as engaging as a saltine cracker, and the whole piece feels a little bloated. Fortune's total refusal to acknowledge that anything weird is happening (when there are a LOT of weird things happening) feels like a strategy to lengthen the work and also makes her seem incredibly stupid, when in other cases she's capable. It is inoffensive among Bluebeard retellings/inspired pieces, but it takes a lot of time to say little in particular.
December 5, 2025
Loved the gothic vibes and mystery. Reminded me a lot of Crimson Peak.
September 1, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and AngryRobot for the ARC! Below is an honest review of my experience.
Our Gifted Hearts is the story of a woman named Fortune fleeing her home after being accused of witchcraft by marrying a man she hardly knows. After a quick ceremony, she travels to his home on a remote island where strange things begin to happen. Is her new home really her sanctuary from danger, or an all together different kind of nightmare?
This book didn't take long to have me absolutely hooked. I stayed up all night reading because I was so interested in putting all of the pieces together. A dark, gothic, and often melancholy story, but the pacing never felt slow or dull. There were moments of sadness, grief, excitement, shock, disgust, and horror that had my heart pumping. As much as this is a gothic romance, it really takes a backseat to themes of trauma, manipulation, and women's autonomy. The characters were interesting, each harboring their own dark secrets, and I found myself wanting to know more about them than the story gave. Fortune was a character that was very easy to connect to with her resilience and quiet strength in the face of the darkness in her life.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed stepping into this world besides a few minor questions that felt unanswered and wanting the story to dig even a little deeper into characters, I would recommend checking trigger warnings for anyone that is on the fence about some of the horror elements. There are definitely a few dark/graphic moments, but nothing that felt gratuitous.
Our Gifted Hearts is the story of a woman named Fortune fleeing her home after being accused of witchcraft by marrying a man she hardly knows. After a quick ceremony, she travels to his home on a remote island where strange things begin to happen. Is her new home really her sanctuary from danger, or an all together different kind of nightmare?
This book didn't take long to have me absolutely hooked. I stayed up all night reading because I was so interested in putting all of the pieces together. A dark, gothic, and often melancholy story, but the pacing never felt slow or dull. There were moments of sadness, grief, excitement, shock, disgust, and horror that had my heart pumping. As much as this is a gothic romance, it really takes a backseat to themes of trauma, manipulation, and women's autonomy. The characters were interesting, each harboring their own dark secrets, and I found myself wanting to know more about them than the story gave. Fortune was a character that was very easy to connect to with her resilience and quiet strength in the face of the darkness in her life.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed stepping into this world besides a few minor questions that felt unanswered and wanting the story to dig even a little deeper into characters, I would recommend checking trigger warnings for anyone that is on the fence about some of the horror elements. There are definitely a few dark/graphic moments, but nothing that felt gratuitous.
November 24, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. I'm not used to reading horror; however, the amazing prologue in addition to the paranormal elements in this book were just perfect for such an intriguing and interesting story. Somehow it reminded me of The Skeleton Key and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I loved the name Fortune for the main character, and her connection to birds as well. Her journey was relatable as not minding being unmarried or not bearing children due to her past, in spite of the social expectations in which the plot is set. The book shows elements of loyalty, love (different kinds), grief, found family, and believing in yourself. There's also female empowerment portrayed from the witch hunt to the strange events happening in Quickly's house. I loved the different kinds of powers that appear lately in the book related to different characters. I also never expected such a plot twist regarding Isaiah. The name of the book is just perfect. At the end, you understand everything. I'll definitely read more from the author in the future!
*It's important to mention that there are several trigger warnings that should be included on the front pages.
*It's important to mention that there are several trigger warnings that should be included on the front pages.
October 10, 2025
A Haunting, Lyrical Gothic Tale That Tightens Its Grip with Every Page
Jennifer Kennedy’s Our Gifted Hearts is a haunting, atmospheric gothic novel that transports readers into a world of superstition, isolation, and buried secrets. From the very first chapter, Kennedy’s prose wraps you in an uneasy stillness — the kind that makes you check the shadows twice — and never quite lets you breathe easily again. While not without a few imperfections, this book is an elegantly crafted piece of historical suspense, blending emotional depth with a constant undercurrent of dread.
Our Gifted Hearts ♦ Jennifer Kennedy - A Review
Opinion
At the heart of the novel is Fortune Blythe, a young woman who lives in near-poverty with her mother on the outskirts of a small, suspicious settlement. The story begins with a chilling reminder of how easily fear turns into cruelty: a woman from the village is executed for witchcraft, and Fortune herself soon finds the same accusations leveled against her. Kennedy captures the paranoia and brutality of the time with precision — it’s not just the threat of hanging that feels real, but the social suffocation, the whispered accusations, the collective terror.
When a mysterious foreigner, Isaiah, arrives and offers Fortune marriage — seemingly rescuing her from certain death — the story takes a darker, more complex turn. The journey that follows is not one of romantic deliverance, but of disquieting discovery. The isolated island estate where Isaiah brings her is vividly drawn: battered cliffs, wind-lashed trees, and a house whose walls seem to hum with secrets. Kennedy’s command of setting is remarkable; every gust of wind and creaking floorboard contributes to a sense of mounting dread. The environment itself becomes a silent, malevolent character.
Within the house, Fortune encounters three key figures — Esme, Isaiah’s eccentric and unnerving mother; Zena, the curt and watchful housekeeper; and Mathis, the taciturn gardener and handyman. One of them emerges as a true ally, while the others kept me guessing until the final pages. Kennedy excels at layering her characters with ambiguity — no one is entirely what they seem, and their motives shift like shadows in candlelight.
The tension builds slowly, but effectively. There’s an omnipresent sense that something awful is lurking just out of sight — in the tunnels beneath the house, in Isaiah’s evasive explanations, or perhaps in Fortune’s own memories. Kennedy’s pacing deserves particular praise: she manages to maintain suspense without ever resorting to melodrama or cheap thrills. The hints and clues are scattered like breadcrumbs, and when the full picture comes together, it feels both shocking and inevitable.
If there’s a shortcoming, it lies in Fortune herself. Though she’s sympathetic and emotionally complex, she occasionally feels too passive in the face of the horrors and manipulations surrounding her. Her reticence fits her background — a woman traumatized, silenced, and taught to survive by keeping her head down — but at times I longed for her to assert herself more decisively, to confront those who sought to control her. Even so, her evolution into quiet strength by the end is satisfying and believable.
Our Gifted Hearts succeeds most brilliantly in its tone and atmosphere. Kennedy has a gift for the gothic — the uncanny, the claustrophobic, the beautifully grotesque. The imagery lingers long after the final page, and the sense of mystery is sustained until the very end. Without spoiling anything, I can say that the conclusion is both unexpected and deeply fitting; it ties the novel’s themes of loss, identity, and resilience into a haunting finale that left me genuinely impressed.
Conclusion
In short, Jennifer Kennedy delivers a rich, slow-burning gothic mystery with emotional resonance and razor-sharp tension. The novel’s only flaw is that its heroine’s voice sometimes feels muted — but perhaps that, too, is part of the point. Fortune’s story is one of finding one’s power in the most perilous of circumstances, and in that respect, Our Gifted Hearts earns every one of its four shining stars.
Through NetGalley I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This review was first published at The Art of Reading.
Jennifer Kennedy’s Our Gifted Hearts is a haunting, atmospheric gothic novel that transports readers into a world of superstition, isolation, and buried secrets. From the very first chapter, Kennedy’s prose wraps you in an uneasy stillness — the kind that makes you check the shadows twice — and never quite lets you breathe easily again. While not without a few imperfections, this book is an elegantly crafted piece of historical suspense, blending emotional depth with a constant undercurrent of dread.
Our Gifted Hearts ♦ Jennifer Kennedy - A Review
Opinion
At the heart of the novel is Fortune Blythe, a young woman who lives in near-poverty with her mother on the outskirts of a small, suspicious settlement. The story begins with a chilling reminder of how easily fear turns into cruelty: a woman from the village is executed for witchcraft, and Fortune herself soon finds the same accusations leveled against her. Kennedy captures the paranoia and brutality of the time with precision — it’s not just the threat of hanging that feels real, but the social suffocation, the whispered accusations, the collective terror.
When a mysterious foreigner, Isaiah, arrives and offers Fortune marriage — seemingly rescuing her from certain death — the story takes a darker, more complex turn. The journey that follows is not one of romantic deliverance, but of disquieting discovery. The isolated island estate where Isaiah brings her is vividly drawn: battered cliffs, wind-lashed trees, and a house whose walls seem to hum with secrets. Kennedy’s command of setting is remarkable; every gust of wind and creaking floorboard contributes to a sense of mounting dread. The environment itself becomes a silent, malevolent character.
Within the house, Fortune encounters three key figures — Esme, Isaiah’s eccentric and unnerving mother; Zena, the curt and watchful housekeeper; and Mathis, the taciturn gardener and handyman. One of them emerges as a true ally, while the others kept me guessing until the final pages. Kennedy excels at layering her characters with ambiguity — no one is entirely what they seem, and their motives shift like shadows in candlelight.
The tension builds slowly, but effectively. There’s an omnipresent sense that something awful is lurking just out of sight — in the tunnels beneath the house, in Isaiah’s evasive explanations, or perhaps in Fortune’s own memories. Kennedy’s pacing deserves particular praise: she manages to maintain suspense without ever resorting to melodrama or cheap thrills. The hints and clues are scattered like breadcrumbs, and when the full picture comes together, it feels both shocking and inevitable.
If there’s a shortcoming, it lies in Fortune herself. Though she’s sympathetic and emotionally complex, she occasionally feels too passive in the face of the horrors and manipulations surrounding her. Her reticence fits her background — a woman traumatized, silenced, and taught to survive by keeping her head down — but at times I longed for her to assert herself more decisively, to confront those who sought to control her. Even so, her evolution into quiet strength by the end is satisfying and believable.
Our Gifted Hearts succeeds most brilliantly in its tone and atmosphere. Kennedy has a gift for the gothic — the uncanny, the claustrophobic, the beautifully grotesque. The imagery lingers long after the final page, and the sense of mystery is sustained until the very end. Without spoiling anything, I can say that the conclusion is both unexpected and deeply fitting; it ties the novel’s themes of loss, identity, and resilience into a haunting finale that left me genuinely impressed.
Conclusion
In short, Jennifer Kennedy delivers a rich, slow-burning gothic mystery with emotional resonance and razor-sharp tension. The novel’s only flaw is that its heroine’s voice sometimes feels muted — but perhaps that, too, is part of the point. Fortune’s story is one of finding one’s power in the most perilous of circumstances, and in that respect, Our Gifted Hearts earns every one of its four shining stars.
Through NetGalley I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This review was first published at The Art of Reading.
October 6, 2025
Sometimes love stories begin with flowers and grand gestures. This one begins with a contract and the looming threat of danger. Our Gifted Hearts takes the arranged-marriage trope and twists it into something sharp, messy, and far more compelling than a neat fairytale. Fortune Blyth is a woman marked by grief and guilt—she lost a child long ago, vowed never to let another man in, and lives quietly with her birds and her mother. She’s cautious, haunted, and far more resilient than she thinks. Isaiah Quickly (her new husband) appears as her saviour when witch hunters threaten her village. Handsome and promising safety, but with a mansion on an island, a strange house, and even stranger people around him. He’s the kind of man who offers protection—and also secrets. When Fortune is accused of witchcraft, she’s given a choice: stay and hang, or marry a stranger who can whisk her away to safety. She chooses marriage. She leaves behind everything familiar, including her birds, to live on her husband’s remote island estate. Her new home promised refuge but gives off all the wrong signals. The manor is isolated, the housekeeper surly, the mother-in-law eccentric, and the servants distant. She begins to notice whispers in the walls, nightmares that bleed into daylight, and concealed tunnels under the house that seem to hide more than just darkness. Meanwhile, her Isaiah is frequently absent. She is left alone with odd companions, an island environment that feels alive in its cruelty, and her own guilt and trauma resurfacing with every creak in the floorboard, every furtive glance, and every bird that comes close but never stays. And a secret pregnancy raises the stakes: not just for her safety but for her soul. She must unravel what Isaiah hides, what the island wants, and whether the man she married to survive is someone she can trust—or someone worse than the hunters who sought to kill her. The house’s secrets unspool gradually, slowly tightening the noose: revelations about previous brides, about prophetic or supernatural happenings, about power in her blood, and about what it really means to be “gifted.” And while the mansion eats at her peace, Fortune presses on—because survival isn’t just about staying alive, it’s about claiming back some power, some truth, some voice she thought was lost. It feels like reading a ghost story with bruises—beautiful, unsettling, and with enough tension to make you double-check your windows. Jennifer Kennedy delivers a gothic tale that’s both tender and terrifying, with atmospheric writing, horror touches, and a heroine who starts in fear but ends in resistance. If you want horror romance that creeps up slowly and punches you hard, this one delivers.
July 25, 2025
An interesting novel is a very informative and chilling novel that shows that sometimes moving somewhere new doesn’t always solve your problems. I willbadmit thast maybe the novel would be happier after the main character got away from the conflict in her hometown. However, the place she ended up going to ended up being filled with suspicious secrets and people. However, when you think about all those things that happened made the novel much more interesting
We are introduced to a young woman named Fortune who after having a traumatic experience in her youth closes her heart off from love. She spends her days taking care of her aging mother and tending to chores around the farm. One day a woman from their village is executed for being a witch shortly after the execution the town decides to turn on Fortune accusing her of witchcraft.
After much encouragement from her mother Fortune decides to enter a marriage of convenience with a visiting stranger named Isaiah whose homeland is an Island where she won't have to worry about the people of her village coming after her. However, once she arrives she realizes that this solution was not ideal at all. She soon finds out the home is riddled with secrets and that her husband isn't the same caring and compassionate individual that she orginally met.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own
We are introduced to a young woman named Fortune who after having a traumatic experience in her youth closes her heart off from love. She spends her days taking care of her aging mother and tending to chores around the farm. One day a woman from their village is executed for being a witch shortly after the execution the town decides to turn on Fortune accusing her of witchcraft.
After much encouragement from her mother Fortune decides to enter a marriage of convenience with a visiting stranger named Isaiah whose homeland is an Island where she won't have to worry about the people of her village coming after her. However, once she arrives she realizes that this solution was not ideal at all. She soon finds out the home is riddled with secrets and that her husband isn't the same caring and compassionate individual that she orginally met.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own
August 10, 2025
**ARC Review**
*Thanks to NetGalley, Jennifer Kennedy, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*
**Our Gifted Hearts** by Jennifer Kennedy had me hooked from the very first page — no exaggeration. It’s one of those reads where you think, “Oh, I’ll just do a chapter or two before bed,” and then suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’re emotionally wrecked but can’t stop.
From page one, this story is an absolute whirlwind of heartbreak, and yet it’s laced with so much hope, resilience, and love that you can’t help but root for the characters through every gut-punch moment. Kennedy’s writing feels like she’s cracked open your chest and is just *rearranging* your emotions in real time. The pacing was perfect, the emotional beats landed hard, and every twist made me want to throw my Kindle across the room — in the best way possible.
This is the kind of book that sticks with you, the kind you keep thinking about when you should be doing literally anything else (like laundry, dishes, or pretending to be a functioning adult).
If you want a read that will break your heart, heal it, and then break it all over again — **Our Gifted Hearts** is *the* pick.
- Rachel 💌 (fully in my “crying over fictional people” era)
*Thanks to NetGalley, Jennifer Kennedy, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*
**Our Gifted Hearts** by Jennifer Kennedy had me hooked from the very first page — no exaggeration. It’s one of those reads where you think, “Oh, I’ll just do a chapter or two before bed,” and then suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’re emotionally wrecked but can’t stop.
From page one, this story is an absolute whirlwind of heartbreak, and yet it’s laced with so much hope, resilience, and love that you can’t help but root for the characters through every gut-punch moment. Kennedy’s writing feels like she’s cracked open your chest and is just *rearranging* your emotions in real time. The pacing was perfect, the emotional beats landed hard, and every twist made me want to throw my Kindle across the room — in the best way possible.
This is the kind of book that sticks with you, the kind you keep thinking about when you should be doing literally anything else (like laundry, dishes, or pretending to be a functioning adult).
If you want a read that will break your heart, heal it, and then break it all over again — **Our Gifted Hearts** is *the* pick.
- Rachel 💌 (fully in my “crying over fictional people” era)
October 9, 2025
Ohhh I absolutely adored this incredible story! Definitely one of my favourite books of the year so far. It had everything I could possibly want in a gothic fantasy - an isolated old mansion, a creepy housekeeper, secrets surrounding the house, visions of ghosts, talk of witches and mysterious characters. It was such a treat! It gave me Rebecca/Jane Eyre vibes with a fantasy twist!
The suspenseful mystery of the house and its few inhabitants had me guessing constantly on what shady goings on were happening there and what they really wanted with Fortune the main character. I worked some things out and others I had no clue!
The atmosphere was unsettling and eerie, the perfect gothic feel! And anyone who has read this book - how adorable is Purdie the raven?! 🐦⬛ I was so invested in Purdie surviving as well as Fortune!
Our Gifted Hearts is a gloriously gothic fairytale that has elements of the horror and fantasy genres. With a lot of heart and emotion and the exploration of themes such as grief and betrayal, it has many secrets within its pages that will keep you gripped from beginning to end. A beautiful yet spooky story that you should all be adding to your autumn and winter to be read piles!
The suspenseful mystery of the house and its few inhabitants had me guessing constantly on what shady goings on were happening there and what they really wanted with Fortune the main character. I worked some things out and others I had no clue!
The atmosphere was unsettling and eerie, the perfect gothic feel! And anyone who has read this book - how adorable is Purdie the raven?! 🐦⬛ I was so invested in Purdie surviving as well as Fortune!
Our Gifted Hearts is a gloriously gothic fairytale that has elements of the horror and fantasy genres. With a lot of heart and emotion and the exploration of themes such as grief and betrayal, it has many secrets within its pages that will keep you gripped from beginning to end. A beautiful yet spooky story that you should all be adding to your autumn and winter to be read piles!
September 23, 2025
Firstly, the atmosphere in this book is absolutely gorgeous. Haunting, eerie, dripping with gothic detail, with little dips into horror that made it perfect spooky season reading. Once the story hit its stride, I was hooked. The latter section especially - an absolute banger. I tore through the last half of the book.
This story is a feminist retelling of Bluebeard. Accused of witchcraft, our FMC, Fortune, has two options: hang, or marry a stranger. She picks the husband, only to discover his creepy island home comes with its very own even creepier people, hidden tunnels, angry spectres, sinister secrets and the rather awkward fact that she might not be his first wife...
The story progressed so well, at a fast pace and I wasn’t even sure where it was going until pretty far on. That unpredictability paid off brilliantly though, keeping me on my toes the whole way through.
Our FMC’s power was another standout. Beautiful and full of potential. I especially loved her bond with her birds - such an intriguing thread - but it wasn’t really explored until quite late in the book. The hints were there early on, and I just wanted that connection developed more.
(And yes, I’m still side eyeing the scarlet stew. Because I’m pretty sure it’s exactly what I think it is, and our Fortune did not dwell on it nearly enough.)
Now, a little brain scratch moment: I honestly couldn’t tell if this was meant to be adult or YA. The story itself is clearly adult, but the writing style and dialogue had strong YA vibes. It’s a strange mix. Not necessarily bad, just slightly disorientating while my brain tried to put it in a box.
The weaker points? Characters overall felt a bit undercooked. I never quite felt like I knew them well. Also FMC’s growth into her power felt a touch rushed.
Despite a few unclear bits, this is a haunting, memorable and beautifully gothic story. A book that will stick in my mind, and one I’d definitely recommend for autumn nights when you want something eerie and atmospheric.
⭐ Gorgeous gothic vibes
⭐ Creepy, haunting & atmospheric
⭐ Slow start but worth it for the payoff
I would gladly read more by this author - that gothic voice is one I’d return to in a heartbeat.
Many thanks to Angry Robot, NetGalley and Jennifer Kennedy for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
This story is a feminist retelling of Bluebeard. Accused of witchcraft, our FMC, Fortune, has two options: hang, or marry a stranger. She picks the husband, only to discover his creepy island home comes with its very own even creepier people, hidden tunnels, angry spectres, sinister secrets and the rather awkward fact that she might not be his first wife...
The story progressed so well, at a fast pace and I wasn’t even sure where it was going until pretty far on. That unpredictability paid off brilliantly though, keeping me on my toes the whole way through.
Our FMC’s power was another standout. Beautiful and full of potential. I especially loved her bond with her birds - such an intriguing thread - but it wasn’t really explored until quite late in the book. The hints were there early on, and I just wanted that connection developed more.
(And yes, I’m still side eyeing the scarlet stew. Because I’m pretty sure it’s exactly what I think it is, and our Fortune did not dwell on it nearly enough.)
Now, a little brain scratch moment: I honestly couldn’t tell if this was meant to be adult or YA. The story itself is clearly adult, but the writing style and dialogue had strong YA vibes. It’s a strange mix. Not necessarily bad, just slightly disorientating while my brain tried to put it in a box.
The weaker points? Characters overall felt a bit undercooked. I never quite felt like I knew them well. Also FMC’s growth into her power felt a touch rushed.
Despite a few unclear bits, this is a haunting, memorable and beautifully gothic story. A book that will stick in my mind, and one I’d definitely recommend for autumn nights when you want something eerie and atmospheric.
⭐ Gorgeous gothic vibes
⭐ Creepy, haunting & atmospheric
⭐ Slow start but worth it for the payoff
I would gladly read more by this author - that gothic voice is one I’d return to in a heartbeat.
Many thanks to Angry Robot, NetGalley and Jennifer Kennedy for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 4, 2025
What a perfect preclude to the spooky season! If you are a mood reader like me, you'll want to curl up with this one when the weather starts getting chilly and pumpkin lattees hit the coffee shops!
Gifted hearts features Fortune; a woman accused of witchcraft and an ununusual affinity to birds. When she is accused of witchcraft, she is "rescued" by a mysterious man who marries her and takes her back to his secluded island. But has she gone from one deadly problem to another?
This book was such an amazing slow-burn read, with tension edging up with every paragraph. The languange is typical for gothic victorian novels, being poetic at times, and I remained fixated throughout. I connected well with the main character, and it was easy to get emotionally involved with the read.
The ending twist took me by surprise, and there were quite a few dark moments! (There is no harm to babies on page but it is implied, and miscarriage is mentioned so be careful if this is a trigger for you).
It was quite a fast paced read, which is unusual for a gothic-esq read, but one that I was thankful for because it made it so much more dramatic, and atmospheric. I'd definately recommend adding this one to your 'ber month TBR piles.
Gifted hearts features Fortune; a woman accused of witchcraft and an ununusual affinity to birds. When she is accused of witchcraft, she is "rescued" by a mysterious man who marries her and takes her back to his secluded island. But has she gone from one deadly problem to another?
This book was such an amazing slow-burn read, with tension edging up with every paragraph. The languange is typical for gothic victorian novels, being poetic at times, and I remained fixated throughout. I connected well with the main character, and it was easy to get emotionally involved with the read.
The ending twist took me by surprise, and there were quite a few dark moments! (There is no harm to babies on page but it is implied, and miscarriage is mentioned so be careful if this is a trigger for you).
It was quite a fast paced read, which is unusual for a gothic-esq read, but one that I was thankful for because it made it so much more dramatic, and atmospheric. I'd definately recommend adding this one to your 'ber month TBR piles.
October 25, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before the release day.
This was definitely such a different book from my usual reads but I was very pleasantly surprised.
The whole story kept the eerie, creepy and unsettling vibe and even though I found the beginning pretty slow, the pace picked up pretty quickly and I was fully gripped and invested throughout the book.
The creepy house and its members, all their secrets gave me the chills. I couldn't read faster to help Fortune figure out what's going on.
I enjoyed her creating a special bond with Mathis and how her strength returned as soon as she became a mother, wanting to fight and survive for her baby. I didn't see any of the twists and turns coming and truly didn't know where the story is going at any time which made this so much more enjoyable and suspenseful.
I wanted a bit more at the end, but it also felt hopeful and empowering at the same time. A sequel possibly?
Overall, a very strong debut, perfect for October/spooky season.
This was definitely such a different book from my usual reads but I was very pleasantly surprised.
The whole story kept the eerie, creepy and unsettling vibe and even though I found the beginning pretty slow, the pace picked up pretty quickly and I was fully gripped and invested throughout the book.
The creepy house and its members, all their secrets gave me the chills. I couldn't read faster to help Fortune figure out what's going on.
I enjoyed her creating a special bond with Mathis and how her strength returned as soon as she became a mother, wanting to fight and survive for her baby. I didn't see any of the twists and turns coming and truly didn't know where the story is going at any time which made this so much more enjoyable and suspenseful.
I wanted a bit more at the end, but it also felt hopeful and empowering at the same time. A sequel possibly?
Overall, a very strong debut, perfect for October/spooky season.
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