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A Broken Heart of Blackened Stone
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26A runaway princess. An empathic pirate who loves her. The warrior guarding her back. An adventure to sweep you off your feet.
Fast-paced, lush, intuitive storytelling with a deliciously torturous slow-burn romance? Yes, please! A Broken Heart of Blackened Stone is an unapologetically feminine pirate adventure that romantasy fans are bound to sail through.
—Morgan J. Watchorn, author of Fire to the Stars
Ida has an adventurer’s heart. When she followed that heart, she left behind the jungle island queendom ruled by her mother and ended up on board a merchant ship, with nothing but the blade in her hand and the magic in her bones to protect her. One, she’s great at using. The other, not so much.
Carrington’s magic tells him there’s something different about this girl who carries herself like a queen but wields a blade like a warrior. His magic also tells him she needs more protection from someone—he can’t figure out who—on her crew than even she realizes. But keeping her alive is a heavier task than he bargained for, and unraveling her secrets turns out to be a full-time job of its own.
After a bad contract leaves the ship in dire financial straits, Ida needs all the allies she can get, and a sailor who seems to know too much is more alluring than she’d like to admit. Before the two of them can untangle their feelings for one another, Ida needs to save the ship, and that might mean heading for the one place she never thought she’d ever see again: Home.
Perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace and Victoria Aveyard.
Fast-paced, lush, intuitive storytelling with a deliciously torturous slow-burn romance? Yes, please! A Broken Heart of Blackened Stone is an unapologetically feminine pirate adventure that romantasy fans are bound to sail through.
—Morgan J. Watchorn, author of Fire to the Stars
Ida has an adventurer’s heart. When she followed that heart, she left behind the jungle island queendom ruled by her mother and ended up on board a merchant ship, with nothing but the blade in her hand and the magic in her bones to protect her. One, she’s great at using. The other, not so much.
Carrington’s magic tells him there’s something different about this girl who carries herself like a queen but wields a blade like a warrior. His magic also tells him she needs more protection from someone—he can’t figure out who—on her crew than even she realizes. But keeping her alive is a heavier task than he bargained for, and unraveling her secrets turns out to be a full-time job of its own.
After a bad contract leaves the ship in dire financial straits, Ida needs all the allies she can get, and a sailor who seems to know too much is more alluring than she’d like to admit. Before the two of them can untangle their feelings for one another, Ida needs to save the ship, and that might mean heading for the one place she never thought she’d ever see again: Home.
Perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace and Victoria Aveyard.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I am very thankful that I got the opportunity to receive and read this ARC. I have followed Gina for a while on socials and I was very excited to hear about this book and read it.
Overall, I am rating this book 3 stars. Seeing as this is a debut, and I am not a writer or editor, I wanted to give this book some grace. I also want to say that I think this series has promise and I am interested to see how the story plays out.
The initial premise of this book caught my attention. Ida is heartbroken after the death of one of her sisters, feeling trapped in the royal princess life and needing a good adventure. She is a bit of a rebel, always sneaking out and looking for fun trouble. She meets Galvin and after sneaking around with him for a while, she runs away from her royal life and sets sail on his merchant ship. Soon after, a big storm hits, killing Galvin. After a nomination, Ida ends up being the new captain of the ship. She gets into some trouble while delivering a shipment regarding a contract agreement and it sets in motion the rest of the story. Trying to keep her crew paid and fed, going back to the Breverik Isles and having to own up and face her choice to run away and how that impacted her family.
What I like about this story:
I liked that the story jumped right into a scene, it really captured my attention. I enjoyed the pirate adventure aspects and the hints of magic. I also really enjoyed how Gina Denny descripted everything from emotions, to the environment. I felt like it painted a really clear picture and helped me envision the world easily. I liked that Ida is ab it rebellious and she wanted to break out of the royal mold and see the world. I like that she wanted to do right by her crew and make sure they were paid and fed and I also like that she wanted to make things right with the Burgess company and fix the issues with the contract. I also liked that the Isles were a matriarchal society and that there was LGBT+ representation. The epilogue was also very intriguing and makes me interested for the rest of the story.
What I think could have been better:
I found myself questions whether parts of the story and other characters were important. I don't understand the addition of Brita. There is no point to her character in my opinion other than to show that Ida is not ruthless and compassionless. Otherwise, we don't really learn her story. I also found myself questioning the pendant. It seems really important in the first couple of chapters, but then we don't hear about it for a while. There are a few mentions of it later on in the book but we get hardly any information until the end. It seemed like it would be a much bigger plot point for this book and it just faded into the background really quickly.
I also was confused about Ida most of the book. It takes a while before we actually know why she ran away. Although we never learn what happened to her sister. We finally learn some of this info around the 40% mark. I was also questions how Ida would even know how to run a ship or have any leadership ability. We do get more information about her but I was wanting it sooner. Because we don't learn a lot about her background in regard to her knowing how to fight and use weapons or how to steer a ship, It just felt weird that she would somehow know how to do this without giving the reader the back story. I think that if some of the book was structured differently, the same info just in a different order, I would have an easier time believing that Ida is a badass pirate leader that is cunning and witty. I had a hard time believing it.
I didn't feel like the romance hit at all. There didn't seem to be a real connection other that Carrington being bale to sense her emotions and want to help her. I don't dislike him as a character but he also did not seem super important. Maybe he will in the future.
I also wanted to know about the magic system. None of that was explained so it was hard to understand the magic side of the world without any explanation. Where does the magic come from? Does everyone have magic or just specific bloodlines? Is it elemental? Derived from a certain place? We don't learn any of that.
Lastly, It just seemed like there needed some more editing overall. I am not one to really focus on small editing issues because its not really a big deal to me. However, it seemed like there was a lot of sentence structure issues. I found myself having to reread multiple sentences because the wording was weird or it seemed like a word was missing. Also, like I said previously, I think that the story would have had more of an impact if it was structured differently. If it started out with her in town with Galvin, Ida sneaking around and talking about her grief, then deciding to leave and run away, then all the stuff on the boat, I think it would have given the reader a better understanding of who Ida was.
Overall, I don't think this is a bad book and the premise is interesting enough, especially with the epilogue, to keep me wanting more. If you like a slightly more cozy vibe then this is definitely a book for you!
Overall, I am rating this book 3 stars. Seeing as this is a debut, and I am not a writer or editor, I wanted to give this book some grace. I also want to say that I think this series has promise and I am interested to see how the story plays out.
The initial premise of this book caught my attention. Ida is heartbroken after the death of one of her sisters, feeling trapped in the royal princess life and needing a good adventure. She is a bit of a rebel, always sneaking out and looking for fun trouble. She meets Galvin and after sneaking around with him for a while, she runs away from her royal life and sets sail on his merchant ship. Soon after, a big storm hits, killing Galvin. After a nomination, Ida ends up being the new captain of the ship. She gets into some trouble while delivering a shipment regarding a contract agreement and it sets in motion the rest of the story. Trying to keep her crew paid and fed, going back to the Breverik Isles and having to own up and face her choice to run away and how that impacted her family.
What I like about this story:
I liked that the story jumped right into a scene, it really captured my attention. I enjoyed the pirate adventure aspects and the hints of magic. I also really enjoyed how Gina Denny descripted everything from emotions, to the environment. I felt like it painted a really clear picture and helped me envision the world easily. I liked that Ida is ab it rebellious and she wanted to break out of the royal mold and see the world. I like that she wanted to do right by her crew and make sure they were paid and fed and I also like that she wanted to make things right with the Burgess company and fix the issues with the contract. I also liked that the Isles were a matriarchal society and that there was LGBT+ representation. The epilogue was also very intriguing and makes me interested for the rest of the story.
What I think could have been better:
I found myself questions whether parts of the story and other characters were important. I don't understand the addition of Brita. There is no point to her character in my opinion other than to show that Ida is not ruthless and compassionless. Otherwise, we don't really learn her story. I also found myself questioning the pendant. It seems really important in the first couple of chapters, but then we don't hear about it for a while. There are a few mentions of it later on in the book but we get hardly any information until the end. It seemed like it would be a much bigger plot point for this book and it just faded into the background really quickly.
I also was confused about Ida most of the book. It takes a while before we actually know why she ran away. Although we never learn what happened to her sister. We finally learn some of this info around the 40% mark. I was also questions how Ida would even know how to run a ship or have any leadership ability. We do get more information about her but I was wanting it sooner. Because we don't learn a lot about her background in regard to her knowing how to fight and use weapons or how to steer a ship, It just felt weird that she would somehow know how to do this without giving the reader the back story. I think that if some of the book was structured differently, the same info just in a different order, I would have an easier time believing that Ida is a badass pirate leader that is cunning and witty. I had a hard time believing it.
I didn't feel like the romance hit at all. There didn't seem to be a real connection other that Carrington being bale to sense her emotions and want to help her. I don't dislike him as a character but he also did not seem super important. Maybe he will in the future.
I also wanted to know about the magic system. None of that was explained so it was hard to understand the magic side of the world without any explanation. Where does the magic come from? Does everyone have magic or just specific bloodlines? Is it elemental? Derived from a certain place? We don't learn any of that.
Lastly, It just seemed like there needed some more editing overall. I am not one to really focus on small editing issues because its not really a big deal to me. However, it seemed like there was a lot of sentence structure issues. I found myself having to reread multiple sentences because the wording was weird or it seemed like a word was missing. Also, like I said previously, I think that the story would have had more of an impact if it was structured differently. If it started out with her in town with Galvin, Ida sneaking around and talking about her grief, then deciding to leave and run away, then all the stuff on the boat, I think it would have given the reader a better understanding of who Ida was.
Overall, I don't think this is a bad book and the premise is interesting enough, especially with the epilogue, to keep me wanting more. If you like a slightly more cozy vibe then this is definitely a book for you!
August 22, 2026
I really wanted to love this one. 😭 The premise immediately caught my attention—a runaway princess, pirates, magic, an empathic sailor, a warrior protecting her, and a slow-burn romance? YES. 🏴☠️✨ Unfortunately, the execution left me much more confused than captivated.
I wasn’t very hooked during the first few chapters, but I wanted to give the story some grace, so I kept going. Sadly, I never developed that emotional connection with the characters that I was hoping for. There were moments where I genuinely found myself wondering, Wait… what exactly is happening now? 😅
Ida had so much potential. She was a heartbroken princess who had lost one of her sisters, felt trapped by royal expectations, and desperately wanted an adventure beyond her island queendom. She had a rebellious streak, constantly sneaking away and getting herself into trouble. 🌊👑
After meeting Galvin and secretly spending time with him, Ida eventually left her royal life behind and sailed away on his merchant ship. Then a devastating storm killed Galvin, leaving Ida as the new captain. From there, she had to keep her crew fed and paid, deal with a disastrous contract, navigate dangerous situations, and eventually face the home—and the family—she had run away from.
That premise sounded SO good to me. Unfortunately, I struggled with the way the story revealed information. 😭
One of my biggest problems was Ida herself. We eventually learned more about why she had left, but it took a long time to get there. We also never really got enough information about her sister’s death, which was supposed to be such an important part of her emotional journey.
There were also several plot elements that left me scratching my head. 🤔
The romance was another disappointment for me. 💔
The blurb promised an empathic pirate who loved Ida and a deliciously torturous slow burn, but I never really felt that connection. Carrington could sense Ida’s emotions and seemed determined to protect her, but I didn’t feel enough emotional intimacy between them to make the romance land for me.
I didn’t dislike Carrington. I just didn’t feel particularly invested in him either. Maybe his importance would have grown in future books, but in this one, I was left wanting much more.
And the magic system? I needed answers! 🪄😭
We knew Ida had magic in her bones and Carrington had his own abilities, but I spent much of the book wondering how the magic actually worked. Where did it come from? Did everyone have magic? Was it connected to certain bloodlines? Was it elemental? Was it connected to a particular place?
I had questions. So many questions. 😂
I think my biggest issue was that the book had all the ingredients for something I should have absolutely devoured, but I never felt fully grounded in the world or the characters. The story moved forward, but I often felt like I was trying to catch up with it rather than experiencing it alongside the characters.
There were some genuinely intriguing ideas here—the runaway princess trying to build a life at sea, the consequences of abandoning her family, the struggle to keep her crew afloat after a terrible contract, the mysterious magic, the danger surrounding Ida, and the inevitable return home. 🌊👑⚔️
I just wish the story had revealed some of that information differently and allowed me to understand Ida and the world before asking me to believe in them.
Tropes & vibes
👑 Runaway Princess
🏴☠️ Pirate Adventure
⚔️ Princess with a Blade
🪄 Hidden/Unexplained Magic
💫 Empathic MMC
🛡️ Protective MMC
💕 Slow-Burn Romance
🌊 Adventure at Sea
👨👩👧👦 Complicated Family Relationships
🔐 Secrets & Hidden Powers
🏠 Returning Home
👸 Feminine Pirate Fantasy
Thank you to Gina Denny and The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to read this ARC. 💕📚
I wasn’t very hooked during the first few chapters, but I wanted to give the story some grace, so I kept going. Sadly, I never developed that emotional connection with the characters that I was hoping for. There were moments where I genuinely found myself wondering, Wait… what exactly is happening now? 😅
Ida had so much potential. She was a heartbroken princess who had lost one of her sisters, felt trapped by royal expectations, and desperately wanted an adventure beyond her island queendom. She had a rebellious streak, constantly sneaking away and getting herself into trouble. 🌊👑
After meeting Galvin and secretly spending time with him, Ida eventually left her royal life behind and sailed away on his merchant ship. Then a devastating storm killed Galvin, leaving Ida as the new captain. From there, she had to keep her crew fed and paid, deal with a disastrous contract, navigate dangerous situations, and eventually face the home—and the family—she had run away from.
That premise sounded SO good to me. Unfortunately, I struggled with the way the story revealed information. 😭
One of my biggest problems was Ida herself. We eventually learned more about why she had left, but it took a long time to get there. We also never really got enough information about her sister’s death, which was supposed to be such an important part of her emotional journey.
There were also several plot elements that left me scratching my head. 🤔
The romance was another disappointment for me. 💔
The blurb promised an empathic pirate who loved Ida and a deliciously torturous slow burn, but I never really felt that connection. Carrington could sense Ida’s emotions and seemed determined to protect her, but I didn’t feel enough emotional intimacy between them to make the romance land for me.
I didn’t dislike Carrington. I just didn’t feel particularly invested in him either. Maybe his importance would have grown in future books, but in this one, I was left wanting much more.
And the magic system? I needed answers! 🪄😭
We knew Ida had magic in her bones and Carrington had his own abilities, but I spent much of the book wondering how the magic actually worked. Where did it come from? Did everyone have magic? Was it connected to certain bloodlines? Was it elemental? Was it connected to a particular place?
I had questions. So many questions. 😂
I think my biggest issue was that the book had all the ingredients for something I should have absolutely devoured, but I never felt fully grounded in the world or the characters. The story moved forward, but I often felt like I was trying to catch up with it rather than experiencing it alongside the characters.
There were some genuinely intriguing ideas here—the runaway princess trying to build a life at sea, the consequences of abandoning her family, the struggle to keep her crew afloat after a terrible contract, the mysterious magic, the danger surrounding Ida, and the inevitable return home. 🌊👑⚔️
I just wish the story had revealed some of that information differently and allowed me to understand Ida and the world before asking me to believe in them.
Tropes & vibes
👑 Runaway Princess
🏴☠️ Pirate Adventure
⚔️ Princess with a Blade
🪄 Hidden/Unexplained Magic
💫 Empathic MMC
🛡️ Protective MMC
💕 Slow-Burn Romance
🌊 Adventure at Sea
👨👩👧👦 Complicated Family Relationships
🔐 Secrets & Hidden Powers
🏠 Returning Home
👸 Feminine Pirate Fantasy
Thank you to Gina Denny and The Nerd Fam for the opportunity to read this ARC. 💕📚
Review of advance copy
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for this gifted ARC!
I feel bad because I really wanted to love this one! Especially since I think this is the author's debut, but unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me.
The premise is so fun! A runaway princess turned ship captain, a magical necklace, and a mystery to uncover. There are a lot of ideas here that I think could have made for a really fun fantasy adventure, but it ultimately felt like the story wasn’t fully fleshed out beyond those ideas.
The magic system and the lack of background for characters are what I had the biggest issues with. We never really get an explanation of how people get magic, how it works, or how it’s actually used. At times, it felt like the magic was added simply to make the story feel more like a fantasy. It isn't fleshed out at all. I also wish we had gotten more of the characters’ backstories earlier on. Ida becomes a captain after winning a fight, but we don’t really know enough about her background to understand how she would have those skills. She’s a princess, so I had a hard time believing she could suddenly hold her own as a captain without more explanation.
Especially because Ida has three sisters, I wanted more information about how royalty works in this world. Who is expected to rule? What are the other sisters being prepared for? What kind of training did Ida receive growing up? Having some of that context earlier would have made her character and abilities feel much more believable.
And this is definitely a personal gripe, but we are reminded A LOT that Ida is 19 and tall/lean 😂 I get that she’s young, but sometimes her behavior felt much older than 19. Going from being a young princess to confidently commanding a ship full of men is a pretty big jump, and I think more backstory would have helped make that transition feel more natural.
That being said, if you’re someone who reads more for the vibes, I could definitely see this working for you! The writing is descriptive, the scenes were easy to picture, and there’s a fun atmosphere, an interesting premise, and a lot of potential here.
For me, though, I needed a little more than vibes. I wanted more world-building, character development, and explanation behind the magic and the world. I definitely think there’s potential here, especially for a debut, but it ultimately felt a little underdeveloped for me
I feel bad because I really wanted to love this one! Especially since I think this is the author's debut, but unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me.
The premise is so fun! A runaway princess turned ship captain, a magical necklace, and a mystery to uncover. There are a lot of ideas here that I think could have made for a really fun fantasy adventure, but it ultimately felt like the story wasn’t fully fleshed out beyond those ideas.
The magic system and the lack of background for characters are what I had the biggest issues with. We never really get an explanation of how people get magic, how it works, or how it’s actually used. At times, it felt like the magic was added simply to make the story feel more like a fantasy. It isn't fleshed out at all. I also wish we had gotten more of the characters’ backstories earlier on. Ida becomes a captain after winning a fight, but we don’t really know enough about her background to understand how she would have those skills. She’s a princess, so I had a hard time believing she could suddenly hold her own as a captain without more explanation.
Especially because Ida has three sisters, I wanted more information about how royalty works in this world. Who is expected to rule? What are the other sisters being prepared for? What kind of training did Ida receive growing up? Having some of that context earlier would have made her character and abilities feel much more believable.
And this is definitely a personal gripe, but we are reminded A LOT that Ida is 19 and tall/lean 😂 I get that she’s young, but sometimes her behavior felt much older than 19. Going from being a young princess to confidently commanding a ship full of men is a pretty big jump, and I think more backstory would have helped make that transition feel more natural.
That being said, if you’re someone who reads more for the vibes, I could definitely see this working for you! The writing is descriptive, the scenes were easy to picture, and there’s a fun atmosphere, an interesting premise, and a lot of potential here.
For me, though, I needed a little more than vibes. I wanted more world-building, character development, and explanation behind the magic and the world. I definitely think there’s potential here, especially for a debut, but it ultimately felt a little underdeveloped for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I want to start off by saying thank you so much to Gina for the ARC of her book! I’ve been a follower of her for a little while now and I’m so grateful to have been given an advanced ebook.
The good:
- The ambiance and world felt very immersive and I love a good book set on the ocean!
- Obsessed with the tall FMC! As a tall girl myself, i am loving this representation!
- The beginning of the book had me hooked! The storm and fight for Captaincy was exciting and interesting!
- I looked forward to Ida’s chapters a lot! I love that she was a super confident badass lead who still felt all her emotions on the inside. So relatable
The not so good:
- unfortunately, I was not a huge fan of Kendhall or Carringtons chapters. It felt like their chapters were to give context to the plot instead of moving it along. A lot of the time, I just kept wishing to go back to Ida’s POV because the others felt a little slow.
- the romance between Ida and Carrington never really hit the bullseye for me. There were times where it felt believable and sweet, and others were I just didn’t understand their connection at all.
-my biggest disappointment was that as soon as it felt like things were picking up, something happened to turn us away from the interesting thing, and I felt like there was no true climax of the book. When the book ended, my first thought was wait, that’s it? I could definitely sense that something big was building under the surface and I’m sure the plot turns were a way to keep that underlying tension and twists from being revealed, but I never felt like they fully hit, just kind of fizzled.
The biggest save was the epilogue at the end. I feel like the reader can kind of see it coming, but the way it is revealed in the epilogue was super cool and interesting. I will definitely continue reading the series as they come out.
If you are a fan of calmer, softer fantasy book then I think you would really enjoy this book! Unfortunately for me, I love action packed, high energy fantasy’s that keep me on my toes. I do think I can sense that energy and action coming in the next book, though, so I am excited.
The good:
- The ambiance and world felt very immersive and I love a good book set on the ocean!
- Obsessed with the tall FMC! As a tall girl myself, i am loving this representation!
- The beginning of the book had me hooked! The storm and fight for Captaincy was exciting and interesting!
- I looked forward to Ida’s chapters a lot! I love that she was a super confident badass lead who still felt all her emotions on the inside. So relatable
The not so good:
- unfortunately, I was not a huge fan of Kendhall or Carringtons chapters. It felt like their chapters were to give context to the plot instead of moving it along. A lot of the time, I just kept wishing to go back to Ida’s POV because the others felt a little slow.
- the romance between Ida and Carrington never really hit the bullseye for me. There were times where it felt believable and sweet, and others were I just didn’t understand their connection at all.
-my biggest disappointment was that as soon as it felt like things were picking up, something happened to turn us away from the interesting thing, and I felt like there was no true climax of the book. When the book ended, my first thought was wait, that’s it? I could definitely sense that something big was building under the surface and I’m sure the plot turns were a way to keep that underlying tension and twists from being revealed, but I never felt like they fully hit, just kind of fizzled.
The biggest save was the epilogue at the end. I feel like the reader can kind of see it coming, but the way it is revealed in the epilogue was super cool and interesting. I will definitely continue reading the series as they come out.
If you are a fan of calmer, softer fantasy book then I think you would really enjoy this book! Unfortunately for me, I love action packed, high energy fantasy’s that keep me on my toes. I do think I can sense that energy and action coming in the next book, though, so I am excited.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed this first installment of the Pirate Queen Chronicles. It follows a shape-shifting princess named Ida with an adventurous spirit who runs away from her kingdom in the wake of grief and finds herself on board a merchant ship. Things don’t go entirely to plan and she has to return back home in order to save the ship and crew from the consequences. This was a multi-POV book: we have the princess, a man on board the ship who can’t help but fall for Ida, and a female member of the princess’ royal guard back home. This book was definitely focused on setting up the characters, plot and world for the next book. While a little slow in pace, the writing was clear and felt effortless to read and I am eager to see what becomes of Ida and her crew. There was also hints of magic and mythic creatures that the epilogue definitely suggests will be explored further in book two!
~I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted book! ~
Note: While written well, there were a few errors (missing words, duplicate words, etc.) that hopefully can be easily fixed. They don’t detract from enjoying the story though!
~I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted book! ~
Note: While written well, there were a few errors (missing words, duplicate words, etc.) that hopefully can be easily fixed. They don’t detract from enjoying the story though!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Well I received the arc this morning and finished this evening, so that speaks to how engaged I was in the story. Our FMC seems like someone who cannot be contained. She needs to be on the move all the time (I can relate) so when her grief pushes her to make a reckless decision, she winds up on an adventure on the water. Pirate ships, crazy storms, perilous situations & super high stakes. Our girl can handle herself & has to prove it time and time again. This author's descriptive writing particularly when on the volcanic island really brought the environment to life in my mind. I enjoyed the story and look forward to book two with the plot twist we were thrown!! The yearning was palpable & for sure we were begging for a pinkie graze!! Super glad to hear that books 2 & 3 of the trilogy won't be an enormous wait time, I love that.
Review of advance copy
ARC Review
This was fun read with some heavy themes. A Broken Heart of Blackened Stone took me on an adventure while still giving me the depth I crave. This well written romantasy touches on elements of grief, familial expectation and guilt. Our FMC struggles with these themes while being an all around badass. She's strong, both physically and emotionally, and isn't the typical waif we usually find in this genre. The MMC is emotionally intelligent and full of yearning. This book had me picking it up every chance I got and I cant wait to read the rest of the series.
I received this advanced reader copy from The Nerd Fam. This review is honest and unpaid.
This was fun read with some heavy themes. A Broken Heart of Blackened Stone took me on an adventure while still giving me the depth I crave. This well written romantasy touches on elements of grief, familial expectation and guilt. Our FMC struggles with these themes while being an all around badass. She's strong, both physically and emotionally, and isn't the typical waif we usually find in this genre. The MMC is emotionally intelligent and full of yearning. This book had me picking it up every chance I got and I cant wait to read the rest of the series.
I received this advanced reader copy from The Nerd Fam. This review is honest and unpaid.
August 17, 2026
Good book I really liked the FMC Ida and how she held her own and didn’t conform to be what she was raised to be. She had her eyes set to be out to sea and become a captain and she did what she planned. Carrington was a little wrench at first , but he came around and he was her rock when things fell apart. It was a 4.5 ⭐️ read for me. I do want a little more spice with them in the next one. Kendhall needs more time in the spotlight I think. She needs to get out with Ida and learn some things. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Thank you The Nerd Family for sending me this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The concept of this story was intriguing to me but the writing was very surface level. I didn’t have any strong feelings toward the characters. I wasn’t pulled in by the plot. The romance didn’t feel authentic. The setting was interesting. I did enjoy the description as they were in the Brevick isles because it felt very magical and mysterious. I think the story has good bones but it needs more depth and character development for me to really love it. Overall, it was just okay.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for gifting me this ARC to review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to The Nerd Fam for gifting me this ARC to review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
Rating 3.5 starts, thank you to Nerd Fam for the arc for this book.
A ran away princess turned ship captain! I did find it quite a slow start and hard to get into the book. Once I hit about half way it was all coming together though.
Excellent word building and character building. The multiple povs I really got behind. And the ending?! It was teasing us the entire book 😱
If you like a dabble of magic, an FMC that doesn’t follow the rules asks goes and carves her own path, & not to forget pirates 🏴☠️ take this out for a spin.
A ran away princess turned ship captain! I did find it quite a slow start and hard to get into the book. Once I hit about half way it was all coming together though.
Excellent word building and character building. The multiple povs I really got behind. And the ending?! It was teasing us the entire book 😱
If you like a dabble of magic, an FMC that doesn’t follow the rules asks goes and carves her own path, & not to forget pirates 🏴☠️ take this out for a spin.
Review of advance copy
I am very thankful to have received this book, however I could not finish’s this. I made it to the 20% mark.
I wasn’t very hooked in the first few chapter but I wanted to give this some grace so I kept going. Sadly I do not really have that love for the characters, I’m not very sure what is going on from page to page. Ida seems interesting but I still have no idea whey she even ran away to bring with.
I wasn’t very hooked in the first few chapter but I wanted to give this some grace so I kept going. Sadly I do not really have that love for the characters, I’m not very sure what is going on from page to page. Ida seems interesting but I still have no idea whey she even ran away to bring with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2026
Such a fun story, kept me interested the entire time! I do feel like there were a couple moments where the story seemed to jump from one moment to another quickly without giving the story time to breathe. But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the rest of the trilogy!
Review of advance copy
Couldn't finish. Had a self-published feel to it. No hook and felt like it could use a good edit.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC of this book after backing the Kickstarter for the series. All I have to say is, it’s a lot of fun, and I’m curious what will happen in the subsequent books!
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