Synopsis:

Before Foss Butcher was Snagged, she thought no more of the magic-users than did anyone else in her tiny village. Sometimes gorgeous women in impossible carriages rolled into town and took bits of people’s hearts. Everyone knew hearts fueled their magic. But Foss, plain, clumsy, and practical as a boot, never expected anyone would want hers.

True enough, when the only sorcerer in the kingdom stepped from his glossy carriage, he didn’t intend to hook Foss. Sylvester’s riot of black curls and perfectly etched cheekbones caught her eye a moment too long, that was all. Suddenly, Foss is cursed and finds herself stomping toward the grand City to keep his enchanted House, where her only friend is a talking cat and the walls themselves have moods.

But as Foss learns the ways of magic, she realizes she’s far from its only unwilling captive. Even Sylvester is hemmed in by spells and threats. It’s said this sorcery protects king, country, and order for thousands. If Foss wants to free herself—and, perhaps, Sylvester—she’ll have to confront it all . . . and uncover the blight nestled in the heart of the kingdom itself.

Review:

A very cute and whimsical read that I had a good time with. There are big Howl’s Moving Castle vibes here (the film), as we follow Foss Butcher, an ordinary girl from a small village whose heart was snagged (literally) by a sorcerer and before we know it she’s working as his housekeeper.

Foss was an interesting character to follow. She has some very deep insecurities and is often putting herself down. It did get a little repetitive and I did often want to shake her but thankfully Foss also showed a lot of strength, especially when it came to her desire to protect other people. Despite the spell on her, her determination to take action when nobody else would really made it easy to root for her.

Sylvester on the other hand was a character I didn’t care too much for. He didn’t seem to have much of a personality beyond ‘brooding’ and wearing flamboyant clothes. Unfortunately, this led to the budding romance falling a bit flat for me since the odd spark didn’t make up for the lack of depth.
Luckily we have a third character, Cornelius. A talking cat, he more than made up for the lacklustre sorcerer with his wit and charm. I loved him!

The first half of the story took some time to build up as the world and the magic were established. Foss sets out for the city and spends a lot of time exploring the sorcerer’s house and pondering over the stolen hearts – hers included. While I can understand why some would find it sluggish, I enjoyed Eames’s writing enough that it kept me captivated and turning pages. It felt like a grown-up fairy tale, and I could very easily picture the scenes and little details. Once we pass the halfway point, the plot and the pace really take off. Things turn darker here, and much less whimsical as Foss and Sylvester go up against the rest of the sorcerers to try to save the folk of the Kingdom.

Overall I found A Harvest of Hearts to be a quick and enjoyable read. Thank you so much to @erewhonbooks and @NetGalley for providing an eArc in exchange for review.