The War of Lost Hearts series by Carissa Broadbent is an epic fantasy romance that follows a former soldier and an ex-slave as they fight malicious magic and the tyranny manipulating them. This series is a BookTok darling, often put in league with Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series, so expectations were high when I picked up the first book, and this series surpassed them with ease. The hype is more than justified.
Tisaanah Vytezic was only a child when her homeland was conquered and she was sold into slavery. After eight arduous years, she managed to secure her freedom, but not without an enormous cost. With her newfound independence, she travels to Ara to seek out The Orders, a magical organization that can train her to wield the magic in her blood, in the hopes that it will help her fulfill her promise to return to save her best friend.
As part of her training, The Orders assign her a teacher, the reclusive retired war hero Maxantarius Farlione. Max has no interest in taking on an apprentice, and even less in any business to do with The Orders. Under some threat from The Orders that readers don’t yet understand, he is forced to agree. As Tisaanah and Max begin to form a tentative friendship, they are confronted with brutal battles, grief, terror, and bloodshed that are nearly unimaginable in their journey for justice.
The beginning of most fantasy novels feels like complete chaos. This series is no exception. I don’t know where we are, I don’t know who anyone is, and I don’t know how anything works. It’s all just vibes at the start, and the vibes in Daughter of No Worlds are very intriguing.
The reader’s understanding of what this magic is and what is possible grows and shifts as the story progresses, but the excellent description of the settings and characters help ground the fantasy and give readers some stable footing.
There is a great deal of pain contained within the pages of this series. It explores injustice, the human cost of war, and the corruptive influence of power. But that pain is countered with hope, love, and the pursuit of justice in a balance that forms something beautiful.
The first book in the series is written in the first person from Tisaanah’s perspective, but later includes Max’s as well. The second book introduces new characters and new perspectives as well as additional layers to the story.
Tisaanah and Max are survivors, sometimes impossibly strong, and yet still undeniably human. They bear their scars and their trauma, but do so in a way that while imperfect, remains awe-inspiring throughout the series.
The romance aspect of this fantasy is a very slow burn. Readers can tell from the beginning of the first book that these two will have to work hard for their happily ever after. While the love story is at the forefront, the spice in The War of Lost Hearts is not a primary focus, just an added sprinkling to enhance the romantic story arcs.
In the nearly two thousand pages of this story, we meet an expansive case of characters, some villains and some heroes, each with distinct personalities and abilities. It would be hard to keep up with, except they are introduced slowly and with great care, making them fit seamlessly into the tapestry that this author crafts.
Like so many fantasy series, The War of Lost Hearts is a slow start while readers get their bearings, but grows into something absolutely gripping. There are stunning plot twists, worlds colliding, and puzzle pieces falling into place. Every layer of this story is thoughtful and filled with emotion. I can tell it will stay with me for a long time to come.
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