Life 15th January 2026 by Bronwyn O'Neill

By The Book: NYT Bestseller Isabel Ibañez Makes Jump To Adult Fiction

"I poured a lot of my heart in the story"

Pic: Shelby Mahurin

Making the leap from writing adult books can be scary. Isabel Ibañez tells us as much herself. She’s no stranger to the publishing world.

The Bolivian American author is a New York Times-bestseller. She released her first book, Woven in Moonlight, in 2020 (she also illustrated the cover!) and six years on, she is ready to make the jump into writing for adults.

Her sixth book, Graceless Heart, is hitting shelves this month, almost exactly six years after her first book was published. And she tells us that while she’s nervous about making the change from Young Adult fiction to Adult fiction, she tells us that she couldn’t be prouder of her work.

Tell us a bit about your new novel, Graceless Heart.

Graceless Heart is a romantic historical adult fantasy set in Renaissance Florence with a cutthroat political backdrop, real historical figures, the threat of war, and constant tension between religion and magic. It’s also a love story between two people who are diametrically opposed in all things: Ravenna, a human with a secret, who doesn’t shy away from the messy parts of life… and Saturnino, an immortal knight, who wants nothing to do with emotion. At its heart, Graceless Heart is about passion, sacrifice, and the quiet strength it takes to choose your own fate.

This is your first time writing an adult novel! Were you nervous to jump into this new genre?

Um, yes. I’ve been writing YA for years and taking the leap into the adult category felt very intimidating. But I also liked the challenge of it, too.

When you’re releasing a new book, is there pressure to live up to expectations?

So much. Mostly, I worry about letting my readers down, but then I try to remember that whatever book I’m releasing, it lives with me for a period of my life and respects that season. Graceless Heart was the first book I wrote after becoming a new mom to twins, it was the book I wrote during the devastating flood that wrecked my town. I poured a lot of my heart in the story, everything I had to give in the midst of utter chaos. And so I’m proud of this book, this story, and it will always be special to me because it exists at all. If I think about it like that, it removes a lot of the pressure.

What’s the first thing you do when you sit down to write?

I light a candle that fits with the tone of the book. For Graceless Heart, it was very floral and lush scents!

What is that childhood book that you still think about to this day?

Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. One of my favourite books of all time.

Who are three authors that inspire you?

Naomi Novik, Juliet Marillier, and Sue Lynn Tan.

What’s a book that you’ll never forget?

Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. Completely wrecked me.

Who is the favourite character you’ve ever written?

Inez Olivera. She’s hopeful and curious and adventurous and thinks the best of people and loves with her whole heart. I really felt for her and her eternal search for family and home.

Pic: Instagram/Isabel Ibañez

If you could go into a book universe, which would it be?

Emma M. Lion books! The most magical and whimsical neighbourhood.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Your story matters, no matter the trends or what’s popular. Somewhere, there’s a reader who will feel seen by the characters and worlds you create. Write the book, even if it scares you.

Is there a book you wish you could read again for the first time?

Yes, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier!