Heartsgrove by Allison Saft

Heartsgrove by Allison Saft

In this queer folkloric romance, a world-weary botanist seeks a dying dryad prince to help untangle the curse transforming his body, set in the same world as A Dark and Drowning Tide.

In the wake of a disastrous scientific expedition, life has gone on for all the surviving members—save for one. Ludwig von Meyer, renowned botanist and victim of a deadly curse, is slowly turning into a tree.

His body grows more alien by the day, and then there’s the matter of the blackouts, which have him waking inside an eerie, blighted grove.

Then, one night, he awakes on the doorstep of the grove’s keeper, a mysterious dryad prince named Alois, who offers a pact. Alois can lift Ludwig’s curse, on one condition: Ludwig must rid the sacred grove of its blight.

With the bargain sealed, Ludwig has only a handful of weeks to solve the mystery of the grove before his curse makes him a permanent part of it . . . and before the handsome dryad who increasingly owns Ludwig’s heart perishes along with his trees.

Praise for the author:

“Richly imagined and as bewitching as a naiad’s song, A Dark and Drowning Tide deftly weaves romance with powerful indictments of the fetid, nationalistic roots of our favorite fairy talesBut for each prick of a prejudicial thorn, Saft offers her readers a balm—at its core, this is a story about the healing capacity of love. Clever, emotional, and gorgeous.”—Ava Reid, award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of Juniper & Thorn

“A Dark and Drowning Tide is an enchanting tale in an intricately realized world. The narrative is laced with folk tales and enlivened by brave and clever protagonists. Its adventures are enriched by Allison Saft’s beautiful prose, making it the perfect read for lovers of fantasy.”—Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

“Haunting and bewitchingly romantic, A Dark and Drowning Tide deftly twines mystery and lore and adventure. Protagonists Lorelei and Sylvia illuminate their surrounding gloom and will sweep you clean off your feet. I loved every page.” ― Rachel Gillig, New York Times bestselling author of One Dark Window

“Much like Shadow and Bone, A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft features a land consumed by anti-immigration and antisemitic thought. At its core is a tradition: a hunt for a magical beast. For anyone wanting a romantic fantasy storyline, this one is between a sharpshooter and an alchemist.” ―Buzzfeed

"Deeply entrancing. Teeming with magic and alchemy, A Far Wilder Magic is an utterly transportive read, unfolding into a world of crumbling manors and ancient forests. Allison Saft crafts a deliberate, intricate romance that will have you as unmoored as the characters." ―Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"Innovative, romantic, and intoxicating. A Far Wilder Magic is a diamond of the YA fantasy genre, with a fresh and artfully layered world and extraordinary characters to match. This is dual narrative at its finest." ―Amanda Foody, bestselling co-author of All of Us Villains

Allison Saft is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic and Down Comes the Night. After receiving her MA in English Literature from Tulane University, she moved from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast, where she spends her time rolling on eight wheels and practicing aerial silks. She lives with her partner and an Italian greyhound named Marzipan.