The Book of Heartbreak

Ceren debuts with a lush, emotionally charged romantasy that threads ancient cursework, divine intervention, and coming-of-age vulnerability into a rich tapestry of self-discovery. Sare Silverbirch lives under a peculiar curse: five heartbreaks before her 18th birthday will end her life, and she’s already endured four. The latest, her mother’s sudden death, leaves Sare barely clinging to life when she is invited by the grandfather she thought long dead to live with him in Istanbul. There she meets handsome, enigmatic seer Leon Dumanoğlu, who has unexpected ties to her family’s tangled past. As their bond deepens and Sare’s birthday approaches, the danger increases, especially as meddling celestial beings work to seal her fate. Istanbul’s vibrant markets, the mysterious pull Sare feels toward the Maiden’s Tower, and the quiet intimacy of her grief are rendered with immersive detail, and though the romantic arc feels a tad rushed, the emotional core is solid. Fans of Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart will want to check this out. Agent: Elizabeth Counsell, Northbank Talent Management. (Aug.)