If you’ve been scrolling through fantasy romance recommendations lately, you may have seen Vesselless by Cortney L. Winn popping up on your feed. This first book in The Merciless Realms series blends high stakes dueling, addictive spirit magic, and a slow burn romance with a morally gray edge. But does it live up to the hype? In this review, I’m breaking down what worked, where I wanted more (especially on Nizzara’s family and the tournament’s history), and why the cliffhanger all but guarantees I’ll be picking up book two.
Vesselless by Cortney L. Winn
on October 7, 2025
Published by HarperCollins Publishers Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy, Fiction / Fantasy / Romance, Fiction / Fantasy / Urban, Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Pages: 448 
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Source: NetGalley and the PublisherVesselless grabbed my attention from the first chapter with a concept that blends danger, defiance, and magic that can consume you whole. Nizzara is an heiress desperate to escape an arranged marriage, and her only way out is to risk everything in the Merciless Realms dueling tournament. Her weapon of choice is spirit magic, a power that can turn the tide of a fight but threatens to strip away her very soul. From the moment she steps into the arena, her fire and determination make her a character worth following.
While the story kept me engaged, I found myself craving more backstory. Nizzara’s mother is clearly an important figure, but we only get pieces of her history and motivations. The same goes for the tournament itself and the world surrounding it. There are hints of a deep, layered history that never fully unfolds on the page, leaving me wishing those elements had been given more room to develop.
The world building itself is intriguing but can be disorienting. The inclusion of glo cars and guns alongside swords, ghosts, and magical combat is unexpected and left me unsure about the time period or cultural backdrop. It is a bold choice, but without stronger grounding, it sometimes pulls the reader out of the story.
On the strengths side, the slow burn romance between Nizzara and Dagen, the half ghost former king, is handled well. Their connection builds gradually, with enough tension to keep the pages turning. The magic system is another standout, with clear stakes and a constant moral question about how far one should go to win.
The pacing is fast, and while that keeps the momentum high, it also means certain moments, especially character beats and world detail, could have benefitted from slowing down. Even so, the ending delivers a cliffhanger that makes it hard not to pick up the next installment.
Vesselless is dark, imaginative, and brimming with potential. It might not answer every question, but it leaves you invested in finding out what happens next.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
I received this book for free from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
🫶🏼 – Ali
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