Sadly I ended up DNF-ing this book. But it wasn't all bad by any means. I can see a lot of people really enjoying this book, it is well written and the descriptions are pretty good. I really loved the opening sequence in particular, it was very vivid in my mind when reading it. However, it was a little bit cliche feeling at least to me personally. I think at this point in time I have read a lot of YA romantasy and it gets to the point where they start to all feel the same. I want books that are more unique. The male romance character feels like a lot of others. The overall plot of "having magic" but "magic is outlawed" but "the guy I'm into is on the other side and wants to kill me but I'm going to fall for him anyway" is just really overdone at this point and this book didn't really expand the genre by changing things up. So it just felt a little pointless of a read for me personally. I do think this author is a good writer though so I would definitely consider reading future books by her, just with a different plot.

Cat and mouse. Witch and witch hunter. Enemies to lovers. A plot we’ve all read before, and I’ll continue to read. Was it forgettable? Yes. Will I be binging the next installment? Also yes.

The first 30% of this book was just okay to me. I didn’t enjoy the characters, I found them honestly to be annoying. But once we got to know their back story and the book picked up, I couldn’t put this book down! Once I learned more, I found myself rooting for some of them. Ultimately, I was let down in the end and I did shed some tears. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t mad, because WHY DID YOU DO ME LIKE THAT? But overall, this was a great book and I’m not ready for book 2!

I will not be giving a review. I am apart of and support the SMP boycott! I will give a review when the demands are met by SMP.

4.5 stars.

I usually avoid series but I couldn't help it with this book. The premise was so fantastic that I didn't care it's the first book of the Crimson Moth series and I had to request it. And it was worth it.

First of all, I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, so kudos to Ms. Ciccarelli for creating an almost perfect one. Rune and Gideon were the biggest asset this book has. The chemistry, the tension, the banter, the slow-burn romance, were... ah, there are no words to describe it! Add a love triangle to the equation and it should be this huge bomb, but that's the only thing that wasn't fully compelling for me. Also, the book has some YA vibes (wasn't this book supposed to be a NA story?) at that specific trope that I'm not happy with it. The thing is, I didn't like Alex for some reason I couldn't explain.

What I liked most was the author's writing skills. Her world building is simply perfection, the characters are well developed and structured, the conflicts are well justified, the dialogues and scenes transitions are organic, and the FREAKING cliffhanger... oof, I NEED book two like NOW!

An excellent start for a promising series that has everything to be memorable.

• ARC given by St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

So while this book was enjoyable, I also don’t understand the hype of it and feel like this book could have had more to it? I loved the concept of the hunter and hunted being in love but were they really in love? They fake dated and played chicken to see who would confess first. And then they acted all offended when they got caught. I wish there would have been more lead up to them having feelings like I felt the feelings they did have were very surface level and non existent.

Rune…loved that she was fighting for the witches and she had her little band of friends in Verity and Alex but 1)knew she was Cressida once Gideon started talking about her and 2) knew how Alex was in love with her and saw the ending coming a mile away. What I don’t fully understand is how she had such bad vibes and disgust with Cressida after everything Gideon told her and then was like hey queen free me and followed her just to leave and not be worried about her? I feel like this needed to be explained more and left me with a lot of questions

Overall, the book was good but I felt like it needed more. I’d be curious enough to see where the next book goes but with that being said I won’t be rushing to read it

t’s only getting three stars because of the ending. I’m not sure how the ratings are so high on this book. I originally received this book through NetGalley but ended up getting the special edition through Fairyloot and read the book while listening to the audio book.

What is in the Book?
❤️Forbidden Romance
❤️Extreme Slow Burn
❤️Enemies to lovers
❤️Best Friend’s Brother
❤️Fake Courting
❤️Love Triangle
❤️Cliffhanger
❤️Dual POV
🌶️Short spicy scene (takes forever together there!)

“You are everything I thought you were,” she told him.

Rune and Gideon are fun. I’m not sure if I fully believe that they are truly are in love though. There just wasn’t enough pull between the two of them for me to really see the attachment. I get the “I need you, you need me” but they don’t know this about each other vibe, but it gets in the way a lot.
Rune is a great character. Out of everyone she was my favorite. Alex annoyed me because I knew he loved her from the beginning. Harrow was odd, Laila is a bitch and Gideon is just Stubborn. Verity I found fascinating until the end.
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Massive Spoiler but I need to rant about this.

HOW DO YOU JUST TURN AROUND AND SAY, “MY QUEEN A LITTLE HELP” and RUN OFF WITH HER”!!!!!! You know she is a bad person. I understand Rune can’t stand on that island anymore, I get that but like come on. I got so irritated with that scene. There could have been a little bit of a fight. She had a willing blood donor; doesn’t that give her some additional power over the queen? Plus! and hear me out on this, this woman hurt the man you love “supposedly” and now your best friend, and you do nothing, nothing at all but split an island!
If there isn’t vengeance in the second book, I swear lol

My thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with a digital copy for review.

This book flew by in the best way. There was never a dull moment, the characterizations were well done, and the plot had me hooked. I loved seeing the relationship between Rune and Gideon develop and bloom. That ending had me absolutely hooked and I can’t wait for the second book! What a whirlwind. Fans of young adult, fantasy, and romance will devour this book.

Wow. Just wow. You are going to love Rune and Gideon. The book is just perfections. And the end. I can’t wait for the next book.

A delicious enemies to lovers romantasy. I'm not a big witchy girl, but done correctly- I bask in it. This was done perfectly. The world building was minimal and consumable. The characters were diverse and complex. I agree with others that the first half was more YA then NA or adult. The love triangle trope was giving me major YA dystopian vibes like Hunger Games. The second half of the book picked up in paced and I zoomed through it. The ending...I cannot....

If you enjoyed the Serpent and Dove series then you'll most likely enjoy this. I would say there is more banter in Serpent and Dove then in Crimson Moth. There's sexual tension and build up but not like what Lou and Reid had. I will say, I cannot wait for the next installment!

4.5 rounded up!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this so much! I think Heartless Hunter is the first *actual* enemies to lovers I have ever read. All those before were just ‘dislike to lovers or something because this one packed a punch I’ve never experienced before.

Rune is a witch in hiding in a society that hunts witches. Gideon is a witch hunter who due to trauma at the hands of an evil witch truly hates them. Unfortunately, they each want to use the other for something, so they are forced into one another’s orbit.

There were some twists that I didn’t see coming and some things that I did but the anguish that this book was written with is what stands out. What can you look past for the person that you love?

This book ended on a cliff hanger that is absolutely killing me since the second book in the duology isn’t released until 2025 but it was so worth it that I will be sitting here kind of patiently waiting.

"Heartless Hunter" by Kristen Ciccarelli is an enthralling start to the Crimson Moth series, blending elements of fantasy, romance, and high-stakes drama. The story follows Rune Winters, a witch forced to hide her identity in a world where witches are hunted to near extinction. By day, she masquerades as a superficial socialite, but by night, she becomes the Crimson Moth, a vigilante rescuing fellow witches.

The plot thickens when Rune decides to court Gideon Sharpe, a dedicated witch hunter, to gather crucial information. Their relationship evolves from mutual deception to genuine affection, creating a compelling enemies-to-lovers dynamic. Ciccarelli's world-building is vivid, with a dark, post-revolutionary setting that adds depth to the narrative.

While some readers found the plot twists predictable, the character development and emotional intensity keep the story engaging. The novel's ending leaves readers on a cliffhanger, eagerly anticipating the next installment. Overall, "Heartless Hunter" is a captivating YA fantasy romance that promises an exciting continuation in its series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

I am obsessed. Everything about this was pure perfection!

This ending broke me. The author did an AMAZING job building the world and making you fall for the characters. I loved Rune and the brothers. But oof. That ending. I am dying to get my hands on the next one.

Witch x Witch Hunter? Say less. Can honestly say I loved everything about Rune & Gideons story. The tension!!!!!!!

I loved how fast paced everything was & how easy it was to imagine the settings of the book with little world building,

The ending kinda shocked me.. but also I knew something was up in regards to part of it 🤔 still hurt my feelings though. 😭

A beautiful fantasy written about strong characters and adventure. I loved this story quite a bit. I would recommend this to anyone who liked books about fantasy and romance.

The romance and the edge of your seat conflict was much needed. I can definitely see this being a book for those that enjoy fourth wing.

I’m a big fan of Ciccarelli’s magical and romantic writing and this one was no exception
Ciccarelli’s stories immediately transport you and captivate you from page 1
Heartless Hunter is a beautifully written fantasy romance with a dual POV that will keep you wanting more and more… I finished it in a day because I couldn’t put it down 🤗
I loved the characters! They are all flawed and chaotic but also relatable and unique.

There was just something missing for me in this book…
I wouldn’t say this is an enemies to lovers more like rivals to lovers since Gideon doesn’t truly know who Rune is and then I felt like the romance progressed fairly quickly I wish there was more of the “enemies” component and maybe if it was a little longer the angst would have built up better (for me)
I also saw that final twist a mile away so that took away the shock factor for me

Overall, this is a great fantasy and probably the best fantasy I’ve read this year however there were some things missing that would have made this 5 stars for me

Really, really good enemies to lovers trope. I was fully invested in the story the whole time. The characters were well written and I enjoyed them. I thought the pace was great. I look forward to the next one!

This book was so so so GOOD! I truly could not put it down! The writing was amazing. The characters were diverse and interesting. I was captivated by the plot and needed to know what was going to happen next. I also did not see the plot twist coming. This story was interesting and new. Even though it's YA, it is something that can be enjoyed by anyone! I cannot recommend this book enough, and I can't wait until the next one!
Thank you to @netgalley for an advance ebook copy in exchange for my honest review!