The attraction Rune and Gideon have for each other is undeniable; the only problem is Rune is the Crimson Moth that Gideon is searching for to kill. Gideon's younger brother Alex is also in love with Rune and Rune's best friend. Gideon has to set all that aside to fulfill his duty as part of the Blood Guard. It is the Blood Guard's job to find and purge all witches for the New Republic. Rune has fallen for the person that is hunting her.

Heartless Hunter, by Kristen Ciccarelli, is a gripping tale of love, duty and sacrifice. Can two people from different backgrounds and beliefs, who shouldn't be together, overcome? Gideon and Rune both believe they are doing what is right, Gideon is hunting witches for the good of society. Rune, a witch herself, is trying to save as many witches as possible. People do not deserve to die because they were born a witch. Not all witches are evil and crave power. Not everything is as black and white as Gideon wants it to be. What is more important, family or duty? Right vs Wrong? Alex protects both the people he loves, regardless of who they are or their beliefs. Gideon has a job to do and so does Rune. Will love win out or will two people destined to be together, let duty get in their way?

I couldn't put this book down. I can't wait to find out how this duology ends. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Heartless Hunter. Definitely a book I will be buying for my bookshelf.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for Goodreads! I LOVED this book! It’s a very quick read, and if you enjoyed the Serpent & Dove trilogy, you’ll like this, because it had very similar vibes. Magic, witches, enemies to lovers, forbidden love, best friend’s brother…this has truly so many great tropes and it was done very well! And I loooved Gideon 🥹 he’s such a sweetie and even though he was hunting Rune he treated her so well (the flower?? the DRESS??). Also, his character was totally giving Rhys and Amarantha vibes 👀😭 I wish we got more of his POV! I partially guessed the main twist, but not all the details, and the last ~50 pages had me STRESSED. I need the next book immediately, which is unfortunate because this one literally came out today 😅 I have so many questions I need answers to! This is such a great new fantasy series!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read before pub day! HEARTLESS HUNTER is out now!

Heartless Hunter is the story of a charismatic witch and a determined witch hunter. Rune is a young heiress to the outside world, but secretly she is the Crimson Moth. The Crimson Moth is known for freeing witches and Rune’s greatest secret is that she is one. When a rescue does not go to plan, Rune is forced to court Gideon, a well-known witch hunter. As they get to know each other, Rune must use all her skills so that Gideon never sees the witch beneath her mask. As the stakes rise, Gideon and Rune start to fall for each other…

Heartless Hunter is one of my new favorites of 2024! Rune is such a strong character who is determined to protect her people and honor her grandmother. I appreciated how clever Rune was about getting the blood she needed for spells. Gideon is equally as determined to protect his brother and gain revenge on the witches who hurt him in the past. I loved the banter between Gideon and Rune! Gideon and Rune have a steamy romance filled with tension and longing. Ciccarelli excels at creating moments of passion between them. On paper they are two people who should never be together, yet they find themselves in love against all odds. Along with romance, the complex politics and excellent twists make this impossible to put down. I cannot wait for book two!!

Readers who enjoy Shelby Mahurin, Renée Adieh, and Holly Black will enjoy Heartless Hunter. If you seek enemies-to-lovers, steamy romance, and creative magic then you need to check out this book.

Thank you to Kristin Ciccarelli, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Once again, enemies to lovers has me by the throat. Rune and Gideon are sworn enemies, witch and witch hunter. Gideon suspects that Rune is the notorious vigilante witch he has been hunting for two years and sets out to prove it by courting her to get close. Rune needs information that Gideon has to free more witches from the Blood Guard's clutches so she entertains him as suitor to earn his trust. But what neither of them counted on was falling in love. This is a riveting story of secrets, betrayal, and falling in love with the one person you know you shouldn't.

I loved this book. Rune is driven by her own guilt and need to make a difference for her people who are being ruthlessly slaughtered left and right. She will do anything to get more witches to safety including getting in the good graces of her worst enemy (and best friend's brother, ifykyk). I was so stressed reading about how Gideon slid back and forth between suspicion and trust, between his heart and his loyalty. Every second, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Rune to be found out. I was suspicious of everyone around her as the story went on and now I have so many theories and questions. I can't wait for the next book.

Heartless Hunter is an excellent new fantasy romance that will appeal to fans of the Throne of Glass series and Divine Rivals (as just a few examples). Rune has been masquerading as an upstanding citizen in a republic that hunts down witches, while hiding the fact that she is, in fact, a witch herself. She uses her access to the upper echelons of society to find and rescue other witches who have been captured by the Blood Guard. One of the leaders of the Blood Guard is Gideon--the brother of Rune's best friend--whose main priority is capturing the "Crimson Moth" who has been helping witches escape. Gideon suspects Rune's true identity and pretends to court her to gather intel. Rune, on the other hand, realizes that Gideon is on to her, but turns the situation to her advantage by using Gideon for her own intel gathering.

The plot moves quickly, and I especially liked that both Rune and Gideon realize early on that they were using each other rather than having it be one-sided. This raised the stakes right away and added to the tension. I also liked that this was not a straightforward good vs. evil dynamic between the witches and the New Republic. The old regime of the witch queens did horrible things, as shown through Gideon's traumatic flashbacks. The New Republic, likewise, in trying to eliminate all witches was brutal and violent. Through their faux-turned-real relationship, Rune and Gideon come to undertsand the other side's positions (to a certain degree), but the fundamental gap between them seems insurmountable.

There are a lot of fun twists and turns in the story and a major cliffhanger ending. This is definitely leaning towards YA, though there is one somewhat vaguely worded sex scene. I am looking forward to reading part 2 of this duology!

Thank you to Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

“Like the moon and the tide, the closer he got to her, the closer he wanted her.”

A witch and the man who hunts her falling for one another…
Out of this world tension and angst…
Banter that will have you kicking your feet and giggling like a little school girl…
Secrets that when revealed, will absolutely blow your mind…

Heartless Hunter has it all and truly was phenomenal from beginning to end. I’m already contemplating reading this one all over again even though the ending left me a sobbing mess.

I went into this book pretty blind and I’m so glad I did! If you are looking for a true enemies to lovers, this is the one! It was done so well. I read this so incredibly fast. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what was going to happen. The world was enchanting and not overly complex, but still definitely kept me intrigued! I loved the characters, the storyline, and that ending! Wow.

I had two small things that brought it down a touch for me… there wasn’t much action at all and without giving anything away, I think for the plot of this one, I would like to have seen more… and there was one thing mentioned several times that gave me the ick.

I’m excited for book 2 to see where this story goes! Thank you for the advanced copy!

Absolutely perfect 5 stars!!! I had a pause at the beginning of February due of work errands, but nearly the due date I had to binge read this book! I am in love Kristen's writing and her unique of a witch x witch hunter romance! It was pretty intense at the end. I need book 2 now!! 😭😭😭

[ DNF @ 36% ] Unfortunately, this wasn't a witch x witch hunter book I could finish. The premise and cover drew me in and made me interested in reading this story. I wasn't enjoying it at all.

That first line? Wow, a great and effective hook to capture the reader's attention even as it gave me a sense of foreboding.

I don't see how a more than physical relationship could be possible given where both main characters are coming from and the trauma they carry. Gideon vehemently despises everything Rune is (a witch). His killing of the sister witch queens led to a bloody and violent revolution against witches and the death of the most important person in Rune's life (at the time) and countless others. Rune is also secretly trying to rescue any witches who haven't been purged while maintaining the persona of a typical wealthy girl and loyal citizen of the new republic. Their respective plans under the guise of a fake courtship just seem doomed to fail.

Based on the writing, world-building, fast pace and tension, I do see why "Heartless Hunter" has been so highly rated and raved about. Sadly, some things I couldn't get past, which made for a gloomy reading experience.

Maybe I'll pick up where I left off at a later date? Not sure. I'm kind of curious about what more there could be beneath the surface that has the potential to shake things up again. I'm sure if I kept reading I'd learn the answers to my questions and doubts. But for now, it's a DNF for me.

Rune is a witch who lives in fear of revealing her identity at the risk of being hunted and killed. so because of this she keeps her secrets as best she can, while also doubling as the “Crimson Moth” a vigilante witch who helps free and save witches who are being sent to their deaths. now onto Gideon, he’s a witch hunter who’s job as the captain of the bloodguard is to do just that— hunt witches. Gideon is hellbent on finding this Crimson Moth’s true identity without realizing she’s closer than he thinks.. he’s doesn’t want to believe that Rune is this vigilante despite his suspicions and because of this he and Rune fall into a intense game of cat and mouse while they continue to circle and corner each other at every turn. I really enjoyed this book and after that cliffhanger ending I'm more than willing to read it’s sequel

I really enjoyed this book. It was a super easy and entertaining read that managed to pull me into the world and keep me engaged. This book didn't reinvent the wheel, but it did what it was meant to do quite well.

Perhaps it could be criticized for it's simplicity and predicability, but I found it to be just right for what it is. Easy to breeze through and read in a few hours. Pure entertainment. That being said if you're looking for intense world building, complex magic systems, or deep character development, this isn't that.

That being said, I liked the characters and I understood their motivations. Everyone was easy to root for despite often being on opposite sides of the main conflict. No one read as annoying, obtuse, or irrational/erratic; which I find happens often in books to propel story lines.

I look forward to reading the sequel!

Heartless Hunter is a fast-paced and addicting fantasy novel that catapults you into a high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase between a vigilante witch hiding her true identity and the witch hunter determined to capture her.

Rune is an aristocrat who came into her witch powers after the reign of the Witch Queens ended violently, with the queens’ death and all known witches rounded up to be “purged”. Although her public image is one of a wealthy and shallow socialite, her secret life as the elusive Crimson Moth involves rescuing witches before they are sent to their deaths. Gideon is the witch hunter in charge of capturing the remaining witches in hiding, ensuring that their powers can never be unleashed on society again. His nemesis is the Crimson Moth, and he will stop at nothing to find and eliminate her threat once and for all. When one of Rune’s attempts involving a witch close to her family goes awry, she realizes that she needs information from Gideon in order to complete her mission. In the meantime, Gideon discovers that Rune may be the Crimson Moth and enters into her social circle to get closer to her. As they begin to court, lines become blurred and feelings begin to surface… and both must figure out what is the truth and who is winning this deadly game after all.

This is the first book in a young/new adult duology and let me tell you…I am hooked. The world-building is absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed all of the details about the levels of spells and the intricacies of casting performed by the witches, and how their powers can be used for good or evil. There is hatred, conflict, and tension between the witches and humans, with both sides grieving those they’ve lost and acting to protect the ones who remain. I absolutely loved the relationship and tension between Gideon and Rune. The scenes that they have together are so good! Both of their backstories reveal hurt and trauma from their pasts, as well as the reasons behind why both are so determined that their missions succeed. There’s so much chemistry between the two of them throughout the book, and I enjoyed the whole enemies to lovers development.

There’s action throughout the novel, and I found myself flying through the book. There’s definitely a cliffhanger of an ending, and I’m not sure about some of the choices that both characters make towards the end. But I am completely invested and I can't wait to read the second book!

Rating 4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy, in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a great time reading it! It's a fun, true enemies-to-lovers story with deceptive games and tons of angst. Rune is a witch, and Gideon is the witch hunter that's been on her tail for 2 years but he's not certain it's her. They play a sort of cat and mouse game with each other in order to gain information. Both pretending to court the other. What they didn't expect was for it to become more than just pretend.

This story was so easy to read and had such an intriguing magical system. The world building and magic explanations were simple enough, and overall, it made for a fun reading experience. The only thing I can say is that some of the plot twists are a bit predictable, but that doesn't make it any less entertaining. It does leave on a cliffhanger, and I'm very excited to find out what's to come. This is a solid 4.5☆ for me.

There is a LOT to love about this book. There are witches in hiding, an enemies to lovers (to enemies?) trope, a bit of a love triangle, and oh so much more! I was absolutely taken by the Crimson Moth, and absolutely loved Gideon's obsession in uncovering the identity. And when we got to the romancing? Ooof! Gideon, be still my heart! He's endgame material.

"But a girl who could outwit him thrilled Gideon too much to deny."
Yes, please! Give into that chase!

There are a few things I did not like about this book. The first is a mixed-feelings statement. I loved the unconventional method of spell casting; however, I am utterly repulsed by my OWN. So I really wanted to be sick just thinking about somebody using it to cast. (I don't want to say what I'm referring to... If you know, you know.)

The second is actually a big ole issue that I have with the book. As I read an uncorrected copy, I sincerely hope this is edited out. A main character ADMITS something to another main character, and it's treated like nothing was said at all. Is this an editing issue? Also, is it Annalise or Analise? It's spelled two different ways in this book. (My fingers are crossed that both of these things are corrected in the final copy!)

Verity admits to Rune, in Chapter 35, that her sisters are Elowyn and Annalise. But there's zero reaction out of Rune. It's like the author didn't mean to name-drop. I waited until the end, wondering if Verity was going to admit that she spelled Rune to forget... But nothing. So dear editors, author, anybody- please fix that. It's this paragraph- "My stepfather used her fragile state against her, convincing her that Annalise and Elowyn were jealous. That they had struck the baby dead... She sided with him over her own daughters." This entire section makes it obvious that Verity's sisters are the former queens. And Rune's reaction? "No wonder Verity hated her parents." Not- OMG You're related to them?

To be honest, though, I knew what the reveal was before this mistake in writing. The real reason I gave it four stars actually has to do with the blood source. Please tell me it's not used in book two! It's really creative - big kudos for that - but it repulses me.

With that said, I really encourage everybody who loves romantasy, enemies to lovers, witches versus witch hunters, and brooding male leads to give this book a go! Gideon is amazing, and we all deserve a partner like him!

I absolutely loved this book! It was fresh and different, and not a carbon copy of every other Enemies to Lovers Romantasy.
That being said, each of the twists was well-foreshadowed, and were not unexpected. I'm not a reader who demands to be surprised, so this didn't bother me. In fact, I thought it was well done that each twist felt natural, and made sense within the worlds and characters. But for readers who desperately want twists that surprise them, this might miss the mark.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Coming up on its release date (tomorrow, 2/20!), I urge you to rush out and grab this as soon as the stores open!! This was also a February 2024 BOTM pick, and well-deserving of it!

That was a wild ride. I had a couple of hang ups with some plot choices that made me hold back on my rating a little bit but the story had me wanting to find out what happens next and I will most certainly be reading the next book. Overall it was very entertaining! I loved the enemies to lovers situation and all of the dramatic moments definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. I also cried so that’s always a win for me.

Side Note: I personally do not think this book should be marketed as teen/YA. Please check content warnings.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a mesmerizing tale of courage, love, and sacrifice set in a richly imagined fantasy world. It was dark and gothic and just beautifully written! The world-building was simple yet the characters had such depth.

Ciccarelli weaves a spellbinding narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Rune’s journey from a reluctant hero to a fearless leader is both poignant and inspiring, making this a must-read if you are a fantasy lover. The witch hunter hunting the witch made for an epic enemies to lovers cat and mouse game! Ooh, the betrayal! The hunter fell in love with the hunted.

Ciccarelli’s lyrical prose and masterful storytelling make “Heartless Hunter” a fantasy gem! That ending….WHAT?! Absolutely epic. I can’t wait for Crimson Moth #2!

Heartless Hunter is a fun take on witches, banned magic and forbidden romance. I liked that there was a dual POV and that each POV was entertaining in its own way. Rune was an interesting protagonist who is quite skilled at donning masks to fool people into thinking she’s something she’s not. I really love it when two characters are using each other for their own gain and make horrible assumptions about the other. Then watching as things get complicated when they begin to realize that those assumptions are wrong. Add to that a slow burn, witch/witch hunter dynamic and I’m hooked. The plot was fast paced but the romance could have had more depth. There was a lot of good action, and I liked how the magic system was incorporated. The cat and mouse aspect had me on the edge of my seat at times. Lots of scheming and deception was constantly happening. The twist was so good. I did not see it coming and it left me wanting even more. I’m definitely looking forward to book 2.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.25 stars

She was a witch. He was a witch hunter. Can I make it any more obvious?

After magic has been outlawed & any known witch killed, Rune Winters has no choice but to practice magic in secret. Over the past two years she's dedicated her life to saving witches from the Blood Guard's clutches under the moniker Crimson Moth.
Gideon, captain of the Blood Guard, has spent his time trying to capture the Crimson Moth, and he's closing in. Suspecting Rune might know the Moth (or might even be her), Gideon begins courting Rune in an effort to try to find out if she is a witch or not.

This was a great start to a series and was much more fast-paced than I was thinking it would be! It definitely leans heavily towards the romance aspect of romantasy, and I really did enjoy the romance. I think the magic system is intriguing and honestly wish it could have been explored a little more. Dare I say the book could have been longer?

I had such a fun time reading this book and am highly anticipating the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.