I devoured this book. It had some of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers and fake dating (although it was a twist on that, since the other didn’t know if they were actually in it for real or not). I loved Gideon Sharpe and the complicated character that he was. I adored Rune and thought she was absolutely the best- had such a wonderful heart and was incredibly smart and brave. And my heart felt for Alex, who was the typical friend-zoned final side of this love triangle.

This had a moderately fast pace, as there was a bit of a background mystery developing, and the love story between Gideon and Rune kept me hooked. I loved the creativity of Rune’s plans to help save witches and how she got out of plans gone wrong, as well.

Overall a GREAT book if you like fantasy, witchiness, and enemies to lovers!

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

Heartless Hunter is a young adult fantasy about a witch hiding in plain sight on an island that has purged them and dethroned their queens. Her days pretending to be a vapid aristocrat by day while she rescues imprisoned witches at night are numbered when a hunter zeroes in on her as a suspect.

Rune Winters has lived alone as a wealthy heiress since her adopted grandmother was sentenced to death as a witch two years earlier. She has allowed the new government and their army the “Blood Guard” to believe she is a patriot with nothing more than frivolity on her mind while she secretly operates to rescue witches from prison as the “Crimson Moth”. But when her best friend’s older brother and Blood Guard captain (Gideon Sharpe) adds Rune’s name to the top of his suspect list the two will play a game of cat-and-mouse game trying to pull each other in for information without giving in to their increasing attraction. Gideon has no love for witches after one of their queens destroyed his family and enslaved him. And Rune can’t give up on rescuing more witches after she let her grandmother sacrifice herself to save her.

Heartless Hunter is an exciting and romantic fantasy with a strong enemies to lovers plot. Rune is trapped in her role as the savior of witches even if it means eventually she could lose her own life. Only her best friends Alex Sharpe and Verity de Wilde know her true identity and playing the different roles of socialite and the Crimson Moth has left her not knowing who the real Rune is. Gideon had everything taken from him by the witch queen Cressida and he is determined to keep his people out from under their rule again even if it means seducing the girl his brother loves. The chemistry and tension between Rune and Gideon make the book a page turning read. There is never a dull moment in the plot as the story leads to a devastating conclusion and sets up the next book. I can’t wait to see where the story takes us next!

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli is the most anticipated book of this year. The cover of this book is just gorgeous!!! A romantasy, this book has a lot of elements that will capture a lot of readers. Expected Publication of this book is February 20th, 2024.

Rune is an aristocrat and a celebrity or so she wants everyone to think. The synopsis of the book kind of tells the reader a major part of the book, but the thrill of the book is to find out why Rune has to pretend. Gideon is a witch hunter, but why does he hunt witches?

Rune and Gideon are well developed characters. My favorite fantasy series is The Black Jewel series, and Gideon had shades of Daemon, which fascinated me to know more. I hope that in the next book, we know more about the magic system of this world. Though there is enough backstory, I want to know more about this world. This book is said to be YA, but I feel some of the story is a little more mature for that age bracket. It's more of NA than YA. Nonetheless, paying heed to all the content warnings would be good. Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one in the series.

Thank you St.Martin's Press @stmartinspress and Wednesday Books @wednesdaybooks , for this book.

CW: Violence, killing of women, blood, SA, hunting, self-harm

First book in a romantasy duology and it’s a good one. A kingdom that has overthrown the rule of witches and a cunning game between a witch(Rune) and a witch hunter(Gideon). Feelings get in the way of these two emotionally scarred people while they try to outmaneuver each other. There are many twists and turns and not everyone is who they appear to be. Add in a heartbreaking cliff hanger that makes you want to read more right now! Looking forward to book 2. Thank you very much Netgalley, St Martins Press and Kristen Ciccarelli.

Alex protects her.
Gideon hunts her.
Both love her.

This fantasy has all the great markers for a great read and no clear resolution to the predicament Rune has gotten herself into.

In this world, if you’re a witch you’re marked for death no matter if you are evil or not. Rune hides in plain sight as a rich socialite but is the Crimson Moth who helps free other witches.

There’s angst, betrayal, action, and a fun enemies-to-lovers vibe.

I enjoyed this book and I will be looking forward to more …

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth: Book 1) by Kristen Ciccarelli from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/MacMillan Publishers in order to read and give an honest review.

“…filled with witches, magic, danger, darkness, and a twisting enemy to lover, to love triangle dynamic that keeps you on your toes culminating in a devastatingly brutal cliff hanger…”

Young Socialite Rune Winters is a flirty young aristocrat living in a country famous for condemning witches to death. To the eye, Rune seems like a guileless, shallow debutante, but she is also a brilliant actress who carefully harbors a secret: she is not only a witch herself, but she is also the Crimson Moth, a crusading witch who uses her magic to save other witches from the clutches of the deadly Blood Guard. The Blood Guard was established when an evil witch, Cressida, had taken over the land with her destructive magic, their mission is to execute all the witches.

As a mere child Rune herself had been forced to betray her grandmother, the woman who raised her by turning her into the brutal Blood Guard at her insistence. Rune’s powers did not surface until after her grandmother’s execution and now a young woman Rune has been searching for her grandmother’s friend Seraphine to help her understand her power. When she hears that Seraphine has been arrested and is awaiting execution Rune sets out as the crimson moth to rescue her before that happens. Upon failing to locate her and desperate for information on where she is being held, she decides to seduce the Captain of the Blood Guard, Gideon Sharpe, and older brother of Rune’s trusted confidant Alex. Gideon, repulsed by Rune’s socialite ways, suspects her of being the Crimson Moth but when more information hints he is correct he makes it his mission to seduce her in hopes of revealing the truth and for once executing the witch who has murdered his men and freed the witches who he feels should be slaughtered. The game is on both intent on seducing the other to get to the truth, a cat and mouse game like no other. As the game continues, do enemies become lovers who begin to believe the lies…or are they lies?

Set in a “Victorianesque” era the Heartless Hunter is filled with witches, magic, danger, darkness, and a twisting enemy to lover, to love triangle dynamic that keeps you on your toes culminating in a devastatingly brutal cliff hanger. With a twisty plot and perfect pacing this was a quick and enjoyable read I would highly recommend. Was it YA? I am on the fence it dealt with some dark issues, and in my opinion, it leans more to NA.

This was a great book. I loved the action and the angst! The ANGST! Witch hunter falling for the Witch, who is also his younger brothers best friend! I gasped and laughed and definitely teared up a little while reading this. I need the next one yesterday!

Sometimes a book just hits for you and this one absolutely hit for me. I feel like I devoured it with how fast I read it and how much I thought about it. The Serpent and Dove comparisons for this book are fair, it does surround a witch and witch hunter in a fake sort of real dating situation where they each have their own agenda as they slowly fall in love. I also saw the twists coming a mile away. And even with all of that, I felt so much tension and propulsive energy, I couldn't put the book down. I was fully enmeshed into this world and devastated when I finished (the sequel says 2024?? Is it a duology? Tell me more).

Rune as the witch in hiding who must play the vapid aristocrat while secretly saving witches was everything to me. Gideon as the stoic witch hunter guard who pretends to court Rune to see if she is a witch I also absolutely my type. The two of them together, as they gradually let their guards down was just magic.

The story was propulsive and filled with action as well as steamy and heart pounding scenes. I feel like I highlighted half of this book. This is capital ENEMIES to More and the chemistry was present from page one.

I just so enjoyed this fantasy (romantasy?) series beginner and I am absolutely feral for the next book.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tale as old as time, witches and witch hunters. Rue hides her identity as a witch by day and is a vigilante at night. I enjoyed the political and social intrigue as well as the magical elements. Rune's character complexities shown through but the MMC did not grow on me. There were times where the main characters did not seem to have chemistry. Overall, I enjoyed the story but do not know if I would continue the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I had heard a lot of buzz about this one and was so excited to have a chance to review it. Heartless Hunter lived up to the expectations! Rune, a witch in her own right, is living at a time when witches are being hunted and executed. She is living as a witch secretly, even having gone so far as to turn her own grandmother in to be executed as a way to honor her family, keep up appearances, and stay alive. Her best friends, Alex and Verity, know her secrets and help her save other witches from the Bloodguard, who are tasked with ridding the New Republic of all witches. Gideon, Alex's older brother, who he has a very complicated relationship with, holds a high ranking position in the Bloodguard, Rune is determined to honor her grandmother at any cost by saving a very powerful witch who has been imprisoned, but she will have to deceive Gideon to get the information she needs without the help of Alex. Events unfold and allegiances are broken, relationships tested, and there's plenty of action throughout. This book ends on a bit of cliffhanger and that was slightly annoying since I didn't know going in that this was a series, but I will say that I will definitely be reading the next one for sure!

Rune is a witch but she can't let anyone know... she's also the Crimson Moth a vigilante saving witches awaiting persecution and a giant pain in the ass to the Blood Guard. She had 2 friends who know and aid in her endeavors. Verity who's sister's were murdered for being witches during the revolution and Alex, who's brother Gideon just so happens to be the captain of the Blood Guard.

Gideon has a suspicion that Rune might be helping the Crimson Moth and a witch herself, so he starts courting her as a way to see if she is. What he doesn't know is that Rune is courting him too for her own Intel.

Review:
My god. This was so good. I didn't want to put it down once I started it. If you're looking for a book that hooks you from the Prologue, you got it! I felt like this had a pretty unique magic system and plot for a book about witches. I really loved the character development and it was so easy to love the characters immediately. The plot twist got me. I didn't see it coming until just before it did. I loved where the story ended because I know the next book is going to be SO GOOD!

Pick this up tomorrow when it comes out! I promise it won't be a let down.

thank you @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for the arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc copy of Heartless Hunter.

This book was everything I wanted in terms of romantasy. There were high stakes, the romance was full of tension and passion, a witch and a witch hunter, and a world that was enticing it was almost impossible to stop reading,

We' meet a witch, Rune, who is the elusive Crimson Moth who saves her own kind from being hunted and purged. Gideon is a witch hunter, desperate to track down the Crimson Moth and be done with her once and for all. The pair are locked in a dance around one another, utilizing each other for their own benefit. But what happens when they fall in love with the one their supposed to hate?

This book was intense, immersive, and absolutely addicting. I went into this with high expectations and left with them intact. This book was everything it was cracked up to be and worth the read a thousand times over. I cannot wait for the second book in this duology.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book was a definite hit for me that I did not expect. Yes I don't like romance in books, but this was extraordinary. Witch and witch hunter. A romantic thriller..

This book was the easiest 5 stars I've given in awhile. I take my 5th star seriously. I loved it and cannot wait for the next one.

With heart-pounding twists and thrilling turns, Heartless Hunter is an alluring new fantasy full of duality—witch and witch hunter, love and hate, enemy or ally. From the very first page, it instantly draws readers in with a clever and cunning heroine you can’t help but root for.

On the outside, Rune Winters looks every bit an unassuming, flighty socialite with her sweet smile and undeniable charm, but Rune has a deadly secret—she’s a witch. Feared and hunted, witches are part of a bloody and violent past the new era of government wants rewritten, so Rune hides in plain sight, escaping at night to become the sought-after vigilante, The Crimson Moth, and rescues witches from their fate. When the captain of the guard has his sights set on taking down The Crimson Moth, will Rune be able to keep up her façade, or will her growing feelings for the captain put her position in jeopardy?

I absolutely devoured this book and fell hopelessly in love with this story and the incredibly written characters! The witchy, almost regency vibe instantly lured me into the story with Ciccarelli’s dark and mysterious setting and beautiful and romantic storytelling.

The enemies-to-lovers romance in this book is *shouts to the rooftops* INCREDIBLE. From the insane amount of passion, chemistry, tension, and angst (my favorite), Ciccarelli created a true enemies-to-lovers story where the lines of love and hate blend together. You believe their strong feelings of loathing and hate all while they helplessly fall for each other. Just absolute PERFECTION.

I can gush forever about this book and am literally DYING for the next one!! If you love Little Thieves, The Winner’s Curse, or Serpent & Dove, definitely keep this book in mind.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

This was very intriguing and I can see it being super popular. I found the beginning to be a little slow, but once it started to pick up it was really good. It feels very YA from the writing style, but in a good way!

Witches once ruled the land, but their queens were corrupted by forbidden magic and were overthrown. Now the Blood Guard governs and is relentlessly pursuing the remaining witches and their sympathizers. Once caught, they’re executed in a procedure called purging. Gideon is a captain in the Blood Guard who absolutely hates witches and is one of the Guard’s top hunters. Rune is a member of the upper crust and is known as an informer who hates witches. She’s also secretly a witch who tries to rescue her fellow witches and smuggle them to safety. Her alias is the Crimson Moth and she’s public enemy number one.
Part fantasy, part thriller this book has it all. I enjoyed the romance part as well; two reluctant parties and their irresistible attraction to each other. The author has come up with something I hadn’t encountered before in the source of the witches power. It’s a blood-tingling good read and I am very much looking forward to finding out what happens next. 4.5 stars

Can we just take a moment to admire this stunning cover cause I'm obsessed 😍
This book pulled me in from the first chapter.
I'm really happy I picked this to be my first book of the year. I love the world building in this book and the magic system is so unique. I will definitely recommend this book. Such an incredible read, I'm obsessed.

What did I just read?! Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli was everything I was expecting it would be but so much more!
This was definitely one of those I didn’t want to end.
An outstanding enemies to lovers romance fantasy that is full of action, witches and phenomenal magic!
This enchanting romantasy was amazing. I was hooked from the first page. I loved everything about it. The world building is fantastic; it's got enough background information that it doesn't overload and the action was perfectly executed. 
Gripping, immersive, and absolutely masterful, HEARTLESS reels you in with the promise of beauty, and holds you tight with Ciccarelli’s grit. I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough.

Thank You NetGalley and Wednesday Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A witch and a witch hunter enemies-to-lovers romantasy? Yes, please! I wanted to read this book from the minute I heard the premise, and it is a wild ride. It left me stunned and so emotionally invested in the story, and I’m still thinking about THAT ENDING days after I finished the book.

The setting is dark and ominous, and there are certain parts that reminded me of the Salem Witch Trials. It is a bleak place for witches to hide, and Rune has to hide who she is or face death like her grandmother and others. The story is told from dual perspectives, so you get to understand both Rune and Gideon’s points of view. I thought this was really important to the story, and it highlighted the many layers to both of their characters.

Rune lives with a lot of guilt over the past, and though she is a popular socialite, she spends her other time trying to save witches from the clutches of the republic. Gideon adds to the ominous and bleak feel of the story, as he is a ruthless witch hunter. I didn’t expect to like him as much as I did considering his job, but once his story is told, I definitely understood his motivations.

Gideon and Rune have a slow–building, slow-burning enemies-to-lovers romance, and I ate it up! Rune and Gideon sound like they make a bad pair – she’s a witch, and he’s a witch hunter. Plus, Gideon’s brother is in love with Rune. There’s so much standing in their way, yet the pull these two feel toward each other is undeniable. Their relationship is built on secrets and lies, but their chemistry and sexual tension are off the charts! There is a bit of a love triangle, which made sense for the story, though it’s not my favorite trope. I could see why Rune was torn between these two men, and my heart broke for more than one of them as their stories played out.

This is the kind of story that is very easy to get pulled into, and I found it hard to put down. It’s immersive and interesting, and I loved the characters and themes. Plus, the plot is super suspenseful! I was on the edge of my seat, worried that Gideon would figure out all of Rune’s secrets, and I was invested in their stories as well as many of the secondary characters, especially Rune’s two closest friends. With so many secrets, lies, betrayals, and more, Rune’s life is in constant jeopardy, and her heart is too. Then I got to the final chapters, and I tell you my jaw dropped. There were a few twists that completely surprised me. Talk about gasp out loud! I can’t wait to find out what happens next!!

Special thanks to Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Wow! What a swoon-worthy enemy-to-lovers romance!

Gabriel is a witch-hunter whose number one goal is tracking down the witch known as the Crimson Moth. By day, Rune poses as the ditzy society heiress whose loyalty is unquestionable after she turned in her own grandmother for being a witch. By night, she's the Crimson Moth, saving as many witches as she can to make up for not being able to save her only family.

When Gabriel begins to suspect Rune, he invades her orbit. Rune finds herself intrigued, both by his access to the secrets she needs and for his own dark, smoldering handsomeness. As both of them begin to fall for each other, their forbidden love brinks them to the brink of disaster.

Rune and Gabriel's chemistry smolders, then burns. It contrasts with the safe, sweet love Rune experiences with Gabriel's brother, Alex, her best friend who would die to keep her secrets safe.

This book kept me flipping pages with two unforgettable storylines - the battle of the witches for their lives and freedom, and Rune's love triangle with Alex and Gabriel.

As the witches grow bolder and stage a comeback, Gabriel and Rune find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. This book ends on a cliffhanger, but I don't think those two are done with each other yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.