Alas this was not for me. This is a young adult novel of a young witch who 'gave up her grandmother to the witch hunters to save herself' except she did it under duress, but now she's in with the popular crowd and just.... sigh.

I'm too old for this book, I think. It's the right book out there for someone, just not for me.

DNF @ 15%.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a free copy of "Heartless Hunter” by Kristen Ciccarelli in exchange for an honest review. This book is also published as "The Crimson Moth" in the United Kingdom. All of the following opinions are formulated on my own. Any quotes in this review should be cross-referenced with the final copy for any possible edits.

Overall rating:: 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite quote(s): You are not the things that happened to you, Gideon.”

My review: Heartless Hunter is a fantastic introduction to the Crimson Moth series. After a rescue gone wrong, witch Rune finds herself courting an infamous witchhunter named Gideon in order to throw them off the witches trail. What begins as an effort to get away from witch hunters, she is drawn in closer to Gideon. As the two of them court, Gideon realizes Rune is a witch and decided to play her at the game she created. This book is so fun and wonderful true enemies to lover story. The setting is so magical.

If you liked these, you will probably like this book:
- Serpent and Dove
-Bring me Your Midnight
- Bridgerton

Will I finish the series? Yes

Notable Themes, Elements, and Tropes:
- Courting
- True Enemies to Lovers
- Witches/Witch Hunters
- Forbidden Romance
- Dual POV
- Heartbreaking romance

I had taken a little break from reading fantasy, but I’m right back in my fantasy era after reading 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙃𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧.

My goodness this book!!!

I was hooked right from the beginning. I loved this magical world and the unique way that the witches performed their magic.

I loved the dual POV and it was executed perfectly. Gideon and Rune hate each other but try to use one another to gain intel all while trying to ignore their intense chemistry.

There was the perfect mix of action and romance. The story was captivating and I especially liked getting the backstory of the witches and the revolution.

This is a quick fast paced romantasy that you can’t help but be transformed into the pages of.

The twists and turns were plenty and that ending still has me shook.

The cliffhanger sets up the sequel perfectly and I’m itching to continue this series with 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙡 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝.

If you’re a fan of fantasy, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, then you need to grab this book!

3.5
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli is an enchanting and thrilling fantasy romance that weaves together themes of love, friendship, betrayal, power, and courage. The story drew me in with its captivating plot and vivid world-building, making it an absolute delight to read.

One standout aspect is the intricate development of the characters and their relationships. The romance and the various dynamics at play are beautifully crafted, adding depth and excitement to the narrative.

However, I did have a minor issue with the portrayal of Rune. While she is introduced as an exceptional character with the potential to make a significant impact, her role as the crimson moth seemed somewhat narrow in scope. Throughout the story, her focus is primarily on a single witch, which felt a bit limiting. It would have been even more engaging if Rune had been shown saving others while navigating the constant threat of being caught.

Overall, despite this small critique, the book offers a compelling and immersive experience. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Kristen Ciccarelli is one of my top favourite authors and I knew this wouldn't disappoint. Heartless Hunter is the perfect fantasy romance and I am so glad I read it much sooner rather than later since now I want to preorder the finale of this duology. Rune is a character that I adore, she is cunning, smart, kind, and honestly one of my favourite FMCs as this time. Gideon took me a bit longer to warm up to, but once that scene at the beach.. yeah, that was a done deal just as it was for Rune. I especially loved the dual POVs you get and how both of them have such different paths, but you're really hoping for their paths to come together peacefully. I really hope Rebel Witch doesn't ruin me like this ending did. I did expect the ending a lil bit with some clues throughout the story, but it was still full of surprises and I cannot wait to see where book 2 will take me.

Wow, I am so late to the game on this one but what a fun ride it was! I REALLY enjoyed this book, the first in a duology, with the second coming out at the beginning of next year (which I cannot wait to read how this ends!). I really enjoyed reading a fantasy book about witches. I haven't dipped my toe into too much romantasy, but this is a very easy one to get into because of how well the world building is. I appreciate that the story is told in a way that we find out he information a bit over time, not just an information dump at the beginning. The story was one that wasn't difficult to wrap my brain around and it was super easy to follow. The chemistry between Gideon and Rune was great, and I didn't really mind the love triage with Alex as well. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story- don't want to get into it too much to give away spoilers. The ending for sure had me shook. Overall, very solid 4.5/5 star read! I CANNOT wait to get into the next one soon! Will definitely be recommending this to all my bookish friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books, and Kristen Ciccarelli for an e-arc of Heartless Hunter in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was a little hesitant going into this as the description seemed a bit generic. But I absolutely fell in love with these characters and the story. I got so swept up in the plot and the plight of these characters. I could really feel the tension between Rune and Gideon and how they struggled to come to terms with their roles and their relationship to each other.

Heartless Hunter had quite a few common tropes, but I didn’t mind how they were handled. It didn’t feel overdone or tired. I will be very interested to see where the story goes from here!

After I read this, I finally understood why so many people loved it. Romantasies can be hit or miss for me, and Heartless Hunter was one I liked, even if predictable. I guessed the who and what would happen while I was reading, but it was still an entertaining read. I did not put it down until I finished.

Rune is an interesting character, and she is fleshed out from her origin story to her present. Her best friend Alex, on the other hand, is less so. Despite his role in her life, he is one-dimensional, and it bothered me a lot. I liked him well enough as her best friend but did not get enough time to truly care about him. His role is limited to sort of popping in and out, helping her, or showing his displeasure at certain things.

The romance moved a bit quickly for me. One minute they were trying to use each other and then their feelings were growing overwhelming. Yay for romance but I wanted more development here.

I also wanted a bit more of the world building in terms of the politics. The government was touched on but could have been built more into the story considering how crucial it is to why witches are hunted.

I liked this one and am looking forward to the next book. (3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars)

Always first, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was so honored to get my most anticipated read of the year early… until I read it in one night and left myself with the torture of waiting AN ENTIRE YEAR for book two (hint hint to the ARC gods…)

Heartless Hunter follows Rune who by day is a haughty socialite, keeping her business solely in the parties she attends, and throws, hiding her secrets behind the masks she wears and by night… By night she's fighting for a cause that is not only personal-- it's illegal.

Enter Gideon, fierce and loathsome of the life Rune is pretending to live, he finds himself drawn to who she really is, when the masks slips and her true mind shows. But the closer they get the more he realizes that the truth of Rune is impossibly complicated.

Flirting by day and fighting by night Gideon and Rune keep the tension building until the very end…

AND THAT ENDING. That ending was torturous and landed this book in the very top spot of the year for me, absolutely worth the hype, the pedestal it held (for me) as most anticipated read of the year, and the five stars. Thank you Kristen Ciccarelli, you doll.

I really enjoyed this book, but one thing I couldn’t get past was how much of the magic system was just info-dumped rather than explained in context.

Witch and witch hunter falling in love but then there is also the witch hunters brother in mix. The world building was good and I see many people liked this story more than I did so please don't let my three stars stop you from reading this romantacy- I do feel that it should be for older YA and new adult instead of just YA as it gets pretty graphic.

Overall an interesting story with a fun concept and a solid cast of characters.
I’ve been a fan of Ciccarelli’s writing style for some time and she doesn’t disappoint in her execution.

This book took me for a ride. I love the fantasy aspect. I thought there was going to be more romance but romance took a back seat to fantasy which isn’t a bad thing, just wasn’t what I expected. I can’t wait to read book two!

I'd give this one a higher rating if it weren't so damn predictable. It's a very enjoyable story that I'd def categorize as NA, despite its YA marketing, but I knew exactly what was going to happen. It is way too freaking obvious. I'll def read the second book, though. (3.5)

I can’t recommend this book enough. It has mystery, suspense and a young lady fighter for others. It opens with heartbreak for her and she still fights. It’s a deeper message for women than just a silly book about witches.

Heartless Hunter offers a thrilling and immersive experience, captivating readers with its dark, compelling narrative. The impressive world-building enhances the story, creating a vivid and atmospheric backdrop that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. I was hooked within the first chapter and couldn’t get enough of this book.

I want to thank NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review as well as the author for this free copy.

4/5 stars

I’m not sure what I expected from Heartless Hunter but I walked away really enjoying this book. The plot was darker than I anticipated for YA but in a good way and the characters were well written and likable! I will say the only things I struggled with were I didn’t realize how relationship driven this book would be and so I realized about halfway through that plot wise there hadn’t been a ton of movement and yet I was speeding along the read. The magic system is simple but I loved it and I lived for the balls and historical plot points. My only complaint is I felt it finished too quickly and so I can’t wait to see what happens in the sequel!

I think this is a great read for any fans of mysteries, enemies to lovers, and cat and mouse tropes. Looking forward to what Kristen Ciccarelli releases next!

Can I have the next book please?! lol

Loved this. This story was everything that I wanted Serpent and Dove to be. The angst. The banter. Perfection.

This was a phenomenal book. I cannot say enough good things about the characters and plotline. This is the best book that I've read so far in 2024 and I cannot wait for the second book to come out. This was the perfect combination of "Serpent and Dove" and "Defy the Night," which were also both five star books for me. The only thing that ALMOST made me lower the rating was that ending. I had a feeling that what happened would happen since that is pretty common in love triangles in fantasy books. I just wish it wasn't as abrupt as it was or that we went a different route. Like coming up with a different romantic interest in book two for that character. But I decided to overlook it since I loved the rest of the book SO MUCH.

A witch and a witch hunter.What else could you ask for? Great world building and enjoyed this a lot. It was a strong 4.5 for me and I can't wait for the second book!! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.