This book was a last minute choice for me to read and I am blown away by the entire thing. I am an avid fantasy and romantasy reader, and this story had EVERYTHING you could hope for.

-enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-suspense
-mystery
-heart pounding drama
-interesting magic system
-world building
-solid backstory

I am so impressed with the complexity the author was able to give this world and its characters, without adding complicated context.

This book was fast paced from the start, included the perfect amount of mystery, and had just the right amount of information for a vivid picture to be painted in my head of the world, it’s people, and the characters. Great imagery, imagination and intrigue.

This book will be in my top 5 reads of the year, for sure! …AND THAT CLIFFHANGER! I read this in one sitting, and have no regrets!

I want to say a big thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this amazing book!

I just finished this tonight and I could not put it down. I did not want this to end. Runes story is one that dragged me in. The romance between her and gideon, from hating each other to falling in love.

The journey of becoming a witch and the battles they have to face from the blood guard. It is fantastic writing and I can't wait to be able to read more!

THIS IS THE PERFECT BOOK FOR DIVINE RIVALS FANS!
The blood magic in this OH MY GOD IT IS SO COOL
This is enemies to lovers on steroids
I am obsessed

I loved this so much more than I expected to but I was completely unprepared for that ending!!

Rune Winters is quite the complex character, she has been handed a very mixed hand in life which gives her a unique perspective of the society she lives in. I had a bit of trouble correlating some of the actions of the Crimson Moth with the parts of Rune's personality we were shown but I still felt that this duality made her a very interesting character! I loved Alex's character and I wish we got to see a bit more interaction between him and Rune.

Gideon's character seemed to flip-flop a bit to me. One moment he was ruthless and the next he was a total softie, maybe we just didn't get to dive into his character too much in this book so hopefully we'll see more of a connection between these two sides of him in book 2!

Overall this is a great story with the perfect amount of deceit, twists, and turns. (The only thing I could not look past was the use of menstrual blood for casting, sorry 😩)

3.5 stars
This book is good but fall short of being great, witches are usually used as a symbol of female empowerment but it's not used as such here. While it doesn't need to be the main focus there should have been some correlation of witches i.e. women being taken from power and how they are being treated now and also the world it self fell flat, like what about witches in other countries? were majority of witches abusive to non witches? why was no other country involved in fighting for or against the witches? Magic must have been a large part of the economy especially with witches in other countries and so are they struggling? Also society feels so calm for the revolution to have been 2 years ago. Circling back to the witches we they widely hated the two pov characters are both unique circumstances, we get no middle ground for how witch operated in society.
Circling to the characters Rune and Gideon our stars, let me start by saying they should have had more antagonist interactions , they only really clashed once, it should have been a couple more times. And I would have loved to see them struggle with seeing each others point of view Gideon's family was abused by the Queen but power is always corrupts and rune was raised under the loving care of her grandmother, we didn't get to see the hierarchy of the witch so we have no frame of reference of how people are treated.

Moving on to Alex and Verity, Alex I feel died entirely too soon he acted as a middle ground recognizing the grey areas of each side and I feel that his character had more to give than his death. Now Verity we have to get her pov next book cause we need to see her motivation if she really as cruel as Gideon says, if she has learned anything in her time in hiding and if she saw rune as a true friend and ally, she does seem to care what rune thinks of her but all these problems can be fixed in the next installation, this first book serves as a pretty comfortable introduction into the world.

With a forbidden, slow burn, enemies to lovers romance between a witch and a witch hunter, complete with possible betrayal at every turn, Heartless Hunter channels the best elements elements of two of my favorite books: The Scarlet Pimpernel and Serpent and Dove.

I thought the premise of this sounded intriguing, but I was NOT EXPECTING to be drawn into the story the way I was.

In this world, witches once ruled, but a few years previously they were overthrown and are now hunted and killed. The female main character, Rune, is a witch who has a secret identity as the Crimson Moth, who frees witches from the witch hunters who persecute them. (This is not a spoiler; it is mentioned in the book’s summary.) Gideon is a witch hunter determined to find and kill the Crimson Moth. The two of them begin to date, each with their own agenda and each wanting to get information from the other. The cat and mouse between them was very angsty and filled with sexual tension. I loved any scene that the two of them had together.

The book also crackled with tension and excitement. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It is going to be a long wait for the sequel. I can’t wait to see where this story will go next.

Read if you like:
❤️‍🔥Enemies to Lovers
💞Found Family
🐈Cat and mouse chase

In a realm where magic is outlawed, Rune and Gideon's dangerous dance sets love ablaze. 🔥

"Heartless Hunter" by Kristen Ciccarelli follows Rune, a young witch navigating a country where her kind is outlawed post-rebellion by a group called the Blood Guard. Two years ago, Gideon, now a captain among these revolutionaries, played a pivotal role in dethroning two ruling queens. To survive, Rune decides to seduce Gideon for crucial information, while Gideon aims to court Rune to unveil her secrets.

This tale weaves a true enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy, complete with an exhilarating chase between Rune and Gideon as they cleverly vie for dominance. The dynamic is an exciting rollercoaster, keeping readers on their toes, never quite sure who will emerge victorious.

However, the relentless cat and mouse game between the two leads tends to overshadow the plot, leaving it somewhat wanting in progression. The ending, though heart-wrenching, loses some impact due to uneven pacing throughout the novel. A deeper exploration of life and insight into the true nature of the witch queens would have added significant depth and intrigue.

Overall, I recommend "Heartless Hunter" to romance enthusiasts looking for a touch of fantasy. It's an excellent choice for those not deeply entrenched in high fantasy, as the author crafts a world that's accessible and easy to grasp.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an arc of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is what enemies to lovers is supposed to look like 👏🏼

What an intense journey! 😮‍💨

In this book our FMC is a witch, and the MMC is a witch hunter, who happens to be the FMC’s best friends, older brother… oh and did I mention the best friend is ALSO in love with the FMC? Mmhmm
😏👌🏼

This book has an amazing build up. The enemies to lovers trope in this book is done so well. It truly is life or death. This isn’t a story about two characters that just don’t like each other over some frivolous inconsequential reason. It’s literally life or death revolving around deep rooted issues. The stakes are high, and it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was literally yelling at the book at times, and kicking my feet in excitement at others. I also really loved the magic system. It’s unique, and very easy to understand. The characters are fantastic, and complex. This is the type of book that you stay up all night reading, because you simply can’t put it down. I loved it, and I’m going to need the sequel yesterday! 😩

Add this Romantasy to your TBR right now, because I have a feeling this is going to be a big one in 2024!

Enemies to lovers
Slow burn romance
Dual POV
Cat and mouse
First in a series
Gowns/parties
Suitors
Best friends brother
Witch & witch hunter
Easy to understand magic system

Spice rating
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(Tastefully descriptive sex scenes, not too graphic)

Thank you to Netgalley, and to St. Martins Press for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 Stars. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC of Heartless Hunter.

Pros:
-I think this book is well suited for teenagers and younger adults. As a 33 year old, it felt a little too juvenile for me.
-The writing flows well and the story is nicely paced.
-The cover of the book is very pretty!

Cons:
- I found the characters selfish, boring, and childish. The only person I liked was Alex and, welp… 🙃 Rune turned in her own grandmother and watched her literal throat get slit. (I get that her grandmother asked her to, but still. You wouldn’t see me doing my Nana like that.) Gideon is supposed to be this strong brute of a man, but in reality he seems insecure and fragile. When Rune comes crying at his door and he has to ask her like “wow, are these tears really all for me?” Insecure baby.
- The fact that the magic system requires menstrual blood is just NOT IT. And the logistics behind that? Rune apparently collects her period blood in a vial to use for weeks to come. Blood congeals, so tell me how that works. Despite the story being about witches, there was little magic in comparison. I needed more magic and less menstrual blood.
- The world building was mediocre. I liked the idea of Rune being from high society and Gideon being from the lower class, and I wanted to see more of that. I wanted to see more of Rune in his world. I wanted RUNE to want to see more of his world. Again, selfish B.
I also needed more background on the previous revolution. Why did the people hate witches so much? Who were the other witch queens?

I think this story has potential. I would be interested in more of Kristen’s writings in the future.

I was beyond thrilled to read this book. The story enchanted me right away. The main character, Rune, is complex and yet still relatable with a cunning character and sharp wit. Rune is a witch in a kingdom that hunts witches. Rune focuses her time on saving as many remaining witches as she possible can with the help of her best friends, Alex and Verity. After attempting to save a certain witch; Rune devises a plan to find out where the witch hunters are hiding her. Her plan consists of romancing Gideon, Alex’’s older brother who is a general in the witch hunting army who is known for his brutality and the story unfolds from there. The writing was magical and immersive. I couldn’t put this book down until I had devoted the whole thing. Thank you to the amazing author and to net galley for allowing me to read this arc. It surely made my month better.

3.5 stars

Okay, here’s my disclaimer for this book and my rating - I absolutely binged it, could not put it down! The tortured MC and girl who shows the world two faces is everything my ACOTAR/CC/Throne of Glass heart looks for in a romantasy novel. The angst, the tension, the romance was everything.

So, why isn’t this a four or five-star rating? Mainly due to the world building. After reading Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, with the amount of folklore and history they used to build their world, this one just did not compare. It’s not as in-depth and the world wasn’t built on anything. We understand the characters’ motivations for their actions, yes, but I had so many questions about the magic system, the history of the Sister Queens, why some territories hunted witches while others did not. The information just wasn’t there.

The good thing is this is a duology. Which means there’s still plenty of story and time to expand upon the world and increase our understanding. For me, I’d read solely for the romance and be 100% happy. But, this is a romantasy, which means the world is as equally important as the character development.

I cannot wait for the next book and hope it gives us much more!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
Book 1 - Crimson Moth Duology
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ one on-page scene, all others closed door.
Young Adult, Dark, Romantasy
Dual POV (Rune&Gideon)
➳ enemies to lovers
➳ Dark
➳ forbidden magic 🪄
➳ Love Triangle 🔻
➳ Slow Burn ❤️‍🔥
➳ Cat & Mouse
➳ Plot Twists
➳ Betrayal/Deception

✨“**You must be very clever now, my love. Clever and brave.**”✨
A holy grail witchy enemies to lovers fantasy, filled with forbidden magic, delicious betrayals and plot twists galore. Unmistakably one of the best fantasy releases this year.

📚📚📚
✨“**You are not the things that happened to you**, Gideon.” He wished that were true. “**None of us can escape our pasts.**” Gideon’s past had *shaped* him. *Haunted* him. *Ruined* him.✨

Detailed Review:

This book hit the ground running and had me holding my breath till the very end. It was such a fresh take on a fantasy book about witches. The magic system is beautifully constructed, there are logical limits and repercussions to practicing magic. Rune is the Crimson Moth, helping free the remaining witches in her society from being purged by the republic. This isn’t your typical magical chosen one book wherein the MC is the most powerful magician of all time, instead it is the strength of Rune’s courage and cleverness that gets her through.

Gideon, our Witch Hunter, has been egregiously wronged by witches, and the political powers that were meant to keep him and his family safe. His brother Alex is all that he has left. Unfortunately, Alex is best friends with Rune, and will do whatever necessary to protect her and save witches from wrongful persecution.

Rune needs intel only the deadliest witch hunter has. Gideon needs to cross off suspects so he can at last unmask the Crimson Moth. They enter into a fake courting relationship to uncover the other’s secrets. Who will end up falling for the rouse?

The character development involved in this book was top tier. It had everything i seek in a fantasy book. There was ample foreshadowing if you knew where to look. That being said, from 70% on i was still squealing and gasping at the plot twists. One thing i particularly loved was the inclusion of lore in the book. I loved reading about the ancients and especially enjoyed the snippets and excerpts from magical books in this world.

I’d wager this book is one of the top fantasy releases of 2024. It was easily one of the best fantasy reads I’ve had all year. 100% would recommend, this was a 5 ⭐️ holy grail fantasy read for me and i cannot wait for the sequel.

💖
LIKES:
⋆ The characters were complex, and their inner narratives were beautifully written. Kristen masters the art of writing morally grey, lovable characters. The banter was well balanced with delving into the depths of human emotions and suffering. I cried for the character’s losses, and felt myself really rooting for them.
⋆ The magic system was a fresh take on witches. I loved the limitations placed on power and the corruption associated with it.
⋆ The plot was strong, i felt the driving force throughout the whole book. I felt like everything was properly set up for, and wrapped up and there weren’t any messy loose ends we were left wondering about.

❤️‍🩹
DISLIKES:
⋆ it’s not a true dislike, but the massive cliffhanger has me aching for the release of the second book. This book truly left me without any complaints. Perhaps i might’ve enjoyed to see some more about alex?

**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot ➷ ✅ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Relationships ➷ ✅❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Heartless Hunter follows a witch hiding her true nature behind the facade of a materialistic socialite and the Witch Hunter attempting to expose her.

Rune masquerades as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who saves her own kind from being purged. Gideon Sharpe, is a ruthless hunter who will stop at nothing to catch her. When a rescue mission goes wrong, Rune is forced to pursue Gideon to throw him off her scent, and when Gideon learns that Rune’s merchant ships are being used to smuggle the witches, he courts her back to gain intel. But soon, both of them are fighting against the intense attraction they feel for one another and are surprised to find there is more to meets the eye to both of them.

Will Gideon discover her secret and turn her in? Will Rune survive their love?

Heartless Hunter is a delicious cat and mouse, enemies to lovers story. I highly enjoyed this dark romance and THAT ENDING!! I can’t wait for the next one to come out so I can continue their story!

How am I supposed to wait for the next book now??? This was so good. I want to keep reading about the Crimson Moth. Witches and witch hunters, enemies to lovers, the bestest best friend and all kinds of twists. Must be prepared to have your heart ripped out because this book does not have a HEA.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC. I am now very eagerly awaiting the release of book number two (and the first one isn't even out yet!)

I really loved this book! The dual POV was great and really built the suspense between the two main characters, I really didn't see how they were going to get over their differences but somehow the angst and buildup worked. I like the action at the end and wish there was more of this, can't wait for the next one!

Thank you so much to Netgalley & Wednesday Books for an e-ARC of HEARTLESS HUNTER!!

Because, seriously, THIS!! BOOK!!!

I do love a good witch and witch hunter story. This gave me some SERPENT AND DOVE vibes with a different, unique magic system and a VERY enemies to lovers romance!

Rune is a witch, and she's been able to hide from the witch hunters by playing the role of socialite after having no choice but to turn in her grandmother who was a witch. She uses this cover and her magic to help other witches escape death. Enter Gideon, our sexy witch hunter. He's got a past and has made it his mission to help the guards eradicate witches so no one has to go through what he and his family have been through.

When Rune and Gideon meet, he's immediately suspicious of Rune. She immediately needs some additional information only he has. These two go head to head in a game of hearts and wits and I AM HERE FOR IT!!! I can't help but mention a wee love triangle that made my heart ache for all involved...

I loved the secrecy, the parties, the cat and mouse game, the romance!! THE ROMANCE! I am always here for a good romance arc and this did not disappoint!

And that ENDING! The TWISTS!!! How dare Kristen Ciccarelli! I need the next book NOW.

Fast paced with plenty of action. Perfect book for fall spooky, witchy reading season. Heartless Hunter is a cat and mouse tale of a witch and a witch-hunter. Perfect for fans of the Romantasy genre that I’ve heard a lot buzz about.
This had a fantasy world that was easy to understand. The world and world building made sense. Set in a society where witches have recently been purged, Rune is a witch works behind the scenes to save other witches.
She is able to hide behind her wealth and social connections. The chemistry between Rune and Gideon was excellent. The story had plenty villains and treachery behind the scenes. Overall I enjoyed this but think I might have enjoyed if I had read this at a different time. Life distraction has made reading hard plus I’ve read a lot of witchy books this fall. Witches being hunted has been a theme in a few recent reads so this felt a little overdone.
Many readers will enjoy this as it has great characters with a steamy romance.

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

Rune, a witch herself, finds herself in a precarious position, fighting to save fellow witches from impending execution due to their magical abilities. Her quest leads her to seek a husband with influential connections who can assist in her mission as the infamous Crimson Moth. This path brings her to Gideon, a man with a deep-seated aversion to witches, renowned for his ability to uncover the most affluent among them. Suspecting Rune of being the Crimson Moth, Gideon reluctantly courts her to confirm his suspicions. As their relationship deepens, they grapple with the challenge of keeping their secrets hidden.

“Heartless Hunter” by Kristen Ciccarelli was a really good book. The ending was such a big cliffhanger, and I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait for the second book. I liked the world building and the allure of the socialite scene with the glitz and glamour. I was at war with myself because I sympathized with both Rune’s and Gideon’s belief with the witches. I enjoyed the book so much and will patiently wait for the nest book. 5 out of 5 stars for sure.

4⭐️

I really enjoyed this one! That ending my gosh I can't wait to read the conclusion of this duology.

In this book, witches used to rule into the three sister queens are killed. After that witches were outlawed and purged whenever found, Rune is a witch hiding in plain sight trying to save every witch she finds after her grandmother is purged. She has a hidden identity known as the crimson moth. Gideon, captain of the guard, is the brother of Runes best friend and is in search of the crimson moth.

This was a great example of a cat and mouse story. Rune and Gideon are both playing eachother, but it turns into something more. I really enjoyed both characters a lot. Everytime I thought I had something figured out this book would surprise me.

Although is a fantasy romance, there is this bigger underlying issue of people being the hero's in one story turning into the villains. That they think they are doing the greater good by basically committing genocide to witches and assuming all are inherently evil and bad, this is due to their own trauma that endured. My only critique for this book it wasn't inherently clear to me who took over after the death of the queens and who was in charge.

I would really recommend this book to any fantasy romance fans or fans of witch centered books.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins press. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting my review to my Instagram page lthe.floofs.booknook and retail sites close or on publication.

I really liked this one! I love the idea that magic always comes with a price and it is just not a free toy that anyone can play with. I don't usually like dual pov as much as single pov, but the author did it really well with this book. It was cool to see the different thoughts of the main characters and how they were plotting to best each other. This book is great if you like enemies to lovers, witches, dual pov and suspense.