On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

THis was steamy and suspenseful. I'm not a huge romance reader, but I ate this up.

I don’t even know where to start with this one. I was hooked within the first chapter. I don’t think my thoughts have fully formed yet, so bear with me on this one. Wow…what a book with that ending!

Rune Winters is a witch, who turned her grandmother into the Republic…therefore, she stands with them. So that’s the rumor anyways. But does she? Enter Gideon Shrape, the Blood Gaurd commander, who is her enemy. He also happens to be her best friend’s, Alex, brother. Gideon has been on the hunt for Crimson Month for 2 years when he gets a hint at who it is. He will do almost anything to find out.

When I say enemies to lovers, this is it! Oh my! How that trope was strong in this book. This one just hit hard. At his vow at the end 🤯
There was times I wanted to scream, “THE WRONG BROTHER!” like girl wake up! Look at who is in front of you! Ughhhh!!!

Ok so, the world building wasn’t that great. Which honestly I didn’t even care, sometimes that can get me all tripped up with too much detail with everything. This does have magic in it but I liked how it was written to where there are consequences with using it and certain spells have more requirements but also more dangerous consequences. There was one part, I had to read a few times before I could accept it lol and when you get there, you’ll know! 🥴 but after you learn out why, you understand.

It is a YA book but it does have some spice to it. The ending was shocking and I was also say had a twist I wasn’t expecting. Overall, I enjoyed it.
I think fantasy lovers are gonna like this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for sharing an arc with me. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.

Thank you so much Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Arc!
This book starts off really well and has an easy world build. I love Rune so much. Rune is a very understandable character, especially when you take into account her backstory. Her dedication to her grandmas last wish and helping other witches is so admirable.
And the romance between Rune and Gideon was so soft! I found Gideon so tender and romantic despite his hard edges. He is the kind of man that sets my expectations just a little bit higher.
But I did struggle a little bit with the love triangle between Rune, Gideon and Alex. It’s really not a trope I can get behind. But overall, this was a very fast and engaging read. I cannot wait for the second book and to find out what the next steps in their path will be.

Heartless Hunter is the first book in the The Crimson Moth #1. Witches are illegal after a disastrous revolution, one that has caused witches from all over to be killed, including Rune’s own grandmother. She was all Rune had. Rune is walking a fine line by becoming the Crimson Moth, she protects other witches. It’s hard for Rune to stay out of the Blood Guards' sight, especially with the handsome Gideon Sharpe, a cutthroat loyal member of the Blood Guards. But Rune starts to realize Gideon just might not be so heartless after all.

This book was such a fast read for me, even though it is 400 pages I flew through it. I liked the action and the characters. I love t enemies to lovers. I enjoyed the romance. That ending! I am so looking forward to the next books in this series. Reminds me of Serpent & Dove.

A thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli. The world-building is straightforward, the prose is descriptive and direct, and the first quarter of the story is compelling to read.

I couldn't rate it higher for several reasons. I felt like the main characters lacked characterization. They didn't do too much in the present other than trying to achieve their goals, which conflicted with one another, and that's where you get enemies to lovers, which I didn't care for. It felt too convenient and an excuse to write those nude/sex scenes, which I also didn't care for. Rune and Gideon were fine as characters, but they were bogged down with backstory, which made the story kind of hard to get through after a certain point.

The last 30% of the book was good, though. Big spoiler below. You've been warned.

(view spoiler)

Overall, it was a fast, engaging, and straightforward read with some good twists. The world building was good, too. In the next book, I hope to see more character development and stronger characterization.

I will purchase this book when it is released for sure. Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

✨ Heartless Hunter was so addicting! I couldn’t put it down. Filled with enemies too lovers back to enemies trope and a cat-and-mouse game between the two main characters. It definitely gave me Serpent & Dove vibes because of the witch and hunter storyline but the magic system was very intriguing. I liked that there were two POVs and all the characters had some grey morals. I thought the magic system was interesting; how they used their magic, when it gave consequences /balances when a witch made a powerful spell, and how guards/hunters identified a witch vs. a non-witch. Definitely recommend it for any fantasy reader. I’m excited for Book 2 to come out!

Thank you Wednesday Books for an e-arc copy.

very few things will make me sacrifice my sleep. this book was one of them.

HEARTLESS HUNTER had me reading into the night way later than I usually do, and getting up early before work to finish it. I needed to know how it ended before I begun my day. I read it in under 24 hours because the writing and plot was so addictive.

I feel so privileged to have read this book early, as I know it’ll be many people’s favourite fantasy romances of 2024.

Enemies to lovers, a unique magic system, witches and betrayal all wrapped up in an incredibly well-written novel with interesting & complex characters and romance.

Playing a deadly game of Cat & Mouse, I loved Rune and Gideon as characters separately, and together. Their chemistry was so well done.

A witch and a witch hunter? Say no more.

As soon as I finished it, I leapt to pre order it.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This is an action-packed, enemies to lovers to enemies about a witch in hiding and a witch-hunter, fake dating each other to get what they want. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves books like "Serpent and Dove" and that feature magic and romance and mystery and a cat-and-mouse game that will have you squealing for days.

The heroine is smart and witty and knows exactly how to play the cards that she has been dealt, making sure that no one, not even the boy she kind-of likes, figures out what she is. The male lead, on the other hand, doesn't actually turn out to be the kind of person that we expect him to be - soft and damaged on the inside (and ready to give the ones he loves the benefit of the doubt). This is perfect for readers who love smart heroines and male love interests who are hard on the outside but soft and mushy on the inside.

Be ready for this book to captivate you from the get-go, you might even find yourself finishing it in a day!

This book is everything I’ve wanted in a Witch Hunter Book (TM). I haven’t read many hunter style books that kept my interest, despite loving the concept, but I gobbled this up in just a few hours.
Note: That’s not a statement about how easy it is to read, I have graduate degrees and reading is what I do professionally. I read quickly with excellent comprehension.

Artwork: You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I do.

I fell in love with it over the cover. I am a Lepidoptera lover. Moths are my absolute favorite, and I spend my free time studying them. So when I saw such a beautiful moth on the cover I had to know how it fit into the book. It was not quite what I was expecting, but I am okay with that! Because the story itself is so good, and the Crimson Moth is such a good character.


Quality of Writing:

The first paragraph sucked me into the world. It matched the beauty of the cover and then surpassed it. I was in the forest with Rune. I was making my way on her journey, and there was a lump in my throat as I anticipated whatever fight she was going to have to face. (No spoilers). That quality of writing did not let up through the entirety of the book. I think any aspiring young writer should add this work to their library as a reference for how to write description and action effectively.


The Plot:

It’s good. I was clearly routing for a side the entire time. I loved each scene and the way it moved the plot forward. I found myself sympathizing with the Witch Hunter as the plot unfolded.

I will say that the “twist” was not as unexpected as I would have liked, I guessed it within the first couple of chapters, but I have a tendency to do that for almost every book, tv show, and movie that I read or watch. I think for the average person, it will be a little more surprising.

The Characters:

I love the characters. I love them.

Rune: I don’t typically side with spoiled rich socialites. Usually I struggle with those books, and so I was prepared to struggle with her. But I didn’t. Her character is deep enough that it made me sympathetic to her.

I will say, I would have liked more about her backstory. I also would have liked more moments with her as a vulnerable person. I am hoping that book two expands on who she is, what her hopes and dreams are. What her motivations are. I know that she is living life for revenge, but I want to see it turn to justice. I want to see what she does with the crimson moth.

Gideon: Wow. I love him. I love his backstory. I wanted more of it. I wanted more. I still want more. I want to know his grief. I want to see what he does to make things better in his world. I want him to grow. He was exceptional. But just like with Rune, I wanted so much more backstory, I wanted more of those little moments. I want to know more about his friends, Harrow and Laila. I want to understand his role within the Blood Guard. Give me more.

I have to warn you, it ends on a cliffhanger, and there is no HEA or HFN. I do not even know if the love interests will end up together, and normally I would rage about it- but instead I cried my cries and I am stealing myself for book #2. This is going on my top 10 list of favorites, along with Sabaa Tahir, Natasha Ngan, Rebecca Yarros, S.A. Chakraborty, and more.


I *need* book 2. I need it so badly, I can taste it. But, I am going to have to wait for it, because this one doesn’t even publish until 2024! Until then I will reread this book, which I received as an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book was sooooo good. I just gasped at the ending which rarely ever happens when I read a book. This story is so refreshing and the banter is so deliciously written. It also had all the tropes I adore. What's not to love about a good enemies to lovers story? 5 stars all the way.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader copy.

A fast, fun read that is a solid example of the "romantasy" everyone is wild for right now. Heavy on romance with straightforward worldbuilding that come quickly and completely early on, you're instantly immersed in a society that's gone from ruled by witches to reviling them. Rune's heartbreaking backstory makes her immediately appealing even though she puts on a vapid mask for society.

The writing in the first quarter is compelling and makes it hard to put this down. The craft suffers a little bit as the book goes on, with the romance taking on a bigger part of the plot and some scenes feeling closer to middle grade than YA. Still, there's a love triangle here and an unexpected resolution of it that kept me going despite the writing not being especially sophisticated.

There is no happily ever after or even happy for now here. Just an end to one phase and the promise of a reprise of the main conflict between Rune and Gideon in the next book.

Read as an ARC via NetGalley. Book publishes February 20, 2024

Two years ago, the evil witch queens were overthrown; all witches and their sympathizers were slaughtered. Rune Winters, darling of the revolutionaries, lost her grandmother to the purging. Little do they know that Rune is the Crimson Moth, witch savior and vigilante, saving all she can from the standing order to slaughter all witches. Gideon Sharpe, commander of the Blood Guard, hates witches, and will stop at nothing to ensure they never again rise to power. When the two decide to court each other as a means of gaining information, witch and hunter become embroiled in a lethal game of cat and mouse that leaves no room for any growing feelings they may have.

In an unique setting that I can only describe as ‘witchy steampunk meets victorian-adjacent folktale’, Ciccarelli has created an immensely entertaining tale of two people falling for each other despite their best efforts and against their better judgement. There’s drama, there’s tension, there’s ‘wait I’m supposed to hate you when did that change?’ It’s amazing.

Courtesy of the book’s dual POV, we get to see both Gideon and Rune as they try to navigate their respective lives and all the complicated details therein. It’s one of my favorite ways to read books like this because it means we get to see all of the feelings and thoughts that we’d otherwise miss out on with the traditional style. And boy are there are lot of thoughts and feelings for these two.

If I had to give a critique, and if I didn’t want to give anything away, it would simply be that I prefer my characters a little bit more morally flexible. To be clear, this isn’t actually a negative against the writing or the story itself. It’s just a personal preference that should probably concern me at least a little bit (it does not).

So if you, too, want lots of complicated feelings about two really fun characters, this might be the book for you! “Heartless Hunter” drops February 20, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martins Press for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available February 20,2024!

This is a romantasy YA and it shows. It felt juvenile at times. The action was great but the romance part of it was eye rolling and felt forced. I read it. I enjoyed it kinda but I don’t think I will read it again.

All I have to say is…
What a freaking ride that I cannot wait to jump on again. This book dug its hook in deep early on and just when I thought I knew what was going to happen the entire plot flipped on me and EVERYTHING changed.

For my SJM fans out there, you will probably LOVE the writing style of this book. I will 100% say it had me screaming more than once when revelations were revealed. Honestly at points I felt stupid for not picking up the subtle hints she left us.

Enemies to lovers? Yeah, this isn’t the novel that you expect to pick up and them be besties by book two. No babes this is true ENEMIES TO LOVERS and they repeatedly made me giggle dance WHILE simultaneously ripping my heart out.

This is one you’re definitely gonna want to preorder and read as soon as it comes out. (Not going to lie here, to think I have to wait till Feb to get the physical book, and EVEN LONGER for the second? I don’t know if I can.)

Edgewood by Ciccarelli was one of my favorite books last year, so I was excited to pick this one up!

Heartless Hunter was such a fun read. I loved how complex Rune and Gideon’s characters are; you both love them and hate some of their actions and decisions. They are constantly battling it out while trying to continue their ruses. I really appreciated the attention Ciccarelli pays to their backstories and how it influences them in the present story. It adds a lot of tension and depth to the story, especially between Rune and Gideon.

There’s a very dark undercurrent in this book. Witches use blood magic, and Rune herself uses her menstrual blood in order to avoid casting scars that would condemn her. So if you’re queasy, I don’t recommend picking this up. However, I liked how Ciccarelli didn’t shy away from writing about hard themes and topics. It adds an extra layer of tension that really worked for me.

This was very close to being a 5-star read for me. However, there is a bit of a love triangle, and without going into any spoilers, the ending was not for me.

Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for my arc!

TW: Self mutilation, blood, mentions of sexual assault/abuse, abusive relationships, death, murder

“Heartless Hunter” captured my attention from the very beginning! This story has everything I love in a fantasy novel (shown below). I could have read this book in one sitting; there were no slow points. I cannot wait for the sequel!

🕸️Romantasy
🕸️Dual POV
🕸️Enemies-to-Lovers
🕸️Best Friend’s Brother
🕸️Fake Dating
🕸️Vigilante
🕸️Suitors
🕸️Witch & Witch Hunter
🕸️Regency Aesthetics
🕸️”How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” themes

I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this ARC. Thank you Alexis, from Wednesday Books, and NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishing company for giving me an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Did someone say cat and mouse game with a witch and witch hunter? I’m in! The slow burn was amazing! Characterization was on point! The magic system was fabulous! Just read this book already.

First off let me start by saying that this book destroyed me. Slow burn with my favorite trope enemies to lovers with the enticing cat and mouse game!
A witch and witch hunter...what could go wrong?
The plot and pacing was superb, the magic system was easy to understand. The chemistry between the main characters was perfect! And the plot twists were plotting!
I can't wait for book 2!

Kristen Ciccarelli’s HEARTLESS HUNTER has the most deliciously ridiculous plot twists, forbidden love angst and gorgeously broody love interests that make a gripping, fast-paced romance. In it, a fearless witch and fearsome witch hunter get entangled in a fake courtship. Both are driven by their individual desire for justice—and wholly unprepared for the ensuing turmoil of falling for your sworn enemy.

Although there are a few notable big reveals and character arcs that soar past any semblance of logic, HEARTLESS HUNTER is structured well, introduces readers to a host of intriguing characters and is, most importantly, a wildly entertaining read. I will definitely be back for the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions my own.

Heartless Hunter was such a fantastic book. This is a tough one to review without giving away some major spoilers, so I won't really get into it too much. Let's just say that there are at least 2 major reveals in the latter parts of the book. I honestly did not really see either coming, although I had suspicions about one right before it was revealed. The plot is so good, it really has it all with fantastic characters, a witchy theme, frustrating enemies to lovers romance, and great villains. I just loved this one and look forward to reading the next.