Thank you NetGalley for sending me an arc of this book!

Rating 4/5 Stars

Okay so I wasn't sure what I was going in to when reading this but I absolutely LOVED it! I couldn't put it down and pretty much finished it in one sitting. I need the next book ASAP. Kristen Ciccarelli is an incredible writer.

I cannot wait for the next book!! At first the book was slow going in the beginning as the world was being built but I’m glad I stuck with it as it became a page turner!!! I really didn’t expect the twist at the end of the book.

4.25 out of 5. I'm giving you fair warning here, I was an absolute fan of this enemies to lovers tale, but a hater of the total cliffhanger ending. Having to wait until the second installment comes out to know how the stories of Rune and Gideon are going to play out its going to be torture. If you want things to go smoothly wait until the second book comes out and read it one after another. If you are a masochist like me, then dig in and lets discuss. Because it really is a smart book. I really liked the depth of both characters. They have to paly so many roles that their depths are wonderful to read. I did foresee the twist a bit before hand, but it still was a very smart way to take the story and throw everything for a loop. I really enjoy books when its not so clear who you want to root for, and trust me by the end of this that is how you will end up. Also the ending - tissues, so many tissues, that's all one can say without ruining it.

It's been a while since I've enjoyed a fantasy book this much! Heartless Hunter is perfect for fans of romantasy, morally grey characters, enemies to lovers, great banter, and dual povs. The fast pace of this book made it so easy to lose myself in this incredible story. The writing was imaginative and descriptive. And that cliffhanger of an ending left me so excited for the sequel!

Thank to you the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli was a fun read that fit right into my witch-loving heart.
Heartless Hunter is book one of a true enemies-to-lovers fantasy series about a witch (Rune) and a witch-hunter (Gideon). It’s as interesting as it sounds. Somehow, Ciccarelli gets you rooting for both the witches and the witch hunters, which feels impossible. I completely understood why Gideon hunted witches (wrong though I still believe it to be.) I found Rune to be believable and lovable, and Gideon to be grumpy and cold but with complexities that don’t make him straight-up annoying (such as a habit of sewing flowers to woo a certain woman).
The cons are few and far between. I would say that Gideon’s tragic backstory reminded me of quite a few other grumpy and cold male protagonists in romantic fantasy novels, which didn’t thrill me. Alex, Gideon’s brother, felt a little too flat and I wasn’t enthralled by the ending. I was invested in the story and in the characters, but not too a life-altering point. I will definitely read the second book because I found the first to be enjoyable and well-written, to say the least.
4/5 stars. Thank you to Kristen Ciccarelli, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Rune said she was more ache than girl, I felt that. I was not expecting to be so captivated by this story & these characters. I’m utterly heartbroken. The writing, the imagery, the delicious foreshadowing and tension. THESE CHARACTERS MAN. The stakes are just so high & how dare it end like this. And someone pls tell my sweet & sad & tormented baby boy Gideon that if he stitches one more silk flower I may just combust.

4.5⭐️

**big big thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley the eARC, I’m sorry I don’t have my ish together enough to have read this before the pub date but I am grateful nonetheless**

A fast paced romantasy that was engaging and easy to read. It has the feel of new adult though it's marketed more as YA. Will they won't they? tension, good chemistry between characters and rich world building. Overall a pretty good read

This book got me out of my romantasy slump! There were some aspects of it I found incredibly predictable, and I think I'm in the minority when I say I want her to end up with the *other* love interest option. I also think this would have been better as an adult/NA fantasy, rather than a teenage/children's fantasy. But it was fast, fun, easy to read, and sucked me in! I'm excited for book two.

A true enemies-t0-lovers tale, this romantasy transports the reader flawlessly. I was immediately immersed into this incredible world, with characters that were dynamic and flawed. Some books are just beautiful cover to cover, this is one of those books.

I absolutely LOVED this book! For some reason, it reminded me a lot of Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn novel. The world building, character development, and layers of conflict felt similar and pulled me right into the storyline. The tension and attraction between Rune and Gideon is wonderfully written, the witch angle is original, and the ending packs a hard punch to the gut! I can't wait for book 2. I will be definitely be pre-ordering my copy.

A witch hunter vs a witch. A classic story line with a love triangle twist. The only issue is that I didn’t enjoy the love triangle. It was a love triangle with two brothers who were “opposites” but one had been in love with her for a long time and I felt like some of the points in the book she was using Alex… I think I would have enjoyed it more if she was just honest about her feelings or hell… told Alex what was happening.

I loved Gideon and if there hadn’t been a love triangle I think I would have loved this book a lot more. He’s tragic and he has an interesting backstory. I liked his chapters more than Runes.

But there were some parts where there felt like there was no reaction by the main character. Like when he gives Rune the flower he made like his father used to do for his mother. I don’t know, it just felt like it should have been a bigger thing than it was made out to be?

I think a lot of people will like this one though. The writing is good, the dialogue is good, and the story flows nicely.

I think for me it comes down to this book being YA and a love triangle between brothers that lowered my rating so much.

EARC provided by Wednesday Books.

2.5 stars
I’ve tried a few times to finish this book. I picked up the audiobook to see if it would help with the final push. The narration was good and I was finally able to finish so I could review. I won’t be continuing with the series as I didn’t connect with the character interactions or the world building.

A witch, a witch hunter, and enemies to lovers thrown into a romantic fantasy. It's the perfect recipe. Rune must hide what she is in the aftermath of a devastating revolution- during the day she masks her identity as a young socialite and at night she's a vigilante rescuing witches from death.

Kristen Ciccarelli has woven a tale that is filled with magic, witches, evil, betrayals, and a swoon worthy romance. Her writing is beautiful and is set up for a perfect pacing that keeps you hooked from the beginning. I simply can not describe this read any more than one intense and wild ride that left me shaken to the core.

This was such a fun read. I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up only that so many people were loving it. I hadn't read anything from this author before, so I didn't have any experience with her writing.
There was a lot I enjoyed about this story. The dynamic and tension between Rune and Gideon was chef's kiss. The banter was there, and the character development was everything I wanted. This to me reads older YA, bringing on New Adult. There is a spicy scene but it's pretty tame as far as spice goes and takes place pretty far into the book. This was a slow burn enemies to lovers with a lot of tension, high stakes, intriguing characters and a compelling plot. There was a twist new the end of the story that I hadn't seen coming which makes me very excited for where the story will go next. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Would highly recommend for people who enjoy enemies to lovers, a witch and witch hunter dynamic, slow burn romance, and rebellion plots.

Rune Winters: a witch trying to save her people. Gideon Sharpe: a witch hunter trying to save the people of the New Republic. One trying to get intel to keep up her vigilante acts. The other trying to determine if she is the Crimson Moth, the elusive witch he has been looking to arrest for years.

This book. WOW. The premise itself was so good, but the execution? So fun! I liked the author’s writing style! The story kept me guessing and kept me interested. I think the author did a great job of writing book 1 in a way that makes the reader want to learn more about the world and the story. The cliff hanger?? Get me book 2 ASAP!!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What worked:
Enemies to Lovers: Seeing the story from both Gideon’s POV and Rune’s, I can see that they have some level of dislike, if not outright hatred, for each other. Their positive feelings for each other grow over time, though it’s through a lens of lies. They both show each other something of their real selves, even as they manipulate one another for information.
Plot twist: the plot twist involving Rune’s friend was a shock to me and I thought it was well done.
Rune’s guilt over turning her grandmother in.
The magic system: Rune using her menstrual blood because using blood from a wound turns it silver was a great tactic! I loved the idea.
Gideon’s past: his witch related trauma made it easy to believe in his distrust of magic and witches in general. He’s also just a part of a larger system and his beliefs are pushed to the extreme by the government system that seeks to eradicate witchcraft.

What didn’t work:
Rune’s acting: could use some work. She’s too careless sometimes with her dealings, but she’s also unwilling to ask for help in order to protect her friends. It doesn’t not work.
Rune’s character: she acts so dumb sometimes. It could be a sign of her youth but she also sets herself apart from people since the beginning because of her intelligence and knowledge about the world and magic.
Gideon: can be really dumb sometimes. He misses obvious clues often for the sake of the story.

What I wanted:
I wanted more of Rune in society, with the dresses and droll conversation. I wanted to see more of the people and their reactions about witchcraft. Every conversation felt so sensational every time witches were mentioned. Which I suppose is to be expected because Rune only ever interacts with people outside of her intimate friends in a social setting. So even if people have different viewpoints, they’re unlikely to admit them, even in jest, so as to protect themselves.

I recommend this book to people who enjoy enemies to lovers, an interesting magic system, plot twists, and high society nonsense. Fans of the Little Thieves series will enjoy this book, as well, I think.

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. There were some inconsistencies/continuity issues, but they were minor and didn’t detract from the overarching story. Now that I’ve read this, I want to read Ciccarelli’s other series. I thought the world building was good, the characters were well fleshed out, and the story was perfectly paced. There was a scene at the end that nearly had me in tears. I was invested in what was happening with these characters, and after that ending I can’t wait for the next installment.

I am typically not a fantasy book reader but I really enjoyed this book! It was the perfect amount of fantasy and romance and the storyline was great. The book was well written and kept me entertained throughout.

Rune is a witch but she has to keep it hidden from her town otherwise they will kill her and especially being the crimson moth. The story details her romance with a witch hunter who is after her but she’s determined to use him for information all the while they are falling for each other. The story ends on a cliffhanger and can’t wait to see what happens.

A stunning mix of intrigue and magical description. I loved the subtle magic system reminiscent of One Dark Window mixed with the witch/hunter love story of Serpent & Dove. Can’t wait for the sequel.

Kristen Ciccarelli's HEARTLESS HUNTER is the enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy I've been waiting for. Rune and Gideon have genuine reasons to loathe and fear each other, so the romantic tension and deceptions between them only intensifies as the story unfolds. Everything is so well executed! There wasn't a single lull--and I didn't guess the plot twists until just before they were unfolding. The worldbuilding is phenomenal (the magic system really works). Rune and Gideon are fully fleshed out with motivations and complexities that are completely understandable. Even side characters, like Victoria and Alex are compelling. I so wish we didn't have to wait a year to know what happens next. This novel also shows Ciccarelli's growth as a writer. A while ago I tried to get into her debut THE LAST NAMSARA but really struggled. However, after how incredible HEARTLESS HUNTER was, maybe I'll go back and give her other works a try again. The sequel, REBEL WITCH, is going to be an automatic preorder for me. Brava, Ciccarelli, Brava.