Thank You Net Galley for the advanced reader copy of Heartless Hunter! The review below is my honest opinion.

Release Date: 2/20/24
Rating: 4.5

What an exciting tangled web of characters ☺️ A lot of books are plots we've read so many times... but Heartless Hunter was so refreshing. So many plot twists and a REAL enemies to lovers to enemies.

Rune and Gideon are enemies both pretending to romantically pursue each other without the other knowing to uncover information they need from each other. Both are attracted to each other but they are actually true enemies. Alex is Rune's best friend but also Gideon's brother. Alex is in love with Rune but Rune and Gideon's feelings are growing deeper. Alex is trapped between them desperately trying to save them both but to do so would need to betray one.


Witches once praised and honored are now hunted. After betraying her grandmother to the Republic as a witch, Rune hunts for witches captured to help them escape. Gideon is a witch hunter sworn to rid the Republic of any remaining witches but his captures keep escaping..

I can't explain anymore without spoilers. Loved this story, hate that there is no release date for the second book 😭📚🏆

3.85 stars!

Thank you to Wednesday books, and NetGalley for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a gripping fantasy tale filled with romance, a cat-and mouse “chase”, forced-dating, and witches!

We follow our FMC Rune who lives out her days hosting lush parties, dressing in fine garments, strolling through her garden, and upkeeping appearances to lure in other socialites and elites into her trap by giving her information to help her cause. She lives in a society where witches once ruled until the blood guard (witch hunters) overruled their government and took control, setting strict orders to turn in any witches to be purged. Those who are considered “witch sympathizers” will also be frowned upon amongst society. Rune’s grandmother was a very knowledgeable and wealthy witch who was forced to make a difficult decision that would change the course of Rune’s life forever. Gideon, our MMC is a stubborn, determined, cold man who justifies his actions due to his past trauma and will do anything to help the blood guard, with a secret soft spot for Rune (hint hint.) When their paths cross, and they are “forced” into one another’s life's things get INTERESTING.

This story was gripping from page one. The pacing was immaculate as it did not feel slow, repetitive, or drawn out in my opinion. I appreciated Rune’s integrity and determination to help others. Gideon was such a softy deep down despite his flaws and reading about him slowly warming up to Rune and being enchanted by her was very charming, although his character still felt a bit vague.

Now here is where my brutal honesty comes into play. Although I had a great time reading this story, I felt as if the chemistry between Rune and Gideon felt a little too fast-paced and forced. They only had a few substantial moments together before deciding they both were “head over heels.” It felt a bit too soon if I must say so. I wanted more open heart- to heart conversations between the two of them. Also, poor sweet pure Alex had to endure so much neglect from both Rune and Gideon. Gideon did not have many redeeming moments that made me stop and think “Wow, he really cares for others. What a wonderful man.”

However, I do feel like we will feel that spark between them grow even stronger in the next book, and he will grow as an individual himself before he can understand Rune, her emotions, and her actions. I think this was a great start to a series and will be patiently waiting for the next release.

OH, MY GOODNESS WHAT A CLIFFHANGER WE WERE LEFT WITH. ARE YOU JOKING?!

This is most definitely a fun romantasy that will keep you turning pages, and leave you on your toes <3

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli: A Romantasy Gem with Unfulfilled Potential (No/Mild Spoilers)

Release Date: February 20th

Heartless Hunter, by Kristen Ciccarelli, is a YA Romantasy novel set in a world filled with witches and witch hunters.

Tropes include:
* Enemies-to-lovers
* Witches and witch hunters
* Mild love triangle
* Forbidden Love
* Best Friend’s Older Brother
* Dual POV

The story is based on the classic Scarlet Pimpernel, where a man who is in appearance just a noble dandy, actually leads a double life, rescuing aristocrats before they are sent to the guillotine, known for leaving behind his symbol, a simple flower, the scarlet pimpernel.

In the same vein, Heartless Hunter is set in a modern Victorian-style era, and follows Rune Winters, who navigates a double life as a ditsy socialite by day (having gained her status by outing her grandmother as witch to guard thus inheriting her fortune and the governments favor) and a clandestine rescuer known as The Crimson Moth by night, who saves witches before their doomed end at the hands of the Blood Guard.

In her quest, Rune is assisted by her loyal friends Verity, a young woman studying at uni who lost her family to the purge, and Alex Sharpe, who’s parents and younger sister met their untimely death during the reign of the Three Witch Queens. The twist? Alex’s brother is none other than Gideon Sharpe, one of the guard’s most ruthless witch hunters.

To keep up appearances and ensure her status is preserved within society, Verity suggests that Rune must wed and begins picking suitors that will unintentionally help her in her mission. And while none seem like a good idea at first, Rune sets her sights (and witch claws), on Gideon. A VERY dangerous game of cat and mouse ensues, because he has a plan of his own: catch the Crimson Moth, the criminal who has him fuming at every release. And Gideon has an idea who that may be…but he needs proof.

As both use each other for their own merit and enter a “fake” courtship (although neither knows the other knows it’s fake too), the tension, angst, plotting and most importantly FEELINGS, make this book OH SO JUICY.

Now for my actual thoughts –
While I understand some of the annoyance with the book being categorized YA due to some of the romance content, the scenes are still very mild and not far from a fade to black, a traditional way to handle those R-rated scenes in NA novels. However, while not a complete fade to black, I still had to re-read that one specific scene 3 times to confirm they were IN FACT, doing the deeds. So technically, still YA.

But I think this is an even more important point to raise: it’s clear the author was struggling and vacillating between both audiences in my opinion, and that severely affected the flow of the book. Those scenes would benefit from being NA. Some of the writing felt too juvenile for the subjects at hand or too adult for being YA - if that makes sense? The magic system was incredibly unique and fascinating, but the execution felt flat at times. Blood magic can be so interesting, but it is a darker subject matter, likely better treated in an NA setting. It felt as though the author was straddling the line between YA and NA audiences, pushing the boundaries of traditional YA fiction while not quite crossing that line – a shame if you ask me.

Despite these criticisms, Heartless Hunter earns a solid 4.5 star rating from me as it shines with its gripping storyline, compelling characters, enthralling scheming and heated romance – I cannot wait to go back to that world! The unresolved tension and CRAZY ending will leave readers eager for a sequel (I sure am!!!), hoping for further exploration of the world's intricacies and hopefully, a shift towards a more mature narrative tone, which will easily earn a 5 star from me!

Happy Reading!

***
Thank you NetGalley, Kristen Ciccarelli and St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review!

Probably sitting at a 4.5 for me but rounding up! This was soooooo good. I was engaged from page one and so invested in the enemies to lovers plot line. The chemistry between Rune and Gideon was so palpable and I love the cat and mouse game they played with each other throughout the book. I’m so so excited for book 2 in this series!

Heartless Hunter is an action-packed, gaslamp fantasy where witches are being hunted to extinction after the revolution cut their rule short. Our main character, Rune Winters, masquerades as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her own people from execution. Gideon Sharpe, the captain of the Blood Guard, has been after the Crimson Moth for years. Suspecting Rune Winters to be the culprit, Gideon decides to court her to find out where her loyalty lies.

This is definitely a new favorite for me! There are so many good tropes in this book, and they are executed so well! You will find slow-burn enemies to lovers, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, found family, and more!

The worldbuilding in this book was so much more thought out than I expected it to be! I find the worldbuilding of romantasy books lately to be a bit lackluster, but this book did not disappoint. The gaslamp/urban fantasy setting was a fantastic backdrop for this story, with immaculate gothic horror vibes. I loved the magic system, with there being specific checks and balances that didn't allow for someone to be powerful without first sacrificing for it. The stakes felt very high because of that, especially when our main character is trying so hard to be on the right side of things. I am very excited to see more of the magic side of things in the next book, which seems very likely given how this book ended.

The characters felt very three-dimensional to me. Each character had their very own distinct personality and voice, and I loved that the "side" characters had so much depth to them, not just our FMC and MMC. I really loved how distinct Rune's and Gideon's POVs felt, although Gideon's POVs were very short and I would have liked to hear a bit more from his perspective. I hope that we'll get a bit more of an even split in the next book as our characters' paths seem to have diverged a bit by the end of this book.

The romance was *chef's kiss*. I absolutely loved the enemies to lovers arc in this and can't wait to see how the two of them reconcile their differences in the next book.

The ending was explosive and I was on the edge of my seat. I don't know how I'm going to wait for the next book to come out given THIS book hasn't even come out yet... I know I will definitely be reading more of Kristen Ciccarelli's books to tide myself over until then.

If you love books with witches and magic, enemies to lovers, and gaslamp fantasy, definitely give this a go!

*I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Wow, wow, wow. Talk about a fantasy with twists and turns and an ending that made you want to scream - “NO that cannot be the end! Where’s book 2!?!”
I loved this one because it was different but so enjoyable. There’s fantasy, some romance, heartbreak, betrayal, and some “wait, who’s the bad guy here?!”
I cannot wait to find out about Rune and see how Gideon will ultimately play into this. This book had me hooked and I am really looking forward to more books in this series.

Also, CRESSIDA SUCKS! 😂

I have not enjoyed a new romantasy in such a long time and this finally hit the mark! First and foremost, I really enjoyed the writing style. Although there was romance involved, I think the fantasy also had substance and the writing was descriptive and lyrical. Often times I find romantasy to feature pretty modern language and structure that is found in contemporary romance, which makes the story feel jilted and out of place with the world it is placed in. This was not the case with this book at all!

The protagonist, Rune, reminded me a lot of Aelin from Throne of Glass. They way she can manipulate and play both ditzy socialite as well as secret hero for witches at nighttime, as well as simultaneously being an empathetic, caring individual... It was too good. I think entering this book there were some pretty obvious plot points and knowing where things would end up. However, there were some situations that surprised me and I didn't see coming. I think the enemies to lovers and cat and mouse game of chase was done really well and is set up incredibly for the sequel.

The worst part about receiving a book early is knowing how long I will have to wait for the sequel! Literally counting down on the edge of my seat!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I devoured this in about two days! I don’t like spoilers but when a book is this good it’s hard to hold back! BUT what I will say is this is a romantasy following a witch and a witch hunter set in what are definitely Bridgerton vibes. The pacing is so so good and each character has a lot of depth. You really get to learn their motivations and their fears. I loved how distinct the POVs were and the flashbacks which heighten the stakes! This was even more fun in that it’s a bit of mystery and you are trying to figure out what is happening as you go along. I saw some things in the end coming but one major event I was NOT prepared for and it broke me! I so want a HEA but it ended on a huge cliffhanger and now I am dying to read book two in this duology. Overall it’s fun, action-packed, and swoon worthy!

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for this digital ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange of an honest review.

This book was a masterpiece, if you like slowburn romance with a good fantasy setting this book is for you. This is a very fast paced book with very high stakes, you will not want to put this book down! It is a Dual POV book which I really enjoyed. The first POV is Rune, she is a bubbly socialite by day and a witch vigilante by night. Rune is really that girl, she is such an interesting main character and I enjoyed reading her chapters.
The second POV is Gideon who is a witch hunter in the Blood Guard, I was pleasantly surprised about his chapters, his character had so much depth and it was interesting to learn more about his backstory.

There's an element of mystery in the book with a plot twiat towards the end, I was able to figure out quite early in the book what the plot twist was going to be but I still enjoyed reading about it.

This was 5 star read. such a good book!

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and it delivered! This high-stakes enemies-to-lovers tale adapts the trope with the witch/witch hunter dynamic. The relationship between the characters was relatable and the characters were likable. Even though I predicted what would happen, it was still a big twist and I enjoyed it! I am really excited for the next book in this series.

A witch and witch hunter are playing a dangerous game of chicken, while also falling in love. And that ending???! Omg I need the second book immediately, tysm.

Oh I loved this! Loooooved loved this! Like, could not put this down. This was a highly anticipated read for me, and I was so excited to get approved for an arc.

In a society that persecutes witches, Rune is a vigilante by night that rescues captured witches. She’s secretly a witch as well. After a failed rescue attempt, Rune sets her sights on one of the lead witch hunters for information. He’s suspicious of her, and the two end up in a battle of wills as they try to outsmart each other.

This is dual POV, and the first in a new duology. It’s a very accessible fantasy-adjacent story, with minimal world building. Did I clock what was going on pretty quickly? Yes. Did I still enjoy the ride to see how it played out? Absolutely yes.

The only thing that felt a little icky to me, was Gideon’s comrade’s obsession with getting him to sleep with Rune. Gideon was resistant because of his own story, but this person just kept pushing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. 100% a five star read. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and cannot wait until til the second one is out! This has everything you could want in a fantasy book: enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, witches, love triangle, and a powerful main female character. I love the progression in Rune and Gideons relationship, as well as Gideon and Alex. One aspect of the magic system that I loved is that it’s not a “free for all” magic system. There are consequences for each spell cast and the characters must weigh those actions. I highly recommend this book!

Read if you like:
✨ Fantasy
🌎 World Building
🔺Love Triangles
⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
🩸Magic/Witches

This book follows Ruin who is our Badass FMC whom has the weight of the world on her shoulders as she tries to save witches from persecution in hiding as a society girl whom hates witches and turned in her own grandmother for being a witch.

The main plot of the first book in this series is the cat and mouse back and forth between Rune and Gideon and this is further more interesting and truly sucked me in as we get both of the POV of these enemies one a witch, and one a witch hunter.

The tension was absolutely palpable between these two and the way they both melted for a moment when they let their guards down was truly so beautiful and it makes me so so so excited for what comes next with this series and waiting impatiently for the next installment until I can get my hands on it!

This was my second book by this author and I am so, so, so excited to continue to read her fantasy stories as I have loved both!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you, Net Galley, for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

I quite enjoyed this book but I think this would have been better listed as NA rather than YA. There is quite a bit of triggering topics so please make sure you read the content warnings.

Reading the synopsis, I did not know how I could get behind the enemies to lovers with this MMC. Understanding his past was helpful, but I don’t know. I can’t get behind it but I was still captivated by their relationship. I was captivated from the beginning. I loved Rune. She’s helping her people, caring, and she puts on a good facade to go unnoticed. Her strength is also her biggest weakness. I absolutely was not expecting the plot twist we received, I cannot wait for the next installment!

Something I wish I saw more was the world development and a larger glimpse into the past and current politics.

✨Witch vs. Witch Hunter! This cat vs mouse epic fantasy is filled with absolutely everything I adore in a book, enemies, lovers, magic and a whole lot of surprises along the way!!!

I can not WAIT to continue this series. This book made me feel like I wasn’t even reading. It left me engrossed in this fantasy world, I couldn’t stop reading.

Highly recommend!

I flew through this book. It was a quick, easy read that I really enjoyed. It is romantasy, but I liked the fantasy part of this more than the romance part. The magic system is super easy to understand, so you were never lost trying to figure out how anything worked. I could've used some more back story on why there was a sudden uprising against the witches. Especially since it seemed this uprising only happened where they lived. They spoke about neighboring areas where witches were not hunted. So what is the story there?

The story revolved around Rune and Gideon and it was a true enemies to lovers story. At the end of the day their relationship is why the book is 4 stars and not 5 stars for me. Mainly because I never ever got behind the MMC as the love interest. I didn't like him or understand how they went from enemies to 'I love you'. It made no sense. They hung out like twice and were in love. I'm sorry what? How? Gideon was definitely understandably traumatized, however to jump to genocide from his experience was a big red flag for me. His thinking is so black and white and it never changes, so I just couldn't root for him. His brother Alex was Rune's best friend, and I was so invested in him just wishing him and Rune would end up together. He was a much more fleshed out character, and it was so easy to root for him because he was just good. Unfortunately I was let down. I still can't believe Kristen did us dirty like that. I DO NOT forgive her for what she did to Alex.

Another thing I wish is that we got to experience more of Rune as the Crimson Moth. We got one scene of this when she just took Gideons word at face value (which at this point of the story, was the stupidest decision ever and made ZERO sense). But this was probably the best scene in the book. Show me how bad ass she is instead of just talking about how it happened. I want to be in these moments with Rune!

I will definitely be reading the next novel when it comes out, because I need to know how this finishes. Will Gideon be redeemed? Right now I don't see how. But please change my mind!

Thanks to NetGalley and SMP for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great start to a new YA fantasy series! I read so many books claiming to be enemies to lovers with no tension and turmoil. This was truly an enemies to lovers. I felt that tension and I am looking forward to where the story goes.

🦋Enemies to lovers
🦋Brief love triangle
🦋Plot Twist
🦋Romantasy
🦋Witchy

AGHH that ending!!?!?!
Ok, but we can’t start there!! Better start at the beginning – Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the eARC to read.

I was so excited for this one, having previously loved Kristen Ciccarelli’s books (HOOK). It was mentioned as being scarlet pimpernel inspired (LINE) & consisted of witches & witch hunters (SINKER!!). I couldn’t sign up fast enough!!

I enjoyed almost (I’ll get to that in a sec) every moment of this book!! The danger, the intrigue, the flirting, the magic – I was oohing and ahhing and gasping at every turn. Gideon might say he doesn’t know how to dance, but he and Rune were entangled from day one – leading one another along with intricate steps, coming together for heart pounding dips, and circling each other till I was dizzy!! As for enjoying almost every moment – well didn’t this story just have to go and break my heart! Missteps and miscommunications abound toward the later parts of the story & I am not sure if I will ever recover from that ending.

Love, Magic and Heartbreak. I knew I’d love this book as soon as I got it, I just didn’t know how much.

I will never trust this author with my heart again. I am completely shattered after this book.

I was living for every second of this book. The cat and mouse, enemies to lovers and back to enemies. I loved the characters and my heart grew so attached to even the smaller characters. The plot had you continuing to read, the romance had you gasping needing more.

I desperately need book two to happen because the ending of this book left me broken.

Witches, yes! This was a fun and fast read for me, I enjoyed my time with it and was so invested in it that I had a hard time putting it down. I though the cat and mouse between Rune and Gideon was really well done and all the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat.

Why a four and not a five star? Without attempting to ruin anything for readers, I thought some of the encouragement from characters was REALLY toxic and would have preferred that be handled differently. I also felt like the world building wasn't quite what I needed, I would have preferred more detail about the three queens.

Without a doubt I will be reading the second in the series. I can't wait to read the conclusion of this story.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.