Thoroughly enjoyed!! I kept thinking I had things figured out only to be proven wrong again and again.

The ending! I’m in shock!!

Overall an incredible read. Kind of reminded me of Serpent & Dove. Can’t wait for the sequel!

This book surprised me in the best way!!
I don’t usually go for Witch books. It’s just not typically my thing, but as always, I like to give anything a chance.
This book had the constant allure that kept me interested. Especially the dynamic between the two main characters.
I got hooked right off the bat, and didn’t want to stop until I got to the end. And now I’m so excited for the next book!

The plot twist wasn’t obvious. Which is a very good thing. You only really start to consider certain possibilities when Rune or Gideon does.

I’ve read several books that have bored me lately because of boring characters or lack of chemistry. Gideon and Rune had absolutely explosive interactions. It was witty, they both were calculating, and also falling for each other at the same time. I loved it so much!

Heartless Hunter is on my most anticipated romance books of 2024 list and it totally delivered. This year I’m on the hunt for what will be the standout, romantasy book of the year and Ciccarelli’s romance is definitely in the running. The combination of enemies to lovers, love triangle, and romantic suspense all wrapped up into an amazing package that I couldn’t put down.

Romantasy books all start with the heroine for me. And this one is no different. Rune is a witch who is hiding that fact by pretending to be a vapid socialite by day while secretly saving witches who are captured and sent to be purged. Hot on her heels is Gideon, a member of the blood guard who’s been hunting her for two years. He just so happens to also be the older brother of Rune’s best friend Alex.

I loved Rune for her strength and her dedication to her purpose, all in the name of love for the grandmother that she lost. She was all alone in this world, except for Alex and her friend Verity, who became captivating characters all on their own as the story unfolded.

But the story soon narrowed in on the courtship between Rune and Gideon. Gideon had his suspicions of Rune being the Crimson Moth which drove his insistence on getting close to her while she too was getting close to Gideon to uncover the location of a witch in captivity. Trust and communication are definitely not pillars to their relationship but you could definitely sense their attraction and their chemistry just oozed off the page.

Ciccarelli really weaved a great story that kept you captivated, wondering if these two could actually make things work? Or who would hurt who and how?

And yet, while I was hooked on Rune and Gideon‘s growing love story, you’re also drawn into this developing story about Gideon‘s past, the witches downfall, and the current regime problems.

While I wish I saw more of Rune in action as the Crimson Moth, this book felt like a full story, and yet left with quite a cliffhanger and storylines to unfold as the series continues. I will definitely be reading the next book as soon as it releases!

If you love, romantic suspense, enemies to lovers or just a really intriguing, romantansy, I highly recommend Heartless Hunter.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

“She was drowning, and he was air. She hadn’t even realized how much she needed him until he was gone.”
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My first reading of the year was The Crimson Moth(UK)/Heartless Hunter(US) and it didn’t disappoint me at all! I started the year in the best way!!
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If you like slow burn, enemies to lovers, witches, witch hunters, a game of cat and mouse, and fake dating this story is for you.
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, hiding in plain sight trying to save every witch she finds from the witch hunters who persecute them. 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. Until the game of the cat and the mouse becomes more and more tense and romantic!!
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I loved anything about this book! The magic system, the witches, the writing, the characters, the plot... literally everything!
The story is told from both main characters POVs making it easy for the reader to understand them better. I loved Rune so much!! She is a complete baddie, willing to break every rule if it means saving other witches and Gideon is the villain of the story but at the same time he is so cute because he writes letters to Rune, creates clothes for her, gives her flowers!! I love him so much!!
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Speaking of the finale I can only say HELP ME! How do I live without the sequel? I need it asap!!
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Thanks to Netgalley, Wednesday Books and Kristen Ciccarelli for providing me with this ARC!
Heartless Hunter is out everywhere on February 20th! If I were you I would rush to pre-order it !

This book consumed me! I loved the FMC, the magic system, the friend group, and the overall setting. I do wish we got to see more of Rune as the Crimson Moth, but I am hoping that comes in book two. Gideon may not be the MMC for everyone because he takes the enemy to enemies to lovers seriously, but in this case I think that will make their eventual romance that much better!

The two major things that brought this down to 4 stars instead of 5 for me were:
- the pacing - I enjoyed the pace of the entire book, but then when so much happened in the last 20% it felt very rushed
- I am SO tired of the love triangle with brothers; it actually enrages me and takes away from the overall romance vibes

This book ends on a cliff hanger and I can't wait for the second book!

Heartless Hunter is a beautiful, mesmerizing tale of witch's and witch hunter's and those who will sacrifice everything for the ones they love. I knew from the start I was going to enjoy this book, what I didn't know was how it would pull at my heart.
After the reign of a cruel witch began a devastating revolution, where witches became outcasts and were hunted along with those who would dare sympathize with them. Rune knows all to well the dangers of being a witch and has to hide who she really is to survive. By day she is a young socialite, by night the Crimson Moth rescuing witches before their purging. Gideon Sharpe is a witch hunter who has been chasing the Crimson Moth for years, when he gets word that Rune may be using her ships to rescue witches he pursues her with the intent to see if she is who she seems or a witch in disguise. A game of cat and mouse that will have you on the edge of your seat and uncertain where your allegiance lies.
I loved how the complexity of the characters and the various layers that made up their personality. To me this book had a little bit of everything love, magic, and heartbreak. My only complaint is I have to wait for the next book to see how it resolves.

I devoured this book in two sittings, and it was because I went to sleep in between!

I love how fast-paced this book was and also it packed with high tension game of cat and mouse between a witch and a witch hunter that kept me reading! My favorite scene was the mine, oh boy that was really fun to read! The romantic bits were also well done!

But I also found some parts to be quite repetitive and there are few things that I really hope will be explained more in book 2 such as the back story of the three queens, the revolution, and the reason why The New Republic might be the only city that hunts witches. I felt that a lot of things are underexplained but I enjoyed it overall.

Looking forward to book 2! Do we have a date yet?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this book!

I REALLY loved this book. This story was intense from the very beginning and there wasn’t a single point where I didn’t feel engaged. I think the author did a wonderful job with character development and the magic system, and the world building wasn’t overwhelming.
This really was a game of cat and mouse! I thoroughly enjoyed watching this “game” unfold into true vulnerability between the main characters, and to see that the beliefs they hold about each other are essentially a misunderstanding due to trauma. The last quarter of the book was an emotional rollercoaster for me and my heart physically hurt for both Rune and Gideon. Kristen, please heal my heartache in book two!!!

Unfortunately, I had to DNF Heartless Hunter.

From what I read, this book is well written and the plot is interesting. I think fans of enemy to lovers and romantasies will devour this. I may attempt to come back to this at some point in the future.

Big trigger warning: the use of blood magic, cutting, and scars. I tried to make it past these, but it was too much for me to handle at this time. The description should mention blood magic or at least provide trigger warnings so sensitive readers are able to avoid these topics.

Predicted 4 star read for the right audience. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

Ahhhh I loved this book. Witch and which hunter? Sign me up. Enemies to lovers, slow burn, fantasy. This book has it all. Absolutely loved this book and I will reccomend it to anyone.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I liked the romance of the book, and the hunter vs hunted, but it didn't feel unique to me. Still a fantastic novel, but as someone well read in similar stories, I kept looking for something strongly NEW. I still would recommend to others that have not read similar storylines. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

An e-ARC was provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

-3.75 stars

This is a fast-paced, enemies to lover new fantasy duology. While this book is marketed as YA, I would say it leans more NA. Overall, this is an entertaining and engaging fast read. I really liked the FMC, who has a heart-breaking backstory. I wish we got more stories of the work the Crimson Moth does and the individuals she helps.

When I thought I knew what plot twists were coming, I was pleasantly surprised to realize I had guessed wrong.

The world is super intriguing and unique. I wish there had been more world building, more information about what life was like during the Sister Queen’s rule, what led to the revolution, how/why is the island so different than Caelis?? Maybe we will get this information in the second book.

I do feel confused about the morality of the MMC, who is a witch hunter and is responsible for the deaths of many witches but then also expresses distaste for other witch hunters who display unnecessary abuse (which is understandable) except that you spend your life finding and executing people? Maybe this was an attempt to show an internal struggle and humanity for the character, but given his level of hatred for witches it felt incongruent with what we learned about him.

I am looking forward to seeing where KC takes the series.

"Enemies-to-lovers doesn't get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli's latest romantic fantasy.

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.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe - a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution - who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune's merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she's the very villain he's been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli's Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to The Crimson Moth duology, a romantic fantasy series where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch...is falling in love."

That cover is sheer perfection.

you like slow burn, enemies to lovers, witches and witch hunters, this story is for you. This book features many of our favorite tropes and executes it incredibly well. The characterization is phenomenal. Each character had their own personality and voice, and gray morality. That's right, there's no perfect characters in this book.
One thing I found interesting about this book is there is a hard magic system. There are checks and balances.
There is no one with unlimited power that manifests itself at convenient and plot-thickening times. Also, there are negative consequences to casting powerful spells. I like this concept a lot, as hard magic systems are rarely seen in YA/NA fantasy books. It was a fun system to learn about and super creative.

3.5/5 ⭐️
I enjoyed this book, but equal parts, it frustrated me. Overall, it was a fast, engrossing read, especially the second half. And I eventually became invested enough where I was forming theories and predictions. However, there are a couple reasons I gave it a 3.5
First, as I was reading, I was wondering if there should be a trigger warning? Blood magic is an aspect of this book’s magic system, which isn’t new. I’ve read blood magic be used a thousand times in a thousand books. My issue is that numerous times in this book, characters talked about how they needed to cut for the blood magic. But not like it’s the unfortunate means to an end. No, it was almost romanticized. I felt like we were supposed to miss and root for the witches who were hunted down. And they talked in nice light about how the witches used to cut themselves for their blood, but they did it where it carved pretty designs into their skin that they would show off. And I did not feel comfortable with that. Especially because this is being marketed as a YA book.
The rest of my issues are sillier in comparison to previous, like how I could not pin point what era it was. Yes I know it’s a fantasy, but if an author can give us a few cohesive examples, the reader can easily fill in the blanks for the setting and make less work for the author. For example, we very easily understood in The Hunger Games, the vibes of the districts were like Great Depression era, but the capital was otherworldly with its more modern, almost futuristic aesthetic. In this book, I had no idea. There were balls with dance calls and horses but then modern underwear and more modern interactions. It just threw me out of the story every time. Overall, the world building felt like it took a far second seat to the two main characters.
My other issue was the amount of telling. Especially in the beginning, there was so much telling by the narrators. Telling us the world building. Telling us flashbacks. Telling us important details. Telling us their relationships instead of showing the readers through dialogue and actions. This particular issue made me once again wish this book stayed just a tad longer in the editing stage. These issues to me are easy fixes.
Overall, the beginning was rough, it didn’t really get interesting until the 30% point. However, after that, when the cat and mouse game really started, that’s when I started flying through it and was mildly enjoying the story. But I also recognize that many people won’t notice or care about the issues I had and will really enjoy this story, so I’m definitely going to recommend it to people. But, I will end this review by saying: Alex deserves better. Justice for Alex.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

This was such a good romantasy book! It was so up my ally - give me anything to do with witches. Then you add in the enemies to lovers witch/witch hunter vibes and it was great. This is how you do fantasy with a strong romance plot. I’ve read some other witch/winter hunter books that fell a little flat for me as the characters motivations weren’t very explored - this was not the case in Heartless Hunter. Gideon was SO interesting and the last 30% had me gasping. The literal only negative is I was confused as I’ve heard people refer to this as the crimson moth and now this title is something different (nothing to do with the story but just had me realizing I’ve heard about this book prior)

I will for sure be purchasing for our library!

I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting! From the beginning this book captivated me. I really enjoyed the magic system as I felt it wasn’t too overwhelming for me to understand as a reader. I fell in love with the characters and really appreciated their back stories. As you learn more about the characters and their background, it really helps you understand why some of these characters were driven to their current actions. The tension and slow burn romance between the main characters was so good! This book puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions, but all in a good way. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out because I need to know how this series ends!

✰ 4.5 stars! ✰
I really enjoyed this book! The characters were well written, and I liked how their suspicion toward each other didn't just disappear because of their attraction. Also, the romance! The tension was great, but I also enjoyed their sweeter moments. He literally sewed her silk flowers and a custom dress!
I'm excited to read the sequel, especially after the twists!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Rune spends her days pretending to be nothing more than a ditzy socialite who turned in her witch grandmother to be purged. But underneath her vapidness, she hides her truth: she, too, is a witch spending much of her time saving other witches. She's The Cirmson Moth. Gideon Sharpe spends his days as a witch hunter; particularly hunting The Crimson Moth, who makes his job much harder. What happens when their two worlds collide in a fast paced game of cat and mouse?
I love a good enemies to lovers story. And also a good forbidden romance. The slow burn and progression always make my heart truly happy. I was excited to read this one for that one trope alone. But blend in some witchiness and I was ready to be hooked. The summary gave me some Serpent and Dove vibes, and I enjoyed that series very much. But, this one fell short of that for me in a few ways.
Rune sells herself as a foolish and featherbrained socialite looking to find her Mr. Right from the social elite. But her true reason for a match is to find someone that will help her continue to pursue her cause of saving witches, without them having any knowledge of it. Rune is much smarter than she appears to be and I like this about her. When she's with her friends, she truly no nonsense and quite intelligent in her ability to think things through and use her own witchy powers to help her cause. While these were admirable qualities, I still found her characterization and development wishy washy. I just didn't like her. I wanted to have complete empathy for her situation but I just didn't have any endearment towards her at all.
I liked enjoyed the third person dual POV. It was nice to see the story from both Rune and Gideon's POVs. I feel like they were more heavy to Rune's side, though, and would have liked to see more background on Gideon. I wanted to see him change and grow and realize his opinion on witches was not always correct. But because he was never truly introduced to this from another perspective, he just comes off as arrogant.
As for the romance, I just didn't see the true blossoming of the relationship with Rune and Gideon. It felt forced and totally unnatural. It was never going to be strong enough to last through the book because of all the secrets Rune and Gideon were keeping from each other. And, while I understood this to be part of their character development, in the end it just didn't feel organic.
I did expect the twist with one of Rune's closest confidants, though. It was very truly obvious from me since the start of the book. However, I wish there was more foreshadowing of it. I got the sense the author was trying to do this at times but it never really left me truly wondering and interested to find out if I was right.
As for the action, that was fun. We did get to see quite a few tight spots for Rune which she predictably was able to thwart. But in the end, you knew she was somehow going to be found out.
The world building was enough to make me understand the magical aspect of the book. However, I did get confused at times with the timeline. It seemed like it might have been such a short period since the witches were purged, but then it seemed like it was more in the history. I never truly understood where I was in that timeline.
I've seen some call to list this one as an NA book, but I don't think it truly is. Yes, the characters are 18-20 years old. Yes we get some sexy, mostly closed door fade to black romance. But, honestly, the maturity of the characters strikes me as YA. So I think this is a good place for it to be.
Of course the ending leaves us on somewhat of a cliffhanger, so I am interested to see where the author might take this duology and how it may end. I'm always hoping for an HEA, which did not happen in this book, but I also understand artistically sometimes that is not the right call.

Entrancing! A glorious game of cat and mouse with the highest stakes. Darkness and light. Danger and Romance. Action and adventure. Heartbreak and Love. Magic! Such vivid writing that I could see every scene clearly in my mind. I loved every moment of this story. It had me absolutely spellbound. So much so that I just had to preorder both the US and UK versions. Don’t miss this one. I can’t wait for book 2.

I received an ARC of this story from NetGalley. So grateful! I will be reading this one again.