Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of this fun book. I really enjoyed the cat and mouse storytelling of this book, but with the twist of the mouse having a secret. Kristen was able to write characters that were enjoyable in this easy flow book. If you like fantasy with some high stakes, enemies to lovers, then I think you will enjoy this book.

𝙍𝙪𝙣𝙚 𝙜𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙚𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙. 𝘼𝙣 𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙝𝙪𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚. 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙨.

"𝙄𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙧𝙩 - 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙨?"


This book sunk it's teeth in me from the first page and wouldn't let go. Wow.

So good! Edged with tension and thrill, dipped in seduction. I thought the story was extremely well written, paced perfectly - exhilarating and compulsively readable. I was so emotionally invested I was sobbing my face off by the end.

ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR BESTIES! Releases 2/20/24━☆・*。
　　・゜
　 °。+ * 。
　　　　　.・゜
　　　　　゜｡ﾟﾟ･｡･ﾟﾟ。
　　　　　　ﾟ。　 　｡ﾟ
　　　　　　　ﾟ･｡･ﾟ


Dual POV
Enemies-to-Lovers
Best Friend’s Brother
Fake Dating
Vigilante
Suitors
Witch & Witch Hunter
Regency Aesthetics

This is the ultimate game of cat and mouse but it’s not just their lives at stake, it’s their hearts. Rune and Gideon play the a most captivating, alluring and tension laced game - She is a witch and only a few trusted people know, he is the cruel witch hunter, merciless murderer.

Once ruled by three witch Queen's, after the revolution 2 years prior the island is now under a regime governed by blood guards.

Rune was raised by her grandmother who is a witch, both of her parents had died when she was very young. Someone close to them had turned them into the blood guard and revealed that Rune's grandmother was a witch. Rune having not come into any witch powers at the time (around 16 years old) and her grandmother knowing they had no time for them both to escape pleaded with her to give her up and claim no knowledge of her being a witch. This would also keep Rune safe from being purged as a witch sympathizer. She obviously didn't want to do this but as her grandmother made her swear- she followed through and had to bare witness to her grandmother's execution.

Over the next two years Rune continuously tried to make up for her feeling of failure to save her grandmother and set out to save every single other witch possible from being purged- she became the crimson moth. Playing the part of a vain and silly girl, who only cares about money and fashion. In reality, she uses her position to gain insight and knowledge to help fellow witches escape.

Gideon is captain of the blood guards. He was once held victim to a witch, who made him fall in love. As a result, he became a joke and a punching bag to the locals. He truly felt he was not worthy of even living. Taken under the wing of a man who becomes a second father to him as well as a mentor - he takes all his self-loathing, hate, fury, etc and turns it into pure rage towards witches to root them out and kill them so that no one will ever have to live under witch rule again- because of course he believes them all evil.

As Rune and Gideon each play their roles, the fall into the biggest trap of all- love. Will love win or will betrayal?

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kristen Ciccarelli and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heartless Hunter is an enthralling tale of intrigue and pursuit, where a witch and a witch-hunter engage in a thrilling game of cat and mouse. Set against a backdrop of opulence, concealed secrets, and a dark and bloody history, this novel captivated me from start to finish.

Rune Winters has two identities, the pretty socialite and the crimson moth. When a witch her gran wanted her to find is captured, she must try to find information to save her, even if it means pretending to court with Gideon Sharpe, famous witch Hunter. Will they both be able to resist the undeniable attraction to each other whilst both playing each other?

If you’re a fan of witch and witch Hunter romance with a dash of spice, you’ll love this one! I love the unique take on the witches in this story and how they utilize their magic and the found beauty behind it.

I loved that we got both point of views of our main characters, Rune and Gideon. The insight of their backstories was nice, I really enjoyed the depth in how their past shaped them into who they are. I loved all of their interactions too, especially the beach scene! I am eager to see what happens in the next book.

Witches, witch hunters, parties, plotting, romance and secrets, plus more, if you love all of those things, I recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the arc!

Wow wow wow!!!!

I have an inkling this is going to be a top Fantasy book of 2024!!!!

Did I only request this book from NetGalley because it said Rebecca Ross recommended it? Yes.

Did it disappoint? Absolutely not!!

It definitely gave my Divine Rivals vibes but make it witchy. I loved it!!!

And the end 😟 I need more!

Enemies to lovers ✔️
Romantasy ✔️
Witches ✔️

It has it all and I am already excited for what’s to come with this duology!!

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5/5

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC.
What a beautifully written story! Filled with socialites, witches, witch hunters, magic, romance, intrigue, and wonderful characters. It will bewitch readers as soon as they begin reading it. I’m really looking forward to the next book!

I enjoyed this novel. It was a good read, with some plot twists, romance, and adventure. The author weaved an interesting tale about witches and the people without magical abilities. Rune has been hiding the last 2 years, having remorse and regret for what she did. To try and ease the guilt, she saves witches from death, but cannot save them all. With her friends Alexander and Verity, they devise plans to save the witches. Both know Rune's secret, but someone suspects Rune and they task Gideon to find out. Gideon is Alexander's brother, who played a role is removing the witches who were in power. Rune and Gideon decide to play each other, trying to find out information from other, forming a pretend courtship. What happens when those pretending become real? What happens when they learn things about the other that could change their perspective? Ends on a cliffhanger and looking forward to the next novel. I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a Netgalley ARC of this novel for review, with thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press.

This novel, very much in the Teen/YA category, is the first of a duology. All the important ingredients to intrigue young readers are there from the start. There is a clever, courageous and beautiful female protagonist, Rune Winters; a devoted friend, Alex Sharpe, who would like to be more than that; and his dashing brother, Gideon, a bad boy who is sensitive, good at heart, but rigid and prone to misunderstanding and being misunderstood. This is a love triangle in the classic sense: both young men are besotted with Rune, both hold in their true feelings about Rune and bigger matters. They are suspicious of each other but never open up a frank discussion. In the end, their inability to communicate causes much pain for all three. In this, Rune is complicit. By going back and forth with each of them, she is never really honest with either. If this is basically a cat-and-mouse game, the mouse torments as much as the cat. This also inspires something of a love-hate with each character on the part of the reader.
The story contains enough witchcraft of both good and evil varieties to fulfill the promise of its title. Under the centuries-long reign of three wicked Sister Witches, Gideon became known as “the witch’s whore” because he was “taken” by the youngest and cruellest of them, Cressida Roseblood, who essentially enslaved him, branded him with her rose and thorn insignia, inflicted such pain on him that he became a laudanum addict, and all-in-all forced him to serve her every whim on penalty of having his little sister and his parents die painful deaths. He was eventually saved by Nicholas Creed, the leader of a band of rebels plotting to overthrow their rule by murdering the Sisters.

The primary conflict is between the witches and those who despise all witchcraft. After overthrowing the sisters, Creed becomes the Good Commander and makes Gideon the Commander of the Blood Guard mandated to “purge” the land of all witches. These are the “Heartless Hunters” of the title. There is a lot of blood and blood imagery in this book, both red and black, associated with the conquerors (humans) and the conquered. Things are much more complicated than good versus evil, however, because the winning side is as despotic and cruel as the side that was vanquished so that the Republic of the Red Peace could rise. To begin with, Rune Winters was the adopted grand daughter of Kestrel Winters, who was herself a rich and powerful witch. When the Good Commander issues an edict in which he declares the streets will run with witches’ blood, all witches must either give themselves up for purging or their entire families will be purged; “Nan” persuades a devastated Rune to denounce her. She urges Rune to find her “oldest friend,” Seraphine Oakes, who had fallen out of favour with the Sister Witches and had been expelled.

So Rune goes on as a wealthy, charming and deliberately silly heiress who is really a double-agent of sorts: she plays stupid and “normal” while picking up “intel” about who is on the Blood Guards’ list. By night, she becomes Crimson Moth, who shepherds witches in hiding to safety, usually a few minutes before the Blood Guards pounce. She manages to keep the love of Alex, who is her best friend and foremost helper, alongside another mortal, Verity De Wilde, and also entices Gideon, who seems hell-bent on making her expose herself and purging her too. But is she really seducing him for the information the Crimson Moth needs? And is he playing his own game?

None of the main, or even the secondary, characters, is purely good or evil, which is far more interesting than otherwise. Many of them play multiple intersecting roles. Sometimes this is confusing, but for the most part, it adds to the suspense. The world-building is also well-done, with the characteristic ambiguity about where and when the story takes place. There are hints suggesting Victorian England, but also suggestions of both medieval and modern times. Likewise, age is a vague concept: Rune is entirely believable as a teenager, and at times her age is alluded to (I put her at 18). The brothers are often referred to as “boys,” but are better defined as young adults, perhaps early twenties. On the whole, this works, but it can be confusing too. Nan calls Seraphine her “oldest friend,” yet she is later described by Rune as a “young girl”. The ending effectively sets up the conflict that will take centre stage in the second book.

Who ends a book that way?? I almost gave this 4 stars because that ending made me so angry but the rest was just so good (protect Gideon at all costs I’m begging). The pacing was quick and the stakes were so high I was constantly on edge. Enemies to lovers where they both try to manipulate the other? Sign me up. This is great for fans of Serpent and Dove!

It's been a while since I've had this much fun reading a book.
The enemies-to-lovers trope is a favorite of mine, and in this book, it takes a fascinating twist. Just when I thought the characters might find common ground, the story throws them back into enmity, keeping the tension high.

The plot twists and reveals are both enjoyable to see unravel.
The characters in this novel were enjoyable to read as they tried to outsmart each other.
While the worldbuilding and magic system initially took some time to fully grasp, the effort was well worth it. The intricacies of the world and its various magical elements required patience, but once everything clicked in my brain, that was it for me.
I will be looking forward for the next installment of this series!

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC. This is my honest review.
Heartless Hunter was a fine romantasy - but was very, very YA, and at times it felt a bit too juvenile.
It’s been a long time since I read full-on YA, and perhaps I have outgrown the genre a little (gasp, no!), and, while this one was very well written, I was a bit bored. I think it really takes something “just a bit more” in the YA genre to catch my attention at this point and this one just wasn’t it.
I love anything witch related and the characters are well done, but the emphasis on the brooding, cat and mouse romance between the enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies somewhat exhausted me. Everyone was a bit broken in some way or another, but the most interesting backstory, the one surrounding our male MC wasn’t fleshed out enough for me. I think there was a lot of missed potential in the initial book, although I hope things pick up in the next installment.
And to be very honest, nothing really happens, all the while everything is happening. If that makes any sense.
I don’t think this series is for me. Although I am sure it will become an obsession for those fully into pure YA.

This book was a lot of fun. I was immediately grabbed by the world and the characters. I loved the dynamics at play and the relationship between Rune and Gideon and how it evolved over the course of the book. The ending was really exciting, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series to see how it will all play out!

I have the absolute pleasure of being able to read the ARC of Heartless Hunter. I have not been this excited and enthralled by a book since the Fourth Wing.

This is the ultimate game of cat and mouse but it’s not just their lives at stake, it’s their hearts. This story was phenomenal from start to finish, I was captivated by the characters and the magic that Kristen Ciccarelli was able to create.

Rune was forced to make a horrible choice and has spent the last two years making up for it. She is trying to make amends and no matter how many lives she is capable of saving, the one life that mattered the most, she was forced to turn over to the witch hunters. Rune spends her days playing the part of a vain and silly girl, who only cares about money and fashion. In reality, she uses her position to gain insight and knowledge to help fellow witches escape.

Gideon is captain of the blood guards. He was once held victim to a witch, who made him fall in love. He became nothing more than a laughing stock and was forced to stay to save others from his fate or worse death. He believes all witches are evil and they need to be put down. He is hunting the Crimson Moth, a foe who is witty, capable and intelligent to avoid capture for the last two years.

As these two opponents play their parts, they fall into the biggest trap of all…love. Will they be able to find a life together or will the betrayal turn the once enemies back to the ultimate game of cat and mouse?

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC of Heartless Hunter in exchange for an honest review! I know "romantasy" is popular for a lot of people right now, and I think this book will be exactly what they're looking for! I was hooked right away. Kristen Ciccarelli is a very talented author and I think she's done a great job with Heartless Hunter. I believe this is the first book in a duology, and I'll be eagerly awaiting that sequel. I read the entire book in one sitting because it was quite the page turner, and I was left wanting more. I loved Rune & Gideon and I really appreciated seeing both of their points of view. It helped me connect to both characters. I enjoyed this hunter/hunted, cat-and-mouse dynamic in the romance a lot. I will say though, I know this is a Teen/YA book, but I think it's more so on the line of what counts as Young Adult and what counts as New Adult, just in my opinion. I do strongly recommend this book to fans of fantasy romance or for people who just want to try out the genre.

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.