thank you to Naima Simone & Bramble / Tor Publishing group for this ARC copy.

disney reimagining but make it mafia? YES.

didn't know I would enjoy this as much as I did tbh, but i'd never really read a mafia before. Mafia romance is not generally in my wheelhouse but this was an excellent addition.

Touch him/her and DIE
She stalks HIM
Enemies to lovers with SPICEEEEEEE
Badass women

This was a kicking my feet giggling good time for me. Did I love the writing style? mmm not really, but the idea and couple of twists made for for that IMO.

The tiktok-y language definitely could put people off, but I was here for the ride honestly, and would definitely continue this series.

Lost a star for the writing style/tiktok language AND the chapters were so long, like SO LONG. Other than that though a solid & fun story.

Huntsman was a deliciously dark romance with a fairy tale-inspired twist. It delivers enemies to lovers at its best, a deadly hero, and an equally deadly heroine who want to kill each other and who can’t keep their hands off each other.

This book was just not it for me, the premise sounded great but the execution really lacked. I enjoyed a few parts but the wording really took me out of the story.

.25 ⭐️

“She must experience brokenness in order to be pieced back together and forged into something unbreakable”

Eshe has not lived a life like others. After witnessing her aunt murder her mother at 16, she vows her revenge. She’s not expecting a certain Huntsman to throw a wrench in her plans. She once claimed him as hers, but that’s before he’s sent to remove her heart.

Only giving this .25 stars because the concept was so cool and I wanted so badly to enjoy it. A dark romance, African crime family retelling of Snow White had so much room for greatness. Unfortunately the writing just isn’t there for me. The setting is not described well, the characters are not described well, the writing is chronically online and not in a good way.

I am never one to shame someone for cursing, I’m the queen of it, but this felt like too much even for me. It was constant and ill-placed.

Overall, this was just a book I struggled with.

This is not a genre that I often read but is adjacent to ones I typically enjoy. I went in with an open mind, but unfortunately I couldn’t connect with the mafia aspects, particularly the inner monologue of the main male character. I thought the fairytale retelling approach was cool but I just couldn’t root for this couple personally. The writing was good, so fans of this genre will likely enjoy it!

Okay so I loved the premise of this book so very much! The plot was really interesting, the dark and gritty-ness of it was also amazing, and overall it was just the right amount of steamy and spicy.

Do I think this could have been written a little better and just needed some extra work? Absolutely, but overall it was an absolute blast to read and enjoy! I had so much fun with it and read it in one sitting!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

Huntsman introduces a protagonist consumed by a nine-year quest for vengeance against her aunt. "My world. My throne. My mother." These stolen pillars of her life fuel a simmering rage that has bided its time, festering silently as she serves under her very oppressor within the formidable Mwuaji crime family. But patience has its limits, and a new line has been crossed: her aunt has put a price on her head.
Malachi Bowden, the legendary assassin known only as The Huntsman. He's never failed a contract, a ghost in the shadows whose reputation precedes him. But this isn't just another target for the Huntsman; and for our protagonist, he's far more than just a skilled killer. This isn't just a fight for survival; it's the long-awaited moment to finish a war, to reclaim what was lost.
Overall, this story is a must-read for fans of intense, character-driven dark romance, particularly those who relish a strong, driven heroine and a morally gray hero with a complicated, inescapable history.

🩸👑 Huntsman (Hunted Kingdom #1) 👑🩸
by Naima Simone | Pub Date: Oct 21, 2025

“The Huntsman is after me. But he’ll be mine first.”

🔥 Mafia Snow White reimagining.
💀 Assassin MMC.
👑 Queen in the making.
✨ Trauma bonding, enemies-to-lovers spice.

Nine years ago, Eshe’s aunt stole her throne, destroyed her family, and left her plotting revenge. Now, the most feared assassin in the world, Malachi Bowden, is hunting her.

But Eshe doesn’t run. She hunts him right back.

What I loved:
🖤 Enemies to lovers tension so thick you could cut it with a blade
🖤 Malachi: morally gray, deadly, and slowly unraveling at Eshe’s hands (literally).
🖤 Eshe: fierce, calculating, hilarious—and absolutely unhinged in the best way.
🖤 Found family vibes (Eshe + her “seven” 👏🏾).
🖤 A heroine who doesn’t just survive, she thrives in the dark.

✨ “Normally my steel-toed boots are reserved for crappy exes, but Eshe’s aunt had me ready to jump through the pages.”

⚠️ Content note: this is a dark mafia romance. Check triggers before diving in. But if you’re into:
✔️ *“Touch her and die” vibes
✔️ Researching (aka stalking 👀)
✔️ An assassin slowly falling for the woman he’s supposed to kill…

Then you need this book on your TBR immediately.

#Huntsman #HuntedKingdom #NaimaSimone #DarkRomance #MafiaRomance #FairytaleRetelling #EnemiesToLovers #SpicyReads #TorBooks #NetGalley #RomanceBookTok #BrambleBooks #ReadWithMe

Huntsman is the first title in the Hunted Kingdom series written by Naima Simone.

What to expect:
*Snow White retelling
*Morally grey FMC and MMC
*Mafia family crime vibes

I love a retelling of a classic fairytale, I just couldn’t get into this story. It was written well, it just wasn’t for me.

No OW/OM drama within the MC relationship, no third act breakup.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Contemporary, dark romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Eshe (FMC) & Malachi (MMC)

Thank you to the publisher and the author for this e-arc!!!!

This book caught my eye because I LOVE a re-telling!!!!!
I thought this story did a great job of creating a twisted Snow White re-telling. if you love two unhinged, crazy MCs matching each other’s freaks, this is the one for you! It is very much unhinged x unhinged (think Harley Quinn x Joker).

Wow! Just an absolutely stunning book from Naima Simone.

I was so excited to read a Black mafia x Snow White and the Huntsman retelling. I want to commend Naima for going to the mat for her characters and giving them such a rich interior life. You can tell she wrote the story, she wanted to. It shows in how real her characters are and that she got to push boundaries in how the story unfolded.

Eshe Diallo finds out that her aunt, Abena had her mother taken out so she could claim the crown. When Abena hires the most feared assassin in their world, The Huntsman, she has no idea what she sets into motion.

Immediately Eshe and The Huntsman clash, but they're playing a dangerous and twisted game that will leave Eshe with what she desires most, and the Huntsman with something he could have never imagined he wanted.

I cannot reccomend this book highly enough! It trully captured me from page one until the end.

Thank you to the publisher and the author for this e-arc!

This book caught my eye because I love LOVE a retelling. I thought this story did a great job of creating a twisted Snow White retelling. That being said - baby the dark romance DID have me stressed ngl lmaoooo cartoon cover me my god 😭😭THAT being said - if you love two unhinged crazy puts matching each other’s freaks, this is the one for you. Very much the joker x harley Quinn vibes here (except he actually wants her back) - unhinged x unhinged.

Can’t wait to see what else is to come!

A quick read reminiscent of Katee Robert's O'Malley family series, Huntsman was a fantastical romantasy/mafia mashup that I could not put down! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

This will absolutely be the right fit for someone. That someone just isn't me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was pulled towards this book because it was a snow white retelling, but make it mafia, and that sounds not only fun, but like something my teens in the library would love. They love the Disney Twisted tales and everything dark and romantasy. It didn't take long for me to realize this might be a step too dark (content warnings solidified that for me).

It is interesting if a bit overwritten in parts (I just struggled a bit with the narration, to be totally transparent). I found the characterization great but the drama a bit cheesy, and the line between fantasy and fiction blurred a bit too much for me at places.

Again, well done and someone is going to love this. That someone just wasn't me. It was decent enough, though.

A Snow White retelling… but make it Mafia ?! Yes please!

Eshe’s life was stolen from her. Her kingdom, her mother, and any chance at peace disappeared when her aunt took control. When her aunt puts a bounty on her head, the infamous assassin known as the Huntsman is sent after her!

The huntsmen is the definition of broody…cold, calculated, and dangerous. Eshe throws him completely off balance, and I loved every second of it. This was real enemies to lovers.

Eshe is a FORCE! Never the damsel. Watching her turn the tables on a legendary killer was everything.

Thank you to the NetGalley and Bramble for the ARC!

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Nine years ago, Eshe lost everything at the hands of her aunt. Now, she's finally ready to take it back. Her aunt isn't giving it up without a fight though, so she contracts the infamous assassin, Huntsman, to take her heart. What she doesn't know? The Huntsman already has her heart, and that could be her undoing.

I wanted to love this book, I really did. Retelling of Snow White, where Snow doesn't need rescuing and will 100% fight her own battles? Count me in. However, the whole book just fell flat for me. I disliked the writing, everything felt forced, and cheesy/tropey. "We're all sociopaths here" felt very cliche for a dark romance, and the thought that she wanted T-shirts and Glocks with that motto was cringey. None of the characters are super well developed, and I didn't really care about any of them.

I did finish the book, which I don't necessarily regret, as the last 15% I actually enjoyed. I actually got into the big reveal/fight scene, and liked the way it wrapped up, which is the only reason I gave this book 3 stars. If I could give it 2.5, I would. I also really liked that the "7 dwarves" were more women that fought their own battles, but I wish they served any purpose in the story. They mostly served as Eshe's humanity, the only people in the world she loves and trusts (except with anything important, because we can't risk their lives). I also enjoyed the twist on the poison apple, with an assassin named Poison, but again, we don't get a lot from them. I assume we will be seeing them in a future book in the series, where they'll get better developed, but I won't be reading it. This is a one and done for the series for me.

If you enjoy dark, mafia romance, and fairy tale retellings, this might be the book for you. It just wasn't it for me.

I'm going to start with i did not finish this book. I'm not the type to put a book down but I just dont think this was for me. It felt really cheesy & cringey as if the storyline was trying painfully hard. I love dark romance & i appreciate being accepted for this arc & with the upmost respect for this author I just don't think this story resonated with me enough to keep pushing through the story. I'm giving this book a 3 star review for me not finishing, straight in the middle for others to decide. Definitely give this book a chance, even though it wasn't for me it could be for you

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
2.5⭐️

A gritty, genre-bending retelling that blends fairy tale tropes with crime family drama.

Huntsman is a bold and unconventional take on the Snow White story—set within a dark, matriarchal African crime family. This retelling doesn’t shy away from violence, spice, or grit, offering readers a truly original spin on familiar lore. It’s fast-paced, exciting, and filled with moments of sharp humor and intrigue.

While the Snow White inspiration is there, it leans more thematic than literal—some names and situations are recognizable, but others feel more loosely interpreted. Readers looking for a faithful or easily traceable retelling may find themselves a bit adrift. Still, this novel carves out its own space with originality and confidence.

The tone is very dark (be warned), but it’s also refreshing in its ambition. If you’re open to something experimental with high stakes, high heat, and a unique setting, Huntsman may surprise you. It’s not perfect, but it’s certainly not forgettable.

Best for fans of dark retellings, morally grey protagonists, and crime fiction with a twist.

This was my first time reading dark mafia romance and I loved it! Eshe and her seven are completely bada** . Huntsman is to broody that its almost annoying, but other than that I loved it.

I don’t know if it was formatting of the ARC or the writing style - but this one was not for me. I think with some editing it would have potential though.