Heartless Hunter
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! "A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history. I couldn't look away." - Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Champion of Fate 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. “Enchanting and deeply romantic, Heartless Hunter drew me in with the first sentence and left me breathless by the last.
A story that unfolds like a spell, and one that is destined to capture your heart.” - Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals
- Pages
- 406
- First published
- February 20, 2024
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Reviews
Started March 6, 2025 · Finished March 7, 2025
The end of this book really made it for me, everything started to happen and come together at the end and I cannot wait to see where we go next. I mostly did the audio for this book and it was really good, I almost finished the whole thing in one go. There were some things I was definitely able to predict but also a couple of surprises. I really liked the uniqueness of the magic system in this book and honestly the period blood thing didn’t bother me at all I thought it was pretty resourceful. I’m excited for more Rune and Gideon in the next book and hopefully a Cressida beheading.
Finished May 1, 2025
i gave this 3.5 on storygraph and rounded up here bc i did enjoy the story but i found it annoying how major plot points were constantly repeated like i forgot within 100 pages 😭 maybe it's a me thing- if youre setting the book down a lot and reading over weeks vs days maybe it wouldnt be so bothersome. i hear the second is better than the first though- and im definitely interested to see where the story goes!
- Anonymous
Finished January 3, 2025
I think I've actually been shocked by a book. Like I think I'm incapable of speech right now. If someone asked me to describe my thoughts for this book, I would say it's the first book in a while that has made me actually have a spiral because it was so good. For months it's felt like I've been reading the same thing, but this felt like the palate cleanser I really needed. There honestly wasn't anything I didn't like about this book. I really loved everything about this, and the characters, plot, and the whole world this is set in is just amazing. I truly love this book so much. Easily a 5/5 stars and Hall of Fame Shelf worthy. I can't wait for the second book because I need answers NOW.
Started January 1, 2025 · Finished January 3, 2025
i loved this one so much
Finished September 20, 2025 · Read 2 times
Finished March 3, 2025 · Read 2 times
"The hunted had fallen for the hunter." 💭 My thoughts This was my second time reading and I'll admit I was a bit critical of it the first time around. Some of the details with blood magic didn't quite make sense to me, but reading a second time, it all makes more sense, story and character wise. While nothing about this story has complex world-building or politics, I enjoyed the simplicity of what was there. Sometimes overly complex worlds and politics in fantasy can take away from the characters and the relationships, at least for me. The balance of world-building, political war between sides, and the relationships between characters alongside the pacing was all well-done for a debut author! Rune is an up-and-coming baby witch, caught in-between the political war of the new republic and witches, battling with who deserves her betrayal, and who deserves her love. I really enjoyed that the author didn't make Rune a total badass. This makes the reader more excited to see her character evolve into the witch she's going to be. Gideon, like Rune, is caught in-between this war and love, and the war that is love. Very excited to see where the last book in this duology takes them both. Highly recommend this if you want forbidden love, witchy vibes, and enemies to lovers to enemies again. ⚠️ Trigger warnings Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, Sexual assault Minor: Drug abuse, Addiction, Child death [Follow my Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/inkstainedemotions?igsh=aTh6eTZ6dGwxMXpy&utm_source=qr) [Dream Girl Evil by Florence & The Machine](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldecf2wj52s&si=kbSSMM8v-Mfqig3F?igsh=aTh6eTZ6dGwxMXpy&utm_source=qr)
Started February 27, 2025 · Finished March 2, 2025
4.5 rounding up... Damn ya'll I had trouble putting this down! Such a good book and great characters, the narrator was top notch and the POVs were so delectable. I loved picking up on some of these twists before the characters saw what was coming. There were a few details with the scarring and others being used that was a little unclear, but maybe I just missed something. The use of menstrual blood was... really unique i thought... I know some people find that kinda gross, but, like... way to be resourceful lass... go you haha. 🌶️ 2/5 I know this is supposed to be YA but the tension, and build up and spicy moments in this were so magical... A true enemies to lovers story and I am here to see where this goes next. I am sad about a few things BUT feel like they were necessary to the story... Sometimes when one door closes another opens. "His gentleness snuck past her defenses, unlocking the deadbolts inside her. Letting the enemy in."
Finished November 3, 2025
- adventuroushopefulMedium-paced
Started April 11, 2025 · Finished April 12, 2025
- adventurousmysteriousFast-paced
Finished March 22, 2025
What can I say? Did this book reinvent the wheel? No. But the setting, storytelling, and characterization were incredibly top-notch, to the point where I couldn't put it down. I loved all the conflict, which kept the stakes and tension high throughout the story; the romance was chef's kiss; the magic was intriguing (though I will admit I wish there was a bit more of it). All in all, if you're a fan of witches, enemies-to-lovers-back-to-enemies, or cat-and-mouse plots, I think you'll like this.
Finished July 1, 2026
Finished December 23, 2024
I'm not crying! You are!
