Heartless Hunter

Book 1 of The Crimson Moth Duology

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 facade, 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

From the publisher

Macmillan/Wednesday Books | ISBN-9781250866905 | 416 pages | February 22, 2024 | Fantasy

Crimson Moth Book 2 Rebel Witch

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
An Instant Indie Bestseller!
Indigo's #1 Best Teen Book of 2024
She Reads Best Young Adult of 2024 Award

Elle, "Best Fantasy and Sci-Fi of 2024"

Goodreads, "The Most Anticipated Young Adult Books of 2024" and "Readers' Hit New Books of the Year"

Paste Magazine, "Best New Fantasy Books of February"

She Reads, "Most Anticipated YA of 2024"

The Nerd Daily, "The Most Anticipated YA of 2024"

Reader's Digest, "Enchanting Books About Witches"

Town & Country, "The 20 Best Romantasy Books to Read Now"

ScreenRant, "15 Best Romantasy Books of 2024"

First For Women, "9 Unputdownable Romantasy Books to Read After ACOTAR"

The Everygirl, "16 Books to Read if You Already Binge-Read 'Onyx Storm,'" "Witchy Books to Add to Your TBR This Fall" and "Page-Turners to End Your Reading Slump"

"An addictive romantic fantasy about the cat-and-mouse game between a witch and a witch hunter that develops into something more, Heartless Hunter seems destined to be one of the buzziest releases of winter. (The chemistry! Whew!)" - Paste, "Most Anticipated YA of 2024"

"This fantasy take on The Scarlet Pimpernel smoothly spools out a complex plot, and the perspective changes heighten the tension ... The dizzying finale promises a sequel." - Booklist

"Ciccarelli persuasively imbues each side of the conflict with complexity, depicting both as being neither wholly good nor evil. The protagonists' strong chemistry unfolds at a tense and steady pace in this high-stakes romantasy." - Publishers Weekly

"An addictive first installment that sets readers up for a series full of magic and romance." - Kirkus

"Fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope will not be able to put this book down.. Ciccarelli creates a world that will immediately immerse readers." - School Library Journal

"Heartless Hunter is a stunning YA fantasy that combines unforgettable characters, thought-provoking themes, and a thrilling romance into a heart-wrenching and consuming story. Highly recommend picking this one up, especially if you enjoyed Divine Rivals, The Shadows Between Us, and/or To Kill a Kingdom." - YA Books Central

"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

"This was just the book for me. Dark, romantic, and brimming with forbidden magic, Heartless Hunter masterfully captures being caught between seduction and subterfuge. My heart was racing!" - Rachel Gillig, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of One Dark Window and Two Twisted Crowns

"Could not put it down...It's the sexy witchy lady PIMPERNEL retelling we all deserve." -Kester Grant, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Court of Miracles

"Kristen Ciccarelli bewitched me with raw storytelling talent! Heartless Hunter is a gritty caper and a delectable enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance rolled into one. From the high-stakes intrigue, to the rich world-building, to the enthralling magic system, to the toe-curling tension between two striking characters who are destined to be foes but can't keep their hands (and hearts) to themselves-there is nothing about this book that I don't fervently adore." - Thea Guanzon, New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars

"I loved this book so much! It was so gorgeously written and at points you could cut the tension with a knife. It was so propulsive and powerful, and I thought the Scarlett Pimpernel-re-imagining element was utter genius. An enchantingly written, high-stakes romantasy with a pulse-racing plot - I was captivated." -Natasha J. Hastings, author of How to Charm a Viscount

"[A] spell-binding fantasy romance with twists, turns, and an irresistible forbidden love. Between the intricate and unique magic system, an addictive enemies-to-lovers romance, and a stunning world filled with intrigue, Ciccarelli weaves a tale that is impossible to put down. With complex, morally grey characters you can't help but root for, I was left thinking about Rune and Gideon long after I turned the last page." - Elizabeth Helen, author of Beasts of the Briar series

"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

"Tense and bloody, with a steamy undercurrent, dark luxury and decadent world building, Ciccarelli has created a cutthroat world of forbidden magic that will become your new favourite enemies-to-lovers Romantasy. This is enemies-to-lovers done right, and after that ending, I can't wait for book two." - Megan Scott, author of A Temptation of Magic

"Heartless Hunter is my favorite kind of fantasy: sizzling with romance and banter between enemies caught in a dangerous world." - Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace