Heartless Hunter
By Kristen Ciccarelli
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
Medieval Chivalry and Feudal Duty:
Gideon's role as a protector bound by loyalty and duty resonates with the chivalric ideals prevalent in medieval England. The feudal hierarchy that governed much of England's medieval history is mirrored in the complex power dynamics between characters in the novel, where loyalty to a lord or cause often trumps personal desires.
Forbidden Love and Social Boundaries:
The romance between Rune and Gideon reflects themes common in English literary history, where societal expectations often constrained relationships. The tension between love and duty recalls narratives from the Tudor period and literary classics like Jane Eyre, where personal happiness is frequently sacrificed for honor or societal norms.
Rebellion and Loss:
Rune's thirst for justice and her personal losses parallel England's tumultuous history, particularly during periods of rebellion and upheaval, such as the English Civil War. Her journey echoes the defiant spirit seen in historical figures who sought to challenge the status quo despite overwhelming odds.
Landscapes:
Ciccarelli's descriptions of the setting bring to mind the wild and moody landscapes often depicted in English literature, such as the moors in Wuthering Heights or the foggy streets of London in Gothic fiction. These landscapes serve as metaphors for emotional turmoil and societal unrest."
