It’s time for another dive into our favorite enemies-to-lovers trope! And what bests a witch and a hunter, enemies-to-lovers romance? We are taking a break from shadow daddies, and going a step back to the all-time favorite archenemies. Believe us, Gideon Sharpe is as broody as Kingfisher, Xaden, and occasionally Azriel, and Hunt Athalar. Also, you will find a similar love triangle between brothers like in the Powerless Trilogy. More details in the synopsis of Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter, the first book in the young-adult, fantasy romance duology, The Crimson Moth series.
Jump to our ACOTAR, and Fourth Wing character analysis, or House of Earth and Blood, Quicksilver, and Powerless summaries for your dose of our Booktok romantasy book favorites.
.jpg)
Get ready for a witch hunt, but beware of spoilers!
After losing her parents in a shipwreck, Rune Winters is raised by Nan, an aristocrat—and a witch. Having no bled black blood herself yet, marking her as a witch, Rune is still safe from the Blood Guard that hunts witches ruthlessly. However, when a note arrives at the Wintersea Estate, warning that the Guard is coming for Nan, Rune has no choice but to turn Nan in.
As the sole heir of the Nan’s wealth, Rune becomes a young socialite, attending parties, and frivolous events, while the members of the New Republic display her as a symbol of patriotism. You guessed it! The best hiding place for a witch is in plain sight. Because yes, Rune Winters eventually bled black.
Having her best friends by her side, Alex Sharpe and Verity de Wilde, Rune becomes the Crimson Moth under the cover of night, helping witches escape from the Blood Guard. The secret identity trope turns into a game of cat and mouse, when Rune needs to save Seraphine, an old friend of Nan’s, who was recently captured by Gideon Sharpe, the Captain of the Blood Guard.
Have you figured out who Gideon’s brother is yet? Ah, huh.
The backstory of those two boys is quite interesting but also tragic as hell. Let’s break it down from where it all started. The Red Peace regime was formed after a great revolution against the Reign of Witches, which was set off when the Sharpe Brothers killed the Roseblood Sister Queens. As you can imagine, there is history between the brothers and the Sister Queens.
Their parents were a famous pair of seamstresses, who caught the attention of the Sister Queens, and were called to work for them in the castle. Apparently, one of the sisters became interested in young Gideon, and the two developed a situationship. Of course, Cressida was the toxic one, taking advantage of Gideon’s feelings and making him do her bidding. And when Gideon finally decided to end it, Cressida reacted like a true maniac; poisoning Gideon’s little sister, and then driving his mother mad. To cut the long story short, Gideon’s family was erased from earth, except for Alex who was studying away, blissfully unaware of everything.
Coming back, he found a Gideon deep in substances and bruises from fighting in a pit every night. That was when the current Captain of the Red Guard found him and took him in, giving him a purpose to live; hunting witches. However, Gideon could not rest as long as the Sister Queens were breathing. To spare his brother, Alex took care of Cressida. Or did he?
Back to the present, and Rune and Seraphine. So, Rune plans to extract information from Gideon about Seraphine’s captivity. Remember the cat-and-mouse game? Our cat, Gideon, is always one step ahead. He has been after the Crimson Moth for a long time now, and is more determined than ever to catch the witch. When his informant, Harrow, tells him the runaway witches use Rune’s ships to escape, Gideon suspects her. The only way of identifying a witch is by silver scars displayed on their skin after drawing blood for their spells.
A little world-building info: We are talking about blood magic. The witches used to show their scars, which were more artistic displays than slit-open skin. Something close to tattoos. Now, depending on the amount of blood, and how the witch retrieves it—extra power for those who acquire foreign blood without consent—the spells are divided in categories. The darker the way you retrieve blood, the stronger the spell. Another fun fact is that every time a spell is cast, the witch’s symbol marks the place, like a signature. Rune’s is a crimson moth.
While Rune tries to seduce Gideon, he calls her bluff. They spend time together, Rune looking for any useful information about Seraphine’s whereabouts, and he's looking for any scars on her body. Of course, he has to get her naked…
Keep in mind, it is a slow burn romance. The more he gets to know her real self, Gideon realizes she is more than a shallow socialite. After hearing his tragic story, Rune can tell he is not a heartless monster. Neither of them is willing to drop the masks, though. And like the brilliant heroine she is, Rune has no scars whatsoever. She strictly uses her menstrual blood to cast spells. Keep looking, Gideon…
So the game continues, and gets even more dangerous, when Gideon succeeds in trapping the Crimson Moth. In the last minute, Rune escapes, managing to keep her face hidden. However, the fun does not stop there. Rune is called to prove her loyalty once again before the Republic by purging Seraphine publicly. Gideon barely saves her when a magical fire breaks out, creating a distraction for Seraphine to escape. Guess who is back from the dead!
Unfortunately, Seraphine does not escape, but the witch attacks become more intense, putting Rune in a difficult situation. Alex announces that he is planning to leave town and invites Rune to follow him. Being heartbroken by Gideon, she accepts Alex’s proposal, but only after they take Seraphine out of prison.
Verity manages to steal a guard’s uniform, and Alex obtains Gideon's access coin—a key that opens every prison door. However, their plan fails when Verity does not show up. Instead, Gideon bursts into Rune’s house and arrests her. Having figured everything out, along with his love for her, he chose his duty. Boom! Enemies to lovers to enemies.
In the final act, Rune and Seraphine are brought to the central square for their purging. Chaos erupts when Verity appears, accompanied by a fair number of fellow witches. Right then, Rune realizes that the girl who called her friend is none other than the Queen herself. Cressida is back and more bitchy than ever.
When Gideon refuses to bow to her, she shoots him. Alex takes the bullet for Gideon, leaving both his brother and Rune devastated. Any hope for the future dies along with Alex, so Rune sails away with the other witches—and Cressida.
We give you five minutes to open your Amazon account and add the next book of the YA fantasy series. Look for The Rebel Witch.
Brilliant, fearless, and self-righteous, Rune is yet another female lead with the hero syndrome. Her guilt for turning in Nan drives her to live a double reckless life, as a patriot, and as a threat to the very republic she lets people believe she serves. Her need to shine as her true self becomes more apparent the closer she gets to Gideon. She loves being seen by a man like him. But can she fix him?
A tough nut, this one. Okay, he has gone through a lot, but he has let his hatred turn him into the Republic’s weapon. He was right to fight the injustice of the Witch Reign, but along the way, he served some elites that were as cruel as the Witches themselves… He seems like he has lost any sense of humanity, and he barely holds on. His duty along with protecting his brother are his only driving force. That is, until he realizes Alex has been helping the Crimson Moth and turns him in. Bastard.
Sweet Alex is the best friend, the greenest flag, and the most perfect match. He is an artist, who aspires to study classical music. Unlike Gideon, his morals are intact. He may hate the Sister Queens for killing his family, but he can also tell that the Red Peace is being as cruel, hunting innocents. His love for Rune and his brother is his undoing.
Rune Winters, our protagonist, leads a double life—by day, a high-society socialite; by night, the Crimson Moth, a vigilante witch. Her journey delves into the complexities of concealing one’s true self in a society that persecutes witches, highlighting the internal struggle between authenticity and survival. Don’t even get us started on Verity. Who could see that coming? Well, an experienced romantasy reader should have.
Set in the aftermath of a revolution where witches have been overthrown, the narrative examines the dynamics of power and control. The Blood Guard’s oppressive regime and Rune's resistance underscore themes of rebellion and the fight against authoritarianism.
The story is rife with secrets and hidden identities. Rune’s masquerade as a non-magical socialite and Gideon’s undercover courtship to unmask the Crimson Moth explore the moral ambiguities of deception and the duality of human nature. The dual POV helps us dive more deeply into both of the main characters’ complex emotions.
Characters are frequently faced with choices that test their loyalties and demand personal sacrifices. Rune’s commitment to saving fellow witches, even at great personal risk, highlights the theme of self-sacrifice for a greater cause. We shall all agree, though, that Alex showed the greatest loyalty and sacrifice in this book… We may not ship Rune with him, but he deserves our appreciation.
The Crimson Moth duology certainly deserves a spot in your Goodreads annual challenge. With a legit magic system, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, and a thrilling ending, Heartless Hunter is easy to digest, a perfect read to take a break from the complex, eight-thousand-paged fantasy books. Physical copy, audiobook, or e-book, it is worth it.
For more book reviews and romantic fantasy picks, join our crewfiction, and subscribe to our Tea & Cakes Newsletter for weekly book updates and historical trivia.
Heartless Hunter is a YA fantasy romance, with little spice. More specifically, there are one or two scenes where Rune and Gideon are into it, but it is mostly the yearning, slow burn that predominates the plot.
Yes, Gideon and Rune do sleep together in a climactic moment, raw feelings full on display. Vulnerable and more real than ever, Gideon believes he can have a second chance in love, while Rune wishes his love for her overpowers the hatred in his heart.
Heartless Hunter ends with Rune escaping the Blood Guard, along with other fellow witches, following Cressida, the only living sister of the witch queens. However, it looks like Rune does not entirely side with her. Not when she knows what the Queen did to Gideon and Alex.
Nikki Sheryee insists that she’s “up to no good” whenever she’s in the company of books. Armed with a degree in English Language and Literature, she wields the power of words like a mischievous wizard. Her lifelong dream? To be the editor who sprinkles magic dust on manuscripts! To Nikki, a book is more alive than a caffeinated squirrel on roller skates. Readers nurture it, cuddle it, scold it, and occasionally challenge it to a duel! But in the end, a book does its own thing, pulling at our heartstrings and revealing our inner human-ness. Nikki’s favorite pastime? Well, it’s none other than the noble art of daydreaming! And she wears her daydreamer’s badge with pride, sharing this delightful delusion with the crème de la crème of her friends.
