A fantasy Scarlet Pimpernel retelling? Yes, please!! I love The Scarlet Pimpernel, and I love witches, so Heartless Hunter is the perfect mash-up for me. It has all the tropes and elements I love: hidden identity, enemies to lovers romance, slow burn, witch magic, and rebellion. And the story moves so quickly that I didn't ever want to put it down!
What I love most about this book is the romance. The dual POV adds a lot of tension to the relationship, and I love seeing both Gideon's and Rune's thoughts about each other and how those thoughts changed throughout the book. There are some incredibly romantic parts, and I was on the edge of my seat wondering how everything would play out.
I have a couple of reservations, mainly that I found it to be quite predictable, which is saying something coming from me—I rarely pause and make accurate predictions. All of the foreshadowing was a little heavy handed, and it took some fun out of the plot. I also got the ick from recurring conversations about trying to manipulate a character for sex to get answers (as if this behavior is okay and excusable).
Reservations aside, I was overall delighted with this fast-paced witchy fantasy retelling. I can't wait for the sequel!
Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4
Thank you, Wednesday Books, for the arc!
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4
Thank you, Wednesday Books, for the arc!
Releases Feb 20, 2024
Trigger/Content Warnings: witch hunts/genocide, torture, public murders, death of a child, death of parents/grandparent, fighting violence and wounds, addiction, domestic abuse, physical and sexual abuse (off page), self harm, one open door scene
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