I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. special thanks to Wednesday Books for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars

Note: I will try to keep my review of book two as specific yet generic as possible to keep from giving spoilers but since it is the conclusion of a duology, that may be hard to do. If you're still planning to read book one: fair warning!

TL;DR: Rebel Witch is a fast-paced and action-packed follow-up to Crimson Moth. I was invested from the go and I can't recall the last time I read a book so quickly (not even a day)! The conclusion in this fantasy romance duology leans more into the romance side of things but overall, I found it a satisfying conclusion! Rune and Gideon are peak enemies-to-lovers and I LOVED everything about their dynamic in this book. The sexual tension was so intense and taut that you could have cut it with a knife and I was here for every single delicious moment. There are old/new characters and plot twists introduced that did a good job of cleanly wrapping up the loose threads, despite maybe some elements moving a bit too quickly. Or maybe it was just that I wanted more time in this world and I didn't want the book to end? 🤭 This duology as a whole is a solid 5 stars and with the way it ends, it has successfully slotted itself into my list of favourite fantasy romances!

I had no idea what to expect going into Rebel Witch. I was ready for more enemies-to-lovers romance with a dose of hateful and reluctant (maybe one-sided) pining, but I wasn't ready for the high-level mix of angst, mutual pining, and achingly sharp yearning churned with a hearty dose of hatred. The combination gave my stomach butterflies cramps because PHWOAR, THE FEELS! Y'all, when I tell you I wasn't ready for it (cos I wasn't), but did I eat up every minute of it? YUH!

Ugh, just thinking about these two and the complexity of the feelings they contend with, plus the reality of their situation being a witch and witch hunter lent their romance a feeling of hopeless star-crossed lovers. Rune and Gideon have so much to process following the events of book one. They're dealing with grief, rage, betrayal, and presumably (on both their parts) unrequited love that they loathe feeling for each other as players on opposing sides of a brewing war. I enjoyed both their character arcs as they process their feelings while also contending with the reality that the people in charge of their respective sides don't seem to be leading their people in the right direction, and they can no longer justify the cruelty of their actions on both sides. I loved watching Gideon accept his feelings for Rune and seeing how it grounded and strengthened him. Surprisingly, the opposite happens with Rune due to certain horrifying circumstances that seemingly broke her although, of course, she finds a way back to herself and Gideon in the end. Their romance was inevitable—their red string of fate unbreakable—and I loved the slow burn of it although there were times when I felt the back-and-forth got repetitive further in. That said, their actions and reactions did make sense after everything they went through and they still managed to solidify their place on my list of favourite romantasy couples! 😉 Also, while the first book did have a semi-open door intimate scene, I feel like the intimate scene here is a bit more mature (also semi-open door) which made this feel more New Adult or at the very least upper YA.

The conclusion to the duology does lean heavily on the romance aspect and to be honest, I think that's what a lot of romance fantasy readers will come for! However, the plot does move smoothly along in the background and I was satisfied with how everything was tied together in the end. Yet I still wish more focus was given to certain elements of the plot, especially the new "twisty" elements that were introduced, of which there were a few. Some of these elements could've been so much more impactful had the author given them more time to marinate and develop earlier, but the wrapping up of things felt a bit rushed. I enjoyed meeting certain characters that I didn't take seriously in the first book and I also liked most of the new characters we met (save for one 👀). There were even some characters that I would love to get side stories for because I was invested in learning more about their histories and the potential of their futures.

Overall, this was just a super entertaining, highly emotional, achingly romantic and beautiful conclusion to the duology. I'm so happy I picked up Crimson Moth last year and I can't wait to see what Ciccarelli comes out with next because I'll read it! 😍