The Hunter: Tales of Pern Coen

Tales of Pern Coen

by Hannah E. Carey

Forced to flee her uncle's palace in the dead of night in order to save her own life, Duchess Rhiannon of Solis finds herself pulled into an ongoing war. She seeks safety on the shores of the island of Pern Coen, though she knows little of the strange land and its even stranger Spirits. A stroke of fate leaves her at the mercy of a band of rebels led by a notorious outlaw, a man the people of the island call the Hunter.

Conor has lost his family and his home. Forced to live in exile, he dreams of the day that the people of Pern Coen win back their freedom. He has no love for the Empire of Kelnore, but when he finds an injured Kelnorian noblewoman, he can't bring himself to abandon her. Against his better judgement, Conor offers Rhiannon his protection, but the more time he spends with her, the more he finds his feelings toward her shifting. He's already had his heart shattered once, does he dare take that risk again with a woman who should be his sworn enemy?

The longer Rhiannon spends with Conor and his band of outlaws, the more she finds herself torn between the life she knew and the life she has discovered on the island. Can she turn her back on all she's ever known? And can a rugged outlaw capture her heart?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Ebooks, Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance

302 pages, ebook

Published February 1, 2023

About the author

Hannah E. Carey began telling stories as soon as she was old enough to talk and she hasn’t stopped since. As a Dysautonomia warrior, writing and her love of stories allow her to explore new places & worlds, no matter what her body throws at her. She loves all things romance and writes epic romantic fantasy with fierce heroines that is inspired by her love of mythology, along with women’s fiction that stars loveable four-legged companions and is inspired by her years of being a horse & dog mom, her background in equine rescue, and her years of working as a certified Centered Riding Instructor. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her reading romance novels and spending time with her husband, horses, and dog on her small hobby farm.

Reviews

[Madisyn Carlin]

DNF'd this while still early in the book. The author has a lovely, immersive writing style that pulls the reader in and quickly entraps them within the story, and I liked what I read of Conor. He's a hero I could easily root for. I'd still be continuing if not for the profanity. While other readers may consider it "mild", such content is not my preference and I downloaded this book because it was marketed as clean.

Again, the author has an amazing style and I'd happily still be reading if not for the profanity. While it doesn't lace every other paragraph, I counted two instances within the first few pages, and that's enough for me.

[Amber Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistic, gritty medieval fantasy with Robin Hood vibes.
The story opens with the heroine, Rhiannon, stuck in a hopeless situation with nothing to look forward to but ill usage by her uncle, King Stelios, who plans to give her hand in marriage to one of his evil lackeys. Her current love interest cares for her, but fails to respect her as an equal. Then her world is torn apart. Those she considered enemies become her only friends as her own family hunts her down.
Conor, leader of a rebel clan on the island of Pern Coen, engages in guerilla warfare with the occupying forces, hoping one day to drive them from his lands. When he takes in a bedraggled, wounded woman, he guards his heart, hardly expecting her to be the hope his people need, let alone a balm for his scarred soul.
The plot unfolded slowly, with strong world-building and background stories to help you understand the characters, but it is well-written and worth the wait! Multiple points of view provide added insight. I am curious to see what happens to some of the supporting characters and discover how Rhiannon's and Conor's relationship develops in the next book. Mild language, some violence. The Hunter is part I of II.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this!

Brooding, stubborn but secretly gentle huntsmen in the mountains, enemies-to-lovers, strong female characters overcoming a culture's chauvinism, cold forests, wolves and a country torn by war. The Hunter has all the vibes!

This is a clean, adult, celtic-inspired romantic (low) fantasy.
Dual third person POV.

Favourites:
- World building: this is my second novel by Carey, within the same world as the last, and there's definitely a trend here. Her world building is perfect for the genre. Just enough to give us the celtic but also fantasy vibes, just enough to make us curious about more and to make it feel completely real, but without the info-dumps and excessive world information that can distract from the plot.
- Romance: slow burn and realistic, especially dealing with the fact that both parties have lost loved ones previously and the baggage they carry from those relationships--good or bad.
- Hunter vibes: I'd almost say this story has some Robin Hood vibes, with the hunter and his crew holed up high in the mountains and only coming out to attack the imperial raiders. And I'm a sucker for a robin-hood trope, so there you go.
- Pacing: perfect. No info-dumps, no skipping or skimming. Just like last time, this story made me want to rapidly turn the page all throughout, and that's quite a feat!

What I missed:
- Pretty prose: I can't help it. I'm a fantasy reader first, and I would have loved a little bit more of the pretty descriptions and fancy prose that immersive me into a setting and a moment. Just a minor sidenote though :)

Sexual content: none
Coarse language: none
Violence and gore: moderate violence, none- to mild gore

Conclusion
If you love clean, celtic-inspired romantic stories with believable, adulting enemies-to-lovers and high stakes, this is it. Go read this. I personally can't wait to read the sequel.

[Kristy McGinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you open a book in the fantasy category, and it gets pretty confusing, pretty quickly. Some writers try too hard to world-create, bringing in too many extraneous details and making the entire backdrop something its difficult to relate to. There are NO worries about that happening with The Hunter. This fictional world could easily exist in our reality. You don't need to study numerous maps to figure out the backdrop here. The story itself is center, not the backdrop.

One of my favorite things about this story, was Rhiannon's subtle feminism. In many ways, she's a typical romantic heroine- attractive, privileged (at least at first), and spunky enough to stand out just enough but not so spunky she's an outcast. As I continued reading though, an AMAZING thing happened. It is revealed that Rhiannon has a lover. Wait what??? That's not the romantic trope I'm used to in stories like this! She grows and learns throughout the book, becoming more confidant and more skilled, to become a worthy adversary or partner to The Hunter himself.

Looking forward to reading the next book in this series !

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great intro to Pern Coen

The number one thing I look for when starting a new fantasy series is a believable world. This is a tricky balance: to describe things enough to make them seem real, but not to bog down the story with too much world-building up front.
The Hunter is an example of a book that absolutely approached it in the right way. Not too much time is wasted introducing all the intricacies of the setting, but you can immediately much tell that the book is taking you somewhere totally new. As you make it through each chapter and fall more in love with the characters, the love you feel for their world grows as well.

Can't wait to start reading the next one and learn more about Conor and my badass girl Rhiannon.

[Joyce T. · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Too much history in the first few pages, and for some reason, the point of view keeps jumping. I read about someone’s feelings in this sentence and then someone else’s feelings in the next, and it’s just very confusing.

[K.E. Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me far too long to finally read this book. I've been missing out!

This book was on my to-read list for so long, but once I started reading it, I was hooked.
It took me a bit to remember the names and the characters they belonged to and the terminology, but it got easier as the story progressed.

There were quite a few Robin Hood themes and similarities throughout, which I as a retelling geek liked whether that was intentional or not.

Rhiannon is a great heroine and Conor was my favorite character (it helps that he's the strong, silent, protective type!)
The two of them together were totally enjoyable to read. I wasn't expecting their relationship to move as quickly as it did, but it worked for the story and left me looking forward to seeing more of them.

The world and the tale were crafted very well too. There was plenty of action, drama, high stakes, and twists. I was genuinely shocked a couple times.

Of course, it ended in a cliffhanger to build anticipation for book two, but it worked for me. I've got to read The Huntress sooner rather than later now!

[Adalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly love Hannah E. Carey's writing. She takes great care in developing her characters and her writing style is beautiful and descriptive while still feeling like a train of thought. All of the characters are immensely lovable and have their own distinct personalities; I loved reading their interactions!

After reading multiple books by Carey, I will say that 'The Hunter' is a better introduction to the world of Pern Coen than 'The Betrayer' is; I would start there personally. Since Rhiannon is being introduced to the world of Pern Coen in 'The Hunter', there is a lot that is explained to her and the reader that is not explained clearly in 'The Betrayer' because it is understood that the reader already knows about the lore.

I greatly enjoyed 'The Hunter' and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to delve into an epic-style fantasy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shara Bowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well. I need the next book!! This book took me a bit to really get into what with trying to understand this world I was reading about and who all the people in it were and how they all fit in this world... But once I got into it I was fully invested in the characters in this book and how their story will unfold! Which is why I need the next book, cause this one left off with the story unfinished!

I found this book interesting, unique, a very clean read, and with some really strong, amazing characters with great depth! I really love Rhiannon and Conor!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marmed60 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow- really enjoyed this book! I warn you that if you read this, you will definitely want to have the second one on hand to finish the story. I loved the way the author presented the characters and setting in detail so that I felt like I was there with them. Such an awesome world she built. This book held my attention and I can’t wait to get the second book!!

[Sarah's Always Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this book really started to build 40% of the way through, there were pages where the author was describing the world that I felt were not needed so I tended to skim through or flip ahead a few pages till there was more dialogue. Overall though I really enjoyed the book. It had a little bit of everything (romance, adventure, magic, betrayal, secrets), to keep me entertained. I will definitely pick up Book 2 and look forward to seeing how the author wraps it up. I'm especially intrigued with how Rosalind is pivotal in the plotline.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quite a bit. It was a pretty quick read and I think the author has done a good job world building. I loved that Rhiannon is getting to be herself and I liked her relationship with the other characters, especially Conor and his sister Brynn. I would definitely want to be friends with Brynn. I'd prefer the romance part with Conor to be slightly less slow burn, but im looking forward to that in book 2. I received a free copy from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded to 4⭐️

I enjoyed the Celtic and Roman nod here!! It was rich with the historical elements that almost was like you had traveled back in time. It was well thought out and I just really loved the vibe!
Some of writing wasn’t my absolute favorite and there were a couple scenes that were kinda funky but overall I enjoyed this!

Smattering of mild language and innuendo indicating promiscuity. Some violence.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not the best epic fantasy fan because I get bogged down in second worlds and tricky names and multiple pov. To the great credit of this book, that never happened once. I wasimmediately engaged in the characters who had such depth, relatabolity and motive I cared very early about thei fates and the war.

Its a great book and I desperately need book 2 to finish and satisfy all my questions

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to this story, it was so good and I enjoyed getting to know Duchess Rhiannon of Solis. The writing is really well done and I was engaged in this beginning story. I can't wait to see where this goes.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alisha Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of the book and am giving my honest review. I enjoyed this Robin Hood retelling. The different point of views gives an idea of what is going on from both sides of the conflict as well as the relationships between characters. There is a lot of character growth that I want to see where it goes.

[Emily Lessig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down! Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

[Annie Lima · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, the positives. This book features unique, interesting characters in a richly developed world. The setting was clear and vivid, and the various cultures were well thought out. The story was compelling and held my interest.
The negatives: This is one of the wordiest narratives I've ever read. Almost every sentence had extraneous words (unnecessary adverbs, redundancies, etc.). The manuscript could easily be trimmed down to 3/4 the length and would be much stronger for it. In addition, the writing just sounds awkward in many places. There were hundreds of times when the author stated that things happened simultaneously that could not possibly have done so. For example, "Standing up, she walked through the door" (not an exact quote from the book, but MANY things were said that way). A person must complete the first action before they can do the second! That aspect of the author's writing style drove me crazy again and again, continually yanking me out of the story. In addition, a lot of story details were stated multiple times. How many times do we need to hear that she decided to stay in her new location or that the two of them were each interested in the other?
Most of the time, when a book is written that awkwardly, I set it down after a few pages and find one that's better written. But this story was good enough that it kept me turning pages until the end. I don't plan to pick up any more books in the series now that I know they're probably all written in a way that will grate on my nerves, but I'm not sorry I read this book. If you want a good story and aren't bothered too much by word usage issues, you'll probably enjoy it.

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two things that I instantly judge books based on that I know are bad habits and not at all indicative of the quality of the book: the cover art and the page length. I saw this book was free many times, but the cover with the woman with a bow turned me off from downloading it (in retrospect, it isn't that bad). It wasn't until I saw it with the wolfy cover that I decided to download it, not realizing it was the same book. I usually don't download books that are less than 275 pages unless they seem like something I would be really into because I have been burned too many times by not enough pages to develop the world and characters.

Needless to say, when I started reading it and realized it was the book with the meh cover and it was super short, I had low expectations and almost put it down.

Well, this is why generalizations are bad. I really liked this book. Even though it was short, it didn't feel short. I didn't feel like things were rushed or poorly developed. I liked the characters and the plot, and was surprised at the ballsy-ness of having multiple POVs in such a short book (which totally worked).

I think there could have been a little more development with the relationships, but that is probably my only complaint. I am looking forward to reading the next one.

[MLW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the premise for The Hunter. The blurb and opening pages had all the Vikings/Braveheart vibes.

Sometimes I find fantasy worldbuilding to be overwhelming, but Hannah Carey presents her setting and characters in a way that is easy to read. I had no trouble envisioning the lands and people of Kelnore and Pern Coen. Though there were many characters (even the horses had names), they were all unique enough to avoid confusing the reader.

For as numerous and complex as the characters were and despite the intricate plot elements (secret lineage, war, love and loss), the story felt somewhat underwhelming/uneventful. The author glossed over scenes that I expected to see more in depth. I wanted more action, more tension, more peril. And the slow burn romance was a little too slow burn for me.

I thought the most compelling element of Book 1 was Ri Blodwen, the last clan leader yet to succumb to Emperor Stelios's campaign (the fact that she's a woman really irks him). I REALLY wanted to see the hero and/or heroine join forces with Blodwen. I'll definitely be reading Book 2 to see whether that happens and also to see if things heat up between Rhiannon and Conor.

[Karla Sentíes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It’s a really easy read, with not-so-complicated worldbuilding, with fast pacing and great characters and narrative.

The characters are great, and although I thought I wouldn’t like Rhiannon, I did like her. And Connor, too. I thoroughly enjoyed the romance and how it develops through the story, not as instalove, but it matures with the characters. It is a really slow burn and it makes you savor more the times they were together.

The only thing I didn’t like was that while I was reading I felt that some things were missing; I don’t want to pinpoint them because I don’t want to spoil anything, but some scenes were cut too short, with important situations that would have been good for the story. The ending was too… I don’t know how to explain it, but I wanted more of it, a lot more.

Overall I think it is a really good book, I enjoyed it very much, and loved the author’s writing style. I sincerely want to read the next one to see what happens.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently came across this author on my Instagram and decided to try one of her books.
I liked the story but it all started a bit slow. It’s hard when authors are writing new fantasy worlds because I know a lot goes into setting up the world, characters, and story line but I always get a little disheartened if the main characters don’t meet within the first couple chapters. As it was, we went 90 pages before Rhiannon and Conor first talk.
Also, this story has so many characters (with strange names) that at first it felt a bit overwhelming trying to remember who everyone is...however, once you do remember, things start to make more sense.
This first book felt more like the set up for the main story. I know there is a second book, The Huntress, but I’m not sure if that is the end of the series or if this story will continue with more books.

[Philippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic fantasy adventure with multiple viewpoints and characters between the mainland and the island of Pern Coen. This is an amazingly enjoyable and rich world story that needs to be read. With the emperor Stelios fighting for control of Pern Coen the Ri’s are fighting back. Rhiannon the emperor’s niece has an arranged marriage but things are not what they seem. This leads Rhiannon to Pern Coen and Conor. Conor is fighting against Stelios and this makes for a steep learning curve. The characters and the building relationships are a delight to read. The story is an exciting page turner with great world building and is a must read for fantasy adventure lovers. I really enjoyed the different characters viewpoints and the building story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[El · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a mediocre story. Told in an elementary way. Telling instead of snowing. Direct dialogue that felt forced to get points across. Rhyming names: Brynn, Finn and Wynne. It was just a little too much.

It sort of has a Robin Hood vibe which could have been fun if it was written better. If the stakes felt higher (though they were amidst a war it never felt dire; perhaps because the writing was lacking).

The characters were just a bit too stereotypical. Weak, dumb (so dumb she doesn’t even know what the concept of snow is) fmc. Cruel uncle. Savior love interest. It was all very blah and tired.

All in all, as it was free on kindle and there weren’t any glaring grammar or spelling mistakes, I’d still recommend it. Probably just to a younger reader. I likely would have liked this a lot more at 13-16 years old, not 25.

[Julia Case · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finished the book but won't be returning to the world of Pern Coen. I found myself really struggling to connect with any of the characters in this novel and most felt very flat and unidimensional. Moments that might have been used to create more empathy and connection (like a major character death) were faded to black and a real missed opportunity to draw a reader in to care about the struggles of the main character. I didn't feel like the lead "couple" had any detectable chemistry. Plot holes (why does everyone fluently speak the same language when it makes no sense for them to do so?) and no real engaging, driving plot rounded out my impressions. By the last 3/4 of the book, I was mainly skimming to see if it would draw me back in but it never quite got there.

[Jessica Gonzalez · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars really..

The writing was really good. I got this book for free from the “Stuff Your Kindle” day sale because it sounded interesting: enemies to lovers, rugged outlaw, and Celtic-inspired…what’s not to love?

I see this being a great setup for the next book, however I’m just not invested enough in the characters or overall plot to pay for the next one. If it was free on KU, maybe. But overall it’s too slow for my taste. The main reason I finished it though was because the writing was well done and the world was intriguing.

[Aunt LoLo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique and clean. This is a slow burn, enemies to lovers, romance.

The descriptions in the writing are very thorough - you can picture every blade of grass and tiny gesture.
The dialogue was a little stilted, short, and/or unbelievable. The characters are all men/women of few words. :-)

There is a lot of drama in the story (and in the second book, as well). Lots of misunderstandings, lack of communication, assumptions...it's all there.

[Sky B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the world building, it felt realistic for a fantasy book. Each character had a good amount of depth to them and personality to either have you rooting for them or hating them as the book went on. I enjoyed the slow burn and the direction this book took with the protagonists. These are just enough subtle romance to keep you craving but mostly focused on the plot. For book one, it was excellent. Not spicy at all if you’re looking for that.

[Brigette · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started off well, but after Rhiannon fled her uncle’s men the action kind of just stopped and it turned into her debating the differences between life on the island and life in her uncle’s kingdom. She also seemed to get weaker and whinier as the story continued. And she and the story’s hero never actually got together. It felt like all of it could have been compressed into a few chapters of a different novel.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tough one to finish. From the use of Irish words randomly... mixing Irish Welsh and old Norse names to be from one area.... I had issues with the writing too but mainly using my language without knowing my language kinda grated me... "The small village of Beag" drove me mental. It literally translates as the small village of small..
I would have DNFd except I can't leave things unfinished.