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Edgewood Academy Elites #2
Ruthless Rejection
Edgewood threatens to chew me up and spit me out.
Since moving to town, my life has been turned on its axis. Everything I thought I knew is a lie, and even as secrets are revealed, more questions arise.
I’ve been forced into a ruthless game—one with deadly consequences in order to take care of my siblings in my parents’ absence. A game that has the Queen Bee of the school out for my blood because the heirs of the school are fighting to win me over.
The question is, are their motives pure, or will I be on the receiving end of a Ruthless Rejection?
Ruthless Rejection is book two in the Edgewood Academy Elite Series. It is a slow burn why choose dark high school bully romance. Meaning the main character will end up with more than one love interest. As the series progresses, so will the level of darkness.
It is an 18+ series with profanity, a feisty heroine, bullying, and obsessive and possessive themes.
Content Warning: This might not be the series for you if you have triggers. Please remember self-care.
Some potential triggers include: bullying, anxiety disorder, torture scenes, and kidnapping. Please visit the authors website for a more detailed list.
Since moving to town, my life has been turned on its axis. Everything I thought I knew is a lie, and even as secrets are revealed, more questions arise.
I’ve been forced into a ruthless game—one with deadly consequences in order to take care of my siblings in my parents’ absence. A game that has the Queen Bee of the school out for my blood because the heirs of the school are fighting to win me over.
The question is, are their motives pure, or will I be on the receiving end of a Ruthless Rejection?
Ruthless Rejection is book two in the Edgewood Academy Elite Series. It is a slow burn why choose dark high school bully romance. Meaning the main character will end up with more than one love interest. As the series progresses, so will the level of darkness.
It is an 18+ series with profanity, a feisty heroine, bullying, and obsessive and possessive themes.
Content Warning: This might not be the series for you if you have triggers. Please remember self-care.
Some potential triggers include: bullying, anxiety disorder, torture scenes, and kidnapping. Please visit the authors website for a more detailed list.
548 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2023
522 people are currently reading
1360 people want to read
About the author
P.H. Nix
12 books529 followersP.H. Nix is the bold voice behind several steamy romance series, taboo tales, and darkly addictive sagas that push boundaries and break hearts. Known for her morally gray characters and fiercely strong female leads, her stories are where desire meets danger—and nothing is ever black and white. A proud mom and full-time creator of fictional chaos, Nix writes for readers who like their romance with a little bite and a lot of fire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
December 28, 2023
This book, this fucking book, y'all.
(warning, this is a very long review!) (and no, I didn't proofread this shit)
Idk if you've ever thought about it, but "dark high school romance" books are fucking bullshit. I know that I graduated high school about 10 years ago, but it certainly never felt anything like what happens in this series. Of course, it's all about rich people getting what they want, so it's honestly not all that relatable, but that's not even my main complaint. No, somehow these boys are skilled in torture, are cold-blooded killers, some are heavily tattooed, and drink hard liquor with and without parental supervision. Lev, one of the guys, is also apparently a super hacker, and the squad has some heavy criminals in their contact list.
All of that would have been so much more believable if they'd been a few years into university. Now, they're 17-18 and they just haven't had the time to acquire any of these skills. Sure, it helps that they're pretty much in a cult, and their environment encourages their behavior, but that's not the magical solution to making these literal children capable of murder. All four of them have become serial killers before even reading adulthood. Now that I think about it, I should say "all five of them" but Sebastian feels so separate from the other four that I keep forgetting he's a part of the groomsmen.
Speaking of Sebastian, it was... interesting to see he only started being interested in Ariah after she turned 18 (he's 22). I see what you did there, PH Nix, and as much as I applaud your efforts, you're toeing the line here buddy.
To be fair, the same goes for the other guys. The novella, which is basically book 2.5, tells us Wes and Wyatt have their birthday in the summer (and they both turn 19), so it's implied that Owen and Lev have their birthdays during the school year. That means that, at least at the start of the story, there was some sweet underage drinking going on. And, during their teen years, apparently they also had time to develop their... extreme sexual preferences and torture styles.
In an inner monologue, Wyatt reveals he's known Ariah for "two years", tho it's impossible to figure out whether he means at that point or before they officially met. It does mean that Wyatt has been stalking Ariah since she was 16 (maybe younger) and, worse, has been sexually assaulting her the entire time in her sleep. So far, Ariah has not been made aware of this. Yes, I'll get to this in the next review.
For now, I have some Thoughts, so please bear with me because it took me way too long to type out all these quotes.
Largitor vitae tuam divinam, amplectitur foeninam pro eo quod gentes peperit.
I love it when a book doesn't provide a translation for a non-English sentence, and I've had Latin in high school! Unfortunately, it doesn't mean I understand shit because I really don't. For the record, Google Translate translates it to: "The giver of your life embraces the divine hay for that which gave birth to the nations." Make it make sense, please. I lowkey want to ask PH Nix if she used Google Translate and what she actually meant by this line.
What if they're torturing her or worse - raping her?
Aren't they... aren't they equally bad? I mean, I'm not trying to downplay rape but one could leave her body broken and her only a ghost of her former self and the other could leave her body broken and her only a ghost of her former self. What if Ariah's kidnappers don't rape her (for the record they don't, something I can't say for Wyatt) but instead cut off her limbs, removed her eyes and tongue, and then returned her to the 5quad? Certainly that'd be unfortunate, right?
Lev walks up to Stephen, his dark denim-washed jeans and black shirt hiding the blood from our sight, and yanks the ax from Stephen's leg with his left hand before quickly digging the finger of his right hand into the open wound as he demands, "Tell me the name of the person who hired you."
Any and all torture scenes are both under and overexplained. PH Nix can't write torture scenes to save her life and she should stop writing them.
Also, doesn't this kinda imply Lev has only one finger on his right hand? I think? The book literally says "the finger of his right hand".....
Straightening, I put my blades away and double-check my gun - the magazine full and safety off. With the built-in suppressor, we can light this building up like Christmas.
What does this mean? Does it mean that (in this case) Owen thinks that with a suppressor, aka a silencer, the bad guys won't notice him and he'll be able to get in a lot of shots? "Light this building up like Christmas" (I would've said "Christmas tree, personally) makes me think more of them using bombs than guns, especially guns with silencers.
"Whoever it is, better not have touched my angel, or I'll skin them alive with a hot fireplace poker before I rip off his dick and fuck him in his ear with it," Owen snaps, reminding us that this person could very well be a foe and not a friend.
Buddy, you're 17, chill the fuck out.
"Oh, Bastian. Vous ne pouvez pas être intelligent si vous n'avez jamais rien fait de stupide. Be a little foolish, you deserve it," he offers, [...]
Oh, I'm sorry, but my French is even rustier than my fucking Latin. Jfc. Google Translate's translation for those who still give a damn: "You can't be smart if you've never done anything stupid." I'm guessing PH Nix didn't include the translation because it sounds extremely corny but she shouldn't have included the French without a translation either.
"The entire time was a mind fuck. Between some waterboarding-style tactics when I first came to, the horrifying things they did to Samantha in front of me, the asshole who tried to assault me, and finding out my mo- Elise is part of some new world order type of organization, I need more time to process it all," I verbally vomit, rambling off everything at once.
First of all, "verbally vomit" doesn't do anyone any favors whatsoever.
Second, Ariah mentions her mother (whose name is Seline), but at that point, she doesn't know her mom is "Elise", aka the woman who took part in Owen's kidnapping ~10 years before the start of the story. This isn't the only time this type of mistake happens, btw. I noticed a few other times a character had more information than they were supposed to have.
The idea of how pretty she would look with the rope's fibers against her golden skin as her hair is fanned out above her waiting to be pulled as my tongue buries itself so deep that it could spell my name on her cervix.
This is the same dude as before (Lev), so he absolutely needs that chill pill and back the fuck off.
Unrelated, but I think I need some eye bleach for trying to imagine this guy having a giraffe's tongue and using it on Ariah.
The word baby makes Wes's face turn four shades of green and Lev stiffen while Owen and Wyatt look crestfallen. Those idiots couldn't possibly want to get a girl pregnant in high school.
"He didn't say you couldn't practice the act of making babies all you want. Fix your faces, you idiots," I snipe.
The whole concept is absolutely bogus. The idea is that every five generations, five male heirs all marry the same woman, and she produces (at least) one child per heir, all so the bloodlines remain the strongest they could be. Except there are only four "main" families, so Wyatt's(?) cousin Sebastian joins the party. So all the main characters must be related (five times removed but still), which makes this a little weird. Besides, at some point we find out Ariah is part of the fifth family, which influences nothing whatsoever. The Fraternitas, aka the cult, probably has a rule that all of this has to happen at this specific moment, otherwise they could cancel/postpone the whole thing, throw out Sebastian, and have one of Ariah's little brothers join the line-up. If only they were allowed to wait for 9-10 years. And if Ariah wasn't in the running, of course.
The real problem is that there's no real reason those guys should be looking for a wife at 18. I mean, the only reason is because the plot dictates it and it's bullshit.
Anyway, my issue with this excerpt is that at least two teens are very interested in impregnating a teen girl. This conversation happened after Ariah was told she needed a birth implant in her arm to be eligible (as a precaution), and apparently not everyone agrees??
Also, what if Ariah gives birth to one baby and due to complications she can't/shouldn't get pregnant anymore? Or what if she's not able to have children? What if any of the guys aren't able to have children? What if she cheats on them before giving all five an heir? I mean, she'd be a dead woman but would someone take her place? What if she can't maintain that 3.5 GPA? What are the consequences when something happens? It's not discussed because it's not in the books, but it should be discussed. Ariah is also ordered to wear appropriate (feminine) clothes and she sticks with what she was already wearing (aka comfortable clothes) and suddenly they don't enforce that rule too strictly because the rules apparently don't apply to Ariah.
"So, there can either be a town full of unknown Bradfords or only two remaining ones left?" Wyatt chimes in.
With Ariah and her dad being a part of the missing Bradford family, our buddy Wyatt conveniently forgets that Ariah has a younger sister and twin younger brothers. So there's five of them, actually.
Shit, we take off for weeks at a time doing Fraternitas shit all the time, and no one bats an eyelash.
"Batting an eyelash" is a thing apparently, I didn't know that. But it's really stupid that the guys can do whatever the fuck they want but Ariah has to maintain a 3.5 GPA, and be all proper in public and shit, while the guys can do whatever. At one point, Samantha was harassing Ariah, and Ariah retaliated by punching Sam in her face, but Ariah was later reprimanded for not handling it more ladylike. Which, fuck that shit.
After that bullshit with Sam last night I was looking forward to football practice today. She's at least giving me a wide berth, but I don't trust it. She's never been one to take anything lying down.
This inner monologue by Wes is hilarious because Samantha is known for sleeping around and using sex to get what she wants. Wes himself partook in sexual activities with Sam on more than one occasion, so it's really funny of him to say she "doesn't take anything lying down".
I had a Cretors T-3000 popcorn maker brought in and stocked the snack bar with her favorite snacks.
We've already watched Pride & Prejudice and The Avengers, but we needed a snack break.
I get it, you're rich, now shut the fuck up. (It's 2270 US dollars on the Cretors website for the small version, just fyi.)
Also, mark my words, in a few years no one will want to admit they were once a Marvel fan.
"Be happy I left one hand free and your phone so that you can dial a ride. Hopefully, they get to you before the landfill opens or an animal comes," I say without looking back.
I'm sorry, Samantha's/[your] phone what?? I'm assuming "within reach" otherwise she can't call for help but uh, yeah, I'm a bit confused here.
"Hey," she smiles, alerting me to the fact I've just been staring at her like an idiot without saying a word.
I look into her alluring eyes. I'd give anything to know what's going on in that head of hers. Is she seeing how much I really want her- want this? Does she notice how sorry I am for my dickish behavior when I first met her?
"Hi," I finally respond. Because I'm a man of many words.
Okay, sometimes something was really funny. This could have been me, tbh.
"Girl, shit up. Sebastian Grant is only twenty-three. If he didn't skip like two grades, he wouldn't even be a counselor here." She rolls her eyes, pausing momentarily. "He's going to be the most stubborn. That bitch Miss Taylor did a number on him when she cheated on him with his father and then married his ex-best friend, but he'll come around all the same. Shit, my money is on him falling hard and fast once he does."
Assuming Vivian Taylor is Sebastian's age, she's also 23 years old. That means that in what I hope is roughly five years, Sebastian and Vivian were dating, she had sex with Sebastian's dad, she married Sebastian's best friend, moved away to Colorado (the story is set in Connecticut), taught Ariah there for at least a year, separated from her husband, moved back to Connecticut in the hopes of reconciling with Sebastian. As if he'd forgotten about the tiny little fact she had sex with his dad of all people. (Not to mention she later does it again, hoping she'll get pregnant and would play it off as Sebastian's to baby-trap him.)
Now that I think about it, there are only three, maybe four decent women in this series while every other girl/woman is a huge-ass bitch for no fucking reason.
Also, Sebastian swears off love after the whole Vivian thing, which is fair, but considering he didn't last more than five years, his resolve wasn't very strong now, was it?
"You know there are talks about him being a starting quarterback next year at LWU," Mr. Washington boasts, pride evident in every one of his features.
I knew Lev was an amazing player, but I didn't realize he was that skilled.
Ariah, a self-proclaimed super fan of football, didn't see that a guy in her harem is an exceptionally skilled quarterback in football. Suuuuure.
By the time she's done, we're practically nose to nose. Only a foot separates us.
So which is it? I know it says "practically" but if you're 30cm apart you're not "practically nose to nose", you're just standing very close.
"The time for talking is done- from now on, the only time I want to hear you speak is when you're asked to count and you are to address me as Sir." My dick throbs at the sight of her eyes bulging with my directives. "Do you understand, Ariah?"
She nods, and I tsk. "That's one. Let's try this again, shall we? Do you understand?"
"Yes," she mumbles, and I lift my finger from her lips.
"Oh, I see we have a little brat present. That's two. Do you know two of what that is?"
He (Sebastian) literally says "the time for talking is done", "don't talk unless I ask you to count" and still he punishes her for misbehaving? Am I missing something here???
Pulling out my phone, I scroll to check social media. It's nearly mid-February, and Summer is still posting pictures of herself from around the world. Her latest photo is of her standing in a coral pink thong bikini on the white sands of Matira Beach in Bora Bora. Her caption makes me snort, 'Sun's out, buns out.'
"Ariah," Miss Taylor shouts, and I realize I've completely zoned again.
I murmur an apology, but that's not good enough for Vivian Taylor.
"Honestly, Miss Bishop, if you can't pay attention in my class, you can get out," she snaps, causing the room to break out in snickers.
"What's your problem? I apologized. Move on already," I shoot back, totally over her snide comments and the off-the-cuff petty remarks.
Ariah, honey, everyone knows it's a fucking dick move to pull out your phone in the middle of class, scroll through [Instagram] and audibly react to what you see. It was like this 15 years ago, when touchscreens weren't even a thing yet, and it's like this now. This is not Vivian Taylor being a bitch, it's you being the bitch there. I could blame it on teen arrogance, but it's probably Ariah hating Vivian Taylor, and for good reason! Just not this time.
Last one!
Book 1, chapter 2 (Ariah's POV: I don't think all rich people are jerks. It just seems like there's something in the water here.
Book 2, chapter 53 (Ariah's POV): I'm starting to wonder if delusional is in the water in Edgewood.
So it either took Ariah almost a whole school year to come up with the word "delusional", or Ariah (aka PH Nix) forgot she had had almost the same thought on the first day of school.
Thank you for sticking with me will the end <3 It took me a long ass time to write this whole thing (it's almost 3k /sobs), so I really appreciate anyone who read the whole thing. I promise the review for the novella will be shorter. But yeah, now you know why the sequel is worse than book 1 😬
If only my uni essays would be this interesting. And if only I put as much work into those as I did for this review.
(warning, this is a very long review!) (and no, I didn't proofread this shit)
Idk if you've ever thought about it, but "dark high school romance" books are fucking bullshit. I know that I graduated high school about 10 years ago, but it certainly never felt anything like what happens in this series. Of course, it's all about rich people getting what they want, so it's honestly not all that relatable, but that's not even my main complaint. No, somehow these boys are skilled in torture, are cold-blooded killers, some are heavily tattooed, and drink hard liquor with and without parental supervision. Lev, one of the guys, is also apparently a super hacker, and the squad has some heavy criminals in their contact list.
All of that would have been so much more believable if they'd been a few years into university. Now, they're 17-18 and they just haven't had the time to acquire any of these skills. Sure, it helps that they're pretty much in a cult, and their environment encourages their behavior, but that's not the magical solution to making these literal children capable of murder. All four of them have become serial killers before even reading adulthood. Now that I think about it, I should say "all five of them" but Sebastian feels so separate from the other four that I keep forgetting he's a part of the groomsmen.
Speaking of Sebastian, it was... interesting to see he only started being interested in Ariah after she turned 18 (he's 22). I see what you did there, PH Nix, and as much as I applaud your efforts, you're toeing the line here buddy.
To be fair, the same goes for the other guys. The novella, which is basically book 2.5, tells us Wes and Wyatt have their birthday in the summer (and they both turn 19), so it's implied that Owen and Lev have their birthdays during the school year. That means that, at least at the start of the story, there was some sweet underage drinking going on. And, during their teen years, apparently they also had time to develop their... extreme sexual preferences and torture styles.
In an inner monologue, Wyatt reveals he's known Ariah for "two years", tho it's impossible to figure out whether he means at that point or before they officially met. It does mean that Wyatt has been stalking Ariah since she was 16 (maybe younger) and, worse, has been sexually assaulting her the entire time in her sleep. So far, Ariah has not been made aware of this. Yes, I'll get to this in the next review.
For now, I have some Thoughts, so please bear with me because it took me way too long to type out all these quotes.
Largitor vitae tuam divinam, amplectitur foeninam pro eo quod gentes peperit.
I love it when a book doesn't provide a translation for a non-English sentence, and I've had Latin in high school! Unfortunately, it doesn't mean I understand shit because I really don't. For the record, Google Translate translates it to: "The giver of your life embraces the divine hay for that which gave birth to the nations." Make it make sense, please. I lowkey want to ask PH Nix if she used Google Translate and what she actually meant by this line.
What if they're torturing her or worse - raping her?
Aren't they... aren't they equally bad? I mean, I'm not trying to downplay rape but one could leave her body broken and her only a ghost of her former self and the other could leave her body broken and her only a ghost of her former self. What if Ariah's kidnappers don't rape her (for the record they don't, something I can't say for Wyatt) but instead cut off her limbs, removed her eyes and tongue, and then returned her to the 5quad? Certainly that'd be unfortunate, right?
Lev walks up to Stephen, his dark denim-washed jeans and black shirt hiding the blood from our sight, and yanks the ax from Stephen's leg with his left hand before quickly digging the finger of his right hand into the open wound as he demands, "Tell me the name of the person who hired you."
Any and all torture scenes are both under and overexplained. PH Nix can't write torture scenes to save her life and she should stop writing them.
Also, doesn't this kinda imply Lev has only one finger on his right hand? I think? The book literally says "the finger of his right hand".....
Straightening, I put my blades away and double-check my gun - the magazine full and safety off. With the built-in suppressor, we can light this building up like Christmas.
What does this mean? Does it mean that (in this case) Owen thinks that with a suppressor, aka a silencer, the bad guys won't notice him and he'll be able to get in a lot of shots? "Light this building up like Christmas" (I would've said "Christmas tree, personally) makes me think more of them using bombs than guns, especially guns with silencers.
"Whoever it is, better not have touched my angel, or I'll skin them alive with a hot fireplace poker before I rip off his dick and fuck him in his ear with it," Owen snaps, reminding us that this person could very well be a foe and not a friend.
Buddy, you're 17, chill the fuck out.
"Oh, Bastian. Vous ne pouvez pas être intelligent si vous n'avez jamais rien fait de stupide. Be a little foolish, you deserve it," he offers, [...]
Oh, I'm sorry, but my French is even rustier than my fucking Latin. Jfc. Google Translate's translation for those who still give a damn: "You can't be smart if you've never done anything stupid." I'm guessing PH Nix didn't include the translation because it sounds extremely corny but she shouldn't have included the French without a translation either.
"The entire time was a mind fuck. Between some waterboarding-style tactics when I first came to, the horrifying things they did to Samantha in front of me, the asshole who tried to assault me, and finding out my mo- Elise is part of some new world order type of organization, I need more time to process it all," I verbally vomit, rambling off everything at once.
First of all, "verbally vomit" doesn't do anyone any favors whatsoever.
Second, Ariah mentions her mother (whose name is Seline), but at that point, she doesn't know her mom is "Elise", aka the woman who took part in Owen's kidnapping ~10 years before the start of the story. This isn't the only time this type of mistake happens, btw. I noticed a few other times a character had more information than they were supposed to have.
The idea of how pretty she would look with the rope's fibers against her golden skin as her hair is fanned out above her waiting to be pulled as my tongue buries itself so deep that it could spell my name on her cervix.
This is the same dude as before (Lev), so he absolutely needs that chill pill and back the fuck off.
Unrelated, but I think I need some eye bleach for trying to imagine this guy having a giraffe's tongue and using it on Ariah.
The word baby makes Wes's face turn four shades of green and Lev stiffen while Owen and Wyatt look crestfallen. Those idiots couldn't possibly want to get a girl pregnant in high school.
"He didn't say you couldn't practice the act of making babies all you want. Fix your faces, you idiots," I snipe.
The whole concept is absolutely bogus. The idea is that every five generations, five male heirs all marry the same woman, and she produces (at least) one child per heir, all so the bloodlines remain the strongest they could be. Except there are only four "main" families, so Wyatt's(?) cousin Sebastian joins the party. So all the main characters must be related (five times removed but still), which makes this a little weird. Besides, at some point we find out Ariah is part of the fifth family, which influences nothing whatsoever. The Fraternitas, aka the cult, probably has a rule that all of this has to happen at this specific moment, otherwise they could cancel/postpone the whole thing, throw out Sebastian, and have one of Ariah's little brothers join the line-up. If only they were allowed to wait for 9-10 years. And if Ariah wasn't in the running, of course.
The real problem is that there's no real reason those guys should be looking for a wife at 18. I mean, the only reason is because the plot dictates it and it's bullshit.
Anyway, my issue with this excerpt is that at least two teens are very interested in impregnating a teen girl. This conversation happened after Ariah was told she needed a birth implant in her arm to be eligible (as a precaution), and apparently not everyone agrees??
Also, what if Ariah gives birth to one baby and due to complications she can't/shouldn't get pregnant anymore? Or what if she's not able to have children? What if any of the guys aren't able to have children? What if she cheats on them before giving all five an heir? I mean, she'd be a dead woman but would someone take her place? What if she can't maintain that 3.5 GPA? What are the consequences when something happens? It's not discussed because it's not in the books, but it should be discussed. Ariah is also ordered to wear appropriate (feminine) clothes and she sticks with what she was already wearing (aka comfortable clothes) and suddenly they don't enforce that rule too strictly because the rules apparently don't apply to Ariah.
"So, there can either be a town full of unknown Bradfords or only two remaining ones left?" Wyatt chimes in.
With Ariah and her dad being a part of the missing Bradford family, our buddy Wyatt conveniently forgets that Ariah has a younger sister and twin younger brothers. So there's five of them, actually.
Shit, we take off for weeks at a time doing Fraternitas shit all the time, and no one bats an eyelash.
"Batting an eyelash" is a thing apparently, I didn't know that. But it's really stupid that the guys can do whatever the fuck they want but Ariah has to maintain a 3.5 GPA, and be all proper in public and shit, while the guys can do whatever. At one point, Samantha was harassing Ariah, and Ariah retaliated by punching Sam in her face, but Ariah was later reprimanded for not handling it more ladylike. Which, fuck that shit.
After that bullshit with Sam last night I was looking forward to football practice today. She's at least giving me a wide berth, but I don't trust it. She's never been one to take anything lying down.
This inner monologue by Wes is hilarious because Samantha is known for sleeping around and using sex to get what she wants. Wes himself partook in sexual activities with Sam on more than one occasion, so it's really funny of him to say she "doesn't take anything lying down".
I had a Cretors T-3000 popcorn maker brought in and stocked the snack bar with her favorite snacks.
We've already watched Pride & Prejudice and The Avengers, but we needed a snack break.
I get it, you're rich, now shut the fuck up. (It's 2270 US dollars on the Cretors website for the small version, just fyi.)
Also, mark my words, in a few years no one will want to admit they were once a Marvel fan.
"Be happy I left one hand free and your phone so that you can dial a ride. Hopefully, they get to you before the landfill opens or an animal comes," I say without looking back.
I'm sorry, Samantha's/[your] phone what?? I'm assuming "within reach" otherwise she can't call for help but uh, yeah, I'm a bit confused here.
"Hey," she smiles, alerting me to the fact I've just been staring at her like an idiot without saying a word.
I look into her alluring eyes. I'd give anything to know what's going on in that head of hers. Is she seeing how much I really want her- want this? Does she notice how sorry I am for my dickish behavior when I first met her?
"Hi," I finally respond. Because I'm a man of many words.
Okay, sometimes something was really funny. This could have been me, tbh.
"Girl, shit up. Sebastian Grant is only twenty-three. If he didn't skip like two grades, he wouldn't even be a counselor here." She rolls her eyes, pausing momentarily. "He's going to be the most stubborn. That bitch Miss Taylor did a number on him when she cheated on him with his father and then married his ex-best friend, but he'll come around all the same. Shit, my money is on him falling hard and fast once he does."
Assuming Vivian Taylor is Sebastian's age, she's also 23 years old. That means that in what I hope is roughly five years, Sebastian and Vivian were dating, she had sex with Sebastian's dad, she married Sebastian's best friend, moved away to Colorado (the story is set in Connecticut), taught Ariah there for at least a year, separated from her husband, moved back to Connecticut in the hopes of reconciling with Sebastian. As if he'd forgotten about the tiny little fact she had sex with his dad of all people. (Not to mention she later does it again, hoping she'll get pregnant and would play it off as Sebastian's to baby-trap him.)
Now that I think about it, there are only three, maybe four decent women in this series while every other girl/woman is a huge-ass bitch for no fucking reason.
Also, Sebastian swears off love after the whole Vivian thing, which is fair, but considering he didn't last more than five years, his resolve wasn't very strong now, was it?
"You know there are talks about him being a starting quarterback next year at LWU," Mr. Washington boasts, pride evident in every one of his features.
I knew Lev was an amazing player, but I didn't realize he was that skilled.
Ariah, a self-proclaimed super fan of football, didn't see that a guy in her harem is an exceptionally skilled quarterback in football. Suuuuure.
By the time she's done, we're practically nose to nose. Only a foot separates us.
So which is it? I know it says "practically" but if you're 30cm apart you're not "practically nose to nose", you're just standing very close.
"The time for talking is done- from now on, the only time I want to hear you speak is when you're asked to count and you are to address me as Sir." My dick throbs at the sight of her eyes bulging with my directives. "Do you understand, Ariah?"
She nods, and I tsk. "That's one. Let's try this again, shall we? Do you understand?"
"Yes," she mumbles, and I lift my finger from her lips.
"Oh, I see we have a little brat present. That's two. Do you know two of what that is?"
He (Sebastian) literally says "the time for talking is done", "don't talk unless I ask you to count" and still he punishes her for misbehaving? Am I missing something here???
Pulling out my phone, I scroll to check social media. It's nearly mid-February, and Summer is still posting pictures of herself from around the world. Her latest photo is of her standing in a coral pink thong bikini on the white sands of Matira Beach in Bora Bora. Her caption makes me snort, 'Sun's out, buns out.'
"Ariah," Miss Taylor shouts, and I realize I've completely zoned again.
I murmur an apology, but that's not good enough for Vivian Taylor.
"Honestly, Miss Bishop, if you can't pay attention in my class, you can get out," she snaps, causing the room to break out in snickers.
"What's your problem? I apologized. Move on already," I shoot back, totally over her snide comments and the off-the-cuff petty remarks.
Ariah, honey, everyone knows it's a fucking dick move to pull out your phone in the middle of class, scroll through [Instagram] and audibly react to what you see. It was like this 15 years ago, when touchscreens weren't even a thing yet, and it's like this now. This is not Vivian Taylor being a bitch, it's you being the bitch there. I could blame it on teen arrogance, but it's probably Ariah hating Vivian Taylor, and for good reason! Just not this time.
Last one!
Book 1, chapter 2 (Ariah's POV: I don't think all rich people are jerks. It just seems like there's something in the water here.
Book 2, chapter 53 (Ariah's POV): I'm starting to wonder if delusional is in the water in Edgewood.
So it either took Ariah almost a whole school year to come up with the word "delusional", or Ariah (aka PH Nix) forgot she had had almost the same thought on the first day of school.
Thank you for sticking with me will the end <3 It took me a long ass time to write this whole thing (it's almost 3k /sobs), so I really appreciate anyone who read the whole thing. I promise the review for the novella will be shorter. But yeah, now you know why the sequel is worse than book 1 😬
If only my uni essays would be this interesting. And if only I put as much work into those as I did for this review.
July 6, 2023
I enjoyed this book overall, but this series is only enjoyable if you're willing to throw away logic. Because I promise you a lot of logic and common sense is ignored here. Like honestly, these people put themselves into a corner with their nonsense.
January 25, 2024
4⭐️
Oh this is getting good 😈💀🪓 …. Evil cackle.
The plot is condensing and Ariah has flown the coop, leaving the heirs with an unwanted bride.
Can’t wait to see what happens next!!
Oh this is getting good 😈💀🪓 …. Evil cackle.
The plot is condensing and Ariah has flown the coop, leaving the heirs with an unwanted bride.
Can’t wait to see what happens next!!
April 18, 2023
Holy smokes, omg, omg, omgahhhhh.
If you were obsessed with book one, just you wait! This book was so much MORE!!!
Tropes/tw
- blood & knife play
- Degradation
- Incest ( not our fmc)
- Group sex
- Light bondage/rope play
- SA (on pg)
- Mentions of past childhood SA
- And many more the author has a list posted to her site
You get so much more time with all our male characters! I’m here for this!!! I’ve fallen even more in love with LEV🫠 #7 🙌🏽!
Let me tell you every single spicy scene in this book fucking delivered!
Ariah is even more kickbutt and bold as ever! She is going for the jugular in ruthless rejection.
Let’s talk about that ending, so many things happening to so many of my favorite characters at once😡😫😭😭😭, all of the emotions in the entire universe to be left suspended right on the edge of the dang cliffhanger.
If you were obsessed with book one, just you wait! This book was so much MORE!!!
Tropes/tw
- blood & knife play
- Degradation
- Incest ( not our fmc)
- Group sex
- Light bondage/rope play
- SA (on pg)
- Mentions of past childhood SA
- And many more the author has a list posted to her site
You get so much more time with all our male characters! I’m here for this!!! I’ve fallen even more in love with LEV🫠 #7 🙌🏽!
Let me tell you every single spicy scene in this book fucking delivered!
Ariah is even more kickbutt and bold as ever! She is going for the jugular in ruthless rejection.
Let’s talk about that ending, so many things happening to so many of my favorite characters at once😡😫😭😭😭, all of the emotions in the entire universe to be left suspended right on the edge of the dang cliffhanger.
March 9, 2023
P.H. Nix is a master of her craft. Ruthless Rejection was by far my top read of 2023, second only to Twisted Selection - book 1 in The Edgewood Series.
RR had it all. A lot more of my favorite guy, Seb. More twists, turns, secrets, lies and a regular “who ‘donit.” Emotions ran deep (laughing, crying, anger, happiness) and Nix captured these imperfect MMCs seamlessly.
What to expect: Go read book 1, Twisted Selection if you haven’t already.
Why Choose, Prep/Academy Setting, Elite/Secret Society, Fierce FMC, Imperfectly perfect MMCs, excellent plot, chefs kiss spice, and some IYKYK scenes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
😈😈😈😈😈+
RR had it all. A lot more of my favorite guy, Seb. More twists, turns, secrets, lies and a regular “who ‘donit.” Emotions ran deep (laughing, crying, anger, happiness) and Nix captured these imperfect MMCs seamlessly.
What to expect: Go read book 1, Twisted Selection if you haven’t already.
Why Choose, Prep/Academy Setting, Elite/Secret Society, Fierce FMC, Imperfectly perfect MMCs, excellent plot, chefs kiss spice, and some IYKYK scenes.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
😈😈😈😈😈+
October 20, 2023
Don't just suspend reality, but launch that fucker into space before you read this book.
April 13, 2023
Ruthless Rejection takes the secret society intrigue and darkness from book one and ratchets it up 100%! It is an exciting read that will keep you guessing and hooked from the first page. PH Nix can write! Her prose, pacing, and plotting are fantastic. We are thrown right into the action with Ariah in the hands of her abductors and the heirs realizing she has been taken. Even once she is rescued, the constant threats to her safety force the heirs to confront their true feelings toward her. Cue the grovel.
I adore unhinged Owen and Wyatt, who have had Ariah’s back almost the entire time. Their obsession and devotion is the perfect balm to Lev and Wes’ stubborn refusal to accept her, and Sebastian holding her at arms’ length. Though, watching those intractable heirs fall like dominos for Ariah was truly satisfying. That Ariah never changed to fit their expectations and then demanded the heirs work for her forgiveness, made me respect her fortitude.
I am glad there has been a push for varied body sizes and plus-sized FMCs in romance, and I think PH Nix did a better job with it in this book than in book one, with two exceptions. The mention of Ariah’s actual weight as a number completely pulled me out of the story, as did the mention of her clothing size compared to another woman’s. So much societal pressure is already placed on how much a woman weighs or the size she wears, that quantifying it in a story isn’t needed. It made the nature of her curves, large breasts, and luscious thighs go from ambiguously beautiful things to me constantly trying to picture her form and comparing it to the numbers I had read. I felt I had to suspend disbelief when it came to her kicking ass doing martial arts, as in my mind, she no longer fit the person who could throw someone around.
The smolder of book one heats up to inferno level in this book, with Ariah going from a virgin to a hellcat in the arms of the heirs. There are BDSM elements, edging and orgasms, blood and knife play, MF to MFM+ pairings, some hate sex, degradation and praise kink, and loads of dirty talk.
This book ends at a killer of a cliffhanger! I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Genre: Dark Bully Academy Romance
Tropes/Features: Elite High School, secret society, family secrets, plus-sized FMC, virgin FMC, family heirs, forced marriage, kidnapping, torture, revenge, knife play, blood play
Narrator: Multiple 1st Person POV
Relationship Type: Why Choose – MFMMM, Slow-medium burn, high steam
Book Type/Ending: 2nd in Series, Cliffhanger
TW/CW: Multiple, including bullying, anxiety disorder, torture scenes, and kidnapping. Visit author’s website for detailed TW/CW https://linktr.ee/authorphnix
I adore unhinged Owen and Wyatt, who have had Ariah’s back almost the entire time. Their obsession and devotion is the perfect balm to Lev and Wes’ stubborn refusal to accept her, and Sebastian holding her at arms’ length. Though, watching those intractable heirs fall like dominos for Ariah was truly satisfying. That Ariah never changed to fit their expectations and then demanded the heirs work for her forgiveness, made me respect her fortitude.
I am glad there has been a push for varied body sizes and plus-sized FMCs in romance, and I think PH Nix did a better job with it in this book than in book one, with two exceptions. The mention of Ariah’s actual weight as a number completely pulled me out of the story, as did the mention of her clothing size compared to another woman’s. So much societal pressure is already placed on how much a woman weighs or the size she wears, that quantifying it in a story isn’t needed. It made the nature of her curves, large breasts, and luscious thighs go from ambiguously beautiful things to me constantly trying to picture her form and comparing it to the numbers I had read. I felt I had to suspend disbelief when it came to her kicking ass doing martial arts, as in my mind, she no longer fit the person who could throw someone around.
The smolder of book one heats up to inferno level in this book, with Ariah going from a virgin to a hellcat in the arms of the heirs. There are BDSM elements, edging and orgasms, blood and knife play, MF to MFM+ pairings, some hate sex, degradation and praise kink, and loads of dirty talk.
This book ends at a killer of a cliffhanger! I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Genre: Dark Bully Academy Romance
Tropes/Features: Elite High School, secret society, family secrets, plus-sized FMC, virgin FMC, family heirs, forced marriage, kidnapping, torture, revenge, knife play, blood play
Narrator: Multiple 1st Person POV
Relationship Type: Why Choose – MFMMM, Slow-medium burn, high steam
Book Type/Ending: 2nd in Series, Cliffhanger
TW/CW: Multiple, including bullying, anxiety disorder, torture scenes, and kidnapping. Visit author’s website for detailed TW/CW https://linktr.ee/authorphnix
May 21, 2023
Holy fuck! This was so dark and twisted. Parts of it I liked and some were just a lot. First of all, I didn't like how Sam's rape was handled. Yes, Sam isn't the nicest person but nobody should be talked to like how Aria and the guys talked to her after what happened. I didn't like the ending. I didn't like that Wes groveled but he didn't grovel enough to warrant being part of the group. I feel like there should have been more development with Sebastian since we didn't get really anything in book one. Honestly, some of the torture scenes were wordy and the context was too much even for me. Furthermore, the epilogue with the incest... it wasn't that necessary so I'm not sure why the author decided to put it in. Honestly, I thought that this series would be a duet but it isn't so I'm unsure if I want to continue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2024
DNF 66%... I loved the beginning of this series until it was stated the FMC was 263lbs. I love curvy ladies but trying to visualize a 263lb teenage girl being positioned in intimate scenes and fighting so smoothly.... It's just really not realistic.
August 10, 2025
☆ “What do you like to read?” Ariah questions
“Suspense, medieval times, and some dark romance,” I state.
"What’s the last dark romance book you read? "
“I’ll read anything that has the main male character hunting down the female main character because she decides to run.”🔥
Lev surprised me and I love that he can cook.👨🍳🥀
🔥That chapter in Wes room and Sebastian house🔥🌶😉
I cried so much because of what happened to Owen, he didn't deserve it🥺😢
☆ She has no idea how long I’ve been watching her. know she isn’t aware of how many nights I stood over her bed and watched her. Some nights, peace found her. Other nights she was haunted even in her sleep— the medication no help other than to make her unaware of my presence. She can’t remember how many times I brought her to orgasm. That night in her room was the first time she shaved for me. She doesn’t realize how connected we are.
Wyatt is still my favorite🫶💕
“Suspense, medieval times, and some dark romance,” I state.
"What’s the last dark romance book you read? "
“I’ll read anything that has the main male character hunting down the female main character because she decides to run.”🔥
Lev surprised me and I love that he can cook.👨🍳🥀
🔥That chapter in Wes room and Sebastian house🔥🌶😉
I cried so much because of what happened to Owen, he didn't deserve it🥺😢
☆ She has no idea how long I’ve been watching her. know she isn’t aware of how many nights I stood over her bed and watched her. Some nights, peace found her. Other nights she was haunted even in her sleep— the medication no help other than to make her unaware of my presence. She can’t remember how many times I brought her to orgasm. That night in her room was the first time she shaved for me. She doesn’t realize how connected we are.
Wyatt is still my favorite🫶💕
January 6, 2024
Omg what just happened!!! How am I supposed to go on with my life without the third book being out!!!! I need to know what happened!!! I feel like we got to see a different side characters that we didn't get to see in the first book. I really loved how we got to see the connection build between FMC and all the MMC in this book🖤🖤
June 26, 2023
Woah cliff hanger
Some questions get answered and others arise. Be prepared to sat WTF at least 30 times. I hope you don't have to work or have responsibilities the day after binge reading.
Some questions get answered and others arise. Be prepared to sat WTF at least 30 times. I hope you don't have to work or have responsibilities the day after binge reading.
January 21, 2024
This book!!!! I knew something was going to happen since there was another book, but that was not what I was expecting!!!! I have no words, and now I'm off to read the next one!!! If you haven't read this series yet, DO IT!!!
March 11, 2024
1.5 Stars
April 16, 2023
I am at a loss for words. This book was dark and fun and tragic. I loved every development and moment even when I hated it. I don't think it could have been better.
April 19, 2023
5⭐️ 4🌶️
Oh man this book was a roller coaster ride for sure. A true nail biter. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. So many funny scenes. I love Ariah and her fierceness. Her take no crap attitude. These men are everything and more 🫠🥵 Especially Seb IFKYK 😏 That ending though 🤯 So many plot twist that I did not see coming. I couldn’t get enough if this book. I need part 3 now!!
Oh man this book was a roller coaster ride for sure. A true nail biter. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. So many funny scenes. I love Ariah and her fierceness. Her take no crap attitude. These men are everything and more 🫠🥵 Especially Seb IFKYK 😏 That ending though 🤯 So many plot twist that I did not see coming. I couldn’t get enough if this book. I need part 3 now!!
April 10, 2023
WHEW!!! What a journey with these characters. Emotions all over the place. This story is a real page turner that will keep you on your toes throughout the entire book. P.H. Nix does an absolute fantastic job with the world building and the development of relationships between characters. The spice here is exceptional I'm mean just HOT!!! I loved that just when I thought I knew what was happening there was another twist or turn to through me off, but that ending cliffie was torture. Can not wait for the next book I recommend this series and enjoy your trip to Edgewood Academy.
February 22, 2023
Yeah I need book 3 NOW...
I am utterly obsessed with the ending of this book! It was a smack in the face I wasn't ready for but God I Nix you nailed it.
I am not a huge cliff hanger fan but this was perfect
I am utterly obsessed with the ending of this book! It was a smack in the face I wasn't ready for but God I Nix you nailed it.
I am not a huge cliff hanger fan but this was perfect
March 4, 2024
I hate giving a book 2 stars. But this next installment was really…. A clusterfork.
I’ve seen a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews for this, so maybe it’s just me.
If they weren’t having sex, they were killing somebody. If they weren’t killing somebody, they were having sex. It felt like the entire plot of this second book was more focused on hunting people down and having sex, but I didn’t feel like there was much substance. The whole evil plot felt disjointed and ridiculous, and I really couldn’t get into it.
The editing was okay, except for the wrong placement of commas, periods, and semicolons. Some of the writing was good, but other times it felt weak, as in unnecessary and pedantic.
Such as: “Once I’ve finished and flushed the toilet, I stand in front of his expansive mirror, staring at my disheveled state. I turn on the faucet to wash my hands and look for toothpaste. There’s no way I’m climbing back in that bed with morning breath. I don’t want to be nosey, but I need at least some mouthwash, dammit.”
Okay, great, you flushed the toilet after peeing. You turned on the faucet to wash your hands. Good for you! We don’t need to know all these details; we as readers just assume you flush and assume you turn on the faucet because that’s how you get water to wash your hands. And this is just an example.
The characters I sort of lost interest in, as they just did the same stuff over and over again. I think Owen might have the most substance, but everyone else seemed kind of meh, and similar to one another.
“She definitely wears the ‘I want it, and I want it now,’ a real Violet Beauregarde.”
Nope, that was Varucca Salt.
And the brand/name dropping continues, alas. So very specific it’s almost weird.
I did finish the book, and I will read the next one, but I don’t have high hopes.
There are some major TWs, for those that need them.
I’ve seen a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews for this, so maybe it’s just me.
If they weren’t having sex, they were killing somebody. If they weren’t killing somebody, they were having sex. It felt like the entire plot of this second book was more focused on hunting people down and having sex, but I didn’t feel like there was much substance. The whole evil plot felt disjointed and ridiculous, and I really couldn’t get into it.
The editing was okay, except for the wrong placement of commas, periods, and semicolons. Some of the writing was good, but other times it felt weak, as in unnecessary and pedantic.
Such as: “Once I’ve finished and flushed the toilet, I stand in front of his expansive mirror, staring at my disheveled state. I turn on the faucet to wash my hands and look for toothpaste. There’s no way I’m climbing back in that bed with morning breath. I don’t want to be nosey, but I need at least some mouthwash, dammit.”
Okay, great, you flushed the toilet after peeing. You turned on the faucet to wash your hands. Good for you! We don’t need to know all these details; we as readers just assume you flush and assume you turn on the faucet because that’s how you get water to wash your hands. And this is just an example.
The characters I sort of lost interest in, as they just did the same stuff over and over again. I think Owen might have the most substance, but everyone else seemed kind of meh, and similar to one another.
“She definitely wears the ‘I want it, and I want it now,’ a real Violet Beauregarde.”
Nope, that was Varucca Salt.
And the brand/name dropping continues, alas. So very specific it’s almost weird.
I did finish the book, and I will read the next one, but I don’t have high hopes.
There are some major TWs, for those that need them.
April 18, 2024
Still good, but got a little boring...
I'm still enjoying the story enough to continue onto book 3, but it's starting to wane for me. The sex scenes are annoying and mostly implausible. Also, it's come to light that Ariah is a big girl. It's been hinted in the first book that she wasn't super skinny, had bigger thighs, double ds and and jiggly butt, but apparently, she's 263 pounds. Ok, so the guys are all in great shape and play football, but how are they able to pick her up and toss her around so much?? I'm all for us bigger girls to be confident in our bodies, but she's a big teenager and apparently hasn't got a self conscious bone in her body??
I like the male characters, so that's what is really keeping me reading the series. I could do with less fetishes (because it's unlikely 18 year old guys are experienced enough to be that kinky), but I usually skip their bedroom antics...
Will continue on to see how this plays out
I'm still enjoying the story enough to continue onto book 3, but it's starting to wane for me. The sex scenes are annoying and mostly implausible. Also, it's come to light that Ariah is a big girl. It's been hinted in the first book that she wasn't super skinny, had bigger thighs, double ds and and jiggly butt, but apparently, she's 263 pounds. Ok, so the guys are all in great shape and play football, but how are they able to pick her up and toss her around so much?? I'm all for us bigger girls to be confident in our bodies, but she's a big teenager and apparently hasn't got a self conscious bone in her body??
I like the male characters, so that's what is really keeping me reading the series. I could do with less fetishes (because it's unlikely 18 year old guys are experienced enough to be that kinky), but I usually skip their bedroom antics...
Will continue on to see how this plays out
January 10, 2024
P.H. NIX, TAKE ALL MY MONEYS.
This is one of my all-time favorite series. I cannot choose a favorite in this harem. I love all of them so much. Let's not talk about the ending, because this girl doesn't want to wait for the next book. P.H. Nailed this book. I've been sitting on this review for WEEKS. Because I don't want to admit the series is almost over.
Tropes: blood play, knife play, degradation, group activities, light bondage.
Plot: 5/5
Spice: 4/5
This is one of my all-time favorite series. I cannot choose a favorite in this harem. I love all of them so much. Let's not talk about the ending, because this girl doesn't want to wait for the next book. P.H. Nailed this book. I've been sitting on this review for WEEKS. Because I don't want to admit the series is almost over.
Tropes: blood play, knife play, degradation, group activities, light bondage.
Plot: 5/5
Spice: 4/5
August 26, 2025
This was so bad lmfao
The grammar definitely improved but overall this book still sucked. I’m tapping out.
Came back to take it down another star because I can’t stop thinking about how much this sucked. It was like pick me revenge murder porn on crack.
The grammar definitely improved but overall this book still sucked. I’m tapping out.
Came back to take it down another star because I can’t stop thinking about how much this sucked. It was like pick me revenge murder porn on crack.
April 25, 2025
May be my new favorite series, honestly. Love the story and all the players. Well written...these endings are killing me. I need a Wyatt and Owen in my life...go read this, it's perfect.
December 9, 2023
Plot/Storyline : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Editing (grammar, typos, etc.) : ✏️✏️✏️✏️
What the f*ck did I just read?! Did all that sh*t seriously go down in the last 10 chapters of the book?!
Ruthless Rejection starts off where Twisted Selection ended - the Edgewood Fall Formal.
We are finally introduced to both of Ariah’s parents, Aaron and Seline which is a pretty huge clusterf*ck when the truth comes out.
Speaking of truths - damn, does this book drop quite a few f*cking bombs. We’re talking nuclear fission (atomic) size ones. We learn the true identity of Seline, who kidnapped Lev and Owen as children along with who assisted in their successful abduction, what transpired while Owen was gone for that week of hell, who has been targeting and killing Selected girls, and more about Edgewood history which is absolutely pertinent to understanding the motives behind the Filiae Bellonae.
You will need tissues while you read this second installment. There are a few emotionally charged scenes, particularly Owen’s confrontation with his kidnapper that is pretty graphic. I sobbed as he recalled what happened while he waited to be rescued. Lev’s confession to Ariah of the guilt he feels for leaving Owen to get help is a strong one too.
There is a lot more spice in this book as majority of the sex now occurs with our FMC (FINALLY!) once she gives up her virginity (for you naughty readers - this occurs around the 43% mark of the e-book and just escalates from there because duh, there are five heirs and this is a why choose romance) and there are PLENTY of hot scenes to please almost all readers. There are individual as she enjoys one-on-one time with each heir, ménage (not difficult to figure out our main duo as they’ve been Team Ariah from the beginning) and one group scene (plus a half that occurs with payback to Vivian) that I would rate as medium since our girl Ariah is still building up to that *wink*
The only thing that brought this book down for me is the time frame (timeline) of events. Particularly everything that supposedly happens between the Fall Formal (October 29th) and the Christmas Ball (December 25th). As a math major, I am very analytical and precise when it comes to numbers which therefore extends to the time parameter and for me it became very distracting and almost a point of contention on if I should continue this book. I’m very glad I convinced my brain to let it go because the book did proceed in a convincing manner. Apart from what I perceived as an issue with the timeline, my other concern with editing is the inconsistency regarding character names and physical descriptions that were established in Twisted Selection not transferring over to Ruthless Rejection. But I reiterate this is a “me” issue since I am a non-skim reader and therefore will notice these type of discrepancies.
This series officially lives rent-free in my head and has joined the ranks as one of my favorite series. I would definitely recommend this book to those that enjoy dark romance, why choose and slow-burn to inferno.
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Editing (grammar, typos, etc.) : ✏️✏️✏️✏️
What the f*ck did I just read?! Did all that sh*t seriously go down in the last 10 chapters of the book?!
Ruthless Rejection starts off where Twisted Selection ended - the Edgewood Fall Formal.
We are finally introduced to both of Ariah’s parents, Aaron and Seline which is a pretty huge clusterf*ck when the truth comes out.
Speaking of truths - damn, does this book drop quite a few f*cking bombs. We’re talking nuclear fission (atomic) size ones. We learn the true identity of Seline, who kidnapped Lev and Owen as children along with who assisted in their successful abduction, what transpired while Owen was gone for that week of hell, who has been targeting and killing Selected girls, and more about Edgewood history which is absolutely pertinent to understanding the motives behind the Filiae Bellonae.
You will need tissues while you read this second installment. There are a few emotionally charged scenes, particularly Owen’s confrontation with his kidnapper that is pretty graphic. I sobbed as he recalled what happened while he waited to be rescued. Lev’s confession to Ariah of the guilt he feels for leaving Owen to get help is a strong one too.
There is a lot more spice in this book as majority of the sex now occurs with our FMC (FINALLY!) once she gives up her virginity (for you naughty readers - this occurs around the 43% mark of the e-book and just escalates from there because duh, there are five heirs and this is a why choose romance) and there are PLENTY of hot scenes to please almost all readers. There are individual as she enjoys one-on-one time with each heir, ménage (not difficult to figure out our main duo as they’ve been Team Ariah from the beginning) and one group scene (plus a half that occurs with payback to Vivian) that I would rate as medium since our girl Ariah is still building up to that *wink*
The only thing that brought this book down for me is the time frame (timeline) of events. Particularly everything that supposedly happens between the Fall Formal (October 29th) and the Christmas Ball (December 25th). As a math major, I am very analytical and precise when it comes to numbers which therefore extends to the time parameter and for me it became very distracting and almost a point of contention on if I should continue this book. I’m very glad I convinced my brain to let it go because the book did proceed in a convincing manner. Apart from what I perceived as an issue with the timeline, my other concern with editing is the inconsistency regarding character names and physical descriptions that were established in Twisted Selection not transferring over to Ruthless Rejection. But I reiterate this is a “me” issue since I am a non-skim reader and therefore will notice these type of discrepancies.
This series officially lives rent-free in my head and has joined the ranks as one of my favorite series. I would definitely recommend this book to those that enjoy dark romance, why choose and slow-burn to inferno.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2024
Ariah and the heirs' story continues! I am absolutely on the edge of my seat with this series. I will admit the ending almost made me throw my kindle. Thankfully, the author was kind enough to provide a reasoning behind what happened with the heirs announcing their choice - from the selected. I appreciated that and I'm not as mad as I would have been otherwise.
**REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS - DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED. As with the first book, this is a dark romance. Please be sure to read the triggers as my review does not include all the gruesome details.**
Ariah has been taken and the heirs scramble to find her and bring her back. Unfortunately, they never expected Ariah's mother to be behind it all and for her father to also have been held captive this whole time. Her mother is part of an organization working to remove the founding families from power. She believes it's time for a woman to lead.
Ariah learns her father is a rightful heir/head of the fifth founding family which also makes her a Bradford. The Bradfords were believed to have died off but in fact they've been in hiding as someone was/has been trying to wipe out their entire family line.
In her absence the heirs, mainly Lev and Wes, realize how wrong they have been about Ariah. Owen and Wy are a bit unstable in her absence and desire to find her. Thankfully, they are able to locate her after another selected female is abducted and a rescue mission occurs.
*Note: While Sebastian was mentioned in the first book, he didn't really play much of a role. He's more involved in this book.
In this book, each of the heirs must continue the process of the selection. They are required to go on dates with each of the selected and then must make a choice on which female will be their chosen wife. However, by this point the heirs already seem to agree that Ariah is theirs.
Ariah's relationship with each of the guys continues to develop and we get some pretty spicy scenes.
We also learn more about the backstory regarding Owen and Lev and the trauma that plagues them.
Ariah's mother and other mysterious players with this FB organization are still at large and a threat. The heirs soon learn there are more traitors among their midst than they realized. Ariah's mother gets the drop on her again by threatening her best friend. Yet, the heirs aren't concerned. They are more prepared than last time and are able to quickly locate Ariah and activate a rescue mission. During the rescue, Ariah learns of her mother's heinous acts and ends up taking her life.
The heirs, mainly Wes, announce their choice. Surprise... it's NOT Ariah which takes Ariah and the other heirs by surprise. Unfortunately, there was no other choice. But the damage is done before the heirs have a chance to explain. Now they need to do whatever they can to save one of their own and eventually end everything so they can get Ariah back.
**REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS - DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED. As with the first book, this is a dark romance. Please be sure to read the triggers as my review does not include all the gruesome details.**
Ariah has been taken and the heirs scramble to find her and bring her back. Unfortunately, they never expected Ariah's mother to be behind it all and for her father to also have been held captive this whole time. Her mother is part of an organization working to remove the founding families from power. She believes it's time for a woman to lead.
Ariah learns her father is a rightful heir/head of the fifth founding family which also makes her a Bradford. The Bradfords were believed to have died off but in fact they've been in hiding as someone was/has been trying to wipe out their entire family line.
In her absence the heirs, mainly Lev and Wes, realize how wrong they have been about Ariah. Owen and Wy are a bit unstable in her absence and desire to find her. Thankfully, they are able to locate her after another selected female is abducted and a rescue mission occurs.
*Note: While Sebastian was mentioned in the first book, he didn't really play much of a role. He's more involved in this book.
In this book, each of the heirs must continue the process of the selection. They are required to go on dates with each of the selected and then must make a choice on which female will be their chosen wife. However, by this point the heirs already seem to agree that Ariah is theirs.
Ariah's relationship with each of the guys continues to develop and we get some pretty spicy scenes.
We also learn more about the backstory regarding Owen and Lev and the trauma that plagues them.
Ariah's mother and other mysterious players with this FB organization are still at large and a threat. The heirs soon learn there are more traitors among their midst than they realized. Ariah's mother gets the drop on her again by threatening her best friend. Yet, the heirs aren't concerned. They are more prepared than last time and are able to quickly locate Ariah and activate a rescue mission. During the rescue, Ariah learns of her mother's heinous acts and ends up taking her life.
The heirs, mainly Wes, announce their choice. Surprise... it's NOT Ariah which takes Ariah and the other heirs by surprise. Unfortunately, there was no other choice. But the damage is done before the heirs have a chance to explain. Now they need to do whatever they can to save one of their own and eventually end everything so they can get Ariah back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2023
Thank you P. H. Nix for the ARC.
Back to Edgewood we go and what a ride!! Explosive bombshell(s) within the first quarter of the book. You’ll never see it coming. P. H. Nix is so specific and detailed, giving a clear visual of what is taking place. It was like watching a movie. Smooth. She writes with levity and I find it refreshing. Wasn’t expecting to cry but my heart absolutely broke for Owen. Deep,
life altering trauma. It crushed me. Never ending secrets. These boys are ruthless. Savage might be a better term. And the bond that holds them together is everything. We experience so much in book two but of course with that ending book three can’t get here soon enough. Holy!!! This book is intense, spicy, twisted, exciting, and will leave you wanting more.
“Largitor vitae tuam divinam amplectitur foeminam pro eo quod gentes peperit.”
(The giver of your life embraces the divine woman for that which gave birth to the nations.)
“I may not be your first, but I’ll be your forever.”
“You make the noise go silent.”
“Your monsters don’t scare me.”
“You only remain a pawn when you refuse to fight your way across the board and become a queen.”
“One could say giving over control to the right person is the most powerful show of control.”
“We’re not in the business of fair.” IYKYK
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Description:
Edgewood threatens to chew me up and spit me out.
Since moving to town, my life has been turned on its axis. Everything I thought I knew is a lie, and even as secrets are revealed, more questions arise.
I’ve been forced into a ruthless game—one with deadly consequences in order to take care of my siblings in my parents’ absence. A game that has the Queen Bee of the school out for my blood because the heirs of the school are fighting to win me over.
The question is, are their motives pure, or will I be on the receiving end of a Ruthless Rejection?
Ruthless Rejection is book two in the Edgewood Academy Elite Series. It is a slow burn why choose dark high school bully romance. Meaning the main character will end up with more than one love interest. As the series progresses, so will the level of darkness.
Back to Edgewood we go and what a ride!! Explosive bombshell(s) within the first quarter of the book. You’ll never see it coming. P. H. Nix is so specific and detailed, giving a clear visual of what is taking place. It was like watching a movie. Smooth. She writes with levity and I find it refreshing. Wasn’t expecting to cry but my heart absolutely broke for Owen. Deep,
life altering trauma. It crushed me. Never ending secrets. These boys are ruthless. Savage might be a better term. And the bond that holds them together is everything. We experience so much in book two but of course with that ending book three can’t get here soon enough. Holy!!! This book is intense, spicy, twisted, exciting, and will leave you wanting more.
“Largitor vitae tuam divinam amplectitur foeminam pro eo quod gentes peperit.”
(The giver of your life embraces the divine woman for that which gave birth to the nations.)
“I may not be your first, but I’ll be your forever.”
“You make the noise go silent.”
“Your monsters don’t scare me.”
“You only remain a pawn when you refuse to fight your way across the board and become a queen.”
“One could say giving over control to the right person is the most powerful show of control.”
“We’re not in the business of fair.” IYKYK
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Description:
Edgewood threatens to chew me up and spit me out.
Since moving to town, my life has been turned on its axis. Everything I thought I knew is a lie, and even as secrets are revealed, more questions arise.
I’ve been forced into a ruthless game—one with deadly consequences in order to take care of my siblings in my parents’ absence. A game that has the Queen Bee of the school out for my blood because the heirs of the school are fighting to win me over.
The question is, are their motives pure, or will I be on the receiving end of a Ruthless Rejection?
Ruthless Rejection is book two in the Edgewood Academy Elite Series. It is a slow burn why choose dark high school bully romance. Meaning the main character will end up with more than one love interest. As the series progresses, so will the level of darkness.
December 28, 2024
Right up the top here i want to point out that the way choking during consensual sex is depicted here would probably lead to brain damage, if not death. I don't care how 'skilled' these teenagers are, you don't ever, ever actually choke someone around the neck during sex. Don't try this at home folks. There are safer ways to indulge this kind of fetish.
Still fun but the plot holes are getting more and more gaping.
Dad is back now, so why is she still going along with all this selection nonsense? They can't hang custody of her siblings over her head if their literal father is there to take them.
Why did her mother follow a convoluted plan 18 years in the making to raise her daughter as if she loved her then kidnap her in an evil plot at the last minute? Why not brainwash her from childhood? Why not bank on her love instead of eroding it for months before the big reveal?
Why do they keep saying she's the Bradford scion and there's no male heir? She has two brothers!
For supposedly controlling the whole world they are really having to do a lot of heavy lifting themselves. I feel like they could probably afford to hire someone to do all the hacking and torture etc. Someone competent perhaps, who has actually graduated high school?
Sooooo many 'it's not safe for you to know yet' plotlines. Who do they think she's going to tell? What difference could the information possibly make?
She really should be fighting tooth and nail to get out of this wife thing.
Five male heirs required? Fuck no, that's a possible death sentence (not even considering the fact that multiple candidates have actually died so far). FMC is very concerned with the birth control requirement and completely overlooking the child bride and baby incubator requirements.
She should be concerned with getting herself and her siblings the hell out of dodge.
Still fun but the plot holes are getting more and more gaping.
Dad is back now, so why is she still going along with all this selection nonsense? They can't hang custody of her siblings over her head if their literal father is there to take them.
Why did her mother follow a convoluted plan 18 years in the making to raise her daughter as if she loved her then kidnap her in an evil plot at the last minute? Why not brainwash her from childhood? Why not bank on her love instead of eroding it for months before the big reveal?
Why do they keep saying she's the Bradford scion and there's no male heir? She has two brothers!
For supposedly controlling the whole world they are really having to do a lot of heavy lifting themselves. I feel like they could probably afford to hire someone to do all the hacking and torture etc. Someone competent perhaps, who has actually graduated high school?
Sooooo many 'it's not safe for you to know yet' plotlines. Who do they think she's going to tell? What difference could the information possibly make?
She really should be fighting tooth and nail to get out of this wife thing.
Five male heirs required? Fuck no, that's a possible death sentence (not even considering the fact that multiple candidates have actually died so far). FMC is very concerned with the birth control requirement and completely overlooking the child bride and baby incubator requirements.
She should be concerned with getting herself and her siblings the hell out of dodge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2023
Ahhhhhh y’all I’ve been waiting for this since I read Twisted Selection and LORD @authorphnix did not come to play and she DELIVERED!!
Well she did play with my emotions and I’m emotionally destroyed until I get my hands on the next one but this is everything I wanted and more. It went above my expectations. 👏🏼
We left off where book 1 ended and the guys are trying to get Ariah back.
2/5 of them are already whipped by her but the others are so damn hard headed to not see how perfect Ariah is for them.
They gotta work for her forgiveness.
Ariah is such a badass b*tch and she’s honestly one of the toughest FMC I’ve come across. I’m in such in awe of her.
& boy I would trade my soul to be in her spot with these delicious men.
Owen, Wyatt, Wes, Sebastian and Lev have stolen a piece of my heart. They are all unique in their own way and I can’t help to love every single one of them.
I was thrown into a wild ride of a journey that kept me on the edge of my seat. I did not expect those twists and turns especially at THE END. I was not expecting those secrets to come out. My heart took a damn beating after this book. I was legit about throw my damn kindle up against the wall 🫣😩
This author has a way of making me feel all these emotions. I laugh. I cried. I screamed. I was shocked. I was left speechless. Reading this made me felt like I was sinning because of how of dirty these scenes are but I loved every single moment of them. I know I’m not the only one who reread these scenes a million times 👀🥵😮💨
I am feral for book 3 and I can’t wait to add this beauty next to Book 1 on my shelf 😍😭
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 5/5
Well she did play with my emotions and I’m emotionally destroyed until I get my hands on the next one but this is everything I wanted and more. It went above my expectations. 👏🏼
We left off where book 1 ended and the guys are trying to get Ariah back.
2/5 of them are already whipped by her but the others are so damn hard headed to not see how perfect Ariah is for them.
They gotta work for her forgiveness.
Ariah is such a badass b*tch and she’s honestly one of the toughest FMC I’ve come across. I’m in such in awe of her.
& boy I would trade my soul to be in her spot with these delicious men.
Owen, Wyatt, Wes, Sebastian and Lev have stolen a piece of my heart. They are all unique in their own way and I can’t help to love every single one of them.
I was thrown into a wild ride of a journey that kept me on the edge of my seat. I did not expect those twists and turns especially at THE END. I was not expecting those secrets to come out. My heart took a damn beating after this book. I was legit about throw my damn kindle up against the wall 🫣😩
This author has a way of making me feel all these emotions. I laugh. I cried. I screamed. I was shocked. I was left speechless. Reading this made me felt like I was sinning because of how of dirty these scenes are but I loved every single moment of them. I know I’m not the only one who reread these scenes a million times 👀🥵😮💨
I am feral for book 3 and I can’t wait to add this beauty next to Book 1 on my shelf 😍😭
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 5/5
March 2, 2024
Whelp this was a complete waste of time. This plot just went from bad to worse. People in this story so clearly are guilty and yet the story keeps trucking along never narrowing down those people. It’s so poorly written for example Sam is certifiably insane in both book even after “her assault” which is weird you’d think after something like that a character would change but nope not her and to make matters worse they just keep letting her be insane. Meanwhile, these boys torture and kill problematic people left and right, just not the most suspicious person in the story. Make this plot make sense? Another example, girls are killed all throughout the story, but no worries the selection process goes accordingly. Those girls wouldn’t have been choose, keep calm carry on. The hell am I reading? Also Sebastian gets added chapters this book, and each of his chapters he harps on how he can’t love another person ever, he doesn’t just say this once he mentions this 100times each chapter just in case you missed it. Yeah see how bad this story is? Oh So Ariah forgives Lev and Wes after their treatment in book 1 and they all claim she’s the choose one, so then at the selection Sam is choosen because Owen’s been kidnapped. Ariah leaves and then proceeds to leave town with her family. Then theres an epilogue that is one the grossest thing ever thought of, Sam is behind all the murdered girls and her half-brother the senator whom the boys have been investigating, she been bangin him all along.. Yep so freaking nasty says she’s doing it to further her agenda, this story is horrendous. Save your time do not read I cannot finish this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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