Disobedient Pawn

The Kings of Wayward Academy #1

by Brooklyn Cross

Academy/Slow Burn/Slow Build/MMFMMM/Mafia/Swim Team

Never underestimate the power of a pawn.

My life seemed pretty perfect until I turned twelve. Then everything was destroyed with a fainting spell, a doctor’s visit, and a diagnosis that rocked me to my core. Now at seventeen, I am being shipped to a new country and school with no support from my father. I’m facing a tangled web of lies and truths that will test and threaten to break me, but I’ve never been the type to back down.

The Kings of Wayward Academy set their eyes on me, and the chess game begins.

We are the Kings of Wayward Academy, but this school is not like others for the filthy rich with pretentious attitudes. The most ruthless families in the world have attended Wayward for generations. The land is neutral ground, heavily guarded, and the laws upheld by an unseen organization that no one dares to take on.

But, boredom, for people like us, is a deadly disease. One that usually ends badly for anyone caught in our snare.

Then Princess arrives, Ren Davies, the new girl. Armed with her sharp tongue and striking looks, she has everyone taking a second look. I’ve never met anyone with a fearless streak like hers. It was inevitable that she would attract our attention. The game begins, and the bets are set. Which King will win?

There are just some games that were never meant to be won.

Genres: Dark Romance, Why Choose, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark, High School, Sports

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2023

About the author

Writing is not just a passion for me. It is a lifeline to my sanity.

I have always loved writing but suffer from severe dyslexia and short-term memory retention issues. I struggled in school while I worked every night on re-training my brain.

I was frequently treated like I would never succeed, and I found myself putting my love for writing on a shelf.

Even at the age of six, I found it easier to communicate with animals than people, which was a big reason why I was drawn to dressage horseback riding. I remained focused on my passion for riding until I had to step away from the competition world for personal reasons.

Today, my desire for writing and storytelling has been rekindled. I have published multiple books and will never let anyone or anything hold me back again.
I am a proud romance author who offers my readers morally grey heroes, a ton of spice, epic journeys, and redemption stories.
-Follow Your Dreams-

Reviews

[Kursed Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abruptly and surreptitiously being drug from her life in Alberta, Ren Davies is thrust into the prestigious and private Wayward Academy.

Catching the eye of the Kings, most notably Myles McCoy and Nash Collier, Ren is unable to stay off the radar as she’d hoped. The forced proximity at least provides some answers to questions about how she landed at Wayward yet simultaneously raises more questions.

Each guy is a mystery I can’t wait to unravel. And I definitely have a girl crush on Ren, the stubborn genius. I was fully engrossed in this new world and the Kings’ story. Literally, I was praying for just one more chapter.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Burn: ❄️
Darkness: 🖤
Heat: 🫑
Range of Emotions: 😢😳🤬🥵😶
Ending: 🧗🏻‍♀️ {Cliffy}
POV: 👫🏻 {Multiple}

🗂 Genre: Contemporary Romance

✨ Tropes: Academy, Alphahole, Band of Brothers/Found Family, Bully, Forced Proximity, Insta-Obsession, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Reformed Player, Virgin h

💋 Kinks: Discipline/Punishment, Spanking

⚠️ Warning: The angst in this slow-burn will edge you to the point of combustion!

🚩 Safety Squad: UnaIiving, VioIençe, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📣 Type: Disobedient Pawn is part of the The Kings of Wayward Academy series and ends on a cliffhanger. This series must be read in order.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was so over the top!
an eye roll especially for the kids who act like cold-blooded professional killers at just 17 years old.🙄 Also, the "my king" speech, what was that?🤷‍♂️😖
Despite that, I have to confess I had fun here and there.
Not sure if I'll read the next one.🤔

[Juju · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This is a Dark Academy Romance with Mafia, why choose, sport (swimming), touch her & ☠ vibes and other themes. Has plenty of suspense and tension. Not high on spice in Book 1, but I'm sure there will be plenty in future books in this series.

Our Main Cast of Characters are:

Ren, our Heroine - She has a backbone, really stands up to the guys, love her style & sass! ❤

And of course, to the guys... well there are 5 of them...yes FIVE! 😍

Nash (Leader) very OTT/darker vibe,
Liam (his right hand man)/the betting man
TWINS 😍😍 - Blake (the player) + Theo (competitive one)
and Myles - sweet one/but can be rash.

Didn't get a feel for all the guys, mostly Myles, Blake n Nash.

Great start to new series! 👌 I'm really excited to find out what's next in store for Ren and the guys. 👍😊

[Nik · Rating 1 out of 5]

Anyone who gave this 4/5 stars is a straight up liar -either that or I am missing the other half of this book. Absolutely nothing happened - some mediocre 'hot' boys and some popular school bitch were mean to the virgin heroine.

If 17 year old boys driving ludicrously expensive cars and being part of the Irish mafia isn't brain-rotting enough for you, you are also blessed with an innocent virgin FMC who supposedly takes no shit. My main dislike was the lack of general character development. We got told about Myles life rather than shown. Then you have the other boys (Blake, Liam and Theo) who we got absolutely nothing off. The inconsistent writing meant that nothing actually happened and there was no real introduction to the characters. In fact, all I know about Liam and Theo is that they are hooking up.

The ending was entirely underwhelming. By the end the only romantic development we got was between Myles and Ren and it was pure sap.

[Inés Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could you imagine being forced to leave everything behind and start at a private academy that has no online info. I love Ren she does not take no shît from anyone especially her father, the way she responds left me cheering for her. A main character with a back bone....heck yeah.

And then theirs The Kings of Wayward Academy, on the swim team and born into the mafia. I am loving that they are swimmers. Can't wait to know more about all 5 of them.

There's also an Irish mafia involved, and let me just say that I was definitely here for the accent (swooning) it's always Russian or Italian so I liked that this was different. After reading this I am left with a bucket load of questions.

Low Spice
Enemies to Lovers
Mafia
Touch her & die
Swim Team
Why Choose

[Christina Rybka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ren’s life changed when she became twelve now at seventeen she’s moving to another country, and her father leaves her at Wayward Academy. She is strong, sarcastic, beautiful, and take no crap. Ren meets the Kings of Wayward Nash, Myles, Liam, Theo, and Blake. They take an interest in her, but she wants nothing to do with them just wants to get through school and get away from her father.The kings have different plans for Ren and the games begin. Can Ren resist the Kings and survive the lies and deceits coming her way? Great characters and storyline Highly recommended Amazing Book. I love Ren and her strength. The kings are beautiful and ruthless. Great supporting characters. I love the twists and turns. This is Book one and ends on a cliffhanger. Love the worlds Brooklyn creates.

[Caged Soul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way he call her "Snowflake ❄️"

Book - Disobedient Pawn
Author - @author_brooklyncross

𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘦 🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵
- 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺 😈
- 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 🙆🏻‍♀️
- 𝘔𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢🥵
- 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘍𝘔𝘊 💁🏻‍♀️
- 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 🙅🏻‍♀️
- 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 🌚
- 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘮 (5 𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘴) but I love Myles.. End of discussion 💜💜💜💜
- 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 🖤
- 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘯 🔥

For some reasons I avoid reading Reverse harem... But @author_brooklyncross , this was a masterpiece... I loved it.. I'm hooked to it 🥵🥵

Nash, Myles, Liam, Blake and Theo... 5 hot guyss 😏😏😏

But Myles have my heart.. I don't know but I love him.. the way he called her Snowflake ❄️❄️... He is so cute and cinnamon roll vibes..💜💜

Nash is obviously hot... But still Myles have my heart ❤️ ❤️

I felt a little bad as party scene.. Ren confronted everyone about the ahhhhhh (read book for that).. Ren is our FMC.. Her life changes once she entered Wayward Academy.. what I like about her is she doesn't hold back how she feels..

Mykes againnn... He is 😘😘😘😘

I love how story unfolds and the ground story, the dark themes, emotions, secrets, games, bets.. name it and you'll get in the book.. 💜💜💜

This book is ends at cliffhanger and please read the trigger warnings before going into the book.. ❤️❤️

[May · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was way too long. Also I didn’t like that they made Myles have an Irish accent and words on the page reflected it.

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the majority of this but honestly gave up near the end. Knowing it ends on a cliffy I didn't feel the need to finish since I already know I won't be continuing with the series. As it was, this book didn't grab my attention and there were a lot of parts that I skimmed just to get through. Somehow there was too much going on while also not enough? A lot of scenes and drama but it was more telling than showing which had the book feeling like it drug on far too long. Overall, I unfortunately just found this boring.

[~Babette~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been 3 stars if I didn't hate the mcc's so much

[Natália Loureiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read, fun characters, nice writing..
Nothing spectacular, but I’m curious and intrigued.

[Michelle The Outgoing Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author’s journey into the new adult/dark academia realm grabbed me from the first chapter.

Just something about the FMC, Ren, that you’ll fall in love with automatically. She’s not afraid to speak her mind and stand up to bullies. And on top of that - she’s smart as hell! Her world changes when her mom dies and her dad whisks her off to the USA. The school is like no other she’s experienced but it has the kings of the school - Myles, Nash, Theo, Blake, and Liam - and a few keep getting in her space. But she handles it like the badass she is.

This book took me a bit by surprised. It had some twists but dark academia can be hit or miss for me and this is on my favorite pile. There was steam but it’s a slow burn. Myles grew on me and Nash - well he is something else and he is mine! The others have their quirks and pros/cons. Can’t wait to see how this pans out.

All I can say to the author - how dare you leave us hanging? Lol!


* I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

How am I supposed to read my next book when this one hijacked by mind! Especially after that cliffhanger! So many questions and loads of secrets that I need to know!

This fmc is absolutely disobedient! She is such a badass and stands up to anyone and everyone regardless of who they are. I swear her mouth was going to afford her some serious consequences. As for the mmc’s…it’s definitely slow burn. Myles has already gained my devotion, and Nash has me eyeing him with intrigue! Blake isn’t fighting hard enough yet, but I see the potential. I can’t wait for the others to make a move and show us what they’re all about.

This story sucked me right in, and I became more obsessed the further I read. The world our fmc is unknowingly dropped into puts her in front of some pretty dangerous monsters. I really can’t wait to see how this story unfolds especially with the divide between the teenagers and theirs parents. Great storyline, dark & traumatized characters, attempting to survive in a world full of money, power and evil!

[Queenie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"...Please don’t ever lose yer beautiful heart. It gives me hope that I’m not forever lost.”
Kings & queens & pawns, oh my! Life takes an unexpected turn for Ren when she becomes the center of the King's attention. With a sharp tongue and quick wit, Ren finds herself up against the heirs. Will she fall in line or die fighting?

Brooklyn! Stop it right now. How could you make this book so perfect?!?! Seriously, it's EVERYTHING I love in books. We get a cutie Irishman, guys who play sports, competitiveness, an fmc who is strong, despite her tragic background, and of course *the mafia*. I don't know how you did it, but Disobedient Pawn has made its way into my top 5 reads of 2023. I can not wait to see where the rest of this series goes!

[Zariareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t really like these books. I don’t like how the male leads acts toward her and how they play her and her emotions. They tries to flirt and make innuendos about sex but then goes after other women especially toward her bully. I hated Nash especially because he went right to her bully when he knows how she treat the lead.
I hate this kind of plot in this.

But the writing was good and I believe the plot is also really good even if I hate the male leads.

[Ariel Bermudez · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Received an ARC✨

Loved it!

It’s been a while since I’ve read a good university/boarding school book. This one made me remember how much I loved that trope.

Before we get into it, most of the main characters are 17. There isn’t really any spice in this book and I’m guessing they may all be turning 18 in the next book, but if that bothers you, this isn’t the one for you.

Ren is sent off to this new school after her mother passes away and she’s left for navigate her new world. Things aren’t adding up at this new school and she just wants to graduate and leave. But, there are three guys showing her attention and she can’t get them to leave her alone. Plus, who is her dad in business with, and is she in danger?

This is a SLOW burn why choose. By the end of the book, she is only with one of the five guys, and only three of them have shown any type of interest. This book contains Ren’s POV and two of the guys’ POV. I am assuming the next books(s) will have more POVs.

Myles, so far, is the only one who has my heart. Nash is the prickly leader who is more pissed off that he has any type of feelings towards Ren. Blake and Theo are twins. Theo is the more studious one and Blake is the charmer. Liam is the last one to round out the group, and other than being Nash’s best friend and Theo’s lover(?) we don’t have much information about him, yet.

This was an amazing first book with drama, tension, mafia drama, mystery, and romance. I cannot wait for the next one to be released.

[XxLaVampiresaAlexisxX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disobedient Pawn is the first book in the The Kings of Wayward Academy series.

If you love:
*Academy
*Found Family
*Mafia/Organized Crime
* Whychoose
* Enemies to Lovers
* FIVE...yes I said FIVE HOOOOOT guys!
*Twinsies
*Dark and Twisted
*Bad@$$ FMC
*slow burn...but so worth it!

I've been soooo looking forward to reading this and when I bought it, I literally dropped everything and binged read this. I DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!! I absolutely LOOOOVED Ren!!! OMG! She was a literal BAMF! Brooklyn TOTALLY nailed it with this one! I AM 1000% INVESTED!!!

Definitely anticipating the next book!!!

[Kata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. There were some parts I really enjoyed, but some parts that felt over the top and not my personal favorite.

This series is supposed to be RH, but at least this first book didn’t really have any RH/why choose. The FMC dated briefly one of the MMCs towards the end of the book, but that’s basically it. Personally, I didn’t feel the chemistry between her and any of the MMCs. But maybe the relationship aspect will develop in the following books.

Not a bad book by any means and I’m interested to read what happens next.

[Stephanie Bartles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from beginning to end!!!


For some reason I am drawn towards dark bully RH books 🙄🤷😉😘😏🤷. I was intrigued by the cover, and then the blurb when I clicked on it to find out what it was about. I can't wait to read the next one, wish I could dive into it now. We start off with Ren at her mom's funeral 😭💔. Her mom was sick with cancer, and the night of Ren's 17th birthday, her house was ambushed and her mother was murdered 🤨🤬😵. At the funeral we meet Nash's father lord Dick 😂🤣😂🤣 if you read this you'll know 🤷. Ren/Kayleigh then learns that she will be going to boarding school she's never even heard about cause she tried to Google it... There she meets the king's of the school and of course the mean girls 🙄. A bet, bullying, and other things happen. If you want to know more read this book 😘

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disobedient Pawn by Brooklyn Cross is a deliciously dark Academy romance with Mafia, why choose, touch her and ☠️ vibes. (Plus a delightful amount of others sprinkled in for good measure)

With plenty of heart-pounding suspense and thrilling tension, you will be holding your breath from the very first page until the very last.

Disobedient Pawn is an exciting first instalment, and I can't wait to read what happens next!

This book is not for everyone. Be sure to check the trigger warnings before diving in.

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Why Choose
*Contemporary
*Multi-PoV
*Academy
*Swim Team
*Innocent FMC
*Criminal World
*Slow burn
*Building Harem (5)
*1/?
New to me author - will read more!
I really enjoyed this first book in the Wayward Academy series, there’s so much intrigue to the story as well as the characters it keeps you turning the pages!
Our FMC is Ren who is completely thrown into the deep end at this academy after having been pretty much abandoned on it’s doorstep by her absent father 😬 she was dragged from all she knew immediately after the death of her mother and is having to find her feet in this new world to which she is totally oblivious 😣 yet she is not afraid to find her footing and tell those who challenge her what is what, she’s got a brilliantly sassy mouth on her that makes you giggle! With her brains beauty and personality laity she soon catches the eyes of the Kings …. Nash is their leader an arrogant brute of a man who bulldozes his way forward with Ren; Liam his right hand man and honestly seems like a bit of a trouble stirrer - I think he’s one whose personality will come out more in later books; then twins Blake who is supposed to be a bit of a sweetie and does show some thought on occasion and Theo the nerdy one with a serious competitive streak to challenge Ren; and lastly Myles the cheeky chappy player who may or may not be genuine😑 there’s various relations going on and each develop differently which is great! Ren begins to learn there’s more to the school and definitely her father which may answer some of her questions whilst also posing more 🙈 can’t wait to read more and find out what the connection is between them all!

[Lori Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS ALREADY!

This is the first book in a series and I’m obsessed and need the next book NOW!

I love how strong and fierce Ren is. I don’t like when a female main character is whiny or a pushover so Ren fits the bill for me! And all the guys… OMG! Absolutely mouthwatering!

Nash and Myles and soooo good! I love the push and pull between them all. And how attentive Myles is with Ren!

This book isn’t dark like how I usually love them, but the angst and twists and turns truly made up for that! This book kept my reading! Couldn’t put it down!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book so quick! I’ve always been a sucker for high school bully romances😍 Ren is such a badass and her comebacks are ICONIC! It was hard to pick a favorite MMC because they each have their own distinct personalities. Brooklyn’s writing makes her books such an easy read to follow along to and keep you hooked the entire time! Looking forward to the next book!

[Laurie]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I typically dislike slow burns, but this one was so captivating that I didn't even notice. The characters were fantastic, and the plot was incredible. Brooklyn's writing style is engaging, making it easy to read this book quickly. I'm eagerly anticipating the second book!

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF’ed this book at about 35% of the way through.

I tried my hardest to ignore the fact the author tried to write in an accent but there was only so many ya’s I could take.

Then you’ve got a bunch of seventeen year olds running round like they’re big guns, just nope.

This has such good reviews that I wanted to push through but just couldn’t do it.

[FeFe · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st person/multi pov
Spice: 2.5/5

How am I supposed to wait for the next book in this series?! I’m so ready for the sequel it’s so beyond not being funny. 😆

So we have our FMC Ren attending her mom's funeral and as soon as it’s over her dad whisks her away from the only place she’s ever called home and the two people she needs to most. Moving from Canada to Portland wasn’t the biggest shock she’d face though. Her dad informs her that she will be attending a boarding school called Wayward Academy. Furious with her father and bitter over the whole situation she’s never felt more alone. However, her plan to get through school so she can get far away from the place and her dad might just be more difficult than she anticipated when she catches the eye of the Kings of Wayward Academy.

I loved the way this story builds and unfolds! It feels a little like a tv series in that way. Things are moving slowly but at a steady pace. There are small time jumps here and there but nothing major as well as some flashback moments to fill in some of the gaps from their past and backgrounds. It gave me that satisfying lengthy book feel yet it read fast so I didn’t feel like it was just dragging on and on the whole time. It consistently kept my attention from start to finish which is a big deal for me lol.

The characters are fantastic as well and I found myself grinning and giggling for the majority of the book. Myles is just as cute and can be! I swear I didn’t think he’d be my favorite at the beginning especially once we got to see more of Nash. However, that puppy dog energy he gives off while still having that I will unalive you bad boy vibe is an addicting combination. He’s the perfect blend of sweet and naughty and I just love him!! And Ren - omg Ren - she is a girl after my own heart! The way she refuses to be walked on and always sticks up for herself no matter who it’s against had me falling in love with her character pretty much instantly. I love that she can be terrified yet she’s determined to stand her ground and not be pushed around. She’s cautious and doesn’t trust easily so she’s really making these guys work for it. It’s the best thing ever to see them bickering back and forth with her.

Now for the spice - do not go into this expecting lots of hot and steamy moments. The spice is supposed to build as the series progresses after all. But I did think that the tension and flirting were steamy enough to where I didn’t really miss the big spicy moments. I mean am I ready for them? Absolutely lol! But the book was just so good without them that I hardly even noticed until I was finished. 🤷🏻‍♀️

As for the storyline I’m so invested in how this is going to play out. I’m really liking all the mystery behind Ren and her father and what led them to this place. Then there’s an entirely different mystery going on surrounding the guys and what they’ve been up to before Ren came into the picture. I’m not quite sure yet if I think those two things will eventually overlap or if one has anything to do with the other but it’s definitely got my wheels turning with all the possibilities. I’d now like to take a moment to thank Brooklyn for the ending. This is a cliffhanger I can live with haha. It’s pretty good and had me going “ohhhh” and “hmmm” without throwing my Kindle across the room. 🤣 Appreciate it! 🫶🏻😆

Ugh, I’m just so ready for the next book it’s unreal. 🙃

*Make sure to check the TW before reading.*

[Justine Gingras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ .5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
POV: multi
Tropes: dark romance, why choose/RH, dark academia, alphahole, band of brothers, found family, forced proximity, insta obsession, organized crime families, reformed player, virgin FMC, slow burn,


Book 1 in the wayward academy, this is NOT a standalone and must be read in order!

Ren! Girl! I am in love! I love when the FMC is mouthy and speaks her mind. An absolute badass, she isn’t afraid to call anyone out but still has common sense and we get to see her vulnerability. Although her mouth sometimes gets her in trouble she never thinks twice or holds back. She is fierce and won’t stand for entitled people treating others badly.
Quick witted and spicy comebacks I cannot get enough of her! Abruptly yanked from her home in Alberta, she is swiftly dropped at Wayward Academy where she must quickly learn the hierarchy and deal with her Queen B roommate. Her story is sad and you want her to be happy and are left wondering what happened and who her family is!

Sometimes multi POV can be frustrating but each of the main MMCs are so much their own that it wasn’t hard to keep them separate.

The kings, our 5 MMCs, all born into crime families, they swim, play lacrosse, me girls all want them and male want to be them. There is great description and slowly got a feel for everyone. I can’t wait to learn more about them!

Nash, the king, he’s over the top and DARK, and his back and forth ah! He is the definition of mixed signals.

Omg Myles! Let’s see if my mind changes but good lawd I love him. And his accent, ah! Love me an Irish accent.

Blake I can already tell is going to be a heartbreaker. He is such a player and knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s so smooth talking and def seems like there’s more to him then he leads on.

Theo, whoa I don’t even know where to start with him. You can tell he’s just one of those people who book and street smarts come easy to him and he doesn’t have to try overly hard to be successful.

Liam, Nash’s right hand man and the numbers man. If there’s a bet to place, Liam has it arranged and knows what the odds are.

The character development is amazing! Brooklyn outlined that the spice will
Build throughout the series and if it is any indication this slow burn is not going to disappoint! This is based in “high school” but aside from mentioning their ages and the school or does not give off high school vibes.

[✨✨ Claire✨✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A why choose/RH story based at a boarding school for kids who are linked to the underground criminal world.

So why has Ren been sent there? A clean cut, straight A student who lost her mum in a tragic, horrifying way just 5 days ago, buried her yesterday and is now on her first flight with her distant father to another country. She doesn't even get to see her new house - straight to the new school.

Of course she's rooming with the popular queen Bee, who clashes with her immediately.

Ren is a string, character with high morals that she won't alter for anyone. This leads her into a lot of trouble for being so outspoken. With teachers, the Dean, other pupils... Doesn't matter who.

When she comes across a group who go by"The King's " and acts the same, the results are going to be just as bad.

The King's decide to do a bet which muddled some things when one develops feelings for her....

But the King's are named as such as they are the offspring of the most powerful. They don't have the same intentions as their parents and are intending to change things... But trying to do this in secret is difficult. Who can they trust?

The book is a slow burn romance. No physical activity are actually taken part in. promises of it, and mentions of it are definitely written alot tho! It feels a little like its little sister trying on big sisters clothes... If that makes sense! Something feels like it's holding the book back from bring it's true self but I'm not sure what....

I'll be reading the next and I'm hoping that maybe the missing piece will slot into place!

[XxnightxowlxX74 · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Intentions…

Once again Brooklyn has blown me away! This book had me engrossed from the first chapter and I could not put it down!

Ren’s life has been turned upside down after her mothers death. The day of the funeral she is swept away from her aunt, friends and the only home she’s known. Her father enrolled her into a boarding school and drops her off the same day.

Ren is not happy and she doesn’t hold back on how she feels but her father doesn’t listen. He’s not the same man he was before her mothers sickness. When she needed him the most he was never there.

Things in this book are not what they seem and Ren doesn’t realize how deadly her environment has become. She meets her male interests but she’s not impressed with their antics especially once she finds out their true intentions. She’s sassy, defiant and holds her own against the mean girls and playboys.

I’m not sure about these guys yet. Myles grew on me and I can see he’s sincere about her, hopefully. Nash is the leader and just a little scarier then the rest. Blake, Theo and Liam are still in the dark for me, need a little more on them.

This book has lots of intrigue, suspense and is a slow burn. Brooklyn Cross has set the stage in Disobedient Pawn and I can’t wait to see where she takes this in the next book Defiant Knight. This does end in a cliffhanger that’s left me intrigued wondering who is in the back of the van with Nash.

[Shelly Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Newest Obsession

First of all, I stand by that Brooklyn does NOT know how to write a horrible book. From the minute I picked this up I was sucked in. It took me longer to read it that I wanted because, well life. But I finished the last 3 chapters and let me just say, that while I appreciate the emotions that go into a cliffhanger, that was negative 5 stars. The rest however, all the stars!

We have Ren. She's a teenager who just lost her mom and her father moves her out of the country and puts her in a boarding school. Crap right? Ren is just trying to survive and doesn't aim to be pushed around by anyone. But, there's some boys. And these boys have their own past and their own secrets. And after some events (you have to read it, I'm not telling), there's a hint that Ren may be more involved with the guys story than she knows. Or we do at this point (Not cool Brooklyn! I want to know what is up with all of that!)

While there are 5 boys: Nash (for all intents and purposes, I lick him! that is all), Liam, Theo, Myles, and Blake. A bet is made between 3 of them, that involves Ren. Nash is everything you expect a King to be, but he has a b*tch of a girlfriend. She can kick rocks. Myles, his accent and his charm. Ok, it's swoon worthy. He's a cinnamon roll for sure. Theo and Liam...I have questions. I'm waiting for all of that to be revealed. And Blake, we didn't get too involved yet. Only tiny bits. This book we really got to know Myles the most.

Brooklyn knows how to weave a story into a masterpiece. With this being the first book in the series, it's setting you up for what's to come. A lot of unanswered questions, emotions, and secrets. I want to read a book that makes me look forward to the next, and this was one of those books. There is a lot of angst build up. The ground work for this series was well thought out. I'm already obsessed with these characters.

Dark themes at play, and I am willing to bet that future books will get darker as these characters get older and more involved. Make sure you're comfortable with the content. Then dive in, and ENJOY!!