The Moon Goddess spoke to me when I was a young child. Telling me about my future as the first female Alpha in hundreds of years. I trusted her. Through the wars, battles, and betrayals. I trusted her.
But after ten years of listening to her every word. I feared that she didn’t want to bless me with a mate. But I still listened. I did whatever she wanted me to do.
Then one day… I finally met him. But what I wasn’t prepared for was for him to be tortured… Abused… And scared of me?
Lauren Moon delivers a powerful punch with Ruthless Queen, a gripping, high-stakes romance full of betrayal, revenge, and fiery passion. The story follows a ruthless queenpin who rules her empire with an iron fist, but when a figure from her past resurfaces, her carefully built world is thrown into chaos.
Moon’s writing is sharp and evocative, pulling readers into a world where power is everything, and vulnerability is a dangerous weakness. The lead character, a fierce and cunning queen, is complex and unapologetic, a breath of fresh air in the genre. Her journey through trust, vengeance, and love is as thrilling as it is emotional.
The romance is electric, full of tension and slow-burning chemistry, but what truly sets this book apart is its exploration of loyalty, power dynamics, and personal transformation. Moon does a fantastic job of keeping the stakes high, with unexpected twists that had me on the edge of my seat.
Ruthless Queen is perfect for readers who love strong female leads and dark, intense romances with plenty of drama. It’s an addictive read from start to finish, and I can’t wait to see what Lauren Moon writes next!
This was such an interesting take on the standard wolf shifter, fated mates tropes. Because I love a dual POV book, I actually read this simultaneously with The Queen’s Flame (MMC’s POV) and really enjoyed doing it that way. I would read about 2-3 chapters of one story and then go read those 2-3 chapters from the other character’s POV too. Because of this I plan to leave the same review for both as it felt like I read just one book
My heart broke for what Seth went through but it was clear the love Scarlett had for him was strong enough to help him heal. It was a wee bit insta-love but it made sense for this story. There wasn’t really much spice but there was a slow build up of action and plot to keep you intrigued.
I’m not sure I prefer having 2 seperate books to read as opposed to one dual POV book but it did keep things interesting.
I would definitely recommend checking out the triggers for this book just to make sure you can handle it. There were heavy topics covered and while I personally didn’t find it difficult to read, others might.
I’m looking forward to seeing what Lauren comes up with next!
This was a fantastic book for a debut! Seeing the world build, and the characters develop was amazing. I love a strong female main character and it was awesome from her point of view.
It was extremely descriptive and you knew exactly what was going on at all times. I love seeing the characters mature and work through things together.
Due to the topics discussed, this book may be uncomfortable for some. Please pay attention to the trigger warnings! The abuse and violence was written in a realistic, but respectful way.
I received a free ARC copy from the author, but my opinions are my own.
I looked at these reviews and they made me want to read both books at the same time. I didn't feel a connection with the characters. I feel the plot of both stories are lacking something, and the characters just don't seemed well developed, especially Seth. Both Seth and Scarlett have had abusive upbringings and throughout both books. With what the characters have been through they seem to start off lacking certain behaviors that come with maturity.
Scarlett is patient with her mate and shows her love and support. After they are mated, all of a sudden Seth has maturity, but can't say the same for his wolf, who remains immature.
Both POVs could have been in one book, I do recommend if you read it, read them at the same time.
Lastly this book has some grammar errors that could have been fixed with another look through.
Ruthless Queen and The Queen's Flame are the first book in The Moonlit Prophecy Series. Ruthless Queen is told from Scarlett's POV whereas The Queen's Flame is told from Seth's POV. Both Scarlett and Seth are wolf shifters.
Scarlett Rose Winters is the Alpha of the Winterfall pack in Scotland. She is called the Ruthless Queen. She was not the born heir to the Winterfall pack; she took out both her father and her older sister (Hayley) in order to rule. Not only is she the only female Alpha, but she is also the first wolf to be Alpha for not one, but two packs.
Scarlett and Seth have very similar upbringings. Both had abusive and neglectful fathers. Both lost their mothers at a young age. Both had younger siblings whom they cared for and swore to protect. Both could really benefit from seeing a therapist to unpack their trauma and all that they carry.
When Scarlett and her twin, Grayson, were born, she demonstrated exceptionally strong abilities resulting in the pack wanting her, rather than Hayley, to assume leadership. Her father was angry and tried to find ways to take her power and give it to Hayley. Things only got worse when she was four years old; her mother left not long after giving birth to her little sister Stormy due to her father's ongoing abuse. She took on the role of mother for her younger siblings, and ensured she remained the target of their father's abuse.
The day Scarlett saw her father suffocating Stormy, she was only eight. She had to do something so she shifted - her first shift - and sent her father to hospital. He recovered but she was able to move Grayson, Stormy and herself to safety. And when she was only 14 years old, she challenged her father and assumed the Alpha role, leading the pack. It was that day that she garnered the nickname of Ruthless Queen.
It was about a year later that she first heard Seth's voice in her mind, calling out to her, begging for help. Not knowing who or where he was, it took her about nine years to locate him, and when she did he was a shadow of his former self.
Seth Knight is the heir to the Bloody Rose pack in Ireland. His father, Pete, was determined to raise him in his image. Pete wanted to the pack to see his son, his heir, as someone that shouldn't be messed with. Seth lacked control and was a troublemaker. Pete was proud each time Seth behaved poorly so the behaviour persisted.
On Seth's 9th birthday, he lost control and blacked out. When he came to he found himself surrounded by blood, and his mother's body. His father blamed him, and their relationship took a turn for the worse. Pete took his anger out on Seth, and Seth was happy to bear it as long as he could protect his younger brother Max. The abuse, neglect and bullying persisted.
When Seth turned 15 he knew he needed to escape and so he planned to grab Max and run for Scotland. His father found out and was furious. He almost killed Seth and then locked both him and Max up where they were mentally, physically and emotionally tortured for years until Scarlett found and rescued them.
Both books look at how this pair of fated mates find their way to one another while navigating their respective traumatic histories, knowledge, expectations, and their heavy burdens.
The story concept is quite interesting. The author started with an excellent nugget and nurtured it to develop a double debut. While I've read books that have multiple POVs, I don't think I've ever read two books that address the same occurrences from different perspectives. It felt unusual and I will admit that I struggled a little with connecting the thoughts and emotions to the right character. (I suspect the author may have had similar struggles due to occasionally flipped pronouns.)
In addition to the conversations between Scarlett and Seth, it was interesting to read the conversations they had with their wolves, Xena and Reign, respectively. Both Scarlett and Seth are definitely emotionally stunted due to their childhoods so reading about them in their 20s one might expect certain behaviours that come with maturity, but both seem to lack that. Before they are mated, Scarlett seems to be more mature and tries her best to be patient with her mate. After they are mated, Seth seems to instantly mature and offer Scarlett the support and reassurance she needs. Seth's wolf however... he seems to be a rowdy, raunchy adolescent. That doesn't change.
The books appeared to be sprinkled with random tidbits which I presume are hints for what is to come in the next book(s).
Overall, I enjoyed the story. While I feel like the execution of the story could have used a little more work, I still look forward to finding out what will come next in Moon's Moonlit Prophecy series.
Note the same review is being left for both books.
My #NewToMeWord is simp. It appears to be an abbreviation for simpleton and thus means a silly or foolish person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
**I read the first two books in the series at the same time after seeing a thankfully non spoiler review that I should, I like to look at reviews before I dive into anything** **lauren, I suck at the in depth reviews everyone else does, hope you still love me! 😅**
My favorite part of this book is probably something that shouldn’t be my favorite but I related SO hard. The trauma. The way they both were raised was so similar in crappiness to my childhood and that really struck me. I had to sit together with my feelings on that for awhile. But I think that is such a smart thing to do-make sure real life situations are in books. Lauren knows how to make sure her readers relate and it’s incredible. The betrayal?!?!?!?!?!?! Like?!!?!?!?! I have no words I just ?!?!?!?!?!?! 😂 I’m also so so picky on romance in books I read. There’s specific words that make me cringe, ways of wording that make me want to vomit, etc. thank the ever loving god, Lauren used ZERO of them. You can tell from the first page that Lauren put so much hard work, thought, blood, sweat and tears into this. I truly don’t know how there’s not a million reviews on this book yet. Or the second! (Note since I read these together, I’ll be posting the exact same review to the other one!)
Thank you so so much to Lauren for the opportunity to read this. ❤️
Just perfect! Absolutely amazing! Definitely what I would want in a mate **Trauma**. Twin Flames for sure. From their lives growing up in bad families to both having to take on the parental role at a young age. Scarlett and Seth were cut from the same cloth.
I related so much with Scarlett, the pain and anger that’s so hard to carry on your shoulders for so long. She showed how strong she was and never let anything keep her from what she felt needed to be done. She rose from the ashes, being the only female alpha for TWO packs. She took her father on and took it all. As she should, making her the Ruthless Queen. A BAB queen at that.
This is my first read from Lauren and her first published book! The drive and passion she has for this story is inspiring. I not only gained a new favorite author but an amazing friend. I'll still never know the right way to use ground or grounded in a sentence, but we didn’t give up! Thank you for being the most kind person I’ve ever met. I know you’ll do so many great things on this journey. I'll be here the whole way. I appreciate you.
This was a refreshing take on a fated mates, shifter romance! Having a FMC that is super strong and takes charge to become Alpha despite everything that was against her. She could feel her mate and the desperation he was feeling and knew she had to find and save him no matter what. When Scarlett finds Seth (and his brother) and brings them home with her, it is clear that there was severe trauma that they had to take on. It breaks Scarlett’s heart to give Seth what she thinks he needs and the space he asks for, but she knows she will do anything for him. Slowly, Seth starts to make progress and learn to trust in Scarlett and her love for him and he grows in mind, body and spirit. The story is told from Scarlett’s point of view and a couple times I was a little confused in some details, but they did get cleared up as I read on. There were elements I didn’t see coming and I would have loved to dive a little more deeply into some of the other characters, but I think it was good to really focus on the main couple’s relationship. Scarlett has her own demons to deal with and it makes for very layered and interesting character development.
I’m not gonna lie. This was a truly interesting read and very unique. I read this book first not actually knowing that the second book was from the male POV, and I’m not 100% sure on how I feel about that.
That small thing aside, I do really love this book. I love how it’s rooted in completely real life problems. It honestly makes it more relatable. The one thing that pulls me out of paranormal books, this book is a wolf shifter romance, is it being so far-fetched. I feel like there has to be something real to make it relatable and enjoyable to read. This author did a great job of staying far away from that by giving real life problems and flaws to her characters.
Without a doubt, Lauren Moon, is a wonderful storyteller and makes sure she makes her books relatable and immersive. I was upset. I screamed a few times. I was so rooting for Scarlett and Seth. I’m so excited to see everything from Seth’s perspective when I pick up the book.
This book seemed promising and with a nice plot and it started like that. I really liked the idea of a badass Alpha female saving the dude in distress but after saving him I kinda lost all the interest in the book. It was quite repetitive, There was that sweet-talking all the time which ok is fine but I felt it was exaggerated after a while. They seemed to say the same things all the time. What's more, there were parts where I couldn't understand what I was reading as if skipping to a new subject but without explaining what was really happening. It also needs some serious editing as in some lines possessive adjectives are mixed (my with her, his with my, etc). I rate it with three stars as I respect the author's try and time to write the book. Also, the plot is amazing but it lacks narration.
Not your typical shifter/paranormal romance. Our female alpha is very angry due to the trauma she suffered in her childhood. She's looking for her mate, who's equally traumatised. In their core, they both want to be loved and keep each other and their family and pack save.
Due to the topics handled in the book, this may not be a comfortable read for everyone. There are graphic descriptions of (child)abuse and domestic violence. The author did a good job and described the situations in a respectful, albeit realistic manner, as she did the fallout - the panic attacks, nightmares, and trust issues.
Spice level: 🌶🌶 (Closed door)
•••
I received a free ARC copy from the author. My opinions are my own.
Ruthless Queen is Book 1 in The Moonlit Prophecy Series. This book is action-packed, and I loved it. I love the storyline, which isn’t your typical male dominated wolf shifter romance. We have a female alpha, Scarlett (This book is in her POV), who is so angry due to the stuff she endured when she was younger and has to make sure she makes it clear she is alpha. She has to be no holds barred ruthless. Her mate, Seth, keeps calling to her and she needs to find him. He is of alpha blood from another type of wolf. They are destined according to the Moon Goddess. Will she find him? Will they accomplish what the Moon Goddess prophesied? You will have to grab this book to find out.
As always be mindful of trigger warnings, what you like I may not.
Ruthless Queen is the first book in The Moonlit Prophesy Series, Her POV. This is a unique series as you can either read it in the ML or the FL perspective.
I enjoyed reading this one as I read it after I read the male perspective. This was able to fill in a bunch of information and answer questions I had in the other book. She was definitely a strong individual. She has had to be a strong leader and not show any form of weakness for so long, I was glad she was able to rely on Seth when she needed help. She was a force to be reconned with and I loved how protective and caring she was with Seth.
I would highly recommend reading both perspectives as reading both together helped to fill in any gaps I had while reading just one.
There are so many words to say about this book I just don’t know where to begin!!! I’ve felt such a deep connection getting to know the characters and the things they have endured! But no matter what that the bond and the relationship they share is unbreakable. This book is told in the perspective of an alpha female (one of the very first books I’ve read about an alpha female, why is why I choose to read it first). Recently I’ve come across two or three books in a row which ended up in my DNF pile, this book did the complete opposite something I could just not put down! Highly recommended!! Can’t wait to see what the future books have in store!
This is the story of seth and scarlett. 1st thing I would say is check the triggers as there could be some that might affect people. This book is told from scarletts point of view,where as the queen's flame is told from seths point of view. I do love wolf shifter books but this one was different from any I've read before.. Scarlett is a strong character and is alpha to not only one pack but two packs. Both characters have both had hard upbringing,but my heart broke for what seth went through.He went through so much growing up,that you could understand why he was like he was. Well done Lauren on your debut book.
Such a fun read! Fun for me being on the darker side, of course. This book is single POV (Scarlett). The Queen’s Flame is the same story, from Seth’s POV. I do tend to prefer multiple POV, but that’s just my opinion. In that way, I wish I had tandem read this one and The Queen’s Flame, and if I decide to reread these books, I might just make a tandem reading guide. It did get a bit repetitive for me in parts, and I found myself either skimming or needing to reread entire sections (or both). But the parts that I didn’t skim or have to reread were entertaining, heated, and kept me on the edge of my seat. I’m looking forward to reading the next books in the series!
5 Stars, though if I could, I would give it a million stars.
I loved that this book is from the FMC POV. Scarlett is tough, knows what she wants, and will do anything she can, to get it. She doesn't let anyone stand in her way. The way that she cared not only for her mate but for his brother as well, was amazing.
I would never have guessed that this was Lauren Moon's debut as an author. This book is so well written and the details she uses, make you feel like you are watching this all play out in front of you. I am an instant fan of her work and cannot wait to see what comes next!
🌙 👑 For this to be her Debut book I think she did fantastic! This book is from her POV of being a ruthless queen. Everyone just assumes she's a hot head but she didn't have an easy life and she is just doing the best she can. It is such an easy read and its fast pace. Watching the characters develop before my eyes were beautiful. They are mates both trying to navigate their 20s and deal with their trauma from their past. Her mate really is her better half and they make a great unit! Lauren did a great job with her first book, I’m proud of her! I've read plenty of mate books and this is one of the best I've read this year!I can’t wait for the second book to come out! Trigger Warning: Violence Torture allusions to torture Sexually explicit thoughts Abuse (Not by FMC/ MMC) / death Blood / bloody violence Child Abuse Death Emotional Abuse (By each FMC / MMC parents) Gore
This book took me a bit longer to get through because I read them both (I love reading both POV's) and loved it.
I highly recommend reading it as I did. Reading a few chapters from this book and a few from the other, that way you see the whole picture. It's so worth it.
Scarlett had to overcome a lot to get to where she is and will be damned to have it all taken away. I don't want to spoil anything ✨ If you enjoy a good werewolf romance, with blood, violence, and a women who isn't afraid to do what it takes to protect the ones she loves, then this one is for you.
I really loved it, I tried to read both POV in tandem but I prefered reading them separately. I liked to have her POV for when both of the MC weren’t together and I really appreciate to have her look on Seth growth threw his trauma. I really got attached to Seth in his POV since we can see that even if he’s still processing his trauma, he’s trying to go over it. But Scarlet’s POV shows us how he looks even stronger than he thinks. It was both of them, my first English books and I really appreciate that it was such an easy read, can’t wait for the next book to come out.
This was a decent story line. I personally liked how realistic the conversation style was. The anxiety and desperate need to fix and help everyone and the worry that you are failing. Women in power feel this. It was nice to actually have that represented, but I felt that it was a bit over dramatic and played out no matter how true it is for reality. But for that I only took away 1 star the extra star was taken for too many grammatical errors that a simple reread could have fixed.
All that to say I do look forward to the next installment.
I loved reading these from each of their points of view. Scarlett and Seth are both wolf shifters. They both had family issues, like abusive dad and lost their moms at a young age. They are fates mates. I started to read Ruthless Queen first and then decided to read it along side with The Queen’s Flame because it’s the same story but from Seth’s point of view. I did enjoy reading both of the books. Lauren did a great job, these book were well written and had details making it easy to imagine what is happening. Can’t wait to read more by her!
If you love strong FMCs, this fated mate romance from Scarlett’s point of view is what you need. Scarlett puts the alpha in alpha female. She is all about her pack, family, and her mate, Seth. She is the type of MC I enjoy reading about.
I won’t give spoilers or repeat the synopsis of the story, but I will say I love this author’s writing style. It is descriptive and emotional. It’s easy to follow and she has built a wonderful world that I cannot wait to revisit.
How devastating it would be to search for your mate for years while hearing his cry as he is tortured. The back story on the main characters is heart-wrenching. This story creates a world of villains and tragedies. Keeping the reader's anticipation high as the heat grows between Scarlett and Seth and dangerous circumstances can not be avoided. After a few twists and leaving on a cliffhanger, I am curious to see what the next book has in-store for Scarlett and Seth. Definitely recommend this dark shifter romance!
Be prepared for a super slow burn with this one! Told from Scarlett's point of view, this is her and Seth's story. She rescues him from his father's dungeon and helps him heal and get revenge. Scarlett is a breath of fresh air to Seth, who's been locked away for years. This story focuses on her helping him deal with his experience and protecting her family and pack from the threat of his father. There's some dirty talking, but mostly fade to black scenes. The plot makes up for the lack of spice, and the level of emotional intimacy is off the charts!
Reading this I would've never thought that this was Lauren's first book. It's full of action, love, and makes you feel every emotion imaginable. I love how powerful Scarlett is, how much she loves her mate. I love their character growth. This is the first book in her series, and it's told in Scarlett's POV. Which is another thing that I love. I never read a book where it was souly the one POV and the Male had his full book too. I need more of this series, and I can't wait!
I'll be posting this same review on The Queen's Flame as it's the same story just told in the MMC's POV!
Honestly I haven't read a book this amazing in so long. I loved how the whole book was in the FMC's POV, with the ability of reading another book in the MMC's POV. The details, the action, and the romance and love between the couple was so amazing! I can't wait for the next book to come out! Ruthless Queen kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book! Lauren was able to make me feel so many things in one book, her writing was unique and powerful.
I love wolf shifter and fated mates romances and this one was fantastic! A unique spin on it and a very strong FMC. Scarlett is tough and someone to admire, yet vulnerable too. I loved that the author wasn't afraid to tackle tough subject matter and not only is this a romantic read, it is quite emotional. The best parts were the interactions between Scarlett and Seth. A very nice background of plot and backstory to keep things interesting. Can't wait to see more from this author.
Loved this book! It was kind of a slow read in the beginning, but by chapter 16 I was hooked. I loved the way the FMC had growth in her control from her mate along with how she built back his confidence in the process, it was an excellent way to show the power in leaning on your partner. The final battle was also incredibly satisfying. I'm so excited to read the coming books in the series!