Growing up as the daughter of England's most notorious mafia boss, I've always known my life was shaped by my family's dark legacy. Stepping into the halls of Castle University, though, I'm not just another Hughes—I'm the reigning queen in a deadly game of power, betrayal, and dangerous passions.
Each one is a player in the brutal game I was born into, and my heart is on the line. But as I grow closer to these four captivating men, a shadowy threat emerges, watching and predicting my every move.
They're known as the Kings of Castle.
The game is on, the pieces are set, and I have to maintain my rule at any cost. In this cutthroat world, where you're either a king or a pawn, I'm fighting not just for my heritage—I'm fighting for my life.
And when the endgame approaches, will I rule over Castle... or will I be destroyed?
This is a dark academia reverse harem with plenty of TWs. This takes place in an entirely fictional world set in the UK. This is the first book of three in the Kings of Castle.
Eve is a USA Today Bestselling Author with a specialty for steamy romance with strong female leads.
She lives in the UK, with her husband and five kids, so finding the time to write is short, but definitely sweet. Eve has a number of series, both completed and on the go and hopes to release some new and exciting projects, both paranormal and contemporary in the future, so stay tuned!
DNF 50%. The FMC is so insufferably full of herself to the point where I wondered where her many men would find the room to shove in their bits.
It was entirely smut if getting themselves off on how amazing & perfect & badass they are counts, seeing as that’s all this is.
A flawed character is a good character. She can’t just walk in and own the school. She needs to earn it beyond tests that are beneath her, difficult seeing as everything apparently is, or the win is worth nothing.
Their unlimited well of hubris made me hate them, especially when that was the only depth given to the characters.
If you need a book with affirmations about how amazing each character is, how strong and fierce they are, how this is their birthright and they have trained their whole lives for this, then this is definitely your book, it was like 70% the fmc talking herself up, 10% fight scenes 5% smut and 15% trying to be a plot, I couldn't even tell you how long the fmc has been actively enrolled at the school, the characters talk like they've known each other for weeks, maybe a week if we push it, but as far as I can tell it had been like 3 days, there is no clear time table. On that note I'm reading the second book because I despise when the fmc plays favorites between men in a reverse harem so 🥂 here's to hoping the author fixes that in book 2
This is book one in The Kings of Castle series and ends on a cliffhanger! Eliza is set to be the next Queen of the Hughes mafia but she must prove she is ready to lead. Rafael, Tarquin, James, and Oliver are the Kings of Castle University and they are also ready to do battle for their Queen. This is just the beginning and someone is stalking her and planning to betray her!
This book was ok for me. It wasn’t what I was expecting. It is a book about the English mafia with a very strong fmc. I did the audiobook and I’m not sure if it was the audiobook. They didn’t click with me or just the story itself. This is the first book in the series and I’m not sure if I’ll continue the series or not. This book did and on a cliffhanger, but I’m just not sure if I want to move onto the next book to find out what’s going on.
This is a dark, reverse harem mafia romance read. Set in a fictional UK college, Eliza and her trusty blade Flick (I love shes named her knife!), along with her 4 kings, are stepping up to be the next leaders within their families.
First off let me say if you love all things dark and twisty then this is for you. The FMC is such a new way for the mafia world. Things you expect to happen can and just might but like always Eve keeps us in our toes and throws us punch after punch. This story will take you on a ride like no other. One where you will fall for the characters and their story and become so emerged that the real world just doesn’t seem to exist any more (like most of Eves books lol) Seriously though add this to your list, if your a fan of dark, of mafia, and of well just all around amazing literary work then this is for you.
This book took me completely by surprise and I loved it. Right out the gates you get hit with a spicy scene that was absolutely delicious. Then you get Eliza, daughter, mafia princess, and heir to the Hughes legacy. Eliza is not your typical mafia princess though, she is a force to be reckoned with and doesn’t back down from anything. Attending Castle University Eliza sets out to become Queen on campus. She quickly learns that it won’t be easy and forms an alliance with the Kings on campus Raphael, Tarquin, Oliver, and James. What starts off as an alliance quickly becomes something more and the group soon learns that there is someone threatening the world they seek to rule.
This book is fast paced, filled with action, and I good balance of spice and plot. It also has plot twist that aren’t predictable and ends on one hell of a cliffhanger. This was my first read from this author and I definitely will be checking out more of her work and can’t wait to see how the series goes. Book 2 here I come.
Eliza Hughes is the daughter of the Mafia man himself Damon Hughes. Being the only child means she was brought up and trained to eventually take over her father’s place. This has created a feisty strong bad ass b*tch who takes no hassle from anyone !
The start of term as Eliza arrives to The Castle University where she will not only be educated but she will learn who to trust, for alliances and to play the game in this game board of power.
In come the Kings. The famous four on campus who have not only power but they have the looks to go with that. Raphael the leader shall we say, the broody handsome warrior who before arriving at The Castle had a one time thing with Eliza in her dad’s house at a party. Next is Tarquin who is Ralph’s identical twin who is the gentler one of the group but don’t let that fool you he would kill you if you touched a hair on his girls head! James the practical and the one who stands up to Eliza when she risks herself but the passion oozes out of him and makes you want to learn more about him. Then there is Oliver the brains behind the operations and the one who has Eliza wanting more with but loving the slow burn these two have. The Four Kings and with their queen have to manoeuvre around trials and tests that are thrown at them all while there is a underlying darkness which is stalking them and causing issues amongst the powerhouse families of the school.
There is deffo some spice in this with Eliza not having to choose who she wants but she has four handsome men at her disposal who have claimed her ‘theirs’. Sharing a house with 4 men only leads to some hot and steamy sessions with the twins !
The cliffhanger at the end has me scrambling to get book 2 ! If you love mafia reads this will be one for you but it being the mafia princesses story told !
WAIT!😭 cause why I thought I was reading 'Wrecked'🤦🏾♀️
I accidentally downloaded this and started reading, and I just felt so confused cause this is not my type of style.
I made it up to 41%, and I had nothing but complaints. Starting with the repetition!
They always speak about their actions. Like when she got ambushed, the person who orchestrated obviously saw that she had backup, so there should be an action of him looking at the 'backup'. Not her saying she brought it...
Then the FL always says some damn cliche catchphrases.
“Playing’s one thing,” I shoot back, “Winning’s another.”
“I only ride my stallions bareback, so what the fuck are you waiting for?”
GIRL U THOUGHT U ATE THAT!
And let's not forget the infamous 'touch her and die' phrase. OFC he wouldn't say it word from word right?!
“Touch her, and you die,” I murmur, no need to cause any more of a scene. They get where I’m coming from.
______
And I agree with a comment saying the FL is so full of herself. The FL is one of those girls you compliment, and instead of saying 'thank you', they'll look at you like you're weird and say, 'I know'.🤦🏾♀️
The MLS are just empty vessels that have a dick and a cold exterior. The Primal Play wasn't giving Primal Play It was giving a very quick and desperate fuck. I was tryna figure out whose the prey and whose the predator🤦🏾♀️
Chile... now I'm hesitant to read what I meant to click. "Wrecked"
DNF. The dialogue was SO CORNY to the point where I felt the need to write this review. WHOOO talks like that?? 'Was promising when I first started reading, but everything they said just got repetitive and I got tired of the characters hyping themselves up yet barely have anything to show for it.
Also, I get that their world is supposed to be cutthroat and very dog-eat-dog but I seriously felt like I was reading about teenagers in high school acting out a stage play (again, the dialogue was ridiculous.) The relationship developments with the male leads didn't make sense either, but maybe it's because none of the characters actually had enough personality in order to develop their personal relationships with the FMC (aside from being sexy and dangerous), so ermm.
What an incredible opener. This first instalment The Kings is pacy, packs lots of punches and is dangerously dark. Eliza knows her own power. She holds it close to her. When she’s faced with her biggest challenge yet, can she use her desires, her assets and her intuition to overcome the obstacles that threaten to dethrone her?
What a thrill! This book was intense and dark but so wonderfully immersive. It was epic to read and actually feel the emotions of each character as the story weaved its way deeper into the darkest parts of my soul. Tantalising, dark, dangerous and downright delicious, the storyline was captivating and left me second guessing and on edge until the very last page. Trigger warnings need to be read. This wasn’t lighthearted. There are moments that will make you gasp and it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. Eve has made a list of these and clearly discussed with you could find them before the book began. Don’t dive into this without awareness, especially when Eve has been so clear in what to expect.
I love Eliza. I love her tenacity. I love her stance of life. I love how she knows her power but is also unafraid to show vulnerability when that matters. I love that she is kickass and inherently true to who she is. The men were also everything: dark, delicious, swoonworthy men that are unafraid to be themselves and show who they are in their own ways. I will dream of the twins for many a night!
This was an amazing first instalment and I genuinely am excited to read more! I really love the world that’s been created and can’t wait to dive into it even more!
Talk about a delusional ego fest! Man, these people are into themselves, especially the leading lady. The constant ego stroking it got tedious and annoying real quick. And the writer tried to make everything and everyone so bad ass yet she totally could not pull through on it in her writing. It came across as so corny and cringey. And everything happened so fast and it also changed back-and-forth so quickly that it gave me whiplash. The Insta love and the worshiping her as if she was the second coming of Christ was just beyond ridiculous. Basically everything about this book is ridiculous. I wouldn’t recommend.
The author clubs you over the head with how awesome our FMC is at everything, how independent she is, how she'll have the school wrapped around her finger inside of three days, how she doesn't need no man (except for when she does). There's no subtlety here, just a FMC who does everything awesomely and has guys around her that aren't fleshed out at all because why would they be? This story is about how awesome she is, anything that takes away from that shouldn't be included.
I love a good mafia dark romance. This book did not disappoint. I rated it 4 stars because at some points I felt it dragged on for me a little. The overall storyline is well thought out and I have added book 2 to my library and will be starting that in the near future because I have to know what happens. Book 1 left off with a cliffhanger, and no real clue as to who the culprit is. The FMC is full of moxie and can hold her own against her male counterparts. Plenty of spice and sexual tension. Worth a read.
This is something that was recommended by someone on TikTok. I wasn’t expecting it to be as thrilling but it definitely holds your attention. I wish that the author would give more world building and character development or even better details of the characters appearance it’s hard to picture how they would look in person. The story line is great but kind of anticlimactic in some areas. Like I said I think with more details and world building it would be better.
The Kings Trilogy starts fast and is action packed. The FMC is a quick thinker and fast on her feet. She can definitely hold her own. The 4 Kings are on her side from the start but without any previous connection or bonding. It's like they all knew she was the Queen of the mafia empire and they were grown to just accept that she was the one for them. She jumps into bed quick with 2 of them and is enjoying the slow burn with the other 2. There is lots of chaos and action but there is a lot of family secrets that daddy hasn't told her. All in all it was pretty busy and a quick read.
omg this was beyond terrible. first of all she has sex with 2 guys within the first 70 pages. what a fucking slut.
second, she is just way too conceited and full of herself. I can't stand people like that
second TERRIBLE AWFUL FEMALE NARRATOR. She doesn't even try to do a males voice for the males parts. even though audible needs to have the male do their lines.
but this book, I just couldn't read any further after she fucked the second guy so soon. GROSS.
also, very bad grammar. and wierd words. like wtf is pissed up? no that's not misspelled.
DNF. Too Cringe. So unrealistic when the 120lb beautiful female character can beat up every man she comes in contact with. He's 250lbs of muscle and a trained fighter, but she can kick his ass. Sure. And her arrogance is such a turn off. Plus she has no emotional connection with anyone. She has no friends and just wants to have wild sex with whomever whenever with no regard to their wants or feelings. Why are women aspiring ti be like this?
Goodreads still hasn’t fixed the simple issue of deleting reviews before they’re done and I don’t have patience to write it all again. I’ve read better on wattpad. The smut was good, CNC and chase, everything else not great. Over the top grand standing, constant declarations and inner monologue about how badass they all are, yet a Professor pulls one over on them. Ok. Mikaylas review sums it up well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I typically don't read contemporary or Mafia, but I absolutely love Eve, so I figured I'd give it a try. I was not disappointed at all. Eliza is bada** goals. The play between her and her men is what makes this book and series, hot. She takes no sh** from anyone, and she's able to back it up. She's able to be there for her guys, even with some of the darker kinks they like. The plot was good, the world building was great. Awesome job!
Too much posturing and smack talk which make the characters sound very surface level. It’s noticeable which parts of the story had more effort and thought put into them than others. It could be a great story, but it’s just a lot of random conflict with filler in between which continuously disrupts the flow of the story and makes it really hard to get invested in any of it.
How to start off a series with a bad ass woman, sexy men and a plot line that doesn’t disappoint. This book right here ooooo normally I guess the enemy but this one has got me twisted who is it who is it ??? Very good
Cannot wait for other boys to join in the spice they are slowly burning 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to start the next. The only issue I had was that it seemed to move too fast in the relationships. I would’ve preferred a little more relationship building before jumping straight to love. I enjoy fast burn books and don’t mind the spice starting out early but love needs to be built.
I have practically no idea what the heck happened in this book. I feel like every time it switched chapters or POVs we were somewhere completely new and everything felt super disconnected. I liked the characters, but they didn’t really have a relationship arc, it just kinda happened out of nowhere. Overall it just wasn’t for me.
The Kings, book one of the Kings of Castle series, is an ebook I borrowed through Kindle Unlimited (KU). Over-the-top characters? Check. Over-the-top storyline? Check. Crazy fun read? Check, check, and check. I found the characters arrogant and self-important, but the whole plot was too much fun to stop reading. I ended up reading all three books in two days.
Eliza Hughes is training to become the queen of her family. The kings protect her from getting killed but can not interfere when she is involved in trials. The men are Oliver, Tarquin, Raphael, and James who want her to be their queen. She is so emotionally closed off is an overachiever and works alone.
I enjoyed the read but it almost felt juvenile. She's too good at stuff it's too much of a Mary Sue type. I like Eliza's attitude but I wanted her to have more risk,more weight to her actions. And the guys fell too easily for me. 4 stars because it's good and I will continue to read 3 spice level
Eve Newton did it again for me, she brought a strong feisty and sassy FMC to life in this college mafia reverse harem trilogy. Eliza is just as strong and stubborn as The Kings she resides with and the understand she is Queen to their world and what do you never do to a Queen? You never cross her without expecting to meet the King or in this case her Kings.