Prince of Pain

From the Ashes #3

by R.E. Bond

I’m out of control, spiraling without a care in the world.
I hear what people say about me, that I’m only good for one thing.
I’ve always been the girl that everyone’s had but nobody wants.

I enjoy sex and pain.
It drowns out the loneliness and gives me a few minutes of peace.
I never thought anyone would understand my need to hurt.
That was until the Prince of Ashburn Valley started to self-destruct too.


Ryder Donovan is the Devil in disguise, and I’ll do anything to make him break me.
I get off on the pain that he’s willing to give, craving the next time the moment he leaves.
It’s hard to hurt someone who’s numb though, and we both know this is a dangerous game.

Once I help him surrender to the darkness, we can’t pull ourselves out.
He stops trying to control his monsters, while I let them swallow me whole.
We’re just two damaged souls who were doomed from the start.

My name’s Tempest Hendricks, and I thrive on toxic love.
I guess it’s true that misery loves company.

*This is a 100k word M/F, dark romance, interconnected standalone. It is book 3 in the From the Ashes standalone series. For the best reading experience, I suggest reading the series in order. It contains dark themes and adult content.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, Romance, Mental Health, Friends To Lovers, BDSM, New Adult

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2024

About the author

R.E. Bond is a dark romance author from Tasmania, Australia. She is obsessed with reverse harem books, especially if they have m/m! She collects paperbacks as a hobby, has read or written every day since she started high school, and constantly needs music in her daily life. She loves camping and rodeos in the summer, and not getting out of bed in the winter. Coffee and books are life, and curse words are just sentence enhancers.

Reviews

[XxLaVampiresaAlexisxX · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of Pain is the third book in the From the Ashes series. This series is an interconnected standalone and this series is the next-gen to RE Bond's Watch Me Burn series. Please, please check your triggers,

This has to be my favorite book in this next gen series. This is Ryder and Tempest's story. You have these two broken people and toxicity between them and the raw emotions, are just heartbreaking and very real. I love the fact that RE Bond didn't shy away from addiction and mental health, which are hard topics to cover. This added a whole other layer to this story. If I could give this more than a 5 star, I totally would. Very well done!

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryder + Tempest

-toxic romance
-addicts in love
-hurt/hurt 👀👀
-HEAVYYYYY tw

mannnn i’d been waiting for this journey for almost two years…& that’s exactly what it was…A MF JOURNEY!!! a wild rollercoaster of one too!! they were messy, they were hot, they were toxic, they were FUCCKKKKEDDDDD ALLLL THERE WAYYYY up…but. at the end of the…they were always perfect for each other…& i love that they got their happy ending!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of Pain is another masterpiece by R.E.Bond.

This book brings out many emotions. It is not a sweet love story; it's toxic, heartbreaking, chaotic, yet beautiful. Tempest Hendricks and Ryder Donovan are addicts, and their story needs to be seen because they aren't just addicts—people who do questionable, horrible things and only care about their high and themselves. No, they are also two broken souls and victims of their own demons and minds. But they also got another chance in life because addicts aren't just a lost cause; they're still humans.
Tempest and Ryder are a hot mess, but a beautiful hot mess. I genuinely could not hate them, but they sure did make my heart break and feel frustrated. However, in the end, I freaking loved them.

Ryder Donovan has experienced quite a few life changes that have made him spiral and drawn him more toward partying and substances. Sober Ryder is a charming and funny guy who cares deeply for his family. He and Tempest have always had something only they understood about each other, but trying to save her and himself only made him sink deeper. This book shows who Ry is, not just as an addict, but in the end, it made him stronger as a person, with Tempest and his family by his side.

Tempest Hendricks is an incredible character. She is a true addict, and yes, she did many messed-up things, but she is an addict and a victim of her own mind and demons. Tempest suffered for a long time under her own manipulation of her mind that made her believe her family hated her and that she was just the girl to use, party, and do dr*gs with. She has been an addict since she was a teenager and didn't know any difference besides her life as an addict. She was self-destructing and hurting herself and the people around her. The only person she didn't feel lonely and hated with was Ryder. I'm so freaking glad Tempest got another chance in life and is able to rebuild her relationship with her family and the people around her, also finding herself and reasons for a sober life and, well, life itself. Her and Ry's choice of career was so freaking cool and made me proud.

My heart bled for everyone who had to see Temp and Ry spiraling, but especially for Rory and Lexi. They are two of my favorite women out of all the books I've read and always will be. The support and love we saw from their family was heartwarming. Ry reconnecting with himself and his family was wholesome, and this made their family so much stronger. The Donovan's, well, all the families from this universe are so incredible; their bonds and friends will always be my favorites. I'm curious to know about Temp and Ry outside of rehab in the future, and maybe we'll get a glimpse of them in the other books from this universe.

R.E. Bond shows again she can write it all, and her talent at writing these characters, mess and all, amazed me so damn much. Her talent needs to be seen, and I'm thankful for each book to read from her and her amazing characters.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryder and Tempest’s book has been so highly anticipated, and it’s finally here! This book is just like the Donovans…completely unhinged. When I say this is a crazy ride, I mean make sure you buckle up and keep your arms inside the vehicle at all times lol

When this book starts, Ryder is a struggling addict who is trying to stay sober, and that means cutting off certain people like Tempest, who are bad influences and will test his sobriety. Tempest, being the selfish person that she is, can’t stand that he’s so boring now and is pushing her away. Chaos then ensues.

If you didn’t like Tempest before this book, let me warn you now that this book will have you absolutely hating her. You will be infuriated by things she says and does. You will also get mad at Ryder for a lot of stuff he does. This story is not a happy romance. This isn’t even your typical dark romance where we watch them fall in love. You are going to see two struggling junkies spiraling through hell and taking it out on each other, their friends, and their families. It’s not pretty and is toxic as hell. You will not like them at all, and you will be shocked by some of the things that happen.

I will tell you that if you’re like me, you will be mad at Ryder until like the last chapter and you will hate Tempest all the way until the epilogue. The epilogue leaves a nice hope for their future, but I still don’t like Tempest. My hope is that in the next few books of this interconnected world, we will see Ryder and Tempest, and they will be in a better place and happy, they won’t be struggling so much, and for the love of all that is holy she will not be so dependent on him anymore. I think we will see that, but only time will tell. I know I’ll be looking for them in every book to see how they’re doing.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINALLY. I have been waiting for the latest installment of this series and it frustrated me so much, it was great.

These characters were infuriating, toxic, tortured and they tug all of your emotions. Their stories are beautifully written which is the only thing beautiful about their stories. I don’t think I liked either for a majority of the book. It’s one bad decision after another and when you think it could get better, it gets worse.

While this is a standalone within this series, to really become immersed and to understand what is happening during the story and behind the scenes, you need to read the author’s original series/the parents. The rollercoaster of emotions hits you harder when you have been following these characters for so long. I have a love/hate with many of the characters and their stories but it’s a train wreck I can’t stop watching.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a tragically accurate portrayal of addiction and its effects. I also think it is a measure of an author to write characters who are hard to like but still love the book. This was the case for me. At times one or both of the main characters felt like spoiled brats but addiction is such an ugly disease. Very good read in this world I have really enjoyed reading.

[Leslie || original book nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

RE Bond once again gave us a flirty, dirty, feels fun taboo romance with the HEA between two broken souls. This book sucked me in and spit me out viciously and unapologetically and I am still not over it. I was torn half in with how the story would go but found that the last few chapters resolved the conflict and trouble between the MCs.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of Pain

Ryder fell in with a tough crowd. Drinking and smoking most of the days away. Until he wants to make a change. Staying sober is hard…especially when not everyone wants you to succeed. There are some heavy topics in this book. Be sure to read the trigger warnings.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Crap!!! This is one hell of a toxic, degrading and emotionally traumatic story that had my heart in a vice that was squeezing every single emotion out of me. It was definitely not an easy story to read, but one that had me screaming, raging and crying over the pain and anger that oozed off of every page.

Ryder is going through hell trying to overcome his addictions and protecting Tempest from drowning in her own addictions as best as he can. But holy hell these two are broken, damaged and utterly toxic for each other. The demons that they both have crawling inside of them are trying desperately to claw their way out so that they can drag Ryder and Tempest back into the darkness where their souls will be destroyed. And it was devastating to read how hard these two have to struggle to just survive each day.

The emotions that drip off the pages of this story are raw, gritty, intense, and so gut-wrenching that I had a very hard time keeping my emotions from raging out of control while reading.

Tempest is spiraling and her addictions are on the verge of destroying her completely. She makes you want to hate her, but I felt heartbroken for her. Tempest’s connection with Ryder is fierce, intense and very toxic. But she can’t stay away from him, and he can’t stay away from her.

Their banter made me hurt but that’s just because they were both hurting and lashed out with hate and anger filled words to each other and their families. They did have some sweet moments throughout the painful ones that kept me on the edge hoping and praying that they were going to get through this darkness in one piece.

Tempest and Ryder’s story was a heavy one with its descriptive and realistic representation of the dark and ugly parts of addiction and mental health. It was well written with a beautiful and heartwarming ending that left me with tears dripping off my face. But I loved every moment of this tumultuous story!!

[Madeline Goldsworthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of Pain
R.E Bond
5 Stars
From The Ashes series Book 3

Format: eBook
Genre: Dark Romance

(Review contains minor spoilers in the form of warning of potential triggers to look out for throughout the book. Apart from the triggers the review is spoiler free)

“Some girls like the fear mixed with pain, you just need to find them. Pain soothes their demons in the same way inflicting it soothes yours”.

Tempest is out of control, spiraling without a care in the world. People talk about her, they say she is only good for one thing, that she’s the girl everybody’s had but nobody wants. She enjoys sex and pain as it drowns out the loneliness and gives her a few moments of peace. She never thought anyone would understand her need to hurt. That was until Ryder Donovan began to self-destruct too. He is the devil in disguise and she will do anything to have him break her. Tempest gets off on pain and Ryder is more than eager to deliver. She craves the next hit the moment he leaves. It’s hard to hurt someone who is numb though, and Tempest and Ryder both know this is a dangerous game. Once she helps him surrender to the darkness, they can no longer pull themselves out. Ryder stops trying to control his monsters, while Tempest lets them swallow her whole. They’re just two damaged souls who were doomed from the start. After all, Tempest thrives on toxic love.

This book is really good but I can understand how it can be dark and triggering for some people. Please check your triggers if you need to. This book contains strong themes such as but not limited to substance abuse, addiction, self-harm, drink spiking, violence, relapse, domestic violence, and attempted suicide. While this is book 3 in the From the Ashes series, it is part of a much larger universe. For the most optimal reading experience, I recommend reading in this order:

The watch me burn series (books 1-8)
From the ashes (books 1-2)
Night thieves duet (books 1-2)
Full Throttle
From the Ashes (book 3)

[Amanda Grier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a heavy one. But so amazingly written. Check those trigger warnings because it will not be for everyone. It is a part of a series, but is an interconnected standalone and it is better to have read the first two before this one, but it doesn’t make it hard to follow if you haven’t.

This is a heavy and dark read that shows the real and dark parts of addiction. Tempest was a difficult character and most definitely one of the most not liked. She was a web strewn together of toxicity, bad habits and behavior, and manipulative traits. However, this is a good example of how alcohol and drug abuse can alter a person. In the worst way. Ryder being the same at times, but had made the decision to go to rehab, get clean and better himself. Of course, Temp had other plans.

Their relationship ship was full blown toxic. Full of s*x, dr*g use and many bad choices. Ryder was doing so well, but his downfall was continuing to be a part of the scene and putting himself in a dangerous and vulnerable place. Especially not knowing what other people could be capable of - relapse is a real and true thing.

Neither were exclusive to one another, but they did strongly care for the other despite their substance use haze they both were in and further proved their dangerous power of one another. Their understanding of one another was part of their crutch and turned into a codependency thing for one and a savior complex for another.

This was definitely a heavy read and I felt for both. I’ve never been in those situations personally, but know those who have so I can’t say I understand fully but some extent, I get why and how it happened. The delusions one comes up in their head turns into needing an outlet, and for these characters, it was anything and everything to numb and feel less.

Beautifully written!

[brayshaw_love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real, raw, ugly, and downright toxic... Ryder and Tempest's story isn't your picture perfect love story. Their story shows how addiction can destroy not only your own life, but also the lives of those around you. It shows the struggles of someone coming out of rehab and trying to stay clean. It shows families coming to the realization that they are enabling the bad behaviors by financially supporting them. It shows how addiction can mess up your mind and cause long lasting damage. It shows how addiction can lead to other unhealthy and risky behaviors.

There is one part in the book that had me sobbing both times I read it. The emotions literally jump off the page and it is in that moment you see everything clearly... you see that even though they have literally been toxic together, underneath it all they have an amazing connection and bond, and a love that is strong enough to withstand the storm.

This story is not for those who trigger easily. These two have chemistry, but are also volatile and extremely toxic towards each other. There are moments of DV, lots of drug and alcohol use, self harm (unalive attempt), grown child getting abusive towards parent, unsafe promiscuous behaviors by both main characters, kinks such as knife/blood play, choking to point of unconsciousness, slapping, etc., and relapse after going to rehab. If you don't think you can handle these triggering topics then this is not the book for you. Don't ignore all the warnings and then go leave bad reviews because you decided to ignore those warnings!!!

[Naj_ana_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Prince Of Pain By R.E. Bond ✨

Talk about a WILD ride and a whole LOT of emotions with this read. R.E. Bond said it right at the beginning of the book that this book was darker compared to the other ones and she was not lying about it.

Through the other books we got sneak peeks of Ry Donovan and know a little bit about him and in a way she makes you fall for him that early. So seeing his path of destruction was definitely hard to read.

R.E. Bond gave us a glimpse on how a person can become so destructive while under the influence. On how it can tear families apart and how easy it can be to loose someone.

This story showed us how a family can be so disfuncional and how traumas or certain life situations can shape someone's decisions. How a toxic relationship can be extremely dangerous but we also saw how strong a person fight to reach their HEA.

This book had me bawling at the end. I honestly was doubting how it was going to end. My only complaint is that I feel that I needed more of that ending. A longer epilogue lol. You had me at the edge of my seat most of the book that I needed more of new beginnings 🖤.

If you love
💫 Addïçtiøn
💫 Tøxïč Løvē
💫 🔪 play

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stand Alone or Series: From The Ashes Series

💋naj_ana_reads💋
Mood Reader
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[phys_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts with Ryder Donovan fighting his addiction. He is in a rehab facility and has fought long and hard roads into recovery. He is determined to stay sober, and that means cutting off certain people who can bring ruin to his hard work.
Tempest is one of those people. She's deep in her addiction and has no want to change that. She isn't a likable person, she's selfish and she chooses to party as much as she can and is known as the town wh0r€. She's a complete train wreck and has no problem bringing people into her crazy ways. Ryder was the one who shared in her crazy with the parties, drug$, and rough $€x. Now that he is sober and has cut off contact with her, she finds him boring and is determined to bring back the Ryder she wants him to be. Chaos ensues, and it's all because of Tempest.
This isn't a sweet romance. It holds so many dark, toxic, and heartbreaking reads. It is full of horrible things and chaos. It's an emotional read that really makes you understand the life of addiction. The hardships these characters have lived through, the lows and highs, the paranoia, and more. Read the triggers because there are a ton. R.E. Bond has really pulled out all the stops with this story, and honestly, this is some of the best work I have read!

[Book Life With Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy hotness did R.E. Bond bring the heat with the third book in the From the ashes series? Prince of Pain or what?!? If you’re a fan of dark, twisted, toxic love stories with tons of triggers and no limits—this is the one for you!!! Because no one can bring quite the beautiful and tragic destruction as Tempest and Ryder can!

If you’ve read any of the prior standalones, then these characters and this world is something you should be familiar with—and let me just say if you didn’t love tempest and Ryder before…be prepared for that to not change until possibly the very very end. Because no one does damage like Tempest and Ryder. Full of drugs, s@x, rehab, dependency and and scenes where you just wanted to slap them both, this one was quite the emotional read and a definite must read.

Again, just be warned that this isn’t a rosy sunshine filled romantic read but a dark and heavy, beautifully broken dive into the dark abyss of toxic love and addictions so definitely check those trigger warnings before diving in if you haven’t any concerns! Because Bond was NOT holding back with this one—but man did it make for the perfect of journeys.

[Laurenloveslit81 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all I have no words for this book! The author warned us that this was going to be a hard story to read and she was not playing! Ryder and Tempest are toxic with a capital T and they really make it hard to love them for the majority of the book. It is a messy and realistic story of addiction and trauma and 2 people who are trying to love each other in spite of all of that.

I love that this wasn’t a story where love magically saved them and rehab was a one stop cure all. They both had to fight to get their HEA (and even then it wasn’t perfect) and there were a lot of bumps and bruises (literally) along the way. Also, the moments with past characters as parents now always makes these books more enjoyable for me- seeing Skeet give parental advice, as twisted as it is, always makes me smile.

In spite of all their faults, you still can’t help but root for them, which I really think is a testament to the author’s writing. If you are triggered by addiction or DV, this is not the book for you, but if you can get past that and are looking for an emotional read that pulls at your heart strings and makes you want to throw your kindle, I can not recommend this one enough!

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prince of Pain by @author.re.bond
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Please check trigger warnings before reading!


This book was a tough one. It was raw and ugly. But honest and real. I have always loved this world, this series of books are and will always be favorites of mine. So I have been waiting to see where this story would end up. It was a difficult read, even for someone who doesn’t have many triggers. I was so angry and hurt throughout it. I don’t want to give any spoilers because I feel it’s best to go in not knowing. The hurt and the pain that this book caused was worth it in the end. They definitely needed to go through the bad to get to where they needed to be.

I’m so glad that this world continues, with glimpses of past characters. I love these books and will keep reading books in this world, as long as she keeps writing them!


#rebond #rebondauthor #theprinceofpain #fivestarbooks #booksyoulove #booksthathurtyou #triggerwarnings #bookstagram #momswhoread #wiveswhoread

[Jaime Mott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book.....RE Bond has brought us into the depths of addiction and showed a gritty side that we don't often see in the fictional world. This story has all the triggers so please be aware of them before starting if you have any triggers.

Ryder and Tempest are complex characters and are fighting their own demons while trying to help the other with theirs. They are toxic together but trying to navigate their lives while being together. They don't start out having a traditional relationship and have to fight everyone in their lives to be together.

Their story is not going to be for everyone, but it was a journey I loved going on. There is a HEA for them, but it is a hard fought battle to get there. There were times I was so mad at Tempest for her actions, but that is what I loved about the book. It brought forth real emotions and wasn't just fluff.

This book is dark in an unconventional way. But ultimately Ryder shows us he is a Donavan and Tempest shows she can be exactly what Ryder needs.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of Pain by R.E. Bond
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️~Stars
🥵🥵🥵~Spice

Tropes:
• Addiction
• Self-Harm (Read TW)
• Mental Health (Read TW)
• Sex Utside Of Relationship (They are open)
• Dub Con
• Knife/Blood Play

🖇️

▪️ Holy Bananaz what an emotional rollercoaster this book was to read! (Please for your mental health, read the TW before entering this masterpiece) RE. Bond could not have captured these heavy subjects in a better way than she did with this book. The journey that Ryder takes through this book is nothing but heartbreak, suffering and abandonment. But finally all that suffering comes to an end for Ryder and that unbelievably beautiful love blossoms🥹 No spoilers will be given but I recommend that you read the previous books in this series before delving into Prince Of Pain as this is book no.3 in the series. Then again read TW before as this book touches on a lot of heavy subjects. But otherwise, I can't say anything other than, off you go and enjoy this absolutely fantastic book🖤

[Emmi (bookish_redpanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Format: 📱 eBook 📱
Check TWs before reading.

This was my first book in the From the Ashes series, and whilst I was able to enjoy it, I feel it's one where reading the previous novels could have left me less lost of the world I was reading about.

In saying that, though, I did enjoy the read. It's filled with emotions and struggles and a lot of mental health representation in a variety of ways. It's definitely one to check the triggers for before diving in as parts do get incredibly heavy. It's about a very toxic relationship between Ryder and Tempest that you just know isn't good for either of them, but you can't help but keep reading as you need to know how it'll all turn out for them.

Bond has a way with words that really makes you feel like you're there with the characters. She writes so realistically that your heart breaks and it's tough to read at times, but again, you can't find yourself putting the book down.

Thank you to the author for the eARC opportunity. These are my honest thoughts that I have provided voluntarily.

[Lorena Garcia -- Brittany's Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS

Oh my gosh, I was in tears with these characters. For as much as they seemed to do as they pleased, when they pleased they were always destined to be together. Tempest had so many issues and problems and refused to open up her eyes about what she was doing. She kept bringing Ryan down with her, which he fought so hard to try and turn his life around.

Ryan went to rehab to straighten himself off before he ended up 6 feet under, and he always would try and save Tempest, but Tempest didn't want to be saved. She loved the life she was living even though she knew where it was leading her to. She needed something drastic to happen to her to open up her eyes.

I was broken beyond repair and even though Tempest made me mad throughout the book, I understood where she was coming from. It's not easy to give up your dirty vices, no matter how much you try or want to.

This was one of the most painful books I've read but I absolutely loved it!

[M Mendes Bookstagram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend Prince of Pain, From the Ashes series, and R.E. Bond as an author! Prince of Pain is deliciously dark and filled with all my favorite aspects of dark romances. Prince of Pain has characters that are complex with backgrounds that are filled with trauma and pain but also love. They may not have had a traditional upbringing, but they did have love and support but the environment that they were brought up in were filled with violence and chaos, so it is not surprising that they turned to substance abuse to cope. Ryder and Tempest used and depended on each other, and it was not surprising that they had a very rocky relationship filled with lots of ups, downs, things goings sideways, drama, angst, secrets, revelations, emotions, and lot and lots of 🔥🔥!! If you have not read any of R.E. Bond’s books yet I recommend starting with Pretty Lies (first generation’s book). Can’t wait for Dirty Secrets!! Raven and her guys needed their own story! Happy Reading!!

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't help but hate to love Ryder and Tempest

**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️**

"Prince of Pain" by R.E. Bond is a captivating read that had me hooked from the very first page. As a massive fan of R.E. Bond's writing, I was once again impressed by the author's ability to weave intricate plots and develop deeply complex characters. The protagonist's journey is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, and I found myself emotionally invested in their struggles and triumphs.

R.E. Bond's signature style shines through with vivid descriptions and a gripping narrative that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The world-building is immersive, transporting you into the pages where every detail feels meticulously crafted.

"Prince of Pain" is a must-read for fans of R.E. Bond and anyone who enjoys a well-written, emotionally charged story. I can't wait to see what R.E. Bond comes up with next!

[Riana Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of Pain is the third instalment in the From the Ashes series — an interconnected standalone set in the next-gen universe of R.E. Bond’s Watch Me Burn series. Before diving in, please check your trigger warnings. This book is intense and doesn’t hold back.

Ryder and Tempest? Absolutely feral. This is a toxic romance, no sugar-coating it. It’s addicts in love, hurt/hurt, full of pain, chaos, heat, and heart. They were messy, they were self-destructive, and yet… I couldn’t stop reading. Their connection was magnetic, wild, and dangerously addictive — just like them.

This story is not for the faint of heart. It’s heavy, raw, and twisted — but if you’re into dark, gritty, emotionally charged romance with broken characters who somehow make perfect sense together, this is it. Despite everything, Ryder and Tempest earned their happy ending, and I loved every second of watching them fight for it.

A wild rollercoaster from start to finish.

[Michelle Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there’s one book that gave me anxiety before reading, it would be this one. I knew this was gonna hurt. Reading the previous books in the series, we knew the troubles that befell Ryder and Tempest. But Ryder, just like his siblings, showed true resilience and grit. He is Rory’s kid after all. What else can you expect from a Donovan?

But what really hurt was watching Tempest fall further and further into a drug induced manic state. She was nothing but a stubborn and very dangerous young woman. My heart hurt. But I also wanted to unalive her on more than one occasion. What really struck me was that I knew someone like her and it hit. It hit hard. Ryder and Tempest are nothing more than absolute toxicity. How she can just be forgiven was beyond astounding to me. But perhaps I just am heartless.

I am blown away by this book. By Ryder’s story. I thought for sure, I was gonna go into with not liking Ryder. But I absolutely loved Ryder from the very beginning all the way to the very end.

[Brandi Augustine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Raw book

First off, please make sure you read the triggers because this book definitely has them. If you are looking for a fluffy romance, this is not for you.

Tempest and Ryder are both addicts and are pretty toxic for each other. They both have many demons that they need to overcome and addiction and each other seems to feed each other.

They just seemed to hurt each other and weren't exclusive either but they really seemed to understand each other. Ryder was doing well after rehab but what seems to happen to others there was a relapse.

This book is beautifully written and so raw. I know that neither of them and especially Tempest aren't lovable characters and may even hate her, but I couldn't help but feel for her and want them both to wake up. That's all I want to give on this. Just read it for more.

Another great book from R.E. Bond!

[Becky Dreyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince of Pain is the 3rd book from In The Ashes series. This is a dark romance that deals with a wide range of sensitive subjects such as addiction and mental health issues so please read the content warnings before reading. Ryder and Tempest are extremely toxic to friends and family, especially when they are together. After a major wake up call, Ryder finally admits he has a problem and asks for help. Tempest refuses to believe she has a problem and continues to spiral out of control, so much so she not only endangers and hurts her family but Ryder as well. This is a very emotional and touching rollercoaster ride that will make you want to scream, cry, throw your kindle/book and more. This book was definitely worth the wait. Can’t wait to see what comes next!!! I received this book directly from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Reina Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

R.E. Bond delivers a dark, intense ride in Prince of Pain, where two deeply damaged characters, Tempest and Ryder, spiral into a toxic, all-consuming relationship. Their mutual addiction to pain and self-destruction fuels a raw connection, exploring the depths of trauma and emotional numbness. This isn't a fluffy romance—it's a gritty look at broken people feeding each other's demons.

The book, part of the From the Ashes series, can be read as a standalone. However, reading the previous books enhances the experience. She doesn't sugarcoat addiction, portraying Tempest's manipulative, self-destructive tendencies and Ryder’s attempt at rehab. Their push-pull dynamic is both compelling and painful, offering a haunting reflection of toxic love.

If you're ready for a heavy, emotional read, Prince of Pain won’t disappoint—just make sure to check the trigger warnings first.

[Gemma (Bookishgem94) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryder and Tempest are both toxic to each other , while Ryder battles his addiction and his inner demons , Tempest is running from hers straight into Ry’s arms. I always love any of the books from the Donovan family and this is no different. These two characters really do belong together even if it kills them. Ry is such a strong individual and just wants to do what he can for himself and those he loves but with Tempest and her destructive ways she will always drag him down. This book has some major trigger warnings so make sure you read them. I loved how you can see both Rory and Skeeter in Ry and his struggles and it makes me fall in love with this book even more. Again R.E.Bond smashed it with this book and I can't wait for the next one in this universe. 

[Catherine Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

brilliant!

The darkness, the self harm, self hatred, drugs, sex, benders and binges. Wow!
As I’m totally obsessed with this series (let’s be honest I love all this authors books), I was intrigued to see Ryder and Tempest’s story.
I was mesmerised by their highs and lows, the drug binges, their erratic behaviour. Seeing Ry trying to resist the drugs was so well written, you could feel his pain of his demons.
Temp was fascinating character, her willingness to have rough sex with basically anyone was jaw dropping. That scene in the Skate park toilets had my heart breaking for her lack of self worth.
Their family issues really showed what addiction can cause.
I honestly couldn’t put this book down, I was completely and utterly enthralled by the storyline. The highs had me laughing and their lows had me gutted and I honestly had tears.
This is a beautifully tragic story that is brilliantly written, it really opened my eyes to addiction and people’s demons.