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Pretty Ruthless. The Order. The Beginning
Not yet published
Expected 28 May 26At Ashford University, power doesn’t belong to the professors.
It belongs to the students.
The ones with the right names.
The right connections.
The ones who decide what happens behind closed doors.
Becky Dawson doesn’t belong there.
She’s not rich. Not connected. Not invited.
But she knows something’s not right.
And every answer leads back to one man.
Carrson Ashford.
Cold. Controlled. Untouchable.
They say he’s dangerous. They don’t know the half of it.
Now Becky’s on the hunt.
Studying him, following him, learning patterns he thinks no one sees.
Because Carrson isn’t just a man.
He’s a door.
The heir to a world built on power, ambition, and survival.
But Becky isn’t the only predator here.
Carrson notices. Pushes to see if she’ll break.
When he presses a blade to her throat, she doesn’t run.
When he tells her to stay away, she steps closer.
When he tells her to run,
she waits to see if he’ll chase.
That’s a problem.
Because Becky Dawson?
She was never supposed to be part of his world.
But now that she is,
Carrson can’t decide
whether to destroy her…
or make sure she never leaves.
Before Pretty Vicious... there was Pretty Ruthless.
Set in 1994, this dark academia secret society romance is where is all begins, where power is everything, obsession is inevitable, and love is the most dangerous game of all.
It belongs to the students.
The ones with the right names.
The right connections.
The ones who decide what happens behind closed doors.
Becky Dawson doesn’t belong there.
She’s not rich. Not connected. Not invited.
But she knows something’s not right.
And every answer leads back to one man.
Carrson Ashford.
Cold. Controlled. Untouchable.
They say he’s dangerous. They don’t know the half of it.
Now Becky’s on the hunt.
Studying him, following him, learning patterns he thinks no one sees.
Because Carrson isn’t just a man.
He’s a door.
The heir to a world built on power, ambition, and survival.
But Becky isn’t the only predator here.
Carrson notices. Pushes to see if she’ll break.
When he presses a blade to her throat, she doesn’t run.
When he tells her to stay away, she steps closer.
When he tells her to run,
she waits to see if he’ll chase.
That’s a problem.
Because Becky Dawson?
She was never supposed to be part of his world.
But now that she is,
Carrson can’t decide
whether to destroy her…
or make sure she never leaves.
Before Pretty Vicious... there was Pretty Ruthless.
Set in 1994, this dark academia secret society romance is where is all begins, where power is everything, obsession is inevitable, and love is the most dangerous game of all.
- GenresDark
300 pages, Unknown Binding
Expected publication May 28, 2026
About the author
Lexi Davis
13 books1,281 followersLexi Davis loves long walks on the beach, drinking iced mochas, and writing smut. She believes in the ultimate power of love to both heal and transform. Her greatest hope is that her books bring joy to readers and allow them to escape one page at a time.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read this book for:
💚 Dark Academia
🔪 Secret Society
💚 Enemies to Lovers
🔪 Morally Black MMC
💚 Obsessive FMC
🔪 Predator vs Predator
Synopsis
At Ashford University, power belongs to the students, and no one holds more of it than Carrson Ashford.
Cold, dangerous, and untouchable, Carrson is at the center of every secret Becky Dawson is trying to uncover. She knows she should stay away.
Instead, she keeps getting closer.
The more Becky digs into Carrson’s world, the more dangerous their connection becomes. Because Carrson doesn’t know if he wants to destroy her…
Or make sure she never leaves.
My Thoughts
This book is the prequel to the Order series. It tells the story of Carrson’s father from Pretty Vicious and Becky, his stepmother, who are both leaders of the Order. Honestly, I think the reading order is completely up to the reader. I personally did not find one order better than the other, so I do not really have a recommendation for that.
What I really enjoyed was getting more background information about Carrson’s father and seeing how the Order worked back then. It added more depth to the world and helped me understand the history behind the series a little better. However, I did struggle a bit with connecting this version of his father to the behavior he shows in Pretty Vicious. I expected to see more hints or development that would explain his actions later on, but for me, that connection was not fully there.
I was also hoping we would get more insight into Carrson’s mother, but sadly there was almost none at all. I think that could have added even more emotion and depth to the story.
That being said, I still really enjoyed the book overall. The story kept my attention the whole time, and around the 80% mark it became even better because of the plot twist. I genuinely did not expect it, and it made the final part of the book so exciting to read.
One small thing for me personally was the second bonus epilogue. Instead of giving me clarity, it actually left me even more confused. Maybe that was intentional, but I finished it with even more questions than before.
Now I seriously cannot wait to dive into Pretty Savage, the second book in the Order series, which releases this September. After that cliffhanger in the first book, I absolutely need to know what happens next!
Read this book for:
💚 Dark Academia
🔪 Secret Society
💚 Enemies to Lovers
🔪 Morally Black MMC
💚 Obsessive FMC
🔪 Predator vs Predator
Synopsis
At Ashford University, power belongs to the students, and no one holds more of it than Carrson Ashford.
Cold, dangerous, and untouchable, Carrson is at the center of every secret Becky Dawson is trying to uncover. She knows she should stay away.
Instead, she keeps getting closer.
The more Becky digs into Carrson’s world, the more dangerous their connection becomes. Because Carrson doesn’t know if he wants to destroy her…
Or make sure she never leaves.
My Thoughts
This book is the prequel to the Order series. It tells the story of Carrson’s father from Pretty Vicious and Becky, his stepmother, who are both leaders of the Order. Honestly, I think the reading order is completely up to the reader. I personally did not find one order better than the other, so I do not really have a recommendation for that.
What I really enjoyed was getting more background information about Carrson’s father and seeing how the Order worked back then. It added more depth to the world and helped me understand the history behind the series a little better. However, I did struggle a bit with connecting this version of his father to the behavior he shows in Pretty Vicious. I expected to see more hints or development that would explain his actions later on, but for me, that connection was not fully there.
I was also hoping we would get more insight into Carrson’s mother, but sadly there was almost none at all. I think that could have added even more emotion and depth to the story.
That being said, I still really enjoyed the book overall. The story kept my attention the whole time, and around the 80% mark it became even better because of the plot twist. I genuinely did not expect it, and it made the final part of the book so exciting to read.
One small thing for me personally was the second bonus epilogue. Instead of giving me clarity, it actually left me even more confused. Maybe that was intentional, but I finished it with even more questions than before.
Now I seriously cannot wait to dive into Pretty Savage, the second book in the Order series, which releases this September. After that cliffhanger in the first book, I absolutely need to know what happens next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
🤤 Please excuse the saliva dripping all over my grabby-hands that are begging for 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓢𝓪𝓿𝓪𝓰𝓮, book 3!
🖤 I LOVED 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼.
🤩 I FREAKING LOVED 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓡𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼!
🤘 And now I CANNOT wait for the next instalment of TᕼE OᖇᗪEᖇ!
𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘙𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 is the second book in the series. It’s the prequel to 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, but it can either be read before or after book 1.
* 𝙎𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣 1994, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖, 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡.
- This book offers us a more detailed look into the history of The Order.
The MMC is the father of the MMC in book 1, Carr(son) Ashford.
We get his back story and see his rise to power within The Order as heir to the powerful Ashford legacy.
And we learn how he meets Rebecca (Becky) Dawson.
She was never meant to be part of that world.
She’s on a quest of her own that leads her straight into his crosshairs.
And her obsession with the truth and power puts her heart and her life in danger. Because Carrson isn’t her only threat.
❤️🔥 "𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚊 𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚔. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚜𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎… 𝙷𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚔𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚝. 𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢."
*******************
Y'all, listen... The Vault Scene... Shewwwww
🔥🫠🥵
And then The Chase Scene… Girrrrlllll!
*******************
☠️ The world of The Order is 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸, 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁, 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀.
And I cannot get enough!
ⓉⓇⓄⓅⒺⓈ
🖤Dark Academia
🎓Secret Society
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🎓Morally black MMC
🖤Obsessive FMC
🎓Predator x Predator
🖤Slow Burn
🎓Cat and Mouse
🖤Forced Proximity
🙏🏼Thank you so much, Lexi, for allowing me the opportunity to read this early!
🖤 I LOVED 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓥𝓲𝓬𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼.
🤩 I FREAKING LOVED 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓡𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼!
🤘 And now I CANNOT wait for the next instalment of TᕼE OᖇᗪEᖇ!
𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘙𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 is the second book in the series. It’s the prequel to 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, but it can either be read before or after book 1.
* 𝙎𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣 1994, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖, 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡.
- This book offers us a more detailed look into the history of The Order.
The MMC is the father of the MMC in book 1, Carr(son) Ashford.
We get his back story and see his rise to power within The Order as heir to the powerful Ashford legacy.
And we learn how he meets Rebecca (Becky) Dawson.
She was never meant to be part of that world.
She’s on a quest of her own that leads her straight into his crosshairs.
And her obsession with the truth and power puts her heart and her life in danger. Because Carrson isn’t her only threat.
❤️🔥 "𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚊 𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚔. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚜𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎… 𝙷𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚊 𝚔𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚝. 𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢."
*******************
Y'all, listen... The Vault Scene... Shewwwww
🔥🫠🥵
And then The Chase Scene… Girrrrlllll!
*******************
☠️ The world of The Order is 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸, 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁, 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀.
And I cannot get enough!
ⓉⓇⓄⓅⒺⓈ
🖤Dark Academia
🎓Secret Society
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🎓Morally black MMC
🖤Obsessive FMC
🎓Predator x Predator
🖤Slow Burn
🎓Cat and Mouse
🖤Forced Proximity
🙏🏼Thank you so much, Lexi, for allowing me the opportunity to read this early!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review: Pretty Ruthless
I don’t k ow what Lexi puts in her books but it just keeps me coming back for more! I enjoy her writing style and how intriguing stories are.
I LOVED Pretty Vicious and cannot wait for Book 2 Pretty Savage and this was a perfect way to give us just a little more in that world.
Pretty Ruthless is prequel and focuses on Carrson and his bonded Becky (Rebecca). Seeing his backstory and how he was co pared to how he acts in Pretty Vicious was interesting. I loved the cat and mouse game between the two of them and how she was also eager for power. They complimented each other well. I love the dark academia setting with secrets and rituals. We get a deeper look at The Order and its history. The plot moved at a good pace and kept me engaged.
This was a perfect slow burn and build up. When the spice hit.. whew it was so good! We get to see a little darker themes with the play which I enjoyed! (Check TW) (rope play, spanking, knife play, breath play🔥)
Carrson is not really a funny guy or emailed much but this scene had me snorting —
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙚?” 𝙄 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙮𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣. -𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣
“𝙊𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙤?” -𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙮
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.” -𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣
“𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙚,” 𝙄 𝙝𝙪𝙛𝙛. “𝙄 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙨𝙢.” -𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙮
“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚.”-𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣
I really enjoyed how Becky showed him what it feels like to be loved and also respected his boundaries regarding touch. Slowly over time he began to heal from past trauma with her right be his side showing him that she chooses him, that he’s worthy.
“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚?” 🥺😭
The second epilogue… wow! I cannot wait for more books in this world!
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
Thank you so much to Lexi Davis and her team for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I don’t k ow what Lexi puts in her books but it just keeps me coming back for more! I enjoy her writing style and how intriguing stories are.
I LOVED Pretty Vicious and cannot wait for Book 2 Pretty Savage and this was a perfect way to give us just a little more in that world.
Pretty Ruthless is prequel and focuses on Carrson and his bonded Becky (Rebecca). Seeing his backstory and how he was co pared to how he acts in Pretty Vicious was interesting. I loved the cat and mouse game between the two of them and how she was also eager for power. They complimented each other well. I love the dark academia setting with secrets and rituals. We get a deeper look at The Order and its history. The plot moved at a good pace and kept me engaged.
This was a perfect slow burn and build up. When the spice hit.. whew it was so good! We get to see a little darker themes with the play which I enjoyed! (Check TW) (rope play, spanking, knife play, breath play🔥)
Carrson is not really a funny guy or emailed much but this scene had me snorting —
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙚?” 𝙄 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙮𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣. -𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣
“𝙊𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙤?” -𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙮
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.” -𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣
“𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙚,” 𝙄 𝙝𝙪𝙛𝙛. “𝙄 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙨𝙢.” -𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙮
“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚.”-𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣
I really enjoyed how Becky showed him what it feels like to be loved and also respected his boundaries regarding touch. Slowly over time he began to heal from past trauma with her right be his side showing him that she chooses him, that he’s worthy.
“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚?” 🥺😭
The second epilogue… wow! I cannot wait for more books in this world!
4.5⭐️
3🌶️
Thank you so much to Lexi Davis and her team for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This series has such addicting dark academia secret society vibes. Morally gray characters, obsession, manipulation and tension it’s messy in the best way. The slow burn in this one was really well done and when the spice finally hit, it hit! I also loved the photos included throughout the book. Seeing them on Kindle made the story feel even more immersive.
One of my favorite parts was Becky being completely obsessed with Carrson. I love when the FMC is just as intense and unhinged as the MMC instead of only the guy being the obsessive one. I also thought the early 90s setting was really cool because I honestly don’t read many romances set in the past, and it gave the story a different feel from a lot of dark romances out right now.
While this worked as a prequel, I honestly think this story could have been an entire series on its own because I wanted even more from these characters and this world. Now I’m fully invested in everything happening at Ashford University and cannot wait to see where the series goes next.
I definitely wish I would have realized this was technically a prequel before starting because I read Pretty Vicious first after getting approved for it through NetGalley, and then read Pretty Ruthless after being approved by the author. I think reading this one first would have made some moments hit even harder for me. But honestly I think the confusion is kind of intentional in the best way because now I NEED answers in Pretty Savage.
Thank you so much to Lexi Davis for the ARC and for letting me visit Ashford University again. I cannot wait for Pretty Savage because I need answers immediately after these cliffhangers!!
One of my favorite parts was Becky being completely obsessed with Carrson. I love when the FMC is just as intense and unhinged as the MMC instead of only the guy being the obsessive one. I also thought the early 90s setting was really cool because I honestly don’t read many romances set in the past, and it gave the story a different feel from a lot of dark romances out right now.
While this worked as a prequel, I honestly think this story could have been an entire series on its own because I wanted even more from these characters and this world. Now I’m fully invested in everything happening at Ashford University and cannot wait to see where the series goes next.
I definitely wish I would have realized this was technically a prequel before starting because I read Pretty Vicious first after getting approved for it through NetGalley, and then read Pretty Ruthless after being approved by the author. I think reading this one first would have made some moments hit even harder for me. But honestly I think the confusion is kind of intentional in the best way because now I NEED answers in Pretty Savage.
Thank you so much to Lexi Davis for the ARC and for letting me visit Ashford University again. I cannot wait for Pretty Savage because I need answers immediately after these cliffhangers!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fully Consumed by The Order
Ahhh!!! I am still spinning after finishing this. I fear The Order is officially my new Roman Empire.
After reading Pretty Vicious a few months ago, I was beyond excited to dive into this prequel and get more insight into The Order and the members who came before. While we definitely get answers and see some pieces fall into place, it also opens the door to even more questions, which just makes my obsession and need for answers even stronger.
Becky and Carrson’s dynamic is messy, raw, and impossible to look away from. It pulls you in again and again. Add in the slow burn and enemies to lovers tension, and it turns into a full-blown obsession that honestly rivals Becky’s.
When the spice finally comes, it does not hold back. It is exactly what I expect from a dark romance. It is rough, consuming, and plays into control, power, and that edge of danger that fits their dynamic perfectly.
Lexi’s writing is so vivid and emotional that you do not just read these characters, you understand them. Her FMCs never come across as weak; they hold their ground, go after what they want, and stand in their power. Her MMCs are fully morally grey, walking red flags, and somehow still impossible not to fall for because of how deeply devoted they are.
I have to mention the artwork throughout the book because it genuinely adds to the experience. It complements the story so well and made it even easier to picture everything as it unfolded.
I already need more from this world and cannot wait to see what is coming next with Pretty Savage in September.
Ahhh!!! I am still spinning after finishing this. I fear The Order is officially my new Roman Empire.
After reading Pretty Vicious a few months ago, I was beyond excited to dive into this prequel and get more insight into The Order and the members who came before. While we definitely get answers and see some pieces fall into place, it also opens the door to even more questions, which just makes my obsession and need for answers even stronger.
Becky and Carrson’s dynamic is messy, raw, and impossible to look away from. It pulls you in again and again. Add in the slow burn and enemies to lovers tension, and it turns into a full-blown obsession that honestly rivals Becky’s.
When the spice finally comes, it does not hold back. It is exactly what I expect from a dark romance. It is rough, consuming, and plays into control, power, and that edge of danger that fits their dynamic perfectly.
Lexi’s writing is so vivid and emotional that you do not just read these characters, you understand them. Her FMCs never come across as weak; they hold their ground, go after what they want, and stand in their power. Her MMCs are fully morally grey, walking red flags, and somehow still impossible not to fall for because of how deeply devoted they are.
I have to mention the artwork throughout the book because it genuinely adds to the experience. It complements the story so well and made it even easier to picture everything as it unfolded.
I already need more from this world and cannot wait to see what is coming next with Pretty Savage in September.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fully Consumed by The Order
Ahhh!!! I am still spinning after finishing this. I fear The Order is officially my new Roman Empire.
After reading Pretty Vicious a few months ago, I was beyond excited to dive into this prequel and get more insight into The Order and the members who came before. While we definitely get answers and see some pieces fall into place, it also opens the door to even more questions, which just makes my obsession and need for answers even stronger.
Becky and Carrson’s dynamic is messy, raw, and impossible to look away from. It pulls you in again and again. Add in the slow burn and enemies to lovers tension, and it turns into a full-blown obsession that honestly rivals Becky’s.
When the spice finally comes, it does not hold back. It is exactly what I expect from a dark romance. It is rough, consuming, and plays into control, power, and that edge of danger that fits their dynamic perfectly.
Lexi’s writing is so vivid and emotional that you do not just read these characters, you understand them. Her FMCs never come across as weak; they hold their ground, go after what they want, and stand in their power. Her MMCs are fully morally grey, walking red flags, and somehow still impossible not to fall for because of how deeply devoted they are.
I have to mention the artwork throughout the book because it genuinely adds to the experience. It complements the story so well and made it even easier to picture everything as it unfolded.
I already need more from this world and cannot wait to see what is coming next with Pretty Savage in September.
Ahhh!!! I am still spinning after finishing this. I fear The Order is officially my new Roman Empire.
After reading Pretty Vicious a few months ago, I was beyond excited to dive into this prequel and get more insight into The Order and the members who came before. While we definitely get answers and see some pieces fall into place, it also opens the door to even more questions, which just makes my obsession and need for answers even stronger.
Becky and Carrson’s dynamic is messy, raw, and impossible to look away from. It pulls you in again and again. Add in the slow burn and enemies to lovers tension, and it turns into a full-blown obsession that honestly rivals Becky’s.
When the spice finally comes, it does not hold back. It is exactly what I expect from a dark romance. It is rough, consuming, and plays into control, power, and that edge of danger that fits their dynamic perfectly.
Lexi’s writing is so vivid and emotional that you do not just read these characters, you understand them. Her FMCs never come across as weak; they hold their ground, go after what they want, and stand in their power. Her MMCs are fully morally grey, walking red flags, and somehow still impossible not to fall for because of how deeply devoted they are.
I have to mention the artwork throughout the book because it genuinely adds to the experience. It complements the story so well and made it even easier to picture everything as it unfolded.
I already need more from this world and cannot wait to see what is coming next with Pretty Savage in September.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Pretty Ruthless was absolutely insane! I finished this book in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down. Just like Pretty Vicious, this story completely grabbed me by the throat from the very beginning and never let go. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the chaos, and I kept telling myself “just one more chapter” until suddenly I was at the end.
Getting a glimpse back in time at Ashford University and learning more about Carrson and Becky added so much depth to the story. Seeing pieces of the past come together with what I know about the present made everything feel even more intense and addictive. The characters were messy, complicated, and impossible to look away from, which made every interaction feel charged with tension.
The twists and turns in this book were absolutely wild. Every time I thought I had things figured out, something happened that completely shocked me. There were multiple moments where I was genuinely holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next. The suspense and pacing were so well done that I felt anxious in the best possible way the entire time I was reading.
And that ending? The most delicious cliffhanger imaginable. It left me staring at the page trying to process everything that just happened. Now I’m sitting here with a million unanswered questions and theories running through my mind, counting down the days until the next installment releases.
This series continues to be dark, addictive, dramatic, and impossible to stop reading. Easily a 5 out of 5 stars for me!
Getting a glimpse back in time at Ashford University and learning more about Carrson and Becky added so much depth to the story. Seeing pieces of the past come together with what I know about the present made everything feel even more intense and addictive. The characters were messy, complicated, and impossible to look away from, which made every interaction feel charged with tension.
The twists and turns in this book were absolutely wild. Every time I thought I had things figured out, something happened that completely shocked me. There were multiple moments where I was genuinely holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next. The suspense and pacing were so well done that I felt anxious in the best possible way the entire time I was reading.
And that ending? The most delicious cliffhanger imaginable. It left me staring at the page trying to process everything that just happened. Now I’m sitting here with a million unanswered questions and theories running through my mind, counting down the days until the next installment releases.
This series continues to be dark, addictive, dramatic, and impossible to stop reading. Easily a 5 out of 5 stars for me!
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Before Pretty Vicious... there was Pretty Ruthless.
Set in 1994, this dark academia secret society romance is where is all begins, where power is everything, obsession is inevitable, and love is the most dangerous game of all.”
Right from the start this book will claim you, it will be hard to let it go, it will claim you and you will obey it!
Absolutely loved this book, we get to see Carrson’s parents journey here, it’s strong, powerful, emotional and inspiring. I honestly am even more ready for the next part of Carrson and Carrs journeys. Both men have strength, determination, extreme power and absolutely you need to read both of these series! The order (Carrson and Laurel) and the beginning (Carrson and Becky).
This one hit home harder for me, everything these two went through in life, their connection, their relationship I just felt it all. Loved both of them, separate that were strong, together they were more. The story was amazing, the world was what we want from a dark academia secret society, the twist was like twisting a knife in, got me good!
I cannot fault this book, I was hooked and bonded with no escape and now I’m in forever there’s no escaping The Order! So bring on the rest of these series I completely recommend them.
Set in 1994, this dark academia secret society romance is where is all begins, where power is everything, obsession is inevitable, and love is the most dangerous game of all.”
Right from the start this book will claim you, it will be hard to let it go, it will claim you and you will obey it!
Absolutely loved this book, we get to see Carrson’s parents journey here, it’s strong, powerful, emotional and inspiring. I honestly am even more ready for the next part of Carrson and Carrs journeys. Both men have strength, determination, extreme power and absolutely you need to read both of these series! The order (Carrson and Laurel) and the beginning (Carrson and Becky).
This one hit home harder for me, everything these two went through in life, their connection, their relationship I just felt it all. Loved both of them, separate that were strong, together they were more. The story was amazing, the world was what we want from a dark academia secret society, the twist was like twisting a knife in, got me good!
I cannot fault this book, I was hooked and bonded with no escape and now I’m in forever there’s no escaping The Order! So bring on the rest of these series I completely recommend them.
May 13, 2026
ARC Review ✨
First I would like to say a big thank you to Lexi for letting me be a part of this ARC Team!
Rate: 4/5⭐️
Spice: 1/5🌶️
What to expect when reading ;
-Dark Acadamia
-Secret Society
-Slow burn
-Enemies x Lovers
-Predator vs. Predator
This is book 0.5 of the Order series! You get to follow Becky and Carrson! Becky is on a mission leads her straight to Carrson Ashford. Carrson is the leader closed off and no one gets close to him unless he wants you too. There are risks when it comes to the ends and out of the order. Can these two survive it?
This being a prequel to Pretty Vicious gives us a better insight between the feud between Carrson and Jackson, kind of like father like son in a way. This book definitely held my attention because you were never sure what was going to happen next. Which I love when a book keeps the mystery going. I did feel like Becky was left kinda vague, so I wonder if we will get better answers come book three. This series keeps getting more mysterious, like I need all the answers lol
Fav Quote:
•”What does love feel like?”
Make sure you get your copy of the book when it releases 🤍
#bookstagram #romance #review
First I would like to say a big thank you to Lexi for letting me be a part of this ARC Team!
Rate: 4/5⭐️
Spice: 1/5🌶️
What to expect when reading ;
-Dark Acadamia
-Secret Society
-Slow burn
-Enemies x Lovers
-Predator vs. Predator
This is book 0.5 of the Order series! You get to follow Becky and Carrson! Becky is on a mission leads her straight to Carrson Ashford. Carrson is the leader closed off and no one gets close to him unless he wants you too. There are risks when it comes to the ends and out of the order. Can these two survive it?
This being a prequel to Pretty Vicious gives us a better insight between the feud between Carrson and Jackson, kind of like father like son in a way. This book definitely held my attention because you were never sure what was going to happen next. Which I love when a book keeps the mystery going. I did feel like Becky was left kinda vague, so I wonder if we will get better answers come book three. This series keeps getting more mysterious, like I need all the answers lol
Fav Quote:
•”What does love feel like?”
Make sure you get your copy of the book when it releases 🤍
#bookstagram #romance #review
May 14, 2026
Carrson Ashford belongs to The Order, an underground society that has existed for generations. They take what they want, and God forbid anyone who says no to them.
Becky Dawson is not part of this society, but she wants to learn more about what it is and how they manage to get away with everything they do.
To uncover the truth, she has to get closer to Carrson. There is only one problem. The Order bonds with blood. Once you are in, you never leave.
This book is a prequel to Pretty Vicious, and it did not disappoint. Dark romance and dark academia? My favourites.
This book had me completely gripped from the very start. I picked it up and didn’t put it down until I finished it. Another amazing read from Lexi Davis, who is officially an auto buy author for me.
There is the perfect amount of spice, but make sure you read the trigger warnings beforehand if you have any triggers.
DARK ACADEMIA
SECRET SOCIETY
DARK ROMANCE
SLOW BURN
FOUND FAMILY
SHARED TRAUMA
Becky Dawson is not part of this society, but she wants to learn more about what it is and how they manage to get away with everything they do.
To uncover the truth, she has to get closer to Carrson. There is only one problem. The Order bonds with blood. Once you are in, you never leave.
This book is a prequel to Pretty Vicious, and it did not disappoint. Dark romance and dark academia? My favourites.
This book had me completely gripped from the very start. I picked it up and didn’t put it down until I finished it. Another amazing read from Lexi Davis, who is officially an auto buy author for me.
There is the perfect amount of spice, but make sure you read the trigger warnings beforehand if you have any triggers.
DARK ACADEMIA
SECRET SOCIETY
DARK ROMANCE
SLOW BURN
FOUND FAMILY
SHARED TRAUMA
Review of advance copy received from Author
The way this author writes is so addicting.
Auto request when I see she has an ARC up for grabs because I just KNOW it's going to be an epic story. One day she will put me on her permanent ARC Team hehe.
I love the fact we get a preview into how things came to be and we get a little more into The Order. I personally loved everything about this and can't wait to see what happens next. Even though I was hoping this would pick up where book 1 left off, I feel like this was really needed to help give that good backbone that was the first book.
The characters were everything I hoped they would be and I loved how strong Becky was. She was a woman that knew her worth and didn't let a single man stop her from being her. Carrson was all the things I both expected and didn't. Love them together.
Thank you Lexi, as always, for giving me the privilege of ARC reading for you! Sorry again for all the emails I sent you about this too!
Auto request when I see she has an ARC up for grabs because I just KNOW it's going to be an epic story. One day she will put me on her permanent ARC Team hehe.
I love the fact we get a preview into how things came to be and we get a little more into The Order. I personally loved everything about this and can't wait to see what happens next. Even though I was hoping this would pick up where book 1 left off, I feel like this was really needed to help give that good backbone that was the first book.
The characters were everything I hoped they would be and I loved how strong Becky was. She was a woman that knew her worth and didn't let a single man stop her from being her. Carrson was all the things I both expected and didn't. Love them together.
Thank you Lexi, as always, for giving me the privilege of ARC reading for you! Sorry again for all the emails I sent you about this too!
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed this book, it felt really refreshing to read a prequel to the first book and learn more about the inner workings of The Order through that. I also loved the parallels between this book and the first (of course the naming took me a second to get used to again). The writing style was so beautiful and the compassion with which each character's trauma and background was written felt really realistic and heartbreaking. While longer than the first book it felt like there were a few filler parts (and equally some parts I would have loved extensions on) but the main plot was extremely well done and the end was absolutely CRAZY. I loved being able to link the past and present and the insane amounts of generational trauma portrayed was A LOT but never too much. The romance was chefs kiss and I really enjoyed that it was still slow burn! SO many scenes I adored and overall such a strong prequel
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lexi Davis is one of my favorite authors and yes this is an ARC copy and I will give my honest review.
Now that I have my brain fog gone and remembered that another person's name was Carson I can go on with the book.
If you have never read my reviews before I like to read 5 chapters and review and repeat the process until I finished the book.
I also like to have my favorite actor/actress,
Broadway Actor/Actress' or favorite Wrestler as the characters in my head,but I have not gotten a full picture in my head yet,but I will.
With that said:
Chapters 1-5
First thing is first who is Remi and what does
Carson have to do with all of this?
I love how Lexi gives us a letter or diary entry and
then then the next chapter is the story.
It is only the beginning of the book and already there is
trouble between Becky and Carson
Why is it that I have Laurel vibes when I'm reading about Becky?
So many questions and it's only the beginning.
I Can't wait to read more !!
Now that I have my brain fog gone and remembered that another person's name was Carson I can go on with the book.
If you have never read my reviews before I like to read 5 chapters and review and repeat the process until I finished the book.
I also like to have my favorite actor/actress,
Broadway Actor/Actress' or favorite Wrestler as the characters in my head,but I have not gotten a full picture in my head yet,but I will.
With that said:
Chapters 1-5
First thing is first who is Remi and what does
Carson have to do with all of this?
I love how Lexi gives us a letter or diary entry and
then then the next chapter is the story.
It is only the beginning of the book and already there is
trouble between Becky and Carson
Why is it that I have Laurel vibes when I'm reading about Becky?
So many questions and it's only the beginning.
I Can't wait to read more !!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lexi Davis is my weakness!! I jump every chance I see an arc release for another one of her books! This one absolutely delivers what I didn't even know I needed. This is a prequel to the first book of the series and a dive into more of what the order is and how it came to be. This book features Carrson's father from Pretty Vicious and Becky, his stepmother, who are both leaders....this book helps to explain the origin of where it all began. After already reading this one and "Pretty Vicious," I am religiously stalking Lexi Davis for the release of the next of the order series to come out.
Thank you, Lexi, for this sinfully delicious read and the opportunity again to read an arc for you!!
Thank you, Lexi, for this sinfully delicious read and the opportunity again to read an arc for you!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 ⭐ review
Pretty Ruthless
This is part 2 of ‘The Order’ series and anyone who knows me has heard of my obsession with part 1 (pretty vicious) so this was a very anticipated prequel.
This book gives us the beginnings of Carrson Ashford and Becky Dawson (the parents of Carrson and Samantha) and is another absolutely fantastic dark academia romance with a strong fmc and powerful (although a victim of childhood trauma) mmc.
This story is extremely well written as we’ve come to expect from Lexi and this prequel gives an insight and foundation for the rest of the series.
Thankyou so much to @authorlexidavis and @haylingbookstorm for this arc of which i loved every moment of 🥰
Pretty Ruthless
This is part 2 of ‘The Order’ series and anyone who knows me has heard of my obsession with part 1 (pretty vicious) so this was a very anticipated prequel.
This book gives us the beginnings of Carrson Ashford and Becky Dawson (the parents of Carrson and Samantha) and is another absolutely fantastic dark academia romance with a strong fmc and powerful (although a victim of childhood trauma) mmc.
This story is extremely well written as we’ve come to expect from Lexi and this prequel gives an insight and foundation for the rest of the series.
Thankyou so much to @authorlexidavis and @haylingbookstorm for this arc of which i loved every moment of 🥰
Review of advance copy received from Author
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I absolutely love love love Carrson Ashford lol, how can someone soooo dangerous be soooo innocent at the same time!!!!
The plot was easy to follow and the book was filled with mystery, tension and forbidden love.
This was a fast paced slow burn story with the spice definitely spicing and a good amount of danger.
The ending was also a HEA but with a tense twist at the end leaving it open for more to Rebecca and Carrson's story.
I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.
Thank You to the Author for allowing me to read and ARC copy of this book which i shall be purchasing when released.
I absolutely love love love Carrson Ashford lol, how can someone soooo dangerous be soooo innocent at the same time!!!!
The plot was easy to follow and the book was filled with mystery, tension and forbidden love.
This was a fast paced slow burn story with the spice definitely spicing and a good amount of danger.
The ending was also a HEA but with a tense twist at the end leaving it open for more to Rebecca and Carrson's story.
I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.
Thank You to the Author for allowing me to read and ARC copy of this book which i shall be purchasing when released.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Love getting this Ashford back story! Carrson is in charge of Ashford House, and there are always challenges that come with power. Dealing with past trauma, he struggles letting anyone get close. Until Becky. Determined and unhinged, he doesn't realize at first how she truly is. But once he sees, he must decide whether or not to accept her, or push her away to protect himself. This was a great prequel for Pretty Vicious!
Review of advance copy
Yasssss mam this book was everything 😌 the suspense and mystery was soooo goo you had on the edge a few times 😳 Becky's and Carson's relationship was perfect I loved the banter between them and the spice 🥵🥵 mam you did that oh my 🫣 and the ending left me wanting more this book was a 10 outta 10
Review of advance copy received from Author
woah, Daddy Carrson I didn't know your game. Actually mommy Becky deserves the credits here. RTC
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this book and can’t wait for the second book to come out ❤️❤️
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