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Royal Elite #0
Cruel King
He's no fairy tale king.
Levi
Here, little princess. I'm your king.
You have three rules. Bow. Break. Bend the knee.
Fight me all you want, but soon enough, you'll be chanting long live the king.
Astrid
One day I'm Royal Elite School's small fly, the next I'm hunted and left to die.
He doesn't only shred my life to parts, but he's also coming after my heart.
He thinks he broke me, but the new princess will bring the king to his knees.
Levi
Here, little princess. I'm your king.
You have three rules. Bow. Break. Bend the knee.
Fight me all you want, but soon enough, you'll be chanting long live the king.
Astrid
One day I'm Royal Elite School's small fly, the next I'm hunted and left to die.
He doesn't only shred my life to parts, but he's also coming after my heart.
He thinks he broke me, but the new princess will bring the king to his knees.
Paperback
First published November 20, 2019
About the author
Rina Kent
65 books72.5k followersRina Kent is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 bestselling author of all things dark romance.
Better known for writing unapologetic anti-heroes and villains, Rina weaves tales of characters you shouldn’t fall for but inevitably do. Her stories are laced with a touch of darkness, a splash of angst, and just the right amount of unhealthy intensity.
When she’s not busy plotting mayhem for her ever-expanding Rinaverse, she leads a private life in London, travels, and pampers her cats in true Cat Lady fashion.
You can find her below:
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Better known for writing unapologetic anti-heroes and villains, Rina weaves tales of characters you shouldn’t fall for but inevitably do. Her stories are laced with a touch of darkness, a splash of angst, and just the right amount of unhealthy intensity.
When she’s not busy plotting mayhem for her ever-expanding Rinaverse, she leads a private life in London, travels, and pampers her cats in true Cat Lady fashion.
You can find her below:
Website
Newsletter
Bookbub
Amazon
TikTok
Reader Group
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,446 reviews
May 2, 2023
I think it's about time we move past saying "DNF". I am FTSIOing
This is what I get for craving a high school romance. I deserved every bit of pain I've felt while reading this book.
HEROINE: Her body seems to be in a never ending tingling state. She should probably see a doctor.
HERO: lil boy needs an ass whooping.....an ass flogging if you will. That teenage little bitch thought too much of himself.
THE UNITED KINGDOM: Does not claim this book. The Queen would finally drop dead if she read this (long live her majesty). Even all the "buggers", "arseholes" and "shagging" did not make the writing sound even remotely British.
edit 09.2022: The queen died today y'all and I know it's because she finally read Cruel King.
THE VIKINGS, THE NINJA TURTLES, AND MY BRAIN CELLS: Rolling in their graves right now.
ME: Salty, wet tears of frustration accumulated. And I'm not being sarcastic. By chapter four I had to pause to compose myself because I laid there like...
My fellow correspondent and buddy reader Tanaz has unfortunately suffered the same fate as me. After 10 chapters of gruelling reading she demanded a D-N-F. Here are her last reports before the incident:
TANAZ: "Astrid is a dumb little hoe with body betraying syndrome, how you gonna let Levi bully you and then get wet when he touched your RIBS. #justiceforqueennicole"
Thank you Tanaz. Very deep.
PS: I swear to god if I hear even one person tell me I can't rate or review because I dnfed I'll find your address, climb through your window, tie you to a chair, point a gun to your head, and make you read this stupid fucking book. THEN WE'LL TALK.
This is what I get for craving a high school romance. I deserved every bit of pain I've felt while reading this book.
HEROINE: Her body seems to be in a never ending tingling state. She should probably see a doctor.
HERO: lil boy needs an ass whooping.....an ass flogging if you will. That teenage little bitch thought too much of himself.
THE UNITED KINGDOM: Does not claim this book. The Queen would finally drop dead if she read this (long live her majesty). Even all the "buggers", "arseholes" and "shagging" did not make the writing sound even remotely British.
edit 09.2022: The queen died today y'all and I know it's because she finally read Cruel King.
THE VIKINGS, THE NINJA TURTLES, AND MY BRAIN CELLS: Rolling in their graves right now.
ME: Salty, wet tears of frustration accumulated. And I'm not being sarcastic. By chapter four I had to pause to compose myself because I laid there like...
My fellow correspondent and buddy reader Tanaz has unfortunately suffered the same fate as me. After 10 chapters of gruelling reading she demanded a D-N-F. Here are her last reports before the incident:
TANAZ: "Astrid is a dumb little hoe with body betraying syndrome, how you gonna let Levi bully you and then get wet when he touched your RIBS. #justiceforqueennicole"
Thank you Tanaz. Very deep.
PS: I swear to god if I hear even one person tell me I can't rate or review because I dnfed I'll find your address, climb through your window, tie you to a chair, point a gun to your head, and make you read this stupid fucking book. THEN WE'LL TALK.
August 25, 2021
this book came up on my tl and saw i gave this two stars... and all i remember is the hero taking the heroine’s virginity and he wears a condom... only for him not to wear one the second time a little while later where she then proceeds to tell him to stop bcos he’s not wearing protection and she’s not on the pill.
and he refuses to stop, keeps having sex with her while she continuously says no and threatens her to get on the pill immediately bcos the next time they have sex he doesn’t want to wear a condom and doesn’t give a fuck if she’s on the pill or not.
and also gets pissed at her for wanting him to stop bcos “that must mean she doesn’t want kids with him and the thought of her having kids with him must sicken her”. y’all are eighteen, calm tf down💀 i even remember this scene taking place on her eighteenth birthday... stay in school and wrap that shit up. so this bitch gets one star for having a hero with rapey vibes.
and he refuses to stop, keeps having sex with her while she continuously says no and threatens her to get on the pill immediately bcos the next time they have sex he doesn’t want to wear a condom and doesn’t give a fuck if she’s on the pill or not.
and also gets pissed at her for wanting him to stop bcos “that must mean she doesn’t want kids with him and the thought of her having kids with him must sicken her”. y’all are eighteen, calm tf down💀 i even remember this scene taking place on her eighteenth birthday... stay in school and wrap that shit up. so this bitch gets one star for having a hero with rapey vibes.
Currently Reading
May 12, 2026Pre read
(A levi reading about a levi 💔)
BR WITH MY BARBER AREEBA
(A levi reading about a levi 💔)
BR WITH MY BARBER AREEBA
April 17, 2023
this is my 13th reason
January 26, 2023
2.5*
They’re SO dramatic like shut up go touch some grass.
Levi was such a pain lmao I cringed every time he made some caveman comment. No bc he was so… bland ?? Like where was his personality.
Astrid was such a doormat like girl pick yourself up. And then she’d wax poetics about him and how he’s the king and he has all these loyal subjects and no one comes in his way- SHURRUP. Don’t tell me, show me.
The only thing I found cute in all of this was when he’d tap her nose twice and be all condescending (lol). And that’s it.
And OMFDS don’t get me started on them being British- UGHHH
Rina was just searching for random ways to use all the slang words she could think of *rolls eyes back to the point of pain*
I’m only here for Aiden King and his book BETTER serve or else 🙂🔪🔪
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Nicole and Dan’s storyline seems quite interesting.
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
“Something is so wrong with you.”
He reaches out a forefinger and taps my nose twice. “Guess you have to fight me and find out what that something is.”
“You’re blushing, princess.” His grin widens.
“I’m not.”
He taps my nose with his index finger. “It’s adorable.”
“Aiden is glaring at the blonde girl, and she’s glaring right back without blinking.”
They’re SO dramatic like shut up go touch some grass.
Levi was such a pain lmao I cringed every time he made some caveman comment. No bc he was so… bland ?? Like where was his personality.
Astrid was such a doormat like girl pick yourself up. And then she’d wax poetics about him and how he’s the king and he has all these loyal subjects and no one comes in his way- SHURRUP. Don’t tell me, show me.
The only thing I found cute in all of this was when he’d tap her nose twice and be all condescending (lol). And that’s it.
And OMFDS don’t get me started on them being British- UGHHH
Rina was just searching for random ways to use all the slang words she could think of *rolls eyes back to the point of pain*
I’m only here for Aiden King and his book BETTER serve or else 🙂🔪🔪
𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Nicole and Dan’s storyline seems quite interesting.
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
“Something is so wrong with you.”
He reaches out a forefinger and taps my nose twice. “Guess you have to fight me and find out what that something is.”
“You’re blushing, princess.” His grin widens.
“I’m not.”
He taps my nose with his index finger. “It’s adorable.”
“Aiden is glaring at the blonde girl, and she’s glaring right back without blinking.”
October 21, 2024
If I had to choose between rereading this or reading the French Encyclopedia front to back three times over, I’d choose the encyclopedia (I’ve never spoken a lick of French in my life).
December 19, 2022
The plot twist was really just thrown in there
December 8, 2020
Awesomely Cruel King!
5 stars out of 5. This was an awesome bully romance and the relationship between the two main characters was just about as sizzling hot as it could possibly be. If only a guy would be as into me as Levi King is into Astrid Clifford, I would be a fantastically happy woman. This is a romance where the heroine is one of the “invisible” people at the RES (Royal Elite School) and Levi King was not only from the richest family, but he was the Captain of the Football team and the hottest guy in school.
Astrid attends a party with her best friend Daniel and someone slips ecstasy in her drink. She comes on to Levi King who is about to take her up on the offer when he sees her pupils and figures out she is on drugs. He kicks her out and she gets lost in the woods until overhearing some guys plotting something in the woods. They chase her down until she is hit by a car. She spends the summer recuperating and in therapy but comes back strong.
The problem is that Levi was involved in some way and wants her to drop the investigation into the hit and run. So he begins to bully her, when before he had never known she existed. Astrid liked being invisible and doesn’t want that to change, but when the most popular guy in school pays attention to you, it is difficult to be invisible.
Though she liked her status as one of the people that were ignored, she is not one to back down. So when Levi starts to bring it, she turns it around on him as much as possible, until he takes it a bit too far. Levi starts to feel guilt and can’t stop thinking about Astrid. From there the relationship between the two of them changes and heats up more and more until the romance is so hot you might just get burned. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
There are many obstacles in the way of this romance, in addition to the hit and run. Both Levi and Astrid have issues at home and at school. The story is just so good, I couldn’t stop reading till I finished. It is truly one of the best bully romance books I have read. I really liked the characters and many of the supporting characters. They were well developed and had great personalities. There were a few darker supporting characters as well that were portrayed perfectly. Certainly there was more than one villain in this book! Though It is not always easy to determine who is really a villain.
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5 stars out of 5. This was an awesome bully romance and the relationship between the two main characters was just about as sizzling hot as it could possibly be. If only a guy would be as into me as Levi King is into Astrid Clifford, I would be a fantastically happy woman. This is a romance where the heroine is one of the “invisible” people at the RES (Royal Elite School) and Levi King was not only from the richest family, but he was the Captain of the Football team and the hottest guy in school.
Astrid attends a party with her best friend Daniel and someone slips ecstasy in her drink. She comes on to Levi King who is about to take her up on the offer when he sees her pupils and figures out she is on drugs. He kicks her out and she gets lost in the woods until overhearing some guys plotting something in the woods. They chase her down until she is hit by a car. She spends the summer recuperating and in therapy but comes back strong.
The problem is that Levi was involved in some way and wants her to drop the investigation into the hit and run. So he begins to bully her, when before he had never known she existed. Astrid liked being invisible and doesn’t want that to change, but when the most popular guy in school pays attention to you, it is difficult to be invisible.
Though she liked her status as one of the people that were ignored, she is not one to back down. So when Levi starts to bring it, she turns it around on him as much as possible, until he takes it a bit too far. Levi starts to feel guilt and can’t stop thinking about Astrid. From there the relationship between the two of them changes and heats up more and more until the romance is so hot you might just get burned. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
There are many obstacles in the way of this romance, in addition to the hit and run. Both Levi and Astrid have issues at home and at school. The story is just so good, I couldn’t stop reading till I finished. It is truly one of the best bully romance books I have read. I really liked the characters and many of the supporting characters. They were well developed and had great personalities. There were a few darker supporting characters as well that were portrayed perfectly. Certainly there was more than one villain in this book! Though It is not always easy to determine who is really a villain.
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March 25, 2020
4 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a fun bully/hate-to-love type romance! It came recommended from one of my dear GR friend that, like me, enjoys the grittier/messier romances from time to time. I have found that I usually prefer those types of stories over the (what I call) fluffy ones! If you have big triggers about anything related to cheating -- please see my cheating spoiler below. I enjoyed it! I connected with the characters. I felt like the characters and overall storyline was well developed even though we were dealing with young characters. While the big conflict felt a little too much like telenovela drama, it didn't have as much angst as I was hoping, and the ending wasn't as much as I would've liked -- I really liked the H and his jerkish/damaged/sometimes scary possessive ways and that made up for it for me! Please check my spoilers if you have triggers, as this is probably not for everyone -- but it was an overall enjoyable read for me!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Astrid and Levi's story. Astrid has gotten to the summer before her senior year as an invisible girl, but a end of the year party changes that when she literally bumps into Levi. Levi is a King and they are known to rule their school. Astrid's father has warned her to steer clear of the King family, because of some unknown family rivalry. Levi has been warned away from Astrid as well, but he cannot help being drawn to her. After some major back and forth, they build an unlikely relationship that turns into love. There is some family drama, some big secrets revealed, some hot sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Astrid and Levi's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well and I never skimmed.
Instalove:No, more like hate-to-love and they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Levi, Levi, Levi! He was a hot mess! He was a jerk (on the sociopathic side), really damaged from his family, super possessive to the point of often violence and...I actually really liked him! I don't know why or how since I absolutely wouldn't want my partner to behave the way he did, but I enjoyed his character!
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Astrid. I liked her. I appreciated how she wanted to fight back and how she did. I did think she was a little too much under the H's spell when he kissed her or got physical and didn't hold him as accountable as I wanted.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Not IMO
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had a cute ending with pretty good closure. It includes a bonus scene after the epilogue that I appreciated, but the author offers another bonus scene for what I imagine is more closure if you sign up for her newsletter. I didn't do that. I'm going to classify this as a HFN ending .
Safety: This one is probably either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
Overall Opinion: This was a fun bully/hate-to-love type romance! It came recommended from one of my dear GR friend that, like me, enjoys the grittier/messier romances from time to time. I have found that I usually prefer those types of stories over the (what I call) fluffy ones! If you have big triggers about anything related to cheating -- please see my cheating spoiler below. I enjoyed it! I connected with the characters. I felt like the characters and overall storyline was well developed even though we were dealing with young characters. While the big conflict felt a little too much like telenovela drama, it didn't have as much angst as I was hoping, and the ending wasn't as much as I would've liked -- I really liked the H and his jerkish/damaged/sometimes scary possessive ways and that made up for it for me! Please check my spoilers if you have triggers, as this is probably not for everyone -- but it was an overall enjoyable read for me!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Astrid and Levi's story. Astrid has gotten to the summer before her senior year as an invisible girl, but a end of the year party changes that when she literally bumps into Levi. Levi is a King and they are known to rule their school. Astrid's father has warned her to steer clear of the King family, because of some unknown family rivalry. Levi has been warned away from Astrid as well, but he cannot help being drawn to her. After some major back and forth, they build an unlikely relationship that turns into love. There is some family drama, some big secrets revealed, some hot sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Astrid and Levi's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well and I never skimmed.
Instalove:No, more like hate-to-love and they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Levi, Levi, Levi! He was a hot mess! He was a jerk (on the sociopathic side), really damaged from his family, super possessive to the point of often violence and...I actually really liked him! I don't know why or how since I absolutely wouldn't want my partner to behave the way he did, but I enjoyed his character!
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Astrid. I liked her. I appreciated how she wanted to fight back and how she did. I did think she was a little too much under the H's spell when he kissed her or got physical and didn't hold him as accountable as I wanted.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Not IMO
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had a cute ending with pretty good closure. It includes a bonus scene after the epilogue that I appreciated, but the author offers another bonus scene for what I imagine is more closure if you sign up for her newsletter. I didn't do that. I'm going to classify this as a HFN ending .
Safety: This one is probably either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
November 1, 2023
1/5
Live laugh love Rina Kent men.
Live laugh love Rina Kent men.
September 19, 2022
3.75 ⭐️ i liked this! definitely didn’t love and there was a lot about it that rubbed me the wrong way but overall it was fun, dark and steamy. very excited for the rest of the series!!!
“thank you existing much king.”
“thank you for being mine princess.”
“thank you existing much king.”
“thank you for being mine princess.”
f-ck-no
August 12, 2020Clearly I’m viewing romance the wrong way.
Nothing says I want start a relationship with the heroine while getting a bj from none other than her own stepsister.
What would happen if the heroine gets oral from another man while she has kissed and has some sort of feelings for the hero? I’ll tell you what, she’ll be call a slut meanwhile hero is a besotted, jealous and possessive man who sees no other than the poor pathetic virgin girl but that still doesn’t stop him from doing extra activities. 🤣🤣
Btw for Me this book is not safe with exception. It’s unsafe, plain and simple. Once hero and heroine have met, kissed and started having feelings for each other and they have sex with other parties it’s safe to say that is NOT safe. Apparently even that we view differently.
Nothing says I want start a relationship with the heroine while getting a bj from none other than her own stepsister.
What would happen if the heroine gets oral from another man while she has kissed and has some sort of feelings for the hero? I’ll tell you what, she’ll be call a slut meanwhile hero is a besotted, jealous and possessive man who sees no other than the poor pathetic virgin girl but that still doesn’t stop him from doing extra activities. 🤣🤣
Btw for Me this book is not safe with exception. It’s unsafe, plain and simple. Once hero and heroine have met, kissed and started having feelings for each other and they have sex with other parties it’s safe to say that is NOT safe. Apparently even that we view differently.
April 4, 2023
Gave me wattpad flashbacks but I don't even care because I lowkey ate this shit up
July 24, 2025
4⭐️
Okay but…why did I kinda love this? LMAOOO 😭 sooo many people told me that I probably wouldn’t like this and that it was messy, but I enjoyed the messy! It was chaotic and a bit unhinged but I had such a good time.
Astrid wasn’t my favorite character of all time, but I did enjoy her personality later on in this book as she grew. We all know how I feel about characters with no backbone so it was tough to like her towards the beginning, but her character arc was really good and I enjoyed seeing her grow up as time went on. She’s very much a “no nonsense” kind of person with words that can cut through stone and I really liked that about her. Levi? This man was possessive and unhinged and an absolute train wreck…and I loved him. SUE ME OKAY? I KINDA LOVED HIM. What that says about me though? I probably have issues that need to be worked out in therapy but instead I’ll sit here and eat up these Rina Kent books, thank you!! Levi and Astrid’s relationship was messy and toxic and should NEVER be a thing in real life, but in this book? I’ll take it.
I actually kinda enjoyed the mystery/thriller plot of this book involving Astrid’s accident and all the secrets and lies around it. While the romance was the main forefront, I enjoyed the thriller aspect too. I think it added enough to the plot to keep it engaging and interesting. Not one time while reading this book was I bored. The push and pull/cat and mouse game that Levi and Astrid were playing was so entertaining and I was really enjoying how Astrid would never back down to this man. She was a bad bitch through and through. I understand that a lot of people didn’t like this because of the blaring immaturity issues with these characters, and I can agree with that. I think that even as displaying them as teenagers doesn’t make up for the fact that the communication was an issue. However, this book kinda worked for me despite that. I had fun!! And that’s the most important part.
Side note: the side characters in this book were phenomenal. They added such a new level of messy, funny, and unhinged banter and I think they really pulled this book together to make it as good as it was.
Overall, I know this isn’t widely loved, but I had SUCH a good time and this was exactly what I wanted to read in this moment.
Was it perfect? Absolutely not.
Did it have blaring issues? Definitely.
But was it a good time that brought the enemies-to-lovers and possessive “touch her and you die” vibes? Yep!!
I can’t wait to actually start the series since this was technically the prequel to the Royal Elite series. Maybe I’ll continue to like the future books even more and I really hope that’s the case cause I feel like I could never get enough of this. 🖤
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭:
It’s finally time…my first RK book 🙂↕️
Taylor single-handedly got me interested in starting this journey after raving about her books so I’m here to see what all the talk is about 👀🖤
Okay but…why did I kinda love this? LMAOOO 😭 sooo many people told me that I probably wouldn’t like this and that it was messy, but I enjoyed the messy! It was chaotic and a bit unhinged but I had such a good time.
Astrid wasn’t my favorite character of all time, but I did enjoy her personality later on in this book as she grew. We all know how I feel about characters with no backbone so it was tough to like her towards the beginning, but her character arc was really good and I enjoyed seeing her grow up as time went on. She’s very much a “no nonsense” kind of person with words that can cut through stone and I really liked that about her. Levi? This man was possessive and unhinged and an absolute train wreck…and I loved him. SUE ME OKAY? I KINDA LOVED HIM. What that says about me though? I probably have issues that need to be worked out in therapy but instead I’ll sit here and eat up these Rina Kent books, thank you!! Levi and Astrid’s relationship was messy and toxic and should NEVER be a thing in real life, but in this book? I’ll take it.
I actually kinda enjoyed the mystery/thriller plot of this book involving Astrid’s accident and all the secrets and lies around it. While the romance was the main forefront, I enjoyed the thriller aspect too. I think it added enough to the plot to keep it engaging and interesting. Not one time while reading this book was I bored. The push and pull/cat and mouse game that Levi and Astrid were playing was so entertaining and I was really enjoying how Astrid would never back down to this man. She was a bad bitch through and through. I understand that a lot of people didn’t like this because of the blaring immaturity issues with these characters, and I can agree with that. I think that even as displaying them as teenagers doesn’t make up for the fact that the communication was an issue. However, this book kinda worked for me despite that. I had fun!! And that’s the most important part.
Side note: the side characters in this book were phenomenal. They added such a new level of messy, funny, and unhinged banter and I think they really pulled this book together to make it as good as it was.
Overall, I know this isn’t widely loved, but I had SUCH a good time and this was exactly what I wanted to read in this moment.
Was it perfect? Absolutely not.
Did it have blaring issues? Definitely.
But was it a good time that brought the enemies-to-lovers and possessive “touch her and you die” vibes? Yep!!
I can’t wait to actually start the series since this was technically the prequel to the Royal Elite series. Maybe I’ll continue to like the future books even more and I really hope that’s the case cause I feel like I could never get enough of this. 🖤
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭:
It’s finally time…my first RK book 🙂↕️
Taylor single-handedly got me interested in starting this journey after raving about her books so I’m here to see what all the talk is about 👀🖤
June 7, 2025
I'd gladly choose to study MATH for the rest of my life than read this book ever again
March 21, 2025
2 stars
What in the Wattpad world was this book? The story was straight out of Wattpad, the writing was superficial and cringy, the characters’ personalities lacked depth, and they both need therapy. Honestly, I read this book for fun only because it was hilarious, and even the smut scenes had me cringing so badly because they were both just teenagers! Rina can write some good and hot spicy scenes, but they were just seventeen, and I don’t know how I feel about that.
Levi? I couldn’t even take him seriously for one second because he’s just an eighteen-year-old boy with a last name—‘King’—who thinks he’s the hottest and most dangerous boy in the RES? Please, Rina, you can do better than him. Levi is described as the dangerous, unhinged, and possessive-to-a-fault type. He thinks he’s entitled to everything in the world because he’s a King. He had no personality, and his obsession with ruining Astrid and her life was hilarious—all because he couldn’t get her out of his mind? Don’t you have something else to do in your free time, like schoolwork or assignments?
Astrid’s life and whole personality revolved around her invisible bubble and her favourite show, Vikings, and she couldn’t stop talking about either of them. She always wanted to live in her invisible bubble, but Levi destroyed that for her, and then she wouldn’t stop whining about it the entire book. Astrid, please get a life or a personality.
The romance was cringy and stupid. It was insta-love/hate for no reason at all, except that they drove each other crazy. The plot twist that explained the animosity between the Kings and Cliffords was so predictable. Also, they broke up so many times before finally getting back together for good in the end. The miscommunications? They could’ve easily talked about them if they stopped being a bunch of idiot teenagers—but what can I expect from teenagers?
Also, there was this scene where she told him to stop smoking, but then he took a drag, they shared that smoke, and now she likes to do smoking-kissing shit with him because it’s hot and burning. Can they be any less mature? And I forgot to mention he calls her Princess, and she calls him King. They are THE couple!
The ending was cute and probably one of the few things I liked in this book—besides Aiden King. Aiden is just different, in both a good and a bad way? I want to continue this series only for his books, but so many people told me this series gets better, and a delulu girl like me can only hope.
—————————
First book by rina kent and hopefully it wont disappoint me bcs i feel the slump is coming soon🙂
“Astrid once told me I’m a dark night. It’s in dark nights that stars like her shine the brightest.”
What in the Wattpad world was this book? The story was straight out of Wattpad, the writing was superficial and cringy, the characters’ personalities lacked depth, and they both need therapy. Honestly, I read this book for fun only because it was hilarious, and even the smut scenes had me cringing so badly because they were both just teenagers! Rina can write some good and hot spicy scenes, but they were just seventeen, and I don’t know how I feel about that.
Levi? I couldn’t even take him seriously for one second because he’s just an eighteen-year-old boy with a last name—‘King’—who thinks he’s the hottest and most dangerous boy in the RES? Please, Rina, you can do better than him. Levi is described as the dangerous, unhinged, and possessive-to-a-fault type. He thinks he’s entitled to everything in the world because he’s a King. He had no personality, and his obsession with ruining Astrid and her life was hilarious—all because he couldn’t get her out of his mind? Don’t you have something else to do in your free time, like schoolwork or assignments?
Astrid’s life and whole personality revolved around her invisible bubble and her favourite show, Vikings, and she couldn’t stop talking about either of them. She always wanted to live in her invisible bubble, but Levi destroyed that for her, and then she wouldn’t stop whining about it the entire book. Astrid, please get a life or a personality.
The romance was cringy and stupid. It was insta-love/hate for no reason at all, except that they drove each other crazy. The plot twist that explained the animosity between the Kings and Cliffords was so predictable. Also, they broke up so many times before finally getting back together for good in the end. The miscommunications? They could’ve easily talked about them if they stopped being a bunch of idiot teenagers—but what can I expect from teenagers?
Also, there was this scene where she told him to stop smoking, but then he took a drag, they shared that smoke, and now she likes to do smoking-kissing shit with him because it’s hot and burning. Can they be any less mature? And I forgot to mention he calls her Princess, and she calls him King. They are THE couple!
The ending was cute and probably one of the few things I liked in this book—besides Aiden King. Aiden is just different, in both a good and a bad way? I want to continue this series only for his books, but so many people told me this series gets better, and a delulu girl like me can only hope.
—————————
First book by rina kent and hopefully it wont disappoint me bcs i feel the slump is coming soon🙂
September 2, 2024
— 4.25 stars ⭐️
this book was my guilty pleasure.
thank you alex for buddy reading with me 🤍
this book was my guilty pleasure.
thank you alex for buddy reading with me 🤍
January 27, 2026
rina!!! lmao. this was deeply unserious. i 100% lost brain cells by going through to the end on this one. i apologize to anyone who liked this and may take offense at this review but i have less than complimentary things to say about it, so please look away if you love this book and these characters because i need to go awf 😅. catharsis and all that.
where do i even begin? i’ll avoid outright spoilers but some mild references ahead 🌚
levi has GOT to be the corniest mf on the planet. i’m sending the police to his door to lock his ass up for being annoying as all hell. if they can’t get the job done, i’m drop-kicking him off a cliff. immediately. was he supposed to be intimidating and charismatic? because he wasn’t. he was a literal clown with too-inflated an opinion of himself. he actually had me cackling on occasion because his reactions to things were downright nonsensical and melodramatic. some things he did made him seem like a cheap villian pulled straight of a cartoon (i’ve got that scare tactic where he grabs her incognito and leaves her with the ominous “stay away or pay” note on my mind LMAO). he really thought he ate with that. he’d see her laughing from across the way and think “i need to ruin that”. known her for all of 2 seconds at this point, mind you. on page 17, just having met her, he’s on some “i want to complicate her. ruin her. crush her innocence. then watch it all burn.” stuff. shut the hell up. don’t even get me started on that not wanting to pull out stunt. i’ve got many more examples of silly behavior but i’d be regurgitating the whole book at this point. what was his actual problem??? i’m not even judging him for being possessive and over the top because i love me a good dark romance with an unhinged hero and i’m looser with my morals when i’m in that genre - but he was just so LAME. nothing about him was intelligent, alluring or sinister. no aura whatsoever.
astrid…i have no words for her. only side-eyes and “girl, please”’s. dumbest heroine i’ve read in a minute, i can’t with her 😂. backbone, where? the only thing that could make me scrounge up a lil sympathy for her is knowing she has to deal with that fool for the rest of her life and goes on to have children with him. i don’t know if she chose him being of sound mind or if she got stockholmed into this, so i’ll try and give her the benefit of the doubt. barely. she’s a very unserious character though. her inner monologues were hell. “he’s the king” “he’s the devil” “oh for the love of vikings!” blah blah blah - zip it.
the plot was thin at best and nothing near suspenseful. was i supposed to take the climax near the end seriously? because i was hooting and hollering maniacally at the sheer ridiculousness of it all 🤣. the bully and dark vibes were so dull and weak. levi and astrid had the equivalent chemistry of me considering engaging with a peanut butter sandwich (i have an allergy). the pacing of their relationship also made no sense - the path from strangers to “enemies” to being together was so choppy and the overfamiliarity kicked in so fast, i was finished. when the i love you came, i felt like i was getting cold-clocked in the face with a dead fish. abrupt is an understatement. none of their actions ever seemed rational. the fact that they were younger and in high school was no excuse - i’ve read ya books with characters making more logical and age-appropriate decisions than these two.
also, the side characters in this were painfully boring and one-dimensional. the male friend contingent all shared one brain cell between them and only ever talked about *checks notes* “pussy and partying” and english football or whatever, most of the speaking female characters at this school were vapid mean girls who only ever hurled misogynistic slurs, the step-mother and step-sister villains were cliché caricatures, the adult men were your typical emotionally constipated rich dudes…just absolutely no one in here was remotely interesting or original. they were all flat.
the writing quality was shockingly bad as well. deadass. i’m sure wattpad is producing bangers more eloquent than this. i wasn’t expecting a masterpiece with the prose style, but i devoured the deception and monster trilogies in 2024 and i don’t remember the style being this terrible? plus, those stories were addictive. or was i more delulu back then? i’m doubting past me here 😀. when the word “viking” was repeated, idk, almost 10 times within the first two chapters as a descriptor, referencing the show, an exclamation, whatever else AND the cringe kept piling on, my left eyelid started twitching and didn’t stop until i was free of this mess. i’ve never hit that “return to KU” button so fast. there was also so much telling over showing anything. the asinine similes and metaphors were going crazy in this one too (also, gtfo with all that chess and court talk trying to make this seem clever because the mmc comes from an elite family with the last name “king” and the men were supposed to be calculating and all-powerful ruling over their subjects here. dpmo 😅). the general repetition of things so close together had me fighting for my life. how did this make it off the chopping block?
honestly, i should have dnfed after chapter 2, but i didn’t (my own fault) because:
a) i’m trying to get through the rina-verse this year (a lofty and maybe foolhardy endeavour, and ya know…this one has me re-thinking things); and
b) i was actually cracking up in a few spots because of how moronic these two were and how levi thought he was the best thing to happen to the world since modern medicine. an imbecile. some things were taking me OUT 😂. so i guess i got some kind of entertainment from this because it was so comical, i couldn’t NOT laugh. clutched my stomach a few times in what were supposed to be serious or sexy moments. levi’s antics were just - 🤣🤣🤣 stop it. all the smutty scenes had me wanting to bleach my eyes out. stat.
will i willingly subject myself to the next one? likelihood = high 🙈. i never learn my lesson and i heard aiden has a lil something? he wasn’t moving me in here as a side character but i see myself attempting his trilogy. also, he really doesn’t have to do all that much to surpass whatever joke his cousin levi was. and that’s on that. i should probably stop now, because it isn’t healthy for me to ruminate like this 😅.
where do i even begin? i’ll avoid outright spoilers but some mild references ahead 🌚
levi has GOT to be the corniest mf on the planet. i’m sending the police to his door to lock his ass up for being annoying as all hell. if they can’t get the job done, i’m drop-kicking him off a cliff. immediately. was he supposed to be intimidating and charismatic? because he wasn’t. he was a literal clown with too-inflated an opinion of himself. he actually had me cackling on occasion because his reactions to things were downright nonsensical and melodramatic. some things he did made him seem like a cheap villian pulled straight of a cartoon (i’ve got that scare tactic where he grabs her incognito and leaves her with the ominous “stay away or pay” note on my mind LMAO). he really thought he ate with that. he’d see her laughing from across the way and think “i need to ruin that”. known her for all of 2 seconds at this point, mind you. on page 17, just having met her, he’s on some “i want to complicate her. ruin her. crush her innocence. then watch it all burn.” stuff. shut the hell up. don’t even get me started on that not wanting to pull out stunt. i’ve got many more examples of silly behavior but i’d be regurgitating the whole book at this point. what was his actual problem??? i’m not even judging him for being possessive and over the top because i love me a good dark romance with an unhinged hero and i’m looser with my morals when i’m in that genre - but he was just so LAME. nothing about him was intelligent, alluring or sinister. no aura whatsoever.
astrid…i have no words for her. only side-eyes and “girl, please”’s. dumbest heroine i’ve read in a minute, i can’t with her 😂. backbone, where? the only thing that could make me scrounge up a lil sympathy for her is knowing she has to deal with that fool for the rest of her life and goes on to have children with him. i don’t know if she chose him being of sound mind or if she got stockholmed into this, so i’ll try and give her the benefit of the doubt. barely. she’s a very unserious character though. her inner monologues were hell. “he’s the king” “he’s the devil” “oh for the love of vikings!” blah blah blah - zip it.
the plot was thin at best and nothing near suspenseful. was i supposed to take the climax near the end seriously? because i was hooting and hollering maniacally at the sheer ridiculousness of it all 🤣. the bully and dark vibes were so dull and weak. levi and astrid had the equivalent chemistry of me considering engaging with a peanut butter sandwich (i have an allergy). the pacing of their relationship also made no sense - the path from strangers to “enemies” to being together was so choppy and the overfamiliarity kicked in so fast, i was finished. when the i love you came, i felt like i was getting cold-clocked in the face with a dead fish. abrupt is an understatement. none of their actions ever seemed rational. the fact that they were younger and in high school was no excuse - i’ve read ya books with characters making more logical and age-appropriate decisions than these two.
also, the side characters in this were painfully boring and one-dimensional. the male friend contingent all shared one brain cell between them and only ever talked about *checks notes* “pussy and partying” and english football or whatever, most of the speaking female characters at this school were vapid mean girls who only ever hurled misogynistic slurs, the step-mother and step-sister villains were cliché caricatures, the adult men were your typical emotionally constipated rich dudes…just absolutely no one in here was remotely interesting or original. they were all flat.
the writing quality was shockingly bad as well. deadass. i’m sure wattpad is producing bangers more eloquent than this. i wasn’t expecting a masterpiece with the prose style, but i devoured the deception and monster trilogies in 2024 and i don’t remember the style being this terrible? plus, those stories were addictive. or was i more delulu back then? i’m doubting past me here 😀. when the word “viking” was repeated, idk, almost 10 times within the first two chapters as a descriptor, referencing the show, an exclamation, whatever else AND the cringe kept piling on, my left eyelid started twitching and didn’t stop until i was free of this mess. i’ve never hit that “return to KU” button so fast. there was also so much telling over showing anything. the asinine similes and metaphors were going crazy in this one too (also, gtfo with all that chess and court talk trying to make this seem clever because the mmc comes from an elite family with the last name “king” and the men were supposed to be calculating and all-powerful ruling over their subjects here. dpmo 😅). the general repetition of things so close together had me fighting for my life. how did this make it off the chopping block?
honestly, i should have dnfed after chapter 2, but i didn’t (my own fault) because:
a) i’m trying to get through the rina-verse this year (a lofty and maybe foolhardy endeavour, and ya know…this one has me re-thinking things); and
b) i was actually cracking up in a few spots because of how moronic these two were and how levi thought he was the best thing to happen to the world since modern medicine. an imbecile. some things were taking me OUT 😂. so i guess i got some kind of entertainment from this because it was so comical, i couldn’t NOT laugh. clutched my stomach a few times in what were supposed to be serious or sexy moments. levi’s antics were just - 🤣🤣🤣 stop it. all the smutty scenes had me wanting to bleach my eyes out. stat.
will i willingly subject myself to the next one? likelihood = high 🙈. i never learn my lesson and i heard aiden has a lil something? he wasn’t moving me in here as a side character but i see myself attempting his trilogy. also, he really doesn’t have to do all that much to surpass whatever joke his cousin levi was. and that’s on that. i should probably stop now, because it isn’t healthy for me to ruminate like this 😅.
August 12, 2026
This book was a great start to the series. I didn’t lose my mind over it but I enjoyed their compatibility and their backgrounds. I felt so sorry for both of them once again, but I’m glad that they made a really cute couple. Astrid and Levi are really, really cute together.
I love the found family trope. Remi is exactly like Ronan, this is so scary, I love it. I’m going for 3 stars, but I truly enjoyed the book. It was an easy and good start to the other books.
I love the found family trope. Remi is exactly like Ronan, this is so scary, I love it. I’m going for 3 stars, but I truly enjoyed the book. It was an easy and good start to the other books.
March 6, 2025
⋆⭒˚.⋆ ⠀⠀⠀[🐈⬛🗞️🗝️₊⊹] ★ . . . five stars .ᐟ
I don't think I've ever read so many twists and turns in one book!!
︶︶︶︶︶ ୭ৎ ︶︶︶︶︶
──── ౨ৎ… pre read
17/11/24. finally start this series too and I'm really curious to read it also because it's the first rina series I read.
I don't think I've ever read so many twists and turns in one book!!
❝ we are like two pieces of a puzzle, the two of us. it is impossible to have the complete picture without both of us.❞
︶︶︶︶︶ ୭ৎ ︶︶︶︶︶
──── ౨ৎ… pre read
17/11/24. finally start this series too and I'm really curious to read it also because it's the first rina series I read.
April 8, 2026
"We were never something to be over."
--------
Entering the Rinaverse is always a spiritual experience, but rereading Cruel King? That is a soul-cleansing ritual. This is my second time devouring Levi and Astrid’s story, and I am officially convinced that Rina Kent sold her soul to the devil to write bully romance this addictive. Even knowing every "holy sh*t" moment by heart, the plot twists still had me gasping like it was my first time. The pacing is elite, the tension is suffocating in the best way possible, and the atmosphere is so thick with Royal Elite angst that I’m basically moving into to London permanently.
Can we just take a moment of silence for Levi King? Gosh, the man you are. He is the ultimate blueprint for the "touch her and you die" trope, and I am not even ashamed to say I’d thank him for the privilege of being his target. The way Rina writes his brand of obsession is pure competence porn; it’s dark, it’s twisted, and it’s utterly magnetic. If finding a man to ruin my life and then confess his undying love is on the menu, I’m ordering the Levi King special with a side of "yes, sir." He is the king of my heart and my Kindle highlights.
The friendship between Daniel and Astrid remains one of my absolute favorite dynamics. In a world full of snakes and secrets, having a "ride or die" like Daniel is a total necessity. Their loyalty is the heartbeat of this book, and watching them navigate the chaos together makes the high-stakes drama feel so much more grounded. It’s the kind of platonic soulmate energy that every dark romance needs to balance out the toxicity of the elite world.
However, rereading this after finishing the rest of the series has totally shifted my perspective on Nicole Adler. Knowing her full story now, I’ve officially dropped the hater act. I actually felt a pang of guilt for Astrid and Daniel constantly jumping to conclusions about her. Seeing her through a "post-series" lens makes her actions in Cruel King hit so differently; she’s not the villain I thought she was, just another player in a very dangerous game. I’m letting the grudge go for now because, honestly, the Royal Elite drama is too top-tier to stay mad.
And of course, we have to talk about the DADDIEST of DADDIES: Jonathan King. Every single time he stepped onto the page, I was practically drooling. The sheer presence, the cold authority, the "I own this world" energy—it’s borderline criminal. Rina really knew what she was doing when she created the King patriarchs. Even when he’s being the most intimidating man in the room, I’m just sitting here with my 5-star rating and a very parched throat. He is the ultimate silver fox, and I will not be taking questions at this time.
Ultimately, Cruel King is a five-star masterpiece that never loses its shine. It’s sophisticated, gritty, and the perfect gateway drug into the rest of the Rinaverse. Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, the King family legacy is a chokehold you’ll never want to escape. If you haven’t read this yet, what are you even doing with your life? Go get ruined by Levi. You’ll thank me—and him—later.
-----------
--------
Entering the Rinaverse is always a spiritual experience, but rereading Cruel King? That is a soul-cleansing ritual. This is my second time devouring Levi and Astrid’s story, and I am officially convinced that Rina Kent sold her soul to the devil to write bully romance this addictive. Even knowing every "holy sh*t" moment by heart, the plot twists still had me gasping like it was my first time. The pacing is elite, the tension is suffocating in the best way possible, and the atmosphere is so thick with Royal Elite angst that I’m basically moving into to London permanently.
Can we just take a moment of silence for Levi King? Gosh, the man you are. He is the ultimate blueprint for the "touch her and you die" trope, and I am not even ashamed to say I’d thank him for the privilege of being his target. The way Rina writes his brand of obsession is pure competence porn; it’s dark, it’s twisted, and it’s utterly magnetic. If finding a man to ruin my life and then confess his undying love is on the menu, I’m ordering the Levi King special with a side of "yes, sir." He is the king of my heart and my Kindle highlights.
The friendship between Daniel and Astrid remains one of my absolute favorite dynamics. In a world full of snakes and secrets, having a "ride or die" like Daniel is a total necessity. Their loyalty is the heartbeat of this book, and watching them navigate the chaos together makes the high-stakes drama feel so much more grounded. It’s the kind of platonic soulmate energy that every dark romance needs to balance out the toxicity of the elite world.
However, rereading this after finishing the rest of the series has totally shifted my perspective on Nicole Adler. Knowing her full story now, I’ve officially dropped the hater act. I actually felt a pang of guilt for Astrid and Daniel constantly jumping to conclusions about her. Seeing her through a "post-series" lens makes her actions in Cruel King hit so differently; she’s not the villain I thought she was, just another player in a very dangerous game. I’m letting the grudge go for now because, honestly, the Royal Elite drama is too top-tier to stay mad.
And of course, we have to talk about the DADDIEST of DADDIES: Jonathan King. Every single time he stepped onto the page, I was practically drooling. The sheer presence, the cold authority, the "I own this world" energy—it’s borderline criminal. Rina really knew what she was doing when she created the King patriarchs. Even when he’s being the most intimidating man in the room, I’m just sitting here with my 5-star rating and a very parched throat. He is the ultimate silver fox, and I will not be taking questions at this time.
Ultimately, Cruel King is a five-star masterpiece that never loses its shine. It’s sophisticated, gritty, and the perfect gateway drug into the rest of the Rinaverse. Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, the King family legacy is a chokehold you’ll never want to escape. If you haven’t read this yet, what are you even doing with your life? Go get ruined by Levi. You’ll thank me—and him—later.
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June 10, 2024
“And I have to risk my future to see the end of it. For Astrid, it’s fucking worth it.”
I have never ever in my life read about a more bland character than Levi king, where was you personality, charm and wit?!? I hated him and that takes a lot of work lol but I thought Astrid our fmc would change my perception of this book but its hard to do that when you lack a backbone. Why were the characters here miserable enough to punch?? The romance was hard to like but the spice was kind of hot and that's honestly it. This book overall was just bland and boring with nothing to offer however, I do want to read Aiden's POV.
--->1/5
“If you’re a mistake, I’ll still make it every fucking time.”
I have never ever in my life read about a more bland character than Levi king, where was you personality, charm and wit?!? I hated him and that takes a lot of work lol but I thought Astrid our fmc would change my perception of this book but its hard to do that when you lack a backbone. Why were the characters here miserable enough to punch?? The romance was hard to like but the spice was kind of hot and that's honestly it. This book overall was just bland and boring with nothing to offer however, I do want to read Aiden's POV.
--->1/5
“If you’re a mistake, I’ll still make it every fucking time.”
February 11, 2025
Astrid Clifford is Royal Elite School's smallest fly. When accompanying her friend Dan to a lavish party at Royal Elite, Astrid finds herself in the King's restricted area. This leads to a whirlwind encounter with Levi King, the school's football captain. Astrid is now the next person to be hunted by Levi and left to die. Levi King is no fairy tale king. He has three rules: bow, break, and bend the knee. Levi thinks he can break Astrid, but the new princess will bring the king to his knees. Can Astrid fight Levi or will she be the one left chanting 'long live the king'?
The main plot of this book is simply amazing but what I adore the most is the little side plots. For example, when it came to understanding Astrid's dad Henry. There were a lot of love-hate moments with him but once it got towards the end of the book I knew I loved him. I hope there is a book for Henry and Jasmine because I know it would break my heart.
A sigh comes from my left. It's not annoyance, but more like resignation or something similar. He makes the same sound every time he comes to adjust my blanket at night. It's the only habit Dad has kept doing since I came to this house. Every night, he readjusts my blanket as if I'm a child and murmurs, "Night, Star." I've always pretended to be asleep, or maybe he only comes when he thinks I'm asleep. He's been doing that religiously, even during the nights when he's caught up late with work.
"Remember, Astrid. You're a Clifford and no one brings us down." I try to smile at him, but at the reminder of how I ran from school today, it comes out as a grimace.
"No one hurts my daughter and gets away with it. Tell me who do I have to destroy."
"No one, Dad."
"Are you sure?" I nod.
He takes my hand in his and clasps something around my wrist. "Happy Birthday, Star." Before I can say anything, he goes back to his car and disappears down the road. I took it down to find a dainty bracelet around my wrist. There's a sun, a moon, and a star, like a tattoo.
I swallow. "Is there something you want to talk about, Dad?" I winced. "Sorry, I mean Father."
"Dad is fine." His eyes soften. "I'm sorry I made you call me something you didn't relate to, Astrid."
"O-okay." I don't know why I feel more nervous. Dad is allowing me to call him Dad.
"Jasmine and I decided to reunite officially right before her accident." A sheen of sadness covers his gaze. "It remained as a dream, after all."
A sun. A moon. A star. The sun on Dad's arm is black. "Like mine." I show him my tattoo at the same place as his. However, in mine, the star is coloured black. And in Mum's tattoo, the moon is in black. I chuckle. "She got us matching tattoos."
"You took a life from me and I promise that I'll take yours in return," he speaks with pure contempt that causes my skin to crawl. "I'll make sure you rot in prison until the day you die."
The tension between Levi and Astrid was everything, there was not a dull moment.
"Shouldn't you be leaving?" I jerk my chin at him.
"Shouldn't you be more hospitable?" he shoots back with a slight tilt of his lips.
"I hate you, Levi. The mere sight of you makes me want to throw up. You already proved your point, and I'm done playing, so leave me the hell alone." I'm panting after my outburst, but I keep my chin held high.
"You're done, huh?"
"Yeah. It's not worth it anymore."
"Here's the thing, Princess. You might be done -" his lips inch impossibly close to my ear until hot breaths tickle along my skin "-but I'm not."
Watching Levi protect Astrid after he started off wanting to shut her up and destroy her was so entertaining. It has you kicking your feet and giggling.
On that evening months ago when Astrid looked at me with teary, wrenched eyes, searching for a soul I don't have, I didn't sleep. And in that sleepless night, I came up with a different tactic. If the problem is her memory, I'll take care of that instead of taking care of her.
"We should threaten to rape her," Chris mutters. "Then maybe the bitch will understand to back off this time."
One moment, Chris is talking, the next, I'm throwing him against the lockers with my arm against his fucking throat. He wheezes, face reddening as he struggles. I tighten my arm, cutting off his air supply.
"You won't get near her, touch her, or even fucking look at her." I snarl against his face as his eyes bulge. "When I say to drop it, you. Fucking. Drop. It."
I'm closing the zipper of my backpack when his hand snags around my wrist. His voice turns threatening as he speaks, "I said you'll like it. Don't pretend like you're hard to get. Everyone knows you're a little slut."
"That's enough!" I push at him and attempt to yank my wrist from his hold. "Let me go."
He doesn't. If anything, his grip tightens until my wrist hurts. One moment, I'm trying to free myself from Jerry's hold, the next, a large body slams into Jerry's bulk and pushes him straight to the concrete. I stare in stunned silence as Levi smashes Jerry to the ground. Although the rugby player is bigger, Levi doesn't show any signs of backing off.
Watching Astor's stand up for herself was amazing. This girl ain't no damsel in distress when it comes to some random guy or up against her new family.
"Isn't your father Judge Huntington?" I ask Jerry in my coolest voice.
"Good, you know about that." Jerry continues smirking and I gloat at the fact that I'm going to wipe it off. Once and for all.
"I suggest you go home and ask your daddy about the money he embezzled from the Crown Court. Because guess who has evidence? That would be my own daddy. Now, if I go home and tell him Judge Huntington's loser son harassed me, who do you think will pay?"
Levi was so obsessed with Astird which made me so obsessed with him.
"I don't like it." Levi's voice stops me in my tracks. I slowly turn around to face him.
"You don't like what?"
"When others touch you."
"Why did you have to make me visible?"
"I made you visible, huh?"
"You did! You screwed up everything."
"You were never supposed to be invisible, Princess," he whispers the words in that rough voice of his.
"Do you consider me a joke?"
"A joke," he repeats slowly, keeping his merciless hold on my wrists,
"Or am I a conquest? A war you need to win."
"A war is fucking child's play compared to you, Princess."
"Don't come cheering for others at my game," he growls the words against my throat.
"W-what?"
"Don't stand there calling another guy's name in my fucking presence."
I smile, incredulous. "Are you obsessed with me or something?"
"Call it an obsession or foolishness or fucking madness," he grunts, squeezing my throat. "But you keep your eyes on me."
"Do you believe in fate?" he asks.
I'm taken aback by his super out-of-character question. "Not really."
"Me neither, but I'm starting to."
My pulse quickens at the irresistible drop in his tone. "Why is that?"
He fists my hair in his grip so my head is angled up. "I would've found you no matter what, Princess. It was a matter of when, not if."
"Your tears. Your laughs. Your pain. Your joy. Everything you have to offer is mine to own."
Hell, when I don't sleep, I spend the entire night looking at the sketch I stole from her house and imagining her concentrated expression.
The amount of times that this book me laugh because of the sarcasm. It was unreal.
Levi: You can't run away from me, Princess. I'll catch you every time.
He sent another text yesterday morning. Six a.m. on a Sunday. Does he even sleep?
Levi: Let's go for a jog and train those legs to run better.
l ignored both texts.
"Are you blind?" He's still in that cool phase of his. "Can't you see the way he looks at you?"
"Like a sister, you mean."
He bursts out laughing, but it's completely humourless, "If he looks at you like a sister, then I look at you like you're a fucking nun."
One of my all-time favourite moments between Levi and Astrid. I did not expect to love them as much as I did considering everyone raves for some of the other men in this series.
"Does anyone else have something to say?" He grabs my wrist, and before I can protest, he pulls me to his side with his hand wrapped tightly around my waist. He places a long, possessive kiss on my forehead, then on my cheek and on my mouth.
"Astrid is under my protection. Mess with her and you'll have a personal problem with me. I'll bury you so fucking deep, you'll pray for death instead."
The main plot of this book is simply amazing but what I adore the most is the little side plots. For example, when it came to understanding Astrid's dad Henry. There were a lot of love-hate moments with him but once it got towards the end of the book I knew I loved him. I hope there is a book for Henry and Jasmine because I know it would break my heart.
A sigh comes from my left. It's not annoyance, but more like resignation or something similar. He makes the same sound every time he comes to adjust my blanket at night. It's the only habit Dad has kept doing since I came to this house. Every night, he readjusts my blanket as if I'm a child and murmurs, "Night, Star." I've always pretended to be asleep, or maybe he only comes when he thinks I'm asleep. He's been doing that religiously, even during the nights when he's caught up late with work.
"Remember, Astrid. You're a Clifford and no one brings us down." I try to smile at him, but at the reminder of how I ran from school today, it comes out as a grimace.
"No one hurts my daughter and gets away with it. Tell me who do I have to destroy."
"No one, Dad."
"Are you sure?" I nod.
He takes my hand in his and clasps something around my wrist. "Happy Birthday, Star." Before I can say anything, he goes back to his car and disappears down the road. I took it down to find a dainty bracelet around my wrist. There's a sun, a moon, and a star, like a tattoo.
I swallow. "Is there something you want to talk about, Dad?" I winced. "Sorry, I mean Father."
"Dad is fine." His eyes soften. "I'm sorry I made you call me something you didn't relate to, Astrid."
"O-okay." I don't know why I feel more nervous. Dad is allowing me to call him Dad.
"Jasmine and I decided to reunite officially right before her accident." A sheen of sadness covers his gaze. "It remained as a dream, after all."
A sun. A moon. A star. The sun on Dad's arm is black. "Like mine." I show him my tattoo at the same place as his. However, in mine, the star is coloured black. And in Mum's tattoo, the moon is in black. I chuckle. "She got us matching tattoos."
"You took a life from me and I promise that I'll take yours in return," he speaks with pure contempt that causes my skin to crawl. "I'll make sure you rot in prison until the day you die."
The tension between Levi and Astrid was everything, there was not a dull moment.
"Shouldn't you be leaving?" I jerk my chin at him.
"Shouldn't you be more hospitable?" he shoots back with a slight tilt of his lips.
"I hate you, Levi. The mere sight of you makes me want to throw up. You already proved your point, and I'm done playing, so leave me the hell alone." I'm panting after my outburst, but I keep my chin held high.
"You're done, huh?"
"Yeah. It's not worth it anymore."
"Here's the thing, Princess. You might be done -" his lips inch impossibly close to my ear until hot breaths tickle along my skin "-but I'm not."
Watching Levi protect Astrid after he started off wanting to shut her up and destroy her was so entertaining. It has you kicking your feet and giggling.
On that evening months ago when Astrid looked at me with teary, wrenched eyes, searching for a soul I don't have, I didn't sleep. And in that sleepless night, I came up with a different tactic. If the problem is her memory, I'll take care of that instead of taking care of her.
"We should threaten to rape her," Chris mutters. "Then maybe the bitch will understand to back off this time."
One moment, Chris is talking, the next, I'm throwing him against the lockers with my arm against his fucking throat. He wheezes, face reddening as he struggles. I tighten my arm, cutting off his air supply.
"You won't get near her, touch her, or even fucking look at her." I snarl against his face as his eyes bulge. "When I say to drop it, you. Fucking. Drop. It."
I'm closing the zipper of my backpack when his hand snags around my wrist. His voice turns threatening as he speaks, "I said you'll like it. Don't pretend like you're hard to get. Everyone knows you're a little slut."
"That's enough!" I push at him and attempt to yank my wrist from his hold. "Let me go."
He doesn't. If anything, his grip tightens until my wrist hurts. One moment, I'm trying to free myself from Jerry's hold, the next, a large body slams into Jerry's bulk and pushes him straight to the concrete. I stare in stunned silence as Levi smashes Jerry to the ground. Although the rugby player is bigger, Levi doesn't show any signs of backing off.
Watching Astor's stand up for herself was amazing. This girl ain't no damsel in distress when it comes to some random guy or up against her new family.
"Isn't your father Judge Huntington?" I ask Jerry in my coolest voice.
"Good, you know about that." Jerry continues smirking and I gloat at the fact that I'm going to wipe it off. Once and for all.
"I suggest you go home and ask your daddy about the money he embezzled from the Crown Court. Because guess who has evidence? That would be my own daddy. Now, if I go home and tell him Judge Huntington's loser son harassed me, who do you think will pay?"
Levi was so obsessed with Astird which made me so obsessed with him.
"I don't like it." Levi's voice stops me in my tracks. I slowly turn around to face him.
"You don't like what?"
"When others touch you."
"Why did you have to make me visible?"
"I made you visible, huh?"
"You did! You screwed up everything."
"You were never supposed to be invisible, Princess," he whispers the words in that rough voice of his.
"Do you consider me a joke?"
"A joke," he repeats slowly, keeping his merciless hold on my wrists,
"Or am I a conquest? A war you need to win."
"A war is fucking child's play compared to you, Princess."
"Don't come cheering for others at my game," he growls the words against my throat.
"W-what?"
"Don't stand there calling another guy's name in my fucking presence."
I smile, incredulous. "Are you obsessed with me or something?"
"Call it an obsession or foolishness or fucking madness," he grunts, squeezing my throat. "But you keep your eyes on me."
"Do you believe in fate?" he asks.
I'm taken aback by his super out-of-character question. "Not really."
"Me neither, but I'm starting to."
My pulse quickens at the irresistible drop in his tone. "Why is that?"
He fists my hair in his grip so my head is angled up. "I would've found you no matter what, Princess. It was a matter of when, not if."
"Your tears. Your laughs. Your pain. Your joy. Everything you have to offer is mine to own."
Hell, when I don't sleep, I spend the entire night looking at the sketch I stole from her house and imagining her concentrated expression.
The amount of times that this book me laugh because of the sarcasm. It was unreal.
Levi: You can't run away from me, Princess. I'll catch you every time.
He sent another text yesterday morning. Six a.m. on a Sunday. Does he even sleep?
Levi: Let's go for a jog and train those legs to run better.
l ignored both texts.
"Are you blind?" He's still in that cool phase of his. "Can't you see the way he looks at you?"
"Like a sister, you mean."
He bursts out laughing, but it's completely humourless, "If he looks at you like a sister, then I look at you like you're a fucking nun."
One of my all-time favourite moments between Levi and Astrid. I did not expect to love them as much as I did considering everyone raves for some of the other men in this series.
"Does anyone else have something to say?" He grabs my wrist, and before I can protest, he pulls me to his side with his hand wrapped tightly around my waist. He places a long, possessive kiss on my forehead, then on my cheek and on my mouth.
"Astrid is under my protection. Mess with her and you'll have a personal problem with me. I'll bury you so fucking deep, you'll pray for death instead."
June 15, 2020
God I love books with bully romance! And this is apparently a series with more Alpha bullies that are brought to their knees haha
I am definitely reading everything from this universe.
I am definitely reading everything from this universe.
January 11, 2023
dnf at 20%
“What do you want, Levi?”
“It’s King to you.”
“No, thanks. You have a name, so why does everyone call you by your last name?”
“You don’t ask the questions, Princess. You only answer mine, understood?”
go back to being an uncivilized Viking in the eleventh century you uncultured swine.
I also don't usually rate books I dnf at 20-30% but this book is an exception knowing that I would surely rate this one star if I continued this "amazing masterpiece"
They’re nicknamed the four horsemen because whenever they’re on the field, they bring conquest, war, famine, and eventually death.
help what mom come get me I’m scared 😦
Apparently the “four horsemen”pd dis u? books are next so that should be fun. I can also certainly tell from this quote that they're all "very scary Vikings with severe daddy issues" just like our friend here (bromance am I right😻)
I can't wait :D
“What do you want, Levi?”
“It’s King to you.”
“No, thanks. You have a name, so why does everyone call you by your last name?”
“You don’t ask the questions, Princess. You only answer mine, understood?”
go back to being an uncivilized Viking in the eleventh century you uncultured swine.
I also don't usually rate books I dnf at 20-30% but this book is an exception knowing that I would surely rate this one star if I continued this "amazing masterpiece"
They’re nicknamed the four horsemen because whenever they’re on the field, they bring conquest, war, famine, and eventually death.
help what mom come get me I’m scared 😦
Apparently the “four horsemen”
I can't wait :D
December 14, 2025
"But there are no maybes in my life. There are no time travel machines either. Truth is, we were over before we even started. And that hurts.”
I LOVED THIS. I LOVED THEM 🥹
My Bookstagram
I LOVED THIS. I LOVED THEM 🥹
My Bookstagram
July 9, 2026
hi, i started this last night and read about a 100 pages, im new to rina kent and im not sure if this is a good place to start. okay i finished this, i think it was a nice book but thats all it was, there is a plot but its soo wattpady but the good parts are really good so take what you will with that info...
April 20, 2026
why was this so ADDICTING ??!!!
was this the best form of literature ive ever read ? no. but best believe i was entertained and kicking my feet up every time levi king uttered the word “princess” 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
———
⋆｡𖦹⋆.ೃ࿔* pre read : i think it’s time i start my rinaverse journey (∩˃o˂∩)♡
was this the best form of literature ive ever read ? no. but best believe i was entertained and kicking my feet up every time levi king uttered the word “princess” 🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
———
⋆｡𖦹⋆.ೃ࿔* pre read : i think it’s time i start my rinaverse journey (∩˃o˂∩)♡
June 19, 2025
2.75 stars 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚
Not sure how to feel about this one.
RK’s writing is indisputably bingeable, I’ll give her that, and I will definitely be continuing with the series. I did also buy the chemistry between Levi and Astrid, and liked them together when they weren’t being stupid. The problem is they were stupid all. the. damn. time.
Their relationship was a chaotic mess. One minute they hate each other. Then they’re in love. Then he does something bad. Then she forgives him like it’s nothing. Then she hates him again. Then they’re back together. Then something else happens. Then she forgives him for the upteenth time. Astrid must have left her backbone behind in the crash(es) because she clearly doesn’t have one?!
There were also a couple tropes in this (including the bully trope) that just unfortunately aren’t my thing, and some plot decisions that irked me. REALLY irked me. I wouldn’t necessarily say I regret reading this as I am now set up for the rest of the series, but I wouldn’t jump to recommend the book to people who don’t want to be pissed off reading it.
Side note: Aiden’s DAD gets a book?!?! Interesting… interesting…🫣 I’m not sure which way to run?🏃♀️
───୨ৎ─── ───୨ৎ─── ───୨ৎ───
𝑷𝒓𝒆-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚
Finally starting the Rina Kent universe (no I don’t want to talk about the fact there are over 30 books). Wish me luck🫡
Not sure how to feel about this one.
RK’s writing is indisputably bingeable, I’ll give her that, and I will definitely be continuing with the series. I did also buy the chemistry between Levi and Astrid, and liked them together when they weren’t being stupid. The problem is they were stupid all. the. damn. time.
Their relationship was a chaotic mess. One minute they hate each other. Then they’re in love. Then he does something bad. Then she forgives him like it’s nothing. Then she hates him again. Then they’re back together. Then something else happens. Then she forgives him for the upteenth time. Astrid must have left her backbone behind in the crash(es) because she clearly doesn’t have one?!
There were also a couple tropes in this (including the bully trope) that just unfortunately aren’t my thing, and some plot decisions that irked me. REALLY irked me. I wouldn’t necessarily say I regret reading this as I am now set up for the rest of the series, but I wouldn’t jump to recommend the book to people who don’t want to be pissed off reading it.
Side note: Aiden’s DAD gets a book?!?! Interesting… interesting…🫣 I’m not sure which way to run?🏃♀️
───୨ৎ─── ───୨ৎ─── ───୨ৎ───
𝑷𝒓𝒆-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚
Finally starting the Rina Kent universe (no I don’t want to talk about the fact there are over 30 books). Wish me luck🫡
August 29, 2025
3 ⭐
This book is addictive as hell, but it's also a bit mediocre and, in my opinion, a bit poorly written 😬 (it literally skips scenes and jumps to scenes without any point). Still, you easily like the characters, and the plot, at least for me, kept me hooked.
I liked Astrid, although her sudden changes drove me a little crazy at times, and Levi was good; halfway through the book, I liked him much more.
I'm dying to read the Aiden trilogy. I hope I like it even more than this one (at least I know Rina's writing improves after reading the Monster trilogy). 😂😭
This book is addictive as hell, but it's also a bit mediocre and, in my opinion, a bit poorly written 😬 (it literally skips scenes and jumps to scenes without any point). Still, you easily like the characters, and the plot, at least for me, kept me hooked.
I liked Astrid, although her sudden changes drove me a little crazy at times, and Levi was good; halfway through the book, I liked him much more.
I'm dying to read the Aiden trilogy. I hope I like it even more than this one (at least I know Rina's writing improves after reading the Monster trilogy). 😂😭
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