Ruthless Game: a dark college hockey romance

by Jo Brenner

Genres: Dark Romance, Hockey Romance, Hockey, Sports, Found Family, Dark, Enemies To Lovers

377 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 11, 2026

Reviews

[Gabby]

I got 20% in and just couldn’t finish it, I’m sorry. I love the first two books in this series but I feel like Lawson was a different character in this one.

Also, I just wasn’t feeling this one.

[Jessie The Great]

David "Max" Lawson is not the kind and carefree goalie we were initially introduced to in Brutal Game. Not to say I expected him not to have no dark and dirty backstory, we obviously were burned by that in Isaac's story. Not to mention him losing his mind at a mere glance at the object of his obsession in Heartless Game. But I don't know that I expected him coming from a dysfunctional father and abandoned by his mother. He joined a billet family which allowed him the commendation to grow his game in a better environment than what his homelife allotted for.

Not to mention, it introduced him to his obsession, his starburst, his angel - Emma. Anyway, due to circumstances that play out in the past, these two have been separated for years, which after his glimpse of her has been messing with is game. Obviously, he uses his connections (Jack) to find blackmail, to get her back in his orbit, and thus the game began. Friends, check your triggers. Lawson, doesn't care about them and threw them to the wind when Emma comes into the picture. Both MCs have issues in their past when it comes to each other. And well, Lawson brings her to the edge over and over again to achieve his purpose.

In all other ways, Lawson is a good guy. He had compunctions about how his teammates treated their ladies - until he was in their shoes. Trackers? sounds like a plan. Blackmail to meet his purpose? Let's do it. Being brutal to the point of compliance? Sounds like a plan. He became a bit unhinged when Emma came into the picture - even when he is so mad at her. As always, a lie or miscommunication causes their lost in trust, but it is what it is. It brought them back to each other, no matter how badly she was treated by him. Honestly, she needed to run for the hills and say she didn't care about the blackmail... but that's not how it ever works.

Anyway, this book does what any of Jo's books do - it is dark, bully, and a bit trauma inducing - with a HEA. In the words of Ron Weasley, "You're gonna suffer, but you're gonna be happy about it". It all works out in the end, but we struggle to get there. There's a lot of childhood trauma that is worked through. I enjoyed it, it was very reminiscent of Isaac and Tovah's story - though I'll say, Lawson was a bit less brutal. He was bad, and I wouldn't want to be the object of his obsession, but he was not as trauma inducing as Isaac or even Jack. He didn't threaten the 5 finger intrusion. I appreciate that. I definitely enjoyed this story and I plan on continuing through this series. Asher seems to be setting us up for maybe a more traumatizing ride than we've already seen. I for one, cannot wait.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I received an ARC from the Author as a part of her Influencer/ARC team. My opinions are mine and mine alone.

[TheMillennialMoodReader]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Second Chance
Dark Hockey
Hurt/Comfort
Blackmail
He Fell First
Childhood Sweethearts to Enemies to Lovers
Bully Romance
College setting
Found family
PMOS rep
Nicknames
Betrayal
V!rgins
Perceived Cheating
Family drama
Dubcon
Bondage and Spanking
Edging and org@sm control
Praise & Degradation
(Check TW)

Book 3 in the Kings of Reina series is interconnected stand alone that focuses on MMC Max Lawson and his first and only love Emma.

Lawson comes off at first as the chill goalie who has been struggling to fix his game. After talking with the guys they’ve convinced him to sort his shit out. He’s convinced he has to get back the one person who he hasn’t been able to rid himself of… Emma.

Their love story is messy, dramatic and absolutely toxic and I was here for it. This is absolutely a bully romance. Their past relationship was sweet and innocent until one traitorous night… that led to them both being hurt.

Max is obsessed and unhinged and determined to make Emma suffer but it doesn’t take long for these old feelings to resurface. Emma is both sweet and sassy and is no longer a door mat. I love the PCOS/PMOS representation. And Max still having her “PMOS protocol” saved on his phone… swoon. That man was so down bad for her.

Max has his own past traumas that Emma helps him work through. Her becoming a swim instructor… confronting THOSE girls… yeah I loved her for that!

This book edged me as much as Max edged Emma and it was worth it in the end. Suspense, messy drama, hurt and healing and a second chance that was hard fought.

If you enjoy unhinged, obsessed MMCs with touch her and die vibes then Ruthless Game is for you!

Thank you to The Smuthood and Author Jo Brenner for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Kristina]

✨ARC Review✨

Jo Brenner really knows how to give me the perfect amount of angst, pain, trauma, obsession, and devotion while still making me want to shake everyone involved. 😂

“My white knight shit.”

A man after my own heart. 😍 You know bully romance is my weakness. I love a good bully, and Lawson is a MESS. This poor boy has been through it. The pain runs DEEP, and of course he has worked through approximately none of it … which really just makes him an excellent bully.

And Starburst … I genuinely cannot remember her real name anymore, so Starburst she shall remain. 🤷‍♀️ She’s somehow the perfect mix of soft, strong, pure, and a little dark. By the end of this I was so damn proud of her. That girl is a badass.

The miscommunication though?! MY GOD. The emotional whiplash these two put me through was ridiculous, and somehow I still couldn’t stop rooting for them.

Then at some point I realized … wait.

Am I being edged right now?!

Bravo, Ms. Brenner. 👏 Because I was right smack in the middle of it before I even realized what she was doing to me. 😂

I just wanted to give these two idiots a hug.

I did figure out the twist before the actual reveal, but honestly? Didn’t matter. It was still creepy and fucked up enough that I enjoyed every second of watching it unfold. The kind of twist that makes you sit there afterward thinking, “Well, that was deeply disturbing … and I loved it.”

Pain. Trauma. Bullying. Obsession. A little depravity. Emotional damage for everyone involved.

Basically, exactly my kind of mess.

So yes, I’m leaving this review emotionally compromised and already ready to be hurt by Jo Brenner again. ☺️

[Annie]

Thank you Jo Brenner, The Smuthood, and Luna Literary for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have been craving this book for months and oh my god it delivered. Absolutely depraved in the best way and a perfect follow up to Brutal Game and Heartless Game (and I’m glad those characters returned!).

What happened to both of them in the past was so awful and obviously they were torn apart for years with hatred and anger. But still YEARNING. when they were in the pub together in London… I couldn’t wait for how electric they were going to be. And holy f*ck I have to applaud Jo for her commitment to writing edging.

Emma was an incredible FMC. So fiercely loyal and strong. I loved how well she (and Max) recognized the strength she had developed during the years they were apart. That’s what made this work. Emma was never helpless unless she was choosing to be and she could flip the power right back to her when necessary. The proof scene? Incredible. Immaculate.

Max/Lawson was obviously, a bit messed up and irl should have a restraining order or go to prison. But this is dark romance and I was sat for his soul-deep need for Emma, even when he couldn’t admit that he still loved her or what had really happened to them in the past. He was written in such a way that it was clear he didn’t have the control that he thought he had and was dealing with trauma he couldn’t figure out how to process. And he just loved Emma with his entire body and soul.

It is extremely important to check the trigger warnings for this book.

[Sofia Silva]

Dark Romance written by Jo Brenner has an energy of its own and this series is proof of that.
The territorial MMCs are balanced with a sweetness you wouldn’t think possible and strong, opinionated FMCs.
The way Max (Lawson) looses his mind over Emma, going from revenge obsessed to the kind, attentive and protective man, attests to how much he loves her and can’t live without her.
Emma is also a multifaceted FMC. She is sweet, kind, but also fierce and tenacious.
They are the perfect pairing.
Jo Brenner always gives the reader a fascinating experience. She creates dark worlds full of angst, trauma and betrayal that somehow take a step back to undying love, devotion and protectiveness.
Ruthless Hame is spicy, hot and swoon worthy.
Thank you for the ARC.

[Cigi cini]

🏒 Dark Hockey Romance
💔 Second Chance Romance
🔥 Lovers to Enemies to Lovers
⚡ Mutual Betrayal
😈 Unhinged MMC
🖤 Obsessive Hero
🛡️ Possessive MMC
👀 Revenge Romance
🤫 Secrets and Lies
💥 Blackmail
🥀 Broken Hearts
🔥 Hate and Desire
💋 He Still Wants Her
🥹 Past Love
🧨 Toxic Chemistry
🤍 Found Family
🚨 Danger and Suspense
🛡️ Touch Her and Die
💪 Strong FMC
🌶️ Dark and Spicy
❤️ HEA

Star: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Ruthless Game was exactly the kind of messy, dark and completely addictive romance I have come to expect from this series, and David Lawson might just be the most emotionally complicated King of Reina yet.

David and his girl have history. Real history. They were once completely in love, until everything fell apart and both of them walked away believing the other was responsible. Now David is no longer the easygoing, blue-eyed hockey player she remembers. He is angry, bitter and determined to make her pay for what he thinks she did to him.

And he definitely has plans for his revenge.

The chemistry between these two was insane because underneath all that anger, resentment and hurt, you can still feel how much they love each other. Neither of them has truly moved on, no matter how much they try to pretend otherwise. David wants to hate her, punish her and get her out of his system, but every interaction just seems to pull him deeper.

I loved how much of their relationship was built around that constant push and pull. One minute David is cold, cruel and completely unhinged, and the next you get these little glimpses of the boy who once loved her more than anything. Those softer moments made everything hit so much harder because you could see that underneath all his anger, she is still his weakness.

She gives it straight back too. She knows she didn't betray him the way he believes she did, and I loved that she refuses to just roll over and accept his version of what happened. She fights him, challenges him and is determined to uncover the truth, even while she is falling straight back into everything she thought she had left behind.

And then there is the blackmail involving her brother, because apparently David Lawson doesn't understand the concept of doing anything halfway.

The deeper everything goes, the more you realise their breakup was built on secrets, misunderstandings and people interfering where they absolutely should not have been. Watching the truth slowly unravel gave the second chance element so much more emotion because this wasn't simply about forgiving each other. It was about figuring out whether there was anything left worth saving after all the damage they had done.

Of course, this is still Jo Brenner, so David doesn't suddenly become sweet and emotionally well adjusted. He is possessive, obsessive, morally questionable, and increasingly unhinged when someone threatens her. Once that protective side fully comes out, there is absolutely no question how far he is willing to go to keep her safe.

I also really loved seeing the found family element and getting more of the Reina University world. After Brutal Game and Heartless Game, this felt like another natural addition to the series, but David's history with his FMC gives it a different emotional edge. Jack and Isaac's stories leaned heavily into obsession and power games, while David already knows what it feels like to love her and lose her, which makes his obsession feel even more personal.

Dark, emotional, filthy, chaotic and packed with that obsessive Jo Brenner energy I love. If you like your hockey players completely unhinged, your second chances full of anger and unresolved feelings, and your heroes willing to burn everything down for their girl, Ruthless Game absolutely delivers.

[Joanna Marzetti]

ARC REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Jo Brenner continues to prove that dark hockey romance is absolutely her lane. Her books are spicy, they’re deep, they’re completely unhinged, and Ruthless Game was another one I really enjoyed.

First, we need to discuss David Max Lawson. And yes, I’m using all three names because he hates being called David, only ONE person gets to call him Max, and to everyone else he’s simply Lawson.

Lawson first meets Emma when he comes to live with her family as a teenager to play hockey. Their relationship starts incredibly sweet, and they fall hard for each other. Then, right when they’re about to take the next step in their relationship, Lawson receives a video that convinces him Emma cheated on him. Their relationship implodes, Emma eventually goes to Oxford, and they spend the next three years miserable, apart, and very much NOT moving on.

If you’ve read the previous books, you already know Lawson has never gotten over this girl. He thinks he sees her everywhere. His hockey suffers. This man is supposed to be an elite goalie with an NHL contract waiting for him, and even his coach and best friend basically reach the point of: DUDE. Go get the girl.

So he does.

Does “getting the girl” involve some blackmail? Yes. Questionable confinement? Perhaps. A whole lot of dark-romance behavior that would be deeply concerning outside the pages of this book? Obviously. 😂

Lawson is completely unhinged. Goalies are already the resident psychos of hockey romance, but give one the Jo Brenner dark-romance treatment and apparently all remaining sanity leaves the building.

And Emma gives it right back to him. I loved her. She’s curvy, feisty, sexual, and confident, and something I continually appreciate about Brenner’s FMCs is that their bodies aren’t treated as their defining characteristic. Emma embraces exactly who she is.

These two are also just deeply, deeply hurt. Neither really moved on after their breakup, and underneath all of Lawson’s anger and need to punish Emma is someone who is still completely obsessed with the girl he fell in love with as a teenager.

BUT.

The miscommunication nearly took me OUT.

There were so many moments where I wanted to lock these two in a room and say, “Nobody leaves until we actually explain what happened three years ago.” The misunderstanding lasts for SO much of the book that it eventually became frustrating, and that’s ultimately what kept this at four stars for me.

Thankfully, there is enough spice to sustain a small nation. Five peppers. ALL THE PEPPERS. Jo Brenner apparently does not believe in moderation, and I support her artistic vision. 😂

I also loved getting the continuing found-family element with Aviva, Tovah, Jack and Isaac. Apparently graduation means nothing to these people because Jack and Isaac are STILL HERE, and frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

And that setup for Asher and Maya? Consider me seated for the next book.

Dark, obsessive, spicy, emotional and gloriously chaotic. Another win in the Kings of Reina University series.

Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie Murphy]

Ruthless Games is the third book in the Kings of Reina series and this book follows Emma and Lawson (or Max as Emma would call him).

Emma was adopted by the Schwartz and when Lawson was sixteen in by the Schwartz family when he got accepted into Gehenom’s high school hockey program which also meant he got away from his horrible father. From the moment he met Emma he knew he would fall hard. While everyone called him Lawson she was the only person that he wanted to address him by his middle name Max. While the pair were happy exploring their relationship their happiness was only temporary as when a shocking video was released it destroyed them both and the pair went their separate ways. Emma went to Oxford while Lawson when to Reina University and now all that was left between them was betrayal.

Of course this impacted Lawsons hockey in which he wasn’t playing as well as he should of been and he deemed the only solution was to get her out of his system, which of course leads to Lawson holding a vital piece of information over her head so she would come home. That being her foster brother Jeffery was taking performance enhancers to boost his hockey career and Lawson would disclose this to the public. With no choice Emma comes back to Reina but to her parents it would look like the pair reconnected.

While initially Lawson thought it would be a temporary solution to his problems he realised there was no getting over Emma, but the one thing these two couldn’t get past was the betrayal. Despite being separated these two understood there was no other person for them and the pair remained loyal to each other, but of course neither of them knew until later in the book. Emma was the calm to Lawson’s storm and it was very clear he never stopped caring for her as she did with him. Lawson knew that Emma suffered from PMOS and even had his checklist engrained in his memory how he would take care of her during a flare up.

These two really go through it in this book and have a lot of bad blood to work through and my heart broke for the pair, it was evident the spark never faded between these two and this only caused the heartbreak of what could have been but they could only focus on the here and now. I loved that Emma had a support system with Maya and she also became good friends with Tovah and Aviva. The hockey guys such as Jack, Isaac and especially Asher definitely give Lawson the nudge he needed to step up and do right by the woman he loves.

Please do check your TWs as there is elements of bullying and manipulation seen throughout the book.

Thank you to the author who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭

[Bells]

𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴, 𝘑𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.

Lawson, the hockey goalie, has been in love with Emma since the beginning. They dated during their school days, but broke up because he didn’t trust her, and years later he still harbors all that resentment. When his hockey career starts going down the drain, what does he do to fix things? Blackmail and bully Emma into coming back to his college, except he does a piss-poor job at both!! Emma is a gorgeous, plus-sized woman who works as a swim instructor, and once he drags her back into his orbit, all that unresolved history comes rushing back. They’re both virgins, which I absolutely hate in dark romance because when something goes wrong, you never know if it’s actually dangerous or if neither of them has any clue what they’re doing. And I SAW a lot of that here. I genuinely don’t think Lawson did his research beforehand.

Emma should have made this man GROVEL because he’s the one who cheated on her and broke her heart , yet somehow he spends most of the book saying one thing and doing the complete opposite. I still can’t believe he blindly believed some fabricated video over his own girlfriend!! 🤬 They seriously needed to sit down and have an adult conversation because how can you expect someone to love you when you broke her heart twice?! They literally hook up at around 75%, and once again Lawson doesn’t take her condition into consideration and just goes with it without doing any research. With both of them being inexperienced, that felt downright dangerous in some moments. There’s also a LOT of edge play, but the sex scenes were pretty meh, and most of Lawson’s dirty talk had me cringing. They also felt like they were in love with the idea of each other rather than who they are in the present, so I really struggled to call this a second-chance romance. This was more of a dark-ish romance for me.

My three ⭐️s were for Asher calling him out, and for Lawson taking care of Emma during her PMOS flare-up. The villain was pretty predictable from the beginning, and I love Isaac in this series, but Lawson was a BIG no for me. Overall, this just didn't work for me, especially with how Lawson handled their past and Emma's condition.

If you like hockey goalie x swim instructor, plus-sized FMC, lots of edge play, Virgin MCs, and PMOS rep, you might like this more than I did.

[Rondi]

Max and Emma … although, by the way, only Emma can call him Max, so for the sake of this review, he will be known as Lawson.

This book was INCREDIBLE.

Honestly, the way Joe writes bully romance is just absolutely unmatched. One thing about her MMCs is that they absolutely LOVE their FMCs, even when they’re treating them like absolute crap. It’s very much giving, “I can be mean to her, but YOU cannot. Because if you’re mean to her, I’m going to have to pull out every stop to make sure you never see daylight again.”

I love that we open this book with everyone on the team giving Lawson crap because he is NOT playing well. And the reason he’s not playing well? Last year, he saw Emma on campus, and unfortunately for him, seeing her again completely messed with his head.

Because do you know who Lawson’s first love is?

If you didn’t understand it … IT’S EMMA.

Emma and Lawson were together during some incredibly difficult parts of their lives. They knew each other when they were younger, went through so many of their firsts together, and there is SO much history between them. But Lawson has a whole lot of resentment toward Emma because he believes she betrayed him.

So naturally, his brilliant solution (ONE SOLUTION) is to get back at her by humiliating her at swim practice because she’s a coach.

And why is Emma a swimming coach?

Because there was a time in Lawson’s life when he didn’t know how to swim. He still doesn’t. Emma is still teaching him. And because of that, she takes pool safety VERY seriously.

Which brings me to one of my favorite parts of this book …

The absolute GOD that Lawson is for being able to keep it together while constantly edging Emma within an inch of her life. Sir. The self-control.

I also really love that Joe incorporates real-life issues into her books. If you’ve read the previous books, you already know that the girls deal with things that feel incredibly real, and Emma is no exception. She has PMOS, and if you remember from the last book, Max is who Isaac calls for period help.

As always, Jo delivered another FIVE-STAR read for me.

This was fantastic, and I cannot wait for the next book. I’m not even going to lie to you guys - when you get to the last part of this book, you are DEFINITELY going to want the next one immediately.

Jo … respectfully, I need it. NOW. But I’m patient.

[Sara]

REVIEW OF ADVANCE READER COPY FROM AUTHOR

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5

Okay, this book was absolute CHAOS. 🖤
I came into Ruthless Game expecting a standard dark college hockey romance, but Max and Emma’s dynamic was so much more intense and tangled than I anticipated.

Max's level of obsession is off the charts. They had a history together years ago before everything blew up, and instead of having a rational conversation about the past, he decides revenge is the answer. He literally uses secrets involving her brother to blackmail her into coming back, which sets off a whole chain of complicated, high stakes drama.

Honestly, Emma stole the show for me. She’s not the timid girl Max used to know, she’s grown a backbone, knows how to hold her ground, and refuses to just sit back and be controlled by him. Seeing her fight back every time he tried to treat her like her past self was so satisfying to read.

As for Max… this guy desperately needed therapy, not a scheme. He’s possessive, toxic, furiously jealous, and convinced she betrayed him. But under all that anger, it’s painfully obvious how consumed he still is by her. Watching him slowly forced to confront the truth of what actually went down between them was one of the best parts of the book.

I really loved the second chance element and how deep their history went. It wasn't just instant physical chemistry; there was real pain, years of resentment, and heavy emotional baggage to untangle, which made their shift toward each other feel earned.

The hockey subplot hit the right notes too, especially seeing how his messy personal life directly impacted his focus on the ice. Add in the family secrets and constant tension, and it kept the pages turning.

It wasn't totally perfect, there were definitely moments where the characters made decisions that had me shaking my head in frustration. 😅 But despite that, I was completely hooked on their story from start to finish.

If you’re into dark college hockey books, obsessive MMCs, second-chance drama, revenge schemes, and high-angst relationships, definitely add this one to your TBR! 🖤

[Justine]

ARC Review

Genre: Dark Hockey Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
POV: Dual
Burn: Medium

Tropes: Bully, Second Chance, Virgin Couple, Dub Con/Non Con, Hurt/Comfort, Obsessive MMC.

Please make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading this book as it contains dark themes and situations.

This is book 3 in the Kings Of Reina University series. These are interconnected stand-alone books and do not need to be read in order.

Jo Brenner is an automatic must-read author for me. The Queen just can’t be stopped! Once again, she has sucked me into the Reina U world and held me captive from beginning to end.

David Max Lawson has captured my interest since Book 1, Brutal Game, and I couldn’t wait to dive into his story.

Lawson, our MMC, is the Reina U goalie and has been a bit of a mystery throughout the previous books. On the outside, he’s a good man, but on the inside, he’s carrying secrets and ghosts that have been torturing him. Now, he’s ready to get revenge on the girl who broke his heart.

Emma Schwartz, our FMC, is sweet, bold, and deeply loyal. She’s determined to protect her family at any cost.

This book delivers the bully romance trope that I absolutely go wild for! The chemistry between these two is explosive. Their dynamic is filled with all the glorious tension, control, and obsession, while still giving us those moments of vulnerability and tenderness that make you fall for them even harder.

Even through all the trauma and pain, this is ultimately a story about second chances, forgiveness, and finding happiness with the person you love when you thought you had lost it for good.

If you love a dark hockey romance filled with heartache and healing, a story that pushes boundaries and delivers the heat, then Ruthless Game needs to be next on your TBR!

Thank you to Jo and her team for the e-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jennifer Maxwell]

This was 5⭐ of perfection for me!


I will post some of the trigger warnings that may be spoilers at the end of this review.


I could explain everything I loved about this one, but I don't want to give too much away. I adored both Max (Lawson) and Emma together. I was glad to have some chapters as flashbacks to explain what broke them apart, and honestly also broke them a little individually. Emma was adopted while Max had a bad childhood. Was Max a jackass? Absolutely. But one thing he hadn't counted on was Emma finally having a backbone, refusing to be a doormat, and standing up for herself. She was a little badass, especially at the end of the book. Loved them both! We also get a little glimpse of Asher and Maya, and I can't wait to read theirs now! I've read everything Jo Brenner has written so far, and I can't even pick a favorite because they are all just so amazing. 


Thank you so much to The Smuthood and Jo Brenner for this ARC. 


Tropes/what to expect:


•Dark hockey

•Second chance

•Bully

•Hurt/comfort

•Hockey goalie/Student swim instructor

•Touch her and die

•Touch him and die

•Who hurt you? (But she asks it)

•Obsessive, possessive, unhinged MMC

•Strong, loyal, loving FMC with a spine of steel

•They’re both virgins

•Agony wank

•Yearning

•(presumed) cheating)

•“I never had eyes for anyone but you”

•I can fix him

•Dubcon/Noncon

•Edging (sooooo much edging)

•Grovel

•Hard won HEA




Trigger Warnings:


•Bullying

•Dubcon and noncon

•Graphic Violence

•Death

•Drowning

•Alcoholic, abusive parent (off page)

•Child abandonment (off page)

•Sexual assault of MMC (not by FMC)

•Presumed cheating between FMC and MMC

•Slutshaming of FMC (by MMC)

•Revenge sex video 

•Mention of police

•Incel (not MMC)

•Incestuous behavior (not from MMC or FMC)

•Drugging of FMC

•attempted murder

•PCOS/PMOS-related fertility issues

[mia ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚]

thank you to smuthood and the author for this ARC! ✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

unfortunately, i DNFed at 40% and was lost earlier than that.

this story starts off strong. we have him obsessed with her, virgin MCs, i like, i like, but eventually it started to go downhill. for one, the writing doesn't leave much to be desired. it's plain, boring, and maybe because ive really seen how far authors go to create metaphors for characteristics, but saying how beautiful his eyes were and how blonde and amazing her hair was is, frankly, boring.

also this is a miscommunication trope 😒😒 I hate those. i don't think that was listed in the blurb--are they ever--but i dont think i would've picked this up if that were the case. the reason they broke up is over a miscommunication so all the drama that is the entirety of the book is for nothing . additionally, the reason why he goes and finds her again is because he just wants to have sex and get over her. literally that. how romantic!!! and he doesn't even want her, he just blackmails her because of her brother doing some shady things and she just comes back with him. i'm sorry, but that is so unrealistic :( she's been at oxford for many years? and she just leaves so her brother's scandal doesn't come out? no no. i don't like that...

they go back and forth of hating each other while he is SO mean to her while still wanting her so so bad...this can work, but it didn't here. lawson is so unlikable and starburst is a doormat. this didn't really gel with me, but i know how much work goes into writing a book so regardless i appreciate the ARC and the time.

[Reading Romance with Kate]

✨ARC Review✨
“Ruthless Game” by Jo Brenner
Rating: 4.75⭐️
Spice: 4.5🌶️

Bully romances always make me cry, so I tend to avoid them. However, I love Jo Brenner’s books and love this series, so Ruthless Game was a must-read. While I did cry, I also finished this book in one night. Lawson and Emma (only Emma can call him Max) are such a beautifully complicated couple. Their past and present were truly heartbreaking to experience, but all the pain and cruel words and actions slowly began to heal once they both (especially Lawson) realized how wrong they were and how much they hurt each other. I really appreciated how Jo really made Lawson work and grovel for Emma’s forgiveness. I’ve read other bully romances where the MMC’s actions and words just kind of flip like a switch and suddenly he’s not so mean anymore, but Lawson goes through a gradual process of realizing how he doesn’t in fact enjoy hurting the woman he loves for revenge, and decides to change himself.

Ultimately, I really loved how Ruthless Game ended and that Lawson and Emma finally got their happy ending. I can’t wait to read Asher and Maya’s story!

P.S. Jeffrey, I’m glad you got what you deserved.

Thank you to Jo Brenner and The Smuthood for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Why you’ll love it:
💜 Dark hockey romance
🏒 Bully
💜 Second chance
🏒 Obsessive, possessive, unhinged MMC
💜 Strong, loyal, loving FMC with a spine of steel
🏒 They’re both virgins
💜 Yearning
🏒 Edging (soooo much edging)
💜 “I never had eyes for anyone but you”
🏒 Hard won HEA

[MN Book Lady]

Lawson was just as obsessed as his former teammates!

As his focus was off, Lawson was told to figure it out before the hockey season really began, and the only option he saw was to bring Emma home and get her out of his system. Which in his mind meant edging her for a while before he finally slept with her. Only, the feelings from high school are still there, as are the feelings of betrayal that broke them to begin with. Now they need to work through all this in order to either be together or move on. But someone doesn’t want them to be together and makes it so much harder to work through things. So what happens when Emma was telling the truth all along that Lawson, or Max to her, never believed?

Lawson and Emma get their happy ending in this standalone book in a series.

There are some heavy topics covered in this book; please heed the triggers before diving in.

These two were so stubborn, and it’s amazing they even worked as a couple! But when they actually talked and were honest and believed one another, I could see it. I do have to wonder if Reina U only accepts the truly depraved onto their hockey team, as all these men seem to enjoy kidnapping their women and none of the teammates seem to have a problem with it. Though I do suppose the women are coming back happy and wanting the relationship, so the dub-con to begin with may be overlooked. Though in real life, it's definitely not okay to do these things.

I received an advance review copy from The Smuthood Promo, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marielena “Marlee”]

⭐️ARC Review⭐️


Okay… JO. 👏🏻 BREN. 👏🏻 NER. 👏🏻
Ma’am. WHAT are you doing to me with these men?! 😂
I thought Jack and Isaac had already reached the maximum level of possessive, unhinged, morally questionable fictional man… and then MAX showed up like, “Hold my beer.” 😳
MAX. 👏🏻
Sir.
Respectfully… WHAT. THE. HELL. 😂
This man is absolutely unhinged and somehow I was sitting here thinking, “Yep. This is exactly what the book gods ordered.” Not sure what that says about me, and frankly, I don’t want to know.
This book really said WHY PICK ONE TROPE WHEN WE CAN THROW THE WHOLE DAMN MENU AT YOU?!
🖤 Bully
🖤 Second chance
🖤 Possessive AF
🖤 “Touch her and die”
🖤 “Touch HIM and die” — AND YESSSSS GIRL, DEFEND YOUR MAN! 👏🏻😂
🖤 Obsession
🖤 virgin MMCs
🖤 And enough edging to have me staring at the page like 👁️👄👁️
Basically, Jo said, “How much can I possibly put this reader through?”
Apparently, the answer is: MORE. 😂

⚠️ PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS before diving into this one. This is definitely a dark romance, and it goes there.
But if dark, messy, possessive, completely unhinged romance is your thing…
BABY. YOU’RE HOME. 😂🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
10/10 recommend.
And now I’m over here impatiently waiting for Asher & Maya’s book because apparently I have learned absolutely nothing and I am READY. 😂
Jo, you have me hooked. See you when I inevitably need emotional support after the next book. 🫠📚

[readsbygiftx]

Emma is such a badass character, and for me, I think she is so relatable. She’s also incredibly caring and shows so much love to the people she cares about. Toward the end of the book, I was so proud of how badass she was! She really showed her violent side when it came to protecting the love of her life, and I was here for it!

Lawson might seem unreasonable at times with the way he treats Emma, but he’s constantly fighting this internal battle because he knows how much he cares for and deeply loves her. He never stopped loving her, and all he wants is Emma. He wants to keep her, even if the only way he thinks he can keep her by his side is by blackmailing her. I gotta say though, if you read the first two books of the series, the sudden changed from his kind nature to this blackmailing mmc is a huge plot twist for me.

Together? You get to see through their past just how innocent and cute their relationship once was. They took their time, enjoyed each other’s company, and deeply loved one another. After reuniting a few years after their breakup, the sparks, attraction, and love are obviously still there. But that once innocent love has turned into this burning, intense passion that neither of them can stop. Their chemistry was off the charts!

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and Jo Brenner continues to give us OTT possessive hockey players who are obsessed with their curvy women.

[Tifftatum40]

Book: 4.25⭐️
I have loved every book in this series so I already knew what I was getting into. And I was so here for it. If you were scared this one is going to be as dark as the first two, you will be surprised. Yes, Lawson/Max does blackmail Emma to coming back to the states with him. If she didn't then he would release some information about someone she loved.

Lawson did his best to be the same degree of crazy as Jack or Isaac but he just wasn't. And we love him for that. The years of yearning these two did for each other would drive anyone crazy. The miscommunication trope is in this one so be prepared but understand they were 17 & 18yrs old so it was believable. Especially with the trauma they both carry. That does not mean I didn't want to shake them and say "get your sh!T together.

I think my favorite phrase is: "involuntarily relocate" instead of k!dnapp!ng. 🤣

The stand out member of the team in this one was Asher. He has grown so much and is the only one that could talk some sense into Lawson. I cannot wait to see him aboard the crazy train with Jack, Isaac, and Lawson.

What to expect:
❤️‍🩹 Years of Yearning
🏒 Dual Virgins
❤️‍🩹 Second chance
🏒 Lovers to Enemies to Lovers
❤️‍🩹 Bully Romance
🏒 Hockey goalie x Student swim instructor
❤️‍🩹 Who hurt you? (But she asked it)
🏒 Suspense-ish
❤️‍🩹 Darkish
🏒 Miscommunication
❤️‍🩹 PCOS Rep

Please check trigger warnings.

Thank you Jo Brenner and The Smuthood for the early copy. Above are my own thoughts.

[Lizzie]

Ruthless Game was one BIG emotional roller coaster. Emma and Lawson had me going from “I love you” to “I hate you” and back again so many times I practically needed a seatbelt. 😂

This had all the dark hockey romance goodness I was looking for: second chance, bully romance, an obsessive and possessive/unhinged hockey goalie, a strong FMC with a spine of steel, and ALL the touch-her-and-die/touch-him-and-die energy. I loved how loyal and loving Emma was while still standing her ground, and Lawson’s “I never had eyes for anyone but you” energy had me swooning.

The hurt/comfort and “who hurt you?” moments hit hard, especially with Emma being the one asking. The yearning between these two was SO intense, and being mutual virgins somehow made the tension even more delicious. And the edging… soooo much edging. 🥵

There was plenty of angst, groveling, and emotional damage before these two finally earned their hard-won HEA. I will say, the constant back-and-forth between “I love you” and “I hate you” occasionally had me wanting to shake them both, but it definitely kept me invested.

Overall, a dark, angsty, emotional hockey romance with obsession, yearning, protective vibes, and a HEA that felt very hard-earned. 🖤🏒

⭐️: 4/5
🌶️: 4/5

Thank you to The Smuthood for an advanced copy! All opinions are honest and my own.

[Lizzie B]

Thank you Jo Brenner, Luna Literary and Smuthood Promotional Services for giving me the chance to ARC read this amazing addition to the Kings of Reina University series. It is worth noting that this is a dark romance, with dark themes, and anyone considering reading it should definitely read the trigger warnings. That being said, it was such an enjoyable read. I absolutely inhaled it!!! The way the characters backstories are revealed through the use of flashbacks makes this such an immersive read in the best way, and while it is definitely a dark love story, the way they both pine for each other makes it difficult not to root for them from the get go. While Lawson is not my favourite MMC, and I personally feel like his negative role in book one could have been addressed slightly more, I understand why the book focused more on his romance with Emma. Plus his friendship with Asher and backstory definitely gave him a redemption arc and made him a much more sympathetic character than I would have thought possible. Overall, this is a great addition to the series, which already has me excited for Asher and Maya’s story, and one which is a must read for any second chance, dark romance fan. 5⭐️

Tropes
- Dark romance
- Bully romance
- He’s obsessed
- Enemies to lovers
- Second chance
- Kidnapping
- Forced proximity
- Non-con
- Curvy fmc

Spice level- 4/5🌶️

[Andrea]

Uh, what in the actual hell did I just read?! I was utterly memorized and transfixed in another Jo Brenner story!! Ruthless Game was devoured in 2 days! Two freaking days because how insanely wrapped up I became with Lawson (Max) and Emma (Starburst).

I was blown away by the fact I loathed Max within the first few pages! I was ready to find a way into the pages to claw his face off! I wasn’t sure I’d be able to function reading this one. The emotions Brenner tapped into and brought forth from these characters was astonishing. And all this came from reading the first 80 pages.

The way my heart broke over and over for Max and Starburst was almost cruel, but they became an addiction I didn’t want to quit!

Emma’s determination to stand her ground against Max was a beautiful contrast against Max’s anger/heartbreak. While I found myself loathing him, she pulled me back into their relationship. I think had she been a weaker character I wouldn’t have found them quite as charming.

And his teammates… who doesn’t love a team full of rowdy hockey players?

Ruthless Game is definitely a must read!! I’m serious about Brenner’s work. She weaves together seductive characters that leave you gripping your book right up to that very end!

[Christine]

David Max Lawson is such a complex character with deep wounds and secrets that torture him. Lawson and Emma have such a complicated history full of pain and anger and it was so heartbreaking to read their story. Lawson blames Emma for a lot of that pain and we see that through his cruel words and actions towards her. I really enjoyed how Lawson has an internal battle with himself between getting revenge and realizing that he is still so head over heels in love. His cruelness isn’t something that changed overnight and I appreciated the journey of watching him grow and realize how much he doesn’t like hurting the woman that he loves. Lawson really had to grovel and grovel HARD.

The way Lawson talks to Emma and gaslights her the majority of the plot can be triggering for a lot of people so understandably, this book may not be for everyone. This book pushes boundaries and truly delivers on the bully romance, giving us explosive chemistry and obsession while also providing us with vulnerability and tenderness. Lawson and Emma embody a story of second chance and finding a HEA after some heartache and healing.

[Nikki Skelly-Gialleonardo]

I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced reader copy of this book. Thank you to the author and the SMUTHOOD for the opportunity to read this book and to give my honest review. This was my first time reading Jo Brenner and it is book three in the Kings and Queens of Reina U series. I am immediately going to read books 1 and 2. The characters do crossover and you do figure out who the couples are in the first two books but no significant spoilers on the particulars of their stories. Having said that, I have no doubt it would be worth starting at the beginning of this series! This is a dark hockey, second chance romance. Make sure you read the trigger warnings. I loved Emma and Max’s (Lawson’s) story. It was heartbreaking, hopeful, sexy, and the edging…oh, the edging, I felt it and still don’t know how the FMC coped initially. The author did a great job with the PCOS/PMOS representation in the book and all that goes alongside living with the condition. It was easy to dislike the “villain” and to recognize the creep factor. I will definitely be recommending this book!

[Brittany (happy.ending.always)]

Hate to love is my new obsession. Add in they have known each other forever and I’m a goner!

Lovers to Enemies to Lovers is absolutely amazing!!! This with all the dark hockey = fantastic.

This book had soooo much miscommunication but it made the story. Hear me out. Miscommunication is the pits. You end up yelling at your book aren’t I right. Well not this one. The miscommunication had me on the edge of my seat. I didn’t know who to believe, what I knew and who was good and who was bad. And I loved all of it.

This book has everything. Hockey, revenge, facing your fears and a lot of hotness. The edging was EVERYTHING! I don’t know how Emma took it all. It was so hot to read.

Emma was a sweet fmc, wanting to please everyone. And yet she was tough and so protective of Max. Max was an amazing character. He was flawed and yet I rooted hard for him. He

Jo Brenner is the Queen of dark and twisty. This story had me on the edge of my seat so badly.

🏒Dark Hockey Romance
❤️Second Chance
💥So Much Edging
💀Touch Her & Die
🥰Lovers to Enemies to Lovers
🩷Found Family

[Krysten MA]

Wow. This story was a journey. While I highly recommend the other two books in this series because they are equally fantastic, you can read this by itself without feeling lost. What I thought was one of my favorite troupes, childhood lovers to enemies with benefits, it was SO MUCH more. It’s defiantly on the darker side and I implore you to check the warnings because Lawson is not a good guy for a while. He’s not a villain but he does some questionable things. However, it comes from a deeply emotional place while Emma has an entire complex story on her own. Their love story is complicated and layered. It’s deeply flawed but incredibly beautiful. My heart was breaking for them consistently and you need to be prepared for that. Just when I actually thought it may not ever resolve, it does. It’s a brutal fight back to where they understand and trust one another but wow was it an incredible forgiveness. The last 20% was a bit rushed for my liking but I understand why. It didn’t detract from the over all story. I really like this series because it’s more than dark hockey romance.

[Dan reads books]

Listen, it was my fault…

This is one of the few times I’ve tried to get into the “bully” genre and I understand that it’s not for everyone and certainly it’s not for me.

And it’s not the roughness of the dynamic per se but the motives… the “revenge” Lawson swears he deserves to get it’s a little hypocritical.

The whole plot could have been resolved by having a simple conversation, and that he trusted more in the woman he so fiercely said he “loved”.

Then, the hot and cold has me going crazy, how he could called her Angel and Whore almost with seconds of difference… the whole “you are worthless” but also “my angel, my woman” BRO GET IT TOGETHER.

And it seems this things are common in the genre so I get it now this is not my kind of book and that’s fine I’m 100% sure fans of the genre would enjoy it, at the end I can’t lie, it’s engaging and traps you to keep reading.


So yeah, not sure how to rate this considering that I step of a genre I knew would be hard for me to like.

[KayBeReading]

Jo has done it again. I don’t know how she does it and what she puts in her books but its o so good and I will never not read it! Lawson and Emma have a tricky past. And it’s messy. I enjoyed watching them navigate the present it was a sight to see. Lawson is very much “you’re mine” and Emma is the same way. They both are stubborn they are endgame. I wanted to hug them both because they both needed it. The ride we went on was something. I knew the whole time that something fishy was going on. And Jo knows how to write good spicy and this one was no exception. And we were edged to no end in this one. I giggled at one scene because Lawson plays hockey, and there is a basketball reference for f*****g made by Emma. Love it! I loved seeing all the characters from the previous books. Jo is definitely an auto-read author. Her writing is some of my favorite and it’s so descriptive and engaging. I lose myself in Jo’s books and I love it there.

[Athena, the goddess of books]

I absolutely love bully romances, and if they’re written by Jo, they’re an instant read for me! It was so great to be back in this universe and see my favorite gang again. Add a new couple to that, and what’s not to love?
Lawson and Emma were once incredibly close, and then everything fell apart and they were separated. But do they clear the air when they’re finally reunited? Noooo, that would be waaay too easy! Instead, we have this deliciously bumpy road ahead of us.
Did I like it? Did I finish it as soon as I could? Yes and also YES!

And now I’m counting the days until we get news about Maya’s story because after that little tease at the end, I already know it’s going to be awesome!

A really big and special thank you to Jo and her team for allowing me to read and review this wonderful story!!!!