Filthy Royal

Ruthless Warlords #4

by Alison Aimes

The first time they met was all about pleasure. Then she betrayed him. So, now he’s back…to punish. And he plans to play dirty. Filthy, even.

Meet Damien Skolov: ex-cage fighter, current family enforcer, hot-headed royal warlord. Sure, she broke his heart, but he’s over it now. This time, his return is all about the mission—and revenge.

Then there’s Scarlett: ex-dancer, current liar, protector of those she loves. Until Damien explodes back into her life, bringing chaos, vengeance, and the same forbidden need she’s tried to suppress since he left.

Keeping her secrets from him is essential.

Except Damien Skolov never fights fair.

Filthy Royal: A Dark Fated-Mates Romance is the fourth book in the Ruthless Warlords series. It is a scorching HOT standalone, though it is recommended to read the series in order for greatest enjoyment.
Like all the books in the series, it includes:
A ruthless alien mafia boss
An innocent heroine growing into her power
A fated bond
Betrayal, murder, and revenge
Serious plot twists
And an epic romance that proves love will always triumph over hate.
Added bonus: Filthy Royal includes the Filthy Beginnings prequel so you can experience all the feels as these two fated-mates spiral from lovers to enemies to a connection so intense it defies death itself.

Genres: Omegaverse, Romance, Dark Romance, Science Fiction, Paranormal, Erotic Romance, Second Chance Romance

586 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2023

About the author

Alison Aimes is a USA Today bestselling author of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, & Omegaverse Romance. Her books are on the steamy side and full of strong heroes, brave heroines, loads of action, and happy ever-afters. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two kids, her dog and a serious stash of chocolate.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filthy Royal is book four in the Ruthless Warlords series by Alison Aimes. This book also contained the prequel, Filthy Beginnings which is highly recommended you read first. You really need the back story to experience the impact of what is happening in Filthy Royal. This is an alpha/omega romance. It can be read as a stand alone BUT I’ve read the whole series and it’s amazing. You would definitely enjoy this more if you have met the rest of the Skolov family and gotten to know them.



Damien Skolov is the fourth and youngest brother in the Skolov family. When we first meet him in the prequel, he is eighteen years old and is a cage fighter, trying to win the grand prize for his family. But all his plans are thrown in the wind when he walks past HER! The dancer in the cage. The prize. His mate. Suddenly all that matters is her.

Scarlett is twenty one when we first meet her. She has never known life outside of the dome, outside of captivity. She has been trained and groomed to be the prize. And now it’s time. Only as soon as the alpha male crashes against the glass of her cage, she feels it. The unmistakable yearning for the alpha that is her fated mate. Only things don’t go as planned. Both Scarlett and Damien are merely pawns in a very ugly, twisted game.

Four years pass at the start of Filthy Royal. The Skolov family has finally risen the ranks in the Brotherhood. Damien is now the Skolov enforcer, and works hard to be worthy of his family. They are a close knit family. I love these siblings by the way.

Scarlett is no longer a dancer. Her situation is worse than ever and she has spent the last four years plotting and planning to take those that have hurt her and her brother, Luc down. But then her life is thrown into turmoil when a certain alpha comes literally crashing back into her life. A very angry alpha that wants revenge.



One thing about Alison’s books...you need an ice bath handy when you read them. This book is scorching hot. But it was also sweet, swoony and had some of the most romantic moments. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of gritty battles and lots of suspense. I especially like what Alison did with Scarlett’s brother, Luc. I would especially enjoy maybe a separate novella about his future life sometime. ‘hint hint’



So, if you want a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, make you fan yourself, but also make your tummy fill with butterflies, this is for you. We also get a tiny sneak peek into the next book, Enemy Princess. I can’t wait for Anya’s story!!!

“In this lifetime, in the next, and in every one after that, I will always find you.”

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great audiobook with duet narration!



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚🖤💙💖
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😄😮🙂🥰😍
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Duet Narration

The Hero: Damien Skolov - he is another Skolov brother, an alpha male in the Anarcheim Alphaverse. His brother Nikolai Skolov is the head alpha boss of the Skolov clan in the Brotherhood syndicate and Damien is now his enforcer. He excels at fighting and is the most temperamental of the brothers. When he first met Scarlett at a fight tournament, he was just eighteen and he planned to win enough money in the tournament to buy the Skolov’s a seat at the brotherhood table.

The heroine: Scarlett - she was the prize, Consortium property. She was known as the ultimate prize for fighters at the arena and owned by the Consortium. The brotherhood attended the tournament to bet on the fighters, though Damien was one of the fighters and he hid behind Scarlett making her his with his words. He plans on winning the tournament and winning Scarlett. She loved that his focus never wavered from her. For the first time, she had hope that she might get her life back.

The Story: At the time, Damien was younger than many of the males in the tournament, though he was rumored to be as good as some of the best. He grew up as the 4th and youngest of the Skolov brothers and had been performing well in every rotation of the tournament. The fifth rotation of the tournament was a cage fight with a pit in the center, made up of the elite 100 combatants. It was a free for all and the winner would come out wealthy and win Scarlett. Damien knew immediately that Scarlett was his fated mate.

Egan Avatice, the high lackey of the consortium ruled over Scarlett, and she had to do whatever he said, and he had talked about a new sponsor who had something against Damien. Scarlett had been owned by the consortium her whole life, as did her brother Luke who was a fighter for the consortium. Though he wasn’t allowed to fight in the tournament since the consortium didn’t want their own fighters to win enough money to buy their freedom. Luke wanted to buy Scarlett’s freedom since most prized were just used by the winners for a short time until their shine wore off and then made into whores. Scarlett had her own escape plan before meeting Damien.

This book starts with a prequel which all of the events above were part of before the actual book began after Scarlett betrays Damian. It got exiting at times even though we could tell that things weren’t always going to go the way Damien expected. I liked the story and the characters, though I liked the previous book better. The actual book starts later after the tournament ends and after the events of the last book, when their brother Maddox had returned home with the Skolovs. Both Damian and Maddox were trying to track down their half brother Darvish Sarten, who had it out for the Skolov’s and the Brotherhood.

I have to admit, that I am not at all fond of the omegaverse world. Like many alien romance books, women are seen as lesser and only good for one thing especially to the alpha’s. Very few alphas actually feel protective of women, and value them as people. Women are often only seen as slaves or whores. Scarlett was a perfect example of this since she was owned by the Consortium even after she became a prime omega of the winner of the competition.

Like the previous audiobooks in this series, this one was told in dual points of view via duet narration and was narrated by Jason Clarke and Stella Hunter. These two are both terrific narrators and I really enjoy both of them, so when I know they are together and doing an audiobook in duet narration, I just have to buy it. Jason has a deep and sexy voice while Stella has a feminine yet intelligent sounding voice, both are perfect for these characters.

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[readabookonce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought, “This is book 4. Alison Aimes is not going to shock me with a foreshadowed plot twist again.” Well, aren’t I a fool because she did! MULTIPLE TIMES!

MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Scarlett (25) | Damien Skolov (22)

FEATURES
∘ sci-fi mafia romance
∘ omegaverse
∘ second chance
∘ fated mates
∘ lovers to enemies to lovers
∘ fmc sort of held prisoner by mmc
∘ dual virgins 🤭

REVIEW
Second chance romance is one of my least favorite tropes (top spot goes to cheating). In fact, if I see a romance is second chance, I will usually skip it. Sci-fi romances get a lot of leeway with me because damned if this didn’t make me reevaluate my hatred.

I hate second chance romance when the breakup is all angst and silly miscommunication, but when she betrays him to literally save his life? Yeah, I vibed. Furthered by the fact BOTH waited for the other, even though Damien “hated” Scarlett (his perception of the situation made this fair), I guess my new motto is “I hate second chance romance ASTERISK.”

Watching Scarlett and Damien rebuild trust and clear up the past was refreshing. Scarlett broke my heart because of the burdens she’s been forced to shoulder since he’s been gone (and her entire life to be honest).

I did feel the story was a bit drawn out due to inner monologues of “I’m a monster.” It’s frustrating to read the same thoughts over and over. And over. AND OVER. Perhaps I would’ve had a lot more patience for it if I hadn’t just got done reading Broken Heir, where it did the same thing.

Regardless of extended angst, the storyline was strong. We learn more about what the series antagonist has been up to (aside from tormenting the Skolovs), and he suffered major blows in this one. It was so satisfying watching the Skolovs win a battle.

This series has filled a void in me left by another, and I cannot wait to see what’s going to happen next.

OW/OM DRAMA minor OM — Damien is very jealous of Scarlett’s husband even though they are married in title only
CHEATING technically yes with each other— Scarlett and Damien start a relationship even though she is married; HOWEVER, the marriage was forced and neither love each other in that way
THIRD ACT BREAKUP none
ENDING HEA — near future epilogue

POV dual / third person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 4.5 / 5

[Bluestockings Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚡𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸’𝚖 𝚔𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚢𝚘𝚞.”

Filthy Royal might just be the most intense and twisty book in this series! It was a wild ride from the first page—but one with rich emotion and character growth. (Miraculously, it also managed to sidestep every major complaint I usually have about second chance romances. 🤯)

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𝗠𝗠𝗖: Damien, 18➞22, Cage fighter and Enforcer. Fourth brother of the Skolov dynasty, with a lot to prove.
𝗙𝗠𝗖: Scarlett, 21➞25, Dancer, Omega prize, and secret weapon. Like all the Omega FMCs in this series, she has cool powers. (This will sound random, but she's kinda like a cross between Rainbow-Brite and Quake (aka Daisy Johnson).)

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀: | omegaverse | insta/fated mates | betrayal | second chance | jealous/ possessive/ protective/ tortured mmc | protective/ tortured fmc | interrogation | secrets+plot twists | rut haze | dirty talk+praise | enemies while lovers | danger banging | double virgins | high action |

| free on Kobo Plus | ~149k words | 568 Kindle pages | 17:05 audiobook |

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The first third of Filthy Royal is actually a prequel. That may sound like overkill, but it really works here, for two main reasons: For one, we get to see all of their early relationship 'firsts'. With most second chances, I usually feel partially cheated out of those milestones. (C'mon—what's better than New Relationship Energy?)

For another, fewer flashbacks! In fairness, flashbacks can be powerful. For example, each flashback in Ruthless King was a clue that advanced the plot. But second chance books are notorious for shoehorning in momentum-killing flashbacks. But here, we live each stolen moment in their (temporarily) doomed whirlwind love affair. 🥹

... NGL it's heartbreaking that they were apart four hellish years. That said, the logic behind their separation was actually solid. There really weren't any good alternatives, something that becomes even more evident once the whole story comes out. Also, it kills me to say this because I loved younger Damien, but... He truly was too immature, too hot-headed, to navigate the situation they were in at the time. Even if Scarlett had made different choices, it likely would've ended worse for them.

When they meet up again, rut haze comes on hard—at the same time all hells break loose. They're in the middle of a battle, horny and totally unhinged—and Damien's poor brother Maddox has to keep them alive while trying to talk them down 💀. It was intense but also kinda hilarious. Maddox had some great comic moments in this book.

Understandably, Damien is still tortured and furious over the events in the prequel, but it was tough to witness how cruel he sometimes seemed. (Thankfully, it was more bark than bite.) And I was a little frustrated by Scarlett's fatalism and distrust, but she also had good reasons. They had so many obstacles, both internal and external—but it made for a very hard-won HEA.

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🎙𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀: I got the chance to listen to an advanced copy, and it's epic. Just like the previous three books, it's narrated in duet by Jason Clarke and Stella Hunter. IYKYK—but in case you're not familiar, they are two of the best narrators around. Duet narration always brings an extra layer of realism, and combined with such powerful acting—holy hell, I was totally hooked.

This book in particular really plays to Jason's range. He's pitch-perfect for the flirty, playful energy of younger Damien—and the tortured, jaded Alpha he matures into.

And really, there's nothing Jason Clarke's voice can't do. He could narrate a livestream of paint drying, and I'd be captivated. He could read the U.S. Tax Code, and I'd be riveted. He could narrate a cookbook on boiling water, and I'd feel the steam... Okay, okay... I'll quit before it gets weird. 😝

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🚦 Safety (⚠ 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔!):

» 𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙪𝙚𝙧: MMC
» 𝙤𝙬 / 𝙤𝙢 / 𝙤𝙥: Some OM. At the end of the prequel, Scarlett is forced to marry—but it's a lavender marriage. so she and Kadon are just friends. Contractually speaking, there's cheating on both sides, but neither of them consider it to be. It takes a while before Damien learns the whole story, so he's wildly jealous.
» 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝 / 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡 / 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙩: So much angst, I had to remind myself a few times that there would be an HEA! In general: For the first third (prequel), Damien pursues hard and Scarlett is wary. In the middle third, both push away for different reasons. In the last third, Damien is all-in.
» 𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: Yes, a four-year separation following the prequel. After that, NO separation, beyond a few hours.
» 𝟯𝙧𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙗𝙗𝙡𝙚: Mainly external conflict. This book has a lot of wobbles! IMO the climax is when Scarlett is kidnapped and confronts her longtime tormentor (Darvish), while Damien and crew attempt rescue.
» 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜: HFN. Maybe a day later? Spicy-sweet scene, then Scarlett tells him she's pregnant. The brevity and lack of any time jump was slightly disappointing. Since there's an overarching story, I only expected a HFN, but after all their struggles, I wanted to wallow in their happiness a bit longer. And I wanted them off that damn planet, safe at home on Abzal. Heads up, if you read past these lines: [Knock. Knock. "Go away."], you'll face a medium cliffhanger involving Damien's sister Anya, who's in the next book.
» 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤: Omegaverse biology, including knotting, purring, and slick. Sex toys. Lots of dirty talk—including 13 well-placed "good girl"s. Some degradation. Elements of bondage, discipline, anal play, and rough sex. Also a tied-up (but still bossy) Damien. First PIV scene at 65%, but they are horny af while trying to fight the fated-mate rut haze, so there are tons of spicy scenes before that (starting on page 1). Both stayed celibate virgins even after their initial separation! 🥰
» ⚠ 𝗖𝗪𝘀 (𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹): Dark themes, violence, death, some gore. Power imbalances and a couple dubious scenarios (Partly cause he kidnapped her. Also, both of them feel body betray0al due to the overwhelming pull of the mate bond.) On page: Attempted rape of FMC; she accidentally kills her attacker. Physical+verbal abuse, torture and forced murder recalled. Unnatural disasters and explosions. Blackmail, secret surveillance, threats of releasing revenge porn, threat of terminal illness.

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𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔

“Such a big head. It’s dangerous to be too cocky.”

“Omega, I can promise you, when I’m between those pretty thighs, and you’re screaming my name, both my big heads will only grow bigger.”

Her laughter caught her by surprise. “You’re outrageous.”

The rough pad of his thumb stroked her upturned lips. “Try to tame me. I dare you.”

~~~

“You think just because I wasn’t physically here that I wasn’t with you every single rotation? That my lungs didn’t breathe in time with yours? My heartbeat didn’t match yours? The truth is that you never left me. I carried you with me with every step, every breath... Far away or near, fated-mate marks or not, it doesn’t matter. You leave this life, and that’s it for me. I’ll fly my shuttle into the closest sun and join you in the beyond.”

~~~

“Don’t let anyone tell you you’ve bonded to a total Alphahole fighter. I’ve got depth.” He winked. “And girth.”

~~~

“But I’m not that girl anymore.” She took another step back.

“Then I’ll learn all the ways I like this new you.” He advanced, his voice going low. “And we both know, no matter how much everything around us changes, when we’re here, like this, you’ll always be my good girl.”

~~~

“First, last, and forever.”

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The Ruthless Warlords series:

【1】Ruthless King ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟 (5+ stars)
【2】Savage Prince ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟 (5+ stars)
【3】Broken Heir ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.75 stars)
【4】Filthy Royal ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5 stars)
【5】Enemy Princess - TBA
【6】Forbidden Flame ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.25 stars)
【7】Princess Claimed ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.75 stars)
【8】War Prize of the Beast ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.75 stars)

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[Kate V · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars!

What a story! Damien and Scarlett's story spans a significant amount of time and it's full of heartbreak, misunderstandings, passion, true fated mate love, pain, hardship, sacrifice, hope and twists and turns you'll never see coming. These two have the swooniest love story even in the face of danger that surrounds them and is nipping at their heels.

Damien was a warrior that has faced the worst but he always came out swinging. Despite what he perceives as betrayal from Scarlett, he never falters in protecting her. When all the chips fall and truths come out, Damien will do anything to prove to Scarlett that they are end game.

“You were always meant to be my destiny. My only. Not just by the hands of fate, but because I forge my own path, and you are it. I will fight any obstacle to keep you by my side. To have this mouth forever. You are more than my fated mate; you are my everything.”

Scarlett has sacrificed so much and her pain is palpable but she never falters in protecting the ones she loves even at the cost of her own life. I loved the way she was with Damien and the fierceness of their love was everything!

"And that was it. That was the thing with a storm like Damien. He churned up every emotion: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. But for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t afraid to drown in it, to hold up her head and let his strength and force of will pour over her, soak into her skin and lift her up, help her to believe."

Scarlett and Damien must stand together and fight back against being pawns in a world that uses others for their own benefit. I loved this love story and all the action that went with it! It was steamy and engaging and I highly recommend to anyone that enjoys Omegaverse.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

So pleasantly surprised by this <3
Yes, I skimmed some pages of the plot to get to the 🔥 parts, but just because they were THAT good. The MCs were a hot couple, they loved each other so much and best of all, stayed faithful to one another through the 4 year separation, even tho they had no idea they were going to end up together again.
I love this author's writing style and the Heroes have been very worth it so far.

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damien and Scarlett's story is filled with lush darkness, intense emotions, taut drama, scorching heat, tantalizing twists, heart wrenching secrets and razor-sharp poignancy. These two really give your heart a workout and OMG, The feels they inspire are just EVERYTHING!! I am posting an independent, impartial review.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a long read but it’s a great couple.
There are a few hiccups so I didn’t give it a 5 star but they both wait for each other. This is a second chance romance but in case you’re wondering there is no one else in between.

[Veronica Ticker · Rating 5 out of 5]

(audiobook) Knowing what their backstory was, I was curious to see how Damien and Scarlett would reconnect. It was going to be difficult. The book didn’t disappoint.

The author continues the Skolov story: they are still looking for their younger sister who was kidnapped. That means finding their half-brother. It’s Damien’s job as the family’s enforcer, and he crosses Scarlett’s path again, four years after her betrayal. There’s no love lost between them. Or is there?

For various reasons, they keep secrets from each other. Secrets that would help clearing the air. It was frustrating, of course, that a single conversation could have prevented a lot of what happens to them in this book, and could have minimized their resentment. A conversation that never really happens. However, there wouldn’t be as much tension, nor much of a story. Also Damien doesn’t trust Scarlett anymore, and Scarlett’s secrets involve other people that she protects. It’s understandable that they wouldn’t want that conversation.

I enjoyed the whole side story–that becomes part of the main story–about Scarlett’s powers. In the prequel, we saw that she didn’t really understand it. In this book, she uses them but still has little control over them. They’re more like a curse for her, to be honest. But her meeting again with Damien will make her reevaluate the situation. And not really with Damien’s help, which was an interesting touch. All in all, in this series, omegas’ powers are more metaphores for women’s attributes than anything else.

Damien, on the other hand, is still kind of searching for his place in the family. He’s reckless because he always has something to prove. Which makes one particular scene near the end of the book absolutely beautiful. Let’s just say, he already has a place in his family, despite what he thinks. He isn’t alone.

I loved Damien. He’s young and brutal and angry. But his tough facade hides a mushy heart, one that was broken by Scarlett and that he’s kept from everyone since. He isn’t a soft man, but he loves fiercely.

There was a lot going on in this book besides the love story. The conspiracy–which explains what happened in the prequel and since then–is the most important part, but it has ramifications. Since it involves their half-brother, the whole Skolov family is concerned. And the second love story made me crave for more. A couple of twists finished the story beautifully.

The series’s narrators come back, and they nail it. The female narrator expresses both the strength and the vulnerabilities of Scarlett with talent, and the male narrator is perfect for any growly alpha males, even those with a big heart. An entertaining and well done audiobook.

Quickie

- Series: Ruthless warlords #4 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #SF romance #mafia romance #second chance romance #omegaverse #aliens #fated mates #virgin
- Triggers: lots of violence, abuse and death, mention of past extreme child abuse, female trafficking, cheating (technically)
- Main couple: Scarlett & Damien Skolov
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 5/5
- + where do I start? secondary gay couple… extremely romantic alpha male… weirdly perfect family…
- – lack of communication as the main problem between the characters isn’t my favorite

[Jean Stillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It gave me all I expected and so much more in this fourth book of the Ruthless Warlords series by Ms. Alison Aimes. With each new book of this incredible series, the author delivers us a book even better than the last and gives us more pieces of the puzzle to this wonderful tale. Filthy Royal is no exception, as so much more of the overall story is revealed.

Because this is book four, I feel a little background is necessary. This story takes place in an alternate Omegaverse world somewhere in the galaxy. There are three major organizations that play heavily in this universe: The Brotherhood, a huge crime syndicate, The Consortium, an underworld organization peddling gambling, cage fights, sex and more, and The Federation, tasked with hunting down and imprisoning those criminals. The Slokov family is a bunch of orphaned siblings who fight, steal, and do whatever it takes to survive and protect their family, growing against all odds into one of the biggest and richest crime families. Each book is a standalone with its own plot, but if read in order, the entire family dynamics and story unfold.

In Filthy Royal, our story is about Damien Skolov, starting when he is a young, cocky cage fighter before his family has become one of the leading crime families. This is where he meets Scarlett, property of the Consortium, who is a dancer and has been trained to be a prize to the winner of the ultimate cage fight. There is sweet love and romance, and brutal betrayal. Then, after four years, these two are brought back together for the rest of their story.

I love the world building of this series in this alien world. There is never-ending action to keep you glued to the book and barely able to catch your breath before something else takes place! The characters Damien and Scarlett are so complex with chemistry that is off the charts. The sub-characters add so much more to the development of this overall plot, with all the twists and turns I did not see coming. For anyone who loves romance, get ready because this book is sizzling with romance!

In the end, it is obvious that I loved this book! It would be a fantastic read for anyone who loves a steamy romance with a hot alpha male and a sassy omega coming into her own power. I can't stress enough that this series is so much more enjoyable if read in order!

[Kay Daniels (Kay Daniels Romance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filthy and sweet, with high adrenaline and full of emotions. Filthy Royal was a thrilling ride that I didn't want to exit from.

The book begins with the prequel, Filthy Beginnings, which highlights the fast paced and, somewhat unusual, courtship that transpires between Damien and Scarlett.

Scarlett is Consortium property and is set as part of the winnings, a prize to be won, in the tournament of cage fighters entering a galactic fighting tournament. She's a beautiful dancer that shimmers colors and is kept in a glass cage. Her entire life has been under Consortium rule and her only hope is to be won by a fair and just fighter, which she knows is unlikely, or to escape. With odds stacked against her, she would still rather try to run than give up her life to a brute. That is until she meets Damien.

Enter Damien Skolov, a young fighter with nothing to his name and proving his worth through using his fists. Damien originally only entered the tournament to win the cash prize, but the moment he sees Scarlett he's sucked into her orbit and the mating heat hits both of them hard and fast. While he still wants the money, he also wants to win Scarlett and her freedom. He's young and impetuous, but he's also gentle and sweet when it comes to Scarlett. Yes, he also shows her how dirty he can be without jeopardizing her actual purity, and let me tell you, these two burn for one another.

Their quick time at the tournament blazes hot and fast and there is a lot that transpires due to the quickness of their time together, there is also a lot that happens that also tears them apart just as quickly. This beginning part of the story shapes their future and jump starts their destiny to how they meet again, but under very different circumstances. It's heartbreaking, but I LOVED how Alison set up this part of the story to continue on with the rest. 

I loved Damien Skolov (his brother Maddox and sister Anya too, but for now I'm just going to focus on Damien). He is an Alpha with heart, humility, and an understanding of those around him. I'd say his sweet side or his soft side is something that is unique or contrary to the other Skolov Alpha's. He's in tune with his siblings and how they function within the family. He also gives a hand to those who need help and it's his compassion that sets him apart in so many ways. Yes, he's very much an Alpha with all the possessive, protective, and obsessive traits that make him OTT, but he has this sweet charm that, I think sets him apart from his brothers and made him extremely personable. He's compassionate with his younger siblings and he uses their strengths to help lead and teach them. To me, displaying how good of a dad he's going to be, when the time is right. (I do hope the other Skolov's all get a book because I love how much I got to know them in this story).

Scarlett is a sweet and sensitive soul, but also strong all rolled into one beautiful and gifted omega. Her protective nature almost makes her a martyr, willing to sacrifice herself to save those she loves. I believe it's her inner strength that shoots out in colors, making her desirable and one of the most wanted omega's in the galaxy. For Damien alone, she really let's her colors splash and he's constantly in awe of her beauty.

Damien is also one of the few men Scarlett stands up to, which he both loves and finds annoying. Where most people would cower down at the brute enforcer, it is their familiarity that gives her strength to take on the Alpha. They are both brutal to one another considering the way they parted, both placing blame, though really neither is the cause. However, even with the animosity in the air, in their core there is always a stirring of love and tons of chemistry that shines through even when they say mean things. I love their protective nature and the ultimate caring for each other no matter how much blustering they make. It's the kind of pull that brings me back again and again to Alison's stories.

Filthy Royal has twists and turns and is jammed packed with high adrenaline action. Literally, the book is riddled with fights, people to save, buildings crumbling, near death defying escapes, and so much more that I could go on and on. On top of all the action there are is also the burning passion and several deeply emotional moments that Damien and Scarlett share. These two experience a lot together and I loved experiencing it all with them.

[Joy Westerfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book where you never wanted it to end? Where the characters have so ingrained themselves into your heart, that you can’t help but want more of their story? Well, let me tell you this, it is exactly how I feel about Damien and Scarlett’s story! This fourth book in the series kept me captive from beginning to end. This author has such a way with words, descriptions, characters and storylines that make you feel a part of the books world! Damien is the youngest Skolov and is their Enforcer. He is looking for someone and when he comes across Scarlett, an Omega from his past, he is bound and determined to find out why she did the things she did. But will he believe her when she tells him the truth? Scarlett is a formidable Omega who will do anything and everything to protect those she loves. Can these two work out their differences and discover true love a second time?? This story broke me and put me back together. I laughed, I cried and I rooted for them throughout. This story has mystery, intrigue, lust and possibly love. The Skolov family protects their own and those they love and you could feel that protectiveness, that love, jump off the pages. And as for the sizzling chemistry between Damien and Scarlett?? I thought my kindle was going to burst into flames!! This story and series is a definite must read for all. Words cannot fully express how much I loved this five plus, plus, plus, story! Absolute perfection!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filthy Royal picks up 4 years after Filthy Beginnings (prequel) and Damien is back in the Golden Dome for revenge and answers. When Damien and Scarlett are once again in the same room the emotion between them ignites with the incredible pent up charged feelings these two still harbor - rage, betrayal, passion, and jealousy.

The storyline has unexpected twists and turns as well as a second chance love that they have to fight insurmountable obstacles to obtain. The connection between Damien and Scarlett is intense and extremely hot.

I loved seeing Damien interact with his younger brother Maddox and his sister Anya. He’s more than just a brutal enforcer, he has heart and a softness for his loved ones, along with a huge protective streak. I am so ready for Anya’s story and the conclusion of this series. It’s been an incredible journey through all the treachery the Skolov siblings and their fated mates have faced.

I received a free ARC from the author and 1852 Media; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

[Vedece Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can a fire that blazes so hot in the beginning ever lose its intensity?
Unknown sacrifices and betrayal both assumed and real are left to smolder and rage as these two lovers meet again. Two "filthy broken souls" brought together by fate and longing for a second chance!
Pleasure or punishment?
Pawns or major players?
This story has it all. Manipulation, murder, secrets, kidnapping, power-plays, (let me take a breath) betrayal, pain, passion, (by the bucketfuls) regrets, hate, (or is it love) heartbreak and tears (some of them mine) make this one EXPLOSIVE story!!!
Grab an iced drink, a fan and a box of tissues and enjoy
Always and Forever, Forever and Always!

[Holly Grays · Rating 5 out of 5]

The wait is over


I've been waiting on Damien's story and it delivered everything and more. Filthy Royal blew my mind. Left me feeling dirty in all the magnificent ways that only Damien can. Absolutely deliciously filthy. He is paired with his perfect equal, Scarlett. I just love her. Strong, beautiful, a woman after my own heart. Damien and Scarlett have a love for the ages.

[Jodi - JodiReadsnListens · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Audio Review**
Hells yes! Filthy Royal by Alison Aimes was a dark and sexy second-chance fated-mates romance that I devoured from start to finish. I was instantly hooked on Damien and Scarlett’s forbidden love story in Filthy Beginnings, so I was excited for them to finally find their very own HEA. However, their journey to get there was full of steamy twists and unexpected turns! Alison’s Ruthless Warlord series never disappoints!

Stella Hunter and Jason Clarke perform this audiobook in duet style narration, and both are always pure perfection bringing Alison’s characters to life. Stella portrayed Scarlett’s vulnerable, and passionate persona brilliantly making you long for her to find a way to break free of all her secrets and bonds. Jason’s deep growly timbre complimented alpha Damien’s dominant, protective, and determined personality perfectly. Both narrators brought the HEAT with Damien and Scarlett’s smoking hot-fated mate chemistry!

Overall, I LOVED this book. If you are a fan of a fated-mates omegaverse romance with a hot alpha ex-cage fighter, a fierce and feisty omega ex-dancer, enemies to lovers vibes, lies, protecting the ones you love, becoming the family enforcer, secrets, betrayal, taming chains, healing from the past, misunderstandings, defeating an alien mafia boss, super HOT steamy times, a jaw-dropping plot twist, and a HEA that will do filthy good things to your heart, then you will love Damien and Scarett’s story. I always look forward to more from Alison Aimes.

[Jojoreadsromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Update for audiobook narrated by Jason Clarke and Stella Hunter*

There are no words to describe how incredible this book is in Audio. I know that I’m completely over the top for this series, but you know what? You listen to Jason Clarke and his sexy as all hells growly voice as Damien Skolov and tell me you don’t need a stiff drink and a cold shower afterwards, and if you don’t…..well this is a safe space and there will be no shaming of any kind! 😊 Seriously Stella and Jason just owned Damien and Scarlett, they bring such passion to every element of this story, the intensity of Damien and Scarlett’s love, the anguish, the violence, the need and the hope, they hold me hostage listening from the start to the very end. I’m such a huge fan of these two narrators. They are just wonderful!

I remain obsessed with this series!

I had read Filthy Beginnings the prequel to Filthy Royal (which is included in this book), so I already loved Scarlett and Damien and couldn’t wait to read the rest of their story.

Filthy Royal picks up four planetary rotations after the events of Filthy Beginnings which again is included in this book so you can go from prequel right into the rest of the story and what an epic story it was! Alison Aimes writes some of the most fascinating, intense, and always captivating characters. Damien, the Skolov family enforcer, and Scarlett, his fated mate, will have you in every single one of your feels. They are destined to be together,  the love burns between them but secrets, lies and pain tore them apart and could destroy their future together. My heart just broke so many times for them.

There are some big twists and turns in this book so I’m not going to give anything away but if you have read other books in this series you know you can expect brilliant writing, with amazing details and descriptions, intense feelings, explosive action, some of the most steamy sex ever written, possessive, obsessive alphas and unique strong omegas. Damien and Scarlett’s story will not disappoint you.

I loved every minute and every page of this book. From the prequel to the HEA and the sneak peak at Anaya’s story (that I’m so excited about), it was everything I could have hoped for. I’m really looking forward to the audiobook of this one it’s going to be AMAZING!!!

[Cassandra Doon · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are filled with dirt, love, passion, and thrilling adventures. Although it was a lengthy read, the pace was quick and kept me fully engaged. I can't wait for the story of the sisters; hopefully she will find an alpha male just like her brothers.

[Myblogisgreat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay yeah that was great and fun as hell.

[Ingasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

more like 2.5
Unnecessarily long and convoluted. You can easily tell it's a KU book

[Sou · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 rounded up to 2 stars

This took me so long to finish and I skimmed through most of it. I just couldn't connect to the MCs, the first 60% proceeded at a snails's pace with nothing much of importance happening, it picked up for a few chapter after but then lost steam all over again. There wasn't much of a plot and whatever new revelations were introduced, they weren't explored enough for me to take any amount of interest in them. This series started out so good and has progressively gotten worse with each new entry. Not sure if I'll be coming back for the next book.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤩 🤗 Spoilerfreie Rezension: ❤️weiterer Keeper und kein Ende in Sicht: rasante Action, packende Charaktere🤗🤩 ❤️

Gerade habe ich das Buch „Schmutziger Lord – Eine dunkle Romanze zweier Schicksalsgefährten (Herzlose Warlords Teil 4)“ beendet.

Bitte beachten, dass bei diesem Buch in der deutschen Ausgabe auch "Schmutzige Anfänge", das Prequel enthalten ist!

Ich gebe generell keine Zusammenfassung des Buches ab, weil ich der Meinung bin, dass diese auch durch den Klappentext beim Buch schon aussagefähig ist. Insofern schildere ich hier lediglich meine Eindrücke, da dadurch sichergestellt wird, dass definitiv nicht gespoilert wird 😊

Autor:
Von Alison Aimes kannte ich vor diesem Buch bereits die anderen Bände dieser Serie. Nicht immer halten Nachfolgebände die Spannung, zuweilen gibt es Längen. Aber im Fall von Alison Aimes ist es so, dass sie sich von Buch zu Buch noch mehr steigert. Mich hat „Schmutziger Lord“ wieder derart in den Bann gezogen hat, dass ich es nicht erwarten kann, das nächste Buch der Serie zu lesen *sehnsüchtigdaraufwarte*! 😉

Cover:
Das Cover selbst hat mir – wieder einmal - echt gut gefallen. 🥰 Ich finde, es weckt sofort die Neugier, was sich dahinter verbirgt. Gleichzeitig sieht es düster und bedrohlich aus, und das Tattoo „Death“ passt wunderbar. Ich finde es toll, dass man erneut das gleiche Cover wie im englischen Original verwendet hat! 😍

Titel:
Der Titel des Buches passt wieder einmal wie die Faust aufs Auge! Darüberhinaus ist der Titel definitiv Programm und passt wunderbar zu der Geschichte! Und wer sich darunter nichts vorstellen kann: das ist nicht schlimm. Einfach zum nächsten Buchhändler des Vertrauens gehen und lesen! Ihr werdet es nicht bereuen!

Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil von Alison Aimes ist – wieder einmal - absolut mitreißend. Es geht wirklich zur Sache: sowohl was die Geschehnisse - aber auch die Sprache angeht. Die Ganze Serie hat mich total begeistert – und dieses Buch ist keine Ausnahme. Im Gegenteil: ich finde, dass sich Alison mit diesem Buch noch mal extrem gesteigert hat! Das Ganze ist definitiv tempo- und actionreich, zuweilen wirklich deftig und nicht unbedingt etwas für schwache Nerven! Und deshalb kann man nur empfehlen, diese Bücher zu lesen! Sie sind wirklich einzigartig und toll! Deshalb gibt es auch keine Ermüdungserscheinungen oder Langeweile!
Alison Aimes katapultiert einen direkt in das Geschehen und man kann nicht aufhören zu lesen, bis man auf der letzten Seite angelangt ist! Es gibt unerwartete Wendungen und das Ganze erinnert an eine Achterbahnfahrt im Dunkeln: man weiß nie, in welcher Richtung es weitergeht. ❤️❤️

Darüberhinaus gibt es bei diesem Buch eine Besonderheit: Wer dieses Buch kauft, bekommt gleich zwei (!!) Bücher in einem:

Zunächst gibt es das Prequel „Schmutzige Anfänge“, damit man besser verstehen kann, was die beiden an- und umtreibt und dann kommt das eigentliche Buch!

Nach wie vor ist die Autorin – gerade oder obwohl man bereits Bücher von ihr kennt – absolut unvorhersehbar ist und bleibt. Ich liebe das sehr! Und das ist etwas, was einen auch bereits nach dem Lesen und Beenden dieses Buches, schon nach dem Nächsten fiebern lässt. Allerdings möchte ich betonen, dass die Bücher in sich abgeschlossen sind, bestimmte Handlungsstränge sich jedoch über die Bände hinwegziehen!

Protagonisten:
Obwohl ich die anderen Bände der Serie bereits gelesen hatte, finde ich das Setting immer noch relativ einzigartig. Es hat wirklich Elemente und Inhalte, die überraschen, die Geschichte ist definitiv rasant, spicy – und die Charaktere sind ebenfalls heiß!

Auch hier zeigt sich wieder, dass Alison Aimes mit ihrer Art zu schreiben die Charaktere bildgewaltig zeichnet. Man hat sofort die jeweiligen Bilder vor Augen. Man kann es nur so beschreiben: Kopfkino in Bestform! Die Szenen des Buches sind definitiv heiß – und unwahrscheinlich mitreißend.

Stimmung/Atmosphäre:
Düster. Erotisch. Heiß. Temporeich. Erschütternd. Herzzerreißend! Und einfach nur genial!

Setting:
Einzigartig! Auch wenn man schon Bücher dieser Serie gelesen hat! Das Ganze packt einen so sehr, dass zumindest ich um diese Autorin und diese Serie definitiv keinen Bogen mehr machen kann oder werde! Mir machte es total viel Spaß! Großartig!

Explizite Szenen:
Gerade bei diesem Genre und Setting kann man sich darauf einstellen, dass „Blümchensex“ hier keine Rolle spielt…. Insofern sind die expliziten Szenen nichts für die zartbesaiteten Leser, sondern sind schon eben das: explizit und deutlich, es geht wirklich „zur Sache“! Darüber hinaus spielt Feminismus hier wirklich keine große Rolle. Wer also damit Probleme hat oder haben könnte und eher auf die sanftere Art steht, sollte ggf. die Finger von dieser Reihe lassen. Was man dann aber auch ehrlicherweise sagen muss: es entgeht euch dann was. Diese Reihe ist der absolute Hammer!

Kritikpunkte:
Hier gibt es – für mich – definitiv keine! Nicht einen einzigen 😉🥰

Fazit:
Es war erneut ein großartiges Buch das definitiv Lust auf mehr macht. Ich kann es kaum erwarten, die nächsten Bände dieser Reihe zu lesen! Also von meiner Sicht aus eine totale und voll überzeugte Leseempfehlung für alle, die mit dem Setting keine Probleme haben. Ihr habt dann wirklich einen Keeper, den ihr euer Eigen nennen könnt! Versprochen!

Und damit ihr das Lesevergnügen in der richtigen Reihenfolge lesen könnt:
Herzloser König – Eine dunkle Romanze zweier Schicksalsgefährten (Herzlose Warlords Teil 1)
Grausamer Prinz – Eine dunkle Romanze zweier Schicksalsgefährten (Herzlose Warlords Teil 2)
Gebrochener Erbe – Eine dunkle Romanze zweier Schicksalsgefährten (Herzlose Warlords Teil 3)
Schmutziger Lord – Eine dunkle Romanze zweier Schicksalsgefährten (Herzlose Warlords Teil 4), inclusive dem Prequel „Schmutzige Anfänge“.
tbc

Bewertung:
Eine voll und ganz überzeugte 5-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sterne-Empfehlung für ein großartiges Buch mit einem wichtigen Prequel!
Insofern eine klare, definitive Leseempfehlung! Holt euch dieses Buch! Ihr werdet es nicht bereuen! 😉🤗

Info:
Das Buch habe ich im Rahmen einer Leserunde bei LovelyBooks vorab gelesen und durfte mich mit anderen Lesern darüber austauschen. Selbstverständlich hat dies meine Meinung zum Buch in keinster Weise beeinflusst.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to rate this. I enjoyed a lot, including the writing, but hated the world our characters lived in. The h had no autonomy. Omegas are already submissive, this one is literally owned and used repeatedly by the bad guys.
In the prequal the h is forced into betraying the H and now he comes in and uses their old bond and her submissive need for him to torture her, and it was sad. We had such a good H who went too far because he was hurt. But the worst off was the h, and when H learns the truth, she doesn't make him grovel and wears the chain he used to hurt her with pride. UGH! We do get some shame for his behavior in his pov, but it was more about how he abandoned her for 4 years and not the specific shaming and using of her body. h had to use her powers to stop him from actually hurting her because she knew if he went that far she'd never forgive him.
Overall, I liked the growth of both and that the h was powerful, but it took me a while to finish this.



SPOILERS:
H thinks that the h drugged and betrayed him because she wanted the rich alpha already in the Brotherhood. He also blames her for his friend dying in the last book. I understand why he is upset but wished he would have went back for answers. Instead, he left h to fend for herself for 4 years.
He is only back now because his family has found out that a half-brother of theirs is the one coming after them. They found another brother that they thought died years ago and realized that his twin sister is also alive. Only the half-brother bad guy knows where she is. As soon as he realized that his evil brother is working where his old fated mate is the H should have questioned everything.
Because 4 years ago they incapacitated the H, h's handler tried to rape her and her growing powers lashed out, immediately killing him. In walks in evil half-brother having recorded it all. He also has videos that would hurt her brother, threatens her friends who are also Omega prizes. Then shows h a live feed of the H passed out being threated. So, she drugged him.
The h is forced to marry a friend, steal, and kill for her former mates' brother. She isn't allowed to see her brother unless its to force her to comply with demands with a weapon pointed at his head. The h's ultimate plan is dark, and she is on the way to kill the bad guy when she runs into the H. They go into a rut, then he just keeps trapping her. Then he uses a taming chain he had made just for her. From my understanding these chains are used in brothels and can make Omega's feel more pleasure, thus subduing a woman about to be forced into sex. Then he mocks her, saying she ended up like her mother after all. I had angry tears.
Eventually H finds out the truth about how she was forced by his brother, what he's been doing to her, how her powers hurt her, and she's still a virgin (like him) because her husband is in love with her brother. Oh, and his friend didn't die, he was blackmailed and happily faked it. He was the one threating to kill him 4 years ago on the feed and is the brute hurting her brother currently, so she actually saved the H back then.
Then he finds out that her ultimate plan is just letting her powers completely loose, killing the bad guy and her, and hopefully setting everyone she loves free. He of course hates this plan. He finds out her powers are actively killing her and loses it. I actually liked that part. Wanted more grovel time and conversations about what he did to hurt her.
Her sister in laws are actually the ones that helped her. She was suppressing her powers, which is why they hurt, once she accepted them, she had more control and no pain.
The bad guy got away for another book, but h saw his stolen sister and she is safe.
Overall, a happy ending with their fated mate marks coming back and her pregnant, but I wanted a look into their life on his planet.
The bonus epilogue is his baby sister escaping to go after the bad guy only to be taken to a prison in a bad zone to be in, so I'll look into that one when it's out.

[LeMiliere · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is written voluntarily after listening to the audio version of this book.

I have to start with an admission, this may be the fourth book in this series but it's the first one I have listened to although I had read Filthy Beginnings the prequel to Damien and Scarlett's story which thankfully is included in this audiobook.

When Scarlett and Damien first met she was the prize in a galactic fighting tournament he is taking part in, she's considered property by the Consortium to be used as they see fit. Damien is a young alpha trying to find his place in his family where his brothers have already proven themselves. So he has entered the tournament for the prize money and the prestige winning will bring. What he wasn't expecting was Scarlett, part of the prize but also his fated mate!

The attraction and connection are instant, they’re fated mates something they know but she's to be given to the winning fighter and that may not be him. They’re young he's only 18 and she’s only a couple years older than him but they’ll risk everything, do anything to be together but then.........

At this point, you will be so glad that you can go straight into Filthy Royal which picks up their story four years later. Four hellish, heartbreaking years apart have changed both of them. Four years in which he has believed she betrayed him and caused the death of his friend. Although I loved younger Damien, I believe he was too immature, too hot-headed, to deal with the situation they were in then and Scarlett made the choice she believed would be best for everyone but......

When they meet again, he believes he's over her but far from it, a red hot rut haze comes on fast just as all hell is breaking loose. They're in the middle of a battle unhinged and disregarding the risks just wanting each other and Damien's younger brother Maddox has to try and keep them alive while trying to talk them down.

Damien is still furious over what happened four years ago, but he doesn't know the reason for Scarlett's actions and Scarlett's life which may look perfect from the outside is far from what it seems. As they spend time together, learning the truth about past actions, and even learning to trust each other again you can't help but want a happy outcome this time around. But will that be possible?

I'm not going to give any spoilers what I will say Is I loved every minute of this book, I was on the edge of my seat, hooked and waiting to see what other obstacles would be placed in their path. The shocks and surprises just kept coming and I couldn't stop listening. The characters are so well drawn and their development is so well done. The storyline is excellent with amazing details and descriptions, intense feelings, explosive action, some of the most steamy sex scenes I've listened to as well as possessive, obsessive alphas and unique strong omegas. Damien and Scarlett’s story will not disappoint you but please be aware there are some triggers so please check if you're concerned as this book includes dark subject matters

The narration is by two very talented artists Stella Hunter is perfection as Scarlett and Anaya and Jason Clarke brings so much depth and feeling to the characters especially Damien his range is perfect for the flirty, playful younger Damien and the mature, tortured, jaded Alpha he becomes. Only to then get softer where Scarlett is concerned.

All in all every minute of this book was excellent from the prequel to the sneak peek at Anaya’s story which I am so looking forward to listening to.

[Nevena · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖤 “You’re my colors. My light. Without you, there’s nothing left but gray.”
~~~
Scarlett is an incredible woman! Being an Omega and also owned by the Consortium, her life hasn’t been easy. But despite all the hardships she’s been through, Scarlett shows such courage and resilience, facing and dealing with all the challenges thrown her way. Even more, she’s incredibly caring, protective and selfless, ready and willing to sacrifice so much (even herself) to save the people she cares about. And I also loved her defiance, fierceness and strength. Scarlett is truly amazing and I adored everything about her!

And then, there’s Damien - the fourth brother of the Skolov family! This Alpha is one dangerous, lethal, violent and intense male. Even more, he’s confident, charming, fiercely protective, loyal and so deliciously possessive and dominant. Damien is a male who doesn’t hesitate to go after the things he wants. And that absolutely filthy mouth and mind of his! Damien is utterly irresistible and I couldn’t help but adore every single thing about him!

I absolutely loved everything that happened between Scarlett and Damien! From the moment they met, they knew they were the ones for each other, but betrayal tears them apart. Now, four years later, Scarlett’s life has gone from bad to worse and Damien is back, not only on a mission to find his sister but also with fury and vengeance in his heart. I absolutely adored those two together! The tension, the bickering, the angst, the constant push and pull - I couldn’t get enough of every moment they spent together. And watching Damien and Scarlett rebuild trust and clear up the past was both heartbreaking and utterly incredible. Moreover, their chemistry was off-the-charts hot and when they couldn’t deny their bond and resist the undeniable need anymore, the passionate moments they shared were blazing hot and I couldn't get enough of all the deliciously filthy delight. Scarlett and Damien were truly perfect for each other and after all the pain and misery both went through, they more than deserved a second chance in happiness and love together.

In addition, the storyline was phenomenal! Zaya is still missing, but the Skolovs will stop at nothing to find her. Even more, their half-brother is getting more dangerous with every passing moment. And unknown enemies are also lurking in the shadows. With everything happening and the unexpected turns of events, I was glued to the pages till the very end, excited how everything will be resolved.

Overall, the story is another spectacular addition to the series! It’s filled with danger, action, suspense, twists, violence, betrayals, angst, drama, smoking-hot passion and incredible characters.

I couldn’t put it down and absolutely loved every page of it!
And, with that epilogue, I cannot wait to see what happens next!

[Tkmla · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Schmutziger Lord“ von Alison Aimes ist der vierte Band ihrer spannenden Herzlose Warlords Reihe, die in ihrem eigens kreierten Omegaverse spielt.
Damien Skolov war immer der Jüngste unter den Skolov Brüdern und kämpft wortwörtlich seit Jahren gegen dieses Image an, erst als Cagefighter und inzwischen als gnadenloser Enforcer der Familie. Nur einmal zeigte er vor vier Jahren seine schwache Seite, aber seine Liebe zu Tänzerin Scarlett endete in Betrug und mit einem gebrochenen Herzen. Doch jetzt ist Damien zurück auf einer besonderen Mission und dabei genießt er besonders den Teil, bei dem er endlich Rache an Scarlett nehmen kann, die ihn einst verschmähte. Damien ahnt nicht, weshalb sich Scarlett gegen eine gemeinsame Zukunft entschied und sie hat auch nicht vor, ihre Geheimnisse preiszugeben. Aber gegen die gegenseitige Anziehung sind beide machtlos.

Ich würde auf jeden Fall empfehlen, alle Bände in der vorgesehenen Reihenfolge zu lesen und auch das Prequel zu diesem Buch sollte man sich nicht entgehen lassen. Alison Aimes hat auch für Damien eine einzigartige und mitreißende Lovestory erschaffen, die genau zu seinem Charakter passt und die einen dahinschmelzen lässt.
Das gebrochene Herz von Damien wurde von seinen Brüdern schon öfter angesprochen und ich war sehr neugierig, was damals wirklich passiert ist. Aufklärung gibt das Prequel „Schmutzige Anfänge“, welches die Geschehnisse vor vier Jahren erzählt. Die eigentliche Geschichte ist quasi eine Second Chance Lovestory, in der beide Hauptcharaktere über die Verletzungen der Vergangenheit hinwegkommen müssen.
Scarlett ist wieder eine großartige Frauenfigur, die in manchen Momenten viel stärker wirkt, als die körperlich überlegenen Alphas. Genau deshalb liebe ich diese Reihe, denn sie lässt ihre Helden auf Augenhöhe agieren, auch wenn die Gesellschaftsform völlig gegenteilig konstruiert ist.
Das heiße Knistern zwischen Scarlett und Damien schlägt sehr hohe Funken und es gibt unglaublich viele unerwartete Twists. Das begeistert mich jedes Mal aufs Neue, genau wie die berührende Entwicklung und die Tiefe der Charaktere.

Mein Fazit:
Von mir gibt es eine klare Leseempfehlung und ich bin sehr gespannt auf die Abenteuer von Anya!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damien Skolov meets his fated mate Scarlett and fights in the tournament to save her before betrayal
Damien had gone to take part in a tournament where the winner would win a huge payment as well as the prize who in this case was Scarlett, from the moment that Damien had seen her in her crystal cage he had known she was his fated mate and she had known that she was “His”.
However, as the pair had been meeting secretly and Damien had been showing Scarlet how much he loved his Fated Mate and assured her that when he won the tournament, she would be his Prize Omega, she would accompany him everywhere and she would raise his children.
This was the first time she had ever known any happiness but the Brotherhood have long arms and are able to obtain evidence they can use against Scarlett and the only way she can keep the two men she cares for safe her brother and Damien safe is by caring out their instructions so he can not attain his goals and she would be forced into a living hell.
Four years later and Damien and his brothers are now back together and they are at another of the Brotherhood tournaments and when he sees her again for the first time it is as though time has stopped and she is still to be his Prime Omega, but he hates her for the betrayal that caused his friend to lose his life in the tournament. There is so much he does not know about the hell she has suffered over the last four years and she will never tell him, she is too ashamed.
I guarantee that when you begin reading this imply amazing book that you will not be able to put it down until you reach the end and discover the outcome.
I assure you that you will love every moment of this book it is simply a fantastic read.
I voluntarily received and review an Advanced Reader Copy
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the great writing.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filthy Royal is one scorchingly hot and delicious Omegaverse Romance! I adore anything Alison writes, but WOWZA.. Damien is my favorite character she has written so far! Alison can bring you into her fantastical and smutty world that she creates through her attention to all details in these alien worlds. They seem like they are just beautiful and enchanting..
This is book 4 of her Ruthless Warlords Series, but.. yes it is a standalone, but you’d be just fine following along. I highly recommend starting from the beginning. It’s just so much more sexy and fun that way! Damien and Scarlett’s love story was so different from the other books.. it was hot yes, but complicated with misunderstandings,meddling siblings, protecting, and my favorite …. Fated Mates! (Yum to that Taming Chain)… I’ts lovers to enemies to lovers again. Damien is one cocky cage fighter, who falls for the beautiful omega prize Scarlett, whos unique Omega gift is both beautiful and dangerous. This story spans four years in time in which our young cage fighter nobody knows to a feared Mafia boss within the galaxy. Their road to get back to each other and trust was not easy. I loved all of the action. (Excuse me, Miss Alison…that claiming mud scene?! hot AF ma’am!)
Stella Hunter and Jason Clarke narrate this in duet style. Stella is always one of my favorite narrators because she can do any type of character! From innocent, scared to sexy siren in a flash. You feel all the emotions from her. Jason is always top-tier in these types of characters. Super growly, cocky, defiant, arrogant, but then can turn on that emotion of vulnerability, longing and need so damn well. And of course, Jason has you covered with too many to count “Good Girl”… that he delivers with that gravely tone so well!

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

NB: Spoilers are alluded to only.
I enjoyed this book & its characters (main & supporting), even more than Filthy Beginnings #4A - the start of this storyline. I definitely want to read more from this author in the future. But... there are a few things that I found could have been handled slightly differently - it's probably just me nit picking thou.
The intimacy is very drawn-out (similar to Filthy Beginnings) for around half the book. There are just moments caught between high activity. This eventually became slightly repetitive.
Fortunately MC's do eventually reveal their personal thoughts, feelings & reasoning with each other BEFORE the last chapter, which is great, otherwise it can be extremely frustrating for the reader, who knows they just need to be honest with each other.
Weirdly, non-heterosexual sexuality isn't something even mentioned in this universe (until second half of book), either/neither bisexual, homosexual, asexual or any other sexuality. Which is strange, given: the futuristic nature of the story; that other species can/do interact regularly; and that interspecies procreation can also be possible & fairly common - you'd expect different preferences and anatomies within such a diverse advanced society, would breed acceptance that, nothing is "normal".
There's also the question of why the female MC (Scarlett) would even think that the person she cares about (ie male MC Damien) could be ignorant/intolerant. If she was so unsure of a love interests opinion, on an important topic, couldn't/wouldn't she of, broached the subject in a nonspecific way, to gleen their views/prejudices etc earlier.
I was confused as to why the "unspoken" topic isn't/wasn't in any other area of the story. You don't hear/see any indications of intolerance elsewhere in the narrative, its not in any of the different characters (eg no slurs, "jokes" etc are spoken), or generally in their society (arrests, rules stated somewhere or by someone etc). It wasn’t once specifically referenced until the last stages of the book.
But I'm probably diving too deep into a work of romantic fiction.
I do really like the storyline, & all but 1 (because of their above question avoidance & assumptions - unnecessary martyrdom annoys me) of the "good guy" characters (the "bad" ones didn't have any redeeming features). I enjoyed (& appreciated) all the characters' realistic thoughts/actions/dialogue, etc. And there are a couple of things I didn't see coming at all, total surprises. Finally, I think the title is a misnomer. Nothing in this book was 'filthy' or 'royal'. Male MC continuously describing the relationship as 'filthy' was incongruous.

[Christen · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW... Damien and Scarlett's long awaited story is finally out (I gratefully received an advanced reader copy of it)! Normally, I would read Alison's books in a weekend (gorging on them, actually), but this feels like an XXL size book and you will totally get your money's worth! SO, it took me a little longer to read as **this is a story to savor!*** No sneaking bits in between work calls, no. I had to devote some serious ME time to soak it in. ;-)

This story takes place in the Golden Dome - a brutal gladiator-type place - or glamorous, depending on your point of view. Like the others in the Ruthless Warlords series, the story has lots of action, some dark themes (slavery of beings is the norm in the Anarchiem universe), fated mates agonizingly separated for years, and there's STEAM. Oh yes, Damien and Scarlett together... mmhmm. The prequel makes this a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance. Obviously, even when they're enemies, the sparks fly. Whoooo - that mud scene! There is some secondary MM romance, but the naughty bits are off-page.

Other Skolov family characters feature in this book, so there's still a warm-hearted feeling to this dark romance. They are an awesome, kick-butt family.
I won't spoil anything else here, but I am SALIVATING for Anya's story. Ever since his bit part early in the Ruthless Warriors series, I've been fascinated with the idea of a certain uptight Federation officer brought to his knees. Wheeee!