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Ruthless Villains #3

Heartless Villains

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The war between the dark mages has been settled and the new power hierarchy is in place, but the people of Eldar have at last figured out that their great hero is no longer in the city. Determined to take him back, they are mustering the whole city for battle while Lance’s friends race to reclaim an artifact that would leave the dark mages at a severe disadvantage.

In order to prevent that from happening, Audrey and Callan have to get to the item first. However, the road to it is full of danger, and they can afford no distractions if they are to survive it. But that is easier said than done when both of them are harboring secrets from each other that would turn their world upside down.

If Callan and Audrey are to succeed in this mission, they will need to depend on each other more than ever. But after all the blood and betrayal, can two heartless villains truly learn to trust one another?

315 pages, Paperback

Published December 26, 2022

204 people are currently reading
2846 people want to read

About the author

Marion Blackwood

32 books1,544 followers
Marion Blackwood is the author of The Oncoming Storm series, the Court of Elves series, the Ruthless Villains series, the Ruthless Enemy trilogy, and the Flame and Thorns series. She has a Master's Degree in English and History Education, and she worked as a high school teacher before becoming a full-time author. When she's not busy writing fantasy books or traveling the world, she reads, binges shows, and loses at video games. Marion has previously lived in the US and China, but now she once again calls the beautiful country of Sweden home. To find out more, visit: www.marionblackwood.com

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5 stars
738 (34%)
4 stars
810 (37%)
3 stars
480 (22%)
2 stars
99 (4%)
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18 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
Profile Image for bella fazzati.
543 reviews429 followers
April 19, 2025
fucking finally 😭😭😭😭
can't wait to see them destroying everyone ❤️‍🩹
Profile Image for Desiree McMullen.
10 reviews2 followers
December 28, 2022
All I can say is FINALLYYYYYYYYY. I’m taking one star for making us wait three whole books for them to confess their feelings to each other. Marion, you have me in a chokehold with this series, I can’t wait for the fourth book to see how Audrey and Callan interact now that their feelings are out in the open.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for hea booktubes.
1,652 reviews378 followers
May 17, 2023
You want to know why this book is a crime? Because if we edited out the repetitive phrasing, “dark desire” “wicked smirk” “dark laugh” “vicious smile” it would be an easy five star. But the fact that we’re using these phrases soooo unforgivably frequently, prevents me from enjoying it as much as I should!!! Jesus be a edit button and fix it!!
Profile Image for Angel Paige .
4 reviews
January 18, 2023
This series!!!

I love this series so much!! I can’t wait to see what book 4 brings!! Ruthless Villains is everything!! You need to read this series!
15 reviews
February 7, 2023
The unwillingness to communicate made a lot of sense within the story and wasn't as insurance as other romances with this trope. Still liking it and looking forward to the next book in the series
Profile Image for Esther.
678 reviews2 followers
January 21, 2023
Best one yet

I enjoyed this one best of all so far. I still don't understand why the Black Mages don't band together. I don't get why they Have to be loners to be black mages, but that didn't play into this one very much. I loved the trust, the vulnerability, the discovery, and the growth in this book. The MCs' personalities didn't change, but they still grew. So many authors miss that crucial part of a story.
*I would give this an R rating. There are several dark and unhealthy spice scenes that are very descriptive. This is not a relationship how to, so don't read it for that. Read the story, enjoy the spice.
Profile Image for Yasmin Danielle.
208 reviews4 followers
March 21, 2023
It took them 3 books… but we are finally here. Now if you have come from the cliffhanger emotional revelation of ‘Wicked Villians’ you’ll know exactly what I am referring to and it’s about FUCKING TIME. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼

We have seen massive character development for Audrey and Callan, from the very first book they wanted to kill each other on sight, to then working alongside each other and now I would even go as far to say as trusting each other. For two obnoxious, self-absorbed, petulant and egotistical people they really have come a long way.

The conflict and scheming with the blend of dark humour is what I absolutely love about this series, along with the ‘cherry on top’ smutty scenes. That being said, while the story line is progressing towards the end goal of destroying the Blade of Equilibrium, it has taken us a looooong ass time to get here which just feels mundane and repetitive.

Heartless Villains leaves you in a dilemma of wanting to put the book down to scream in frustration, whilst also being so addicted to the end goal and the drama that we can’t actually put the book down. My metaphorical m question is; has Lance changed his mind and could he be a key player in changing the sway of the tide? Book 5 will reveal all (due for release April 2023).😔

STATS
⭐️ 2.5/5 - rated it a solid 3
🌶 can we even call it spicy? It’s not smut that’s for sure. Let’s go with a comfortable vanilla- caramel flavoured book and a total of 1 flame.🔥
Profile Image for Chelsea Styles.
41 reviews8 followers
January 30, 2023
Overall Rating: 4/5
Spice Rating: 3/5

POV: Dual, First Person
Ending: Cliffhanger

Check content warnings before starting this series as there are numerous scenes of explicitly violent content.


Heartless Villains is the third book in the Ruthless Villains series by Marion Blackwood. Read Ruthless Villains and Wicked Villains first.

Pace
I may have shirked all adult responsibilities to binge read Heartless Villains when my pre-order was fulfilled and it landed in my Kindle. But, in all fairness, I devoured this book and read it almost in one sitting so I didn’t ignore my family for too long. So far, all the books in this series have been easy reads that I managed to absolutely sprint through, which is impressive for a fantasy romance. The story isn’t bogged down with chunky blocks of exposition or world building and didn’t require a lot of brain power to understand and enjoy. An easy weekend read for someone who is a bit burned out and needs a fun, sexy, and mischievous fantasy escape!

Characters
I love characters who are put through a brutal development journey and watching Audrey and Callan question their world-view and view of themselves was delightful. There’s something so thrilling about watching a character have their vulnerability torn from their grasp and laid bare for their enemies to see. (Is that something I should be concerned about?)
In Heartless Villains, Audrey and Callan made decent progress towards acceptance of their situation/feelings but I just know Marion is going to throw a lovely spanner in the works for book #4. I mean that cliffhanger! But they finally seem to be together…. we shall see.
I also enjoyed seeing Lance flounder when presented with some cold hard facts and I’m so curious to see if his character will continue on this slow, cautious trajectory of questioning what he thought to be true or if something huge will happen that pushes him over the edge (which edge that will be).


Is Heartless Villians spicy?
Yes! Marion is very generous with the steamy tension and the spicy spice. As with the previous books in the series, Heartless Villains packs explicit scenes to satisfy an avid adult romance reader. Audrey and Callan hate that they feel more than just attraction for each other so it manifests in intense and passionate relations.

Tropes
- Enemies to lovers
- Found Family
- Epic journey
- One bed
- Possessive MMC & FMC
- Anti-Heros/Villains
- Magic
- Good vs. Evil

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the balance of plot and spicy spice in Heartless Villains by Marion Blackwood and I liked her commentary on the blurred lines between good and evil; how people contain both within themselves and how easy it can for people to be persuaded to commit evil acts for good, or rather, what some in positions of power consider to be good. The characters and their struggles were the highlight of the book for me, and Marion executed the twists and revelations in a way that wasn’t so obvious or predictable. So far each book in the Ruthless Villains series has been plotted, written, and presented very well and all have been immensely entertaining. I’ll definitely be continuing with this series to see how it turns out.
Profile Image for Leslie || original book nerd.
922 reviews43 followers
March 11, 2023
🧪Heartless Villains -Ruthless Villains Book 3- Review🧪

Couple: Audrey and Callan

Author: Marion Blackwood

Tropes: enemy to lover, dark romance, guild romance, morally grey romance, mage romance, PNR


Review: This book is the turning point for Audrey and Callan. The numerous betrayals, battles, enemies and truths are revealed in this book and we see them come together to fight a greater enemy. This book turns the heat ALL the way up, while the first 2 books definitely have heat, this book is where the feelings between them come into play. Both admit the desire and lust between them but they pretend not to have more.

The chemistry and trust between the couple is ironic since both a have been violent enemies with dark pasts. We begin to also learn more about Callan in this book and where he came from and how he was made into what he is. This book showcased the friendship and loyalty Callan has with his first in command and army. It was heartbreaking since we know Audrey did not have this.

This book was a fast paced, high fantasy read that has the dark magic, lust, envy and betrayals you would expect for this genre. This is also the book where we see the dark mages begin to turn on one another and the hints of the power vacuum to come. I loved reading the growth of Audrey and reading how she becomes a stringer one woman army is a great segue in this book.

The book lays out the main struggle we will see in the last two books and we also embark on a perilous quest again in this book that brings both Callan and Audrey closer. To me, this book was a segue book more than a development book. We see a lot of past conflict answered and a lot more unanswered questions from between the couple.

Rating: 1,000+, turn the heat up and grab a glass of wine!
Profile Image for Jessy Oltersdorf.
59 reviews
January 4, 2023
This series just keeps getting better with every book!

So far there is no weak book in this series!

I love Audrey and Callan, these two are such amazing and dynamic characters. And there is a huge growth in their characters compared to the first book, while still staying true to who they are.

And now Henry and Paige got their spotlight in this book as well. Paige was a little bit there in the first book and Henry was just a plot device in the second book. But now these two were developed into actual people. Which made me really happy, because I liked what they meant to each Audrey and Callan but as a reader I hadn't had that connection with them. Now though these two are perfect characters who I am looking forward to of seeing more in the next book.

Since in this book we travel outside of Eldar, we finally get to see more of the world and how it works. The world is expanded pretty well and once again, am I completley on the side of our villains. I am still baffled as to how no "hero" is seeing the overall injustice in this world.
What was also great was that through Lance we find out how the young generation of "heros" is raised. And how baked in the hatred of dark mages really is. It is a topic I hope Marion goes even further into, in the next books.

Totally am looking forward to the next book!!
Profile Image for Tynga.
561 reviews122 followers
January 21, 2023
OMG I loved this installment, maybe even more than the previous ones! If your favorite part was the spice, note that there is still quite a few spicy scenes, but they are not as frequent or as kinky as they were in the previous two books. Which is totally fine by me.
In all honesty, I think I spent most of the book mentally screaming at them to tell each other how they really feel. Damn, I was craving this so freaking bad!! It would've been to easy though? lol
The adventure and challenges were totally on point, I loved the relationship development between the group. Paige joining them on the adventure was a great surprise and I loved seeing the sparks between her and Henry. I am even daring to hope Lance will change his mind after everything he witnessed during this mission.
I am really glad that the fourth book releases in just a few weeks, because I'm really excited to see how things will unfold after the rather surprising ending.
Profile Image for Watch Jamie Read.
930 reviews5 followers
April 14, 2025
“Would you mind holding my horse while I go and slaughter these people?”

Finally!!!! This story works so much better when there’s a quest! And this quest was absolutely delicious! I love Callan and Audrey so much! And I love seeing more of Henry too! Even Paige being thrown in to this journey was a delight. I’m living for every blush from Henry.

I’m really enjoying Lance’s evolution as well. I can tell that the hero complex he has is starting to spoil just a bit. There’s always corruption, no matter hero or villain. It’s enjoyable to see this story unfold and to learn of the villainy within the heroes.

The constant “I love him/her but I can never tell him/her” inner battles got old really fast. BUT! The ending was so worth it! I can’t wait to see how they deal with the declaration of love! And, of course, another quest! Let’s go!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Melanie Nelson.
646 reviews9 followers
December 31, 2022
The saga to save the dark mages continues, and Callan and Audrey are still managing to avoid their feelings for each other while saving each others lives.

The relationship between these two that have spent years trying to kill each other is complete entertainment. Now Henry and Paige are pulled into their dynamic, and they are definitely the type of friends that stand off to the side and roll their eyes constantly. They know what’s going on. For sure.

This book ends with the set up for book 4, but there’s a couple of unknowns here. Will Lance come to their side? He seemed very uncertain with everything he thought he once believed. And now that Callan and Audrey have each other to fight for, their stake in the game has definitely just gone up tenfold.
Profile Image for Becca.
483 reviews15 followers
February 3, 2023
I enjoyed this more than the second and first and I think the author has finally found her feet with pacing and with plot.

Annoyingly, the cliffhanger is the thing I’ve been waiting to happen for two books, she really does like leaving you hanging with this series.

Although the characters have remained the same, arrogant, petulant and abrasive, they have emotionally developed with trust of one another and I do enjoy the fact we are getting character progression now rather than just constant moaning about how they hate one another.

The writing is still not ground breaking, but it’s a quick enough read to keep me interested for a few hours. There’s another one due out at the end of this month, and I will choose to read that but not rush to read it on release day.
Profile Image for Alex.
464 reviews4 followers
January 26, 2023
3.5 stars

THE END ugh thank god. Okay anyway so I wasn't really a huge fan of this for the first like 75% because wow it was just a LOT of smut like wow BUT as soon as they entered the caves, I was HOOKED. Like oh my god the scene where MAN that was good. Absolutely loved that. Same with the scene.

Profile Image for Hannah.
143 reviews
July 25, 2023
I enjoy each book more.

I absolutely love Paige and how she interacts with Audrey and Henry.

I enjoy Audrey's and Callan's relationship and how they handle their feelings for each other. It's entertaining.

The sex scenes still feel a bit repetitive.

And some of the journey plot seems to just be a set up to a sex scene. Like first the sex scene was written, and then came the thought "How do i get the main characters there?"

I got used to the writing style, so it doesn't really bother me like it did in the first and second book.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
132 reviews2 followers
January 3, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The book felt a bit repetitive compared to the order two. I feel like the first two had better spice, and this one felt slower pased which is not appreciated when the book is so short. The time could have been spent actually developing the character's relationship instead of having the same dynamic over and over again. The ending I really liked, but I feel like the story should have ended with 3 books.
Profile Image for Sophie.
230 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2023
I feel like the conflict and plot is awesome. It’s clever and fun. I’m all about the morally grey characters.
I loved the ending!! I love Callum and Audrey!!

That being said I feel like this series would’ve been better as a trilogy… i almost didn’t continue reading the series because the second book frustrated me so much.

Anyway! I was hoping the series would get wrapped up nicely in the next one but it seems there will be more books to come…
Profile Image for Ashley.
265 reviews2 followers
March 4, 2023
True rating: 3.75

Okay that misdirect with Paige had my stomach dropping out of my body. I would have been so sad if the longest friend that Audrey had ended up betraying them.

Thank fucking GOD that Callan and Audrey have admitted their feelings to each other. That was almost orgasmic to read. I've been wildly frustrated with them (in an enjoyable way) for three whole books now, so I'm very happy that all the cards are on the table now.

Also, can I just say how much I appreciate that we get the last chapter of each book in both POVs? I love that so fucking much.

Onto book 4!
Profile Image for Clara De masi.
16 reviews1 follower
January 1, 2023
Reminder: så de har været oppe på bjerget og fundet og ødelagt enhancer me så kommer de ned og så er ham chanceloren der og de blir nødt til at overgive Lance (the binder) og de finder ud af at de har brændt deres hjem ned. De skal nu finde en dude i malgrove som kan ødelægge sværet og den der current som alle får magi fra i byen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jasmin E Reads.
607 reviews17 followers
January 3, 2023
Yes you betcha I waited up to midnight for this book release & read. I have grown very attached to Audrey and Callan toxic & dangerous push & pull dark romantasy.

Marion has enticed me to lean favour to Mage reads now.

Im Estatic there are more books with this couple coming!!! bring it!

jasmin e reads
Profile Image for Caitlyn Turcotte.
268 reviews
January 22, 2023
I found this book had a little bit of a slower start or maybe I just felt that way cause I wanted the MC to spill their feelings!
Spicy for sure! Loved the adventure up and through the mountain.
Was totally waiting for lance to have a change of heart about the hero’s!
Loved the battles with other magics!
Profile Image for Lena Beyer.
271 reviews2 followers
January 23, 2023
Even three books deep I still love this series!

I love the way the relationships between all the main characters grow and develop. The chemistry between the two main characters is frustrating only because it’s so obviously there and yet the stubbornly deny it.

I also love the fantasy world in this book. It is well crafted and there is a lot of attention to detail.
Profile Image for Gabby.
45 reviews1 follower
February 23, 2023
I won’t bore you with a bunch of reasons why this book is just as amazing as Marion Blackwoods other books cause you already know that. Why else would you be on book 3 of this kickass series if you didn’t already know it’s one hell of a toxic, thrilling, and action packed journey just like the others in the series. So let’s skip all the words in between and jump to dying to ready book 4 already!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews

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