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smsmith422's review
5.0
I’m not gonna lie….
I am not gonna lie. I was so mad up to about 63% of this book. I did not like how Amara was treated, I did not like how much of a jerk Ryder was, but dang I could NOT put it down! I am so glad they got their HEA and can’t wait to see what happens next. I have a theory but I can’t wait to see if I am right!
I am not gonna lie. I was so mad up to about 63% of this book. I did not like how Amara was treated, I did not like how much of a jerk Ryder was, but dang I could NOT put it down! I am so glad they got their HEA and can’t wait to see what happens next. I have a theory but I can’t wait to see if I am right!
kaydanielsromance's review
5.0
Cruel Saint is the first in the series with a continuing storyline that will follow through the rest of the books, but this particular story focused on the love interests between Ryder Saint and Amara Scott.
Ryder and Amara have a lot of unique twists wrapped up in their second chance love. Amara was sold into an arranged marriage with Ryder, but they were already in a secret relationship before either one of them discovered this news. However, their contract was dissolved when her father died and she actually moved away crushing them both. Now it's a few years later and Ryder is back to claim the woman who has always been his, but Amara doesn't feel quite the same.
There are a whole lot of secrets and twists wrapped up in Ryder winning her back and that is only part of the story. On top of this romance battle there is an ongoing investigation into her brother's murder which is also part of the series continuation plot, but there is also mystery surrounding members of their own family. I have to say I loved the intrigue and trying to unravel who could potentially be behind all of the upcoming plot twists.
Within this first book we do get to meet, on some sort of level, all of the Saint family members, along with Amara's family. There are also a few additional people sprinkled in that give extra twists to this angsty book which I'm already loving. Have we meet everyone who could be a suspect yet? I'm not entirely sure, but I love trying to unravel all the leads that could lead me to the possible killer.
I'm anxiously awaiting the next book, which will focus on another Saint brother and his fall into love, but will also continue this ever evolving plot into the intriguing mystery.
Ryder and Amara have a lot of unique twists wrapped up in their second chance love. Amara was sold into an arranged marriage with Ryder, but they were already in a secret relationship before either one of them discovered this news. However, their contract was dissolved when her father died and she actually moved away crushing them both. Now it's a few years later and Ryder is back to claim the woman who has always been his, but Amara doesn't feel quite the same.
There are a whole lot of secrets and twists wrapped up in Ryder winning her back and that is only part of the story. On top of this romance battle there is an ongoing investigation into her brother's murder which is also part of the series continuation plot, but there is also mystery surrounding members of their own family. I have to say I loved the intrigue and trying to unravel who could potentially be behind all of the upcoming plot twists.
Within this first book we do get to meet, on some sort of level, all of the Saint family members, along with Amara's family. There are also a few additional people sprinkled in that give extra twists to this angsty book which I'm already loving. Have we meet everyone who could be a suspect yet? I'm not entirely sure, but I love trying to unravel all the leads that could lead me to the possible killer.
I'm anxiously awaiting the next book, which will focus on another Saint brother and his fall into love, but will also continue this ever evolving plot into the intriguing mystery.
heather_whit's review
4.0
Cruel Saint is the first book in the Vicious Empire series. It is a mafia story that centers around Amara & Ryder. They have a history that no one knows about but them. If that line right there is not enough to pull you in then I don't know what is..... Their history is full of hot steamy times that no one but them know about.
When Ryder sends Amara away he thinks he is doing it for her own good, but what he fails to realize is, it really wasn't. When he decides it is time for her to come home he doesn't realize just how much danger she is in. Amara has questions is not afraid to ask them despite what the consequences may be. She is a strong young lady who has been through more than others know. She has a backbone and she is not afraid to use it, or to show everyone how strong she truly is. Ryder is a OTT alpha who has always known Amara is his. He has a lot to make up for, but is just as tenacious as she is. I am not gonna lie I liked his character, but man did he frustrate the hell out of me a time or two.
The story is well written and flows perfectly. I loved getting introduced to all the characters and am looking forward to seeing how their lives play out.
When Ryder sends Amara away he thinks he is doing it for her own good, but what he fails to realize is, it really wasn't. When he decides it is time for her to come home he doesn't realize just how much danger she is in. Amara has questions is not afraid to ask them despite what the consequences may be. She is a strong young lady who has been through more than others know. She has a backbone and she is not afraid to use it, or to show everyone how strong she truly is. Ryder is a OTT alpha who has always known Amara is his. He has a lot to make up for, but is just as tenacious as she is. I am not gonna lie I liked his character, but man did he frustrate the hell out of me a time or two.
The story is well written and flows perfectly. I loved getting introduced to all the characters and am looking forward to seeing how their lives play out.
bookgramsaga_'s review
3.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️
''She consumes my darkness like it's her lifeline''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OM drama
- OW drama
- Violence/d*ath
- Loss of loved ones
- Abandonment
- BDSM
- HEA (couple)
- Cliffhanger (plot)
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
So, this had the recipe for everything I would like in a dark romance, but it fell short in my eyes, and I was disappointed with a few things that I think diminished the value of the romance and growth of the actual relationship. I also figured out a bunch of the ''twists'‘, so it did not make an impact on me at all.
Amara has been engaged to Ryder for a few years and they are secretly in love, the marriage is an arranged one but actually her family sold her off to his family. His father pushed him to accept the marriage but he reality he never needed pushing as he is in love with her and being with her is effortless. Fast forward to when her father dies, and her mother wants the engagement annulled and moves her away and Ryder (in order to protect her from being a pawn) lets her go and Amara believes he never cared, and they are separated for 4 years.
Almost 2 years after that day, Amara's brother Grayson (Ryder's best friend) has been murdered and nobody knows who did it. This murder mystery is the main plot for the series and each book will eventually leave you to figure out who did it and a few other mysteries.
Fast track to two years later and Ryder forces her back to the same town and his home where she finds out that Ryder is engaged to Grayson's former gf Sloane and now Ryder/Sloane has a son named Henry. She is distraught to find out about this development but honestly if you realize the kids age and how Ryder loved Grayson you figure out right away their engagement is fake, and the kid is Grayson's and not Ryder's. It was obvious BUT Amara does not find out about these two important points until Chapter 27 and it is way past the point where he should of told her.
SHE BELIEVES Ryder is cheating on Sloane with her and she doesn't feel guilty about it and they keep cheating but it's not cheating. We also find out Ryder has been celibate since he let Amara go BUT Amara has not, she has been going once a month into a BDSM club (each time with different guys) and despite the fact it was never specifically told by her POV (Ryder finds out after digging into her life) we are left to believe she slept with so many men during their separation, all the while she wasn't over him. I understand some people might not have an issue with this but I did, more specifically with why she was doing it....She never fell out of love with Ryder and the whole sex club situation was just glossed over too quickly for me, it was never fully discussed and Ryder focused on the wrong thing. It made me feel like Amara spent years being with different men only to feel empty from it? It was not the proper way to heal, and it shows in the book.
Another thing I found tedious was how Ryder would treat her after she moved into the house, he would basically BULLY her for what? It made no sense to me, and this was done before he ever finds out about the sex club she frequented. He was just doing all this shit because he believed it was keeping her in line and keeping in line would keep her safe? Made no sense.
I also felt like we needed more backstory about how their LOVE developed because all we got from the flashbacks was sexual. I wanted to read about them falling in love, but I don't think we really did.
Also, I saw Nash's betrayal coming a mile away, especially when he was the one always having meetings with Ryder's dad to update him on business (like Ryder wanted him to). It was so obvious that he was going to be the traitor.
I don't need to read on to figure out the two mysteries about the series:
Who killed Grayson? Ryder's father - no doubt in my mind.
Who is the heir they are searching for? My money is either one of the brothers or Sloane.
Will I continue the series? I'm not so sure but we will see!
''She consumes my darkness like it's her lifeline''
Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OM drama
- OW drama
- Violence/d*ath
- Loss of loved ones
- Abandonment
- BDSM
- HEA (couple)
- Cliffhanger (plot)
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
So, this had the recipe for everything I would like in a dark romance, but it fell short in my eyes, and I was disappointed with a few things that I think diminished the value of the romance and growth of the actual relationship. I also figured out a bunch of the ''twists'‘, so it did not make an impact on me at all.
Amara has been engaged to Ryder for a few years and they are secretly in love, the marriage is an arranged one but actually her family sold her off to his family. His father pushed him to accept the marriage but he reality he never needed pushing as he is in love with her and being with her is effortless. Fast forward to when her father dies, and her mother wants the engagement annulled and moves her away and Ryder (in order to protect her from being a pawn) lets her go and Amara believes he never cared, and they are separated for 4 years.
Almost 2 years after that day, Amara's brother Grayson (Ryder's best friend) has been murdered and nobody knows who did it. This murder mystery is the main plot for the series and each book will eventually leave you to figure out who did it and a few other mysteries.
Fast track to two years later and Ryder forces her back to the same town and his home where she finds out that Ryder is engaged to Grayson's former gf Sloane and now Ryder/Sloane has a son named Henry. She is distraught to find out about this development but honestly if you realize the kids age and how Ryder loved Grayson you figure out right away their engagement is fake, and the kid is Grayson's and not Ryder's. It was obvious BUT Amara does not find out about these two important points until Chapter 27 and it is way past the point where he should of told her.
SHE BELIEVES Ryder is cheating on Sloane with her and she doesn't feel guilty about it and they keep cheating but it's not cheating. We also find out Ryder has been celibate since he let Amara go BUT Amara has not, she has been going once a month into a BDSM club (each time with different guys) and despite the fact it was never specifically told by her POV (Ryder finds out after digging into her life) we are left to believe she slept with so many men during their separation, all the while she wasn't over him. I understand some people might not have an issue with this but I did, more specifically with why she was doing it....She never fell out of love with Ryder and the whole sex club situation was just glossed over too quickly for me, it was never fully discussed and Ryder focused on the wrong thing. It made me feel like Amara spent years being with different men only to feel empty from it? It was not the proper way to heal, and it shows in the book.
Another thing I found tedious was how Ryder would treat her after she moved into the house, he would basically BULLY her for what? It made no sense to me, and this was done before he ever finds out about the sex club she frequented. He was just doing all this shit because he believed it was keeping her in line and keeping in line would keep her safe? Made no sense.
I also felt like we needed more backstory about how their LOVE developed because all we got from the flashbacks was sexual. I wanted to read about them falling in love, but I don't think we really did.
Also, I saw Nash's betrayal coming a mile away, especially when he was the one always having meetings with Ryder's dad to update him on business (like Ryder wanted him to). It was so obvious that he was going to be the traitor.
I don't need to read on to figure out the two mysteries about the series:
Who killed Grayson? Ryder's father - no doubt in my mind.
Who is the heir they are searching for? My money is either one of the brothers or Sloane.
Will I continue the series? I'm not so sure but we will see!
culzean's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Death, Kidnapping, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, Car accident, Gaslighting, Classism, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
teddyshaw_'s review
3.0
This book was a whirl wind of emotions that I wasn't even aware was possible. Even when I got annoyed at decisions made by characters my attention was gripped.
This was hot. Not in a healthy or positive way but was it exactly what I wanted from this book - yes.
I can't really describe how the book made me feel but I definitely felt something.
This was hot. Not in a healthy or positive way but was it exactly what I wanted from this book - yes.
I can't really describe how the book made me feel but I definitely felt something.
molly_p_w's review
It did not have good writing and the story didn’t hold my attention.