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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Long Live the Villain King
WARNING: May contain spoilers!
Emily McIntire’s “Scarred” is a deliciously dark, Lion King–inspired fantasy romance that takes the bones of a familiar tale and twists them into something far more brutal, passionate, and unhinged.
The story follows Sara Beatreaux, daughter of a murdered duke, sent to marry King Michael of Faasa as part of a political arrangement. What Michael doesn’t know is Sara has her own plans—plans to burn his family to the ground. But Sara’s vengeance is complicated when she collides with Tristan, the scarred and cunning younger brother, a man whispered about in rumors and feared by all. He’s manipulative, dangerous, magnetic. And Sara can’t seem to resist him, no matter how much she should.
What I loved:
Tristan’s character: Emily McIntire nailed the Scar inspiration. He’s ruthless, bitter, and cruel, but never magically “healed” by love. He stays messy and morally gray, yet still captivating. His sharp edges made him both terrifying and irresistible.
The romance: This is forbidden, enemies-to-lovers, slow burn turned scorching obsession. The chemistry was off the charts, the banter crackled and their twisted push-and-pull made the story addictive. Sara wasn’t a flawless heroine, but she wasn’t weak either—she matched Tristan’s darkness in surprising ways.
The plot and atmosphere: Though set in 1910, it reads like a fantasy-tinged dark romance, with court intrigue, revenge schemes, betrayal, and political games driving the story forward. It was fast-paced, dramatic, and a little unhinged in the best way.
What didn’t fully work for me:
Sara could have used a bit more depth. Her motivations were clear, but I wanted to know her beyond her revenge and her romance. And while the spice was written well and felt natural, at times it overshadowed the slower burn tension that made the relationship shine.
Still, the ending wrapped up beautifully, giving us both fiery destruction and a satisfying conclusion. This isn’t a sweet romance, it’s violent, messy, and morally dark. But if you’re someone who cheers for the villain, “Scarred” will make you want to burn kingdoms down right alongside him.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i liked the plot enough. i enjoy a good “touch her and you’ll die” trope and morally grey characters, but it was lacking in many ways
this is a personal preference, but the spice was exorbitant. i prefer “selective” spice. it started off slow, steadily growing, grabbing my attention. but then every chapter was smut, ruining the built up tension the characters had. like we get it already..
this is a personal preference, but the spice was exorbitant. i prefer “selective” spice. it started off slow, steadily growing, grabbing my attention. but then every chapter was smut, ruining the built up tension the characters had. like we get it already..
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was so looking forward to reading this as I absolutely loved Hooked. However, I found myself extremely disappointed with this book. Especially when compared to Hooked.
I felt it was slow and at times it was a chore to read it. I so wanted to enjoy this as much as the first, but I couldn't. It was a good story overall, don't get me wrong, but the magic that was in Hooked wasn't in this book. It could have done with being less pages and putting a punch into the story. This doesn't deter me from reading the others in the series though.
I felt it was slow and at times it was a chore to read it. I so wanted to enjoy this as much as the first, but I couldn't. It was a good story overall, don't get me wrong, but the magic that was in Hooked wasn't in this book. It could have done with being less pages and putting a punch into the story. This doesn't deter me from reading the others in the series though.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am absolutely obsessed, in love, and so entirely satisfied with every single thing about this book. Absolutely delicious, I am eating this up. Running to get the limited edition book that’s available right now because it is that fucking good. Everything I love a dark romance enemies to lovers where the girl falls in love with an actual VILLAIN. YEASSSS