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A review by iam_champagne
Ruthless Empire by Rina Kent
3.0
Well,that took a real morbid turn there, didn't it?
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?! (TW death of a loved one, mentions of cutting and depression and domestic abuse and rape.)
3.5 if this was marketed as a Romantic Thriller I'd have given it 4.5 stars, maybe.
I've read six books by Kent, this one excluded. And here I was flipping though the last installment thinking it will be just like the others.
Well not only did she prove me wrong but I think she may have scarred me very deeply for life.
This book honestly ended up more like a Thriller than it did a romance— thriller with loads and loads of sex. Subconsciously, I was postponing reading this book. I finished the other ones in a day, maybe two. This book took me almost four days. Why is that? Something was wrong okay. Kent decided to go out with a bang and she did just that. Kudos. You traumatized me and I must applaud you for that.
My taste in literature— romance and smut, mostly are very unconventional. I like taboo shit. I live for them. But I wasn't prepared for the fuckton of shit this book was gonna bring me.
Though, I must say I thought the foreshadowing was really clever. I'm a very intuitive person. How did I not see that twist coming? But I guess that just speak volumes in regards to Kent's writing.
Now, in my review for Broken Knight I may have mentioned that Kent probably has terrible mommy issues. This is the unofficial last book of this series and I still stand by my statement.
Although now, for the funniest reason, I think she also has a 'Kidnapping Fetish' — not kink shaming, god knows I have even worst fetishes, tmi— but yea, she couldn't have been anymore obvious. In every single book in this series, there's always a line like this:
Cole and Silver
We meet the protagonists from the very first book in this series (Deviant King) and we slowly get to know them better as the series progress.
At first we're introduced to Silver as the cliche Queen Bitch. Bullying, Slut shaming, Fat shaming, and Petty ass stunts to stake her claim. But through different books we see Kent slowly peel away very thin layers to show her audience that maybe there's more to Silver than meets the eye. (Imo, I don't really care for her that much. But she's okay.)
Now, the hero— Cole is Silver's step brother. It's been established that they are step siblings in the first few books. In this one, we see how it all came to be.
Their story goes from when they were 11 and/or 10 years of age. So we really see how their dynamic changes over the years.
Cole is vey closed off, he gets compared a lot to Aiden, the hero from the first three books. He's stuck in his head a lot reading Philosophy and Psychology books.
From the very first chapter, Kent introduces Cole as this young boy obsessed with chaos. He likes seeing the destruction he causes flash through someones eyes. Mostly Silver's.
Although, I have got to say, the first half of this book was kinda boring. I mean Kent was just basically repeating everything that happened from the previous books in Cole and Silver's POV, adding a few tidbits here and there.
If I had any right to say, I'd probably say this couple had the messiest relationship ever. I mean they all are but this book and couple were just all over the place.
Doll Maker
Enter second chapter, where we're introduced to this mystery person. He stalks Silver, is obsessed with her.
At first I thought that this was just merely a plot device. It wasn't. This doll maker character is a very important element in the thriller part of this book.
There were still cringe moments like this:
and funny moment like this:
The Friendship
But it was fine. I was hoping Kent would touch on Kim's near death experience from the fourth book and how that impacted Silver but apparently not. So... Okay.
It's interesting, these four men who are perceived to be like brothers have real violent thoughts about killing each other. It doesn't have any relevance but it's funny really. Not just in this book, but it honestly happens in all books.
In conclusion, I was hoping for a cute bully forbidden step brother romance to tie the whole series together. I was beyond wrong because this book turned out darker than dark. I haven't slept because I wanted to get over this book I'm deeply traumatized and I'm still contemplating on whether I should pick up the extended epilogues or not. Fuck my life.
I need help.
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?! (TW death of a loved one, mentions of cutting and depression and domestic abuse and rape.)
3.5 if this was marketed as a Romantic Thriller I'd have given it 4.5 stars, maybe.
Just because you don’t look under the bed, doesn’t mean the monster isn’t there.
I've read six books by Kent, this one excluded. And here I was flipping though the last installment thinking it will be just like the others.
Well not only did she prove me wrong but I think she may have scarred me very deeply for life.
I feel like demons will jump from the walls and devour us.
Or me, to be more specific. Cole would probably make friends with them.
This book honestly ended up more like a Thriller than it did a romance— thriller with loads and loads of sex. Subconsciously, I was postponing reading this book. I finished the other ones in a day, maybe two. This book took me almost four days. Why is that? Something was wrong okay. Kent decided to go out with a bang and she did just that. Kudos. You traumatized me and I must applaud you for that.
My taste in literature— romance and smut, mostly are very unconventional. I like taboo shit. I live for them. But I wasn't prepared for the fuckton of shit this book was gonna bring me.
Everyone’s interpretation is different from the other. It’s art.
Though, I must say I thought the foreshadowing was really clever. I'm a very intuitive person. How did I not see that twist coming? But I guess that just speak volumes in regards to Kent's writing.
“Beautiful?”
“Yes. It’s the unknown, and the unknown can be the most beautiful thing.”
Now, in my review for Broken Knight I may have mentioned that Kent probably has terrible mommy issues. This is the unofficial last book of this series and I still stand by my statement.
Although now, for the funniest reason, I think she also has a 'Kidnapping Fetish' — not kink shaming, god knows I have even worst fetishes, tmi— but yea, she couldn't have been anymore obvious. In every single book in this series, there's always a line like this:
So, I can kidnap her the fuck out of here.
Cole and Silver
We meet the protagonists from the very first book in this series (Deviant King) and we slowly get to know them better as the series progress.
“– do you think I have the energy to focus on anyone but you? You drive me fucking crazy.”
At first we're introduced to Silver as the cliche Queen Bitch. Bullying, Slut shaming, Fat shaming, and Petty ass stunts to stake her claim. But through different books we see Kent slowly peel away very thin layers to show her audience that maybe there's more to Silver than meets the eye. (Imo, I don't really care for her that much. But she's okay.)
Feelings and all that stupidity was invented by unsuccessful people. Your worth is what you offer to the world — your beauty, your intelligence, and your competitiveness. No man should steal those from you.
Now, the hero— Cole is Silver's step brother. It's been established that they are step siblings in the first few books. In this one, we see how it all came to be.
You made me obsessed with you to the point I can’t fucking breathe until I see you.
Their story goes from when they were 11 and/or 10 years of age. So we really see how their dynamic changes over the years.
Everything happens for a reason. Coincidence is merely a term to interpret things that seem to not have an explanation.
They do. You just have to look deeper.
Cole is vey closed off, he gets compared a lot to Aiden, the hero from the first three books. He's stuck in his head a lot reading Philosophy and Psychology books.
There’s freedom in chaos.
From the very first chapter, Kent introduces Cole as this young boy obsessed with chaos. He likes seeing the destruction he causes flash through someones eyes. Mostly Silver's.
Silence gives you room to think, to plot. Talking only gets you in trouble.
Although, I have got to say, the first half of this book was kinda boring. I mean Kent was just basically repeating everything that happened from the previous books in Cole and Silver's POV, adding a few tidbits here and there.
“It is. I’ll give you pointers to sleep better.”
“Pointers?”
“Actually it’s one. Dream of me.”
If I had any right to say, I'd probably say this couple had the messiest relationship ever. I mean they all are but this book and couple were just all over the place.
“I don’t mind self-destructing if it’s with you.”
Doll Maker
Enter second chapter, where we're introduced to this mystery person. He stalks Silver, is obsessed with her.
At first I thought that this was just merely a plot device. It wasn't. This doll maker character is a very important element in the thriller part of this book.
There were still cringe moments like this:
“I was actually picturing eating you instead of the food we ordered.”
and funny moment like this:
“Do all women think too much about things during sex?”
The Friendship
But it was fine. I was hoping Kent would touch on Kim's near death experience from the fourth book and how that impacted Silver but apparently not. So... Okay.
It's interesting, these four men who are perceived to be like brothers have real violent thoughts about killing each other. It doesn't have any relevance but it's funny really. Not just in this book, but it honestly happens in all books.
I maintain my smile, even though I want his head in the middle of the blood pool in my old house.
In conclusion, I was hoping for a cute bully forbidden step brother romance to tie the whole series together. I was beyond wrong because this book turned out darker than dark. I haven't slept because I wanted to get over this book I'm deeply traumatized and I'm still contemplating on whether I should pick up the extended epilogues or not. Fuck my life.
I need help.