A review by theloranhale
Ruin by Laurelin Paige

5.0

God! I think I am in love with Edward. He's honest, caring, and considerate yet He's an alpha male with a domineering personality, and with a playful, mischievous nature that makes him sex on legs. I do like him more in the second book than in Rivalry because I've only seen his dark side, but somehow the way Paige crafted Ruin, and unveiled his past had altered my perception of him, and of Celia's as well for that matter. Both of them had undergone traumatic experiences that made them opt for maladaptive coping mechanism to numb the pain, and repress the emotional weight that comes along with them. In reading Rivalry, I was a bit disappointed because I've expected a self-discovery journey where Celia gets to deal with her own conditioning and repent from her awful wrongdoings by trying to heal herself, and change without having the archetypal male coming to save the day, and fix her which in a way that's what Edward is, but again, sometimes only with the love that flows in intense and unexpected waves we could learn to love ourselves, and be better. Edward brought the best out of Celia through his dominance over her, and only in her submission that she learns how to embrace her feelings, and work though them rather than take it out on people and play games. I love this book so much because it is dark, and twisted, and it reflects how sometimes the things we abhor the most are the things that could make us the best version of ourselves. Celia wouldn't have metamorphosed if it weren't for Edward's unique demanding personality. They fit together like a puzzle, and I'm so rooting for this couple!!!!