booklovinmamas 's review for:

Ruthless Empire by Rina Kent

3.5

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Complicated

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Ruthless Empire is the sixth book in Rina Kent’s Royal Elite series, and it’s finally time for Cole and Silver to take the spotlight. Rina Kent had been dropping hints about these two characters in the previous books, so I was eager to dive into their story. I knew I would like Cole because he seemed to be the most reasonable one behind all the guys, plus he loved to read a lot. I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like Silver due to how she treated others, but I was willing to give her a try, especially since I was getting her POV finally. 

Unfortunately, this book didn’t grip me as I hoped. However, I did like some things with it. Rina Kent knows how to write suspense in her books, and she leaves us to figure out who the true antagonist is in the book. In the case of Cole and Silver, there’s another POV that appears in this book. I was curious about who this person was and what their role was in the story, and Rina left me shaken after finding out who it actually was in the end. I definitely wasn’t expecting that twist. 

I liked Cole because he stood out from the other guys in his group. He really didn’t bully Silver. While he did some questionable things, they weren’t as severe as what Aiden did to Elsa. I still wasn’t a fan of Silver, but I was upset with Elsa and her actions toward Silver in a part of the book I don’t want to spoil for those who haven’t read it yet. Fortunately, Cole was there for Silver after what nearly happened to her toward the end.

Once again, there is family drama and childhood trauma that make you question how these characters managed to survive everything they faced. I felt sympathy for both Cole and Silver as I read both their experiences, both past and present. The story also explains how these two became stepsiblings in the first place, which I had been curious about. 

The timelines in this book align with the events in Aiden and Elsa’s story. If you haven’t read their books, you might find the timelines confusing. While I noticed some repetition due to the overlapping timelines, it didn’t bother me to reread certain sections from a different perspective.

Overall, I rate this book 3.5 stars and wish I had enjoyed it more. I’m looking forward to continuing my recommended reading order of Rina Kent’s books, with Jonathan King’s books next. 

Single/Dual POV: Multi-POV 

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Royal Elite series and I recommend reading in order.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, if you enjoy Dark/New Adult Romance with suspense, then check out the Royal Elite series.

What to Expect:
✔️Hate to Love
✔️Step Siblings
✔️Forced Proximity