A review by enchantingreads_rosyreviews
Rook & Rebel by Kate Crew

dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

"I had to find a way to show her I wasn’t just a monster—that there was more to me than the violence... I needed her to see the parts of me that were still good, still capable of something beyond destruction. I had to keep her in my life. So I went after her."

Oh. My. Lordy. This book is so freaking amaze-balls, I devoured it as fast as I could. Anyone who loves Brynne Weaver’s & Navessa Allen’s dark romcoms & hot bikers MUST read this!!! Not even kidding, this book is amazing & I'm so happy to have had the privilege of ARC reading this. Kate is a new-to-me author, but I am an instant fan & will definitely be diving into her backlist to read her first series.

"I had no ideations about love. There was never any dream of falling for it one day. But this felt like something it could be. Someone who wasn’t going to tell our secrets, the moments between us all our own. Someone who would always have my back and always face the world with me. Someone who would let me sit here in silence, posted up on my lap to warn me if there was a problem. Someone who would give me five fucking minutes of peace. I didn’t know how long I sat there, the party carrying on around us, but I didn’t care..."

The world Kate has created is filled with morally grey goodness (I’m serious, these characters are so lovable & I’m excited to see where else she’ll take us with the series) & the action—be it spicy or dramatic—DELIVERS!

"'You look so fucking pretty, Rebel,' he murmured. 'You look so good, dripping in blood and diamonds. I told you, you’re a fucking queen.'
'You find this attractive?'
'Yes, unfortunately. I find my girl putting a bullet in someone’s head to protect me sexy as hell. Sorry, buying me flowers or something doesn’t get me off the same way.'"

The drama of Rook’s revenge plot, the relationship between the main couple, the quirky details of the story, the side characters… all of it… it’s fun & makes this book fantastic. There are obviously darker themes, but the comedic moments help balance it out to make it entertaining. There are so many lines that made me laugh & scenes that replay in my head. While I know this is not real, the storyline progressed in an authentic way that grounded this fun book. Love it & I highly recommend it!

"'Every fucking time you surprise me, Rebel. Every time I think I’ve seen all you have to give, you do something like that and show me over and over how strong you are. You show me how much of a rebel you want to be.'"
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