EMPIRE OF HATE
Series: Empire #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Rina Kent
Release Date: March 3, 2022
My boss. My enemy.
I escaped my life.
Leaving everything behind wasn’t easy, but I did it.
I turned the page and flew over the ocean.
This is my new beginning.
My new chapter.
My new book.
Or so I hoped before I met my new boss.
Daniel Sterling.
Rich as sin, illegally attractive, and the face of every magazine cover.
Oh, and the reason why I escaped in the first place.
I made his high school life hell.
He won’t stop until he gives me a taste of my own medicine.
Empire of Hate is a complete STANDALONE. No book should be read prior to this.
Note: This is NOT a dark romance.
You’re the only woman I wanted with a desperation that bordered on both pleasure and pain. The only woman who drives me fucking insane but I still can’t look away from.
Rina Kent’s books are easily some of the most recommended to me. Sadly, her books are also really hit or miss for me, mostly a miss from the few I tried lately. After DNFing Empire of Sin, I decided to give this series one more shot after seeing someone talk about a particular plot device in this story which left me drooling for it. And damn am I grateful I gave it a shot, because I devoured this.
If you read even some of my reviews, you know my undying love and devotion for all things enemies to lovers. You also know that I love my heroes mean. Like make me hate to love them and c*ck punch them at the same time sort of mean. I want to hate them for almost the entirety of the book and then I need them to irrevocably change my mind and forgive them in the last chapters. What? I have peculiar tastes, mkay? *buffs nails* But I digress.
If you’ve read Rina’s Royal Elite series , you’ll recognize these characters. This book features the “evil” stepsister from Cruel King which sadly I remember barely anything from. As a matter of fact, I had a hard time seeing the girl for the reputation she had because outside of one particular scene, I didn’t see one mean part of her, but I’m guessing that was featured in Cruel King and I just don’t remember it.
Nicole has been obsessed with Daniel since they met as children. But while she can’t see anything else but him, he wants nothing to do with her. And after years of obsession, Nicole left London to live a life that barely resembles the one of privilege that shattered when she left. Desperate to take care of herself and her family, she needs a job, and she lands at the desk of her biggest tormentor and obsession she thought she left behind.
Daniel remembers Nicole all too well and he’s determined to make her pay for every wrong he things she made. When I tell you I wanted to jock punch this man for the better part of the book, I’m not lying. What I loved about Nicole is while she has no choice but to take his abuse to keep her job, she still has a spine of steel. You also get flashbacks of their past that shows what led up to Nicole ultimately running from London to US. And when you get the full picture, you realize just how epically Daniel fucked up. And when he finally realizes it too? GAH. I admit his cold shoulder after the revelation was a bit much. I do get his beating himself up and blaming himself, but I wanted him to grovel. I wanted him to work for his forgiveness. And while he gave enough to be satisfying, it still felt a touch lacking.
All in all this was still a super addictive read.
BLACK KNIGHT
This was my sort of book crack! Full of angst, crazy drama, plot twists, and did I mention the angst? ALL OF THE ANGST. Now if you follow my reviews, you already know I love my heroes mean. Like MEAN. I want to hate them while simultaneously wanting to have their babies. Not that I want to have Xander’s babies. The guy is in high school. That’s illegal, dammit! What? It’s fiction, stop judging me. GOD. But I digress. I’ve been waiting for this book since being introduced to Kim and Xander in the beginning of the series. And dare I say, I think this may have been my favorite book in the series so far!
Rina Kent is an international bestselling author of everything enemies to lovers romance.
HE HATES ME
Well hot damn. What a deliciously thrilling ride this book was. While I’ve read Rina Kent, I haven’t read anything by Isabella Starling. And as a writing duo, these two are absolutely fantastic.
