I have been in love with Shepard Thorne since I was twelve.
He’s my best friend’s hot older brother, and I am the weird redhead who low-key follows him everywhere. He’s soccer’s bad boy, and I am stuck in a dead end job, serving drinks at the local strip club.
Our paths aren’t meant to cross.
Until one day I catch him getting a lap dance at the club and jealousy makes me ruin his fun.
Now he’s made it his mission to make my life hell and no matter what I do, there is no escape.
Everywhere I turn, there he is, waiting for his payback.
He threatens to kiss me one second, and choke me the next.
He promises to bring me to my knees and make me beg.
What started as a little harmless prank turns into a twisted game of blackmail that’s toxic but oh-so-good.
But it has to end.
Because I have a secret…
That ties me to my tormentor in an irrevocable way, and if he ever finds out, it will wreck everything I now crave.
Even his revenge.
Note: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of Bardstown
I have been in love with Shepard Thorne since I was twelve.
He’s my best friend’s hot older brother, and I am the weird redhead who low-key follows him everywhere. He’s soccer’s bad boy, and I am stuck in a dead end job, serving drinks at the local strip club.
Our paths aren’t meant to cross.
Until one day I catch him getting a lap dance at the club and jealousy makes me ruin his fun.
Now he’s made it his mission to make my life hell and no matter what I do, there is no escape.
Everywhere I turn, there he is, waiting for his payback.
He threatens to kiss me one second, and choke me the next.
He promises to bring me to my knees and make me beg.
What started as a little harmless prank turns into a twisted game of blackmail that’s toxic but oh-so-good.
But it has to end.
Because I have a secret…
That ties me to my tormentor in an irrevocable way, and if he ever finds out, it will wreck everything I now crave.
Even his revenge.
Note: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of Bardstown
Bully romance. A strange trope. I mean, falling in love with the person who bullies you? In real life, that would rarely, if ever, fly. In romance, it makes for some hot reading. In my recent observation, this seems like a “hot” trope. A lot of people seem to be writing it. And I’m not unhappy about that (yeah…that’s a double negative…so what). In fact, I kind of love this trope because it’s messy and painful and usually has a happy ending and lots of hot angry $ex.
Siobhan Davis just released Twisted Betrayal, the second book of, I believe, a trilogy, The Rydeville High Elite. In reviewing the first book, Cruel Intentions, I noted the abuse that seems heaped on the heroine, Abby. At times, in that book, it seemed overwhelming. Yet, she always seemed to rise above. This really doesn’t change in this second book, but the abuse seems progressive and downright dastardly. Abby’s father is still the biggest villain, and there will be no redeeming this man. Someone, quite frankly, is going to have to kill him to end the abuse on her and everyone else in the story. However, Kai who perpetrated some nefarious bullying on her in the first book has tamed in this one. Their progression into a deeper love balances, to a degree, the destruction of her father. It gives the reader a bit of a reprieve from the continuous action of this story.
That being said, one of the struggles with this book is the constant action. There are a lot of characters in this story between the old elite and the new elite. At any time, one of them is working against the “plan.” It oftentimes is overwhelming as a reader to follow everyone’s motives. Even more, the constant running and fighting is exhausting. I found myself needing to take breaks from the “push and pull” of Abby and Kai’s relationship.
Also, I’d really really like a happy ending for Abby. I am not one to cringe at dark romances or heroines being bullied. Abby clearly has the strength to endure it. However, I am not a huge fan of the impotence to really change everything that seems fraught through this book, One minute, she finds out something else her father has rained down her; the next minute, she vows revenge through a “plan” with little, if any, resolution.
This book ends in a cliff-hanger that makes it seem as if there is no way out for her. I trust in Siobhan Davis that this ending is a part of the “plan.” I need it to be so because, as of right now, Abby’s happily ever after is far off in the distance. And the woman has endured enough by these men.
After reading this review, clearly, I’m invested. Even though at times the storyline is cringe-worthy because it is heavy bullying (specifically by her father), I know that Siobhan Davis will deliver us a beautiful ending where all is right with the world of Rydeville High. And if you think these “kids” are high schoolers, you might question that. No one is really going to school because they are trying to simply survive this heinous world that Davis has created.
Buckle up for this one…Twisted Betrayal is a crazy ride.
How do you know if a book is a 5 star read? I think that’s always the question when you sit down to review a book. For me, it comes down to two things: does the book make me feel? Does it elicit any level of emotion from me? And secondly, is there some degree of believability to the story or the characters? For me, tied to that believability is the authenticity of emotion. Are the feelings I’m feeling (anger, sadness, frustration, happiness, joy, etc) true feelings? Even more, where do those feelings spring from? Has the writer hit to my most basic emotions? What bruises from my past does the writer press on with his/her characters and/or story? All of these questions drive my reviews even when the subject matter of a book isn’t anything I’ve experienced or far from the experiences in my past.
Ashley Jade’s Cruel Prince shouldn’t really capture my attention. I’m a woman in her 40s with a young adult son who is far past the “new adult” experience. Should I really want to read about the romance of teens who are burgeoning into adulthood? This has been a personal question since I’ve noticed a bit of a surge in the New Adult romance genre. But here’s the thing. Ashley Jade’s Cruel Prince is so well written that you can’t help but need to read it. For me, it’s one of the best of this genre this year. And why? Because she crafts characters and storylines that hit to the core of the truth of feelings. Even in the darkest moments of this book, I believe the motivations of her characters driving their actions, that I don’t look at the story from the perspective of a 40-something woman or the mom of a young adult. I can find some piece of myself in the a-hole emotionally complex hero and the subversive powerful heroine. From my perspective, being able to craft this relationship between the reader and the story’s characters is the genius of this book.
At its core, Cruel Prince is a character study in the reciprocity of pain. There are various levels of emotional pain perpetrated on the characters of this story. There are no redeeming adults in this story; the main characters, the teens of this story, are the most mature people in this book. As such, the adults in their emotional neglect and selfishness have created these kids who must learn to handle life and trauma on their own. From Jace’s inner guilt and heavy feelings of personal responsibility for his siblings to Dylan’s feelings of being unloved to Oakley’s father’s censure and step-mother’s selfishness, the pain inflicted by physical, mental, and emotional trauma embody these characters, make them who they are. It’s this embodiment of pain that draws you as a reader to them, no matter your age or background. Reading their experiences and empathizing with their feelings, even their actions (yes, even when Jace is horrible to Dylan or other characters I understand his motivations; I empathize with him and his pain), are what kept me reading this book overnight instead of sleeping. I needed to know that they would be “okay” in the end, so the characters of Cruel Prince are what engaged me in the story: Jace’s perpetual malice to cover his pain and guilt, Dylan’s internal strength to endure the people who mete out pain on her, Oakley’s humor and drug use to cover his pain from not really being seen, Sawyer’s insecurity about herself even as she lives in her truth, and Cole and Bianca’s guilt and lack of parental direction. This is Ashley Jade’s strength; it’s what makes her writing deep and engaging because she magnifies the human experience in her characters. It’s also why people are rabid for her books.
Because I believe in her characters, I have a horrible habit of wanting to “chat” with her through comments on Facebook. I oftentimes forget that they are her babies, and I make selfish comments that might be construed as not believing in Ashley as their creator. This is furthest from the truth. I believe in Ashley Jade’s vision, as, I’ve noted above, she makes her characters believable for me. For my selfish comments, I am sorry, but I think it shows my belief in her writing genius. At least, that’s what I’ve hoped she might see.
Along with the development of character, the storyline is a mighty driving force of Cruel Prince. There is definitely typical bully behavior in this romance. There are mistakes, misrepresentations, and falsehoods that keep the reader suspended in the story. The biggest piece of the story isn’t revealed until almost 80ish% in the story, so if you are looking for a quick, easy resolution in Cruel Prince, it isn’t found here. It’s that tension, though, that engages you, keeps you focused on the page. Additionally, this story is mostly focused on Jace and Dylan’s story. However, pieces of other future stories are doled out as little crumbs. Jade provides just enough to pique your curiosity. I think this is important to the story because the angst over the brokenness of Jace and Dylan’s friendship/relationship can feel overwhelming at times. However, with the interjection of other characters and their potential storylines, you receive an interlude that gives you respite for a short time before gutting your heart again with Dylan and Jace’s story. It’s this cycle that drives you forward in the story, thirsting for a happy ending. It’s why I didn’t put this book down until 5 a.m.
If you are like me and need to feel “all the feels” of a story, then Cruel Prince should be at the top of your list. It’s a complex weaving of pain, brokenness, redemption, humor, and love. It doesn’t matter if you’re a teen, a 20-something, or even an old lady like me because Ashley Jade’s ability to construct the human experience in her characters and their story grips you in Cruel Prince. I may be far, far from teenhood, but the pain of a person’s betrayal and the need to be loved wholly and exclusively are emotions that transcend any age, any time. Ashley Jade’s Cruel Prince delivers on this message, making it one of the best new adult books of this year.
I never thought I’d step foot in Royal Manor again. But four years later, here I am…back to finish my senior year at Royal Hearts Academy.
And forced to face Jace Covington. My first friend. First crush. First kiss. The one I left behind.
Only—he isn’t the same boy I gave my heart to.
This new Jace is as cruel as he is gorgeous. And he’s determined to make my life a living hell. Along with the rest of his glorified family and crew of tyrants.
They expect me to worship the ground they walk on like everyone else, but I’d rather eat dirt.
If Jace Covington wants me gone…he’ll have to try harder. Because I’ve never been the kind of girl to play by the rules.
WARNING: Royal Hearts Academy is a New Adult/High School series of standalones filled with drama, a touch of angst, and boys who are bad to the bone.
This series is recommended for mature readers due to graphic language and sexual content.
Excerpt: “Is that why you wore this sexy little shirt tonight?” His warm breath tickles the side of my neck. “Hoping to get my attention.”
“No.”
That earns me a husky chuckle. “Too bad.” He presses his lips against my throat. “Because it’s working. You have all my attention.” He walks his fingers down my torso. “Question is…what are you going to do with it?”
About the Author: Ashley Jade loves to tackle different genres and tropes within romance. Her first loves are New Adult Romance and Romantic Suspense, but she also writes everything in between including: contemporary romance, erotica, and dark romance.
Her characters are flawed and complex, and chances are you will hate them before you fall head over heels in love with them.
She’s a die-hard lover of oxford commas, em dashes, music, coffee, and anything thought provoking…except for math.
Books make her heart beat faster and writing makes her soul come alive. She’s always read books growing up and scribbled stories in her journal, and after having a strange dream one night; she decided to just go for it and publish her first series.
It was the best decision she ever made.
If she’s not paying off student loan debt, working, or writing a novel—you can usually find her listening to music, hanging out with her readers online, and pondering the meaning of life.
Check out her amazon page and Facebook page for future novels. She recently became hip and joined Twitter, so you can find her there, too. She loves connecting with her readers—they make her world go round’.
Professor Romance 