Book Review: Cruel King by Rina Kent

So, picture this—I picked up Cruel King by Rina Kent the other day and got sucked into this crazy world, barely noticing the hours slip by. This 2019 prequel to the Royal Elite series is a bully romance that hits like a punch to the gut, all centered on Levi King, this cocky football god at Royal Elite School, and Astrid Clifford, who stumbles into his ruthless orbit after a party goes off the rails.

I was lounging on my couch with a chai, letting the story unfold, and man, these two are a firestorm. Levi’s got this dark, controlling edge—setting up rules like “bow or break” and pushing Astrid to her limits—but there’s this spark you can’t deny. She’s no shrinking violet, though; she fights back with this quiet fire that had me pumped. The tension builds from hate to something scorching, and that mystery about who’s targeting her? Kept me on edge till the plot twisted hard. I was like, “No way!” out loud at one point.

What really got me going was how layered it feels. Levi’s this tough guy with cracks you can’t ignore, and Astrid’s resilience makes her a standout. The steamy moments? Whew, they’re intense, pure Rina Kent style. But it’s not all smooth sailing—some of Levi’s stunts felt over the top, and I kept wishing he’d own up more. Still, those glimpses of the Royal Elite crew tease what’s coming, and that kept me hooked.

This whole thing had me chewing on how love and power can tangle up in the weirdest ways. I scribbled “strength beats cruelty” on a napkin while I was reading, ‘cause it stuck with me. It’s a wild, addictive read.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommendation: Hey, if you’re into dark romances where the bad boy meets his match, give this a shot—ideal for a chill evening when you’re craving something fierce and flirty. Perfect for fans who love a good hate-to-love arc, just dive in and enjoy the chaos!

This book is part of a trilogy and is NOT standalone.
Royal Elite Series:

• 0 Cruel King
• 1 Deviant King
• 2 Steel Princess
• 3 Twisted Kingdom
• 4 Black Knight
• 5 Vicious Prince
• 6 Ruthless Empire
• 7 Royal Elite Epilogue

PDF Name	Cruel King
Royal Elite Series	BOOK 0
File Type:	PDF
Genres	Romance, Dark, High School, New Adult, Contemporary, Sports, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, Adult
Total Pages:	504
Author	Rina Kent
Language	English
PDF Size:	1.75 MB

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