Ruthless Empire: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance (Royal Elite Book 6)

Reviews

The Romantic Rush Blog

And oh my heart, Cole is a revelation of a character. But they pierce each other, easily and repeatedly.

Personal tragedies and expectations have scarred them- the infamous kidnapping of the boys, the sins and tragedies of their parents bleeding out on them, the weight of being children of the rich and powerful. Through carefully placed flashbacks and alternating POV we get a powerful and unfiltered understanding of both of these characters' beautiful minds and conflicted hearts- and it is so raw, so authentic, and so very captivating. Just why is Cole so compelled by chaos mongering?

The prose, as usual, is really powerful- Rina has a way putting words to feelings and emotions that creates such a visceral experience. His journey is less about figuring himself out (because he already knows) and more about finding a way to let someone into what he is- someone that compliments his chaos, but also settles it.

We get the possessive, dark alpha with a damaged heart we know to expect in a Rina story- but Cole is different. Their worlds were always connected, but when their parents decide to marry, any glimmer of distance and separation between them is vaporized- no aspect of their lives are now free from the other. But their collision is more of a metamorphosis, their love a protective and healing chrysalis that surfaces a reborn butterfly, one vulnerable and exposed but so raw and majestic in its beauty.

and in the Rina Kent pages…. . Rina gives us a rivetingly intimate window into the foundation and evolution of their connection.

All of which fits these characters- they are contrasting, they struggle with intimacy, they are enchantingly meta. Rina did more than redeem her- second to Kim she may be the most empathetic and emotionally vulnerable character Rina has written. And, as they’ve aged and internalized that baggage, they’ve changed, both brilliantly and subtly creating a protective facade that has ensured aspects of their true selves are vaulted away. they’ve been orbiting around each other like two frenetic planets just waiting to collide to create a brilliant supernova.