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Review

HOLY HELL, WHAT A GREAT READ!

4.5 dark, dangerous and sexy stars

I knew this was a darker read going into it, but I honestly wasn’t sure to expect, but I can say it wasn’t what I was expecting and it blew me away! It was understated yet still gritty, intense and absolutely captivating, I loved it and couldn’t put it down!

King was first introduced in Dark Needs (which follows on from The Dark Light of Day) – I say introduced, but he wasn’t really, he just sort of appeared as a total badass and then disappeared again, but his presence was enough to have me intrigued, and keen for his story. King is an anti-hero. He lives on the wrong side of the law, he’s violent and dangerous, and he doesn’t let anybody stand in his way. But he’s loyal to those close to him, and with his childhood best friend, Preppy, he has created an empire where they do what they want and answer to nobody.

“When it comes to me and mine, I am the judge. I am the jury. And if need be, I am the motherfucking executioner.”

Doe is a girl with no memories. She has no idea of who she is, and since being released from hospital after recovering from whatever caused her amnesia in the first place, she has bounced from hostels to life on the streets, desperately trying to get by. She is starving, destitute, and pretty much at rock bottom when she runs into King.

King has just been released from three years in prison. Though still a ruthless badass, he is not the man he used to be and is feeling lost in the empire that he created. But from the moment he sees Doe (even despite the dodgy circumstances), she sparks something in him, a feeling that he hasn’t felt before, and here begins their journey.

“You’re my property, and you will be mine until I decide otherwise.”

The situation is twisted and slightly effed up, but King ends up claiming Doe as his, and takes her into his home. If it sounds a bit weird, it probably is, but this is a whole different world these people are living in, and this is just who King is. And yes, some of his actions are questionable, or downright wrong, but that’s what makes this book such an intriguing read. These people live their lives outside of the law and on their own terms, and the usual behaviours don’t apply. That’s not to say that he’s a total asshole, because there is something so incredibly loveable about King and I couldn’t help but fall for him. He’s such a strong, scary badass, but is brought to his knees by one girl and is completely confused by it, and watching him struggle with his feelings towards her was fantastic.

“I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing with you, pup.” King confessed. “You make me fucking crazy and I feel shit that I can’t–” He paused. “Prison fucked me up, made me rethink things, but you’re managed to fuck me up more than prison ever did. For some reason, I want you around.”

The love story between these two is sensational! Full of antagonism and fiery passion, the UST is epic and the chemistry builds until it overwhelmes them both and sweeps them up in its intensity. And I lapped up every moment of it!

King filled me so completely. Not just my body. My heart. My soul. My life. I didn’t give a shit if I ever got my memory back.
Because with King, I knew exactly who I was.
I was his.

Doe is a fantastic heroine. She has no idea who she is, and she goes through hell in this book, but her strength and resilience through it all is sensational! I love how willing she was to accept King and Preppy and their lifestyle, and go with what she is feeling, and I really enjoyed watching her blossom with them. Her journey as she comes to terms with her memory loss is really well done and again King’s part in that was surprisingly tender and profound.

“Have you even thought that who you are now is exactly the person you’re supposed to be? That maybe with the slate wiped clean of bullshit outside influences that you are now more yourself than ever before?”

The romance and character development may be gorgeous but be aware that this is a really dark book. It’s a dangerous world that these characters inhabit and the sex, language, violence and drug use is frequent and very graphic. It creates an edgy feel to the story, and I thought the blend of all of that darkness with the developing romance, and the lighter, funny moments was really well done. There’s also a lot more emotion than I was expecting, and again it was tied in really well, and I admit I teared up. Overall, I thought this was an intense and engaging story that is fantastically written, and I absolutely loved it!

I’d found myself again in the haunted eyes of a girl who was just as lost as I was.
Or maybe, we didn’t find each other at all.
Maybe, we just decided to be lost together.

And then there’s that ending. Holy hell, it’s brutal, and I’m so glad I was too chicken-shit to read this book when it came out. I’ll be going straight onto book 2 now!

4.5 stars.

 

The King Series