hellfireclubseries – booksofthemuggleborn

Sweet Devil by Becker Gray

ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Suspense

⚠ This review contains minor teasers!

booksofthemuggleborn_sweetdevil — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

•••

• BLURB •

People like to say the devil made them do it. And they would be right. I can bend anyone to my will. After all, I am the devil of Pembroke Prep. Only one person dares defy me. The one person I’ve ever wanted to be an angel for. But she despises me almost as much as I crave her. Serafina van Doren is the one temptation I can’t indulge, not with the secrets that I keep. But with the clock running out maybe it’s time to tempt her to the dark side.

•••

• MY REVIEW •

Oh sweet baby devil, this was one hell of a smoking hot, yet torturous love story! When it came to Serafina and Rhys I didn’t know whether to fan my face from all the blush-inducing scenes, or cry frustrated tears from all their taunting moments. 🙈 Either way I thoroughly enjoyed every little bit of their story!

“I smiled a little at the opportunity to have Sera all to myself. No friends, no underlings. Just us. The devil and the queen.”

Their romance was a long time coming since they were first introduced in Wicked Idol. Their intriguing dynamic only build-up suspense as more books in the series followed and it quickly became evident that they had quite an interesting history.

Like all the books prior, this had a zingy atmosphere that crackled whenever its protagonists were in near vicinity of one another. The banter was exhilarating and the constant one-upmanship between Sera and Rhys was as entertaining as it was jaw-dropping to see. 😈🤭

What I hadn’t expected from this story was the emotional rollercoaster ride that Rhys would take us on with his backstory and how much of his past is influencing his present day life. Have tissues nearby, because I have no doubt you will be as emotionally invested in Rhys and his story as much as I was.

The story progression was well-paced, perhaps a little brisk at times. But there’s never a dull moment as it continuously went from one development to the next, gradually turning Sera’s and Rhys’ fiery teasing into something more in-depth and heartfelt.

“Falling in love is not for the weak or the faint-hearted, because you cannot command your heart to do what you need it to do.”

They’re both outstanding individuals, and what I like about each of them is although this is ultimately a romance story, there’s complexity to these characters and they navigate through very real, very relatable life issues. I connected with Serafina’s struggles as a POC no matter her family’s high social standing. I found Rhys’ past and the impact it has had on his mentality understandable but nevertheless hard to swallow.

It was a relatively short read but it was punchy, multi-layered, and by the end left me feeling a sense of all is right with their world— as it should be. Told from dual POV, not only do we see character growth with these protagonists as they come to grips with their emotions, but it also provided insight to each of their lives outside of Pembroke Prep and into their contrasting family dynamics.

The suspense doesn’t disappoint. The band of supporting characters— the rest of the Hellfire boys and the girls who’ve all stolen their hearts have added extra oomph with their strong friendships and at times light-hearted and witty commentary. I ate up the unpredictability that came with Serafina and Rhys.

Overall, I thought it was a truly beautiful, bittersweet ending to the Hellfire Club. The much-anticipated wait for Serafina’s and Rhys’ story was well worth it. It ended up being the book from the series that evoked the deepest emotional outburst *cough* ugly cry *cough* out of me. I loved it and just like the previous books, this is one I will read again and again whenever I miss these charming Hellfire boys!

“Some things are worth the heartbreak.”

It really is the only set of books that had the right amount of pull in bringing me back to reading high school/ NA fiction again. I would absolutely recommend not just this book but the entire series to friends who love reading romance. With Rhys as the devil in disguise and Serafina as his goddess, their story had strong “love conquers all” vibes that was the perfect closer to the series.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Thank you Becker Gray and Valentine PR for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! 💙

🔔 Interested in reading Sweet Devil? Grab your copy here: Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

•••

🔥 Read reviews for the Hellfire Club!

booksofthemuggleborn_hellfireclub — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

Book One: Wicked Idol by Becker Gray

Book Two: Callous Prince by Becker Gray

Book Three: Brutal Blueblood by Becker Gray

Book Four: Ruined Sinner by Becker Gray

•••

Happy reading, guys! Catch you in my next one! Xo

Ruined Sinner by Becker Gray

ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, New Adult Fiction, Romance

booksofthemuggleborn_ruinedsinner — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

•••

• BLURB •

It’s no secret that Aurora Lincoln-Ward hates Phineas Yates, but what most people don’t know is the reason. Last summer, Phineas broke Aurora’s heart in the worst way, and she promised herself then and there that she would never fall prey to the sinner of Pembroke Prep again.

But now sin is in the air, and the Hellfire Club’s number one sinner has his sights set on her…

•••

• MY REVIEW •

I am utterly obsessed with these Hellfire Club boys! I’m sorry, I meant men. Hellfire men. With each book I end up falling for that particular swoony hero, and in Ruined Sinner, with Phin… Sigh. I ended up swooning for him the most. But for all the reasons I hadn’t expected. He deserves hugs and all the love and credit in the world!

Who would’ve thought Hellfire Club’s very own smooth-talking charmer is the one with the biggest heart?! *clutches chest* 😍

Phin’s and Aurora’s heated romance was a gradual burning build-up as you progressed through the books in the series. The fiery snippets of their hate towards each other made Ruined Sinner the most anticipated story from all the books in my eyes. By the time I had this little book in my hands, I was raring to see what had happened in their past that altered Phin’s and Aurora’s feelings for one another.

It’s fast-paced storytelling— to be honest I actually think the stories are getting shorter and shorter with each book… or maybe I’m just reading through them faster and faster now..?

But as I said, it’s fast-paced, and told from dual points of view. The story provides the much-anticipated backstory between Phin and Aurora, but after the initial build-up from the previous books the backstory ended up lacking the depth and reasoning I had somewhat imagined. I was expecting some deep, heartbreaking event the rivals the hate going on between the two now but it ended being more of a question mark moment. Like, really?! 🤔

If I looked at it from a younger person’s perspective and took into consideration that these characters are young adults, then yes, I can accept the reasoning behind their rivalry, and sympathize that at that age everything is emotionally magnified. But as a reader who’s well past her teen years, I did find their past history a little… underwhelming and melodramatic.

However, I was surprised by the turn of events. This story certainly kept me intrigued and wanting more. I loved that each Hellfire boy so far has managed to stun me with their character and reasons behind their attitude and standing. When it comes to the ladies in this social circle, I’m all for their positivity, badassery, and hilarious revenge plotting. There’s a strong display of diversity amongst these girls not just in appearance but in personality traits. What sets Aurora apart is her own backstory which causes the biggest transformation amongst her friends.

From all the book in the series, this one had some edginess to it. It broaches certain topics that many in our society have gone through and still suffer from the trauma. The issues set part of the atmosphere in a gloomy state, but it also adds dimension and relatability to this otherwise young love story.

Please note, there are certain sensitive subject matters included that may be triggering for some readers such as violence, substance abuse (alcohol), stalking, and sexual abuse. This story contains non-consensual situations.

With the heavy topics included, I was hoping to see a deeper level of development in the storyline. I felt like they were touched on but didn’t completely go in-depth. Whilst I liked some of the decisions and steps made by the characters, I also thought a lot more could’ve been said or done.

But in saying that, I have to emphasize that I still loved reading this story. I might’ve had a few hang-ups with the storyline but it will most definitely be a book (along with the rest of the series) I’d read again and again. Right from the very first book; Wicked Idol, I was immediately hooked by Becker Gray’s easy-going writing style, and I’m happy to say by this fourth book, it’s still very much engaging, consistent writing.

I adore the world-building created and all the characters within. It transports you to their glitzy world. As a reader who has outgrown the high school setting in her romance reads, the elite preppy school that is Pembroke Prep effortlessly took hold of my attention and made itself my exception. 😊

Ruined Sinner was wildly unexpected but brilliant just the same. I loved the role reversal in certain situations that took place. I haven’t encountered it a lot in my romance reads so it was refreshing to see from a different perspective.

If you enjoy hate-to-love and fake relationship tropes, add this one to your TBR. Both protagonists have fierce personalities and neither one of them are hard-wired to back down. Putting aside the sensitive topics, there is plenty of lightness throughout. The diverse friendships are one of the main reasons as to why I’m addicted to reading this series. The different bonds and dynamics seem so genuine and truly lovable that it’s not hard to get invested in these characters.

There’s plenty of romantic development, and as the story progresses, you gradually see character growth from both protagonists. Phin and Aurora are more out there and risqué when it comes to their relationship. They’re dramatic yet angsty, and their romance is without a doubt frenzied. There were aspects in the story I wished had a little more oomph, and I’m not going to lie, there were situations between Phin and Aurora that needed a certain level of groveling and lacked thereof, but it is what it is. Their journey is messy and complicated but eventually seeing Phin and Aurora right where they’re meant to be had me happy sighing by the end.

A relatively quick read— I finished it in one sitting. It’s punchy, with a smidge of suspense, snort-inducing one-liners, and at one point I was even smacked with a strong wave of misty-eyed emotion. 🙈😅 Another swoon-worthy addition to the Hellfire Club. Phineas Yates is one of kind, and in my honest to goodness opinion Ruined Sinner is a must-try read for contemporary romance fans.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Becker Gray, Dangerous Press, and Candi Kane PR for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! 💙

🔔 Interested in reading Ruined Sinner: Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

•••

🔥 Read my reviews for the Hellfire Club!

Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

Book One: Wicked Idol by Becker Gray

Book Two: Callous Prince by Becker Gray

Book Three: Brutal Blueblood by Becker Gray

•••

Happy reading, guys! Catch you in my next one! Xo

Brutal Blueblood by Becker Gray

ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Fiction

booksofthemuggleborn_brutalblueblood — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

•••

• BLURB •

They call him the ice king.

Owen Montgomery is arrogant and unfeeling–with cold, haughty manners and a British accent sharper than any knife. I’ve been secretly in love with him for years, knowing there’s no way he could ever notice me, the scholarship girl. The poor girl. Until that night in Ibiza…until that night we taste each other’s kiss for the first time, and I learn what hot hungers the ice king keeps hidden from public view.

It’s also the night when I discover that after three years of sharing classes and even friends, Owen still has no idea who I am. None at all.

Pride stung, I vow to focus only on myself and my future in publishing. But little do I know that I’ve awakened an obsession in Owen that will soon outgrow the halls of Pembroke Prep and spill over into the real world.

Owen wants me, and he’ll stop at nothing to have me. And soon I find myself with an impossible choice. Do I pick the future I always wanted for myself?

Or do I choose the blueblood whose kisses are as brutal as his love?

•••

• MY REVIEW •

Eeep. An opposite-sides-of-the-tracks, new adult romance that utterly had me melting into my bed whilst reading it! Owen and Tanith took me on an emotional journey of epic proportions. These two came from two different worlds that was slowly but surely melding together. It started with an instant attraction, that quickly turned into a mutual addiction of one another, that gradually became a relationship that would change both their lives. Despite their sizzling chemistry there’s a stark realization that they’re from completely different social standing and on different wavelengths when it came to the bigger picture.

I was totally enamoured by their story. I’m a fan of opposites attract and hate-to-love romance tropes, but adding those elements into a premise where the hero comes from money and has it a little easier, whilst the heroine worked her ass off to make her dreams come true… it’s pure swoon-worthy entertainment! 😍

Owen Montgomery proves not all bad boys get the attention. You can be the responsible one and still win over the girl!

I didn’t see this one coming, and it still hasn’t sunken in yet… but I am 99.99% sure that Brutal Blueblood is my new favourite book from the Hellfire Club! And yes, Owen has officially nudged both Keaton and Lennox off their top spots as favourite Hellfire boy! I guess only time will tell if Owen can keep the throne from the remaining Hellfire boys still left to share their story: Phineas and Rhys. Eeep.

I’m gonna be honest, and I don’t even know if I’m in the minority here, but when these Hellfire boys were first introduced in Wicked Idol, and we got to know more about their personalities and relationships in the following book Callous Prince, Owen was the one guy who didn’t instantly grab my attention as much as the others. The guys each have their own strong, unique personality and can be very vocal about their opinions, especially when the girls are involved, whilst Owen kinda just stands to the side and watches the drama unfold amongst his friends. So naturally, now that his story’s here, I was keyed up to know more about this “ice king”.

Ironic, really. Owen hadn’t a clue who Tanith was, and here I was about to start Brutal Blueblood wondering who the hell is Owen Montgomery?! 😅

Well, I can tell you now that Becker Gray has created a completely different Hellfire boy in Owen from Keaton and Lennox. What sets the entire atmosphere of this book differently from the first two is the fact that Owen is described as the responsible one, who tends to keeps out of trouble, and as far as the “manwhorism” goes, he’s discreet in comparison to his friends. The first two books were based heavily on hate-to-love romances, whilst Owen’s and Tanith’s relationship was one that organically grew from an instant attraction. Their story was hot and heavy, yet had plenty of development throughout.

Owen is not the only one that is set apart from his friends — Whilst everyone around her comes from wealth, Tanith is a scholarship student, doesn’t come from money at all, and from amongst her friends, she’s more introverted and her interests differs preferring solitude and reading to big parties and getting drunk. She has strong opinions and principles that’s constantly being challenged by Owen’s.

Their journey was rocky, with constant misunderstandings, and the further I got into the story the more I found their relationship and their emotions quite relatable. There isn’t a lot of lighthearted banter between them to break the ice during their disagreements which resulted in their reactions coming off authentic that you can’t help but feel for them both.

As I mentioned earlier, Brutal Blueblood is my new favourite from the series. Whilst each one had me invested, there was just something so refreshing about Owen’s and Tanith’s story that made theirs standout just a smidge more in my eyes. I love the steady character growth from Owen, and seeing his commitment to his unexpected relationship with Tanith so seriously and going as far as willing to improve himself and change his mindset just squeezed my swooning heart. There’s a comforting balance to their relationship that made me so invested in seeing them work through their hurdles and have their happily ever after.

Add in their friends and their drama (and an occasional wise word of two amongst them), and this book was gripping on so many levels. From Owen’s and Tanith’s budding relationship, to the quirky friendships, to the ongoing intriguing side stories happening in the background. I also found in this particular story, the presence of Owen’s family gave you a deeper insight to Owen’s life, the dynamics amongst them, and ultimately helped exhibit how much growth his character had from start to finish.

There is one particular scene between Owen and Tanith with a certain *cough* email *cough* that I would’ve wanted cleared up. It was a pivotal moment not only for their budding relationship but it was also a time when Owen begun to open up. I’m not sure if Becker Gray completely forgot about it or they felt it was no longer needed as Owen and Tanith found their way to each other anyways, but damn my curious little heart I wanted to know! 🥺

But nevertheless, I am addicted to the Hellfire Club, with each boy attracting you to them in their own unique way. You can technically read each one as a standalone if you wanted to, but it just wouldn’t be the same experience. Relatively quick reads, you won’t have a problem reading any one of these books in one sitting.

I adore the coupling, keen for all the drama, and the friendships in this series are both hearty and oh-so irresistible!

Brutal Blueblood (along with the rest of the series) is such an effortless read, with its well-paced storytelling, told from dual points of view (with additional cute inner monologues from our MCs), and an eclectic cast of secondary characters to add more dimension to this already dreamy world-building of elite social standing and all that comes with it: money, power, and connections.

I enjoyed it, and highly recommend to fellow romance readers. Even if you’re not a fan of mature YA/ NA romance, I think you’ll still enjoy this one as it doesn’t read as your stereotypical teen romance. These characters, whilst on the cusp of adulthood, are already dealing with mature situations, making solid plans for their future… and with the level of sexual content included, it’s certainly for readers 18+ only. 🙈

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Thank you to Becker Gray, Candi Kane PR, and Dangerous Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! 💙

🔔 Interested in reading Brutal Blueblood? Grab your copy here: Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

•••

🔥 Read my reviews for the Hellfire Club series!

Book One: Wicked Idol by Becker Gray

Book Two: Callous Prince by Becker Gray

•••

Happy reading, guys! Hope you’re all well. Catch you in my next one! Xo

Callous Prince by Becker Gray

Adult Romance, ARC Review, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, New Adult Fiction, Romance

booksofthemuggleborn_callousprince — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

•••

• BLURB •

He’s arrogant.

Intolerable.

Cruel.

From the moment we exchanged our first glance, Lennox Lincoln-Ward has been out to destroy me. So I keep my head down at Pembroke Prep, and I stay out of the Hellfire Club’s way. Even so, Lennox finds me, seeks me out until he pins me in his beautiful, withering gaze—the same gaze that sends a chill down my spine and an undeniable tingle to other places.

Lennox is royalty with a dark past. One that I intend to investigate. I’ll find his secrets and expose every lie that rolls off his tongue. But getting close to Lennox has particular dangers—including his mouth, his golden eyes, and the brutally soft touch of his fingers.

I intend to unravel him, but in the end, I may be the one who comes apart, broken in the hands of a callous prince.

•••

• MY REVIEW •

The Hellfire Club is fast becoming an obsession of mine! Becker Gray may just be the author(s) who can drag me back into the world of high school drama, angst, and young love!

“Lennox Lincoln-Ward. A literal, actual prince. The most beautiful boy I’d ever seen. And also the worst. The meanest and the most heartless. Callous beyond belief.”

Callous Prince is equally as entertaining, as deviously swoony, as gripping as Wicked Idol. First we were blessed with Keaton Constantine, now we have Lennox Lincoln-Ward! I mean… their cool sounding names alone… pheeew! 🔥🔥

If you love those drama-filled high school narratives — think Gossip Girls… Pretty Little Liars… Gilmore Girls, then you’ll enjoy this book and the series as a whole. There’s only two books so far but each one reads as if it’s an episode of a television show. Ahhh, if only The Hellfire Club was on the silver screen! 😍

It’s full of drama. The Hellfire Club is a fraternity of sorts, consisting of these preppy, well-connected young men, and a group of young girlfriends who seem to not only have history with these boys but have the power to rile them all up. And vice versa.

You’ll see banter — a little teasing, a little flirting, and a whole lot of game-playing.

“You can’t hide from me, Sloane. You’ve belonged to me since the day I saw you.”

What I adore about Callous Prince (and even in the first book Wicked Idol) is that not only are you instantly fascinated by the relationship the main protagonists have with one another, but the secondary characters give you snippets of their complicated relationships too. It’s stereotypical girls versus boys with backstories that’s waiting to be revealed. I love the friendships both these groups have. I love the dynamics, their individually strong personalities, and what they bring into their respective parties. It’s effortless to be invested in these characters because they seem to have different sides to them that you can’t help but want to know about.

Based on the blurb and the title, I came into this book thinking Lennox would be the one to watch out for. What I hadn’t bargained on was Sloane. The unsuspecting casualty of Lennox’s bullying ways. These two are such likeable personalities. They may have their what-the-hell moments, but I think that’s what makes them all the more interesting. They’re not strait-laced people. They have a tendency to overthink… obsess… have misconceptions.

Usually in these bully romances, you find that there’s always a tormentor and a victim. But in this particular case, both Sloane and Lennox have the ability to be each other’s tormentor AND victim. Lennox may come off as the cool, unaffected prince, but he’s trouble by his history and can’t seem to move past it. Sloane on the other hand is just unlucky. Wrong place. Wrong time. Wrong family… At least to Lennox Lincoln-Ward.

Their problems are your somewhat typical adolescent issues heightened by the fact that they attend an elite school, high standards are to be expected, and that their families are some of the most well-known — So to say the least… pressures of teenage life for these guys are a little more on the elaborate side.

Sloane and Lennox have a push and pull relationship that sizzles. You have this arrogant, intimidating guy, and this strong-willed, determined girl going toe-to-toe. This may be set in a high school backdrop but these characters’ story and the content included, it definitely puts it in the mature YA/ NA reading category.

“I’ve always seen you clearly, Sloane Lauder.”

Two thumbs up and a curtsy for the Callous Prince! Lennox and Sloane have satisfied a craving I didn’t know I had whenever reading contemporary romances. It’s charming as hell, with a relatively quick paced storytelling, and not a single dull moment in sight! It’s told in first person, dual points of view, and I can’t get enough of Sloane and Lennox’s inner monologue. Who doesn’t love a character who feels the need to argue with themselves!? Hehe.

I only wish the ending was a smidge longer. An extended epilogue would’ve gone a long way in making Sloane and Lennox’s story feel a little more fuller. Whilst I enjoyed reading about their conflicting emotions, seeing their zingy chemistry leap off the pages, and their adorable banter, I did feel like it was all snatched away from me before they really got to the grittiness of their twisted history.

Don’t get me wrong. I adored the ending. Sloane and Lennox left me happing sighing and when I look at this book in its entirety, this little issue I have with the ending is not really such a big deal. But hopefully we get to see more of them in future books.

Callous Prince is a total guilty pleasure read. It made me smile all throughout, I was sucked in, invested, and I couldn’t put it down. In the end that’s all I could ever wish and hope for in my reads. I would absolutely recommend it and the series to friends who enjoy young love in their contemporary romances. A hate-to-love story that pulls at the heartstrings!

It’s the second book in the series and can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend you read Wicked Idol first to get the full experience of Pembroke Prep and the world of The Hellfire Club!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you Becker Gray and Candi Kane PR for the opportunity to read an advanced copy! 💙

🔔 Interested in reading Callous Prince? Grab your copy here: Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

•••

Read my review for Wicked Idol!

booksofthemuggleborn_wickedidol — Original post from my IG @booksofthemuggleborn

📘 Wicked Idol by Becker Gray

•••

Happy reading, guys! Hope you enjoyed my review. Catch you in my next one! Xo

Wicked Idol by Becker Gray

Adult Romance, Book Review, Book Reviews, Contemporary, New Adult Fiction, Romance, Young Adult Fiction

⚠ This review contains some teasers. Read at own risk!

•••

— BLURB —

The new girl doesn’t belong here. So why can’t I stop thinking about her?

Iris Briggs a goodie two-shoes with a headmaster father who aims to ruin my school year before it’s even begun. She gets under my skin. With her demure skirts and braided hair, Iris flits around the periphery until she runs right into me, hot coffee soaking me as she looks up at me with wide, innocent eyes. We start off scalding.

In the library, we reach lava levels.

And then in the city? We go nuclear.

She’s a good girl, but I’m a Constantine. My duty is to my family. At least, it was until I started unbraiding the good girl and realizing there’s more to life than duty.

•••

— MY REVIEW —

“Follow me into the woods said the Big Bad Wolf to Red Riding Hood.”

Hehehehe… I am just a little bit in lust with this book! 😍😍😍

Just when I think I’m free and clear off books set in high school, I’m dragged back in with a fantastic read!

Preppy students. ✔
Snob-induced cliques that’ll eat you alive. ✔
Jocks = Jerks. ✔
The innocent, pretty, yet sassy heroine. ✔
The arrogant, stubborn king of the school hero. ✔
Drama. Angst. Intrigue. ✔

This is a high school romance full of juicy chemistry, sexual tension, enemies to lovers, and banter all rolled into one. This is Gossip Girls meets Cruel Intentions with a smidge of Gilmore Girls in my books! 🤗

(But FYI: In regards to the content, this is definitely more New Adult than Young Adult in audience rating. It’s raunchy and detailed. Suitable for 18+ readers).

It was such vivid storytelling. I was swept up in the world of Pembroke Academy and the silver-spooned students right from the first chapter. Keaton Constantine might just be my favourite Constantine sibling so far, and Becker Gray (pen name) may just be the new (to me) authors to look out for! Wicked Idol is the first book in their Hellfire Club series and it kicked off with a bang!

I can only imagine the next books to come and which stories are next to be told. I’m giddy with anticipation and excitement just thinking about how this series and it’s world will expand. Eeep.

There’s just something special about this book that has me reading it over and over again (especially some parts more than others). I think it’s their entire dialogue… yeah I think that’s it! Right from the beginning you already get that sense of electricity in the air between Keaton and Iris. Their first impressions of each other may not have been ideal especially when teen social standing and public awareness is concerned… but sheesh was it crackling?! 🔥

“We’ve been real with each other from the start. We’re not going to stop now.”

Witty repartee is an all time favourite element of mine in romance reads and seeing Keaton and Iris battle it out had me in absolute hoots and giggles. I love that despite Iris’ earlier misstep with Keaton and the Hellfire Club, she bounced back like a brand, spanking new tennis ball and is hitting aces towards Keaton! 👊

Keaton is first introduced as the guy who seems to be Mr. Popularity. The King of the school, leader of his clique, and has all the young ladies swooning about. He has the arrogance of a guy who has the power and backing of his well known family (and rightly so), yet as you progress throughout the book and specifically from his POVs, you start seeing a different side to him.

I love the gradual character development of our hero/ heroine. They have a nice balance between them whenever they’re together that it displays the effects they have on one another. It’s a stereotypical love story of the popular, jerky jock and the pretty, but quiet nerd but told in a modern, Gen-Z, glam-ridden way. There’s an air of coolness and poise in the student population that even the geeks and nerds in this school are above average.

“Would it be so terrible? To fall in love with him? It would if he didn’t love me back. Because that—it would break me.”

Amazing continuation to the Constantine clan. I’m loving the author collaboration for the storytelling of this family. As for Wicked Idol, it was an attention grabbing start to the Hellfire Club series. Would I recommend this book? Uhh… hells yes!

A well-paced and wonderfully executed storytelling told from both Iris and Keaton’s POVs. My only critique is that I would’ve loved more of a introduction to Pembroke Academy and the different cliques prior to Iris and Keaton’s official meeting. It just seemed like Keaton already had an impression of her beforehand. But this is my own personal opinion. The world-building is amazing, and I feel like there so much possibility of expansion the further the series progresses.

There’s some very relatable subject matter touched on this storyline. Other than navigating through their feelings for one another, there’s also the typical relatable matter plenty of students deal with on the daily, such as workload, graduation, balancing school and personal life, and on top of things the stress from family expectations.

This may sound very Disney but this story is also about taking risks and following your dreams. To never settle.

An intense atmosphere is evident from the start. There’s an obvious divide in the students depending on their social, family, and popularity standing. I found the secondary characters were just as enigmatic and full of personality as our protagonists. Besides the interactions between Keaton and Iris, the friends are definitely something else to look out for! This book was just full of layers from the blossoming relationship, to the quirky friendships, to the complex family dynamics.

It’s gripping from start to finish.

Even if you’re like me, who thought you had outgrew YA/ high school romance books… this will suck you back in! Just the right balance of high school drama, lighthearted banter, and young love in all its intensity. A roller coaster ride you’ll want to go on again and again… (at least until the sequel comes!) 😜

RATING: ♥♥♥♥/5

•••

Read my review for the next book in the Hellfire Club!