Ruthless by Gena Showalter ~ a Review

by MK French

Micah is a fae king, brought to power through war and his ability to tame violent beasts. He will stop at nothing to reclaim his lost lands and has his found family of soldiers to help him. The beautiful Viori de Aoibheall can sing monsters to life and had grown up in the forest as a result. When she wanders into his camp, she's not prepared for him or the instant connection between them. Unfortunately, her brother is Micah's greatest enemy, putting them at odds no matter the cost.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

August 2022; HQN; 978-1335474964
audio, ebook, print (416 pages); romantic fantasy

Ruthless is the second book in the Immortal Enemies series, but I missed the first novel, Heartless. That doesn't really matter, as this is a paranormal romance and we get enough back story on our main characters in the beginning of this book. I do wonder if the first book explains the shift between fae and mortal realms because Viori getting described as a Disney princess threw me. I get the visual, it's great, but when that came in an otherwise fantasy setting, I mentally came to a hard stop. It does later mention travel and various states in the US, so that would explain it. So just a warning if like me you missed book one!

The book is written with a lot of quick, fragmented sentences, making it move very quickly. In the timeline of the book itself, everything moves very rapidly as well. Viori believes that her brother hates her, and wants to make it up to him by stopping Micah from fighting with him. She's also attracted to Micah. I understand the quandary, but her behavior is so erratic and her motivation keeps flip-flopping, so I have a hard time taking her seriously. As someone ostracized since early childhood, I understand Micah and his motivation, though he comes across as a very capricious king. His enemies are just as bad. Maybe as fae they're supposed to be so mercurial, but I found that difficult to connect with. I do like the world-building here, the story behind it, and how love does shine through in the end. 

Buy Ruthless at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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