Book Name: King of Wrath
Author: Ana Huang

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for an ARC of Ana Huang’s King of Wrath

Stars: 4.75

Spice : 3.75

First Book in Kings of Sin Series Recently Acquired by Bloom Books

Cliffhanger:
Fast Paced
Plot Centric
Dual POV
Contemporary Romance

Succession Vibes +Crazy Rich Asian Family Dysfunction + Much Ado about Nothing Banter + Stoic Italian Billionaire

- Topics
- Intersection Between Family & The Individual
- Asian Representation
- Tropes
- “Fake Relationship”
- Arranged Marriage
- Billionaire Romance
- Interracial Romance
- Enemies-to-Lovers
- Library Scene.
- Thoughts.
- Can’t Wait for Book 2
- Enjoyed the Dual POV of MMC
- Confident FMC (Female Empowerment Vibes)
- BANTER!!! is on point

Pretty solid lineup. We got: enemies to lovers, billionaire romance, forced proximity. Need I say more? I’ve been hit or miss with some AH’s series reads but this one was so readable and I really enjoyed it. Lots of drama but in a fun way. And a quick resolution to those infamous 3rd act breakups.

4.5 -⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

"I already knew two things with gut certainty. One, Dante was going to be my fiance. Two, we might kill each other before we ever made it to the altar."

King of Wrath is the first instalment in the New Adult Contemporary Romance series, Kings of Sin. Each novel will follow a standalone couple but exist in the same world. This first novel follows the characters Vivian and Dante as they find themselves both forced into a marriage for two entirely different reasons. While one is desperately seeking a way out, the other has resigned themselves to duty...neither was expecting to be drawn to other. Yet will their growing love lead to further ruin if they give in...

Vivian provides this interesting dynamic to the enemies to lovers trope that I felt really freshened of the arrange marriage trope. Vivian's backstory surrounding familiar expectations and the impact of nouveau riche status enriched her character and I loved seeing the small levels of defiance she used to keep true to her self. Reading the contrast between how she is with her family versus with Dante resonated with as we get to dive into this idea of how much must you sacrifice for the good of your family.

Dante is a dark and enchanting character. He has a lot of burden on his shoulders. He has all this power but is forced into a situation where he has no control. He rough attitude is amusing, especially with Vivian's ability to meet it, but is gives way to chemistry and banter that build incredibly well in this book. I felt for his character and the challenges he faces.

The spicy is the book is a 2.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. It has some excellent build up with foreplay and close moments but the progression effectively reflects the tumultuous journey both characters are feeling. I thought is was incredibly satisfying and well done.

"I don't know why I care. I just know I do and I hate it...I hate the idea of you touching anyone else or anyone else touching you. I hate that other people can make you laugh in a way i can't. I hate how I feel around you, like you're the only person who can make me lose control when I. Don't. Lose. Control."

The story itself follows a traditional line but the characters are what sold this book. The tension, banter, and conflict around family and burden was vivid and powerful. It edged these characters along beautiful and I was just waiting for the other foot to fall. In addition you get to really be with the characters and feel truly connected with them. Side characters like Kai, Agnes, Isabelle, and Luca helped challenge and support the characters in ways that really enriched the story and kept me going. I was unable to put down this book and consumed in two sittings.

If you are looking for a contemporary romance that gives you rounded and dynamic characters, a delicious angsty slow burn, and a strong plot this book is perfect for you. I am eager to read more into Ana's backlog now!

Thank you Bloom Books and Netgalley for the review copy!

I couldn’t wait to read this after devouring the Twisted series. And wow. If Ana Huang writes it, I will read it. Dante & Vivian were explosive, passionate, and dynamic—an absolute inferno. Enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, and a billionaire hero. Does it get any better? I can’t wait to see what happens next in King of Pride.

Blackmail. Arranged marriage. Wrath. Steamy, Sexy. These are the words I would use to describe this book. Ana Huang has used these topics successfully in this new book. Vivian is the daughter of a jewelry magnate. Her father's money is looked down upon as new money. He wants his daughter to marry old money so he gets respect. Dante is the billionaire who he wants his daughter to marry. They do not meet on the best of terms and fireworks start. Vivian is the dutiful daughter who will do what her father says and she will not back down. Vivian is feisty and makes the book a delicious read.

This is a book that will draw you into the story. You will not want to put it down when you start reading. A wonderful romance story.

Thank you to #netgalley and #AnaHuang for a copy of this book.

Admittedly, I set myself up for this one. It felt very wattpad-y and not in a super fun escapist way. I felt like I had read this before… don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t awful!! It just wasn’t my favourite book I’ve ever read

King of Wrath follows Vivian, a nouveau riche jewelry heiress, as she goes from her daily life as an event planner to BOOM! having a fiancé through an arranged marriage. And one thing about her new fiancé... he scowls a lot, seems to hate her, and one thing's for sure, Dante Russo has no need to get married and definitely not to her, so why are they now engaged????👀❓❓❤️‍🔥🤩

📚🖤❤️For me, this book was absolutely phenomenal!!!💖🥹 This is book is prob the first I've read of it's kind where it has some "not quite mafia" but mafia vibes and I thought it was a very fun read, especiallyyyyy since that plays into "you hurt her, I hurt you" possessive vibes...👀😳I think that some romance books have predictable endings and movements that you can see coming for a while, this def DOESN'T mean we love them less! they are still GREAT stories and sometimes are exactly what you want and neeed! THAT being said, this book had some movements and plot twist-ish type things that I just couldn't call how the dominos would fall! 🤔 It made me never want to put the book down and I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering when certain aspects would play out!👀👀👀

😭This is my FIRST @authoranahuang read and I can't believe it! 💞I've been wanting to read the Twisted series for FOREVER but definitely have broken enough book buying bans lately...🥴😵‍💫😂 I can't believe that I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this from @netgalley and @read_bloom and cannot wait to read more!!! 🥰 I may even have to buy the gorgeous @barnesandnoble edition of this copy that is coming out on 4/25/23!🤩✨

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Steam: 3/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5

Miss Ana has done it again. I knew she would, and yet I am still blown away by how much I adore Vivian and Dante. They have incredible chemistry. If you ask me, grumpy/sassy is the new and improved version of grumpy/sunshine.

We’ll start with grumpy, aka DANTE MFING RUSSO. I absolutely adore this man and loved seeing him open up to Vivian. The sexy times in this book were amazing thanks to this man and his dirty mouth 😮‍💨. I have to say, though: if I had to rank the Twisted and Kings of Sun men, he would be second to last 😬. I love Dante, but he’s not Ana’s best. But, based on the glimpses we got of the MMC for King of Pride, Rhys may have some competition soon😏.

And now, sassy 😂. VIVIAN. I LOVE YOU. Just had to get that out of the way, now we can proceed. Vivian’s arc in this book is incredible. She starts willing to do just about anything to keep her family satisfied to a toxic extent, and ends the book having found true self confidence without any external validation needed (though she certainly gets it from Dante). She is such a badass, confident character and I’m so excited for more people to meet her.

As Ana has mentioned, this book takes place during the same time as Twisted Lies, and it was such a blast to get a few scenes in Dante’s POV that we had originally read from Christian’s. Their friendship is top tier 💀.

King of Wrath is a great first book that really sets the tone for the rest of the series, and it DEFINITELY has me hyped AF for King of Pride. I cannot wait to read more books in this series.

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Steam: 3/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Overall: 5/5

Miss Ana has done it again. I knew she would, and yet I am still blown away by how much I adore Vivian and Dante. They have incredible chemistry. If you ask me, grumpy/sassy is the new and improved version of grumpy/sunshine.

We’ll start with grumpy, aka DANTE MFING RUSSO. I absolutely adore this man and loved seeing him open up to Vivian. The sexy times in this book were amazing thanks to this man and his dirty mouth 😮‍💨. I have to say, though: if I had to rank the Twisted and Kings of Sun men, he would be second to last 😬. I love Dante, but he’s not Ana’s best. But, based on the glimpses we got of the MMC for King of Pride, Rhys may have some competition soon😏.

And now, sassy 😂. VIVIAN. I LOVE YOU. Just had to get that out of the way, now we can proceed. Vivian’s arc in this book is incredible. She starts willing to do just about anything to keep her family satisfied to a toxic extent, and ends the book having found true self confidence without any external validation needed (though she certainly gets it from Dante). She is such a badass, confident character and I’m so excited for more people to meet her.

As Ana has mentioned, this book takes place during the same time as Twisted Lies, and it was such a blast to get a few scenes in Dante’s POV that we had originally read from Christian’s. Their friendship is top tier 💀.

King of Wrath is a great first book that really sets the tone for the rest of the series, and it DEFINITELY has me hyped AF for King of Pride. I cannot wait to read more books in this series.

this one started out a little slow for me, but I really ended up falling in love with Dante + Vivian’s relationship!

arranged marriage / forced marriage to an actual love marriage - even when it seemed VERY unlikely in the beginning 😂

I loved the character development in them both, but especially Vivian. From going to doing whatever she is told by her family, to finding a way to stick up for herself and move into her own person - without the Lau name.

I also loved the slight tie in with Christian + Stella from Twisted Hate! It shared the same scene that we saw in that book, but then we got to see the aftermath from Dante + Vivian’s perspective, as well as what Christian did to start it 👀

Overall 3.75 stars and really enjoyed it!

Thank you to the publisher for the Arc!

Arranged marriage | enemies to lovers

DANTE. One of the hottest men Ana has ever written. I absolutely loved this book and I’m so excited to read the rest of the series! This was such a strong start! I loved getting cameos from some of the Twisted characters.

“𝔸𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕥?”

Dante is blackmailed and now in an arranged marriage with Vivian. Dante likes control and power and when things are suddenly out of his control, he will do whatever he can to regain it. Vivian has always done right by her parents, the best schools, appropriate boyfriends, and now, going along with an arranged marriage that will be beneficial for her family.

“𝕀𝕥’𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕖. 𝔻𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖 𝕚𝕥.”

Even though neither of them want this arrangement, they slowly begin to form a relationship though it’s often one step forward and two steps back.

“𝕋𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥, 𝕍𝕚𝕧𝕚𝕒𝕟. 𝔻𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕒𝕟𝕥 𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕤?”

Dante never wanted to get married but as the story progresses, the way he slowly realizes, and comes to terms with, his feelings — both for Vivian and how to navigate his need to take down Vivian’s father. The jealousy this man has anytime someone so much as looks in her direction is unmatched. And when he grovels? The man knows what he’s doing.

“𝕐𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕖, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕟𝕠 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕠𝕦𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕖.”

Vivian struggled to stand up to her parents. Always the dutiful daughter, she never wanted to throw off the balance of doing right by her family and living her own life. I loved her progression and growth, and when she stood up for herself, it was everything.

“𝕆𝕡𝕖𝕟 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕤,” 𝔻𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕝𝕖𝕕.
“𝕃𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕚𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀’𝕞 𝕗𝕦𝕔𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦.”

While there might not have been as much spice as some of her other books, the spice we get is PERFECTION. Dante is dirty and knows how to give everything to Vivian.

This just didn’t do it for me I’m sorry. I know this author and this book is big on booktok but I think it’s a flop. I wasn’t a fan of her other series, but wanted to give her another shot… she just isn’t for me.

As an Ana Huang lover, I was so excited to read this book as I have read and loved every one of her past books. Given that, a lot of this story did feel a bit reused. I kept thinking to myself, have I read this before? That being said, I love the billionaire trope and I ate this up. I read still continue to read all of Ana's books, but hoping the next one is a bit different than her past works!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

LOVED this book!!! It was so good!!!!
If you love Ana Huang books, this will definitely not disappoint! It may be my new favorite of hers!

Dante and Vivian hate each other and are forced into an arranged marriage. He is being blackmailed by her father and she is doing her duty to her family. He will stop at nothing to take down her father and destroy her family, but he didn’t expect to fall for her.
Vivian is a strong, witty, and a people pleaser. She is a great fmc. How could you not fall in love with her?!

I finished this is one day because I refused to put it down. It was such a great read! I loved the arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, angst, and steam! The character growth was great and overall a well written book!

I loved the twisted series, and I’m really excited about this brand new series!


📘: King of Wrath by Ana Huang

Thank you to NetGalley, Ana Huang, and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Tropes :
Arranged Marriage
Billionaire
Enemies to Lovers

This was my first read from Ana Huang and I really
enjoyed her writing style, and I liked the characters she wrote. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series!

This is my first Ana Huang book. It ticked a lot of my boxes. I loved the Asian rep, high society couple and arranged marriage trope. Vivian was basically Astrid from Crazy Rich Asians but if her love interests were switched. Since I love Astrid, I obviously loved this story. Dante was super sweet. It was a fun story. My only issue is it’s also pretty forgettable, I think maybe the characters weren’t developed past their tropes. I recommend if you’re look for an easy, quick, popular trope romance. I really hope we get Dominic and Alessandra’s story, they really piqued my interest.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and Netgalley for the eARC.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-book copy.

I was excited to read this book because of all the hype I’ve seen about it, but truthfully it wasn’t really what I expected. That’s not to say it’s a bad book, just not quite my taste. It felt really slow and predictable.

Maybe, in the future I’ll be able to come back to this book and give it another try but as of right now I had to DNF it. I really gave it a chance but it felt like it kept dragging on and on and it felt like something I’ve read before.

On the bright side, I will say the author has a wonderful writing style and I hope to pick something up from her in the future.

Thank you, for this opportunity.
Rating: 2.5 or 3 out of 5

King of Wrath is an arranged marriage billionaire romance by Ana Huang. This is the first book in her new series that takes place in the same world as the Twisted series. If you have read the Twisted series you will see some of your favorite characters pop up which is really fun. This book follows Dante and Vivian who are strangers until her father introduces him as her finace. I love that Vivian is such a strong female main character. Her father may be rich but she has made a name for herself alone and is able to support herself financially without her father's help. While she is not thrilled about the idea of an arranged marriage, Vivian goes along because it is for the benefit of her family. Dante is also a strong character and a very possessive hero. He is very protective and territorial over Vivian even before they are romantically involved. He does have a soft side for her and he does some really sweet things. However, Dante is not in the arrangement for the same reasons as Vivian. He is being blackmailed into it and he never plans to marry Vivian. So as you are reading there is a cloud looming because you know things are going to blow up at some point. The aftermath does lead to some groveling which is great. I think this is a great start to Ana Huang's new series and I am excited to see the couples in the next books!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!

Ana Huang does it again 👏 Vivian and Dante are such great characters and I love their growth both independently and as a couple. Vivian is such a strong woman and I love that right off the bat she stands up for herself with Dante and does not let him get away with being an asshole, despite the circumstances of having an a arraigned engagement. With her family, however, we see a much different side to Vivian. Huang does a great job of portraying some of the cultural aspects of family and respect that are expected from Vivian. Her growth and character development made her one of my favorite FMC.

And Dante 🥵 the tension and banter between the main characters is everything. I love when a MMC begs forgiveness and the groveling in this book is top tier. I am SO excited for the rest of this series.

This is my first time reading an Ana Huang – the Twisted series has been on my TBR for a while, but I haven't started it yet – and I'm in loveeee. It reminded me of the Crossfire series, which I also loved and have reread (a rarity for me!) and truth be told, I'm here for a good time. I literally sped through this in a single sitting and then text two people to add it to their own TBR, so I'd say it was a success.

I certainly see what others are saying in terms of like the stereotypical tropes, but I don't care. I had fun reading it and that's what I care about.

There's bonus scene! Click through to the end to find a link. I love when authors give us extra content 😭

Overall, a 4.5 for me and I'll be recommending!