I read this book already and it was sooo good! I loved Dante and Vivian! This was definitely my favorite Ana book!

If you’re looking for the perfect arranged marriage book, this is absolutely for you. Well-written and easy to sink into, King of Wrath follows high end event planner Vivian Lau whose father arranges her marriage to the most eligible bachelor Dante Russo. The catch? Dante’s been blackmailed into it.
This books has all of the perfect tropes that make arranged marriage romances one of my personal favorites. It’s filled with witty banter, a woman who knows her worth, steamy spice, and burning jealousy that sneaks up on Dante and makes him want to tear his hair out. The relationship progression is top tier and the side characters make this even better. If you’re wondering whether you should read this, let me be clear: START THIS BOOK NOW!

King of Wrath's Dante Russo is a whole vibe and I want to experience it desperately. When Vivian Lau's father blackmails billionaire CEO Dante into an arranged marriage with her (the blackmail unbeknownst to her), revenge is the number one thing on his mind in the year remaining until their nuptials. What he doesn't plan for? Actually falling for his fiancée.
I absolutely love Vivian and Dante's relationship. They're both polar opposites: Vivian is sunshine and a people pleaser, while Dante is a grump and doesn't give to craps what people think. But, they're also very much the same. They have so many expectations to live up to. Vivian has to be who her parents what her to be and Dante had to be the perfect businessman his grandfather wanted with no sense of joy.
Together they're able to find a middle ground and be who they want and its so sweet when you read about love like that! Not to mention the limo scene! If ya know, ya know. I love the tie in to the Twisted Love series, too.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series. The whole thing was so well done!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ana Huang can do no wrong! I’m absolutely obsessed with this book!

Dante is everything you could ever want in the brooding billionaire. He’s grumpy, possessive and an alpha hole. His heart is buried deep beneath that hard exterior and only Vivian can chip away at it. And for bonus points, he has a filthy mouth & knows how to command the body as well as he can a boardroom. Like I said, what more could you possible want.

However, the real star of the show is Vivian! She might be my new girl crush. She’s bold, brave & beautiful!

Vivian is a jewelry heiress that comes from new money. And while she’s independent financially thanks to her event planning career, she has a strong sense of duty and obligation to her family. Hence agreeing to an arranged marriage that will elevate her family’s status. Her family struggles are very similar to mine as an Asian American. Speaking up is considered talking back and disrespectful. You must respect your elders even if they don’t deserve your respect or time. And losing a relationship with a family member because of setting a healthy/reasonable boundary is a reality we all face.

To say I resonated with Vivian is an understatement. I think that’s why I love this book so much! It brings the spice, drama and even though we all can’t be heiresses or billionaire CEOs, Dante’s & Vivian’s family struggles are relatable to an extent.

Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🔥🔥🔥

♥️Arranged Marriage
♥️Enemies to Lovers
♥️Forced Proximity
♥️Billionaire

King of Wrath is the first book of the Kings of Sin series of interconnected standalones. This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be reading her other books! This one did start out a little slow for me but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down!

Vivian’s father has arranged her marriage to Dante through blackmail. Her world is turned upside down when she is forced into living with him for a year before they are to be wed. She is a firecracker and loyal to her family. Her pov really made me love this book! Dante is your typical alphahole…gruff, domineering, and possessive. I loved him but also wanted to throat punch him on several occasions! But, this man knows how to grovel in the best of ways! I loved these two together and their banter made me love their relationship even more! They both had personal growth throughout the story and it made their love for each other even more special. And the spice was top notch, set your panties on fire hot! I can’t wait for Kai and Isabella’s story in King of Pride!

This was my first Ana Huang book and I can´t wait to read the twisted series as well.

King of Wrath is the start to a new series from Ana Huang and I was so intrigued by this arranged marriage situation! It kind of had elements of a fake relationship as well since the couple has to pretend like they’re in love and be engaged leading up to their arranged wedding. Hero is a billionaire and is forced into an arranged relationship with his enemy’s daughter!

Dante Russo thrives on control, both personally and professionally. The billionaire CEO never planned to marry—until the threat of blackmail forces him into an engagement with a woman he barely knows….Vivian Lau, jewelry heiress and daughter of his newest enemy. Vivian is a luxury event planner in Manhattan and finds out her father has arranged a marriage for her with billionaire hotshot, Dante. They end up moving in together quickly to make their relationship look real, but Dante wants a long engagement to be able to find/destroy the blackmail and end the relationship too. Her family is “new money” and her parents are thrilled to have her marrying into his family.

I loved the forced proximity of them living in his house together. All the running into one another, there is a fun midnight snack run-in when they bump into one another in the kitchen (her snack choice: pringles, pickles, and pudding. His snack choice: soy sauce drizzled over ice cream). I like how he calls her “mia cara” right from the start. She says right away they should get to know one another and go on some dates, which was cute to see them do. I liked how he’s a possessive and protective hero! We do get a cameo of Christian (and Stella) from Twisted Lies (this book takes place during the same time/overlaps). We get a fun thanksgiving trip to Bali to see his parents.

I felt like this book moved fast and wasn’t unnecessary long. I feel like we do see things happen on-page but a lot happens off-page too. I wasn’t really into something that pulls them apart, I felt like her response was a bit much for something that was arranged. But I did like how it didn’t last for too long and how more of a pursuer he becomes.

After discoing Ana Huang through her Twisted series, I knew she would quickly become a one-click author for me.

As a sucker for a marriage of connivence trope, I knew I would love King of Wrath, but I quickly found it taking the number one spot in favorite Huang books.

Dante can rule me any day. Watching him transform from a enemy to a fierce protector is what the best book boyfriends are made of.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books/Sourcebooks for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

(2.5 stars) This book was a bit of a disappointment for me, especially considering the hype around this author. I didn’t hate the book, necessarily, but it was just so unoriginal that I had a hard time caring about any of it. It was filled with cringeworthy clichés and dialogue present in a dozen other similar books. The characters were predictable and generic (although the culture clash between Dante and Vivian was maybe the only plausible source of tension in the book), and they had no palpable chemistry. Aside from maybe the limo scene, the spice was unoriginal and it just seemed like the author was checking boxes for the characters’ relationship development. The writing in general just felt lazy, lackluster, and uninspired.

I might recommend this book to fans of this author or newbies to the genre, but die-hard romance fans might find it lacking. I may check out other books by this author in case this book was a one-off amid her massive popularity, but I’m not getting my hopes up.

Dante is what boyfriend dreams are made of. Fearless. Sexy. Strong. Rich. Hot. And goes after what… and who… he wants! I’ll take this type every time! Books great! Read it and the other Huang books while you’re at it. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I really enjoyed this one. This author is a favorite of mine and this book didn’t disappoint. The grumpiness turned fierce protector is a favorite

WOOOW!!! I have read the twisted series and absolutely fell in love with the series so I was very excited to have the chance to read this book. I absolutely loved it so much. Love love love this couple so much. I heard people say they did not like that Dante was similar to one of the men to the twisted series and honestly it did not feel like a copy and paste. It's a popular trope that I will read over and over again which is the grumpy asshole falling in love and doing everything his girl wants. Vivian is literally amazing and such a badass. Her spending a huge amount on his card was iconic of her but when he threw it in her face and her response to that was THE BEST THING EVER. Loved this book so much I will 100% be buying a physical version and I am excited for the rest of the series as well.

This book was ok, the writing style just wasn’t for me.

* Given to me for free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

-Arranged marriage
-Enemies to lovers
-Billionaire romance
-Family drama

Vivian is the perfect socialite daughter, committed to being a dutiful daughter. Although if she is truly honest with herself, she feels squished into the perfect image her family family wants her to be. Dante, was born to take over the luxury world making billions in the process and known for his ruthless both in and out of business. When Vivian’s father tells her she is to marry Dante Vivian accepts her fate but is definitely not thrilled. Sh also cannot fathom what Dante gets out of this marriage. As their feelings toward each other change and grow the truth becomes harder and harder to hide. But oh the fun and torture to be had ;)

This was my first Ana Hung book, and I loved it! Can’t believe I have read anything by her before this.

This was a perfect slow burn, enemies to lovers, billionaire romance. The story and character development was perfectly paced. I really enjoyed the main character, Vivian, and her interactions with the different characters.

The story was dual POV, and I think it was done very well. It was great knowing what Dante was thinking and doing.

I would recommend this to any romance lover!

Description:
Ruthless, meticulous, arrogant. Dante Russo is a billionaire CEO who ends up engaged to a woman he barely knows after her father blackmails him.
Elegant, ambitious, well-mannered. Vivianne Lau is the perfect daughter and is forced into a marriage with a man who can open doors for her family.
Dante has plans for vengeance after being blackmailed and Vivianne agrees to the marriage out of duty to her family, but neither one planned to fall in love.
—-

Wow this book was steamy and full of angst! The tension between these two was strong and the payoff rewarding. If you loved Huang’s twisted series then you will love this book. I’m a sucker for a controlling billionaire who learns his place and ends up on his knees (literally) begging forgiveness. Highly recommend and can’t wait to read her next book in this series, which comes out this month! 5⭐️

Vivian Lau is new money, Dante Russo is old money, and Vivian’s father is determined to tie his family to old money. Unbeknownst to Vivian, her father blackmails Dante into a modern day arranged marriage. Russos are known to be ruthless, but Dante will play along… until he can destroy all of the blackmail evidence. Then, he’ll take down Vivian’s father (plus his company) and put an end to the outrageous engagement. But somewhere along the way, the lines of this business arrangement begin to blur and Dante and Vivian both begin to have feelings for one another. Dante will soon have to choose: vengeance or love?

I love a billionaire romance trope! This is the first book I’ve read by Ana Huang, and I really enjoyed it. I liked watching Vivian grow and stand up for herself, and I also really liked the evolution of Dante’s character. I’m excited that this is a series and looking forward to reading Kai’s story next.

what can I say, this is such a great book I read it in under 24 hours easy read for me I was captivated from the start I was presently surprised by how much I loved this book!
I loved so much about Vivian she was such a phenomenal character, strong, wanting to be independent, understanding, her compassion toward the situation she was in and the willingness to see it though. Her additude and sarcasm toward Dante 🤌
Dante Russo baby damn Ana KNEW what she was doing putting this character together. At first I was like alright he's like many guys I've read before but NOO he is THE GUY ya know? We love a guy who is willing to work for there woman go above and beyond expectations and knock it out of the park. (Pun intended) if you read the book you'll get it 😅 he was such a bad a**, hot headed maybe? Jealous definitely but all in the BEST ways. He was such a sweetheart but always kept the I'm the boss bad guy mindset.
I got the privilege of reading the bonus chapter and it was such a good ending. Did I wish they had a million babies? hell yeah Dante should have got her pregnant no doubt 😅 but who knows in the future 😉
In conclusion I loved the book it's a steamy billionaire Italian romance.

Thank you @Netgalley and @read_bloom
As well as the author @authoranahuang for the ARC of the exclusive cover version of this book

3.25/5. (Re)-releases 4/25/2023.

For when you're vibing with... Modern arranged marriage, billionaire romance, a very cosmopolitan international feel (complete with jetsetting), and some groveling.

Vivian Lau hails from new money, and her father will do anything to break their family into the upper echelons of society--including arrange her marriage to billionaire Dante Russo. Though Vivian is willing to make the best of it, Dante is hostile from the start. So why did he agree to the marriage in the first place? As the two grow closer, the answer may be something Vivian never expected...

So, mixed feelings on this one. I like Ana's writing style, and I certainly like the way she writes sex, as well as this very opulent and interesting world she's created. But I had some issues on the execution.

Quick Takes:
--I really enjoyed the differentiation between new money and old money, the emphasis on elitism, and the sense of business intermingled with personal. Often, in these billionaire romances, it doesn't feel like the billionaires really live in a weird world. Here, it definitely read as something exclusive and inaccessible, yet at the same time something Vivian was very used to because her parents had been super wealthy since she was a child. I liked, so much, that Vivian didn't hesitate to use Dante's black card, didn't wring her hands over dropping $250K on a couple pieces of jewelry like heroines in billionaire romances often do. Basically, I liked that she was rich, too.

--In general, I appreciated the idea of an Italian billionaire who didn't have mafia connections and came from old money. Did that necessarily ring super true to me (real world aside, because this is a fantasy world)? I don't know. I will say that after reading a series in which I could tell the author put a lot of work into making the heroes feel Italian, Dante didn't super read that way to me. He was very American, but threw in some "mia caras" and in many ways I think it might've been better to just committing to him being fully Americanized, or perhaps delving more into the idea that he has lost connection with his heritage.

--I really enjoyed Dante's family backstory and the family drama (Vivian's included) in general. It felt very real, and it was hurtful and traumatic without being over the top.

--The pacing of this book was a double-edged sword for me. It takes place over an extended period of time... Yet somehow, I really didn't feel that, and in some ways I think it would've been better if they'd fallen in love over a (perhaps unrealistically) compressed period of time. Dante would leave to do business for a month; Vivian and Dante's relationship would skip forward a month. We would know that time passed and the relationship naturally grew, but something about it just felt kind of rushed and artificial to me. I felt like I missed the part where they became ridiculously into each other, or where they fell in love, even though I did believe in their chemistry.

--This felt like it was supposed to be enemies to lovers, but Vivian didn't give me anything on that front. I liked her, and she wasn't a doormat; but she wasn't lashing out at Dante, either. She wasn't really spoiled, she wasn't mean, she was just very mature. It made me feel like Dante really wasn't at her level at all, and it also made me feel like... I don't know. It was just hard to connect with her.

--The Big Secret is something you as the reader know from the jump. Vivian does not. It is obviously a big deal when this gets revealed, but I couldn't help but think... she probably should've... guessed? It was something along those lines? Maybe I'm just being cunty, but it felt a bit obvious? And for that matter, her reaction felt a bit over the top. It added to the main issue I had with the book, which is that I liked the way it was presented in terms of writing, but it felt very paint by numbers. Every beat could be predicted, both in terms of plot and emotion.

The Sex Stuff:
The sex in this was... very good. Probably my favorite thing about the book, if I'm being real. At first, it began a bit typically, with that well-known ramp-up. (But I did really like that these two just started having sex and not talking about it at all; fully having these encounters and being like "WELP".) Gradually, however, it got a bit kinkier, and I... wasn't mad at that. There is a scene in a moving vehicle... that is so good.

Overall, I can't say that I loved King of Wrath, but I did like parts of it quite a bit, and I do want to read more of Ana Huang. I feel like she could have gone further with this one, but she's clearly a talented writer. I'll probably read the next book in the series, and check out other books of hers. This novel is a re-release, and I see a great response to it, so clearly, this works for many! And that's great.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have read Twisted Love, Twisted Games, and Twisted Hate by this author. I didn’t realize this book took place in the same world and would have some overlapping character arcs. I actually think I stumbled on it at just the right time after Hate but before Lies.

Overall I really liked this book. I love an arranged marriage story with strangers to lovers, and this one checked all the boxes. Plus it has the same amount of steam I’ve come to expect from her books.

There were some parts of this book that were reminiscent of Twisted Love. Not enough to take away from my enjoyment, but the similarities are there. I think this is a good entry into this world, and I’m looking forward to the next book King if Pride as well as Twisted Lies!

If you haven’t read the twisted series by this author, one go read it. Two, I’d read Twisted lies minimally. Dante’s story crosses a bit into that book, so it gives you a better background. But you can also read as a stand alone! Overall, 3.75 stars for me. I liked Dante, he was very standard in the broody brilliance type. So I’d that’s your type, he’s your guy. I found Vivian to be annoying. For me though, any FMC that has the people pleaser / “whatever my parent says goes, even though I’m almost 30 year old”… vibe annoys me. I think given Vivian’s history, her personality make sense, she just wasn’t my favorite FMC this author has wrote (that spot is head for Ava). But I will continue to read the next book in this series and anything Ana writes. I can’t wait for Kia and Isabella story.