This was the first Ana Huang book that I have read. I enjoyed it.

Dante and Vivian have an arranged marriage. Dante is of course a billionaire and Vivian is an Event Planner. The details of their arranged marriage aren't because the two are a good fit but because her family wants MORE. And her father blackmails Dante with photos of his brother and turning them in to get him killed. But thats not all....

Definitely a grumpy to sunshine and enemies to lover troupes.

It kind of threw me off that he's so nonchalant about the whole thing and doesn't even want to try to get to know Vivian at all and goes off on trip after trip until you are more than halfway into the book. When out and about and in the public they act in love. Once they start to talk and realize their is more to eachother than they thought - all bets are off and now comes the sparks between them. The romance between the two once it got going was good.

Read to see how it all comes together.

I read as an ARC thru Netgalley. Thank you.

2.5 stars, rounded to a 3. Damn guys I was disappointed in this book. This was a book of 2 halves for me. The first half of this truly dragged for me and it felt a little like Ana was lost when writing this story. While I can see where she was coming from after such a success with the Twisted series, the first half of this story felt like she was trying to piece the most loved parts of that series together. Once we hit the 60% mark, that all subsided and it felt like Ana had a vision and her flair was back. The latter half of this story was a solid 4 stars from me. Dante and Vivian finally became their own characters and the romance started to feel. a little more realistic.

Speaking of the characters, I did come to love Dante but I found Vivian incredibly whiny, woe is me, and didn't ever do anything to improve her situtation. Dante however was fierce, fiesty, and such an interesting main character. I will say that this is an incredibly slow burn romance where it's more believable reading from Dante's POV.

As I said before, persevere with this story to the 60% mark!!! The shift in characters will truly get you then as they become their own people and not just an amalgamation of the best parts of the beloved twisted series characters. I will 100% continue this series with King of Pride and hopefully it hits the mark

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this arc. All opinions are my own.

In truth, King of Wrath was a good read. Was it mind blowing? No. Was it predictable? Yes. Was it honestly very original? Not really. HOWEVER. I did find myself smiling and crying along with Vivian and Dante. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good romance.
Add into that a good amount of spice and it was right up my alley.
I do look forward to reading more about Isabella and Kai!

“It felt like hope. It felt like desire. It felt like ruin and salvation all in one.”

This book was a nice change of pace from the fantasy romance I’ve been reading a lot of lately. King of Wrath is a page-turning, dual POV, billionaire contemporary romance with tropes like forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, hate to love, and touch-her-and-die with plenty of spice mixed in. Dante is the cliche arrogant and possessive billionaire who gets blackmailed into an arranged marriage to Vivian in order to elevate her family’s status. Neither are exactly happy with the arrangement. Vivian is a bit more sassy than Dante expected, and I enjoyed the back-and-forth banter between the two. Of course there’s a dramatic 3rd act break-up, and I was glad Vivian made Dante work for her forgiveness.

“You and me, sweetheart. That’s the destination . And I’m willing to take as many steps as I need to get there.”

Overall, I enjoyed King of Wrath, and I’d recommend if you enjoy the tropes listed above. Also, I'm one of those people who readsp other reviews after I finish a book. There's a few people saying it's similar to the Twisted series, but I haven't read those yet. So, as someone who is reviewing this book with fresh eyes, I rate it at a 4 star. I'm excited for Kai in King of Pride! Happy reading!

Thanks to Ana Huang, Bloom Books & Netgalley for the reader copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was in a reading slump when I started this and I read it in a day!


CEO Billionaire romance
Arranged marriage trope
One bed


Dante and Vivian were a great marriage arrangement trope, which I love, and giving there difference still have such great back story with a steamy romance!

High recommend if you’re looking for a Billionaire Romance and wanting something new yet familiar in the romance genre!

I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

A fun and entertaining, albeit not the most original, read.

As the only human on the earth who hasn’t read Ana’s Twisted series yet, I had no frame of reference for her writing style or expectations going in. As I’m seeing now, maybe this was unintentionally the best move. 😅

Some of the tropes (forced proximity, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, age gap) are included in my faves, which is definitely what initially piqued my interest. Unfortunately, I didn’t end up liking it as much as I thought I would, but it was still an enjoyable experience!

It was super refreshing to have a 28-year-old protagonist instead of another 18-20 year-old. No shade to them, there’s just something about following a heroine who’s more mature, established in her life/career, and seeks out healthy communication that I don’t see enough! Vivian was so sweet and reading about her struggle with familial acceptance was heartbreakingly relatable. Dante, on the other hand, was just okay to me. I still don’t feel like I know all that much about him and he felt pretty one-note. He kind of just felt like any other billionaire H and Vivian deserved better IMO. The extended grovel at the end though was perfection, I’ll give him that.

As I said, the story wasn’t the most original. It was very predictable and I think the only thing that caught me off-guard was how incredibly unrelatable the story ended up being. Don’t get me wrong, I love a billionaire romance. I knew going in that this was an arranged marriage between two wealthy families, but I don’t think I really understood just how wealthy we were talking about. Between the constant luxury brand name drops, $200,000 jewelry purchases that no one blinks an eye at, and casual spontaneous trips across the world, I was reading about an entirely different world, and not in the fun way. It was honestly kind of frustrating and a little sad to read about how much money was being almost literally thrown away when that quantity would be life changing for so many people (me included). Again, that could totally be my bad and something I should have been prepared for going in, but it detracted from my experience nonetheless.

Overall, did I still enjoy myself? Yes. Will I be reading the next in the series? Probably not. But I will for sure give the Twisted series a read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Dante Russo has been bred since childhood to become CEO of his family's company and that's all he ever wanted. But now he's being blackmailed into an engagement with Vivian Lau, heiress to his new enemy's jewelry company. As new money, she's expected to marry an acceptable man of her parent's choosing. She doesn't question Dante's reason for accepting her in return, but she's determined to make the most of it. Dante however will stop at nothing to destroy the blackmail and get his revenge... even if it will destroy his fiancé.
I liked seeing the development of Dante's character from his cold and arrogant attitude in the beginning. And Vivian learns to stand up for herself and not be such a doormat to her father's ambitions. The pacing was just right, the romance was spicy, and the HEA was well worth fighting for. I love the Twisted series, but I think I'll like this new series even more.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Ana Huang, Bloom Books, and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of the traditional publication of King of Wrath. This new edition hits shelves on April 25th!

This review is coming from my second time around through King of Wrath. I received an early copy of the Bloom Books edition, having read the indie-published version back in the fall. So I am already a huge fan of Ana’s work and this series kicks off in such an exciting way. This book was made for me, a billionaire marriage of convenience!

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: Dante and Vivian are the leads of this first story in the Kings of Sin series. Dante Russo, an Italian businessman is your classic male hero who comes across as icy and as you get to know him he thaws. He reminds me a bit of another Dante, Giana Darling’s leading hero in the Anti-Heroes in Love duet, so if you love that book you should read this. If you already are a huge fan of this series, I’d recommend Giana’s to you. The best part of this story though is Vivian Lau. She had humble roots until her teens, and that’s when her father was able to grow their family jewelry business into a behemoth company. She is so determined, and independent, she is a badass in the best way possible. One of my fave moments is when she spends a ton of Dante’s money after he left for a month-long business trip and once he pushes her on it she passive-aggressively returns all the money with a cheque left on his bedside. As this is the first book Ana also established a cast of side characters, including Vivian’s besties Isabella and Sloane. The little bits we got of them intrigued me, and I cannot wait to dive deeper into the Valhalla Club with Isabella and Kai in the next instalment. Speaking of Kai, loved him too and I cannot wait to learn more about him.
Setting: This story is predominately set in New York City. The Laus are based in Boston but Vivian lives in New York and stretches for independence through her event planning business. The dominant set of the story is Dante’s apartment and it makes a splash in early scenes. I loved how as Vivian was burrowing her way into Dante’s home, she was burrowing her way into his heart.
Pacing: The book is paced decently well. As this is a re-read I was expecting to read it quite quickly, but I found myself wanting to savour each and every word.
Romance: I adore this couple! Of course, this starts with them as virtual strangers, thrust together into a marriage of convenience simply a business deal. I loved how from early on Ana built tension between Dante and Vivian. Their first kiss and early touches were so hot, and once they began to explore each other more it got even hotter.

I'm a huge fan of arranged marriage romance novels. Dante Russo caught my attention in Twisted Lies, and I was excited to see more of him in King of Wrath. The book starts with Dante and Vivian Lau entering into an arranged marriage, both of them reluctant and under pressure. Dante is being blackmailed, and Vivian feels obligated to her family. As the story progresses and they move in together, the tension between them heats up, and the dynamic becomes more complex. The author does an excellent job of building their relationship from a forced arrangement to something more meaningful. The book is full of heart-pumping moments, and I found myself rooting for Dante and Vivian. Overall, it is an excellent start to a new series, and I can't wait to read more. The characters are intense, the plot is intriguing, and the writing is superb. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys arranged marriage romance novels.

Ana Huang has done it again.
Such an amazing quick read. Lots of great banter between the 2 main characters. Strong and independent FMC.
Dante is being blackmailed into marrying Vivian, Mr. Lau's daughter. He works to get rid of all of the evidence of blackmail while faking an engagement to Vivian but he cant ever seem to take his eyes off her or stop thinking about her.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Marriage of Convince, Arranged Marriage

ARC provided by NetGalley and Bloom Book for an honest review.

3.5✨
This book was good albeit your typical billionaire arranged marriage trope. In terms of bringing anything new to that trope, this book doesn't. But I looked the characters and it was interesting enough.
The climax was a little lackluster but I'm looking forward to reading Kai's story and we did get to see characters from the Twisted series.

I read the book twice.

The first billionaire romance I’ve read in a long time. This is my first Ana Huang book. It’s also an arranged marriage trope that I’m not typically a fan of.

The author wrote Dante well and he was NOT overly rude to the main lead, Vivian. A lot of aggressive male lead romances go too far into the anger/controlling aspect and it’s a BIG turn off to me, but this one gave a good balance.

The ending was a lot sweeter than I imagined it to be and it wrapped up the family drama with Vivian nicely. Maybe a bit TOO nicely, I’ll admit.

The next book comes out soon so I’m excited to see where this universe goes.

Full review here - https://youtu.be/UduhuqQKYXw

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
I haven't been reading as much romance these days as I used to, but Ana Huang is such a popular author these days, that I just had to give her a chance! Unfortunately, I wasn't very impressed. The story was so predictable that I only needed the first couple of chapters to know what happens in the whole book. The progression of the love story wasn't very believable as well and there were many things that happened off the page, during time jumps. Maybe if I had read the actual scenes, I would have rooted more for the couple. I did like the secondary characters and will give the author another chance, by reading the next book in this series. Isabella was really funny and Kai intrigued me, so I'm excited for their story.

“How does he look at me?” Janis smiled. “Like he never wants to look away.”
Ok yesssssss!!!! I loved this book! I knew I would because Ana Huang can do no wrong in my eyes. I loved the Twisted series and this series will be no different. Some may argue and leave reviews saying the story line is the same as every other enemies to lovers/billionaire story. To be fair, it is but I am here for it and will continue to read and love every minute of it. I loved both characters together and separately. For me, it was nice that Dante wasn’t an “arrogant ass” like many characters in this genre are often written as. The spice was great. I liked that characters from the Twisted books made their way into this one too. Would recommend this book! Can’t wait to read King of Pride next!

"King of Wrath" by Ana Huang is a rollercoaster ride of emotions, featuring the captivating love story of Vivian Lau and Dante Russo. Forced into a marriage by Vivian's father's blackmail, the couple embarks on a journey of self-discovery and passion that will leave readers glued to the pages. Huang masterfully crafts each character, creating strong and relatable personalities with depth and complexity. Vivian's unwavering loyalty to her family and Dante's multifaceted persona will leave readers rooting for the couple's happily ever after.

The novel delves into the theme of family dynamics, exploring how money can change people's values and relationships. Huang also highlights the importance of looking beyond one's wealth to see the true identity of a person. The dual perspectives used in the novel add depth to the story, giving readers insight into each character's motivations and emotions.

While the book offers plenty of romance, steamy scenes, and twists and turns, some scenes may be uncomfortable for some readers, such as romanticized violence and recurring themes of secrets and dishonesty. However, "King of Wrath" offers a refreshing take on the popular billionaire, forced marriage trope, avoiding common cliches and delivering a captivating story that will satisfy fans of the genre. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone looking for a compelling and emotional love story.

King of Wrath- 2.5⭐️3.5🌶️

She’s the wife he never wanted . . . and the weakness he never saw coming. 

Ruthless. Meticulous. Arrogant. 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, jewellery heiress and daughter of his newest enemy. It doesn’t matter how beautiful or charming she is. He’ll do everything in his power to destroy the evidence and their betrothal. 

There’s only one problem: now that he has her . . . he can’t bring himself to let her go. 
***
Elegant. Ambitious. Well-mannered. Vivian Lau is the perfect daughter and her family’s ticket into the highest echelons of high society. 

Marrying a blue-blooded Russo means opening doors that would otherwise remain closed to her new-money family. While the rude, elusive Dante isn’t her idea of a dream partner, she agrees to their arranged marriage out of duty. Craving his touch was never part of the plan. 

Neither was the worst thing she could possibly do: fall in love with her future husband. 

✨My Opinion✨

This is a Bloom Books publication release. I have not read any of the Kings of Sin or Twisted series.

Dual POV
Arranged marriage
Forced proximity
fake fiancé
dislike to lovers
billionaire romance
Miscommunication

It was a little too heavy on the grumpy with the grumpy/sunshine for me. But it was a fun read. Not the most amazing, but not absolutely terrible.

The MMC has a decent backstory, but didn’t see it played out quite as well as it could have been. I never quite understood what he did for a living or how it was important or how it gave him access to beat people in police holding cells…

The FMC was a little lacking in much other than family loyalty and her friends. She lacked the sparkle that explained how she brought the MMC out of his shell other than proximity…

There were a few moments of good tension. Things were great in the beginning… but it tapered off and didn’t retain its intensity through each relationship development.

*Thank you Bloom Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s modern times but people are still being forced into arranged marriages- bc rich people need to form alliances to get richer and even more powerful. Us poors wouldn’t understand. We marry for money, but by our own choosing. No blackmail involved.

Dante is a hot and powerful billionaire from old money. Vivian is the daughter of a new monied selfish piece of shit who blackmails Dante into marrying Viv. The two move in- he’s a grouchy ass but forgiven bc he looks like a sculpted Italian statue (but w a way bigger package). Obvi they have off the charts sexual chemistry. Obvi they hook up all over the place- including a steamy yet slightly unsanitary sexcapade in a limo. Obvi these two fall for each other. Obvi Dante fucks it up bc hot billionaire playboys have low emotional intelligence.

This book has been billed as super spicy sex romp on IG and it was fairly hot but I could have used more bc I’m a drug addict. Overall, I enjoyed the read, but it was all pretty predictable- I could have used some curveballs like a kidnapping or something bc #dangerkink. Overall this is a solid, reliable forced marriage billionaire romance. I look forward to the rest of this series!

Smut- 2.68 stars
Romance- 4.27 stars
Story- 4.35 stars
Being forced to marry a gorgeous, ripped billionaire who calls you a “good girl”- 52.92 stars

King of Wrath - 3.5/5 ⭐️
📍 Enemies to Lovers
📍 Marriage of Convenience
📍 Forced Proximity

I enjoyed this book and the dynamic between the characters was fun. Even though I found the story a bit repetitive I am curious to read the author's other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the gifted copy!

Ana never ceases to amaze me through her writing. King of Wrath is the first of a series that I am now very much needing all at once! With an arranged, or rather forced marriage, there is some tension between Vivian and Dante. The reason behind their marriage... well that is something that drives so much character development not just for one character, but both of them. Vivian follows suit of her heritage and culture doing as her "Father" always says, while Dante had the opposite life growing up. These two were sure to butt heads from the start, but their relationship is one that I loved feeling alongside them.

The allusions to the seven sins were not missed, as this is the King of Sins series, and the way Wrath is tied in is perfection. I wish I had a Dante after reading this. The whole time I was guessing who the rest of the series could be about and I am so excited to read about Isabella and Kai next!

This is my first Ana Huang book, and I can easily say that she just gained a fan for life. I was intrigued by the Kings of Sin series because each one is based on one of the Seven Deadly Sins. On top of that, I love a good arranged marriage/marriage of convenience story, and I’ve been getting more into billionaire romances as of late. After all, there are very few of us who don’t dream of suddenly coming into money and finding most (but certainly not all) of our worries swept away amidst the rush of cash and caviar.

I was delighted that King of Wrath incorporated various tropes, but found a way to sidestep many of the stereotypes. As the title implies, Dante Russo runs his business with an iron fist, but as with all heroes of his archetype, he has a softer side underneath his mask of arrogance. What surprised me most was that our heroine, Vivian Lau, is not poor or broke or even staunchly middle-class. She is a jewelry heiress who, as a child, did not have money, but has been wealthy enough for most of her life to know how to carry herself in various high-society circles. Though there is a difference in their wealth—as Dante is old money and Vivian is new—I loved that Ana Huang did not use their fiscal differences to drive the story forward.

I loved the cat-and-mouse game these two played as they were forced into close proximity, especially because of how often those roles were reversed. Both Dante and Vivian could hold their own against each other even in the most cutthroat of circumstances, and it was a delicious kind of foreplay to witness. The book takes place over the course of a year, and while I would’ve been happy to read an account of every day in between, the pacing of the story was excellent—moving past the frivolities of daily life and stopping on the moments that matter most. It was believable that these two went from distasting each other to tolerating the other’s presence to falling in love. It is not an easy or uncomplicated love, but one that feels real and earned.

Ana Huang knows how to build tension, where even just a single touch can have you devouring the pages, looking for more. Once these two finally end up in bed together, there’s still enough strain between them to keep it interesting. Every time they give into their carnal desires, you know they’re one step closer to admitting what we already know—that they’re falling for each other. Better yet, I found myself as interested in the story--both their individual plot lines as well their combined arc--as I was in the steamy scenes. And now, I can't wait to devour King of Pride.