Romance: King of Wrath by Ana Huang

6/10 

Dear Reader, 

Vivian Lau, youngest daughter of the Lau family, is an event planner who loves what she does. While living in New York, she’s called home to have dinner with her less than kind parents. Their strict and observant eyes scanned her for any flaws or imperfections the moment she set foot in their home. Francis Lau, Vivian’s father, has arranged for her to marry Dante Russo. 

Dante Russo is the most eligible bachelor there is, a billionaire who comes from old money while running the Russo company.

Both Dante and Vivian are against this marriage, but what Vivian doesn’t know is that her father is blackmailing Dante. Dante has one year until the wedding to take down Francis Lau and get the damning evidence that would send his brother, Luca, to his death bed. Vivian, however, would do anything to please her parents, and so she agrees to this marriage and moves in with Dante two weeks later. 

That is the premise of this first book in the Kings of Sin series by Ana Huang. This book was definitely not my favorite of Ana Huang’s book, I just couldn’t get past the lack of chemistry between the two main characters. 

Vivian’s constant back and forth about wanting to live her own life, but continuing to please her parents until it pushes her too far, got annoying very fast. Her inner monologues of it were repetitive, it felt like half the chapters were the same lines over and over again. Also, while I love the damsel in distress trope, I hate helpless female main characters. I want to read about a woman who is strong enough to stand up to the people who push her around, not laying down and surrendering. 

Dante wasn’t too terrible, I do love a morally gray male love interest. However, in my opinion, he doesn’t do enough groveling for the forgiveness he receives. I think the book could be cut down in half, since that’s about how much Vivian went on about her dilemmas and honestly nothing really happens. 

Yes, I liked it. Yes, it was a good mindless romance read. But I was hoping for more subplot and details than there actually was, the only subplot we were introduced to was Vivian's career and the Heath drama. 

Overall, it was a decent book, and if you’re looking for something that won’t require very many brain cells and has lots of smut, then this is your book. 

-Grace Sofia