Heartless Monster by: Rachel Leigh

Heartless Monster
Author: Rachel Leigh
Published: March 2024
Publisher: Rachel Leigh
Format: ARC E-Book
Pages: 314
Rating: 5/5
Summary:

Rome Cromwell isn’t just football royalty in our town.

He’s a heartless monster out for revenge,

And I'm the ordinary girl with his target on her back.

One year ago my knight in shining armor stepped out of the fog and rescued me.

With a simple thank you and an “I owe you one”, I was on my way.

Little did I know, that was only the start of our deranged story.

Now our parents are married and we’re living under the same roof.

Rome presents himself as a masked villain with strikingly good looks and a hypnotic appeal.

Girls want him.

His friends want to be him.

But I only want to run from him.

I see beneath his cracked facade into the heart of the beast.

He blames me for the fight that left his football career in shambles.

And he hasn’t forgotten I’m in his debt.

Now his claws are digging in so deep, I fear I won't survive.

Rome no longer wants to save me.

He only wants to own me.

To break me.

Piece by piece by piece.

Review:

First I'd like to thank Rachel Leigh & Valentine PR for sending me a copy in exchange for a review. Honestly, I've never read Rachel Leigh before but I was hooked on Rome and Elodie!

Heartless Monster really does have it all. Forbidden romance, he falls fast & hard (even when he doesn't want to admit it), suspense, some bully, football and of course all the steam. I mean when it's a step brother romance, of course there's gonna be some forbidden steam happening!

Honestly from page one, I was SUCKED IN with these two. Clearly he's got a hatred for Elodie, and while it's obvious to the reader right away, it takes Elodie a bit of time to understand the real reason. But as time goes on between these two, she doesn't back down to Rome's ways and I seriously loved the back and forth.

While Rome may say he doesn't like her one bit, it's clear as day his feelings for her are unmatched. The tension between the two of them could be cut with a spork, not to mention those "touch her and die vibes" and protectiveness he gives off is *chefs kiss* Like yes, he's a bully, he's trying to get back at her for something that happened a year ago... but like HELLO clearly this man is in love with her through it all. The way he's taking care of her while simultaneously stuffing her locker with stuff to humiliate her... twisted but I get it. I totally get it! And things got hot for these two. Like HOT!

I need to take a second to sort of talk about the things that Elodie went through. It's heavy and definitely a serious topic which may be triggering to some, but I feel like in a way Rachel Leigh wrote it well for Elodie to get her strength back. While she had to fight for a lot of things, you see that growth from her, and that twist that was tossed in there... I SO didn't see it coming! Well played seriously!

Overall, this was a great read. I was sucked in from the very beginning, I couldn't put it down! This forbidden, bully, step-brother romance had all the things and more and I am a new fan of Rachel Leigh. Give me all her backlist because I'm gonna read it! It was a roller coaster ride with some heavy topics but these two were amazing!

That's all for my review, I hope you liked
it and be sure to check it out if this sounds like your kind of book!

So until the next time, keep reading!

Your Graduated Bookworm! :)