Reviews with content warning for Violence - The Rebel King

Rating: 2/5 stars

I read the All the King’s Men duology as a buddy read with some close friends in December, and the buddy read commentary was EXCELLENT. Unfortunately, it was also much better than the books for me.

Lennix and Maxim come from very different worlds, but a chance encounter puts them on a collision course that spans decades.

I could not stand this one. It read like a bad telenovela (an insult to telenovelas) and was loaded with inaccuracies my pedantic self found frankly insulting.

If you don’t mind heavy political overtones (and can ignore factual errors) and want something with tons of drama, you may enjoy these more. I know I do have friends who love them!

CW: Violence; kidnapping; trauma; grief

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imskylow's review

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Bruh, you cannot cover up the fact she has serious PSTD with horribly cringy dirty talk and sex. Like have some restraint, Maxim. Actually say no and actually make sure she’s alright. Railing someone isn’t going to take away the trauma. I just feel like this book really reduced their relationship down to their base urges rather than show them loving each other in lots of different ways. Because of that, the smut just wasn’t good. It felt like I was the only one that had a modicum of concern for the situation and as a reader that was frustrating. Lennix is willfully ignorant of danger and her own trauma. Maxim is too revenge hungry and wants to manage everything. And both of them avoid communicating seriously by banging relentlessly.

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escapismforlife's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was this perfect conclusion to this ambitious second chance power couples story for representation of an indigenous culture and the power and sadness that comes with being that in particular from America. Lennix Moon Hunter is the best empowered women that's her authentic self which is a beautiful thing to read about throughout her years. The jump in time for most of her life over two decades is powerful and healing in the most realistic and well done representation of one story for the family of a missing and murdered indigenous women. In this case its her mother, which she learns to adapt while pushing for focus on the issue personal to her life.

Maxim is tied in to her life in the best way and they work to overcome the divisive lifestyles which brought them together. Not to mention the seven year age difference which causes a part of there problem in the choices they make but somehow didn't bug me . This sequel for this duology writing is just a graceful and meanigful as The Kingmaker and was a good time for me considering I read both within two days last week. I'm beyond grateful to have read one of the most popular female black authors out right now in this ARC. I definitely plan to get physical about this story of love, growth, and compromise which if your reading this you should do the same.

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lololovesthings's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

4.5 stars!

Kennedy Ryan never, and I do mean NEVER, misses. If you are not reading her books, you are missing out on some of the best novels ever written! Seriously!! She's THAT good. "The Rebel King" picks up right where "The Kingmaker" left off. I personally think this is one of the best sequels I've ever read, and I'm not just saying this because I am a Kennedy Ryan fangirl. The plot is insanely engaging, gripping, and tense. In fact, it never lets up once the book starts. It doubles down on the drama, triples down on the suspense, and quadruples down on the sexiness. It's hard to make my jaw drop, but boy, did it ever! Much like Maxim to Lennix, I DEVOURED this book. I'm not one for alpha-holes, but Maxim.... ohhhh, Maxim. His devotion, possessiveness, and adoration is something else. He's also super sweet and sensitive, too. Top book boyfriend material. And Lennix! What a strong, fearless, fierce-but-gentle main character. God, I love her. I love him. I love them both. I love them together. I love the smuuuut! I love their growth both together and apart. You never, ever doubt for a single second that they are not soulmates. And just when you think it can't possibly get any more emotional, BAM! More and more heart-pounding drama propels the plot forward into new, uncharted territories I did NOT see coming. This story is not just about the spice and the tension. It's also a multilayered sociopolitical commentary about climate change, big pharma, indigenous rights, political volatility, PTSD, and grief.

"The Rebel King" is a truly extraordinary book. It's a top-tier contemporary romance and an incredible sequel. I am just in sheer awe of Kennedy Ryan's writing abilities. She is truly to GOAT!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kennedy Ryan, and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

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hopecobbledpots's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

We meet again, Kennedy Ryan. You are still scintillating loquacious and heartbreaking profound. Kennedy weaves together our two power house main characters in a story that kept me weeping, laughing, and repeat.

Our lovers face one crisis and are reunited and then face another, foundation personal earthquake in their lives. And the hits just keep on coming. I love watching Maxim and Lennix struggle through their difficulties, figure out how to make it, and then not only make it work but just make it great. These two, they are amazing. I wish they were real. If they were, I'd want to know them. That's how much I like, no, love these characters. Lennix takes to rediscovering the power of her ancestorial beliefs and the healing in them and in her running. Maxim sees the power in his family but keeps his boundary that they accept Lennix. Kimba. Oh, she shines. She has so many moments. They are good. But ultimately this is Maxim and Lennix's story.

You are so going to enjoy this book. I'm giving it a hearty, 5 bright, shiny golden stars and 3.5 on the Scoville Spice Scale.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and Source Bloom Books in exchange for an honest review.

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what_karla_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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