Empire of Desire
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To be honest this wasn’t my favourite Rina Kent book… I still enjoyed it very much ‘cause let’s be real it’s still Rina Kent but it just wasn’t on the same level as god of fury, kiss the villain or the royal elite series. While I really love how all of the books are somehow interconnected and how you can see a very complex connection between them, and all the other characters from all the different series’ I didn’t really get warm with the characters. The second book from the series was a bit better (because I love Knox and I really liked the connection between Anastasia and Adrian Volkov) but the first book just wasn’t what I expected from Rina… still 4 stars because it was somewhat captivating enough to justify a good rating.
Tropes: – dad‘s best friend – age gap – “forbidden“ love – workplace – secret relationship – secret marriage – “touch her and you‘lol regret it“ – vanilla obsessed girl
Pro + – Gwyns character growth: at first I wasn‘t a fan of her; she is naive in a way that is a bit annoying imo, but throughout the book she becomes this brave women, and that is so very beautiful – Gwyns obsession with vanilla: it should be annoying actually, but I think her love for everything vanilla-related is kind of sweet, and endearing, and fun – Gwyns friendship with Jane – Nate in love – Aspen is a baddie and deserves all the love (reasons why in the con-area) – the “dad‘s best friend“ trope *chef‘s kiss* Con - – Gwyn‘s jealousy of Aspen, and her assuming Aspen sleeps with Nate (note: Reina badmouthes Aspen in “Black Thorns“ too, and there too it soured my mood): I‘m inclined to make Aspen my favorite woman in the Empire series just because; she is constantly judged by other women for no good reason other than jealousy when they should lift her up, when she is climbing the career-ladder so fast in a world that constantly pushes women down – Nate being so stubborn: it is kind of his charme too, but it is also agitating that he won‘t admit his feelings for so long Something I hate (and I don‘t use this word lightly) in this book is the way Gwyn thinks about Aspen. Reina badtalked about Aspen in “Black Thorns“ already and IT PISSES ME OFF. That‘s also something I generally don‘t like in Rina‘s books: that women are often the “villains“ (I’m not against it, women can be villains and I‘m here for that, but it’s a veeeery common occurrence in her books) and the rivalry among the girls – it’s Elsa and Silver all over again, but at least when it comes to Elsa and Silver I kind of understand it (a lot of it was on Silver, and Elsa reacted to it) Aspen has done nothing to be villainised by either Reina in “Black Thorns“ (especially Reina!!! Learn from your past mistakes, girl), nor Gwyn other than doing her job and interacting with the guys she works with. Regarding Gwyn and Nate, they are probably one of my favorite couples so far. I like the “dad‘s best friend“ aspect, the age gap, the spice. I also finally got to appreciate the setting in the law firm (contrary to in the last book where the change of scenery hit me way too abruptly) Gwyn is a bit naive, but I do like a lot how she takes action. She definitely doesn‘t sit around on her ass and waits for things to happen, and that‘s a trait in a protagonist I can‘t help but like because it always brings the plot forward in a way. Nate has this cold fassade but I actually connected to him as well as Gwyn pretty fast. He isn‘t too slow or too fast to give in into her in my opinion. Gwyns bond to her father is also such a sweet kind of thing – the book doesn‘t delve into this too much, but still enough to make me feel it. 4/5⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I liked it very much! Rina Kent knows how to read great books! Ich habe diese Buch in einem Sitz durchgelesen nach der Arbeit und wow ich habe es geliebt ich finde aber das Nate in manchen Szenen zu kalt und genervt rüberkam. Und jaa Gwen ich finde Vanilla kein Problem aber zu jeder Mahlzeit gefühlt ist wiederum zu viel.
I have to say that I really liked the storyline of the book and the characters. The only thing that kind of threw me off was how Gwen idolized Nate. Nate is her dad’s best friend and knew her when she was a baby. She even called him “uncle Nate”. I tried to overlook that part but it was really hard in some moments. To story itself was really interesting to read and finding out that aspen is her birth mother was unexpected and a nice plot twist. Also the idea with the “marriage of convince” is something I always like to read. I liked Nate as a character but Gwen was just too naive. She is only 20 but felt a bit younger in some of the chapters and the way she behaves also makes her seem younger. All in all a good book, just a bit weird if you know that he is her “uncle” (not blood related though). I’ll read the next book as well because the side characters were interesting and I believe they have some nice story’s themselves.
Puuuh, das ist bisher für mich das schlechteste Rina Buch. Ich habe die Story einfach so gar nicht gefühlt und mich tatsächlich das erste Mal im Rinaverse durch ein Buch fast gequält. Mir hat die Chemie gefehlt und vor allem das kindisch Verhalten der Protagonistin so extrem genervt... Der Plot an sich war ganz okay, aber der Rest naja....
Worth it?
EN: I am not finished with the book yet but i really dont like it. I think it stems from the problem that i dont like age gab romance and that he knows her since she was very little. Not the best book from Rina kent but, i am excited for the next books in the series, they should be better. DE: Ich hab das Buch noch nicht beendet. Doch leider mag ich es so gar nicht. Wirklich eines der schwächsten Rina Kent Bücher bis jetzt. Ich mag es vermutlich auch deshalb nicht weil es eine Age gab Romance ist und er sie seit klein auf kennt. Ich weiß nicht das spricht mich irgendwie so garnicht an. Ich bin aber dafür umso gespannter auf die nächsten Bücher in der Reihe da diese besser sein sollen.
Description
Book Information
Posts
To be honest this wasn’t my favourite Rina Kent book… I still enjoyed it very much ‘cause let’s be real it’s still Rina Kent but it just wasn’t on the same level as god of fury, kiss the villain or the royal elite series. While I really love how all of the books are somehow interconnected and how you can see a very complex connection between them, and all the other characters from all the different series’ I didn’t really get warm with the characters. The second book from the series was a bit better (because I love Knox and I really liked the connection between Anastasia and Adrian Volkov) but the first book just wasn’t what I expected from Rina… still 4 stars because it was somewhat captivating enough to justify a good rating.
Tropes: – dad‘s best friend – age gap – “forbidden“ love – workplace – secret relationship – secret marriage – “touch her and you‘lol regret it“ – vanilla obsessed girl
Pro + – Gwyns character growth: at first I wasn‘t a fan of her; she is naive in a way that is a bit annoying imo, but throughout the book she becomes this brave women, and that is so very beautiful – Gwyns obsession with vanilla: it should be annoying actually, but I think her love for everything vanilla-related is kind of sweet, and endearing, and fun – Gwyns friendship with Jane – Nate in love – Aspen is a baddie and deserves all the love (reasons why in the con-area) – the “dad‘s best friend“ trope *chef‘s kiss* Con - – Gwyn‘s jealousy of Aspen, and her assuming Aspen sleeps with Nate (note: Reina badmouthes Aspen in “Black Thorns“ too, and there too it soured my mood): I‘m inclined to make Aspen my favorite woman in the Empire series just because; she is constantly judged by other women for no good reason other than jealousy when they should lift her up, when she is climbing the career-ladder so fast in a world that constantly pushes women down – Nate being so stubborn: it is kind of his charme too, but it is also agitating that he won‘t admit his feelings for so long Something I hate (and I don‘t use this word lightly) in this book is the way Gwyn thinks about Aspen. Reina badtalked about Aspen in “Black Thorns“ already and IT PISSES ME OFF. That‘s also something I generally don‘t like in Rina‘s books: that women are often the “villains“ (I’m not against it, women can be villains and I‘m here for that, but it’s a veeeery common occurrence in her books) and the rivalry among the girls – it’s Elsa and Silver all over again, but at least when it comes to Elsa and Silver I kind of understand it (a lot of it was on Silver, and Elsa reacted to it) Aspen has done nothing to be villainised by either Reina in “Black Thorns“ (especially Reina!!! Learn from your past mistakes, girl), nor Gwyn other than doing her job and interacting with the guys she works with. Regarding Gwyn and Nate, they are probably one of my favorite couples so far. I like the “dad‘s best friend“ aspect, the age gap, the spice. I also finally got to appreciate the setting in the law firm (contrary to in the last book where the change of scenery hit me way too abruptly) Gwyn is a bit naive, but I do like a lot how she takes action. She definitely doesn‘t sit around on her ass and waits for things to happen, and that‘s a trait in a protagonist I can‘t help but like because it always brings the plot forward in a way. Nate has this cold fassade but I actually connected to him as well as Gwyn pretty fast. He isn‘t too slow or too fast to give in into her in my opinion. Gwyns bond to her father is also such a sweet kind of thing – the book doesn‘t delve into this too much, but still enough to make me feel it. 4/5⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I liked it very much! Rina Kent knows how to read great books! Ich habe diese Buch in einem Sitz durchgelesen nach der Arbeit und wow ich habe es geliebt ich finde aber das Nate in manchen Szenen zu kalt und genervt rüberkam. Und jaa Gwen ich finde Vanilla kein Problem aber zu jeder Mahlzeit gefühlt ist wiederum zu viel.
I have to say that I really liked the storyline of the book and the characters. The only thing that kind of threw me off was how Gwen idolized Nate. Nate is her dad’s best friend and knew her when she was a baby. She even called him “uncle Nate”. I tried to overlook that part but it was really hard in some moments. To story itself was really interesting to read and finding out that aspen is her birth mother was unexpected and a nice plot twist. Also the idea with the “marriage of convince” is something I always like to read. I liked Nate as a character but Gwen was just too naive. She is only 20 but felt a bit younger in some of the chapters and the way she behaves also makes her seem younger. All in all a good book, just a bit weird if you know that he is her “uncle” (not blood related though). I’ll read the next book as well because the side characters were interesting and I believe they have some nice story’s themselves.
Puuuh, das ist bisher für mich das schlechteste Rina Buch. Ich habe die Story einfach so gar nicht gefühlt und mich tatsächlich das erste Mal im Rinaverse durch ein Buch fast gequält. Mir hat die Chemie gefehlt und vor allem das kindisch Verhalten der Protagonistin so extrem genervt... Der Plot an sich war ganz okay, aber der Rest naja....
Worth it?
EN: I am not finished with the book yet but i really dont like it. I think it stems from the problem that i dont like age gab romance and that he knows her since she was very little. Not the best book from Rina kent but, i am excited for the next books in the series, they should be better. DE: Ich hab das Buch noch nicht beendet. Doch leider mag ich es so gar nicht. Wirklich eines der schwächsten Rina Kent Bücher bis jetzt. Ich mag es vermutlich auch deshalb nicht weil es eine Age gab Romance ist und er sie seit klein auf kennt. Ich weiß nicht das spricht mich irgendwie so garnicht an. Ich bin aber dafür umso gespannter auf die nächsten Bücher in der Reihe da diese besser sein sollen.