Steel Queen

by Ivy Clyde

Five years passed since Milla disappeared from our lives.We lost all hope, even fearing she was dead, until the day she walks into that boardroom at Amhurst Co.’s headquarters.Blond hair.Bold makeup.Chic, stylish clothes.Six-inch heels that allows her to tower over every man at the table.Camilla Brown has transformed into Azalea Amhurst, an entrepreneurial Mogul of Silicon Valley.Milla is unrecognizable in her new avatar but I and my brothers still catch a glimpse of the shy, sweet, nerdy girl we fell in love with.We’re ready to offer her the world, to show her what she means to us, but Milla no longer trusts us.It doesn’t matter though.We’ll shed blood, sweat, and tears to prove to her that she’s our one and only queen to rule our hearts.Sink your teeth into the sequel of this sinfully delicious reverse harem stepbrother romance series today!Books in the COMPLETED Amhurst Brothers Duet Cruel Kings2) Steel Queen

Genres: Dark Romance, Why Choose, Contemporary, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark, Contemporary Romance

649 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 22, 2021

About the author

Ivy is an Electrical engineer by profession. She started writing fanfiction in her spare time and after a whole year of writing, she decided to start writing an original series with her own characters and has never looked back.

Although, work and tight deadlines often have her drinking coffee, she is a tea-lover at heart. She loves to read, but keeps taking trips to Hogwarts now and then. (Who could miss JKR's lovely invitation?) Her favorite current TV shows are Game of Thrones and Pretty Little Liars.

Reviews

[Alexandraa XX · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book from this series is so disgusting and annoying, the romance is so low. But this second book right here is very different from that. Maybe because the author realize that many people didn't like it or something😆😆 WHO KNOWS... At first I don't want to read this but because I'm curious as fck on how the story is going to be like, I read it😅😅 And this second book is more better than the first one for sure... The love between them is more romantic and more hot. The heroes are more into the heroine like they never did before, the heroes are more in love with the heroine more than she's into them, the heroes are more AND MORE obsessed with the heroine in this second book. Seriously. There's never a day goes by when the heroes didn't think about the heroine even after they all got back together again, like they need her more than she need them... They're so in love with her and even say it to her many times more than she's saying it to them....

Which is odd because I want to see that loving stuff at the beginning🙄 Not like at this second book because it's more annoying, why it's more annoying? Because of what happened at the first book is so disgusting and cruel and just not right. So when these loving stuff happened at the second book, it's confusing cause like why you're doing it right now author when you fcked up the first book? It made some people don't even want to read the second book because of what happened at the first book seriously.... I know it's a dark romance harem thing but because there's more cruel things that happened at the first book, it made me think that's not dark romance but it's more worst than that. The first book is not safe. It's cruel, not right, confusing af, disgusting and horrible.

Also what I don't like more is that the heroine and these heroes have been separated for five years. Five fcking years. Too fcking long. And the heroes caleb and corey went on and have s*x with anyone else during that time saying they were searching the heroine's replacement in those womans but they can't find it. The hero Noah it's a mystery because they and Noah himself never say he went on a date or with anyone in that matter. But corey and caleb? Yeah they were not celibate during that separation. THE HEROINE HERSELF IS CELIBATE FOR FIVE YEARS IN THAT SEPARATION, SHE NEVER WENT OR TOUCH ANYONE ELSE. SHE WAS BUILDING HER NAME, MAKING HERSELF BETTER WITH HER JOB AND SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. BUT THOSE HEROES CALEB AND COREY, THEY SEARCH THE HEROINE BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY WERE TOUCHING ANYONE ELSE. THIS IS SO NOT FAIR. I hated when the heroine have to celibate and the heroes cannot do that. But they declare that they're in love with her so much and she was the one for them🤢🤢 and they only loved her and no one can replace her. Seriously? the audacity!!! Eewww. When I read that I was like are you guys for real right now? They even told the heroine about those woman like one time🙄

I think that the heroine just easily forgive them. Not hard enough. Seriously not hard enough...

Well... The heroes corey and caleb did kidnapped the heroine after they saw her again and she was alone at the time, when she was unconscious, they kissed her and even adore her because they said how sweet her lips taste.


‼️‼️‼️SAFE ROMANTIC DARK ROMANCE LOVE STORY.

‼️‼️‼️NO CHEATING

‼️‼️‼️The heroine was a virgin at the first book and the heroes took her virginity. The heroes are not virgins. The heroes in this second book was not a manwhor3 either, they said going on dates and searching the heroine in another womans but when they meet the heroine again, the heroes are single and no other woman coming around them.

‼️‼️‼️Love in first sight.

‼️‼️‼️THE HEROES IS OTT POSSESSIVE PROTECTIVE ALPHA MALE. They were extra about her at this second book. Extra loving, extra obsessed and extra protection. If the heroine didn't eat or didn't wear protection gear at the construction site, the heroes get so worry and make sure she was safe. If she didn't tell them where she is or didn't call them, the heroes get so worry and have anxiety. See... These heroes are so different from the first book😆😆

The heroes are three guys.
Siblings, triplets.

Noah: mysterious of them all, more cold person and more obsessed with the heroine. Noah is childish at first but after a while, he slowly change to a better person for himself and for the heroine of course. Noah in this second book is more better than the first book. We find out of what actually happened to him that made him the way he is. He really do regret and apologize to the heroine many times of what happened in the past which is in the first book. Noah even willingly give the heroine anything that she desire so she can forgive him and have him back and the heroes back.

Corey and Caleb: The twins. The twins is loving the heroine way too much that actually surprised me because the first book they weren't actually that loving. They were good to the heroine in the first book but confusing af at the same time. In the first book, one time they're loving her but at the same time they weren't loving her and push her away and do cruel things to her. So it was hard to love them here at the second book. Damn it author why you have to make it hard at the first book because now it's damn annoying you making the second book better when the damage from the first book is just bad!! HERE IN THIS SECOND BOOK, caleb and corey is much better. They willing to sacrifice and do ANYTHING seriously like anything to get the heroine back, even when they have to betray Noah. Corey and caleb is more passionate about the heroine, always showing her how amazing she is and how beautiful she is. They treat her very well in this second book. They want her soooo very badly.... They're support her so much and give her compliments all the freakin time. Lol.

The point is, this second book the heroes are far better than the first book.

‼️‼️‼️THE CHEMISTRY between them in this second book is more romantic and better than the first book😍😍

The heroes even ask the heroine on a date and makes it very special. They make sure the heroine have a great time with them and go on shopping together and just spending time together, sometimes with noah and sometimes with corey or caleb. The heroine can pick whoever she wants🥺😆😆 At the first book we never get to see that so in this second book we can see that snd it's romantic!

‼️‼️‼️MANY... MANY JEALOUS SCENES FROM THE HERO AND VERY LITTLE FROM THE HEROINE.

‼️‼️‼️VERY HOT SMUT SCENES😏😏😏 SO HOT. Because this is a harem relationship and in this case it involves with three guys, when they have s3x, sometimes they do it all together with her and often times they do it separately.

‼️‼️‼️IT HAS PUSHING AWAY FROM THE HEROINE BUT NEVER TOO MUCH AND NOT TOO ANNOYING. THE HEROES NEVER PUSH THE HEROINE AWAY...

I'm glad the heroine push the hero away because they deserve it😆😆

‼️‼️‼️THE HEROINE is a kind woman, she is strong and very smart. Sometimes she's clueless but I'm glad that the heroes make sure she knows the business snd support her in every way possible. That made the heroine more confident and made her more smart on making her decisions.

Many thought that the heroine loves the heroes differently, NOPE. The heroine loves them equally and see them like one person. She always make sure that the heroes get the same thing.

‼️‼️‼️TRIGGER: Killing, death, depression, hospital, guns, criminals, kidnapping, heart attack, mafias, cemetery, s3xtape, violence and car accidents.

‼️‼️‼️DRAMA WITH OM BUT NOT TOO ANNOYING AND NOT TOO MUCH... NO DRAMA WITH OW.

‼️‼️‼️HAPPY ENDING. ENGAGED AND HAVE A DAUGHTER.



I glad the second book is far more better than the first book. This second book is more focused on the heroes getting the heroine back and how they're going to make the company successful. So it was fun and thrilling to read this second book. I actually do enjoyed it, I have my worries a bit because of what happened in the first book but thankfully my worries wash away because this second book is more safe and romantic. Hopefully the author will make much better book in the future. It can be dark but please not too dark to scare people away🙏🙏🙏




👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽Thank you so much for reading my review❤️❤️ For you who loves my review and follow it, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I did not get paid or be told to do a review on a book. I’m here just to write review about a book so i can remember it. Its my honest opinion😚 I didn’t know at first people will find me and follow me and trust me to be honest, I was surprised myself to look at the notifications from people who reach out to me😆 So everything i write down here on a review is based on my personal opinion and based on my true writing. I DID NOT COPY SOMEONE’S REVIEW OR WRITING SKILL because at first when i was using this app for one year i didn’t know how to scroll down on a book and see the reviews from others😂😅🤣 I know, silly me but hey I finally learned my lesson 😛😛😛 Thats why when people assume i copy someone’s review i was like what? Because at first i didn’t know how to use this app properly and i didn’t know how to open someone’s review because for a year i never follow someone or add friends or someone😂😂😂🤣 (I’m laughing so hard) 🤪 AND I NEVER COPY SOMEONE’S REVIEW EVER. IF I WRITE SOMETHING WRONG OR DOESN’T MAKE SENSE PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND BE NICE OKAY. 👈🏽👈🏽👈🏽✋🏽✋🏽


I have a disclaimer down bellow if you have negative thoughts about my review😙😙😙



🌐🌐🌐➡️↘️⬇️➡️This is my own personal thoughts and opinion about the book so if thats not sit right with you or you feel I’m not being fair blablabla, please know that everybody in this world have their own different things that they like and don’t like. It may not be the same thing with you but thats okay because i am my own person and you cannot control me or tell me what to do. For example; i put ketchup (tomato sauce) on my fried chicken. You think that’s disgusting? For me its not and i’ve been eating it like that for many many years. You tell me to put another sauce and see if i like that better? I already did many many times in years but i still like the way i like it. It’s called differences between me and you and billions people in this world😊 be open minded😙 I respect people’s opinions about my opinions but in the end of the day if i say I don’t like it or i do like it, its up to me and its on me. And in the end of the day i always liked and show my respect to books and people’s opinions on books whenever that book is good or not good in my opinion 😊 Respect people’s opinions guys😙😙 I don’t want to write this down because its not really my thing to do it. To like address something like this when obviously i know the people who’s been reading my reviews many times and all the time, they are smart enough to understand and respect other people’s opinions no matter what their opinions on book or their point of view 😙😙 am i right? 💕 also there are people even though i already write “this book is different because i have my own taste of book” those people still comment my taste is this and that when HELLO… everybody have their own thoughts on books and what they want to read… why i read it then? I read it and give it a review because i have to read a book to give it a review… why not read the description book to understand before I’m going to read it? Hello just in case you haven’t notice, description books can be tricky because they write this amazing things about a book but turns out the story is so toxic. Maybe for me its toxic but not for you? YES HELLO THATS WHY US HUMAN BEING HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES, WHAT I LIKE IT DOESN’T MEAN YOU WILL LIKE IT AND EITHER WAY TOO. why i still write the review then if i just don’t like a book? Because I CAN and i want to, you cannot tell me what to do and not what to do🤪 if you still wants to be negative and be karens about my review on book after all of what i just write, i will never acknowledge you and simply ignore you because its not that hard🙏 I won’t respond to negativity comments🙏🏼🙏🏼 DON’T ASK ME AGAIN ABOUT WHY NOT RESPONDING TO YOUR NEGATIVE COMMENTS BECAUSE I ALREADY SAY IT HERE AND I WON’T BE EXPLAINING AGAIN BECAUSE WE’RE NOT CHILDREN SO ITS NOT HARD FOR YOU AN ADULT TO UNDERSTAND😌😌 YES MY REVIEW IS LONG BUT YOU READ IT ANYWAY AND ITS FINE ACTUALLY I CAN WRITE AS LONG AS I LIKE😎 YES MY GRAMMAR IS BAD SOMETIMES AND MAYBE ALL THE TIME BUT LUCKILY MANY PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT I’M SAYING🤪 ⬅️↖️↕️⬅️↩️⤴️

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though Milla may have left under sad circumstances, a confidant and determined "Azalea" returns to stake her claim on the family business after leading a highly successful affiliate with her adoptive father's backing on the West coast. Not only have the power dynamics shifted, but also some shocking discoveries come to fore.

While book one was ripe in darker themes, angst, and power exchanges, the follow-on carried elements of mystery, mafia intrigue, and a significant amount of relationship building, even business dealings. The primary themes that appealed to me in book one did not arise in book 2, and in fact I would characterize the storyline as closer to contemporary romance. This shift was not as engaging. The characters experienced growth -- Azalea, and the guys, Caleb, Corey, and the former broody Noah now all attentive. While attractions remained strong and steamy times to be enjoyed, their relations lacked spice; they were largely vanilla, particularly any group settings.

To be clear, this was not a bad book. Its storyline was just inconsistent with the first book. While I did not expect them to be the same, I did not expect that kind of shift to reading a traditional romance, with menage, which for me was not as engaging. I enjoyed the character dynamics, mafia intrigue, and family ties, but missed the spice and dark themes.

[Lemon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: 4/5 • Smut 4/5 ————> This picks up 5 years after the first book ends. She comes back swinging as a brand new bitch with vengeance. Her goal is to take over the company that guys are all currently working for and are all shareholders of. There is a lot of character development throughout this second book. We see a lot of growth with Noah especially. He comes the furthest. Smut was good. We get our a triple brother scene. Obviously no MM, as these are blood related brothers.

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS



Star Rating : 4/5 Stars

POV : Multiple

Cliffhanger : None

Hero : Caleb , Corey , Noah

Heroine : Milla

Pace of the story : Moderate

Angst Rating : 5/10

Heat Rating : 6/10

Triggers Involved : Past Trauma

Plot Summary :
The last time Milla saw Noah, Caleb and Corey she was absolutely broken. They took everything from her and took joy in her pain. Noah's actions led her to lose the one person she had endured it all for and now there was no one for her. So she gave back as good as she got. She destroyed them and ran away. For years they searched for her, to beg her for forgiveness, hell to even know that she was alive but it was as of she vanished into thin air. Years passed and the brothers moved on with their life but they never forgot the innocent girl who took their heart and the one they broke.

That is until one day a new competitor in the company walks in the room. It's Milla again. Milla who now goes by the name Azalea . And this time, there is no one stopping her. She won't rest until she has destroyed the Amhurst brothers like once they did to her. They will pay and she will make sure of it.

Overall Opinion :
I have been waiting for this book for so long! I absolutely loved the first book of this duet and that ending gutted me. I wanted to know what happened so bad so I was all over this book as soon as it came on my kindle and what a ride it was!

I loved seeing Milla grow and destroy the brothers. The brothers had changed and all they wanted was her love and were willing to take whatever she three at them because they knew they deserved it. This book was much tamer than the first book. The characters were mature and it was mostly a second chance. It had a few new twists and turns that I liked and I loved that ending as well. A part of me missing the twisted brothers lol because they had some dark stuff to add but yeah I loved their matured versions as well.

Definitely recommending this duet to all the dark reverse harem book lovers out there! It has all the triggers like Humiliation, Dub con, Non con and bullying. It also has groveling and payback! I absolutely loved it so much.

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[dahlia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed. What did the heck happen to Noah - the bad boy?

The twins were ridiculous as usual.

I didn't feel the chemistry between Azela (Camilla/Milla)- also how the heck did she get this name? It seemed so random as it wasn't even her middle name.

[Christy Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

I wasn't sure how Ivy would manage to make me fall in love with Noah after the last book but she sure pulled it off. A few parts in this book pretty much re-worded what I read from the first book and some of the sex scenes were the same except for in a different location so that's the reason I can't give this 5 stars. Other than that this was a great read and kept me on the edge of my seat!

[Chalice · Rating 1 out of 5]

The couple: Noah/Caleb/Casey and Milla

Romance trope: rh; stepbrothers; revenge
Series: Amhurst Brothers Duet
Length: 649 pages

Plot: Milla is back, posing as Azaelia, a sharp young businesswoman who is going to be the new CEO of the family company. The boys of course realize it's her right away. There are choices to be made. Will she forgive them? Will they accept her back in their lives? How will they make their family work after all the hurt and pain?

Commentary:
Spoilers ahead. Be warned.



You might be wondering why I read a book when I rated the first book in the series only two stars. Good question. I'm wondering too.

I felt like the author had a list of things she wanted to happen and she constructed the plot around those specific events rather than telling a story that developed naturally. That caused the inclusion of events that didn't make sense. For example, for the story to end up where the author wanted, she needed Milla to be able to take over the company. So despite the fact that a young woman who may or may not have had a business degree (we don't know - it was never specified), who had limited investments, and who had no experience in business went to a new place with no support after suffering trauma and started a business that was so successful that everyone wanted to invest in the company and hire her despite their being no information about her available to anyone. And then there's Irene. Milla and one of the brothers are driving down the road and see a child in the forest (from the road). They stop and find she was in a car with two dead people in it. She says she killed them because they killed her nanny and kidnapped her. She's seven. They discover - coincidentally - that she's the niece of the mafia boss they need to make a deal with. So the girl - Irene - spends a night at their home and they decide they want to adopt her (even though her uncle is her legal guardian - she's not living like Pippi Longstocking with no grownups around). The mob boss agrees. This ridiculous plot point is shoehorned into the story so that later on, the mafia boss will be happy to rescue Milla from the crazy person who is trying to forcibly marry or kill her. Neither of those things makes sense.

Every character in this book is so incredibly stupid.

Milla goes back thinking she can take over the company. They all stupidly let her. She died her hair blonde and wears fancy clothes and walks around with bodyguards, so obviously very few people recognize her.

She forgives her rapists almost right away and hops back into bed with them. None of the boys ever say, "hey, sorry for raping you" - there are some anemic "worries" because they aren't ever forced to take responsibility for what they did (not even releasing that sex tape (which implies that she participated willingly, but that's another story) caused consequences for the boys). Not only that, but Noah especially complains about the pain she put them through by leaving - as though the reason she left wasn't being sexually assaulted multiple times by him and his brother.

The twins especially were still so immature even though they had degrees and positions in the company and responsibilities. They're almost 30 years old and still act like college students (that also felt like a plot device to keep the book new adultish).

There is some comparison between the apartment she used to live in and the one she has now, which made me realize that in the last book, she had an apartment and her mom had an apartment - in the same city - and they were each struggling to pay for stuff. Why didn't they just live together? I'll tell you - it wouldn't allow for some of the plot points that needed Milla to be in an empty apartment (even though a broke college student living in the same city as her college would more than likely stay in her parent's home simply to save money).

And there's the whole ridiculous "who's the dad" plot point (and if you haven't read this, it's not even what you might think). At some point, I thought they would announce that the boys and Luke were brothers. That would have made as much sense as anything else that happened.

In the end, the story was not developed very well, not necessarily with respect to depth (although the characters are certainly one-dimensional) but with respect to plausibility, pacing, and use of tropes. Honestly, it felt like a Wattpad story. Since Wattpad stories are serialized, there has to be something to make the reader come back for the next chapter. That's why there is so much weird and improbable action in one of those stories - the plot hits a climax and stays there (rather than naturally receding) until the epilogue because you have to pull the readers back in. I find it annoying in a serial, but in a regular book, it's definitely more noticeable and doesn't allow a reader to do normal reader things like make predictions, determine character motivations, or come down from the anxiety and anticipation of a regular spike in the plot.

Grammar/formatting: Use of the word "retarded" - not my favorite because it's rarely necessary to use, even to prove a point.
Also, there was a sex scene that was copied almost word-for-word from a scene in the first book - same dialogue and everything.

Previous book in the series: Cruel Kings

[thenerdybookworm_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steel Queen is the conclusion to the Amhurst Brothers duet. Milla came back with a vengeance. She’s ready to enact her revenge, and it is amazing! Meanwhile, the brothers have been dragged down by guilt and misery.

This story has so many twists and turns it’ll make your head spin. How do you redeem the unredeemable? I don’t know but Ivy Clyde has made it possible with Noah, Caleb, and Cory. I like the growth of all the characters throughout the story. Overall, just a great book and fantastic duet.

[Robin Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good RH Bully romance. I loved that it was full of twists, swoonworthy heroes, psychotic villains, crazy brave heroine and some incredibly sweet moments. Definitely entertaining...in an addictive drama filled way. And let’s not forget an abundance of steamy scenes.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boom

So I read the first one and didn’t rate it but I just wanted to see this story rounded off.
I think I finished this book out of sheer willpower and amusement.
Firstly -
Who edits these stories? Who. I swear I’d do it for free at this point. There is so much repetition. So many additional words in sentences that don’t need to be there. Conversations that do t make sense. Or conversations that just would not ever be spoken the way they are written.

Secondly all these characters are superficial. As I reader I had no emotional connection with any of them. Milla
Is as annoying as a squeaky door and had zero back bone.

She was kidnapped and drugged but then was like yep sure let’s chat and I’ll even spend the night and forgive you - after five years.

FIVE YEARS - five (this is repeated several times over the first 12 chapters just in case you didn’t realize it was FIVE years. Even though “five years later” would have given you that subtle hint.)

This story dragged on and on so I skipped some of the fluffer only to find that hilariously there was a child randomly added within the 5 chapters I missed. And I wasnt even bothered to try and go back and figure out how that happened. This child could speak so … it’s not a new born.

Either way - this was just not for me.
No depth to characters.
Stilted conversations - which used names in every reply which is weird af.
Strange plot twists (there’s only 2 so don’t worry too much about it.)


Might suit if you’re looking for something light hearted - a comedy. At least there was no non consent on this book.

[Brittany (Brit.tea.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy Clyde's Amhurst Brothers Duet includes Cruel Kings and Steel Queen. I enjoyed this duet. These books are filled with shocking twists and turns, and I loved all of them. I wanted a dark RH, and that's exactly what I got.

Steel Queen starts five years later. Milla is now Azalea; she's been building her company from the ground up in California. Milla wants revenge on the Amhurst brothers for all the pain and hurt they caused. She has transformed into this badass, confident businesswoman who won't take their crap anymore. Over the years, the Amhurst brothers have matured and grown a lot, realizing they were wrong for treating Milla horribly. Now that Milla is back, they want to prove that they have changed and want her forgiveness. Can Noah, Corey, and Caleb show her that they have changed? Can Milla truly forgive them without holding on to the past?

This duet was one wild emotional rollercoaster. Each book was filled with twists and turns, and the ending was perfect! I can't wait to see what books Ivy writes next!

[Tracie XXEst · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another flop....

**May include spoilers**
It’s really no surprise that the conclusion to this series is awful. I just had to see it through. Once again, the grammatical errors and misspellings were distracting and irritating. Revenge by taking the company? I just didn’t feel it. I’m sure it looked good on paper but in the story, it fell flat. Brian helping to take everything from his sons? Not believable. Regardless of their strained relationship, complete ruination seems a bit much. Why did Milla change her name?? Most people still called her Milla. As it supposed to add suspense? It didn’t. Forgiving the boys so easily? Unreal and ridiculous. Noah relinquishing control relatively quickly, not a chance. 5 year break WITH hard feelings but immediate sex?? Disgusting. Twists & turns including “who’s your daddy?” Doubtful. I could keep going but I won’t. I’m gonna leave 1 word that just brings home the silliness : Irene.

[Lissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first part of this duet was poorly reviewed, so I opted to skip it and read this highly reviewed second part instead. That was a mistake. Time skips forward five years, but you wouldn't know it based on the absolutely juvenile behavior that these "business professionals" display. The male interests are unredeemed and have their actions dismissed with a simple apology. Milla is incredibly naïve and stupid, but we're expected to believe she's some mature, CEO potential, girl boss. More time needed to be spent focusing on individual growth and interpersonal growth. Also, I don't know what this author has with blonde hair, but it was like, obsessively pointed out that Milla dyed her hair blonde and she was way sexier for it. Very cringy.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

All in all it was ok. The payback left a lot to be desired. One thing that got me the author copied and pasted a scene from the first book. It’s an intimate scene between her and the twins and was word for word the same. The only difference is that she changed the location. That alone made me not want to finish the book. However I did finish and it left me wanting. Needless to say I was disappointed but it’s an ok palette cleanser.

[Carol Rupprecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Long ago, they banded together to break me but they also came together to put me back piece-by-piece."

Boy oh boy, five years sure does change a person. Milla's breaking point after her mother's death and thirst for vengeance has made her a much stronger woman overall, Corey is pushing his fun side deep within him, Caleb is stuck easing the tension between Corey and Noah, and Noah is still pushing himself too hard to be the best of the best for the company. I guess not everyone has changed but their relationships are definitely not the same after five years of guilt, heartbreak, and disagreements between family. 

After the first book I was firm in my belief that Noah, Corey, and Caleb were unforgivable, more so Noah when it finally got to the end of the book, but it seems I'm just as weak as Milla when it comes to these guys. They've somehow worked their way into my good books. I think what really made me change my mind was that they actually tried to make up for their actions, even Noah after he came to his senses. In so many books the men are forgiven easily and without them putting any effort into gaining back the love and the trust they lost, but this book was a bit different. Yes, there are some intimate scenes early on before the characters reach that point of trust again, but Milla doesn't just jump head first into forgiveness like everything was back to the early days when they first met. It took time for things to settle and even more time for Milla to be able to trust Noah, Corey, and Caleb and truly believe that she wouldn't get played like before. 

One thing that I really loved seeing in this book is the change in the guys' relationship with Brian. There was this turning point of acceptance and a huge amount of stress taken off of shoulders that had been held for too many years. A door was opened to a more honest and healthy relationship between a father and his sons that made my heart happy to see. No one wants to grow up with a parent that doesn't show them love. There were some misunderstandings and it may have come a little late in the game, but it's never too late for something like this. 

This book had a crazy amount of hidden plot twists as well as a captivating, mysterious, and thrilling storyline to keep you interested. I never saw a lot of it coming and I don't think this group could have made it out alive (literally) if they weren't on better terms again. Everything seemed to be against this group all at once--betrayals leading to even larger problems, power hungry people trying to take what wasn't theirs, and dangerous threats coming at them when they least expected it. However, somehow Karma ended up being on Milla's side and some assistance came from an unlikely source. Turns out, sometimes just being yourself works out for the best in the end. I'm glad to see that Milla and her guys were able to come out of this stronger and happier than ever despite their rocky beginning.

[Annabel Viravec · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were maybe only a few things I had a slight problem with, but I’d like to quickly add that these things didn’t really take away from my reading experience and weren’t that much of an issue.

The construction project they took on is a major plot point in the second half of the book but it felt like it was almost suddenly thrown in because the project wasn’t something really discussed by the characters previously in the first half. And because they all acted like it was something they’ve discussed before, it made me feel like I was missing or forgetting something important since I didn’t remember any mention of the project until Camilla brought it up half way through the book.

There are things I wished to have seen more of as well. I felt like we saw more Caleb, Corey, and Camilla moments than we saw Noah and Camilla moments. I would’ve liked more group scenes with all four of them too. I also was kinda hoping for the author to maybe explore more of what we found out about our characters. I wanted to see Noah, Caleb, and Corey dealing with the fact that they weren’t actually full brothers (I feel like they didn’t discuss that together enough) and maybe even get some more information about who their real fathers might be. Nick also easily became one of my favorite characters and I wish I got to see more of how the arrangement he and Camilla came up with for Irene worked out in the epilogue; since Nick considers Camilla his family now, I wish I got to see that new dynamic of respect between them.

Overall, the book was good and I really enjoyed it, so I’m pretty satisfied with how it ended despite my few nitpicks. I especially liked the character development, the groveling, and the brothers’ redemption. It was all very well done and well executed. I also liked seeing the tight bond of the Amhurst family even after all the troubles they’ve been through. And I absolutely loved Irene and how everyone doted on her, I couldn’t stop gushing at those particular scenes.

Can we get an Irene spin-off and a Nick spin-off, please? (Just kidding… Unless…?)

[Cember · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this closing of the Amhurst Brother's Duet. The previous book held some gaps that felt off or rushed to me, and I was worried it would carry over. My worries were put at easy quite quickly as I delved into the pages of this dark adventure.

Cory, Caleb, Noah, and Milla seemed to settle into themselves quite nicely, making the moments of turmoil and the steamy heat of their affection more intense. Getting to see Brian more involved was wonderful. Learning the entire back story made him certainly one of the most ideal parents I had the enjoyment of seeing develope.

The history of how things got so twisted and tangled between Milla and her boys, getting the unknown pieces that finally made sense of why Eva and Brian felt a bit off as parents, it pulled everything together into a neat bow and I adored it. Once things settled and new challenges and enemies were introduced, I was far too hooked to put a pause.

There were a few things that I wish connected more or felt more involved. Milla finds out there is a mole at some point. It takes a long while for her to bring it up, but the progress never expands in an explanation. This unknown happens again when a friend calls Milla to warn her, and they speak about getting together, which just drops off too. Both could have been just as easily left out as I feel there wasn't much push to make these moments feel significant enough other then to remind the reader that there were still problems in the background for Milla as she settles into her new role.

Overall, this was a fantastic read with both seriously concerning moments and overflowing love for every aspect that made everything connect. Well done! I look forward to reading more works from Ivy Clyde.

[Kelsey Coussou Buckman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know what happened to the second half of this book, but it’s clear the author got lazy and nobody on her team gave a damn to tell her otherwise.

There’s an ENTIRE scene copy and pasted from book 1 into book 2. Only a few paragraphs were taken out midway as they wouldn’t work with book twos plots. WORD. FOR. WORD. Absolutely lazy on the authors part.

Then there were the use of overly descriptive words for a SEVEN YEAR OLDS PRIVATE AREA:

“When Irene calmed down, I took her hand and quietly led her into the bathroom. My gaze brushed over her butt and the smooth mound between her legs. Relief washed over me as I didn’t find any marks or bruises. The assholes who kidnapped her at least spared her from sexual abuse.”

Personally, this could have been worded so much better so the reader wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.

The entire second half of this book was just thrown together. A random adoption. That you can tell is only thrown in to make a future kidnapping storyline work. Why else would a mob kingpin save a woman he barely knows? BECAUSE SHE OFFERED TO ADOPT HIS NIECE AFTER 24 HOURS OF BEING AROUND HER.

Someone explain to me, reality or fiction, where a MOB KINGPIN would let a stranger adopt his seven year old niece. It’s just doesn’t work except to save the adoptive mother when she’s kidnapped.

So much shit thrown together.

I’m annoyed that I spent my time reading about 1000 pages between these two books for a lazy author and her shit ass plot in the end. It’s like she gave up.

Whatever. I won’t be reading her again except to see if she copy and pasted her other sex scenes.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

꧁✿☾✩♡ⒸⒽⓁⓄⒺ'Ⓢ ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌⓈ♡✩☽✿꧂

Very Very nice conclusion to this duet! I think my favourite part was when Azalea walked into that boardroom. I love an epic bad bitch moment and that was it for me! She showed them who’s boss. I loved that Azalea developed so much as a character although I’m sad we missed those 5 years with her. I also wish we kind of found out why she decided to change her name and why she picked Azalea, I think that could have been a fun thing to know.

My second favourite part in this book was when they discovered and saved Irene, I mean she was probably my next favourite person after Azalea herself and all the guys. She was so adorable and I love that Azalea and the guys decided to adopt her, she deserves so much that little girl. I loved the ending of this book but I would also love to see a cheeky little novella a few years down the line with Irene more grown-up and Azalea with kids of her own. I would kill to see Irene as a big sister!!!

I highly recommend this book! In my eyes, they guys did redeem themselves although I always loved Caleb and Corey. I don’t know how Ivy did it but I did end up forgiving Noah even though I literally said after the first book that I never would. I enjoyed that they returned to the sweet men they were at the beginning of the first book and realized that Milla never deserved their wrath in the first place.

Lovely conclusion to this series and I am excited to see what Ivy writes next!

[Bookaholic Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I was given this Arc for an honest review.
Normally, I would finish reading within the first 2 days but it was harder the more I read.
I had so many hopes about this one but unfortunately i was disappointed.
The heroine went through so much in book 1 which made the end great that we anticipated that she is gonna make them go through hell before letting them in again but no, basically in 2 days after she came back with a new identity and a lot more power she slept with 2 of them and was actually considering more .
Noah on the other hand , its like he had a personality transplant, 2hat i liked about him in book 1 all was gone in this book.
How about the 2 bodyguards, at one point they were an important point in her life then out of nothing they were gone.
In a matter of few chapters, there was no grovelling and basically sex was thee in every chapter.
The facts that she learnt were interesting but i think this plot needed more explanation and how about what happened with civilla, so is it this easy to give up a child??? To an anonymous? Give me a break .
The ending was happy and all but i think it could have been better with all what happened in book one.
All in all the book had do much potentials only to be ruined by bad visions and plots.
For the efforts and sake of the first book and how some parts made me squirm i give it 3 stars and recommend it as a light reading

[tattooedbooknerdgirl35 (Amanda Lynn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amhurst Brothers Duet Book 1 and 2
(Cruel Kings and Steel Queen) By Ivy Clyde

book 1
book one is about Three Triplet stepbrothers who at first hated Camilla their new stepsister. Her mom married their dad all of a sudden and they never knew about her mom. Corey, Caleb and Noah. They torture her at college and make things very hard for her. She already having a hard time dealing with her mom being sick and her mom getting married all of a sudden to her boyfriend of eight years. Book one ends on a cliff hanger !!!

Book two
It has it all more of Camilla and her stepbrothers, they air out their differences and try to make up for the way they hurt her. There a lot more drama to this book dealing with enemies who pretend to be friends all for money/power. Camilla finds out more about her father and other family business that she never knew about. Her stepbrother's find out some really hard truths about their mother and their father and their relationship. These two books are really a roll-coaster of really sexy scenes between Camilla and her stepbrothers (there's scenes between her and one brother, two or even all three.) Theirs kidnapping, killing, BDSM is lightly mentioned in these two books, bullying, hatred and much more. If you like dark reads these book are for you!

Smut: 5 out 5 spicy
Romance: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Story: 4 out of 5 stars

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This duet definitely has some triggers that you need to read before diving in! If you are ok with then then this book is 100% worth the read.

Camilla (Mila) has built herself and her company up, with the help finger step father and under a new identity to stop the brothers tracking her down. Now she’s back and read to go toe to toe with Noah to take everything he always wanted!

After missing the death of her mother at the end of book one, Mila was lost. She was hurting and she blamed the brothers for everything they had put her through. She runs and runs, but she has a plan, and that plan is going to rock the Amhurst brothers to the core.

I really enjoyed the books. I took away one star because personally I do not feel there is anything they can do to atone to the first brutal act they committed against her, and I just can’t forgive them for that. But as a writer, Ivy Clyde makes it difficult to hate them, she makes you want to find the good in them. And she takes readers on an emotional journey that leaves them questioning their own morals and forgiveness. 4* and I would definitely read more from Ivy.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Ending

Steel Queen starts right where the first book ended and we learn where Milla was going and what she was going to do there.

I was happy that Milla stayed away for so long and came back as a force to be reckoned with but I really wish that she would’ve made the twins grovel a little longer instead of jumping right back in bed with them. Or even if she would’ve came back with a new guy and we got to see Noah and the twins be all alpha and jealous etc lol

I always liked Corey and Caleb and that didn’t change with this book. They were just as great, maybe even more amusing. I never cared for Noah and didn’t think that would ever change but dang it, he really changed in this book. We could actually see his pain through his pov and he really did change for the better by the end.

I really enjoyed the new characters we meet in this book and I hope that maybe Nick gets his own book because I bet it’s a heck of a story and it would be a great read! This was a perfect ending for all of these characters and I was quite happy with the ending.

[A.B. Shepherd]

DNF: 20%

GAH! I'm having trouble putting my issues with this into words. The first book had so much wrong, rape, intimidation, bullying, what have you. And Noah's fetish is creepy as hell.

But when that book ended, Milla and the twins were on fairly good terms just before her mom died.

Now, five years later she's supposed to be some badass business bitch, yet now she hates all three of the boys. I get why she hates Noah, but not sure why she's hating the twins when she had already gotten past the crap they'd done to her, but whatever.

So big badass business bitch comes back with bodyguards, and immediately leaves them snoring in a waiting room so that she can get herself kidnapped. Doh!!!

And we're headed into some kind of drama now with the construction company because she's a chick and I really couldn't care less. The only thing I'm even slightly curious about at this point is the paternity issues that have been teased, but my curiosity is not strong enough to read the rest of this.

[Catherine Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steel queen is a perfect name for this book, we see Milla step up with a steel rod down her back and take control. I love the now mature Milla, but also she is still the same Harry Potter loving Milla from College underneath.
This book is written so well with such detail and emotion - those steamy scenes are off the charts and hot AF. I was so touched in some scenes I honestly had tears - love books that can move you physically.
The triplets have matured and grown a lot, I enjoyed reading how they felt over the years.
We see old rivalries raise their heads and get very messy, also new and surprising partnerships arise.
This book is full of twists and suspense, it’s that ‘unknown’ element that kept me on the edge of my chair no not being able to put the book down until the very end.
This has the perfect ending, ties everything up nicely.
Overall I loved this book and can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.

[Shawna Jimenez more.books.forever · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAHHHHHH Steel Queen was freaking everything!!! Milla came in like a damn wrecking ball! She showed up and showed out she was fierce and was not backing down and I freaking loved her even more than I already did. I love how strong and amazing she was but that we still got to see glimpses of her nerdy self still in there especially when she was with the guys. We get plenty of steam and spicy scenes between her and the guys and let me tell you they are 10 times hotter then in book 1.
The raw and unfiltered emotions that ran through this book touch you deep into your soul. Some of these scenes are me all in my feelings and going through it right along with these characters. This baby was still filled with all the twists, turns and suspense with some very surprising moments that I didn’t see coming. You will be captivated from beginning to end with this one. This is an absolute must read!!! I cant wait to read everything from this author. Phenomenal

[JL Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

After disappearing for five years without a trace Milla is back in Silverside only now she is a big shot tech genius that goes by Azalea and she has come to take down the Amhurst boys and claim the throne for herself. Only what she comes back to is not what she expected. All three guys, Caleb, Corey and Noah have all changed. Noah is still his brooding self just not full of hate as last time, and Corey and Caleb are still the sly, funny, dirty talkers they were before just this time apologetic and mournful. All three have their work cut our foe them to make up their past transgressions against Milla. On top of reunions, forgiving, and lots and lots of loving they are battling to keep their company alive after finding out that a close competitor is trying to sabotage them.
For the most parts it was good but other parts were very repetitive. I swear to god I read white-hot load about 50 times. There are other descriptive words out there.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great end to the Amhurst Brothers Duet! The book starts off with Milla returning to finish her plan to take over Amhurst Co. after five years. Noah, Corey, and Caleb are shocked to see her return and to see her new look; she no longer is the shy, nerdy girl they tormented and then fell for. Milla wants to guard her heart and not allow these guys to ruin the plans that she had made for herself. Corey and Caleb are determined to win her back right from the very beginning but Noah is torn between wanting her and wanting the company he has planned to take over for years.

There are some twists in this book that I didn't see coming but they kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved these characters. I didn't think it was possible for me to love these guys after book one, but Ivy made me fall for them all! I wish I could see more of them in the future!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steel Queen is book 2 in the Amhurst Brothers duet. It should not be read before Cruel Kings.

Steel Queen picks up a few years after the final events in Cruel Kings. Milla and the boys have all grown into adults and are working in their respective careers.

Milla finally gets her revenge in this book and I was glad to see that she didn’t make it easy. This girl has really come into her own. She is strong, bold and driven.

Noah, Caleb and Corey have all been missing and searching for her, so when she turns up under a mysterious new name they don’t know how to handle it.

Ivy throws quite a few twists into this book that you will not see coming! It was a great read and I am looking forward to reading whatever Ivy writes next.

[Sue Harbers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This conclusion to the duet was everything I could have wanted for Milla. She’s grown up and become powerful and ready for revenge on Caleb, Corey and Noah. With the help of Brian and lots of hard work she’s ready to snatch away everything the Amhurst brothers were aiming for, and they deserve it. The guys though have been suffering for years with the guilt of what they’ve done and they know they deserve everything they get. I loved ready everything coming together, the conclusion of Milla’s story and the new characters that get introduced in this book as well. Milla as Azalea is everything I would have wanted for her.