Tormented Royal (The Knights of Echoes Cove, #1) in Reverse Harem Readers

Sep 25, 2022 Jennifer G rated it really liked it

It's not like she planned to come back. She had no choice. When Octavia's father died, his will made two stipulations for her to get her inheritance. Return to Echoes Cove, and graduate with a 4.0 from Echoes Cove Prep. After a life on the road and private tutors, this was no easy ask. She thought at least she would have the support of the three boys who were once her best friends. Instead, they are her biggest tormentors, along with her cousin who has decided the town isn't big enough to share It's not like she planned to come back. She had no choice. When Octavia's father died, his will made two stipulations for her to get her inheritance. Return to Echoes Cove, and graduate with a 4.0 from Echoes Cove Prep. After a life on the road and private tutors, this was no easy ask. She thought at least she would have the support of the three boys who were once her best friends. Instead, they are her biggest tormentors, along with her cousin who has decided the town isn't big enough to share attention. She only has to make it through the year and she can follow her dreams. But with daily attacks, weekly assaults, and the people loyal to her being hurt, she may not make it a month.

So, this story is a little over the top. Imagine every bully romance you have ever read; take every incident ever committed against the poor girl and put them all into one book. Make her suffer Every. Single. Day. There's never a break in the abuse. At the rate she's suffering abuse, I fully expect her to be dead by chapter three of the next book. Seriously, if her future love interests sexually assault her early in book one, mark and cut her skin, she will never live through the series as it escalates. She never allows the police to become involved and she never reaches out to her "road family". There's not enough therapy in the world to help her handle what she has been through so far this semester. And this is coming from her cousin and the three guys who secretly love her. Frustratingly, she never allows the police to become involved, she doesn't hire personal security, and she never reaches out to her "road family". I know much of this is beyond her control, but I hate when the girl does nothing to help herself. She's also too accepting and forgiving of the guys. Let's face it, they could have spoken with her about the danger she was in instead of concocting this cruel plan, but then I guess we wouldn't have a book. However, some lines can't be crossed and if they are, there's no going back. They choose to sexually assault her, one takes her virginity in public, they isolate her, and order others to harass and abuse her. This shouldn't be so easy to forgive and she certainly shouldn't still find them attractive. Pride, valuing oneself, and protecting one's psyche and body are necessary qualities in a female. I'm going to need her to start using her intelligence and her self-defense lessons and get some control over her life for me to forgive her lack of sense in this first book. There's also going to have to be quite a redemption arc for the guys for me to endorse relationships. I hope we get more Indie and Smithy (and don't turn them bad). Finally, I hope the mystery brings former friends together as it becomes more intense. I hope book 2 can live up to my hopes.

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Dec 20, 2022 Raven9308 rated it really liked it

For all those who ignore warnings, do not sleep on this one! The cover doesnt scream dark and I know this author from her paranormal pen name and I was shocked by how dark she made book 1 of this series (not in a bad way, just was not expecting it!). I enjoyed the storyline and the narration was fabulous but there are some scenes that were very hard to get through and for me wouldn't be redeemable for the guys in her harem but this is fiction so just remember that. I read/listen to a ton of bull For all those who ignore warnings, do not sleep on this one! The cover doesnt scream dark and I know this author from her paranormal pen name and I was shocked by how dark she made book 1 of this series (not in a bad way, just was not expecting it!). I enjoyed the storyline and the narration was fabulous but there are some scenes that were very hard to get through and for me wouldn't be redeemable for the guys in her harem but this is fiction so just remember that. I read/listen to a ton of bully romances and dark enemies to lovers and this one by far had some of the toughest scenes. I already breezed through book 1 and 2 on audio and am loving the group but it was hard to forgive them/not remember what they put our girl through in this one.

In terms of the story, we get so much cloak and dagger, so much mystery, you have no idea what is going to come next and why. The author does a great job setting the stage for this world with so many undertones and hidden agendas going on that the reader is ready for just about anything to happen and the reader will not see some things coming. Won't give spoilers away buuuuut yeah, these guys and world are definitely engulfed in darkness. I love some of the side characters so much, I am so worried they are going to end up being secret bad guys. I am going to patiently wait for these on audio because the narrators do such a good job and have brought these characters to life so I am waiting on the edge of my seat for more haha. I felt so many emotions in this book for Octavia, she has been through the ringer. With her dad and his unexpected death, to the bullying from her cousin and family, to the 3 bad boys of Echo Cove Prep and their cronies. She has some much spunk, I love her. Her vulnerability is amazing too. Author did a great job making me want to be bffs with her haha. It is intriguing to see the tension and chemistry between the guys and Octavia and how they keep trying to deny it/spin it off as some dark thing. Love the little secret cute moments (especially with Finn). I knew one of the side characters was going to be not what he seemed, same for his best friend. I could kinda guess where that was going, not to the extent it did, but it didnt take away from the big confrontation and subsequent reaction in book 2 (definitely should already have book 2 before finishing book 1 because of the ending!!). The relationship btw Octavia and Indi is amazing, I was very interested in Indi and her possible love interests (more to comment in book 2's review). I do have to say my favs so far for the guys are East and Finley, East is the boy next door, and has the teacher aspect to it that for some reason makes everything hotter haha.

Narration was great! I wish I knew which of the male narrators did which. I always love duet narration, really helps keep the reader in this world without breaking out because of tough performances for female narrators doing male voices or male narrators doing female voices. It is refreshing to hear more than 1 guy as well, helps create their different personalities. These voice actors did a phenomenal job. The emotions jumped from the pages/were so realistic in my ears, I easily immersed myself in this world and didnt want to leave, even during the really tough parts. I was wholly invested and that is always when the writing is well done and the narration does right by the author and story. Have already listened to a bunch of these narrators before but will be checking out the others for sure after this series' performance ❤️ ...more

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