↬BOOK: This Cruel Love
↬AUTHOR: Nikki J. Summers
↬TYPE: Standalone
↬GENRE: Contemporary Romance
↬POV: First Person - Dual
↬PAGE COUNT: 506 (Kindle Edition)
↬ PUBLICATION DATE: Aug 22, 2019
↬ DATE READ: Oct 27, 2020
*(Subject to change)*
4.31
Ryley Emerson - 23
Jackson Caine - 31
Violence, Drug Abuse, Sexual Violence, Suicide.
Ryley.
Don’t trust the fairy tales. They trick you into believing true love will appear on the back of a white horse, in the form of a perfect, handsome Prince Charming. Most of the time Prince Charming turns out to be even more deceptive and evil than the wolf himself. I thought I’d met my soul mate at high school. Turned out my Mr Wright was so very wrong.
Jackson.
I live in a cruel and unforgiving world. I learnt from an early age how vicious life can be, but I’m a survivor. Life may have dragged me down to the depths of hell, but I know how to dance with the devil. Sometimes bad things happen to good people for no other reason than to remind us that this life is cruel. Sometimes good people are pushed to do very bad things to right the wrongs of another. But when all is said and done, we need to ask ourselves… how far would you go to protect the ones you love?
Ryley thinks she has her whole life mapped out. Her happy ever after with her high school sweet heart Justin is already planned down to the very last detail. But life doesn’t always work out the way we expect it to, and when demons from Justin’s life threaten to destroy everything they’ve built up, Ryley finds herself thrown into a world of deception, lies and confusion. Truths get twisted, love and hate walk a dubious thin line and the enemy you think you know isn’t always what they seem.
This book serves as a reminder that the first Prince Charming to cross your path isn’t always the hero in your happy ever after.
Three – Ways that I will have my revenge. It’s been a long time coming. Too long.
Two – People you have wronged and you will pay.
One – Way this is going to end, and that will be in my favour.
Zero – Fucks will be given when you finally crash and burn.
Two – People you have wronged and you will pay.
One – Way this is going to end, and that will be in my favour.
Zero – Fucks will be given when you finally crash and burn.
'This Cruel Love' is my first book from Nikki J. Summers. It's a story about revenge, hurt feelings, betrayal and finding love amongst all this chaos. I really enjoyed the first half of the book. It had my on the edge of my seat right from the get go. I had no idea where the plot was going to lead. I loved the relationship that grew between Ryley and Jackson. Their playful banter had me grinning from ear to ear. They go from can't-stand-each-other-enemies to can't-be-without-each-other-lovers. Jackson was so freaking hot. I just loved his sweetness, even when he didn't realize he was being adorably sweet. I also loved the secondary characters, especially Cillian. I wouldn't mind reading more about him.
She made everything else in my life seem irrelevant. She was my everything, and she didn’t even know.
Ryley was a mixed character for me. She started out really strong and fierce. She was willing to do anything for her boyfriend. But she started to annoy me from the second half. One instance that I found meaningless was the night when she was molested by Mason. She knew Mason was a sleazebag. She knew his history with women. She knew that he was after her. And YET, she still accepted a drink from him when she was alone with him. She didn't even give it a second thought even when she knew that Mason should be avoided. She specifically told this herself to her friends. I knew she found out Justin was cheating on her but this is no excuse for her stupid behavior. She was weary of Mason from the starting so it just didn't make any sense for me.
He really was my dark knight in well-worn armour. Imperfectly perfect for me and all my fucked up baggage.
Another instance was when her cheating drug-addict of a boyfriend called her to come talk to him at his friend Liam's house who, btw, was also a sleazebag. Liam also hit on her whenever he was around. He made it known he didn't care about her when he failed to inform her that Justin was cheating on her. He also recorded Justin cheating on her. She knew there was someone after her. Someone who wanted to harm her. And she STILL agreed to come to his house to talk. She didn't even tell Jackson where she was going 'cause she feared he would lose his shit. Even Jackson knew better but she still went and nearly got herself killed. That was another stupid decision that I couldn't ignore. I docked this book a star because of her.
He was my kryptonite and I loved it. I loved him. So fucking much.
Apart from Ryley's idiotic decisions, I really enjoyed the overall storyline of this book. The mini war they had going on at the beginning was hilarious 'cause they both were heavy-headed and stubborn. There were many good steamy parts too. I could totally see how they both complemented each other. The pace of the book wasn't rushed and the story wasn't too dark except for some violence and murder. I wouldn't really consider it a mafia book but more like gangsters. Anyway,
For lovers of a good enemies-to-lovers-trope, I would recommend this book.
- Three – Ways that I will have my revenge. It’s been a long time coming. Too long. Two – People you have wronged and you will pay. One – Way this is going to end, and that will be in my favour. Zero – Fucks will be given when you finally crash and burn.
- They needed to know that Momma bear was home now, and she was gonna take control of this shit.
- Hate is such a strong word, but I have to admit, if you were on a life support machine, I wouldn’t hesitate to unplug you to charge my phone.
- She made everything else in my life seem irrelevant. She was my everything, and she didn’t even know.
- He really was my dark knight in well-worn armour. Imperfectly perfect for me and all my fucked up baggage.
- He was my kryptonite and I loved it. I loved him. So fucking much.
- The day you walked into my life, I started living. You radiate so much goodness, so much light, you’ve chased all the darkness away. You planted seeds of hope for me, for a life I never thought I could have; with love, warmth and affection. With family. I’ll always be eternally grateful for finding you, and having you in my life. You give me life. You’re like the missing part of me I didn’t even know I was looking for. The last puzzle piece to make it all complete. I’ll never let you go. I can’t. I love you.
- Woah, blondie. You look like you want to high five someone… in the face… with this chair.
- But at the end of the day, tough times will end, but tough people? They never give up.
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