This was my first Ana Hung book, and I loved it! Can’t believe I have read anything by her before this.

This was a perfect slow burn, enemies to lovers, billionaire romance. The story and character development was perfectly paced. I really enjoyed the main character, Vivian, and her interactions with the different characters.

The story was dual POV, and I think it was done very well. It was great knowing what Dante was thinking and doing.

I would recommend this to any romance lover!

Description:
Ruthless, meticulous, arrogant. Dante Russo is a billionaire CEO who ends up engaged to a woman he barely knows after her father blackmails him.
Elegant, ambitious, well-mannered. Vivianne Lau is the perfect daughter and is forced into a marriage with a man who can open doors for her family.
Dante has plans for vengeance after being blackmailed and Vivianne agrees to the marriage out of duty to her family, but neither one planned to fall in love.
—-

Wow this book was steamy and full of angst! The tension between these two was strong and the payoff rewarding. If you loved Huang’s twisted series then you will love this book. I’m a sucker for a controlling billionaire who learns his place and ends up on his knees (literally) begging forgiveness. Highly recommend and can’t wait to read her next book in this series, which comes out this month! 5⭐️

Vivian Lau is new money, Dante Russo is old money, and Vivian’s father is determined to tie his family to old money. Unbeknownst to Vivian, her father blackmails Dante into a modern day arranged marriage. Russos are known to be ruthless, but Dante will play along… until he can destroy all of the blackmail evidence. Then, he’ll take down Vivian’s father (plus his company) and put an end to the outrageous engagement. But somewhere along the way, the lines of this business arrangement begin to blur and Dante and Vivian both begin to have feelings for one another. Dante will soon have to choose: vengeance or love?

I love a billionaire romance trope! This is the first book I’ve read by Ana Huang, and I really enjoyed it. I liked watching Vivian grow and stand up for herself, and I also really liked the evolution of Dante’s character. I’m excited that this is a series and looking forward to reading Kai’s story next.

what can I say, this is such a great book I read it in under 24 hours easy read for me I was captivated from the start I was presently surprised by how much I loved this book!
I loved so much about Vivian she was such a phenomenal character, strong, wanting to be independent, understanding, her compassion toward the situation she was in and the willingness to see it though. Her additude and sarcasm toward Dante 🤌
Dante Russo baby damn Ana KNEW what she was doing putting this character together. At first I was like alright he's like many guys I've read before but NOO he is THE GUY ya know? We love a guy who is willing to work for there woman go above and beyond expectations and knock it out of the park. (Pun intended) if you read the book you'll get it 😅 he was such a bad a**, hot headed maybe? Jealous definitely but all in the BEST ways. He was such a sweetheart but always kept the I'm the boss bad guy mindset.
I got the privilege of reading the bonus chapter and it was such a good ending. Did I wish they had a million babies? hell yeah Dante should have got her pregnant no doubt 😅 but who knows in the future 😉
In conclusion I loved the book it's a steamy billionaire Italian romance.

Thank you @Netgalley and @read_bloom
As well as the author @authoranahuang for the ARC of the exclusive cover version of this book

3.25/5. (Re)-releases 4/25/2023.

For when you're vibing with... Modern arranged marriage, billionaire romance, a very cosmopolitan international feel (complete with jetsetting), and some groveling.

Vivian Lau hails from new money, and her father will do anything to break their family into the upper echelons of society--including arrange her marriage to billionaire Dante Russo. Though Vivian is willing to make the best of it, Dante is hostile from the start. So why did he agree to the marriage in the first place? As the two grow closer, the answer may be something Vivian never expected...

So, mixed feelings on this one. I like Ana's writing style, and I certainly like the way she writes sex, as well as this very opulent and interesting world she's created. But I had some issues on the execution.

Quick Takes:
--I really enjoyed the differentiation between new money and old money, the emphasis on elitism, and the sense of business intermingled with personal. Often, in these billionaire romances, it doesn't feel like the billionaires really live in a weird world. Here, it definitely read as something exclusive and inaccessible, yet at the same time something Vivian was very used to because her parents had been super wealthy since she was a child. I liked, so much, that Vivian didn't hesitate to use Dante's black card, didn't wring her hands over dropping $250K on a couple pieces of jewelry like heroines in billionaire romances often do. Basically, I liked that she was rich, too.

--In general, I appreciated the idea of an Italian billionaire who didn't have mafia connections and came from old money. Did that necessarily ring super true to me (real world aside, because this is a fantasy world)? I don't know. I will say that after reading a series in which I could tell the author put a lot of work into making the heroes feel Italian, Dante didn't super read that way to me. He was very American, but threw in some "mia caras" and in many ways I think it might've been better to just committing to him being fully Americanized, or perhaps delving more into the idea that he has lost connection with his heritage.

--I really enjoyed Dante's family backstory and the family drama (Vivian's included) in general. It felt very real, and it was hurtful and traumatic without being over the top.

--The pacing of this book was a double-edged sword for me. It takes place over an extended period of time... Yet somehow, I really didn't feel that, and in some ways I think it would've been better if they'd fallen in love over a (perhaps unrealistically) compressed period of time. Dante would leave to do business for a month; Vivian and Dante's relationship would skip forward a month. We would know that time passed and the relationship naturally grew, but something about it just felt kind of rushed and artificial to me. I felt like I missed the part where they became ridiculously into each other, or where they fell in love, even though I did believe in their chemistry.

--This felt like it was supposed to be enemies to lovers, but Vivian didn't give me anything on that front. I liked her, and she wasn't a doormat; but she wasn't lashing out at Dante, either. She wasn't really spoiled, she wasn't mean, she was just very mature. It made me feel like Dante really wasn't at her level at all, and it also made me feel like... I don't know. It was just hard to connect with her.

--The Big Secret is something you as the reader know from the jump. Vivian does not. It is obviously a big deal when this gets revealed, but I couldn't help but think... she probably should've... guessed? It was something along those lines? Maybe I'm just being cunty, but it felt a bit obvious? And for that matter, her reaction felt a bit over the top. It added to the main issue I had with the book, which is that I liked the way it was presented in terms of writing, but it felt very paint by numbers. Every beat could be predicted, both in terms of plot and emotion.

The Sex Stuff:
The sex in this was... very good. Probably my favorite thing about the book, if I'm being real. At first, it began a bit typically, with that well-known ramp-up. (But I did really like that these two just started having sex and not talking about it at all; fully having these encounters and being like "WELP".) Gradually, however, it got a bit kinkier, and I... wasn't mad at that. There is a scene in a moving vehicle... that is so good.

Overall, I can't say that I loved King of Wrath, but I did like parts of it quite a bit, and I do want to read more of Ana Huang. I feel like she could have gone further with this one, but she's clearly a talented writer. I'll probably read the next book in the series, and check out other books of hers. This novel is a re-release, and I see a great response to it, so clearly, this works for many! And that's great.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have read Twisted Love, Twisted Games, and Twisted Hate by this author. I didn’t realize this book took place in the same world and would have some overlapping character arcs. I actually think I stumbled on it at just the right time after Hate but before Lies.

Overall I really liked this book. I love an arranged marriage story with strangers to lovers, and this one checked all the boxes. Plus it has the same amount of steam I’ve come to expect from her books.

There were some parts of this book that were reminiscent of Twisted Love. Not enough to take away from my enjoyment, but the similarities are there. I think this is a good entry into this world, and I’m looking forward to the next book King if Pride as well as Twisted Lies!

If you haven’t read the twisted series by this author, one go read it. Two, I’d read Twisted lies minimally. Dante’s story crosses a bit into that book, so it gives you a better background. But you can also read as a stand alone! Overall, 3.75 stars for me. I liked Dante, he was very standard in the broody brilliance type. So I’d that’s your type, he’s your guy. I found Vivian to be annoying. For me though, any FMC that has the people pleaser / “whatever my parent says goes, even though I’m almost 30 year old”… vibe annoys me. I think given Vivian’s history, her personality make sense, she just wasn’t my favorite FMC this author has wrote (that spot is head for Ava). But I will continue to read the next book in this series and anything Ana writes. I can’t wait for Kia and Isabella story.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did when I first started reading it. This is only because I had a hard time getting into it and her writing style. I found the book was captivating after getting it with the tension between Dante and Vivian then came the chemistry. It was definitely a slow burn as Dante slowly and reluctantly started falling for Vivian. It is entertaining and a light quick read. I would recommend this book and I’ll be reading the second book as soon as I can when it releases. This is an arranged marriage contemporary romance book with high society/riches.

I love Ana Huang and was really excited for this one. However, it felt a little formulaic at this point. Honestly, I could have been reading any of her novels. Not to say I didn't enjoy it and won't recommend.

Ana Huang is one of my favorite authors and I loved the Twisted series so much! I am pretty sure that I am going to love this series too. At the beginning of the book, I was not a fan of Dante because of how he treated Vivian enough though he was being forced to marry her, she was not aware of the reason and deserved to be treated better. Once their relationship changed, I started liking Dante better. I loved how both Dante and Vivian grew as characters and that Vivian finally found the courage to stand up to her dad.

I cannot wait for the next book in this series, and I am so excited that it is about Kai and Isabella who the reader meets in this book.

a billionaire? an arranged marriage? touch her and die? this book literally has all my favorite tropes and I loved every second of it.
“So I brought the stars to you” 😭😭😭 Vivian and Dante…. I love them. Enemies to lovers will forever be my favorite trope and King of Wrath did it perfectly. I love Ana’s writing, her characters, her storylines that make me not want to put my book down. I had high expectations after twisted lies, and was not disappointed one bit. This was a great first book to Ana’s newest series, and I cannot wait for book two!!!

Yes yes yes! I love me a broody bad ass MMC and Dante sure does fit the bill! Tie in Vivian, who blooms along with the book, and you have a sexy, stubborn, and spitfire duo that you won’t be able to get enough of! Family ties and friendships abound, all linking together through the glitz and glam of New York City high society—the social climbers meet the social standards. I’m a sucker for an arranged marriage tripe and this one did not disappoint! I loved all the little details scattered throughout. Such a great romance read! Can’t wait for book 2!

From the first page Vivian and Dante’s heat came through! The enemies to lovers vibe of this book was everything! It was impossible to tell who hated the other more and the goes for their lust/love.

If you are looking for enemies to lovers, millionaire romance, opposites attract, forced proximity. This is the book for you. The steam isn’t there until about 40% of the way through the book but when you get there it is hot. This book is so good. I will say I appreciated that the third act breakup was short lived and was handled well. I am now gonna be looking up more Ana Huang to read.

This was my first Ana Huang book but it will definitely not be my last!!

One of my all-time favorite tropes is grumpy sunshine and man did Ana deliver!! I absolutely love Dante and Vivian. Vivian is forced into an arranged marriage by her parents and while she has no desire to be married to someone she hasn't chosen she does so because she feels a certain duty to her family. Vivian and Dante are literally at each other's throats from the very first meeting and that fire is stoked continuously as their relationship progress.

And, Dante Oh. My. Goodness.... he was dark and brooding and so grumpy and I loved it! His "touch her and die" attitude was everything I wanted it to be. I'm not going to lie there were times his arrogance and attitude made me wish I could slap him. Ana developed his character so well.

I loved everything about this book. The angst, the banter, the spice, the romance.... highly recommend this book!!
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebook Bloom Books for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve read all of Ana Huang books and I think this may be my favorite. The characters, the spice and the tie in story line is nothing but perfection.

While I liked the Twisted series, this one was SO much better right off the bat. At this point some toxicity is pretty much unavoidable in romance, but Vivian was simply not having it and I am absolutely here for that. The communication in this book was on a whole other level, even if it may have taken them a bit to get there.
The arranged marriage, the slow burn, the spice, I'm here for all of it and I loved it. I can't wait for the next one!

Okay, there is so much to unpack here in this review so, strap in for a ride. So, first I want to say thank you to Bloom Books and Ana Huang for letting me review this book. Now to the story, this was the first Ana Huang book I read and it did not disappoint me at all, I regret not reading any of her books sooner and now I want to binge-read all of her books. Now for this book specifically I loved the whole aspect of an arranged marriage and the fact that they truly didn't know each other before that first meeting at her parent's house. This book was hard for me to put down I was taking my kindle with me to the grocery store that is how much I loved this book. I just found the characters so loveable in all their different aspects and it shows you, that you can have a diverse cast for books not everyone has to be carbon copies of the same characters we always see over and over again and that was refreshing. The character of Vivan I was amazed at her character and the character development that she had within one book that was amazing to see because some of Vivian's struggles I see within myself and that was hard to see some of those similarities. Now for the character of Dante that is the best type of book boyfriend, you can imagine he has all the anger, the charm, and the will to protect this woman he barely knows because he knows she means more to him than he is willing to admit. This book made me excited to see the rest of this series and where it will go and who we will all see in them. the spice in this book was also top tier I mean Dante has a dirty mouth on him and I loved it, the spice would have to be a 3-chili pepper rating for me because there was good spice but not the spiciest I have read either. Now for the one flaw in this book and why I am only giving it a 4.5 rating is because there was that typical third-act break-up we all love to hate and it was so annoying because they do have a fight and my thought process was, "oh they are just going to fight like all couples and they won't have a third-act break-up and they will figure out this thing with her dad together.", but no I was wrong we still have that third-act break-up that could have been avoided if Dante was just up front with Vivan about what was going on. I also understand why Dante didn't tell Vivan because he was worried about his brother, Luca, and that makes sense, but at the same time she might have been able to help all along, but they might never have gotten together if he held the truth from her. It was very much a love-hate relationship with this third-act break-up but I understand why it was there. Again overall I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5 because everything was there that I hoped for and loved and can't wait to see where this series goes in the future.

Ana Huang's books are my new guilty pleasure. I am recent to this author and came in through another series but was excited when I saw that Dante had his own book! So good I read it twice.

Vivian Lau, socialite and event planner is forced into an engagement with her jeweler father's competitor Dante Russo. Vivian is unaware that her father has blackmailed Dante into the marriage and is confused when she moves in with a hostile Dante. But Vivian is a good daughter and decides to make the best of it despite Dante's blatant hatred of her. While Dante is angry that he's being blackmailed, he finds can't hate Vivian and falls for her.

I loved the central conflict in this story and almost felt like Dante didn't suffer enough with what he put Vivian through. Christian, his friend, is forced into a year-long separation from his woman when he messes up. Yet Dante has to grovel for a month. There has to be a happy medium to this. Reading it the first time, I wanted them to reunite immediately; the second time, I wanted Dante to suffer more. I also loved how strong of a character Vivian was. She didn't bow down to Dante and made him pay for his treatment of her.

That's what's so great about Ana Huang's books, she takes you along for the ride.

Although this book is incomparable to Ana Huang's other dark romance series Twisted, I still thoroughly anticipated and subsequently enjoyed this book. Vivian was an iron-willed, independent main character, and I also appreciated the diversity Huang incorporated. Dante, the romantic lead, may be easy to confuse with some of the other men this author has written, but nevertheless, his broodiness and devotion to Viv were stand out.
Together, they incited a fiery romance that kept the pages turning. King of Wrath is an excellent read.