Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for my arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Now, as someone who is not the biggest fan of "Wuthering Heights" (it is my least favorite of the Bronte sisters' works), I can appreciate it and think it was groundbreaking for its time. That said, seeing that this was supposed to be a straight up romance/erotic modern retelling of the novel, I was intrigued. Granted, I find a lot of romance and erotic novels pretty cringey, I wanted to see how the author works with a pretty intense foundation like "Wuthering Heights."

I was unfortunately proved right. This was a laughably simple written book and honestly, whatever inspiration came from the Emily Bronte novel was really just the names. The actual story wasn't great either. In fact, I would argue there wasn't really a story. This read like baby's first porn without plot but the porn is embarrassingly hilarious. Yeah, I didn't enjoy this book at all. The writing is just generally very lazy, very simple, and the characters didn't feel like characters. Everything and the characters themselves were so flat and simple and only served to get the reader to the next "spicy" scene.

Would not recommend even for those who enjoy romance. I will not be taking comments lol

Ruthless Devotion (Gilded Monsters, #3)
by Rebecca F. Kenney

3⭐️
3🌶️
Ruthless Devotion is a spicy, Southern Gothic, she’s a Banshee, he’s a Necromancer, paranormal, Irish Mythology, insta-love, dark fantasy modern retelling of “Wuthering Heights” But to me it didn’t really parallel the universe of the classic “Wuthering Heights “
And I know this is a modern take but to me the modern dialogue / lingo was just very cringey 😬 and made me skim through some parts.

The plot was ok … it was a insta love story so there was no good slow burn in this book .
But…Rebecca does know how to write so toe curling spice 🥵though! And there’s an abundance of it in this book!
And I love Southern Gothic but the world building was minimal which was a bummer.

Overall this story really didn’t pull me in. It was easy to follow and fast- paced but I just didn’t really connect with these characters.
I am curious about her “Dorian Gray” retelling so I might give it a shot!

Thank you Net Galley, Sourcebooks and Rebecca Kenney for the opportunity to read this book.

Rarely do I read a statement on a book and go, oh yes that exactly describes this book. Hold my matcha latte because the following single statement really does slap on the what this book is.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of Wuthering Heights with a magical twist.

Am I fan of Wuthering Heights? Not at all. Did I devour this book in one day? 100% yes! The magic system in this book intertwines with Irish lore and presents the reader with a fresh outlook on the supernatural world.

🗺️ The world building is very basic aka America. The story takes place in one of those small potentially inbred towns but the limited location is needed.

🌶️ There is spice here and neither Cathy or Cliff hold back. So maybe not a great book to be reading on your lunch break... Just sayin!

📚 This book is for you if you enjoy a lighter fantasty that isn't overly complex, has a unique magic system and loops in other well known characters from classical books in a reimagined way.

✈️ An easy read that's all around good! Perfect for travel days when you want to forget that you're on a plane or in an airport.

Wow! I'm a big fan of Wuthering Heights, as well as romantic, fantastical, and gothic novels, so this was such a treat for me. The setup around Cathy and Heathcliff's families is a little different from the original, and of course, the story itself isn't the same thanks to the supernatural elements. But I felt the essence of those two characters was still very much present—and that's what I loved about this book.

Cathy and Heathcliff in the original are a little toxic, their love borders on obsession, and you do get a hint of that here as well, especially with the element of instalust. I didn’t mind that at all. To me, they’ve always been passionate characters, so it didn’t surprise me although their first encounter was a little surprising.

There are characters from the preceding books in this one, so it might help to have read those—but I haven’t, and I still managed to enjoy it. I especially liked the supernatural aspect, particularly the origins of the church and how it connected with the community.

There’s plenty of spice—if that’s something you look for in a book, you’ll enjoy this, as it kicks in within the first few chapters. This was a really easy read with an interesting supernatural twist on a classic story beloved by many. While you might not find it exactly the same, there are definitely parts you’ll recognise and for that, I enjoyed it immensely.

I'd give this a 3.75 but rounding up to 4, Thanks to Netgalley for providing access to the eARC.

I've actually always hated Wuthering Heights but when I saw one of my favorite authors did a spicy retelling of this story, I KNEW I had to read it! I really like how Kenney tells stories, so I knew I'd love this and I did. I appreciated that she made the story entirely her own but still paid homage to the original. I also love how there were other characters from this universe that made an appearance, so that was fun!

Thank you for the opportunity to ARC this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley, author Rebecca Kenney, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing this ARC!

Ruthless Devotion is a dark, spicy retelling of Wuthering Heights, and I really enjoyed it. While it stands strong on its own, readers who have followed the series will definitely get more out of the story. Many key characters from previous books play important roles here. I haven’t read the second book, yet, which I now regret because of that. This book felt even more action-packed and intense than the first one, which I did enjoy.

The gothic, almost horror, dark atmosphere is something I loved. Rebecca Kenney does a great job of leaning into the darker vibes of the original source material while giving it a fiery, modern twist. Fair warning: this book is extremely spicy. This will definitely be one for fans of darker romance with edge and heat.

The third book in the Gilded Monsters series by Rebecca Kenney is a retelling of Wuthering Heights. This is the darkest so far, and contains a cult element that pushes the suspense level up a notch. This is also where you start to see the series tying together. Picking up at the end of Charming Devil, we are now in a new location with Heathcliff and Cathy in a star-crossed type affair, both trying to escape their situation, but not alone. Anymore. I would have liked this one the most so far due to the suspense, the digging themselves out of trouble, star crossed aspects, if it weren’t for the religious trauma. Iykyk lol I also relate a little too closely to Cathy, in a not fun way, and that always hurts my rating a little (but obviously not that much). I am loving this series, I cannot wait to read the final two, though I have to, and I’m thrilled to have gotten to read this advanced copy! Thank you, Rebecca!

A truly modern retelling of the original classic with a magical twist. A tale of mystery, magic and revenge that unfolds with every turn of the page where secrets are revealed and so is the individual powers of each characters. An interesting take on the magical powers genre and enjoyed the mystery of learning about their abilities. May have been a little off putting with some of the language and terminology used but overall an enjoyable read.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐜𝐚 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐲

This one didn't work for me. I've never actually read Wuthering Heights (I know, I know) but I was still excited because I do love a retelling. I was immediately thrown off on page ONE because the author used the word "rizz" and the phrase "just chilling" just a few paragraphs apart. I realize this is a modern day retelling but it was hard to take anything seriously after that 😅 I'm also not a big fan of insta lust and that was what we were working with here. I prefer a slow build up even if we know the attraction is there. It simply happened much too soon in my opinion. The characters lacked depth and while this is described as gothic, the vibes were not there at all. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This was just really "blah" to me. I really didn't believe the relationship between Cathy & Heathcliff. It was too fast paced or something for me and just sort of felt forced. Definitely spicy. For me there wasn't enough of a story apart from their relationship. There was, but it just felt off to me overall.

Well… on page ONE the author used the word "rizz" and the phrase "just chilling" just sentences apart. I realize this is a modern day retelling but I was not expecting that at all 🤦🏽‍♀️😂
Other than that throwing me off it was a very good easy read!

If you want a spicy magical twisty story for your eyeballs, this is the one. I love that we are given a little bit of a mystery having to wait to see our main characters abilities. Not knowing really does kind of make you feel more invested into the mystery of it all. The story was overall easy to follow; the plot was great. I do feel like we kind of had some information dumped on us that would have done well through the rest of the book to help the story progress a little better. Overall, this book was dark, twisty, perfectly emotional and it really makes you feel for the characters.

Thank you Net Galley, Sourcebooks and Rebecca Kenney for the opportunity to read this early.

Generally okay. It was very much not my style, and I think a lot of my issues with it were the writing style. It was very simple. Everything was very spelled out for the reader. It’s the simple kind of reading that I expect generally from fanfiction. It lacked emotional depth and illustrative details. That being said, I was able to read it very quickly and easily. And I did get used to the writing style over time, so I will say that it grew on me. It’s definitely more of a casual read, and in the end, I did enjoy it.

It was only vaguely Wuthering Heights inspired. It seemed like the only reference to Wuthering Heights was the names of the characters. But the concept in general was unique and interesting. I really liked the banshee inspiration. And my favorite moments in the book were when the FMC was going through her “banshee episodes”. Those moments were filled with much more emotional detail and descriptive language, making them stand out. It just feels like less work went into the rest of it.
Much of the dialogue seemed spiritless, sometimes it was hard to even tell if Kenney meant for the dialogue to sound sarcastic. And the exposition and scene details were hand-fed to the reader. I found many points redundant and overexplained.
Another general pet peeve I had was the consistent negating and contradicting sentences at the ends of things. I.E., “Too bad that’s not likely to happen anytime soon”. “Not that I’m desperate enough to try.” “It’s not like I have a choice”. Etc. I started seeing these types of sentences everywhere, and it only served to undermine the preceding information.

There is also something to be said about Kenney’s ability to write good spicy scenes. Those scenes were very fun to read. And once I had gotten used to the writing style, I did get invested in the characters and enjoyed the ending.
Overall, it’s not something I would recommend, but I still had fun with it.

This book is so spicy, mysterious and full of unthinkable happenings and twists. The setting is so dark and terrifying. A man was found dead in a gruesome condition. Hindley is one of the last Lockwoods. He has a gift to bring back souls so he brought back the dead man’s soul to his body. The resurrection always works yet the man is still unconscious. There is so much happening in this dangerous and terrifying world created by the author. Cathy and Heathcliff shares a special bond yet something happened that torn their bond. And then unthinkable keeps happenings. something sinister is going on . Heathcliff had such a poignant story. Cathy was trapped. We meet Gatsby, Nick, Daisy and other characters too. This is a Wuthering Heights classic retelling with angsty characters, cultish vibe, magic, supernatural creatures, spice, and so much more. The stakes are high. The book is action-packed, filled with twists, supernatural creatures and unthinkable happenings

Thanks to the Publisher

I greatly appreciate being able to read this book early!!

This story is described to be “a spicy new adult retelling of Wuthering Heights with a magical twist.” There’s definitely spice and magic/magical beings in this story.

Both main characters have magical abilities that we don’t know right out the gate and the author makes you work for it a bit to discover exactly what they are, which I enjoyed. Cathy Earnshaw is the female protagonist and she is the daughter of a deacon in their local church. A church that doesn’t simply congregate on Sunday’s and hold brunch but also has stake in the supernatural world. They are not friendly to supernaturals, leading Cathy to hide her true identity. No one but her father knows until she meets Heathcliff! He sees all of her and goes on this journey with her.

Towards the end, there were some monologues that felt a bit like information dumping and I would have loved to see more of the supporting characters that I really liked but were only around for a bit of the story. Otherwise this was a fun read and I felt the author did a good job of helping the reader feel the emotions of her characters.

Huge thanks to the author for the ARC!
As always, getting an early copy doesn’t change my opinion, this is my real and personal review.

Ruthless Devotion pulled me in from the very beginning. The emotional intensity, the moral tension, the layered characters… everything kept me invested.

What I really appreciated was how complex and human the characters felt. The story explores loyalty, grief, inner conflict, and the way past trauma shapes the present. It's not always comfortable, and that’s exactly what made it feel so real. The author doesn't shy away from difficult emotions or morally grey situations, and I found myself thinking about certain scenes long after I closed the book.

The bond between the characters was written with such care. It’s slow, intense, and full of unspoken moments that hit unexpectedly hard. And the atmosphere? Gloomy, powerful, a little haunting, but always grounded in emotion.

If you're looking for a book that dives into the shadows of love and trust, with characters who feel deeply and fight with their own hearts as much as with the world around them, this is it.

‘Wuthering Heights’ but make it modern, spicy and supernatural? Yes, please!

I really enjoyed this book. After a brief moment of panic that I was too old to read this (thanks to the early use of ‘rizz’), I found myself drawn into the story.

This is very much a new plot that features familiar characters from ‘Wuthering Heights’, combined with banshees, necromancers, gods and magic.

The couple’s magnetic attraction, Heathcliff’s protectiveness and devotion, and Cathy’s wildness and inability to express her feelings are familiar, and there are subtle nods to scenes from ‘Wuthering Heights’, but the characters feel less toxic than the original.

This is, at heart, a tale about the desire for freedom and escape for two people who have never fitted in, in a small town that doesn’t tolerate difference.

I haven’t read the earlier books in this series, but intend to go back and read them, as whilst it works well as a standalone, I’m interested in the backstories of the supporting characters who appear later in the book and who would be familiar to those who’ve read the earlier books.

Overall, this was a compelling read and I enjoyed the characters, plot and pacing.

In this dark retelling of Wuthering Heights, set in a cult-like society, we meet Cathy, a girl who somehow senses whenever death is about to pay a visit, and gets overwhelmed whenever it does.
Due to reservations and outdated beliefs, she’s wildly misunderstood… that is until she meets mysterious Heathcliff (🥵).
Oh my… the spice in this book! I was blushing the whole time.
The story progresses, and with it our characters secrets unfold.
No better bond than a trauma bond, amiright?
Overall it’s a beautifully dark story about kindred spirits, gods, and a fantastic(al) plot.
Be sure to check out content warnings before reading, and if you think you can stomach it, definitely go for it, it’s fast-paced, has interesting world building, and a morally grey guy who falls first!

This was a fun book to read. I love the nod to withering heights and that Cathy was a banshee and Heathcliff was a necromancer!!! Cathy was brash and loud and I loved it. Super glad they get their HEA.

I'm usually not a fan of retellings, but the storyline of this book didn't feel like a copy of the original story. Cathy is a banshee and Heathcliff is a necromancer. I liked how different the characters were despite of it being a retelling.
That being said, the characters did feel a little two-dimensional at times. Their relationship was SO insta-love that there was a spice scene in chapter 2. I wish we could have more time developing their dynamic because it felt like he fell in love with her in the third chapter. Despite the amount of spice, this book read very YA. The premise had so much potential but unfortunately it did not deliver.