"Imagining another life is a fool's pastime, though. Who's to know if it would have been any better? People suck no matter where you live."



First thing's first; I'd like to thank NetGalley, Rebecca Kenney and Sourcebooks Casablanca for my very first ARC! How crazy is it that I'm about to review a book that isn't available until 22nd July?



I was intrigued by Ruthless Devotion after reading the blurb - a Romantasy retelling of Wuthering Heights? Say no more, beam me up Scotty. As a huge Brontë fan (even the less known third sister, Anne), I had extremely high expectations. Unfortunately, my expectation were probably too high. Whilst this was a fun read that I know a lot of people will devour it just wasn't my cup of tea.



But hey, let's get down to it!



Trigger and Content Warnings



There are plenty of spicy scenes for all you spice lovers out there.



TWs:





Religious fanaticism



Cultish overtones



Parent-child violence and verbal abuse



Human sacrifice



Violence and murder



Kidnap



Tropes







Forbidden romance 



Multiple POV



Lust at first sight



The outsider



HEA



Book Summary



Cathy Earnshaw is an outsider - she has a dangerous secret lurking under her skin that if her cultish community discovered, she'd be in serious danger. She can sense when death is coming for someone in her community, and is forced to wander the forests wailing in grief at every loss. She's stuck, unable to confide in anyone or escape the confines of her curse and community.



Until she meets a rugged stranger...



Heathcliff is just as stuck. Stolen at age 5 by the Lockwoods and raised to be the most powerful necromancer alive, Heathcliff is no stranger to hardship and violence. Their connection is instant, as if they are two halves of a whole. Both are desperate to escape the lives they've been forced into, together. But their families have different plans.



Can their love survive the sickening plots of a cult and the awakening of forbidden gods?



My Reading Journey



Where do I start?



I wanted to love this, I really did. Going in I was expecting Sookie Stackhouse meets Wuthering Heights, but what I was met with was more of a Wattpad fan fiction where the characters are absolutely nothing like their namesakes.



Heathcliff and Linton, for example, could not be further from the characters on which they are based. In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff is a classic Byronic Hero - brooding and cynical, dangerous and charismatic. Edgar Linton is his polar opposite - patient and level-headed, sweet and doting. These personalities do not translate into Ruthless Love, with Heathcliff being rough but sweet and Edgar being a fanatical cult leader ready to sacrifice Cathy's life for his own ends. I found this really jarring to start with, but once you distance yourself from the fact it's supposed to be a retelling, it's quite a fun story.



The other aspect of the novel that I didn't enjoy was the way the sex scenes were written. After each scene, I felt like I needed a shower . The language used just didn't appeal to me, it was strangely pornographic, there really should be a limit an author can use the word 'pussy' on a single page. There was a lack of sensuality and eroticism that came from the graphic language. I much prefer the more euphemistic language used in most other Romantasy books which is evocative of a deeper connection between the FMC and MMC. I want storms and waves of pleasure, not 'and then I came'. I did like the banshee scream smashing windows when Cathy and Heathcliff climaxed though - I'd always felt that their joining would be cataclysmic.



Peaks







Once I distanced myself from the source material, I loved Heathcliff. He was extremely sweet and I really rooted for him.



The relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff was charming.



I love Celtic mythology being in any story, this was no different



The supernatural identities and elements fit into the world in an interesting way



Nellie being called out for being a passive bystander was a huge boon for me. It always bothered me that her counterpart was seen as the moral centre of the novel.



Some of the passages were fantastic call-backs to some of the most beautiful parts of Wuthering Heights, my favourite being the famous "my love for Heathcliff is like the eternal rocks" being referenced during a tender moment.



Pits







The character bearing absolutely no likeness to the source material.



The story only casting the smallest resemblance to the plot of Wuthering Heights.



So many things are told rather shown.



The writing style really wasn't to my taste.



Too many elements cobbled together; Wuthering Heights, Celtic lore, religious extremism, cults... one or two alone would've been great, but it felt a little Frankenstein's monster to me.



The word 'pussy' being used approximately seven thousand times.



The BookCat’s 9 Lives



I would read this in three out of nine lives.



The breakdown:



Writing style 😿

Pacing 😻

Plot and storyline 😿

World building 😻

Magic system 😻

Originality 😿

Emotional impact and engagement😿

Lasting impact 😿

Character development 😿



As an Emily Brontë fan, my expectations were far too high; I was expecting a modern retelling of a classic gothic romance, albeit with a happy ending and a side of magic. I didn't get that. I wanted to love this book, but in all honesty it was a struggle to get through. Yes, the story was fun and flirty, but I couldn't keep myself distanced enough from the classic it was based on to fully enjoy Ruthless Devotion. I don't think I'll be reading any of the other books in this shared universe, the writing style just wasn't to my taste and I'm not sure I'd enjoy other retellings in this fashion.

I have read multiple books by Rebecca Kenney now, and each one has intrigued and captivated me. Ruthless Devotion is absolutely no different!

This Gothic and dark retelling of Wuthering Heights is absolutely addictive, and such an interesting and exciting take on a classic.

There are wonderful elements of romance, magic, and ties to the original, and I love Rebecca's addition of realistic places from her own state of South Carolina and her research. It absolutely reads like a mystery/thriller, not just an every day romance, and I couldn't get enough!

4.5 rounded up
This dark, southern gothic retelling of Wuthering Heights is dangerously addictive.

Cathy Earnshaw has lived her life utterly alone in a land of Gods and Monsters. Shunned by her church and family for things out of her control, she finally finds companionship and caring in the arms of Heathcliff Lockwood... the son of a family long at odds with her own. The Lockwoods are far from the most dangerous thing in the woods, though, and these two young lovers find themselves on a collision course with disaster.

While there are strong elements of romance and magic, Ruthless Devotion really reads like a mystery/thriller, and I ate it up. Through the eyes of Cathy and Heathcliff, Kenney deftly explores the complicated dynamics of family, love, and religious fervor/cultism.

This book is an absolute rollercoaster ride. I was genuinely hooked and devoured this within 24 hours. It is dark, and truly exposes some of the depravities and cult-like tendencies of extreme beliefs and faith. I have mixed feelings on this book. It’s well written and a fantastic read - at about 30% in, it just picks up and takes off, and I needed to know more. Cathy and Heathcliffe are swoon-worthy, and they have a ‘fated mates’ sort of insta love connection. Normally I’m not a huge fan or believer of this, but Rebecca has crafted a story that makes sense, and the dark nature of the story makes the slight stalker angle from Heathcliffe feel a lot more authentic.

I feel like the world building lacks a little in this story. It reads very much like a mystery/thriller at times, where we find out little snippets of info as we go along. This is fine, and this info is actually great - it means a lot of pieces fall into place and keeps the suspense of the story high. But all of a sudden we’re thrown into this world of fanatics and gods and the supernatural, with no explanation or origin. There are a few minor plot holes and some of the twists are predictable, but I love the HEA and how adorable Heathcliffe and Cathy are. Again, I loved the book and couldn’t put it down. If you are a more scrupulous reader, though, you may not enjoy being thrown into the action and feeling hooked on the story without fully understanding the world around them.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Rebecca Kenney for the ARC of this fantastic story!

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the arc of this book. Ruthless Devotion is the third book of the Gilded Monsters series. This book is told from the perspectives of Heathcliff and Catherine. I absolutely love this series and each book keeps getting better. This is my favorite book of the series. This book is a re-imagining of Wuthering Heights. This book does have some spice in it. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book.

Cathy Earnshaw lived in a small town where everyone one thought something was wrong with her. As if she was possessed.She feels when someone was dying and grieves into a walling scream through the forest until it ends. She was prisoner of home with her dad and worked with her aunt no hope of ever finding someone or getting away until Heathcliff! He's from the wrong side of the tracks a Lockwood which she should not talk to but they were two kindred souls. This is a definite must-read! Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC copy of this book!

** spoiler alert ** Very spooky
This would be an amazing horror film

If the original Wuthering Heights was this juicy I wouldn’t have had to hate finish it years ago. Ruthless Devotion is easily one of my favorite books of all time! It’s got Cathy and Heathcliff, paranormal activity, romance, and spice. Cathy grew up always feeling othered, like she just didn’t fit in with everyone else. That’s because she didn’t! She isn’t like everyone else she knows. She’s got depth, and personality. She’s also got a shitty dad. Her dad likes to not only keep up appearances but is also highly vested in his position of perceived power within their church community. This leads him to do all the wrong things for what he believes are the right reasons.
Then there is Heathcliff and this man is fiiiiiiine! He also has an unfortunate past. A questionable “adoption” early in his childhood brings him into an even more questionable family. He has incredibly valuable talents that cement his place in the family business. Heathcliff grows up with a brother who is by all accounts his de facto best friend and also his built in bully. Heathcliff is a roll with the punches kind of guy who doesn’t actually believe he will ever have “more” than this life offers him; nor does he believe he deserves anything else than what life has dealt him.
The two meet by chance when their jobs bring them together for what I would call the best delivery of their lives. They grew up in different towns. They both come to the table with the reputations of their respective families which have tricky implications. Life seems to be doing everything to keep them apart but they keep crawling their way back to each other. The forces keeping them apart are literally larger than life and deadly. They work together and call in some help from out of town and after one hell of a night they make it out of town together and they are finally free of the judgements and expectations of everyone they know. When Heathcliff and Cathy find each other they realize they want more, they deserve more, and together they can have more.

***SPOILERS***

Cathey is a banshee & Heathcliff is a necromancer
I don’t like how her banshee-ism is treated like an embarrassment and mental illness by her mother and father. I like how her otherness doesn’t spook Heathcliff-he just observes and makes sure she is relatively safe considering what she’s experiencing. I love how it is unknowingly love at first sight and they both want to deny it but they can’t. I love how instinctively protective he is of her. He’s not plotting or scheming just genuinely interested in her wellbeing. I hate Edgar he’s a pompous little shit. The way he calls Cathy out in front of the entire church is despicable.
“She’s my actual life, my fucking soul. I can’t live without my soul”-Heathcliff
The way he calls her “my girl” …makes me melt into a puddle!!!

Rebecca does it again with her adult spicy retellings and adding her own bit of flair. I loved the character interaction in this book. They are so emotional and deep as they work through their deep-rooted issues together.

The use of modern language and slang was at first quite jarring in a book that’s a reimagining of Wuthering Heights. But once I got a feel for the story and its unique bend, I got used to it. I really enjoy Rebecca Kenney and have read several of her books and this had her distinct, sharp voice, steamy tension, and really inventive twist on a known story. I flew through the book and loved the mix of dark moody atmosphere, mystery, and romantic tensions.

I'm obsessed. Probably my favorite book from Rebecca Kenney so far. I love the attitude of the entire story. I love how great the retelling parts were and how interesting the story itself was. The spice, spiced. I could feel their chemistry rather quick and I adored it. I'm obsessed. (Yes. I'm saying it again). I love characters that come alive and when I can really see them as individuals and these characters were that. I was glued to each word and couldn't put this book down. It's soooo good. Highly recommend to all the romantasy friends who want some spice and some chemistry and a really fun, thrilling, and entertaining story.

3.5/5 stars! This is touted as a NA retelling of Wurthering Heights with magical elements. The pacing of this story was great and I loved the chemistry between Cathy and Heathcliff. I didn't have a hard time staying engaged. I think my only issue is that it felt like 50 other books I've read. I was hoping for more innovative and unique takes on some portions of the story. But a solid read.

"Because his soul and mine were cut from the same shimmering fabric, hewn from the same rock, dipped from the same pool. Wherever souls come from, we share the same source. I am Heathcliff, and he is me."

Ruthless Devotion is the third book in the Gilded Monsters series. Each of Rebecca Kenney's novels in this series are classic retellings with a supernatural, deliciously romantic twist. Ruthless Devotion is a Southern gothic modern retelling of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, where Heathcliff is a tall, dark, and striking necromancer with unnatural strength, and Cathy is a wild-haired banshee, descended from the Irish ancestral gods who once foretold death and mourned the dying.

I didn't know what I was diving into when it came to the Gilded Monsters series, as I hadn't read the other two books before this one. It isn't necessary to; you could easily read this third installment and enjoy it completely. However, the last third of the novel does include characters from the two earlier books, and I may have had a stronger connection to them if I had read the first two, prior. That being said, if you're generally familiar with famous classics and their protagonists, you'll understand the subtle references and new faces right away.

In Ruthless Devotion we follow Cathy Earnshaw, a woman with a feral soul and a deep-feeling heart, who craves running through wild moors and not being confined by the barriers imprisoning her, set up by her abusive father and the small, evangelical town of Wicklow in which she lives. We're also privy to a second perspective: that of Heathcliff, a necromancer who, as part of the notorious Lockwood family, helps run the business of resurrecting dead clients and returning them to perfect health. Both Cathy and Heathcliff are victims of a loss of agency, forced upon on them by those who either wish to suppress their supernatural abilities (Cathy's case) or wish to exploit them (Healthcliff).

Kenney always kills it with her evocative imagery and the emotion she stirs with the characters she spins to life, as well as her settings. Because this is a Southern romance, we're given a glimpse at the atmospheric landscapes found in places like South Carolina: of Southern oaks and Spanish moss, of magnolias and moths dancing around porch lights on a cool fall night. Her visual descriptions of characters too, the way they move, think, feel, love...I was spellbound and gagged - a puddle of water on the floor:

"Heathcliff goes down on one knee. He looks up at me, and I hold my breath, stunned by how gorgeous he is at this moment, with the sun gilding his black hair and his brown eyes glowing at me like dark embers."

I've read several of Rebecca's books, and she never fails to draw me in as a reader and immediately make me connect with her characters - to love them, cry for them, rage for them. And throughout this book, I was rooting for Heathcliff and Cathy, while also being a willing witness to the captivating unfurling of their cataclysmically passionate relationship that surpasses even the bounds of death. It made me yearn for them and left me breathless as I hoped with all my being that they were going to get the happy ending the classic did not have - and I'm not disclosing whether that happened; you'll have to read to find out.

Religious Fanaticism

"When you're told over and over that wrong is right, that hate is love, that wickedness is holy...when you sit there, week after week, and open your mind to that poison...maybe you begin to believe it."

From the dedication at the beginning, I knew this book was going to have themes of religion and evangelical ideologies, and how those ideologies would affect the most ostracised - the souls with wild hearts that scare those who get a glimpse at their blinding fires. Kenney highlighted elements common in small communities where faith is closely tied to one's entire identity, where it shapes the lives of those who dwell within those quarters. Some of these include the loss of mental autonomy, hypocrisy, the twisting of love as a weapon for hate, and a fear of the different. Oh, and blood sacrifices. What's a good fanatical small town without some blood spilt on holy stone floors?

Irish Mythology & the Taboo of Mourning

One element in this book that I personally loved was the theme of Irish mythology dispersed throughout the story, serving as a both an element of the plot and a parallel to the beliefs practiced at Cathy's church. We have mentions of Irish deities/gods like Cernunnos and the Morrigan, both who are tied to Cathy's ancestry and supernatural powers as a banshee, and both who serve as pinnacle figures in certain areas of the story, whether physically or symbolically. I won't spoil too much here, so you'll have to see how the deities of wild things and death play their parts.

Cathy's powers of the banshee allow her to foretell when people in her town are going to die. She sees their deaths in visions, and when they die, their life's memories flash before her eyes as they cross the barrier into the afterlife. With death, Cathy's grief is closely linked to the very core of her soul, and it manifests both emotionally and physically for her, in a very intense way. Like her ancestors, she is compelled to be with the dying, and stay with them even after death as agonising screams and cries rack her body. Of course, her base instincts are smothered and she is forced to suffer in isolated forests because society no longer grieves communally, and discussing death outside of the confines of organised religion makes people uncomfortable.

This theme really stuck with me, and it's something I still think about even after finishing this story. Because Cathy is right when she says this:

"The spirit of the banshee is a primal instinct, too archaic to understand that things have changed, that I live in Wicklow, South Carolina, that we don't mourn the same way nowadays. We hide our grief in bathrooms or beds, curled up in a ball under the shower, or alone in a car while rain pounds the windshield."

We should be allowed to cry. We should be allowed to scream and break through the silences permeating masked corners of society. Without that, we lose our humanity.

Conclusion

I gave Ruthless Devotion 4 stars, only because, minimally, there were certain inner monologues that I felt stretched out a bit farther than needed, and slowed the pace of the story at times. I also wish we knew a little bit more about Heathcliff's origins, especially the details as to how exactly he was found and adopted by the Lockwoods.

Overall, this was an incredible retelling of one of my favourite classics. Cathy and Heathcliff are fated in the cosmos, their souls intertwined so tightly, not even the Fates could tear them apart. I didn't go too into it before, but there's also a delicious amount of spice in this book that pairs so well with the fires of their love for one another. Interwoven with the themes present throughout the story, and the Southern gothic flare, this was an addictive, new formula to a loved classic.

I will be adding this to my collection officially, when it releases in July 2025.

I lvoe Rebecca Kenney and anything she writes! This book is no exception. The whole line of stories in this series is a complete masterpiece. Great job!

3.5⭐️

This one’s for fans of dark, twisty romance with a supernatural edge. Ruthless Devotion gives big Wuthering Heights energy, but make it new adult—with gods, powers, cult vibes, and a bad boy. That’s all I want at the end of the day.

I’m considering a special edition of this book for my store!

The story follows Cathy, a girl who can sense death, and Heathcliff, the mysterious guy who shakes up her world in all the best (and arguably worst) ways. There’s dual POV, which really helps pull you into both of their heads, and things get spicy, and it wasn’t perfectly written, but it matched the tone of the novel. It’s dramatic, intense, and definitely keeps you turning pages.

The snowy, gothic atmosphere is a highlight. Some of the emotional swings are a bit over-the-top, and it’s definitely one to check content warnings for—but if a reader is in the mood for something moody and a little messy (in a good way), this delivers.

Perfect for readers who love any romance with a dash of danger and myth. Not for the faint of heart, but definitely a fun ride!

A dark, obsessive love story that walks the line between dangerous and addictive. Ruthless Devotion pulls you into a twisted dynamic where power and passion constantly collide. The morally grey love interest is a standout - intense, magnetic, and impossible to look away from. I was genuinely surprised at how emotionally layered this got, exploring trauma, control, and the complicated psychology of devotion.

Kenney’s writing is taut and unflinching, and the chemistry? Electric. Definitely one for fans of dark romance with teeth.

⚔️ Tropes: Obsession, morally grey hero, forbidden romance
❤️ Recommend for fans of: Haunting Adeline, Corrupt, or Twisted Love

First off I would like to thank NetGalley and sourcebooks for giving me the opportunity to read this book!! OMG this book was amazing from beginning to end. I could not put it down. The FMC in this book to was such a strong bad ass who had to endure a lot despite what she was and what she was going through. Her father was a piece of 💩 and OMG so was that 🌊 Edgar, I wanted to beat both of them self. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster I was laughing and then I was crying and then I was cheering. 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ the spice in this book was definitely a 5 to me. I ain’t even gonna front, baby Rebecca did her thing with this book. Also before I end this baby I need me a Heathcliff cause he literally dragged Cathy back from death despite the consequences!!

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney is an intense, emotionally charged romance that grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go. It’s a story of obsession, power, vulnerability—and the complicated space where all three collide.

What I loved:
• The chemistry between the main characters is electric. Every interaction crackles with tension, and the emotional stakes feel high from start to finish.
• Kenney writes with a raw, addictive voice that perfectly captures both the darker and softer moments. It’s bold, edgy, and unflinching.
• I appreciated how the story explored trauma, control, and healing with nuance. The emotional arcs feel genuine, even when the romance dips into dark territory.
• The pacing is fast and unputdownable—this is one of those books that keeps you up late reading just one more chapter.

What held it back from 5 stars:
• At times, the power dynamic felt a little rushed, especially early on—I would’ve loved just a bit more development to ground the emotional shift.
• Some side characters and subplots felt underdeveloped, and I wanted more from the world outside the main relationship.
• A few moments straddled the line between romantic and intense in ways that might not work for every reader—definitely one for fans of morally gray characters.

Overall, Ruthless Devotion is a bold, passionate story that isn’t afraid to take risks. If you love dark romance with heart and heat, this one’s for you.

People who know me know that I like Wuthering Heights moderately but wish that I could understand it a bit better. This book gives me the understanding that I need!!!

First of all, I loveee the art. The art right at the beginning gave me something to picture that helped me visualize immensely. And it’s adorable.

The first line of the book made me cackle, and it just gets better from there. Heathcliff’s point of view gave me life. He is sarcastic, has a dry sense of humor, is very broody, and and gives me just the right amount of modern man mixed with regular Heathcliff.

Cathy is fine. I don’t dislike Cathy, but she is Cathy she’s a little whiny and full of herself.

This is absolutely what is known as a modern classic. I’m really glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. Rebecca Kenney did it again with this masterpiece. I love this series of modernizing classics she has going on.

Thank you very much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and in no way are influenced by the manner in which I received it.

“Screaming like a banshee”

If you have ever heard this phrase in your life, I think you’ll love this book!

This is the third installment in the Gilded Monsters series, but can be read as a standalone. Personally I would read them all because they are great! In this book we follow Heathcliff and Cathy (from Wurthering Heights). Both of them have some unique and extraordinary paranormal powers. This book was a wild ride full of different paranormal aspects, religious trauma, and of course spice. I also loved the crossover with the other books and the characters having a role in this one. Really brought the series together, I hope there will be another!!

I like the idea of the supernatural being in the story, I read the first book and I love it.
And this book carried each characters very well. He is a necromancer, that title kinda powerful and I hope he's gain more power by time.
The story easy to read and flowed really well. The spicy spice well and ya I love them <3