Please read the trigger warnings prior to embarking on this journey. They include descriptions of abusive families, blood, human sacrifice, religious rhetoric, cultish overtones, murder and trauma.

This book is spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney is a dark, feral retelling of Wuthering Heights infused with the occult, monsters, gods and I could not put it down.

Ruthless Devotion takes the smoldering intensity of Brontë’s original and drenches it in shadow, blood, and myth. This isn’t just a retelling—it’s a reclamation of Gothic fury, where trauma becomes power and the wilds are alive with things that whisper in forgotten tongues.

At the center is Cathy: a fierce, wounded heroine who refuses to be broken by her past. Her strength isn’t flashy—it’s bone-deep, forged in silence and survival. Kenney gives her room to rage, to protect herself, to choose. She’s not here to be saved. She’s here to survive—and to take back what was stolen.

Then there’s Heathcliff: dark, dangerous, and utterly devoted. He’s got the classic “touch her and die” aura, but what sets him apart is how he channels that protective instinct. There’s no suffocation, no dominance. He respects Cathy’s autonomy completely—even when it tears him apart. Their bond is equal parts brutal and tender, a connection written in blood, loss, and shared hope.

Layered over this raw emotional core is a world crawling with ancient gods, bone-deep curses, and things that hunt in the mist. Kenney weaves horror and romance seamlessly, building a mythology that feels both vast and intimate. The supernatural elements heighten the stakes without overshadowing the characters’ emotional arcs.

Ruthless Devotion is a love story, yes—but it’s also a reckoning. It asks what devotion means when you’ve been hurt, what love looks like when it’s forged in fire, and whether two broken souls can build something divine from the wreckage.

Highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy romance, new adult, and heroines who refuse to bow.

Thank you Rebecca Kenney and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read Ruthless Devotion prior to its anticipated July 2025 release in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Tropes:
Monsters/paranormal
Gothic Romance/retelling
Instalove


Round of applause for Cathy and Heathcliff. Their interactions from the beginning was off the charts. It was full of passion and steam. It’s definitely spicy.
There was never a dull moment in the book. There was always something happening and reeling you in. It’s action packed and the twist and turns really got you. If it weren’t the action packed moments, it was the banter and interactions between Cathy and Heathcliff. I also loved the art in the beginning of the book!

I removed a point because although it is set in the south during modern times, I couldn’t get passed certain slangs that were used. But overall, loved the book

Ruthless Devotion is a gothic, dark, and unhinged retelling of Withering Heights. Have I ever read Wuthering Heights? Nope. Will I now? Nope lol.

We get cursed love, monsters, banshees, obsession, and a man who would burn the world for her. And she would burn the world for him. Cathy’s family is absolutely infuriating and the church? THE CHURCH? I wanted to throw my kindle😠

The vibes are exactly what you would want in a gothic romance and I couldn’t put it down!

As an avid reader of classics in my youth, it was nice to see yet another awesome retelling done by Rebecca Kenney. She encapsulated the romance of Heathcliff and Cathy, in my opinion, perfectly. Unlike the first two books in the Gilded Mlnsters series where we didn't have too much overlap between the two books, this one incorporated the previous two couple while keeping the spotlight still on the main couple, while still further building an intricate interconnected universe between all three books. If your preference is dark paranormal romance she is the author for you. Do mind the trigger warnings before reading this book, but I have always found that Rebecca is really good at going dark without ever really triggering me when I read her books. I think that shows what a great writer she is. I am looking forward to the 4th book even more now because I'm so invested in this series and phantom of the opera is one of my favorites!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Rebecca Kenney, and Sourcebooks Casablanca publishing for this digital a
ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Go add it to your TBR. This is a read you won't want to miss!

Thank you to net galley and Rebecca Kenney for allowing me to read this ARC.

The retelling of Wuthering Heights was very interesting. I liked the gothic setting, and the dark, southern atmosphere was interesting.

The modern slang felt out of place to me. I didn’t connect with the characters and wished there was some more character development.

Having read the previous two in the series, I was so excited going into this one and I can safely say that it did not disappoint. On one hand it isn’t anything like the previous books but it also is at the same time which is something I loved! I really enjoyed the pacing and the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliffe and though some might say it was fast paced I would argue that it fits their characters perfectly and blends stunningly with the pacing of the plot. I also really enjoyed seeing the previous characters in the series while also seeing the overarching plot connect between them and finally finding out some tea about some of the characters👀 Overall, I really enjoyed this instalment and cannot wait for the next one to be in my hands, especially with what the next retelling is!

My gosh this was magnificently good! I truly savored this retelling/reimagining of Wuthering Heights. I knew Kenney would do this justice.

Firstly, the characters are so good. Cathy and Heathcliff really stole the show. I liked that they had similar struggles (loss of agency) and when they meet its like they both ignite. Their love is passionate and dark, but you want them to be together in the end. Plus the spice was spicing. Kenney really let these two go wild haha.

I thought the supernatural and cultish elements were a great addition to the story. It fit and made sense. Additionally, I think Kenney did a great job setting up the world and powers.

This is a deeply romantic, dark romance filled with fantastic characters, world-building and steam. Extremely entertaining. Would highly recommend, can be read as a standalone.

Ate this up in 2 days, fun, fast paced, and entertaining. The spice hits you right off the bat by chapter 2 so if that’s not your thing - look away. But there is a plot here I promise, the spice takes a back seat for character and plot development before you dive back in.
Very loosely based on Wuthering Heights by names and general character types, also includes some cameos by other classic literature characters.
You’ve got necromancers, banshees, paranormal activity, vampires, gods, religious/cult acitivity, human sacrifices, its an all out brawl of supernatural beings.
I like that neither of the MCs are the wealthy, powerful, successful, royalty etc. they are both struggling for cash, for company, for purpose, and want to escape. There isn’t a power differential in the relationship and they both help each other.
I enjoy that for once the FMC is related to the god of death and the MMC is related to the goddess of life instead of the typical FMC=light/birth/goodness and MMC=darkness/death/shadows.
It’s a weird balance of old times witch crafty and modern shit: You’ve got human sacrifices in a culty religion setting while also talking about cellphones and instagram posts and Taylor swift songs
The sacrilege is there - There’s sex on a pulpit. There’s an MMC that cries and has real emotions. Overall this was a banger.

Some quotes I liked - 2 funny and 2 about grief
“ People suck no matter where you live.”
“ Mark Linton is a ruddy-cheeked, bland-faced man with a smooth, blond comb-over rendered impenetrable by layers of hairspray.”
“ We hide our grief in bathrooms or beds, curled up in a ball under the showerhead, or alone in a car while rain pounds the windshield. Grief is naked, obscene. Grief reminds us of the wretched truth that death is crawling ever nearer to us, grinning with crooked teeth, salivating for us, gibbering with eagerness, yearning to drag us down.”
“It’s over, and they won’t grieve her terribly. She had become a burden, a chore. The grandchildren will miss her because they don’t understand how her lingering existence weighed on their parents. The parents will claim to miss her, and sometimes they will, when something reminds them of her—they’ll grow misty-eyed and nod and speak a memory of her, but they’ll be glad not to have that extra burden.”

While this is overall a silly spicy book there are moments of depth dealing with death and grief and loneliness that drive the plot of the story and keep you invested.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This southern gothic retelling of Wuthering Heights was a page turner and I could not set it down. From the start I was pulled in, no messing around just diving right in the deep end!

The chemistry between the MCs was fiery and the teasing and tension they had? I was eating it up! I found the southern setting and magic reminded a lot of the vibes of True Blood, which I really loved. If you’re also a fan, I would definitely recommend picking this up! Plus, sprinkle in a little bit of Riverdale from the seasons with the Gargoyle King in there too, because that’s all I could imagine Cernunnos like!

I was also pleasantly surprised with all the twists and turns in this story. It was, start to finish, a very entertaining ride!

This is the third book in Rebecca Kenney’s interconnected standalone series, Gilded Monsters. I haven’t read books 1 or 2 which did not affect how this story can be enjoyed, but definitely plan to pick them up soon!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the early review copy!

Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars

Ruthless Devotion isn’t a book you read—it’s one you endure, survive, and then ache to read again.

This is a gothic, grief-soaked, spell-laced retelling of Wuthering Heights that doesn’t just pay homage to the source—it reclaims it with claws, tenderness, and a fury all its own. Cathy is the banshee daughter of a southern cult community, wrapped in loss and haunted by a gift she never asked for. Heathcliff? Raised by necromancers, brutalized by the past, but burning with this dangerous, impossible softness—for her, and maybe only her.

Their bond is elemental. Wild. Messy. Obsessive. And entirely magnetic.

This story doesn’t try to tame its characters—it lets them burn, unravel, lash out, and grieve. And somehow, in all that wreckage, you find so much love. Not the clean, quiet kind—but the fierce, snarling, no-one-else-will-ever-understand kind. The kind of love that leaves bruises, but also carves out light.

The magic system is more vibe than rules—and that worked for me. The focus is on mood, character, and descent. The swampy, suffocating Lowcountry setting is perfect for a story like this, where everything feels rotten and holy at once.

Ruthless Devotion is romantic, unhinged, mythic, and impossibly human.
He was her Heathcliff. She was his storm. And I was helpless to look away.

Firstly, I want to thank NetGalley and the author, Rebecca Kenny, for allowing me to read Ruthless Devotion.

This was my first Rebecca Kenny book, and after doing a little research online, I discovered that Ruthless Devotion is actually the third book in a series. Not only was this my introduction to her work, but it was also my first time reading supernatural fiction—and it did not disappoint.

The story follows Cathy and Heathcliff, with chapters alternating between their POVs. From the moment they meet, their connection is instant, palpable, and off-the-charts spicy.

Both Cathy and Heathcliff are supernatural beings with unique powers. Cathy, a strong FMC, has endured a tough upbringing. When her supernatural episodes hit, she's left to fend for herself, never having known what it's like to be protected or truly cared for.

Heathcliff, the broody MMC, turns out to be a total golden retriever when it comes to Cathy. His powers are often taken advantage of by those closest to him, and while he'd prefer to use them for good, he's usually forced to do otherwise. He's not used to someone seeing him as more than just his abilities.

While their bond is strong and immediate, part of me wishes we had more of a slow burn backstory to really flesh out their connection. I think it would have been beautiful to watch their relationship grow before it reached the intense level it did. That said, the plot completely had me hook, line and sinker, and I had to force myself to put the book down and return to the real world most nights.

The book gives off Supernatural, Twilight, and Stranger Things vibes...all of which I loved!!! Add in some of the spiciest scenes I've ever read, and it was an incredibly engrossing story to get lost in.

Rebecca’s writing is vivid and cinematic. Her descriptions were so clear that I often felt like I was watching a movie in my head. The story builds to a massive, almost terrifying climax where our FMC faces down a god to protect herself and those she loves.

I absolutely loved this story and am thrilled that it was my first introduction to supernatural fiction. I can’t wait to pick up another Rebecca Kenny book and dive deeper into the interconnected world she’s created.

I really enjoyed this book! Mind you, I have not read Wuthering Heights, so other than the names I do not recognize any similarities to the original book. I thoroughly enjoyed the Necromancer/Banshee lore. The deities mentioned in the book were thoroughly researched and a phenomenal addition to the storyline.

I had some peeves with the way the book is written, but they are minor and don’t detract from the story.

This book is a paranormal retelling of Wuthering Heights, set in the southeastern United States. Without spoiling too much, it follows Heathcliff and Cathy, who are based off the original characters, but have paranormal abilities. Each chapter switches between Heathcliff and Cathy. You can enjoy this book without having read Wuthering Heights, but will also enjoy the parallels if you have.

The first chapter immediately pulls you in as you see Heathcliff engaging in necromancy. The writing is engaging, clear, and consistent. Kenney excels at describing the narrator’s mental impressions and physical experiences.

SPOILERS BELOW

I loved the way Heathcliff was introduced, and the instant sexual tension between them was executed brilliantly. That said, the introduction of Cathy’s sexual hunger during an “episode” felt a bit rushed and too-conveniently mentioned seconds before Heathcliff enters the scene. It is emphasized that she needs sex to survive during her episodes, but it remains confusing as to why. I figure this is intentional, and will be explained later—which is fair—but a few hints here or there could help make it smoother.

The way Kenney transposes the story to a new setting is creative and well done. The change of location from England to Charleston is seamless, and the interweaving of Gatsby’s character is a nice touch. It connects to her previous book and though the two are stand-alone novels, it is nice to see the two universes connected.

I enjoyed this book and hope there are more to come!

I highly enjoyed reading this book! Would definitely recommend it to my besties and reread it! I loved their relationship and that they found each other and got their happily ever after 💙

I RAAAAN when I saw Rebecca announced that her book was available on NetGalley to read now! I’m already 60% in and I’m LOVVVVING IT. I absolutely loved Wuthering Heights growing up, so this paranormal spin is everything! This is a southern gothic retelling of Wuthering Heights, and it slaaaays.

Ruthless Devotion is a modern retelling of wuthering heights, with Irish folklore and a whole lot of spice and fantasy. Cathy Earnshaw is a banshee and is a part of a cult in a southern town. Heathcliff is a necromancer and wants to protect his Cathy with his whole heart. I really enjoyed the storyline as it kept surprising me - I really enjoyed the folklore elements and how it was seamlessly woven into a modern yet gothic setting. I thought the beginning was quite slow and it really kicked up a whole level after the 50% mark. I’m almost sad we didn’t the second half drama happening for more of the book, it was crazy and I was so intrigued for what was going to happen! In the beginning both Cathy and Heathcliff felt very juvenile and they really went on an emotional journey to find each other. Loved the cult storyline - it really added some crazy dynamics to the story.
3.5 stars!!

A banshee and a necromancer fall in love and face off against a god….and a rather horrific congregation.

As a great lover of Wuthering Heights I was really excited to read this. To be completely honest I didn’t get WH vibes at all aside from the character names, however they stand on the their own, Cathy and Heathcliff are both broken in their own way, but unlike their original counterparts they come together and form a beautiful supportive relationship.

I really enjoyed the book overall, southern gothic vibes were there. There was a little more spice than I was expecting but the author does try to explain why Cathy just kind of jumps right into things, and while I’m not a fan of instalust it was fine.

The magic system is explained quickly and well enough to understand without going into too much depth. And there was enough world building within the town to get a good understanding of what was happening as the story progressed.

My biggest complaint is honestly the used of “rizz” early in the book, it just felt so out of place.

Enjoyable read and holds up as a stand alone even though it is part of a series.

**ARC review. Thank you to Rebecca Kenney, her team, and NetGalley.**

This book is a spicy, gothic retelling of Wuthering Heights that leans into a dark and eerie atmosphere. I haven’t read the original yet (though now I definitely want to!), but this story still managed to stand strong on its own.

The horror elements were impressively executed—creepy and atmospheric in all the right ways. Even though I saw the ending coming, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. That said, I really wanted to love this more than I did, especially given how intriguing the premise was. Unfortunately, the language pulled me out of the story. Modern slang like “rizz” felt jarring in the gothic setting and, to me, made the book feel a bit dated before its time.

I’m also not a fan of insta-love or insta-lust. I usually prefer a good slow burn, and while I could see the author’s effort to justify the intensity, it just didn’t quite land for me.

Still, it was a decent read overall, and the conclusion was satisfying. I’d recommend it to readers who prioritize vibes and character dynamics over intricate plotting.

What an amazing read! I hadn’t originally realised this was part of an interconnected series, but it’s just fine as a standalone.
The story dives straight in with some action, creating a great way to introduce the characters and their powers. I loved Heathcliffs personality and how well written be (and all the other characters) was.
The writing style itself was really good, and i just couldn’t put the book down. I don’t usually go for this style of book, but i’m extremely happy i did for this.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read Ruthless Devotion as an ARC, all opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this one because it had such a cool premise: southern gothic and Wuthering Heights just compliment each other perfectly. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get past the first few chapters. “Rizz” in a sentence through and I just couldn’t get past it from there.