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Deviant King

Deviant King

A Dark High School Bully Romance
Contemporary RomanceDark Romance
Pages
360
Published
2019
Language
English

Synopsis

The first full-length installment opens the central trilogy at Royal Elite School, where Aiden King rules as the most powerful and feared boy on campus. When Elsa Steel arrives, Aiden publicly declares that he intends to destroy her, and from that moment she becomes an outcast: bullied, isolated, and watched. Elsa, who has her own guarded past and university ambitions, refuses to simply break, retaliating against the boy determined to ruin her. The mystery that drives the book is why Aiden hates a girl he has barely met; the answer is rooted in a long, violent rivalry between the King and Steel families that predates them both. As the two are pulled into closer proximity, antagonism curdles into something more dangerous, and the hatred Aiden weaponizes begins to blur. Narrated in the dark, combative tone characteristic of the series, the book builds slow-burning tension toward revelations it deliberately withholds for later volumes. It is the first part of a three-book arc and does not resolve on its own.

Prose complexity
3/10

Vibe

DarkTenseGrittyComplex
Enemies to LoversRevengeMorally GreyAnti-HeroForbidden LoveBetrayalSlow Burn
Writing3.0Impact3.0Characters3.0Plot4.0Atmosphere3.0
Spice level
3.0 avg spice

Genres

Contemporary Romance Dark Romance Romance

About the author

R
Rina Kent

Writing under a pen name, Rina Kent is a New York Times, USA Today, and number-one bestselling author of dark romance, known for centering anti-heroes and villains: characters readers are not supposed to fall for but do. She grew up in London in a multilingual household where English, French, and Arabic were all spoken, and she still leads a deliberately private life there. By her own account she traces the fascination back to childhood, when an early attachment to a villain set her on a lifelon...

Characters

Elsa SteelProtagonist

New Royal Elite student targeted by Aiden; outwardly cold, determined beneath.

Aiden KingProtagonist

The school's "king" and one of the four horsemen who vows to destroy Elsa.

Ronan AstorSupporting

Member of the horsemen; the playboy of the group.

Cole NashSupporting

Member of the horsemen, nicknamed "Famine".

Xander KnightSupporting

Member of the horsemen; the Elites' striker.

All characters in Deviant King

Frequently asked questions

  • Do I need to read other books before starting this one?

    While this book is part of a larger interconnected universe, it serves as the beginning of a specific trilogy that can be read on its own. Some readers choose to read the prequel, Cruel King, first to gain additional context on the world and secondary characters, but it is not strictly required to follow the main plot.

  • Does this book resolve its main conflict or end on a cliffhanger?

    The story is structured as the first installment of a trilogy and does not provide a complete resolution to the central narrative arc. Readers should expect the plot to continue directly into the subsequent books in the series.

  • Is Deviant King a standalone or does it end on a cliffhanger?

    It is the first book of a trilogy and does not resolve on its own; the story continues in Steel Princess and concludes in Twisted Kingdom.

  • Who are the main characters?

    Aiden King and Elsa Steel. Aiden is the dominant "king" of Royal Elite School and Elsa is the new student he targets.

  • Why does Aiden hate Elsa?
  • Do I need to read Cruel King first?

    No. Cruel King is a standalone prequel about a different couple; Deviant King begins the main Aiden-and-Elsa story and can be your entry point.

  • When was Deviant King published?

    It first released in October 2019; deluxe editions were reissued later.

  • What content warnings apply?

    Reader-compiled warnings drawn from the author's content-warning page include bullying and dubious consent, with heavier themes developing across the trilogy.

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