REVIEW: King of Envy by Ana Huang

King of Envy by Ana Huang: To anyone looking in Ayana is living the dream life, successful modelling career and engaged to one of the most sought after men in town, what more could a girl ask for really? Well its all a sham! Her engagement is merely a business arrangement with Jordan, so that he could get his inheritance and she could get away from a toxic work environment… playing the happy couple should have been easy if only it wasn’t for Vuk, the one man that actually makes her heart skip a beat and the one man completely off limits! Vuk Markovic has loved his life of solitude all of these years, being known as the reclusive billionaire dressed in Armani has suited him down to the ground all this time, the less human contact the better. That is until now, until he sees her, Ayana Kidane. His best friends fiancé. Torn between his loyalty to his friend and his desire for Ayana, Vuk has to figure out if Ayana is worth breaking all of his carefully constructed rules…

OMG! LOVED!!! I know I say this every time Huang releases a book that it is my favourite but gosh Vuk and Ayana really did just steal my heart! King of Envy was hands down the best book in the entire Kings of Sin series! This book had that dark and delicious element of the forbidden romance with a touch of longing and some good old fiery chemistry. There was such a perfect balance between slow burn angst, betrayal and drama, and just the right amount of damaged alpha hero with emotional issues. As always Huang draws you in right from the very first chapter and keeps you wanting more and more until you realise it is way past your bedtime!

I absolutely loved Ayana! She was no shrinking wallflower, our girl was bold and powerful and she would use her designer heels to step right over you if you get in her way. I loved that she’s elegant, graceful and incredibly strong in her quiet defiance. She knows that she has to make bold moves if she wants to get out from under the cruel clutches of her agency, even if that meant marrying a man that does not love her, I found her character very brave and incredibly strong. This only made me love getting to see her finally find herself freed and independent. Ayana has such a beautiful journey and I loved seeing her embrace her sense of self and learn that it is okay to want things for herself even if it is for a silly reason. Now for our hero, gosh I just loved Vuk to bits! I think he might just be the most emotionally layered character that Huang has gifted us to date, while Vuk might be the dark hero in this book, he has some haunting scars and a past that will break just about anyones heart. We really get to see just how broken Vuk is and how much his past still weighs on him through his chapters, we get to see him struggle to navigate not only his guilt and loyalty to Jordan but his fear of not being worthy of love. Watching him slowly let down his walls, show vulnerability and allow himself to hope for something more is one of the most emotionally rewarding parts of the book. Vuk has truly stolen a part of my heart.

“She’s a light hidden in shadows, his darkest yearning, Together they burn, caught in a forbidden longing..”

I love a good slow burn love story and this is definitely what we get with Vuk and Ayana, that and so much of angst, emotional and moral guilt. I loved that these two saw something in each other that no one else saw, the fact that neither of them has truly been seen for who they really are. Plain and simple they are both so painfully lonely and they recognise this shared pain. The chemistry between them simmers beneath the surface, with both fighting their attraction due to guilt, loyalty, and personal conflict. As their connection deepens, their romance evolves beyond physical desire to become a story of emotional intimacy, healing and self discovery. Ultimately we get to see these two heal each other and help the other realises their worth, which is what truly makes their story so beautiful.

I absolutely loved every single moment of reading this angst filled, slow burn, forbidden romance. Vuk and Ayana’s journey from forbidden attraction to a love that liberates them both is beautifully crafted, filled with moments of longing, vulnerability and self discovery. King of Envy is a definite must read book for me!

Book Info:

Publication: April 29, 2025 | Bloom Books | Kings of Sin #5

He had everything he could’ve wanted…except her.

Dangerous. Powerful. Reclusive.

Vuk Markovic is notorious for shunning human interactions. The scarred billionaire rarely talks, and he has no interest in relationships outside his small but trusted circle.

His only exception? Her . The beauty to his beast, the object of his obsession.

He saw her first. He wanted her first. But now, she’s engaged to his oldest friend—and the closer the wedding looms, the more he’s torn between loyalty and desire.

She should be his…and he might just risk it all to have her.

***
Beautiful. Successful. Glamorous.

To the world, supermodel Ayana Kidane leads the perfect life. Her career has skyrocketed, and she’s engaged to one of New York’s most eligible bachelors.

What people don’t know is that the engagement is only a business arrangement. He gets his inheritance when they marry; she gets the money she needs to leave her abusive agency.

Pretending to be in love should be easy—until she finds herself increasingly drawn to her fiancé’s enigmatic best man.

Vuk thrills and terrifies her in equal measure. She knows she should stay away, but when her wedding is thrown into chaos, he’s the only person she finds comfort in…

Until his past catches up with them and threatens everything they love.