REVIEW: Ruthless Bastard by Stacey Kennedy

Ruthless Bastard by Stacey Kennedy: Whiskey Blues jazz club own Kinsley, has harboured feelings for her brother’s best friend, Rhett for as long as she can remember. However after his time in the military Rhett strongly believes he is most definitely not worthy of her and will be unable to give her what she truly deserves after all that he has been through.

Kinsley is however not convinced that they would not be perfect for each other, so while away at her brothers destination wedding she sees the chance to get closer to Rhett, and she grabs it or rather him with both hands. After their amazing night together things changed for both of them, Rhett is however more determined than ever to keep his distance from Kinsley. Once back home Kinsley tries to get back to her normal life, this however proves to be difficult when she is threatened at her bar. Together with the help of her brother Boone, their friend Asher and Rhett they work together to do everything to keep Kinsley and her business safe.

“You did a love potion on Rhett?” Peyton asked with a burst of laughter. “In high school,” Kinsley explained. “We tried three times to no avail.” And just to make Remy feel like her magic had all the strength in the world, she added, “Maybe now it’s working.” “Maybe.” Remy smiled sweetly, linking her arms with Kinsley.

Ruthless Bastard is jam packed with danger, drama and suspense, but at the every core of it was a beautiful love story between two people that grow together and accepted each other for who they are. What I really loved was that Kinsley did not try to change Rhett, she accepted him as he was, letting him find himself and make the changes from within. Rhetts personal growth is actually largely thanks to his feelings for Kinsley which lead him to see himself in a different light.

“Kinsley was his. His to protect. His to love, as fiercely as she had”

I finished this angsty action packed romance in one sitting, Kennedy has done such a good job at keeping you wanting to know more and what happens next. Another thing I really enjoyed was the sense of family and the amount of heart Kinsley has throughout the novel. I will definitely say that Rhett was born to be the hero that Kinsley needed, and watching their love story unfold was truly a pleasure. I loved how Kinsley used every chance she could to poke at Rhett, this constant banter just added to the beauty of their story.

“I don’t know why you love me the way you do,” he added gently. “Why you see the good in me and reach to bring it out. I never thought I needed anyone, but when I thought I was going to lose you, I realized my world cannot exist without you.”

I absolutely loved Ruthless Bastard, I would recommend that one should read the first two books in this series to get a little more back story, however it is not completely needed as you can read it as a stand-alone. Kennedy added in a a second unexpected romance at the very end of the novel, for two of the secondary characters, which tied up the entire series very nicely.

Book Info:

Publication: April 14th 2020 | Forever Yours | Dangerous Love #3

USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy delivers a riveting story about a former army ranger who will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves.

He has what it takes to protect her from everyone . . . except himself.

Bar owner Kinsley Knight knows exactly what she wants: Rhett West. How could she resist over six feet of hard, trained physical perfection? Never mind that she’s been in love with the guy since high school, or that she’s the “kid sister” of his best friend. Never mind that one unforgettably intense and heated night they shared-and the unexpected consequences. Because Kinsley’s determined to have Rhett . . . and she’ll do anything to prove they’re meant to be.

But Rhett can’t afford to get distracted by the mind-blowingly hot night he spent with Kinsley, or the insatiable hunger he still feels for her. She’s off-limits. Especially now that Rhett’s been investigating the members of a vicious biker gang who have invaded his town, and they’re intent on putting Kinsley out of business-permanently. Suddenly, all of Rhett’s protective instincts have taken over. Because no one threatens Kinsley on his watch. Not now. Not ever. And Rhett’s ruthless enough to protect Kinsley no matter the cost. Even if it means risking his heart . .