Never Hollowed By The Stare

Park Avenue Kings: Merciless by Ella Frank & Brook Blaine

Who are we? Nobody really knows. We’re the seven most powerful heirs to empires, ruling Manhattan from our thrones on Park Avenue. By day, we’re the elite, untouchable, and more connected than you could ever imagine. By night, we revel in the darkness of our secrets, pulling strings that make the city bow to our whims.

Ruthless.

Dangerous.

We’re the Park Avenue Kings.

He was sent to watch me. Now he can’t look away.

They sent the president’s son to babysit me.
How precious.

Shepherd “Shep” Winchester III thinks he’s here to keep me in line—keep me quiet, keep me still, keep me safe.

Good luck with that.

I’m Theodore “Theo” Rinaldi, the youngest Prince of Monaco, and the most merciless of the Park Avenue Kings. And I don’t do obedient. Not for my royal family. Not for the crown. And definitely not for the suit King sent to shadow me.

Shep is all discipline and duty.
I’m chaos in a custom suit.

We clash. We combust.
And then we cross a line we can’t uncross.

Now there’s a blackmailer on our trail, a target on my back, and the Kings think I’m the traitor. But if they want to come for me, they’ll have to get through him.

Because the soldier with the perfect posture and the unreadable eyes?
He’s not just protecting me anymore.

He’s falling for me.

And I’m going to ruin him for it.

Merciless (Park Avenue Kings #4) is the first book in a duet within the Park Avenue Kings series. Ruthless (Park Avenue Kings #5) will be the continuation.

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Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away

Soundtrack: Mercy
Artist: IAMX
Album: Kiss + Swallow

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Park Avenue Kings: Ruthless by Brooke Blaine & Ella Frank

They called him America’s golden son.

Now he’s the man who’d burn the world for a prince.

When Prince Theodore Rinaldi vanishes, Shepard “Shep” Winchester III will do anything to bring him back.

What starts as a mission of duty ignites into a forbidden obsession—one that blurs every line between loyalty and love.

Back in New York, the Kings are under attack, their secrets exposed, their brotherhood fractured.

And when an attempt on Theo’s life plays out in front of flashing cameras, the world sees what they were never meant to: a touch too intimate, a look too raw.

Shep is the son of American power.

Theo is European royalty.

And in a world built on loyalty, betrayal, and lies, love might be the most ruthless act of all.

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Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

Soundtrack: Ruthless
Artist: Allegra Jordyn
Album: Ruthless

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Merciless and Ruthless is a duet in Park Avenue Kings, the spectacular contemporary romance series by acclaimed duo Ella Frank and Brook Blaine. The Kings are a secret brotherhood of vigilante billionaires known as Libertine, led by Tyrone Kingston— the “King.”

Our Kings this week are Prince Theodore Rinaldi of Monaco and Shepherd O’Neale Winchester III, son of a former U.S. president. Best friends turned lovers after Theo’s brother’s royal wedding, Theo and Shep’s bond is tested by the meddling King, Shep’s ex, despite having two boyfriends (Park Avenue Princes). Theo becomes a target after a suspicious bombing video surfaces. He and Shep were in a safehouse in Brazil when Theo was abducted.

Merciless is certainly more intense, bursting with sexual tension as Shep and Theo explore their new dynamic. Theo is chaotic and impulsive, while Shep is steady and protective. Their chemistry is explosive, Theo pushes boundaries, Shep dominates, and both alphas aren’t afraid to switch roles.

Theo is full of crazy antics, and Shep couldn’t help but be drawn to him, his protective instincts going on overdrive. I loved how they played off each other, their push-and-pull sparking irresistible heat. The only thing missing is Theo being merciless when he was really just impulsive.

After a heart-stopping cliffhanger, Ruthless opens with Shep’s frantic search for the missing Theo in the Amazon. I thought this would take up most of the plot, given the blurb, but the two reunited soon after, and the rest of the plot focused on the search for the blackmailer theatening Libertine.

This was also not King’s finest moment, having abandoned Theo when he was abducted, and fractures appear among the brotherhood. Also, I’m not impressed with how he pretends everything is fine until Theo demands an apology and has to throw a tantrum before King would do so. Alesso is under a lot of stress, leading up to his book, which I’m excited about.

The villain takedown was rushed. I was hoping for more details on this part of the mission. There was a big deal about Alesso having a hard time finding the bad guy who was supposedly smart, only for said bad guy to do something dumb in public.

Romance-wise, this part of the duet is more dramatic but also sweeter and swoonier. Theo and Shep lost no time making it official with not one but two celebrations that couldn’t be more different but equally ridiculously romantic! They have some of the most squee-tastic moments, and the books delivered the feels they promised.

Merciless and Ruthless is a sizzling duet of danger, brotherhood, and royal weddings where a prince and a president’s son come together in chaos and passion. Overall, mercilessly thrilling, ruthlessly swoony!

P.S.

Park Avenue Kings is best read in order. Each King is gorgeous and deadly.

Savage is Lachlan, shadowy and dangerous.

Devilish is Lucien, temptation incarnate.

Immoral is Benoit, utterly seductive and captivating.

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MERCILESS: Amazon UK | Audiobook
RUTHLESS: Amazon UK | Audiobook

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