The Rogue King

Article Written By: Gabrielle

Disclaimer** This review may contain spoilers and is firmly based on my opinion**

Title: The Rogue King ~ #1 in the Inferno Rising Series

Author: Abigail Owen

Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC, 2019

Category & Genre: Adult Romantic Fantasy

Page number: 429

Tropes: Stuck together, damsel in distress, forbidden love, and secrets.

Synopsis from the book jacket:

“Kasia Amon is a master at hiding. Who-and what-she is makes her a mark for the entire supernatural world. Especially dragon shifters. To them, she’s treasure to be taken and claimed. A golden ticket to their highest throne. But she can’t stop bursting into flames, and there’s a sexy dragon shifter in town hunting for her…

As a rogue dragon, Brand Astarot has spent his life in the dark, shunned by his own kind, concealing his true identity. Only his dangerous reputation ensures his survival. Delivering a phoenix to the feared Blood King will bring him one step closer to the revenge he’s waited centuries to take. No way is he letting the feisty beauty get away.

But when Kasia sparks a white-hot need in him that’s impossible to ignore, Brand begins to form a new plan: claim her for himself…and take back his birthright.”

Why did I choose this book to read?

I have a whole bookshelf full of 'to-be-read' books from my hoarding over the years. As I said before, I'm trying to branch out and read different types of genres I don't typically read, but on my bookshelf, I came across The Rogue King. The red cover with a shirtless male on the front drew my eye. I knew this book was going to contain romance. Reading the synopsis, it felt like long talons sunk into my flesh. The only way to get them out was by reading this book...at least, that's what I convinced myself. 

What did I like about The Rogue King?

Is the room hot, or is it just me? The chemistry and sexual tension between the characters were oozing off the pages. The author did a great job showing their individual wants, needs, and their wrestling thoughts about the other. I knew them getting together was inevitable, but the journey to get to that point was fascinating and not rushed.

The author did a great job creating an interesting plot for this book! Usually, the romantic books I read fall short on the plot side. The tension is great, but once the two characters get together, I stop reading the book because there isn't any other reason to continue. That wasn't the case with this book. There was always a bigger picture moving the story forward. The love between the characters was a huge but small part of the world. It was important for many reasons, but there were many other important things.

I loved that the book jumped between different character's perspectives. It wasn't just the two main characters, but other characters. It felt refreshing to see a different perspective of the events that happened and also be able to get insider knowledge of what was going on with the villain. The reader gets to see the personality of the different characters with how they think and react to things. Usually, when I'm invested in a romance, all I want to read are their points of view to see the tension building, but since there was a bigger story, I enjoyed getting a break from that and seeing the bigger picture of the world and its problems.

Where did The Rogue King go wrong for me?

The author tried to add more heartache and conflict to the book that didn't need to be there. There is a particular part that I'm talking about that I felt as though it wasn't necessary, and it pissed me off. It didn't add to the story and soured a portion of the book for me. I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil anything significant. Just know, if there wasn't an interesting plot, I would have put the book down and not finished it.

Here are some of my favorite quotes…

"Now, fingers of light reached over the house reflecting against the ocean water as the sun did its best to wake the greens and browns and grays of the French seaside around him."

"At the moment, the view below reminded her of a patchwork quilt - the green earth dotted with trees, broken up by roads, rivers, ponds, hills, towns that appeared tiny, the vehicles like ants, the people indistinguishable."

"The two did that manly shake-while-slapping-the-back thing that men did when they didn't want to seem girly with their hug technique."

"Then he pawed at her back, which, given his size, felt more like a two-by-four.."

My character connection…

Brand was an interesting character to read. He is the total opposite of me. He's a loner and has a wall between him and everyone else. Seeing that wall crumble bit by bit the longer he hung out with Kasia was so lovely. All those who had troubled relationships in the past could relate to his hesitation and inner dialogue. He was fighting himself for a while, but once he crossed that denial threshold, he flourished. There was great character development.

Star Rating: 4 stars

Spice Rating: 3 stars

Final Verdict:

This book is for romance lovers as well as fantasy lovers. This isn't a stand-alone book, but the other books are the different perspectives of Kasia's other sisters. That was a unique way to continue the series because the reader gets the feel-good and completeness of the love between Brand and Kasia. Having the other books be about her sisters allows for more romance! I recommend that you read the first book. I could not put it down! All the characters were unique, and I was cracking up with Kasia's inner dialogue.