Cruel King by K.M. Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Intensity that could set you ablaze. So, this is the first book I have read by the talented K.M. Scott and oh was it a great first read. Twists and turns to keep you guessing as well as reality based making the moments that are already heavily emotional make you feel what they feel. Early on Matthias’ cruel words to Ava had me crying along with her. Dual perspective of Ava and Matthias.
Ava is the daughter of the King family’s estate manager. Matthias is the eldest son and heir apparent of the King fortune. Early into the story the similarities while different are prevalent in the different household dynamics. Both have lost their mothers, both are treated differently than their siblings, and both have been harboring feelings they didn’t release went soul deep. One fateful blizzard brings everything to the forefront, no more hiding behind warnings from their fathers. Matthias dreamed of Ava for years, but when finally given a moment alone with her his cruelty that he used as armor cracks, and he gives into the dreams if only for a short time. Ava is accepted by all the King family except the eldest son, Matthias, who has always been cruel to her for no reason she can think of. After he makes her cry repeatedly in the span of just a few short hours she snaps and confronts him demanding he explain why he hates her so much. In a moment of desire, he drops the façade, ignores the warnings, and finally kisses her and more. Everything feels right, like they were made for each other. No sooner is the truth finally revealed and she is forced to move away to her aunts. Five years and neither of them can forget that blizzard and what happened but now things are different.
Can they find their way back to each other? Will Theo take a stand that forces Ava to make a choice? I love how the author tells the reader up front that the story is based but that she doesn’t deal with the “protection” aspect of the characters physical moments, I agree sometimes it takes away from a heated moment by breaking it down too much with reality. The scenery is described perfectly especially when it comes to the reality of snow and how its beauty disappears when it’s in dirty piles cluttering the roads as it slowly melts. Now, the characters, my oh my they were fascinating, the complexing of each character helps build the reality of the moments and the intensity of the twists and turns the characters had to overcome to reach the end. After this I truly hope the author decides to turn this into a series, it would be interesting to see into the lives of the other four King brothers and what secrets they hold within.

View all my reviews