Okay, this has been a long time coming (reference intended), but I really wanted to catch you guys up on my committed relationship with the Twisted Series by Ana Huang. I bet you can tell by checking my current reads page, but I’ve become so absorbed by this series, that I just didn’t find the time to update which book I was on. So, now I’m on the final book in the series—no surprise there—and I need to tell you guys all about this series!
My review of Twisted Love confirmed that I was totally whipped by the series and the characters, and I would absolutely continue with the series, but so much more has come to light as I tore through the next two books in the series, Twisted Games and Twisted Hate. I think reading romance books is actually educational in a way because it helps me discover the kind of relationship I deserve and will settle for. It makes me look at the world, specifically the relationships in the real world, around me differently; I realize how crappy most relationships are in the real world compared to those in books. This realization often makes me grateful that I read and am obsessed with romance books, but it also helps to remind me what I aim for in future relationships—if he doesn’t do all the things that book boys do, I don’t want him.
After that blurb on yet another reason I read romance books, I’ll get into the actual book I’m reviewing: Twisted Games by Ana Huang, the second book in the Twisted Series. I fricking loved this book. So good. I’ll obviously get into my rankings of all the books in the series once I’ve read all of them, but I think I’m biased towards Twisted Love and Twisted Games because they were the first ones. But, so far, I think I loved this book just as much as I loved Twisted Love, but for entirely different reasons.
First of all, the tropes in both books are entirely different. While Twisted Love was a sunshine-grumpy, brother’s best friend romance, Twisted Games is an enemies-to-friends-lovers, bodyguard romance. I don’t have much experience with bodyguard romances, but boy do I want to after this book. I freaking loved the balance and the comforting feeling of being in love with something, so attuned to them, and also being in charge of protecting them. That just—agh, it touches my soul in a way I didn’t even know! Yeah, I’m a novel bodyguard romance enthusiast, so comment (even though you guys never do) on this review of recommendations for that trope. Okay, back to the book.
So, Twisted Games follows one of the other friends in Ava’s friend group, and I fricking love those girls, but I am absolutely obsessed with Bridget. I was so excited for this book because it followed her POV, as well as that of her hot, older bodyguard, Rhys. Also, can we just take a moment to take note of how all the reader girls are already down for the count when a book guy is named Rhys—thanks, let’s continue. We follow Bridget, who is the Princess of Eldorra, through a more in-depth look at her life and past, and let me tell you, this girl is an absolute angel that we need to protect at all costs. Also, Rhys is a total cutie that we must also protect like our lives depend on it, okay? They just both need to be loved so much. Agh, I love them!
Anyway, Rhys becomes Bridget’s bodyguard when her previous one goes on paternity leave, and they’re enemies at first, but begin to warm up to each other over time. They’re very physically attracted to each other, and over the years there are a few close calls where the words “I want you” hang heavy in the air, but they stay away from crossing that line. Until, Bridget’s brother, who is the crown prince of Eldorra, steps down from his position so that he can marry a woman he’s in love with who isn’t of noble birth. Suddenly, Bridget’s next in line to the throne, and her grandfather, the king of Eldorra, isn’t in the best health. It becomes impossible, rather than improper, for Bridget and Rhys to be together, and yet they do hook up and begin to fall for each other. They eventually find a way to be together and get married, after Bridget becomes queen of Eldorra.
It’s a beautiful modern fairytale, but it also has really intense smut. I think I talked about this in my review of Twisted Love, but I’ll say it again: I’m not the biggest fan of smut, something Ms. Huang and I don’t agree upon. I swear, Twisted Games is the most tame one in the series, I think (haven’t read Twisted Lies yet!), and yet the smut is so *bad*, I have to put my Kindle down sometimes. I love Bridget and Rhys, but smut is not the end-all-be-all for me—I think I really like fluff a bit more. Don’t get me wrong, I love romance books, so I am obviously not aversive to smut, it’s just not the parts of books I look forward to—I love Confessions of Love more.
I fricking loved this book ’cause it just hit my soul at the right time. I was traveling for most of the time I was reading it, so I think I loved it more than I wouldn’t if we were because it gave me a private haven when I needed to escape. There are sometimes those books that we think of more fondly than we would have originally rated them because they connect in some way to a good part of our lives. For me, Twisted Games did that; I would just curl up with it in a crowded, noisy public place, and forget about the world—until I got to a steamy scene and became all too hyperaware of where I was. But, all in all, this book owns a certain small part of my heart and it will keep paying rent for as long as I love it like I do right now.
Genre: fiction, bodyguard romance, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, romance
Age: 15+
Rating: 10/10