There are rules to being Abigail Crowne’s bodyguard, rules to watching the infamous billion-dollar heiress, otherwise known as the Reject Princess.Never forget your place, always put the Crowne name above all else, and never, ever hurt the Reject.Especially don’t torment the Reject.Even if she is a spoiled brat.So when an opportunity presents itself to punish her, you definitely shouldn’t take … it.Then again, Abigail loves to be tortured, and I’ve waited patiently for revenge.I’ll keep her safe… with cruel protection.Love is off limits with Abigail Crowne, but no one said anything about hate.
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Mary Catherine Gebhard completely hit it out of the park with this story.
This book is a bully romance lover’s dream story. It has everything that you adore in a great dark bully romance, and Theo Hound may now be joining one of the top 5 anti-hero’s that you just hate to love, and just love way too much to fully hate.
Abigail is 100% the black sheep in her family of elite. Her siblings revel in her pain from her mother’s cruel dislike of her.
She’s the “reject princess”, and her mother is sick of it. She decides to assign a bodyguard to her rebel of a daughter, and this bodyguard….Theo Hound. The boy she loved but got away.
Theo is all man now. A man with revenge on his mind. The wolf going after the black sheep.
Both of these characters are complicated and imperfect. Despite the imperfections, they are perfect for each other. Their story is unlike anything that I have ever read before.
Mary is one of those authors that just gets everything right. The story was unique, intriguing, and so addicting that I could not put it down for anything. This is one of those books that I will be recommending to anyone and everyone who will listen. &This certainly will not be the last book I read by Mary, &I cannot wait for whatever she has up her sleeve in the future!
If you are a fan of enemy to lover/bully romance, this is the book for you. It also includes the well loved trope of Second-Chance Romance, so, if you are a fan of that trope as well, then you have found your next read! Heartless Hero deserves more than those 5 stars, and I know when anyone gets their hands on it, they will completely agree with that statement.
Congrats Mary, Heartless Hero will be a story that everyone is going to be talking about!
Glamour, Fame and Wealth is everything that a girl can dream of. Abigail Crowne had it all or you would think she did!
It was my first reading from author Mary C Gebhard and she sucked me right in from the very first page with this enemies to lovers, bully romance. Author wrote not only romance book but also told us deep and profound story about young couple who’ feelings and life was so complicated.
Mary delivered exactly the level of feelings that I look for in the book!
Abigail was perceived as a black sheep, spoiled little princess and celebrity who’s thought that whole world laid at her feet. There was a lil truth in this but there was also other side of her. She was strong, brave and feisty but also deep down, her heart was bleeding. Her relationship with Theo was full of anger and pain but there was also huge tension and chemistry between them. It was so hard to tell which way author will lead us with this story, keeping my feelings on the edge all the time.
At first as a story began, I didn’t understand their hate, their bully behavior toward each other, but as a story progressed I could taste those feeling. Their relationship was explosive, hate and love were mixed together like sparkles dancing in the fire.
I was fighting my own inner battle during the reading, who I loved and hated in this story, Abby or Theo? because many times they crawl under my skin and next I felt sorry for them. This story will definitely mess with you head.
Mary C Gebhard captured and mesmerized me with her words and I was hooked on it, determinated to read it whole in one sitting. This story has everything what I like in enemies to Lovers, bully and second chance romance.
Heartless Hero just ruined my soul and then glued it back together. Secrets, promises, lust, POWER. This book has it all and so much more!!
When I started this book, I went in with a guess of how this was going to go. But this story is so much more than a bully, second chance, enemies to lovers romance. Mary created a story that will stay with me as one of the greatest bully romance stories out there.
Theo is the perfect amount of asshole and a broken man. He is a ruthless bully, but a compassionate lover. His dirty mouth just about killed me. So incredibly hot.
Abigail, man do I feel for her. She is the black sheep of the family. The outcast, the scandal maker, the trouble starter. She doesn’t fit in with her family of liars and power-seekers.
There is so much more to this book than just a dirty talking alpha and the black sheep. There is so many secrets hiding behind the door. So many twists and turns that will for sure take you on a wild ride.
This was my first Mary Catherine Gebhard story but it most certainly won’t be my last. I can’t wait to see if Mary will do anything else for this world. I’m here for it. All of it. I want all of her words. Incredible story, incredible characters, incredible author.
HOLY HOTNESS!!! This book was AMAZING!
Ticked off all my needs for a bully romance…enemies to lovers! I devoured this book and in the process might have left my buddy reading friend in my book dust! Sorry girl!
My emotions were all over the place! I’m still reeling from all the emotions, learned lessons, experiences, love and hate that filled these pages!
My feelings towards Theo –
Awwww HATE LOVE HATE LOVE HATE HATE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE HATE WANT TO RIP HIS BALLS OFF
LOVE SO FKNG MUCH!!!
Abigail & Theo are absolutely everything! EVERYTHING!!
I’ll be back for a more formal better review but these are my raw unfiltered emotions for now!
Oh! THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ! It better be on your TBR!!! (
It’s no secret I usually love, but often struggle with Bully Romance. There is something about the very idea of it that feels wrong to me. We shouldn’t promote falling in love with our tormentor. When it’s done right though… damn.
Theo and Abigail. The Reject Princess and her Bodyguard. What could possibly go wrong? What could possible go right? These characters are imperfect and broken and their sparring feels like a sexual chemistry bomb about to go off.
I am left wanting her to have a bit more backbone and him to redeem himself more for many of the outright coldly cruel things he does. There’s never quite enough of that for me, but I loved this story nonetheless. A love that’s not supposed to happen and should never work? Check.
I’m always happily impressed by the story-weaving of this author!
This book deserves all the stars, a truly epic read that had my heart beating so hard.
We start with Abby being reprimanded by her mother (again!), this time, her mistakes are going to cost her. She will now have a bodyguard 24/7 who will ensure she behaves and will keep her in line and out of the press with her scandalous behavior and in walks Theo, her new bodyguard. He’s not new though. Theo and Abby used to be best friends, she rescued him from the streets at a young age and has always loved him. She thought they could have been something, but an incident sent Theo away for 4 years and now he is back for revenge on her.
Now, bully romances are one of my favourite troupes and this book takes the bullying a little further than most. It’s not bad bullying where he hurts her, but bullying that is set to take her down and destroy her. Theo sets out to ruin her and he’s skillful enough to achieve this. What I loved about the bully aspect was that he doesn’t let up on her the closer they get and is a torment to her most of the book.
Abby is a complex character, she doesn’t fit in well with others and is the family reject, her brother, sister and mother don’t care for her so she acts out all while trying to gain any sign of love from the ones that are supposed to love her.
Theo (swoon), I love the anti-hero in him. Yes he’s cruel and you will hate him at points, but you will then worship the ground he walks on. What I loved about him was his self righteous and stubbornness and how much authority he had over Abby.
The angst and the tension in this book is of the charts and as much as I really felt for Abby and wanted to save her myself, I couldn’t look away from the pages. Theo was cruel and a hero we love to hate. Mary entwined these characters so early on into my heart, I wanted to cry with Abby and then beat Theo over the head. Their chemistry and sexual tension was sky high. Their love for each other was like torture. The book was a rollercoaster of emotions that I never wanted to get off.
This is one of those books that when you start, you won’t be able to stop reading it, there is such a strong pull to it and you will find yourself picking it up and reading every spare minute you get.
Heartless Hero has just jumped to the top spot of bully romances for me and should be read by everyone who loves this troupe. I am so love with this book and characters and can’t wait to see what’s next in this world that Mary has created.
*An ARC received for an honest review*
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Overall Ratings;u2063
First Sex Scene – 45%
POV – Duel
Hero –
Heroine –
Story –
Angst –
Steam –
Chemistry –
Heartless Hero Arc Review
“Uneasy is the girl who wears the name Crowne.”
Abigail Crowne the fire starter, scandal maker, unloved, unworthy, and the Reject Princess. Abigail is living a life most dream of, but one thing that’s missing is the boy from her past Theo Hound who she claimed as hers. Theo broke her heart and disappeared to be apart of her Grandpa’s guard. After almost five years Theo has been brought back to be her 24/7 guard not to keep her safe but to watch her every move and to keep the Crowne reputation safe. Theo Hound is not longer the boy she saved in his place is now a ruthless man who is ready to take everything away from her. Theo once believed Abigail was different but she abandoned him just like everyone else or so he believes she did…
Heartless Hero is a page-turner with an irresistible bully hero. Yes you read that right. lol With a dysfunctional family like the Crownes this story has something going on on every page whether it’s the hot and heavy sexual attraction/actions between the hero and heroine, drama, secrets coming to light, even betrayal. In the end it all wraps up to an unpredictable happy ending.
A must read if you love bully romance books.
”Abigail and I were a fairy tail I was foolish to believe in.”
Mary Catherine Gebhard just bought her A game with Heartless hero. All the sobs and all the rage! This story was perfection.
Heartless hero is a different take on bully romances that I’ve previously read because this one is a bodyguard bully romance… I hear you. How can that be possible when a bodyguard is there to protect. Well let me just say two words to you.
THEO HOUND
I wanted to slap his smug face and then drop to my knees for this guy. God was he the most frustrating, dirty talking, swooniest, protective alpha ever!
”I promise…
”I’ll take all night fucking you. I promise that by the time I’m done with you, you’ll be ruined for everyone but me.”
Can we just take a second and have a moment of silence for my ruined panties.
”Someday I will be special. Someday I will mean something to someone. Someday I won’t be so alone.”
Oh Abigail. At the start of the book she really annoyed me because I couldn’t figure out why she was behaving the way she did. Why she was a fire starter. Why she went out of her way to piss people off. But the quote explains it perfectly. Abi just wants to be loved. She wants someone to notice her and love her for her. She thought she’d found that with Theo.
If you enjoy dirty talking, possessive alphas, all the swooning, a plot that will make you stabby and want to send shouty messages to the author then this is the book for you!
Bully romance
All the feels
Alpha hero
Plot that makes me ragey
Sex scenes that will make your kindle burst into flames
„A wound on your soul changes who you are. If you didn’t love yourself first, you can’t love anyone.”
Bully romance? Check.
Enemies to lovers plot? Check.
Second chance story? Check!
Heartless Hero is a perfect combination of all three! Mary Catherine Gebhard has created a brilliant story that draws you in from the first page and keeps all of your attention up to the last sentence. I’m a big fan of bully romances and recently it’s not so easy to please me when it comes to this trope, but Mary delivered everything I could possibly want- great storyline, perfectly imperfect characters, unexpected twists and so much heat that I needed to fan myself!
Abigail aka Reject Princess is so much more than a black sheep, hellion and rebel everyone thinks she is. There were many situations that I felt really sorry for her and I understood some of her behavior. Yes, sometimes she was thoughtless and often acted like a spoiled brat, but this could be explained by a lack of understanding and any kind of support. Despite the rich heritage and her family status, this girl could never fit in, she always felt excluded and irrelevant. She’s imperfect, broken and all she wants is acceptance and unconditional love.
Theo Hound… A beautiful tyrant whose cruelty makes a chill run down your spine. This guy made me wonder about the state of my mind many times, because despite his extreme tormenting, he had some indescribable aura that made me unable to resist him. And the more I learned about him, with every peeled layer I fell in love with him more and more.
Despite the old disappointments, unfulfilled promises and resentments, these two still have a strong chemistry. I’m talking about such a connection that’s able to smash everything in its path. And don’t get me started about the heat level… You’d better set the nearest fire department on speed dial before you start reading this book. Or insure your Kindle in case of melting. Abigail and Theo are pure FIRE!
Heartless Hero is a perfect bully romance. It pushed my buttons to the extreme and gave me the sort of ending I craved. Mary Catherine Gebhard brilliantly led this story and made HH one of the best books I’ve read this year. I can’t wait to get my hands on the stories of secondary characters! Bravo!
Mary killed it with Theo and Abigail in Heartless Hero. She had me in so many emotions. The author broke me but was quick to ease the pain although my heart palpitations were no joke. I’m still feeling the effects as I write this review. The hangover I feel is real and I don’t know what to do now that their story is over. MCG takes the bully romance to a whole new level as these adults navigate their way to find a love that they once shared as childhood friends. The lies, betrayal and all the angst will have you wanting to throw your kindle. This is a must read and I can’t recommend it enough!
There are bully romances. And then there is Heartless Hero by Mary Catherine Gebhard. It is a class on it’s own. Poetic. Tragically beautiful. Angsty to the very core. Intense. A brilliant dark masterpiece. Trauma and torture to my heart that I want to go through over and over again.
Bully romances have a fine line between love and hate. And the limits are challenging and dangerous. Heartless Hero walked the fine line with an effortless ease. The emotions were pouring out of each page. I have highlighted almost whole book because I could not decide what to leave. The emotions shredded my heart and then got it back together but not before I suffered all the beautiful, heartbreaking and soul deep pain in pleasure.
Theo Hound. I am obsessed. Just obsessed. This man can switch from cold, cruel, ruthless and dominating alphahole to impossibly soft, caring and sweetest person. And I don’t know which version I love more. He mixes desperate hate with impossibly intense love. He is ready to sacrifice himself and break his lover into pieces if it means he can save her. And Abigail Crowne, the Reject Princess of Crowne family is his weakness and strength. This girl who only wanted love and acceptance from her twisted, dysfunctional and conniving family. But all she ever got was hurt and pain. She has become this self destructive machine who cannot get anything right. Not even the boy she saved, she loved and the one who is her bodyguard now. They clash. They destroy. They make each other suffer beyond imagination. Because Theo and Abigail does not do anything normally. Each moment is screaming desperation and devotion. Each moment has tornado of emotions. They battle with each other’s demons as the world fights against their relation. I hated when Abigail and Theo had to go through so much pain. I loved when they conquered everything. And I so just mesmerized through the journey.
Heartless Hero by Mary Catherine Gebhard had everything in extreme. Love. Hate. Passion. Friendship. Conspiracies. Pain. Happiness. The words hold my heart captive. I am so overwhelmed with the sensual, passionate, out of this world and edgy feelings. Sensory overload and book hangover at extreme.
Received ARC for Honest review
From the start this book gripped me. Mary is a first time author to me but she’ll be on my radar from this point on.
I’m Heartless Hero, you meet a bunch of fucked up characters. I mean there isn’t one character who doesn’t have major issues. Not a flawless book!
Thanks Mary!
But that doesn’t mean I didn’t think the content was fabulous. It was a bitter pill for me to swallow. Not because it wasn’t written well. It is! But because of what goes on in this book!
FYI: BE AWARE OF CUSSING IN THIS REVIEW. SORRY. (Also Long Review)
There was at least once a chapter that I wanted to throw my kindle across the room! I mean I haven’t wanted to do that since I read the After Series!
Abigail is our heroine. Who is the equivalent to a “princess” in the fictional town of Crowne Point on the tip of New York. She has everything she could ever want.
Or does she?
With money comes privilege. With privilege comes expectation. With expectation comes sorrow.
Abigail despite being called a princess is the black sheep of the family. The “Reject” they’ve aptly named her. And boy does she live up to her. Not because it’s all actually true but she loves slaying the family name.
Not that I blame her. Her family is shit balls! Literally! They are a bunch of spoilt bratty assholes. I think half the time she was doing it for the attention, but more to shove her families expectations in their faces.
Like a giving her families legacy the bird. They treat her worse than Cinderella’s stepsisters treated her.
Anyway, she has bodyguards. Upon coming home from a bender, she sees the boy she’s always loved. It’s been years since they laid eyes on each other. Now he’s being forced to be her bodyguard.
Theo Hound or “Dog” as he’s referred to hates the fact that he’s back. There’s so much under his surface it is crazy. His love/hate feeling towards Abigail is bittersweet.
He wants to protect her at the same time he wants to throttle her. Why, you ask? Well I suggest you read the book.
I want to say I loved both of their POV’s equally. Even though I liked this book, I felt there things that weren’t explained that I wanted explained.
Like the deal with her siblings. I mean we get a glimpse into her relationship with her sister but what about the brother?
And the mother? What the ever-loving fuckery!? What was her deal!? She did tell Abigail something about her past but that doesn’t excuse her deplorable behavior!
The grandfather? Hmmm. Shithead!
Anyway. Pick this up for a doozy of a read! It’s very entertaining at points but expect to be angry.
I recommend for those wanting a glimpse into the life of the rich and miserable.
***ARC generously provided by for an honest review.***
Storyline: 5 stars
Characters: 5 stars
Heat Factor: 5 stars
Overall Rating: 5 stars
“He was oleander, as beautiful as he was betraying.” -Abigail Crowne
“Abigail Crowne would be a meteor shower.” -Theo Hound
Heartless Hero by Mary Catherine Gebhard is one of the most nerve-wracking bully romance stories I’ve ever read! The depth in this story, the character development and the twist and turns are like nothing I’ve read from previously. It’s truly something unique and is worth reading.
Abigail has only ever wanted one thing out of life… to be loved and wanted by her family. The proverbial black swan in her family she struggles to find her way through the dark and lonely world she lives in. The only thing she wants, the only beacon of light she clings to is a cruel and handsome bodyguard by the name of Theo Hound.
Theo… oh Theo… he’s alpha, he’s cruel and he’s possessive. As cruel and evil as he was though, I could not turn away or stop the infatuation I had with him throughout this book. Let’s not forget that dirty mouth of his. Some of the things he said to Abigail straight up had me needing a cold shower.
I read a lot of bully romance, but this story is at the top. It’s so riveting and intriguing that you can’t stop reading. There’s more than just bullying going on.
This book really is a must read. The writing is fabulous. Mary has a way with words and character development like no one else. She knows how to ensnare readers from the first page and keep them engaged in the story until the end. She knows how to write characters that we should hate but just can’t.
5 stars!
Revenge Has Never Been Hotter!
This bully romance checked all the boxes! Brace yourself for this angst-filled journey of the mega rich and totally morally corrupt. I could not put it down!!!
Theo’s back for revenge against the girl that abandoned him. Abigail wants to make him pay for crushing her. They were friends once and now they are enemies who are willing to go to any lengths to make the other one pay! It’s going to get downright dirty!
Abigail was the black sheep of the family. Always on the outside struggling to get her family’s approval. Yearning for love that came without strings. She was reminded constantly that she just didn’t fit. Her family had a plan for her future and they did not want any room for her to screw it up. Her new bodyguard happened to be her old crush. The boy she never forgot is now the hardened man before her. And all he wants is revenge.
The conniving, plotting and constant need to watch your back made for an emotionally charged. Theo had a plan and he was going to make sure that Abigail suffered. Abigail was constantly fighting just to protect herself. She was like a threatened animal. When she felt cornered, she lashed out. Their push and pull was HOT! They had a past, but no future. There were secrets and misunderstandings. Their was manipulation and deceit. They would have to find their way to the truth.
Abigail was going to have to choose between a life of wealth and privilege or happiness.
This story evokes all the emotions. I loved it and at times I wanted to scream. Abigail’s life was exhausting. Never being able to let down your guard or to feel loved simply because you are you. My heart broke for her. I felt her pain. However, Theo would always have her heart, so the struggle was worth it. Any sacrifice would be worth it to be with the man she’s never stopped loving, even when she hated him. Buckle up for this emotional roller-coaster.
Heartless Hero is the bully romance/enemies to lovers romance that you need in your life. I am a newbie to bully romance and Mary Catherine Gebhard just made me a fan. She created two amazing, complex characters in Abigail and Theo. This book is absolutely unputdownable and one of my favorite books of the year!
The story follows Abigail Crowne, the black sheep/Reject Princess of her family. She has never fit in with the rest of family so she has used all her frustration and turned it into rebellion. There is one person that she connects with and his name is Theo Hound. She promised to always be there for him, but some unexpected betrayals become a hindrance.
Theo is the irresistible alpha, bad boy we all can’t stay away from. To most, he is heartless but has shown his heart to one…and that one is Abigail Crowne.
When Theo comes back into Abigail’s life, he is cold and mean. Since Abigail has a way of being ‘too much to handle’, Theo is her acting bodyguard. He acts in a cruel manner with Abigail and wants to hurt her as much as she has hurt him. They are both acting in vicious ways because they are broken. The feelings Abigail thought they once had are diminished by hate and anger.
The story is so intriguing because as much as you can see the awful way they treat each other, they are acting purely out of jealousy, betrayal, and pain. Even when they are heartless, they are still connected!
Heartless Hero is all about knowing one’s worth and the worth of love. Theo isn’t a Crowne so he isn’t allowed to love a Princess like Abigail. And if Abigail so dares to love a dog like Theo, she would be disowned. But would it be worth it?
Everything about this read was MINDBLOWING in the best way possible. I loved the complexity of the characters and the connection between Abigail and Theo. I loved how Mary Catherine Gebhard wrote the perfect balance of dark to light scenes. Even in the darkest times, they still found their way back to each other.
I give Heartless Hero 5 stars. It is an epic bully romance that will have you addicted from beginning to end. It was a beautiful disaster that was fit for a Reject and a bodyguard dog.Heartless Hero Mary Catherine Gebhard
This book will have you on edge of your seat. Abby is the unwanted member of the Crowne family and a constant source of embarrassment for family. They’ve finally reach their breaking point and hire a new bodyguard, one she has history with and he’s not looking to be her friend.