Royal Hearts Academy: Cruel Prince

I realized reading this book how impatient I can be when my emotions are caught in a downright spiral. And I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters long after I’ve read it. They stuck to me.
Ashley honores the bully trope, embraces it and doesn’t f**k around when it comes to delivering; she will take you on a very emotional rollercoaster but there’s simply no way you’ll want to stop the ride. I trusted Ashley right until the end and the results? Purely phenomenal. Best of Ashley Jade so far. Best read of 2019 for me. And definitely a book that offer so much more then just the bully trope. This book is about mistakes. It’s about pain. It’s about vengeance. It’s about hate. It’s about guilt. But it’s also about true love, real friendships and the ultimate forgiveness. It’s about weaknesses and strengths. It’s about characters—each single of them—so real, so humanly imperfect, so intense and unreadable, to finally become MORE than anything you’ve expected. These twos are my favorite couple but that was kind of unavoidable if the female character, as well of the male character are both my all time favorites.
Cruel Prince is everything Ashley Jade has promised. And so much, so much more. Stick until the last sentence of this book. Every page is worth worth it.
There so many moments in this book that had my hair stood up high on my arms. Chills and heartbeat so much faster as I followed both of these characters on their epic path. Many scene are punchy—yes, straight as a punch right in the face (sometimes literally) hitting so solidly, you need to breath and catch your senses. Moments that make this story perfect. Moments that make this book freaking epic. Characters showing how strong they truly are with the depth of their personality and how they end up dealing with their demons. It’s brilliant, no better way to describe it.
I love Dylan. I also love Jace—a connection I’d gotten from this particular character had made me feel him so intensely, something that has never happened to me before. I felt him so much after having worked so hard to read him, but this connection made everything so much more emotional for me.
There’s also characters you’ll just love to hate. Count on Ashley Jade to make them so horrible, you almost pray for their death (Which I have wished so much for one of them ).
This story is complexe with a lot of background—it has depth and lots of history— but Ashley makes sure we grasp all the energy of each moment, making us completely on board with her. My heart legit broke sometimes, especially when a particular character was raised in the story. Its a powerful part of this book, probably the most prodigious one even; I give a lot for the complexity in Jace and the beauty of Dylan, the intensive events and pace but this character is what really breaks us. He knotted my throats and I had watery eyes whenever I saw him in the story. These are moments that are too intense to ignore in a book, simple as that.
It’s the soul of this book. To me, at least.
This book is just… More. More in depth than most. More in the complexity. More on the character. More on the cruelty level and the emotional in it. Just more of everything. Cruel Prince is definitely topping many bully trope books and I really hope people will give it a shot, they’ll read something different. Nothing in it is ever enough to have us say, “nope, Im done”, simply because we NEED to know. And once we start knowing, its impossible not to admire all the strong point in this book. It is absolutely phenomenal. Its way more than an an author outdoing herself. Ashley always raise her own standards with each book. This one is the proof. After Devil and Devil’s Advocate, she still managed to stunned me, impressed me and definitely have me fall harder for her extraordinary pen.
As a complement, the dynamic between ALL characters (including secondary ones) is freaking priceless. Candies for readers. Call it however you want, I freaking love it in this book. Small things done, grand effects. It makes this book apart from the mass. They feel like family (a bunch of crazy people type of family) but its the invisible link between them that makes it powerful, even though its just short exchanges sometimes, we notice them. The underlined dynamic that reach directly to our heart and make us fall crazy in love with it. The overall energy that sucks us in and make us crazy addicts for more. These people are freaking NUTS. NUTS. NUTS but its my kind of crazy NUTS and seriously, I always just wanted more more more.
Its a beautiful, heartbreaking story. Yes… Beautifully heartbreaking. But definitely NOT one with weaknesses we don’t like. Characters are strong. It’s a book full of strength. In all the sense of this word.
This book? It’s Ashley Jade at her freaking, UTTERLY BEST, ladies and Gentlemen. Nothing prepares us for that epic, ultimate perfection. Im madly, passionately. Completely in love with this story.
Phenomenal, perfection and grandiose. 5/5 is definitely not enough to give fair credit to this book.

Cruel Prince is so worth more than 5 stars. Man… this book took me all over the place. I was happy, sad, mad, shocked and then it would start all over again!!

I kept having to remind myself that these are high schoolers because I would forget at times. Not that there is a ton of crazy hot sex or anything but because they all act so “adulty”.

First off: you will LOVE Dylan. She is a fiesty little scrapper that will have you cracking up because she does not back down from a fight. She is pure awesomeness!!!

And then there is Jace!! You are not ready for him. He has so much anger runner through his veins. That boy is a pain in the a$$. But you know how we love the bad boys!!!

Really though, the whole gang is awesome and you are going to love them all!!!

“There’s something dangerously enigmatic about Jace Covington.
His edges are sharp like broken glass… deterring someone from getting too close.
And while most people would walk away out of fear of being cut… I want to merge my broken pieces with his.”
~Dylan~

I am absolutely in love with Dylan Taylor. This girl is so much beyond what anyone around her expects her to be. I love her sass, and her complete idgaf. She won’t let anyone beat her down, or let anyone take away from who she is. She’s been through some s*** and that means she’s not going to take any of it. Even from her old best friend.

“No one in the whole wide world has the power to make me feel both love and hate simultaneously the way Jace Covington does. He’s the yin to my yang. The down to my up. The crazy to my normal. The damaged pieces to all my broken parts.”
~Dylan~

As for Jace Covington. My Gods is he something else. He has so much pent up inside him that no one sees other than Dylan. When it comes to her, he’s of two minds. He hates her, but he wants her. He’s at war with himself at times. He hates to love her, and loves to hate her in equal measure. It’s a duality that doesn’t sit well with him, as he usually knows what he wants. In this case, not so much it seems.

“How could someone so gorgeous be so cruel? It’s a complete paradox.”
~Dylan~

AJ has a way of writing characters you can’t help but feel for. It’s not just the the main, but the others surrounding them. You feel everything they’re feeling. The joy, pain, anger, sorrow, and all sorts of heat……

“The kiss is vibrant desperation laced with spiteful greed. Our lips soothe and clash like lovers and enemies who are indulging and sinning… trying to see which will win out.”
~Dylan~

With this author you experience it all along with the characters. Royal Hearts is a crazy, fun filled ride that you will love every second of. And just saying, I love Sawyer. Absolutely adore the girl. Could not have picked a better new best friend for Dylan. And Oakley. Does that boy have ambition. When he goes for something, he really goes for it. You’ll see what I mean. It is huge.

I have no words, how this book blows me away. This might be Ashley Jades best book ever written! You have the angst, the sorrow, the stubbornness and the love.

Dylan is the perfect heroine, you can connect with her, through all the good and the bad times.

Jace is actually the one I connected the most with. I feel how hurt he is, and understands exactly how and what he feels.

When I first heard about this book, I was caught off guard, I thought Jace was the biggest bully of all time, but he took me by surprise.

Trying to write and not spoil to much! But YOU NEED THIS BOOK, and after you have read it, give Ashley all the love you have and leave a review This book is HOT

I have been looking forward to this book so much and it is fabulous! Well written, fantastic characters, great world building, angst, love, banter, the intensity of feeling we experience when attracted to someone and the cruelty that our fellow humans can inflict for their own entertainment and satisfaction, are all superbly captured in this fast moving read. There are no wasted words; no wasted opportunities to develop the plot and the characters; no wasted opportunities to draw you in and immerse you in this world.
Dylan is fabulous. I love Sawyer, Oakley and Cole. It took me a bit longer with Jace, but trusted that Ashley would get me there..and she did! This has been a fantastic read. I have lived it and am now champing at the bit to read Cruel Knight!!

The first page the first freaking page had me reeled in. After that I was gone. When you read straight through without food breaks or rest breaks you know you’ve been captivated. I swear I think the only time I took a break was mental and emotional ones. Not for long though I needed to know what was going to happen next. I was consuming pages like wildfire and that’s what it felt like dangerous, scorching hot, destructive, enthralling, and impossible to look away.

The characters can we talk about how much of unhealthy obsession I have because I haven’t known them for that long but I’m willing to start and go to wars for them. Jace yes A hole but one that conflicts with my emotions. And as his character development and character arc grows so did his place inside my heart. Now let’s talk about Dylan I have such a lady boner for this feisty warm hearted warrior. She is the kind of character that fights wars and does not bend a knee to anyone but will bend a knee to her friends to help them. Even the side characters are written and placed so well in the story they don’t take away but enhance the story.

The love hate bully relationship with Dylan and Jace is chaotically beautiful, tragic, painful, wild and searing. A relationship that builds, destroys, and rebuild. Because reading about perfect couples with no problems is not what I’m subscribed to. Give me couples that build their worlds together. Destroy each other’s world. Then through the destruction rebuild their own world pebble by pebble creating a stronger love for each other. And Cruel Prince delivered all of this.

I’ll say this I felt every emotion possible to someone. Like how she’s able to make me feel the A to Z of emotions in one book is beyond me. I feel like I can go on and on but I’m not going to waste your time. When this time could be used reading and obsessively falling in love with Cruel Prince like I did.

~ Two Darlin Dolls and a Book Review

Cruel Prince was an absolutely amazing story about a boy who loved and then hated a girl. The dark tones and the humor kept juxtaposition with the chemistry between the main characters. Jace hits all the cruel bad boy vibes, and as much as I wanted to hate him, I couldn’t quite do it! Dylan is lost and lonely, wondering what happened to her best friend, and their angsty reunion was full of fire and ice. I loved the way this story was crafted. I felt like I was right there with them, and I absorbed every word, needing, no, craving to know what happened next! I thought I’d gotten past high school aged romances, but this book is an absolute must read! I can’t wait to read more about the Royal Hearts Academy!

A stand alone, bully romance. Can it get any better than that? Why, yes, a hard yes, because it’s Ashley freaking Jade. The main characters in this book were Dylan and Jace. These two were amazing characters. Jace is the butthole. Dylan is the bad a** sweetheart. These two had a connection growing up. Best friends which then turned into feelings of love and adoration. Something big happened, in which, was tragic and so realistic which leaves us with why exactly Jace is the way he is towards Dylan. You can feel the intensity and the heat rising with those two. The bullying was perfect. It wasn’t too extreme, yet it made you feel what they were going through completely. Ashley’s writing once again does not disappoint- I’m super excited to have been able to read this and glad she decided to get on this trope since it seems to be the new thing everybody has been wanting to read. The other characters we learn bits and pieces about; and I for one, am hoping we get an Oakley book. I cannot wait to see what Ashley Jade has in store for us readers!

I was really excited to get my hands on this book – and I was not wrong!

This book was absolutely phenomenal! I loved every word in it! I devoured it all day, read in every spare minute I had. It captured me from the first to the last word!

There’s everything in this Story, bad boys, broken characters, mean people, so much hurt & guilt, angst, tension, and LOVE. I loved that the author went back to show us how Jace & Dylan became friends, what a great & deep connection they had! And what someone would do for family. Or friends who are family.

Absolutely great start to a new series! Already super excited to read the next book 🙂

I kindly received an arc for an honest review

As in true Ashely fashion this book had at the beginning. It was full of angst at every corner and it was pure perfection. Dylan and Jace were best friends until she had to move away and now she’s back he’s not the boy she left behind and sees nothing snakes when he looks at her and the roller coaster that begins between these two is nothing short then epic. But aside from all the ups and downs of this book there emerges a rockstar in OAKLEY!!!! I need more of him in my life lol

I voluntarily reviewed a advanced readers copy of this book