The Ruthless Knight

Anyone who’s read “The Exiled Prince Trilogy” and “The Rebel Queen Duet” will naturally want to automatically read “The Ruthless Knight”. If you’re like me, you’ve gotten to know Sir Nikolay Reznik Tarnovsky, aka Nicky, or thought you had. Jeana E. Mann gives us his story in this dark, twisted, suspenseful romance and it’s one I hadn’t seen coming. The depth of emotion throughout kept me on the edge of my seat trying to guess he and our heroine, Caliope, would have to face next. I think this book is truly much deeper in emotion, turmoil, drama, and suspense than any of the previous books she’s written within this world she’s given us. And the chemistry? Yes, it’s there. So palpable it literally seems to come off the pages and can be felt by the reader. From the way this book ended, I felt confident there would be another book coming and I’m thrilled. I’m not ready to let any of these characters go yet. Congratulations Ms. Mann on an outstanding job.

Great suspenseful read – finally story about Nicky

Oh how I wanted to read a story featuring Nicky after reading The Exiled Prince Trilogy and The Rebel Queen Duet. I’m sure this was not what I expected to read about him, it was so much more. He was hiding his true self behind the exterior that he build over the years not allowing anyone to look below the surface. I was taken by surprise when he revealed his true colours. Probably not much more than his relatives and his closest ones, that made an appearance in this book. I didn’t expect his story to go that way. It was emotional, it was full of suspense and action packed. Of course it wouldn’t be Nicky if there won’t be strong need for vengeance, feelings of resentment, envy and jealousy. Some really hot and sexy times, because he was made for sin and there was no one to resist him, well almost. I was so happy to see there was some reconciliation between him and his family and that deep inside he was a knight that he was suppose to be.
Fantastic page turner that kept me reading and guessing what can happen next and how it all will unravel. I would love to read some more stories placed in this universe of ruthless contemporary Kings, Queens and Knights.

Loved the book it was great, the story was well written and the characters are interesting. Once I started I could not put the book down from start to finish you just could not get enough left you wanting more twists and turns hot and steamy like a rollercoaster ride of emotions that makes you want more. When she stole from him even though he steals .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

He may not be the bad guy everyone thought………..but he will always have some dirty bad in him

The Ruthless Knight is yet another really well written and engrossing book by Jeana E. Mann. All of her romance books have a bit of a darker edge to them but yet they do not skid down that hill into the darkness. Instead she weaves detailed stories with interesting and well developed characters and ends up with some unexpected results along the way.
The Ruthless Knight is set in the world of The Exiled Prince and The Rebel Queen series but you do not have to have read these books in order to thoroughly enjoy this book. This story is about Calliope Jones and Sir Nikolay Reznik Tarnovsky, aka Nicky because his name is a mouthful to say the least. Their initial interaction is very interesting as he is mesmerized by her and she ends up stealing from him by quite literally being light fingered and taking them off his body. She then disappears on him just as he thought things were about to get really interesting. When he realizes what she has done he is determined to find her, but not to punish her in the normal way.
This story has a lot of twists and turns and also a lot of lighter moments and darker. There is a Colombian Cartel added into the mix, a ball, a kidnapping, violence, torture and a whole lot of sexy chemistry.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.

The story is steaming, intriguing and engaging.
Nikolay has no idea the thief would steal more than his possessions,watch,car and his heart.
Nick and Calliope’s world. He is seriously hot and dangerous alpha but he would do anything for people he loves.
Calliope is perfect for him, she understands him, grounds and love him.
She stole his heart but given hers…

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The Ruthless Knight is my first encounter with this author, but I had high hopes! I went in with an open mind and was pleasantly satisfied. The writing style was really great and easy to read. I was sucked in pretty quickly by the characters and the storyline. There was a lot of action and intrigue from the start. Nicky and Calliope had an instant attraction that was clear and though their circumstances were not the ideal way to meet nor the most conventional way but in times of distress forging a bond is common I suspect. After everything these two went through during their journey together it is no wonder, they formed such a strong connection. The Ruthless Knight is an insta-love type story so if that is not something, you’re into then this might not be for you. But if you love this author already or are looking for a fun, quick, romance with a dash of danger and mystery I’d pick this one up!
-Mackenzie

Oh my Nicky and Calliope have quite the instant chemistry!! Nicky is quintessential bad boy, black sheep of the family and always on the hunt for his next adventure. When he meets a mystery woman that peeks his interest, sparks his desire and also lifts his wallet well now we have quite the adventure at hand!
Miss Calliope has always been a scraper she fends for her self and is the master of getting out of jams. When she meets Mr. Tall, Confident and Arrogant it becomes a game that neither one may win. When outside forces take control of their lives they now must now join forces and hopefully come out on the other side ! Get ready for action, adventure, steamy sexiness , and raw emotion!
~~Michele McMullen ~~

Back into the dark and twisty world where the royals are less than typical or what one would expect. This is the story of Calliope and Nicky. Calliope is a thief and she successfully steals a few items from Nicky. Nicky kidnaps Calliope and uses her as payment to clear a debt with the cartel. Fate is destined to bring them together but Karma seems under the assumption that they need to work for their HEA, if they get one. As the story unfolds be prepared to be left in lust, suspense and shock. A great read with equally amazing characters. Enjoy!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

An Intense, Twisted Read! Nicky Has Been The Bad Guy, But Here He Shines As His Dangerous Journey Forces Him To Open Up And Grow Up, Finally Facing His Past And Finding Hope For His Future.

Trigger warning: this story involves violence and torture. Reader beware.

This stand-alone novel has characters that intersect several books by the author. It is not necessary to have read them, though those that have followed Roman’s story in The Exiled Prince Trilogy will find a deeper satisfaction in the emotional closure found here. Chronologically it follows The Rebel Queen Duet.

Sir Nikolay Reznik Tarnovsky, thirty-two, is a successful businessman with an international empire. His success was built on voyeurism. He and his adopted older brother Roman Menshikov run Devil’s Playground, a members only exclusive club that caters to kink. Having lost his parents in an insurgency, Roman is an exiled prince, and Nicky is his knight. Nicky took an oath to protect the heirs of the throne, but it doesn’t come easily. Roman had once been his idol, but they now have a contentious relationship.

Nicky was sent away at age eight in preparation for his duties. He was robbed of the choice to serve, and growing up in Roman’s shadow became a burden once Roman had everything yet began to find fault in all Nicky did. Nicky acted out in response, serving only to reinforce how Roman viewed him. He made a huge mess of his life at the tender age of sixteen, and the result irrevocably changed both his and Roman’s lives and permanently strained their relationship.

Feeling unloved and unwanted from childhood, Nicky always keeps women at a distance, going through them at a quick pace. That might have changed with Rourke, but it was Roman that she married. Yet when Rourke and her best friend Everly, whom Nicky briefly dated, are threatened by Everly’s father, former U.S. VP Don McElroy, Nicky steps up. He sacrifices his freedom when he discovers Don is hidden in Columbian drug queen Valentina Sokolov’s compound. In exchange for Don, Nicky secretly agrees to be Valentina’s whore. When she calls he must come to her. But he got more than he bargained for because Valentina is twisted and brutal. And though five years later Don is in jail and her end of the agreement is no longer relevant, she won’t release him from the bargain. He never asks for credit or help. Nicky silently suffers for five years for the protection of his family and friends, while remaining an irresponsible jerk in their eyes. But Nicky can’t continue on with sick games so the time has come to put an end to the bargain. Valentina gives him an out. Simply find and bring Calliope Jones to her and Nicky will be free.

Calliope Jones, twenty-eight, escaped a horrible childhood only to discover the man that saved her was no hero. Abandoned by her father and left to be raised by a mother constantly in and out of rehab for a heroin addiction, Calliope was often left with the various men who came and went in her mother’s life. She was molested, forced into dancing at strip clubs, and finally prostitution. When Cash found her, she thought she found a savior in him. They dated for years and he taught her how to run cons, but she eventually realized he used her the same way she had been used before. She wants out, but he claims she owes him and won’t let go. Silently plotting her escape for years, she only needs the right opportunity to present itself to steal away and disappear from his wrath.

Months into her new life as a bartender in Cleveland, Calliope notices a suspicious man lingering as closing approaches. She is too well-trained to panic, but she knows her cover is blown. Outsmarted, she finds herself held captive not by Cash, but by Mr. Big, as she had called him, from her last job at the London location of Devil’s Playground. The two have incredible chemistry, which is unfortunate given the circumstances. When Nicky takes Calliope to certain death at Valentina’s hands, he feels sorry for her. But his family has been threatened and he has no choice. Although he delivers as required, Valentina is not finished with him yet. She sets about a twisted game of torture with Nicky and Calliope.

Nicky and Calliope’s story his deeply satisfying for those that have followed Roman and Nicky. Nicky has been the bad guy, but here he shines as his dangerous journey forces him to open up and grow up, finally facing his past and finding hope for his future. He finds love not with a wealthy heiress, but with a former stripper and prostitute. Both Nicky and Calliope were robbed of choices when little, and both stumbled into an adult life not of their own choosing. Both are now beholden to an agreement they cannot escape. And both find themselves facing death. Together.

Calliope finds comfort in Nicky, who never abandons her. He has lived through this hell before and knows what to expect. He never lets her see his pain, opting to be her source of strength instead. Calliope’s determination to fight amazes Nicky. Her strength is extraordonary and earns his admiration. Forced together, the pair forge a friendship, and Nicky finds himself talking openly with a woman for the first time.

A good portion of the latter part of the story deals with the aftermath of Nicky and Calliope’s activity. Roman, Rourke, King Henry, Everly, Claudette, and Milada greet the couple. Truths are told and past differences addressed. The couple’s future remains in doubt until a swift end wraps up loose ends very nicely. The couple earns their HEA.

There are a few issues that merit mention. *Spoilers* First, it is stated that Nicky made his bargain with Valentina both three and five years ago. Second, it is unclear how Nicky could have kept up with his duties and his business all those years, given that Valentina cruelly locks him away until done with him. Certainly Roman would have caught on. Third, Valentina’s husband Yuri is an associate of Cash, who runs Calliope, so it is unclear why Valentina hadn’t pursued Calliope through Yuri years ago. Fourth, when Nicky and Calliope discuss escape, they don’t seem to remember the threats against Milada and later against Jagger, Calliope’s sister. Both had been willing to die protecting them. Fifth, it is shocking that Calliope’s grandmother knew to keep Jagger when kicking out Calliope and her mother, but damned Calliope by having her leave with a heroin addict. There is no explanation for the different treatment, nor how Jagger came to be with Calliope again. Sixth, Rourke claims she had no idea Nicky was so young when Milada was born, which can only mean that she is bad with math. Seventh, in the end, Calliope hasn’t seen the other two couples in six months, which doesn’t seem reasonable given she now works for Roman and Nicky. Eighth, for me, the story dragged midway through. These factors slightly lower my rating, but the ending makes it a very worthwhile read.

Nicky and Calliope’s story is an intense, twisted read. The story is plot-driven, with complex layers. The characters are wonderfully defined. The story is written in first person and the POV alternates between Nicky and Calliope. I rate this book four stars.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Erase everything you thought you knew about Nicky before starting this book! He’s a completely different man from the manipulative jerk we thought we knew. Behind that façade, is a man who had a troubled past, spent in preparation to live in service of his big brother, the exiled prince. He’s not the happy and carefree player we think of, but rather an man enslaved into a dark relation with a horribly evil mafia cartel mistress, in order to save his family.

“I swore an oath to protect and serve the heirs to the Menshikov dynasty. I’m his knight, and he’s my sovereign.”

Calliope did a brilliant break and entering into the Masquerade of Marquis, the very exclusive annual ball held by Roman Menshikov every year at his British estate. She enslaved Nicky’s attention with her looks:

“Females like her make my mouth water—giant tits, a tiny waist, and an ass that jiggles with each precarious step on her towering sandals.”

Wanting this woman is what takes him into a trip he will never forget, a trip that will take away his freedom, his mental stability and his strength. Calliope is with him on this mortal trip and they forge a bond that will be permanent.

This story is very dark and sometimes distressing. It changed everything I thought about Nicky and his player ways. In a way, he has been a victim of his circumstances and forced to take some decisions that were harmful for him but in protection of those he loves. In the face of the worst, he remains steadfast in his principles and in defense of Calliope, shows his strength of character.

Calliope had a bad start in her life, born to a drug addict mother and forced into a life of prostitution and theft by her circumstances. She’s brilliant at what she does, but she longs for a dignified and moral life. In a way, both Calliope and Nicky had similar feelings:

“Although my circumstances were much different, I never felt loved or wanted, and I was forced into a life of someone else’s choosing.”

You could say that Calliope and Nicky were each other’s salvation and redemption. You can actually follow as their feelings are forged in the danger and pain they face, how their loyalties are tested, how together they fight. They turn to each other for consolation and end up in love.

This is not a book for the faint of heart, it’s dark, it’s yummy, and it’s distressing. But for all the darkness, I loved all the love and support and clarification that happens at the end. I loved how Roman and Nicky clear out their grievances.

“You were the most important person in my life, and you never cared enough to notice how unhappy I was.”

And they all lived happily ever after, brothers, friends, and new lover!