Review: ‘Black Knight’ by Rina Kent
Black Knight
by Rina KentSeries: Royal Elite #4
on May 18, 2020
SubGenres: Dark Romance, New Adult Romance
Format: AudioBook, eBook
Pages: 326
Narrator: Keira Stevens, Shane East
Length: 9 Hours And 26 Minutes
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Audience: 18+/Adult
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Love is impossible. Hate is an open game.
KimberlyHe was once my best friend, now he’s my worst enemy.Xander Knight is heartbreakingly beautiful.Ridiculously popular.Brutally cruel.He’s a knight but won’t do any saving.
XanderWe started as a dream, now we’re a nightmare.Kimberly Reed is pathetically fake.Terribly innocent.Secretly black.She can hide but never from me.
Black Knight is part of Royal Elite Series but could be read on its own. For better understanding of the world, you might want to read the previous books first. This is a high school bully romance, mature new adult, and contains visceral mental health situations that some readers can find triggering.
Black Knight is the fourth installment in Rina Kent’s Royal Elite series. This was the one book in the series I was anxious to read because I needed to find out why Xander and Kimberly had a falling out. They used to be good friends when they were younger, but something happened where Xander ended up becoming a bully to Kimberly.
Rina Kent wrote an emotional story about Xander and Kimberly, and I felt for both of these characters in different ways. Kimberly stole my heart because there was a girl who just wanted to be loved, and she wanted to know why her best friend, Xander, started being mean to her. She also had so much love for her little brother and cared for him more than anyone else did, especially when it came to her mother, who I couldn’t stand in this book. Maybe it’s the mama bear in me, but I wanted to go through the book and hug Kimberly and be her mama because her mama was horrible to her, especially emotionally. What she went through in this book was hard to read at times. I don’t have any triggers, but there was one scene that was tough for me to read. My heart ached for Kimberly and I had to remind myself it’s a fictional story, but it hit hard at home for me.
Xander was horrible to Kimberly in the beginning, and there were times I was not too fond of his character. He was one of the Horsemen, and even the other horsemen were getting on him for how he treated Kimberly. I loved how Ronan was trying to make him jealous the whole time, and Xander would lose it. It was apparent Xander had feelings, even if he was mean to Kimberly. I was ready to find out why he was no longer friends, though, and it was finally revealed halfway through the book, and it was a doozy of a secret. I was in shock and now understood why Xander was upset. The poor kid found out something that others were keeping secret, and he had to keep it from Kimberly. I did eventually start liking Xander, especially when he was there for Kimberly after what happened. The best part was with him and Kimberly’s younger brother. Xander was there to help when she needed assistance with him.
This book was another emotional rollercoaster in the Royal Elite series. It was full of family drama, tension, and angst between the main characters while also giving a satisfying HEA that both Xander and Kimberly friggin’ deserved after so many years. Overall, I give this book four stars, and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series, especially when Rina sets up their storylines. This is why I recommend reading these books in order. You’ll understand the world and characters a lot better if you do.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s an Interconnected Standalone in the Royal Elite Series, but take it from someone who read the previous books: You’ll want to read them in order.
Previous Books:
Cruel King (Levi & Astrid) (Prequel)
Deviant King (Aiden & Elsa) (Royal Elite Book One)
Steel Princess (Aiden & Elsa) (Royal Elite Book Two)
Twisted Kingdom (Aiden & Elsa) (Royal Elite Book Three)
Would I recommend this book? Yes, I recommend it to readers who enjoy Dark Bully Romances set in High School. Check your TW before reading, though, especially with this book.
Audiobook Recommendation: This series is best listened to if you enjoy audiobooks. The narrators, Keira Stevens and Shane East do a fantastic job bringing the story and characters to life.
What to Expect:
🖤Bully Romance
🖤Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🖤AntiHero
🖤Angsty & Emotional
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About Rina Kent
Rina Kent is an international bestselling author of everything enemies to lovers romance.
Darkness is her playground, suspense is her best friend, and twists are her brain’s food. However, she likes to think she’s a romantic at heart in some way, so don’t kill her hopes just yet.
Her heroes are anti-heroes and villains because she was always the weirdo who fell in love with the guys no one roots for. Her books are sprinkled with a touch of mystery, a healthy dose of angst, a pinch of violence, and lots of intense passion.
Rina spends her private days in London daydreaming about the next plot idea or laughing like an evil mastermind when those ideas come together.
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