Deviant King / RinaVerse #2 / Royal Elite #1

 This book dives headfirst into the unhinged mind of Aiden King—a man with zero boundaries, no sense of morality, and a possessiveness that is downright terrifying. It’s the kind of dark academia romance that will have you questioning your own sanity for enjoying it—and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m here for every crazy minute of it.

Aiden King is everything you’d expect from a dark romance anti-hero. He’s arrogant, dangerous, and a complete psychopath hiding behind the perfect mask of a star football player. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and he makes that clear from the get-go. Aiden’s possessiveness is toxic and more often than not, far from charming—he’s the kind of guy that, if you met in real life, you’d probably want to avoid at all costs. Those grey eyes would be enough to make me want to play dead if I ever crossed his path. Try run, and he’ll chase. But in the safety of the pages? I couldn’t get enough of his twisted mind. Or maybe I just need therapy.

Aiden is unapologetically evil—and that’s exactly why I loved him. He’s a total dick, but that’s what you sign up for in dark romance. His obsession with control, his manipulations, bullying, and his ability to tear people apart make him a fascinating (and terrifying) character. You’re not supposed to like him, but you’ll find yourself enthralled by his darkness.

Then there’s Elsa, our FMC, who does an impressive job of holding her own. She’s not your typical pushover heroine. Elsa walks through her days with her head held high, determined not to let the bullies (Aiden included) get the best of her. She has this ice-queen vibe, but underneath it, she’s caring and protective—especially when it comes to her best friend, Kim. Elsa may seem unapproachable, but she’s got a heart of gold and isn’t afraid to go mama-bear when her BFF is mistreated.

The chemistry between Aiden and Elsa is pure, delicious toxicity. They are polar opposites in some ways, but as you dig deeper into their relationship, you realize how well they click, even if that connection is a little (okay, a lot) twisted. Elsa isn’t as innocent as she first appears, and she has a dark side that matches Aiden’s intensity—she just hasn’t fully embraced it yet. Her past is still shrouded in mystery, and I’m dying to unravel it (again) as the series unfolds.

One of the best parts of Deviant King? The supporting cast. Aiden’s inner circle, the Four Horsemen, adds so much to the story. These guys aren’t just background characters—they bring banter, fun, and intrigue that ties into the main storyline while also prepping us for their own books. I love how Rina Kent weaves their stories together, building up the anticipation for what’s to come.

Now, as much as I loved diving back into the RinaVerse, Deviant King had a couple of things that didn’t quite hit the mark for me. First off, I was dying to get into Aiden’s mind after reading Cruel King, but the single POV from Elsa’s perspective left me wanting more. Don’t get me wrong—I love Elsa, but I missed seeing the world through Aiden’s psychopathic eyes. I was craving his twisted thoughts, and I just didn’t get enough of them here.

Also, can we talk about the whole virginity trope? Does every heroine have to be virgin and hold onto the information till the end? 

-Are you a virgin?

-Well, not anymore, whoopsie.

I mean, come on—we could do without that particular cliche. It’s been done a million times, and it didn’t add much to the story.

Let’s be real—Deviant King is not for everyone. It’s a dark, bully romance with trigger warnings a mile long, and if you can’t handle the morally dark psycho or don’t like those tropes, just skip it. I’ve seen plenty of bad reviews trashing this book for Aiden’s psychotic tendencies, the bully aspect, and the memory loss theme, but honestly? It’s a dark romance. What did you expect?

I’m not saying Deviant King is perfect—it’s got its fair share of cliches and controversial elements—but it delivers exactly what it promises: a dark academia bully romance with a completely unhinged anti-hero. If that’s your jam, then buckle up for a wild ride because Aiden King is a psycho without a leash, and it’s one hell of an experience.