I picked this up a few weeks ago. It must have been on sale or something because contemporary romance purchases do not happen very often on my Kindle account. I remember seeing the cover on Facebook, and once I was done wiping the steady stream of drool from my chin, I one-clicked that shit.
Yesterday, I worked straight through to 7pm with no breaks, so at the end of the day, writing was the last thing on my mind. I hit up my Kindle library in search of something to read and found the cover again.
Like, seriously?!? Can someone point me in the general direction of where they are growing boys that look like him??? I’m there. I’m so there.
LOOK AT THAT COVER! (*licks computer screen……….again*)
Anyway, I cracked ROYAL SAVAGE, read the first chapter, and I was sold. The first chapter drops you in the middle of a horrific scene, with little-to-no detail about what’s happening. You just know it is *not* good. As hooks go, that first chapter is a damn good one! I started reading at about 9pm and didn’t put it down until I read THE END at about 3am. This post is my review of the book. 🙂
ROYAL SAVAGE
I CAN’T CLOSE MY EYES… I refuse to. Every time I do, all I see is blood, death, and pain. I can feel it – almost taste it, bringing me back to that night.
It doesn’t matter that I’m still breathing; I no longer need it, I no longer want it. I despise it along with everything else around me.
The only thing I long for is to fucking fade away. I’ve given up. Until her at least…
AVALON.
She comes into my world, knocking me on my ass.
It turns me on to have her around me. Makes me want to wrap my hand around her tight little throat and fuck her until she feels my pain, feels the monster in me, but also makes me want to protect her from the very thing that she should be afraid of… me.
Once she sees the damage that I’m capable of; she’ll look at me like everyone else around me does: with fear.
AVALON KNIGHT
HIS EYES… THE DARKNESS IN them draws me to him, making me want to taste him, feel him… and save him. I shouldn’t have gotten on the back of his motorcycle that day. I know that now. Colton warned me. I was told it was dangerous. I was told that nothing would be the same. He was right.
ROYAL is dangerous, dark, and seductive; the very thing that keeps me hanging on, willing to give my last breath just to touch him… breathe him in.
He’s savage, inked, and highly captivating. So different from his brother…
He’s hazardous to my health, mind, and body, yet the only thing that I crave. I want to free him. I want to change his mind, but I’m afraid that he’s already too faded…
Reg. Kindle Price $2.99
Royal Savage
by Victoria Ashley
Series
Savage & Ink #1
Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance
Publisher
Independent
Publication Date
December 18, 2015
Reg. Kindle Price $2.99
I loved Royal. He’s a tiny bit scary and a whole bunch of hotness. He’s covered in tattoos, rides a Harley, swears too much, looooooooves his whiskey, and smokes like a fuckin’ chimney. Basically, he’s every bad choice I’ve ever made in a relationship. lol AND I LOVE HIM, DAMMIT.
Avalon is a decent character as female leads go. The biggest problem I have with contemporary romance is I usually hate the female lead. I dont like distressed damsels because they usually come off as stupid and helpless. Ava is anything but either of those. She’s strong, a teency bit stubborn, and she’s just reserved enough to not be a ho, but she also doesn’t throw a prude vibe either. She’s likable all the way around.
The side characters are the shit, too. I love the boys at Savage & Ink. I didn’t know this book was the start of a series until I started to draft up this review. I really hope we’re going to get a Jax book. When this book started, I thought Jax was going to be a main character. I didn’t read the synopsis before I started reading Royal Savage so it could have been about termites and I would have bought it with that boy’s face on the cover. He’s certainly part of the main cast, but he’s this book is not his story. He’s just in it enough to make every girl who reads the book turn into a gooey pile of lady mush at the mention of his name…..
I think Blaine’s book might be a little bit too ridiculous for me. He’s a whore. Like, a great, big, slutty slut-faced whore. His libido definitely steers the bus most of the time. That being said, I could be way wrong. Who knows? His book could be amazing because he’s got a really sweet side we catch a few brief glimpses of in this book.
The story is tight. There are no plot holes that stuck out to me, and I read this in one long sitting, starting it at around 9:00pm and reading THE END at approx 3:00am. There are only a few token contemporary romance conveniences. You know what I’m talking about. The conversations or situations that line up too perfectly, way too fast to be even remotely realistic. However, the conveniences in this book are relatively small compared to most contemporary romance.
There are a couple of twists you will not see coming until they’re staring you in the face, and there are at least three scenes that will reduce you to a useless puddle of estro-laced tears. For real, keep the tissues handy. All of those parts are in the second half of the book, but when you hit one, you’re going to be struggling to see your page/ereader.
One warning I will give you is if you are a FREAK about the technicality of proper writing and you demand a typo-free zone, you’re going to twitch if you read Royal Savage. Personally, this does not bother me. I’m looking for a good story and Royal Savage has that on lock. Howeverm Royal Savage is very much written in a conversation tone (as if one friend telling it to another), and there are typos throughout the whole book. Not a lot, but I caught at least 10-15 of them, and, as ridiculous as it may be, that’s a deal breaker for some people.
Overall, this was a great read. I am super-picky about contemporary romance. It’s not a genre I tend to gush over (urban fantasy readers, REPRESENT!), so when I come across a book I couldn’t put down, it has to be pretty exceptional. If you’re a fan of Kendall Ryan, you’d probably love Royal Savage by Victoria Ashley. 🙂
About Victoria Ashley
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author.
Victoria Ashley grew up in Rockford, IL and has had a passion for reading for as long as she can remember. After finding a reading app where it allowed readers to upload their own stories, she gave it a shot and writing became her passion.
She lives for a good romance book with bad boys that are just highly misunderstood and is not afraid to be caught crying during a good read. When she’s not reading or writing about bad boys, you can find her watching her favorite shows.
She is the author of Wake Up Call, This Regret, Slade, Hemy, Cale, Get Off On The Pain, Something For The Pain and Thrust.
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