Rating: ★★★★ | 354 Pages | Signet | Dystopian Romance | Release Date: 11/1/2016
25-year-old Reese is the highly respected and enigmatic leader of the outlaw town known as Foxworth. She’s created a safe place in the lawless wasteland for herself and her people but she has grander plans for the town’s citizen. Plans that include overthrowing the global authoritarian government. As you do. Meanwhile Rylan, the smart alec playboy from an ally outlaw camp, just wants to crack her shell and get a place in her bed, but also… so does Sloan, Reese’s stoic and fiercely loyal right hand man.
Yep, this is a ménage novel. I have this habit of not reading the back of books, so I had no idea this was coming. This is the first triad I’ve finished and you know what ? I didn’t hate it. Kennedy just does a great job articulating the relationships the characters have with each other and making it work and feel believable. In the beginning the two men are extremely wary of each other and have some intense moments but but by the end of the book I was kinda on board with them having a relationship without Reese.
Can we talk about Reese though ? I don’t think I’ve ever read a female character like her. The young, broody leader with a mysterious dark past who wants nothing but vengeance is usually reserved for male MCs, especially in romantic suspense. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a female character inhabit that role without it turning into a Faux Action Girl or the character being reminded that she’s a woman every other page.
Although holy trigger warnings, Batman ! There is a lot of rape as backstory andFridge Horrorin this book. Like a lot.
Action packed and intense, Elle Kennedy’s Ruled is the searing post-apocalyptic ménage novel I didn’t know I needed.
SIDENOTE
So…even though this book hints at future pairings and doesn’t resolve the overarching plot it looks like Kennedy is done with the Outlaws series and is focusing on her contemporary projects ):