Title: Twisted Games
Author: Ana Huang
Publisher: Bloom Books
Genre: New Adult
Pages: 456
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️🖤🖤
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Twisted Games
Bridget von Ascheberg, a princess from Eldorra, has always been relieved that her brother is first in line for the throne. Becoming queen has never appealed to her, and she’s content staying out of the spotlight. But when her longtime bodyguard, Booth, steps down, Rhys Larsen takes his place. Rhys lives by two strict rules: protect his clients and never get emotionally involved. He’s never broken those rules—until now.
Bridget is stubborn, independent, and undeniably alluring, testing Rhys’s resolve like never before. He wants her, but he knows he shouldn’t.
Everything changes when Bridget’s life is turned upside down. Her brother chooses love over duty and abdicates the throne, leaving Bridget as the crown princess and future queen. Before stepping into this overwhelming new role, she decides to complete a bucket list of adventures, one of which is sleeping with Rhys. She assumes their connection will end when she moves back to Eldorra, but their chemistry proves impossible to resist. As they’re drawn closer together, they must confront the realities of their feelings—and the challenges of their vastly different worlds.
Review
This is the second book in the Twisted series, and earlier this year, I read the first book (Twisted Love). My feelings about that book were mixed, and honestly, I have the same mixed opinions about this one. But let’s start with the positives.
These books are very easy to read—the writing style flows well, the pacing isn’t too slow, and there’s always something happening. I liked Bridget as a character and found her relatable. The idea of becoming a queen sounded dreadful to her, and I totally understood why. It felt like she was giving up her freedom, with everyone constantly watching and judging her every move. I genuinely felt sorry for her when she learned she was next in line for the throne, especially since it was the last thing she wanted.
As for Rhys, my feelings are more conflicted. I initially liked his protectiveness—it’s part of his job, after all—but it was clear from the beginning that his protectiveness stemmed from more than just professionalism. While that dynamic intrigued me at first, I found his possessiveness and jealousy a bit overbearing as the story progressed. And the way he kept calling her Princess all the time—was everyone around them seriously that oblivious? It was so obvious they were involved.
My biggest issue with the book is tied to Bridget’s character. From the start, it’s made clear that becoming a queen is her worst nightmare, not her dream. To make matters worse, she’s expected to marry someone rich, noble, or titled—definitely not a commoner. She fights to change that rule because of her love for Rhys, which makes sense. But (and stop reading here if you don’t want spoilers) after she repeals the law, I couldn’t help but wonder: why didn’t her brother step back into the role of king? He abdicated to marry a commoner, but with the law changed, wouldn’t it have been possible for him to reclaim the throne? Bridget still didn’t want to be queen, so his decision felt odd in hindsight.
Another issue I had, which also bothered me in the first book, was how the second half of the story shifted focus. While the first part was mostly enjoyable, the second half was dominated by smut. I don’t mind some smut in romance novels, but this felt like overkill. It got to the point where it felt less like a love story and more like reading about two overly hormonal teenagers—even though Bridget is 24 and Rhys is 34. And the crawling scene? That was a hard pass for me. It was just cringe.
Overall, I’d describe these books as oddly addicting. Despite my frustrations, I still want to continue with the series. If you enjoy steamy romances, insta-love, and princess/bodyguard dynamics, this might be the book for you. Just be prepared for a lot of smut and some eyebrow-raising moments!