Ruthless King (Mount Trilogy Book 1)

I’ve been meaning to read a book from Meghan March for a while now. I’ve had the first from her Mount Trilogy books on my kindle for a couple of years. I finally made time during the summer and read the book in less than two days when I was on vacation traveling the state of Florida doing college tours with my oldest daughter. I needed a distraction, and the Ruthless King was the perfect distraction, especially when it hit me that my oldest daughter graduates next Spring and will leave me to go off to college. This mama is not ready! I’m thankful to authors like Meghan March, who can send me into a fictional world to escape reality for a while.Storyline/My Thoughts: How many stars did I give Ruthless King after reading it? ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Yes, I gave it five stars because it deserves those stars. I had difficulty putting down the book because of the characters, storyline, and crazy cliffhanger. I wish I could give it more, but Amazon/Goodreads won’t let me.I loved Ruthless King from the first page to the last page, even if the MMC, Lachlan Mount, drove me batty with his alpha-like, powerful, controlling jerk ways. This man comes into the life of the FMC, Keira Kilgore, after her jerk of a dead husband rakes up debt that he was supposed to pay back to Lachlan Mount. Now, it’s on his widower to pay back the debt. She can’t; instead, Lachlan offers to take her for the debt. She will not accept being Lachlan’s property until she consults with her closest friend. Unfortunately, even her friend says she can’t disappear, and she will have to either come up with the debt owed or be Lachlan’s. Lachlan is a handsome, powerful man who could have any woman he wants and wants Keira. Lachlan is not a man you can say no to, and Keira will realize it immediately. However, Keira will not back down, and she’ll fight back against Lachlan, making him want her more.I loved the banter between these two characters, even if Lachlan was an alpha-hole. The steam/spice between the characters is HOT when Keira gives in to Lachlan. Lachlan will prove that he can do things for her in the bedroom that her former husband never did for her. He’s going to give her everything she ever craved and more. Her former husband was a jerk in his own way. Not only because he used her family’s distillery business as collateral for his debt, but he treated her crap in the bedroom and even ended up cheating on her.I loved Keira’s character when she fought back against Lachlan. I liked her also because even with her having trouble with her family’s business, she didn’t want to give up on it. She also didn’t want her family to know she was struggling. She was trying everything to get it up and running successfully. She’s a fighter, and I loved that in my FMCs in stories. Unfortunately, as I stated in the review, she couldn’t say no without consequences. Lachlan gave her plenty of punishments in the book for disobeying him.Here’s why I liked Lachlan. Don’t judge me for it, but I sometimes want an alpha-hole in my stories, especially in Dark Romances. Yes, he did some questionable things when it came to Keira. He owns her for the debt owed to him by her former husband. He’s showing her how she should have been cared for in the bedroom. He even does something in this book that makes her realize that he will not let anyone harm her. She is supposed to be his, and he will protect her at all costs.That cliffhanger at the end of this book made me almost throw my kindle, but I resisted, and now I’m anxiously waiting to make some time for the second book in the trilogy. I need to find out what happens next with Keira and Lachlan.I’m so glad I finally made time to read a book by Meghan March. If she writes MMCs that are morally grey characters always, like Lachlan. I may be in trouble, though. I can’t have any more book boyfriends added to my list. My husband gets jealous. Although, when it comes to Lachlan, he’s already been added. My husband will have to deal with it. 😉Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Mount Trilogy, and I recommend reading in order.Cliffhanger: YesWould I recommend this book? Yes. If you enjoy Dark Erotic/Contemporary Romance books with Enemies to Lovers vibes and an MMC who will hurt anyone who flirts or tries to touch the FMC, I recommend this book.

Last things first: Holy crow! That ending, I did not see that coming! I have so, so many questions. Meghan March gave us one heck of a cliffhanger in this book. I’m going to be on tenterhooks waiting for Defiant Queen; I need it.Lachlan Mount is an enigma; I have no idea who he is, really. I can probably name the things I do know about him on one hand:1 – he’s demanding2 – he’s controlling3 – he’s feared (for good reason)4 – he’s a ghost5 – he’s sexy AF.There have been little snippets he’s given us, clues as to what has made him into this terrifying, notorious, untouchable figure, but nothing concrete. I do not doubt that peeling back the layers he’s made of over the course of the next two books will be a fascinating experience.Keira is much more of an open book, she’s easy to read and has a hard time concealing precisely what she’s feeling at each moment. She’s fiery and strong, and maybe exactly the kind of unbreakable Lachlan Mount needs. I think I fall a little bit in love with her every time she stands up to him, even when she knows the type of person he is purported to be.This book is decadent. The world is so rich, the sultry New Orleans feel comes through even with the city playing little part in this book. The imagery is rich and palpable; I could nearly feel the materials as they were described on the page. Meghan March delivered some intense sex scenes without ever making them feel tawdry. I hope this sinful opulence carries throughout the series.Meghan March is a new to me author; she’s been on my radar for a while, and I have a fair few of her books sitting on my kindle but I’d yet to have the occasion to read one. I’m sorely remiss for having not made the time. Ruthless King was consuming, and each character had such a strong voice I was thoroughly entranced with them. I will definitely keep Ms. March on my go-to authors from here on out.

6 stars!Speechless.I’m struggling to write this review because Ruthless King is so unbelievable good I literally can’t find words that can do it justice.Mind blowing. Hot. Scorching hot. Intriguing events. Gripping writing. Strong feisty heroine. Sexy, dangerous, mysterious hero.I can’t even form complete sentences! That’s how great Ruthless King really is. Honestly, this year I’ve read amazing books. Truly amazing books that made me postpone some social events (yes, I’m a horrible friend!) and go to work after sleeping for just one hour, but Ruthless King raised the bar even higher because I didn’t sleep single minute, I didn’t regret it and I was buzzing through the entire day without coffee! That never happened to me before. I reread it not even 24 hours later and guess what? I only slept two hours that night… So, let me tell you this: Ruthless King is without doubt my favorite book this year!I’m sorry for not providing much information about the story but I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll just keep it vague: Keira and Mount are the hottest couple ever! Their chemistry is intense, their banter is amazing and I loved how Keira defied Mount every step of the way (oh well, not every step if you know what I mean…). Keira never saw Mount coming, she tries to resist him, defy him, fight him but soon she realizes she’s also fighting herself and her deepest, darkest needs and desires. Mount wants Keira and he’s used to get what he wants. But he also wants her willingly. That is absolutely essential for him. Their chemistry is so insane, that just one small touch turns the tide in is favor but he definitely doesn’t expect how Keira keeps refusing to bow down and obey him, she’s surprising him at every turn although Mount always gets what he craves…Compelling, dark, unpredictable, scorching hot, brilliantly written with a captivating storyline, Ruthless King is absolutely explosive. If you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out! Can’t wait to get my hands on Defiant Queen!

Omg. I loved it. I don't know why i was so late in picking this series up but it is amazing. There is a good plot with suspense and the heat level is so high, like the Superhit combo, makes this a fiery read.

OMG! I regretted so much having this book on my kindle for so long and not haven't read it before. This book is amaznig and I can't wait to read the next one in this series. My status now... Love-Hate Mount!

This is a 5 big stars read. Well written, no repetition, suspenseful, action packed and compelling. Once and a while, you find a book where you are taken out of your everyday life and immersed into the author’s world. A world filled with beautiful no nonsense, take no prisoners or crap feisty heroins and put them together with gorgeous but stubborn, domineering, hero alpha males and, if you are really lucky, you’ll realize after book 1 there are 2 more. This is the kind of story you savour for a quiet or rainy weekend when you can curl up, undisturbed. I love that these stories are in New Orleans. I’ve never been there, but it is a perfect place for intrigue, suspense, mysterious and dangerous characters. I read The Mount Trilogy first and was so thrilled that the author was coming out with the Savage trilogy I couldn’t wait. Now, I intend to go back and read the Beneath series. Do not hesitate, both trilogies (6 books) are one’s you want to buy so you can read again.

I haven’t yet read a book by Meghan March that I haven’t loved reading. Somehow you always end up falling in love with her characters. Even if they are an Anti Hero.Lochlan Mount is the King of New Orleans. He knows exactly whats happening in his domain and he rules it with an iron fist. He is known as a mean son of a bitch. He gets everything he wants and he doesn’t care who he has to kill or go through to get it.Keira Kilgore has lived a good and sheltered life and now she has finally taken over her family’s business/legacy Seven Sinners Distillery. Which she has big plans for that her father wouldn’t allow her to do when he was still in charge.One evening when Keira is working late and is walking back to her office, which is in the basement of the distillery. She senses that something is off, as she walks in to the office. A deep voice tells her to shut the door behind her. She recognises the voice as the one her dead husband was arguing with before he died. As she turns towards the door her desk lamp is switched on bathing her desk in light, but she can’t see the mans face as he has stood up.The stranger is her office turns out to be non other than Lochlan Mount. He then goes on to tell her, that her dead husband had taken out a large loan against her distillery. That with him now being deceased his debt now becomes her debt. Not only is the debt being passed on to Keira, she is being given 7 days in which to pay it off.Over the next 7 days Keira keeps finding copies of the agreement made by her dead husband, with the days counting down until the deadline. Along with photo’s of her family and friends. Showing her that he knows everything about her, and that he can get to her anywhere.Keira goes to her best friend for help as she hasn’t got the kind of money that Lochlan Mount wants her to pay off. Plus the distillery is still in financial trouble. Her friend says she could come up with some of the money but it still falls short of the amount that is needed.However Lochlan Mount has his own perfect solution for Keira’s predicament. He wants her as his sex toy/play thing and for her to be available to him any time he wants. Meaning that she has to also stay at his secret compound. Keira reluctantly signs the agreement but she wont let him take her so easily, she will fight him all the way.Keira doesn’t know that Lochlan Mount doesn’t care about the money, he just wants her as she is the only person that tells him straight and stands up to him. Which he finds refreshing.One night she manages to escape Lochlan Mounts compound, as they forgot to lock her in her rooms. Once she gets outside on the street she realises that his compound is actually a full block in a familiar part of the French Quarter.The only place Keira can escape to is her apartment. So she flags down a taxi, and keeps looking over her shoulder all the way. She’s expecting Mount or one of his goons to turn up and take her back. Once she enters her apartment and locks the door behind her. She looks around to see if anyone has been there, but everything looks exactly as she left it. That is until she goes in to her bedroom where makes two unnerving discoveries. She makes the third discovery when she goes to see who is knocking at her door. This discovery proves to be too much and she blacks out.Who was it at Keira’s apartment door that made her blackout? Well I’m not going to tell you, as you’ll just have to read the book to find out for yourself.

Full review at the end of the series. This story revolves around a recurring trope, one i already read in many dark romances, even if this wasn't really dark. Contrary to what I feared, it turned out being good enough to keep me hooked.