Not that long ago, I was positively surprised by Twisted Love by Ana Huang. Usually I’m not one to continue series pretty fast, but somehow I had the urge to pick up Twisted Games, the second instalment in the “Twisted” series. This story is interconnected to the rest of the series, but can be read as a stand alone as well. Beforehand, I knew that there would be another main character and a different setting. However, I hoped I would enjoy this book just as much as its predecessor. And oh yes, did it deliver!

• Title: Twisted Games
• Author: Ana Huang
• Series: Twisted #2
• Publish Date: September 27, 2022
• Publisher: Boom Books
• ISBN: 9781728274874
• Number of pages: 448
• Genre: New Adult, Romance

From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Ana Huang comes a contemporary royal romance! Stoic, broody, and arrogant, elite bodyguard Rhys Larsen has two 1) Protect his clients at all costs 2) Do not become emotionally involved. Ever. He has never once been tempted to break those rules…until her. Bridget von Ascheberg. A princess with a stubborn streak that matches his own and a hidden fire that reduces his rules to ash. She’s nothing he expected and everything he never knew he needed. Day by day, inch by inch, she breaks down his defenses until he’s faced with a truth he can no longer he swore an oath to protect her, but all he wants is to ruin her. Take her. Because she’s his. His princess. His forbidden fruit. His every depraved fantasy. *** Regal, strong-willed, and bound by the chains of duty, Princess Bridget dreams of the freedom to live and love as she chooses. But when her brother abdicates, she’s suddenly faced with the prospect of a loveless, politically expedient marriage and a throne she never wanted. And as she navigates the intricacies-and treacheries-of her new role, she must also hide her desire for a man she can’t have. Her bodyguard. Her protector. Her ultimate ruin. Unexpected and forbidden, theirs is a love that could destroy a kingdom…and doom them both. Do not become emotionally involved. Ever.

In this story we follow Bridget and Rhys alternately. We meet Rhys at the same moment Bridget meets him for the first time. Bridget is already a familiar character since she’s making several appearances in Twisted Love as she’s one of Ava’s best friends. Atht the end of that book, the fact that she was becoming queen was already revealed. In her own novel, we follow Bridget from her final moments in college to her coronation. Throughout this entire process, she really doesn’t want to be queen. She opposes her duty and wants to keep living in relative freedom. However, she slowly comes to terms with the fact she’s going to be crowned queen and she steadily grows into the role eventually. She is determined to change several things and that determination shows off. Rhys on the other hand is literally guarded. he is a guard by job, but also his emotions are guarded. He has a thick wall surrounding him and through his time with Bridget, he finally learns to let go and losen up more. Also, he is determined to reach his goals as well and that also shows. Therefore, both characters really complement each other.

Well, the writing is not flawless but that doesn’t really matter. It’s quick and easy to follow. Also, the alternating chapters between Bridget and Rhys work very well. This way, we get to know them both and it also keeps the story moving. I mean, I really wanted to know how everythign would develop. Sometimes POV’s changed within chapters, so we got the same moment twice. This was necessary for the character and story development so I didn’t mind.

Although Twisted Games is character driven, there is a plot. It has deeper layers, but less than the first book in this series. Huang focuses more on emotions and reflections on certain events which is good in my opinion. The book is not action-packed, but it definitely has an interesting storyline. I was intrigued from start to finish. I wanted to continue reading because I needed to know how things would work out for Bridget and Rhys. The atmoshpere of this book is often pretty lighthearted. However, serious topics are addressed, but not in a way that makes the book feel like a heavy read. That’s absolutely not the case. The story contains less triggers than Twisted Love. However, the smutty moments were pretty tense. I had a feeling there were less of them this time and that the forbidden romance was the main focus.

Again, I had a very enjoyable time reading Twisted Games. I was hooked from the first page and the story never let me down. There as enough character development, the book is even character driven. The storyline is also interesting, although not pretty original. I felt the chemistry between Bridget and Rhys, which became more visible through the alternating chapters between them. The writing is not extremely good, but its addictive and that counts as well. I will definitely continue this series as soon as possible.