: For her safety, Emilia is whisked away to live with her high school exes, Hawk and Wilder, and her mysterious new bodyguard, Kai. Character Dynamics :
: Four years after high school, Emilia Harrison is living a seemingly normal life until a stalker begins sending her gruesome packages—including her boyfriend's severed finger. Pretty Spiteful by R.A. Smyth
: The "protective" ex-military newcomer who provides stability amidst the chaos. Reader Consensus : For her safety, Emilia is whisked away
: While it is a spin-off of the Pacific Prep series, most readers agree it can be read as a standalone, though reading the original series or the prequel novella Blurred Lines provides much-needed context for the characters' shared history. Critical Reception Pretty Spiteful - Reviews - The StoryGraph Reader Consensus : While it is a spin-off
by R.A. Smyth is the high-tension first book in the Ruthless Boys of Ridgeway series, often described by readers on The StoryGraph and Romance.io as a dark, "why choose" (reverse harem) romance filled with suspense and intense angst. Key Story Elements
: A common point of contention is Wilder's behavior; while some love his "unstable" energy, others find his bullying and hostility frustrating or even a reason to stop reading.