Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

In Empire of Ache & Ruin, book one in the Empire of Ruin series by Diana A. Hicks, Tristan “Archer” Sallows returns to New York after years of exile, bent on bringing down the man who destroyed his family. Maurice Davis, the powerful senator who killed Archer's father, has lived a life of lies, assuming a new identity and manipulating those around him. In his pursuit of vengeance, Archer's path crosses with Davis’s daughter, Paloma. Raised in seclusion and sheltered from her father's crimes, Paloma is unaware of the darkness surrounding her family. When she offers herself in an auction to save her father, Archer purchases her, intending to use her as part of his revenge. But as he grows closer to her, Archer begins to question his motives, torn between his need for retribution and his feelings for Paloma. “The white swan, Odette, is cursed. The black swan, Odíle, is controlled by her father, the evil sorcerer."

Empire of Ache & Ruin by Diana A. Hicks is a darkly seductive, emotional firebrand of a novel that grabs readers and never lets go. Hicks jumps straight into the deep end with writing that's razor-sharp, juxtaposed against raw vulnerability through polished prose. The sizzle is expertly done. It is intense, immersive, and never gratuitous, peeling back something deeper with each scene. I like that Paloma isn't deflowered from the word go, and the simmering of revenge and moral decay pulse beneath the surface. Hicks uses haunting metaphors and symbolism in the story that elevate it beyond genre expectations, especially the use of ballet as a metaphor for control and duality. Archer is, of course, the smoldering alpha we expect but Hicks doesn’t shy away from amplifying his difficult emotional terrain, and her portrayal of shifting power dynamics kept me questioning Archer’s true, and shifting, intent. This is romance with teeth: bold, elegant, and unafraid to ache before it heals. Very highly recommended.