Book Review: Beautiful Fiend By Lola King
Beautiful Fiend By Lola King
Beautiful Fiend by Lola King - Book 1 in the North Shore Series
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Bully Romance, Dark Romance, Obsessive Love, Gang Rivalry, Antihero MMC, Morally Black Hero, Forced Proximity, Blackmail, Underground Fighting, Strong FMC, Psychological Manipulation, High Angst
Summary:
Set in a brutal town where gang violence rules and escape feels impossible, Beautiful Fiend is a dark, dangerous enemies-to-lovers romance that pulls no punches. Billie has one goal: leave the North Shore behind. But when Caden King - the unhinged leader of a rival crew, blackmails her into betraying her own, her entire world shifts. He’s obsessive, controlling, and terrifying… but impossibly magnetic.
With danger on every side and the line between hate and desire constantly blurring, Billie must decide whether surviving Caden is worth risking the only future she’s ever dreamed of. This is not your typical love story... this is chaos, control, and chemistry on fire.
💚 LD
Beautiful Fiend is one of those books that grabs you by the throat from page one and never lets go. I went in expecting gritty romance but what I got was something darker, more intense, and completely addictive.
Billie is the kind of heroine I love. She’s tough, raw, and completely focused on her goal of escaping the hellhole she was born into. Her voice is strong, and even in her most vulnerable moments, she never loses her sense of self. But the real chaos? That comes in the form of Caden King.
Caden is unhinged. There’s no better word for it. He’s not just morally grey, he’s full-blown villain coded. The obsession he has with Billie is chilling, but also fascinating to watch unfold. It’s uncomfortable, it’s twisted, but I couldn't look away.
Their dynamic is fire and destruction combined. It’s enemies-to-lovers with tension so thick it nearly bleeds off the page. There’s nothing sweet or safe about their story, but if you love dark romance that makes your heart race (and your jaw drop), Beautiful Fiend is a must-read.
“To all my girls who, on their way to their prince, lost themselves in the villain's arms.”
🤍 AD -
This book is insane in the best way. Beautiful Fiend is the type of story that makes you question your moral compass, but keeps you absolutely hooked the whole time.
Caden King is beyond unhinged. He’s the kind of character that should have you running for the hills, but somehow makes you want to stay. His obsession with Billie is intense, toxic, and undeniably captivating. Think Killian Carson but darker, rougher, and even more dangerous.
Billie, on the other hand, is fierce. She's not a damsel, and her fight to break free from the North Shore is so raw and real. She wants out, and she’ll do anything to make it happen until Caden ruins those plans and drags her into his twisted world.
This isn’t a romance with soft moments. It’s messy, it's violent, and it blurs every line. But if you love those kinds of stories the ones that feel like emotional warfare then this book is going to absolutely devour you. I needed therapy after this, in the best possible way.
“Caden King is not morally gray, he is morally pitch black (and yet he is also redeemable – make it make sense)”
💙 AG -
Beautiful Fiend was such a surprise for me. This book was raw, gritty, and completely unforgettable.
The gang rivalry plot adds a dangerous edge to the story, but it’s the tension between Billie and Caden that steals the show. Their chemistry is electric. From enemies to something far more complicated, every interaction between them had me completely glued to the page.
Billie is one of my favorite types of heroines—strong, driven, and emotionally layered. Caden? He’s chaos personified. His control, his obsession, and the darkness he carries are magnetic, even when they terrify you.
I didn’t expect to love this book so much, but the writing, pacing, and intense dynamic between the characters made this a standout. If you love high-stakes romance with a dangerously broken antihero, you need to read Beautiful Fiend.
“Remember, baby. The sun never stops shining above the clouds,” he whispers against my lips as we separate. “No matter what comes our way, I’ll never stop loving you.”
