Kiss the Villain (Deluxe Edition): A Professor-Student M/M Romance

WOW. That is the only way to start this review. Kiss the Villain by Rina Kent was originally planned as a Legacy of Gods (LOG) spinoff, but it has become so much more, and I couldn’t be happier that Rina Kent decided to expand it into a full series. Going into this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Gareth, but he completely surprised me. His character was so compelling and layered that he quickly became one of my favorite LOG characters. I truly wasn’t expecting to love him this much, but he completely won me over. And now, while I cannot wait for Vaughn’s book, let’s talk about my sweet, psycho Gareth and Kayden Lockwood, the mature, intelligent, and completely in-control professor who was the perfect match for him. Their dynamic was everything—intense, possessive, and filled with an understanding that went beyond words. One of my favorite things about their relationship was how Kayden balanced Gareth, always knowing exactly what he needed. The way he handled Gareth’s emotions, keeping him steady and grounding him, was so well done. Their chemistry was off the charts, and their connection felt so raw and real. This book also gave us incredible domestic moments that I lived for. From the smallest details to the way they just fit together so naturally, every interaction felt meaningful. And of course, Rina Kent’s writing was phenomenal, delivering a story that was both intense and deeply emotional. The character development, the tension, and the way everything unfolded kept me completely hooked. I cannot recommend this book enough. 5/5, no hesitation. Now, bring on Vaughn’s book! ⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: This book explores dark themes, so please check your TWs before reading! ⚠️

📖 Kiss The Villain: A Dark College MM Romance (Legacy of Gods) by Rina Kent ★★★★☆ (4.25/5) When Rina Kent writes dark academia, you know you're in for something that will leave marks on your soul, and Kiss the Villain absolutely delivers on that promise. This book grabbed me from the first page with its intoxicating blend of power, obsession, and the kind of twisted chemistry that makes you forget to breathe. Gareth and Kayden are masterfully crafted characters who embody everything I love about morally gray protagonists. Gareth, with his deceptive prince-like exterior hiding something far more dangerous, and Kayden's cold, calculating dominance create an electric dynamic that kept me completely captivated. What Kent does brilliantly here is show us characters who don't save each other, they see each other. That distinction is everything in dark romance, and it's executed with devastating precision. When Gareth says, "It's love if I can't live without him and can feel this peaceful in his arms, right?" I felt that twisted vulnerability deep in my bones. These moments of raw honesty amid the psychological warfare are what make Kent's writing so compelling. Every interaction between Gareth and Kayden feels like walking through an emotional minefield, and I was absolutely here for it. The power dynamics are complex and beautifully twisted, never romanticizing the damage but using it to build something authentic and consuming. Where the book loses half a star for me is in pacing. While the chemistry and psychological tension are absolutely delicious, certain sections felt like they dragged slightly, interrupting the otherwise relentless momentum. Still, lines like "We're so toxic, it's unhealthy but also right. Because we're each other's darkness and light" capture the brutal honesty that makes this romance work. There's a deep connection between these two that pulls you in and gives you all the feels, even when you know you probably shouldn't be rooting for them. 📦 What to Expect 💀 Dark Academia Setting 🔥 Electric Chemistry ⚔️ Revenge & Secrets 🖤 Morally Gray Characters 🧠 Psychological Power Play 🔗 BDSM Elements 💔 Twisted, Aching Vulnerability 🎯 Final Thoughts If you're craving a dark, delicious descent into obsession and control, Kiss the Villain delivers exactly what you need. It's not Kent's most emotionally devastating work, but it's still a potent reminder of why she reigns supreme in dark romance. Just be aware that some consent elements walk a dangerous line, it fits the genre perfectly but may not sit comfortably with all readers. 📚 Book Tags Keywords: MM Romance, Dark Romance, College Romance, Villain Romance, BDSM, Psychological Tension Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Power Struggle, Forbidden Romance, Anti-Hero, Revenge Plot

Rina Kent does it again! Kiss the Villain is an intoxicating blend of dark romance, suspense, and raw emotion that will grip you from the very first page. With her signature style of morally grey characters, twisted relationships, and heart-pounding tension, Kent delivers a story that is both haunting and addictive. The chemistry between Kayden and Gareth is absolutely electric—full of angst, passion, and the kind of push-and-pull that keeps you flipping pages deep into the night. The villain in this story, which has changed over time, isn’t just a character; he’s a force of nature, challenging every moral boundary and making you question where the line between love and obsession truly lies. Also, I am fairly new to MM dark romance and found my new jam! Kent’s writing is sharp, immersive, and utterly consuming, drawing you into a world where danger and desire collide in the most exhilarating way. If you love dark romance with complex characters, jaw-dropping twists, and sizzling tension, Kiss the Villain is a must-read. And if you are a Rina fan, this is a must-read!! Highly recommended for fans of enemies-to-lovers, antiheroes, and emotionally intense storytelling

Love this book so much it had a great plot, but I’m also probably sort of buy it cause I love all of Rena Ken’s books but overall it was such an amazing book and it definitely great purchase. It came out beautifully and the book came in perfect condition.

First, readers must stop comparing this to GoF. This isn't it! Yes, it features cameos from the LoG series, but that's where it ends. Just read this book as a standalone and enjoy the ride. Story was exciting and engaging and the author built the characters up in a way one actually cared about both of them. Flaws and all. The reason I didn't give it a higher rating is because I felt the author just glossed over certain important aspects of the story. For example: What, if any, was the fallout or response at school when they found out about Kayden and Gareth? How about from Gareth's friends? Especially all the women who used to fawn over both Gareth and Kayden? Also, what happened to Kayden's job as a professor? Then I found the Nadine/Simone explanation beyond ridiculous. How did Kayden manage to manipulate that? I mean, surely there is more than 1 PI in the world? How could Kayden have known who Gareth would reach out to? I found that angle was lazy writing and too convenient. Also a quick thought about the UK weather. I'm from there. I know it rains a lot but it's really not as drab and dreary as the author makes it out to be. It can be rather romantic. Grab a brolly and take a stroll. It's really not that bad. Final issue was that particularly annoying term of endearment. I have not heard the word 'Baby' used this much since a certain 2010 Justin Bieber song. It was very off putting, indeed. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was super spicy, with all the dangerously questionable elements I love in a dark romance. And even though I felt the epilogues rather lackluster, I loved that they finally got their HEA.

Rina Kent once again delivers an intoxicating blend of darkness, obsession, and raw passion in Kiss the Villain, a gripping MM college romance between a student and his enigmatic professor. This book isn’t just about the forbidden—it’s about the unraveling of two men who were always meant to collide in the most destructive yet addictive way possible. At the heart of the story is Gareth—a charming, cunning persona hiding deeply rooted antisocial and narcissistic tendencies. He thrives in chaos, revels in control, and yet, one fateful night changes everything. A failed attempt at a crime comes back to haunt him in the form of none other than his professor, Kayden Lockwood. What follows is an electrifying, angst-ridden game of dominance, submission, and the slow yet inevitable realization that Gareth has finally met his match. Kayden is a force to be reckoned with—unruffled, stoic, and ruthlessly methodical in his approach to breaking Gareth down. But as the layers peel back, we see there’s more to his obsession than mere power. There’s history, pain, and an unshakable need to possess his “little monster” entirely. The psychological depth in their dynamic is haunting, teetering on the edge of destruction yet making it impossible to look away. The emotional intensity in this book is undeniable. It reaches a point where the tension is so thick it becomes suffocating—in the best way possible. The angst was masterfully done; it hurt, it clawed, and it left its mark. I even shed a tear at one point, and for someone who craves angst in dark romance, Kiss the Villain delivered in full. Of course, the sexual aspects are just as dark and twisted as expected from Rina Kent. The trigger warnings are there for a reason, and this book does not hold back in exploring the rawest, most forbidden desires. Power play, manipulation, jealousy, and possessiveness are the lifeblood of Gareth and Kayden’s relationship, and yet, somehow, it never feels forced—it feels inevitable. As Rina Kent’s second MM novel, Kiss the Villain stands tall next to God of Fury, both delivering dark, obsessive love stories that grip you from start to finish. And with another MM story on the horizon, I’m more than eager to see where she takes us next. To those who claim Rina Kent is just a man writing degrading stories about women—well, here’s an MM romance that should shut them up. If you love your dark romance unapologetically intense, morally gray, and brimming with unrelenting passion, Kiss the Villain is a must-read. Just make sure you check the trigger warnings—because once you step into this world, there’s no turning back.

This book touched me in ways I wasn't expecting, if I'm being honest. It really was so different from the rest of the stories in the LOG series, and I'm not sure why people have been so under duress with this new story. It was heavily aggressive in its nature, but these books all focus so heavily on characters with personality disorders in some of the darkest shades, and this title was no different. I was ready to meet Gaz deeper through this, but quickly was met with a character that felt very new to me in so many ways. Not the Gareth I was expecting at all. Then I realized how little we really did know of him, and this story was about to expose him in such raw ways. I wasn't ready at times, but by the end, I felt as if I was Gaz and had faced many of my own issues. It was all just a misunderstanding, it seemed, that turned so obsessive and dark on both of their ends. Two main players trying to teach the other something they felt they needed to inflict into the others life. Disgust and hate fueled need and a confusing pull they both kept trying to excuse away, as that hate turned into a more dangerous emotion that neither one was ready for. Kaden is hard to like at times, and his aggression in pushing Gareth from the very beginning is so heavy. The close proximity and taking away of his power of choice brings a lot of tension that you can almost feel Gaz trying to make sense of as he faces the undeniable domination that Kayden has over him. The dance between them is such a dichotomy of submission over power and how, by allowing one, you gain the other. It's a dance that they both want to lead but refuse to give way. I found it interesting Gaz seemed to find himself in the same situation at the beginning of this story, as Glyn with his own brother in GOM. About 70% of this book is the establishing relationship between Gaz and his professor, when suddenly things take a really dark turn, and our underlying plot takes root. Like in all of the LOG books, there is always a very serious cause and effect happening that comes to a sudden climax and puts our characters in a truly life or death situation and it was heart breaking to watch Gaz go through what he did. It was a pivotal experience and necessary for his characters growth, but it's hard to understand how he's deserving of such a knife to the back. The conversations you learn about between him and Kill as kids and his ninner monolog give you such perspective into his pain and darkness, and you just feel so gut sick for his heartbreak. This book is really interesting and peaks hard closer to the end. I felt like I was taken through so many of my own issues and emotions that I carry from my own past traumas and I happened to read it at a time I was navigating some feelings that had me connecting to this story more. I am Gaz I felt so often. I didn't expect to relate so deeply to him and so many of his feelings, but experiencing him as he was written was really emotional and healing in a way. Overall, I loved this book. The way I personally connected to it was a huge plus, but I felt that again, it portrayed more neurodivergent people and personality disorders in a really fascinating way. These characters are unforgivably dark, and the subject matter and relationships are so intense as we navigate them until they come full circle in the end. That can be hard at times. But I think that the intensity of the stories and characters is what I love most. Even more than the spice, which was heavy in this book. It's a very heavy spice book and at times, and It felt like the most stand alone in the series for me, as it didn't involve to many of our past characters or much outside interaction other than Gaz and Kayden, but the power struggle between our two MM leads was so dark and heavy, it felt like nothing else could have been given space but them as it all unfolded so aggressivly. This book was emotionally wild. There is so much navigating and pain and hurt and fear and loss and, at times, toxic behavior.... so toxic. At times, you just think, "Gaz deserves so much better than this." But you have to remember he's navigating the darkness for a reason, and in the end, that reason is beautiful. Thank you Rina!

Tell me why I waited this long to read it.... OMG I will always enjoy Rina Kent's books. I went in think this was part of a different series, but this did not disappoint. This MM Dark Romance was just what my mood DR. ordered. OHHHHH am I obsessed. I literally consumed this book so quickly... pushing things aside because I need to read more of these two possessive characters (Gareth and Kayden). Gareth was such a hilarious MC and I loved being in his mind... Not to mention the Voice Actor did an AMAZING JOB brining him to life. Then there is Kayden, I love how we slowly got to really understand where his mind .... not to mention the amazing voice acting here as well. This audiobook was done in Full Cast style with Stephen Dexter, Grayson Owens, Teddy Hamilton, Shane East, Corvin King, Samantha Brentmoor, and Vivienne LaRue. The narrators were perfection at bringing this book to life. They had me sucked in from the get-go and I needed to just finish it as soon as I started but I also wanted to take my time and just enjoy every moment.