Immersive ✨

“The game is rigged when you don’t know your playing.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5


Let’s start off with a quick rundown. Octavia has moved back to her home town, Echoes Cove after her rockstar father unalived himself. (There is a lot of mystery around her parents and her past I’m intrigued about). When she arrives back at her old school things have changed, and not for the better. 😬

Her once best friends, Lincoln, Maverick, Easton and Finley (boys and who later become part of her harem) all hate her. They bully her throughout the story, leaving Octavia and the reader guessing as to why they’re attitude has changed toward they’re once best friend since she left. The bullying is BRUTAL. So if you are not a fan of that trope, I don’t recommend this to you 🩵

It is reverse harem, meaning she will end up with multiple love interests and she doesn’t have to choose between them. There is a little jealously there, but not between her love interests, more of an outsider 👀

I actually devoured this in three days, never once leaving me bored or left thinking ‘is it over yet?’ 🩷

The plot isn’t as heavy as I would have liked it to be, but I have a feeling that’s all going to change in book 2. Octavia has a stalker and I think that is going to become more prominent in the next book, which I’m looking forward to exploring further! There is definitely something dark and twisted happening inside Echoes Cove, something so much more sinister than what the town seems to look like on the surface.

I definitely recommend this book if you want to become totally immersed in a fictional world, and for a romance(s) that will leave you wanting more. More spice, (I can feel it brewing 🔥) more action, more nail biting drama and definitely more jaw dropping secrets! That plot twist was brutal 😫😭

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Dark High School Bully Romance

Tormented Royal by Lily Wildhart is a dark high school bully romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Heather Firth, Blake Lockheart, Dan Delgado, Gideon Frost, and Gregory Salinas. This is the first book in The Knights Of Echoes Cove series.

This is the first book of Lily's that I have read, and it won't be my last. I was pulled in from the first chapter and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed getting Octavia, Finley, Easton, Maverick, and Lincoln's points of view throughout the book. It really brought the story to life.

The cliffhanger left me begging for more. I can't wait for the next book in the series Lost Royal to be released on audio.

Heather, Blake, Dan, Gideon, and Gregory did a great job on the narration. They all really know how to bring a story to life. I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.

I would recommend this book if you like dark romances, enemies-to-lovers romances, bully romances, or romantic suspense.


The Flock Team
Audiobook Obsession Reviewer

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Tormented is right

I have to say the title of this book is aptly named. Octavia is forced back to her hometown following the tragic suicide of her father to live out the terms of his will. There are people who want her gone and will do a thing to see that happen. Octavia really never has a moment of peace in this book the thing she goes through would break a person but she is tough. The guys who want her gone are were once her best friends East,Lincoln, Maverick, and Finn. These guys are trying to protect her from something sinister in Echo’s Cove that has the guys on edge. With Indy her best friend Octavia survives but we are left to wonder what is the big picture with the evil in this town. Looking forward to see what happens in book two and getting to know the guys better and the friendship they once had with Octavia and why her dad supposedly died.

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Good Listen

Octavia is back in Royal and no one wants her there. She is there only to graduate and then she is leaving and never looking back. Little does she know is that this will be the longest year of her life. She has family that only want what she gives them and her four friends that she was closest to has turned against her, or have they.
🎧Audiobook Obsession

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Fantastic

When Octavia Royals father dies she has to return to her hometown to complete her education. When she arrives she expects the guys who were her friends to still be there for her but she’s shocked by how they treat her and how they continue to treat her. The narration for this was absolutely brilliant.

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Bullying which is not for the faint of heart!

The bullying in this is brutal; I can't remember the last time I read something where the main character had little to no reprieve in the book. The things that happen to Vee are just relentless and there are little to no consequences for any of the antagonists. This is only book one though so I am looking forward to some karma. Blair is just vile and the guys in this are no better; only East gets a pass at this point and I am so conflicted on the others in this. They all do truly awful things to Vee and I really wanted her to retaliate. Indie and Smithy seem to be the only decent human beings from what we've seen so far! I appreciated Vee's grief journey and how it was used sensitively but I didn't enjoy the dubious consent elements in this though; at that point Vee had just been through so much that I would have liked her to have had autonomy over this if nothing else.

There isn't a lot of plot development which I put down to setting the scene on how much Vee was being worn down by the bullying on all fronts; there are seeds being sown but I need just a bit more to make this a four star as I did want to know more of the secrets and mysteries surrounding Echoes Cove.

Duet narration style is always a winner for me and the multi actor cast works really well in this. I warmed much more to Vee listening to her than I did when I read the book initially a couple of years ago. I did keep forgetting these characters are only meant to be about 18 as the narrators do sound older but the performances were so engaging that it didn't really matter.

My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely and I have added all the authors works to my TBR

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Suspense and Surprises!

The sudden death of her father uproots Octavia from the life she was living and she now finds back in her hometown trying to adjust to the changes in her life and her new school. She thought that she would have the support of Lincoln, Maverick, Finley and Easton but she is about to find out she couldn’t have been more wrong.

Lincoln, Maverick and Easton are determined in their quest to ensure that her return is temporary, and they use every opportunity to make her life as difficult as possible. There is no line they won’t cross, and their actions continue to escalate and the only solace that Octavia has is her friendship with Indi.

Octavia’s strength and resilience shines through as she faces every challenge that life throws at her. The character of Octavia draws you in and the surprises keep coming and have you looking to see what the future holds. I enjoyed the performance of the narrators as they brought out the personalities of all the characters. 🎧 Audiobook Obsession

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exciting start to the series

ok, i need the rest of the series, rn!!! the story is a bit predictable and i think 3 hrs could have been saved without the repetitions. other than that it was a very pleasant listening, i loved the story even of i already read 3 or 4 books with the same plot, even the names were not original, unfortunately, to the point that i thought his was part of another series and it's not. but it didn't put me off. i still liked it very much. narration was brilliant and i absolitely loved the multiple duets. great job.

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Mind-blowing with Stellar Narration!

I don't know what it is with Enemies-to-Lovers/Bully Romance trope; I just LOVE it. Listening to Tormented Royal was like having a delicious treat. For a first book, it's a terrific start to The Knights of Echoes Cove series. Drama, angst, tortured feelings, deception, and suppressed desires are all perfectly packaged in one great story. Seriously, Lily Wildhart nailed it. I'm definitely going to be following her work. The story is wonderfully written and very well-plotted; so far, it's veering toward the Reverse Harem, Bully Romance, which is fantastic.

The storyline is super engaging and dark, with plenty of drama, suspense, secrets, intensity, and heartfelt emotions. The anticipation and the build-up are brilliant; you know something is coming, you just don't know when and how. Phenomenal character development, the emotions and reactions to situations were realistic. The different point-of-views provided great insight into the characters' perceptions and what they're thinking and feeling. Wildhart has cleverly set the basis for the rest of the series. I can't wait for what comes next for our heroine, Octavia, and the guys, East, Maverick, Lincoln, and Finley.

Stellar narration by a lineup of gifted and talented narrators, Heather Firth, Blake Lockheart, Dan Delgado, Gideon Frost, and Gregory Salinas. Each added a unique characteristic and persona to the cast, making them even more authentic. They all captured the emotions and nuances of personalities while breathing life into the words. They made listening to this audiobook an exceptional experience. Overall, Tormented Royal was a fantastic listen, one I'm highly recommending.

🎧 TheFlock, PinkFlamingo 🎧

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1 person found this helpful

Dark

There is something dark going on in Echoes Cove. Will Octavia survive what awaits her?
Bullies, secrets, stalkers, and lies. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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