(The Mavericks, #1) Rook & Rebel by Kate Crew Review

 

Rook & Rebel by Kate Crew
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
🌶️🌶️½ (2.5 spice)

Rook and Rebel is not my usual type of read. If I’m being honest, I rarely go for books set in a real-world kind of setting. I usually lean toward fantasy, or at least real-but-with-a-magical-twist. This book doesn’t have any of that, so I wasn’t sure it would be my thing. But a friend told me it was a great read, so I gave it a go—and honestly, I’m really glad I did.

The first thing that hooked me was the dark humor. The vibe swings between intense and hilarious, but that thick stream of dark humor runs all the way through and really stood out. The storyline itself is gritty and edgy with funnier, lighter moments woven in. Even though it’s portrayed as dark, I found myself more amused than emotionally tense. I liked the story a lot overall, but it just didn’t feel super high-stakes to me. The emotional weight wasn’t quite there—I wasn’t overly worried about the characters. The ending also felt a little flat for me, but that’s just me nitpicking.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was a fast, fun, easy read. The spice was nice—solidly written and enjoyable—but it didn’t leave me breathless or desperate for more. A few scenes were quickly forgotten, but that didn’t take away from the overall experience.

There’s action, drama, and some really great banter between characters that had me grinning. If you’re looking for a spicy, slightly dark book with crime, chaos, and attitude, this is definitely a good one to curl up with and get lost in for a while.

Would I recommend this book?
Yes, absolutely! I already have a friend in mind who would love it.

Would I reread it?
Yep, 100%! Definitely has reread value.

How would I sum it up?
A fun, spicy, dark-humored read full of bikes, crime, banter, and grit.

View all my reviews