In a world of dark romance, arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers, this book was a wonderful relief. This book follows Sophie, a haphephobic women, and her husband, Viktor. Although I have never read any books by this author, she wrote beautifully. From their first interaction, Grays captivated my attention, . And so I read, entranced by every sensitive moment, every longing glance. Unlike many books I read, I never felt irritated at the main characters; instead, with every word, I fell deeper into their story, forging a connection only a reader and their favorite characters can. Their relationship is truly one to be modeled after, a realistic goal and my new standard. This book constitutes as a slow burn, yet at no point did the author lose my interest. No, I was hooked in the budding romance from start to finish, done in one sitting. The Ruined Bride refreshingly did not replicate the BookTok favorite of forced arranged marriage— instead a beautiful, uniquely woven path of an intelligent woman and her enabling husband.

Other bonus points:

green flag man

a woman who knows what she wants

a relationship worth fighting for

sarcastic wife and husband

The only part of this book that disappointed me was when it was over and I had to leave Sophie and Viktor behind. I was almost immediately invested in Sophie's life and her recovery. Lily did an amazing job of showing how a woman who has experienced what Sophie did, can still be strong. I felt the romance happened on a realistic timeline and I appreciated Sophie's healing journey was not reduced to Viktor having a magic ****.

Speaking of Viktor, that man can yearn. He's only a man so of course he's made some mistakes but he's patient and kind with Sophie. He's 'broken' in a different way than she is, but end up helping each other. I wish we would've gotten to see more of his personal journey.

It looks as if a sequel is planned, and i will absolutely be keeping an eye out for it.

This was an absolute standout read! I loved the relationship between Sophie and Viktor, especially because Viktor wasn't the stereotypical domineering hero. His patience, kindness, and respect for Sophie's trauma made their slow-building romance incredibly rewarding and heartfelt.

Watching Sophie gradually heal and regain her confidence was one of my favorite parts of the story. Their relationship felt genuine, emotional, and earned, making every small step forward meaningful. My only complaint is that I wanted even more of them together once they finally opened up to each other... I wasn't ready for their story to end.

This was a beautifully written story about healing, trust, and finding love after unimaginable trauma. I'll definitely be reading more from Lily D. Grays in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

An absolute banger of a read! I loved everything about this book! One of the main things I love was how Viktor was not the typical mafia-esque man that is normally read about. He was kind and patient. He waited for Sophia to make the first moves and respected the fact that she couldn’t be touched at all due to her trauma. He was the most respectful and wonderful husband, he was just what Sophia needed. Viktor was able to get Sophia out of her shell, help her be able to handle human touch again. He picked up on all her quirks and didn’t judge her for them, only helped her grow and adjust to life after trauma. My heart melts thinking about them. I also loved how Sophia was incredibly understanding at the end when she found out Viktor had put the ‘seed’ of kidnapping into Sebastian’s mind, all due to some high words that were not meant to ever become true. She was valid in her anger, but she didn’t let it consume her or let it lead to resentment. She grew from it and recognized that he never meant for her to actually get kidnapped.
I do wish that we got more of their touchy-feely love. They finally were holding hands and loving each other at the end, I just wanted a few more chapters of their outspoken love, since we got a lot of the secret love. Overall, an amazing read, definitely keeping an eye out for other works by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Book has a nice flow throughout the whole story. Very nicely done. Loved every second of it. Happy to see how they grow closer with every chapter. 🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

My very first NetGalley ARC and honestly, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction.

As someone who's constantly reading 500+ page romance books, this felt like such a nice palate cleanser. It's on the shorter side, but it never felt rushed. The story gets right into it, and I appreciated not having to wait forever for things to start happening. It was just a really easy book to sink into.

My favorite part of this book was the way it handled trauma and healing. The MMC is incredibly patient, respectful, and gives the FMC the space she needs throughout her journey. I also loved seeing a family that supports her without putting a timeline on her healing. That representation felt really thoughtful and was easily my favorite aspect of the story.

Also... I will never complain about a rich fictional man. Vik is RICH rich, and let's just say the allowance conversation had me laughing.

Now, if you're looking for a super spicy romance, this isn't it. I'd personally rate the spice a 🌶️/5 based on what I normally read. That being said, I actually think the lower spice level fit this story perfectly because every romantic moment felt intentional and respectful.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. If you're looking for a romance that focuses on healing, has a respectful book boyfriend, billionaire vibes, and a story that doesn't overstay its welcome, I'd definitely recommend adding this to your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the perfect read! Fast and very bingeable. Both characters were so likeable and were just perfect for each other. Loved every second of it!

Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for this arc!

this was a really great book to get immersed into. it was to the point, to its point and was all the better for being so. the angst and bottom falling out of things in other books of its ilk has bee feeling a bit like they are competing to hurt th readers hearts the most at the moment(some not all) and i keep stumbling across them and coming out not feeling uplifted but rather like ive just been through an emotional boxers ring!
but that doesn't mean it was any less readable and thoughtful with what both characters go through.
Sophie had been through enough. shed been through alot. and i looooooved the way Viktor was not twenty shades of red flag(another thing i keep seeing right now and is excused in male characters recently). hes strong and solid but hes ever so patient. hes never forceful or bordering on unkind. hes there. he present. with her every step of the way. and in some future universe with these two i loved thinking how she would definitely always be the same with and for him.
the way healing was handled actually in this whole book was done so well. i appreciate Lily's approach to that the whole way through.
this was such a meet characters where they are at kind of read. and it was so refreshing! and that doesn't mean it took away from the romance or zing. if anything it made it even more impactful and true for me.
i could have spent way more time with these two. and im so glad when a book makes me want to know what happens next XForever. and this pair did that for me.
i needed this book. i needed this book to get me believing in non intimidating males in this genre and Lily did that for me with bells on. whilst also given me a woman who wasn't a victim and then somehow one of the MMC and had been trough something but still was her own kind of fierce and strong. and was helped and supported not forced by MMC. and there right back for him too.

ARC review through Netgalley thank to the Victory Editing team & the author ☆

This was a great underworld/ marriage of convenience book !
Some of the themes are quite dark and truggering so check your trigger warnings before reading ! ⚠️
That being said: I truly appreciated how the FNC, Sophie, while having survived very traumatic events is still somewhat a soft and kind character.
Her story made sense and the romance didn't feel rushed or fake.

It missed a little bit of a unpredictable sparkle to be a 5☆ but all in all, this was a very solid book!

This story is about two people, Viktor and Sophie who have damaged reputations. These two come together in an arranged marriage. He says it would help secure an alliance and she wants out of her family home. But there is more to it than what Viktor is letting on.

My favorite parts of the book were Sophie and Viktor getting to know each other. Their interactions and subtle exchanges each one catches onto was so amusing to read. Her outbursts and his reactions to them, so good. I loved Viktor's approach with Sophie and how he navigates their marriage. I loved seeing Sophie’s healing journey from her traumatic past and her growth by the end of the story. Overall, I’d recommend this book to readers who love a slow burn, arranged marriage.

Thank you NetGalley and Silk & Stone Press for the ARC read. All opinions are my own

First off, I just want to thank the amazing author, Lily D. Grays and her publication team for allowing me the chance to read this beautiful masterpiece! This was my first ever ARC and I am so glad, because I could not have picked a better one if I tried.

This book features themes of dark romance, arranged marriages, and enemies-to-lovers, and is in all honesty, quite refreshing from the countless other books that feature the same themes.

The book follows Sophie and her husband, Viktor, as they navigate their marriage and slowly rebuild themselves with the support of the other. Their pasts weren't easy, but together, their futures look brighter.

While I have never read a book from this author before, she wrote so beautifully and I am excited to read more of her works! This book really captivated my attention, so much so, I could not put it down and finished it within two days!

Not to mention, what sets it apart from all the other books I have read with similar themes. In this book, you get to witness Sophie grow and flourish from this fragile glass doll everyone tiptoed around to this vibrant and amazing woman. And unlike many arranged marriage tropes, this one was full of love, understanding and patience.

Viktor is the type of MMC that I wish we'd see in more books. He is kind, understanding and would do anything for Sophie. Instead of forcing himself upon Sophie, he respected her and her boundaries, waited for her to make the first move. He would move heaven and earth, if Sophie even so much as hinted that's what she wanted. When she wanted to discuss business, he didn't mock or belittle her for it being a "mans business" but instead sought out ways to help her flourish. If that doesn't scream what an absolute gentleman he is, I don't know what will.

I only wish we got a bit more scenes of them when Sophie was finally able to establish touch again. But overall, this book was everything and more and am excited to read more of Lily D. Grays works in the future!

To end this review, I will leave you with this snippet:

"And what if she decides to divorce you." -Yann
"Then that means I failed as a husband." Viktor

So damn beautiful. Sophie and Viktor had such a long slow burn, but the small moments between them made the wait worthwhile.