Rina Kent Books in Order: Complete Series Guide
Every Rina Kent series in reading order — Royal Elite, Legacy of Gods, and her wider universe — with where to start, how the series connect, and what to expect from each sequence.
Rina Kent is one of the most prolific dark romance authors in the genre, having built a substantial readership through serialised fiction before signing with Bloom Books and reaching print audiences. Her books are series-first: standalones are rare in her catalogue, and most of her most popular work runs to four, six, or seven books in a single interconnected story.
Understanding her universe structure before you begin saves significant confusion. This guide covers the main series in reading order, with clear guidance on where to start and how the sequences connect.
A Note on Content
Rina Kent writes dark romance. Her heroes are typically controlling, possessive, and operating in high-stakes environments where normal social rules don’t apply. The Elites Academy books feature a school setting with significant power imbalances; the university books maintain the same dynamic in a slightly less contained world.
If morally grey anti-heroes who behave in ways a reader is not expected to approve of is not what you’re looking for, Kent’s books are not the right fit. If that’s exactly what you want, she is one of the genre’s most consistent practitioners.
Rina Kent Reading Order
Series 1: Royal Elite (7 Books)
The flagship series and the one that built her readership. Set at Elites Academy, a fictional English elite school with its own brutal social hierarchy. The four students at the top — the Elites — are Aiden King, Ronan Astor, Cole Nash, and Xander Knight. Each book follows a different Elite and his love interest, though all seven books share a continuous overarching plot.
Read all seven in order. Do not skip.
| # | Title | Hero / Heroine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deviant King | Aiden King / Ellie |
| 2 | Steel Princess | Aiden King / Ellie (cont.) |
| 3 | Twisted Kingdom | Aiden King / Ellie (cont.) |
| 4 | Black Knight | Ronan Astor |
| 5 | Vicious Prince | Cole Nash |
| 6 | Ruthless Empire | Xander Knight |
| 7 | Elite King | Series conclusion |
Books 1–3 (Deviant King, Steel Princess, Twisted Kingdom) form Aiden and Ellie’s complete arc. This is the core story; the rest of the series follows their Elite companions while weaving back through the established world.
Where to start: Deviant King. No exceptions — this is a continuous story from the first page of book one.
Series 2: Legacy of Gods (4 Books)
The Legacy of Gods series is set at Reinar University and follows the children of the Royal Elite characters a generation later. Kent designed it to work independently, but readers who completed Royal Elite will have significant extra context — character names recur, family dynamics carry weight, and several plot threads begun in Royal Elite are resolved or complicated here.
Recommended: Read Royal Elite first, but God of Malice works as a standalone entry point.
| # | Title | Hero / Heroine |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | God of Malice | Killian Carson / Glyndon |
| 2 | God of Ruin | Landon King / Mia |
| 3 | God of Fury | Nikolaj Sokolov / Cecily |
| 4 | God of Wrath | Brandon King / Anastasia |
The best entry point for new readers who want to start with Kent’s more recent (and more polished) work. God of Malice opens the university setting cleanly and introduces the Legacy of Gods world without requiring Royal Elite knowledge.
Series 3: Lies & Truths Duet (2 Books)
A standalone two-book story set in a separate world from Royal Elite and Legacy of Gods. A billionaire romance with the same dark dynamic as the school series, set in a corporate environment.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lies & Truths |
| 2 | Deception & Truth |
Good choice for readers who want the Kent formula in an adult professional setting rather than school or university.
Series 4: Vicious Duet (2 Books)
Set in the Legacy of Gods universe but focusing on a different pairing. Can be read after completing Legacy of Gods or independently.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ruthless Rival |
| 2 | Kingdom of Sin |
Other Series
Kent’s catalogue extends further, including standalone duets and novellas set in connected worlds. Her website maintains a current master list. Key series beyond the above:
- Elites Series — additional stories set in the Elites Academy world
- Dark series — separate crime/mafia romance universe
- Thorns Duet — dark romance duet, standalone world
Which Series Should You Start With?
Start with Deviant King (Royal Elite #1) if:
- You want the full Kent experience from the beginning
- You are committed to a seven-book series
- You want the full context for the Legacy of Gods books
Start with God of Malice (Legacy of Gods #1) if:
- You want a more recent, polished entry point
- A four-book commitment suits you better than seven
- You prefer a university setting to a school setting
Start with Lies & Truths if:
- You want the dark romance formula in a professional/billionaire setting
- You prefer a two-book duet to a long series
Reading Order: Full Summary
If you want to read Kent’s interconnected universe in the intended order:
- Royal Elite (Books 1–7): Deviant King → Steel Princess → Twisted Kingdom → Black Knight → Vicious Prince → Ruthless Empire → Elite King
- Legacy of Gods (Books 1–4): God of Malice → God of Ruin → God of Fury → God of Wrath
- Other series can be read at any point — they share the universe but not the plot.
Also on Editors Reads: Dark Romance → · Contemporary Romance → · Reading Order Guides →
Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I read Rina Kent books?
Start with Deviant King, the first book in the Royal Elite series. Read Royal Elite books 1–7 in order — they are a continuous story, not standalones. After Royal Elite, you can either move to the Legacy of Gods series (which follows the next generation of the same characters) or try God of Malice as a fresh entry point. Do not skip around within a series — Kent's books are tightly serialised.
Are Rina Kent's series connected?
Yes. Royal Elite and Legacy of Gods share the same extended universe — Legacy of Gods follows the children of Royal Elite characters at university. The two series can be read independently, but reading Royal Elite first adds significant context. Her other series (Lies & Truths, Vicious Duet, Elites) are set in separate worlds and can be started anywhere.
Can I start Rina Kent with God of Malice instead of Deviant King?
Yes — God of Malice is designed to work as an entry point to the Kent universe. It is set at university rather than school, the pacing is slightly less intense than Deviant King, and the series (Legacy of Gods) has only four books versus Royal Elite's seven. Many readers prefer starting here.
How many books are in the Royal Elite series?
Seven main novels: Deviant King, Steel Princess, Twisted Kingdom, Black Knight, Vicious Prince, Ruthless Empire, and Elite King. Each book focuses on a different Elite and their love interest, but all seven should be read in order for the overarching plot to make sense.
Is Rina Kent appropriate for young readers?
Rina Kent's books are adult dark romance — they contain explicit content, morally grey heroes who engage in controlling and sometimes coercive behaviour, and mature themes including violence and manipulation. They are not appropriate for young readers and carry content warnings on most editions.
Are Rina Kent's books available in print?
Yes. Bloom Books (a Sourcebooks imprint) publishes print editions of her most popular series, including the Royal Elite special editions and the Legacy of Gods series. Her earlier self-published ebook catalogue predates the Bloom Books deal and some titles are ebook-only.
