Editors Reads Verdict
The strongest book in the Twisted series: the bodyguard-princess dynamic has genuine narrative tension beyond the romantic, Bridget's position as a woman constrained by an institution she didn't choose gives the romance real stakes, and the writing is more assured than in Twisted Love.
What We Loved
- The bodyguard trope is executed with more structural awareness than most — the power dynamic is acknowledged
- Bridget's royal obligations give the romance external stakes that feel genuinely constraining
- Rhys is one of Huang's most disciplined heroes — the rule he breaks matters because he actually had it
- The writing is noticeably more assured than the first Twisted book
Minor Drawbacks
- The royal world-building is thin compared to the emotional and romantic content
- Some of the obstacles in the second half are manufactured rather than organic
- Readers unfamiliar with the Twisted series will miss character context from Twisted Love
Key Takeaways
- → Professional duty and personal feeling operate on different moral registers that cannot simply be reconciled
- → Institutions like royal families constrain their members in ways that choice and desire cannot simply override
- → The bodyguard dynamic is interesting precisely because protection and control exist on the same continuum
- → Falling for someone in a position of vulnerability toward you requires exceptional ethical care
- → Love that requires someone to give up their identity is not love — it is possession with a romantic frame
| Author | Ana Huang |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Bloom Books |
| Pages | 384 |
| Published | April 5, 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Bodyguard Romance |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Best For | Romance readers who enjoyed Twisted Love and want to continue the series; fans of bodyguard romance; readers interested in the royal romance trope with more institutional stakes than usual. |
Twisted Games Review
Ana Huang’s second Twisted novel takes on the bodyguard romance — one of the genre’s most structurally interesting premises — and handles it with more care than its reputation might suggest. The power dynamic between Rhys Larsen and Princess Bridget of Eldorra is not ignored but examined: Rhys’s professional mandate to protect Bridget puts him in a position of authority over her safety that complicates any attraction, and Huang builds the tension from that complication rather than despite it.
Bridget is a princess constrained by an institution with very specific opinions about who is appropriate for her to love. Rhys is a bodyguard with a professional code that includes one inviolable rule. They are in close proximity, constantly. The inevitable result is not treated as inevitable by either character, which is what gives the novel its particular tension.
Reading Order
Twisted Games is the second book in Ana Huang’s Twisted series and should be read after Twisted Love. While it functions as a standalone romance, character context from the first book enriches the reading experience. The series continues with Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies.
Bridget
What makes Bridget more interesting than many romance heroines in royal settings is that she is not chafing against her position in search of freedom — she takes her duties seriously and understands the real obligations they represent. Her conflict is not between duty and desire in the simple sense but between two things she actually values. This makes the romance feel higher-stakes than if she were simply waiting to be liberated.
The Writing Development
Readers who found Twisted Love compelling but noticed rough patches in the prose will find Twisted Games noticeably smoother. Huang’s command of pacing and character interiority has developed, and the result is the most consistently well-executed book in the early Twisted series.
Our rating: 4.4/5 — The best book in the Twisted series and one of the more structurally thoughtful bodyguard romances available: the power dynamic is built into the tension rather than papered over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Twisted Games" about?
Princess Bridget of Eldorra has a bodyguard named Rhys who has one rule: don't fall for the client. He's good at his job and bad at that rule. A royal forced-proximity romance that takes the bodyguard trope and leans into its inherent power dynamics without ignoring them — Bridget is also subject to the rules of a royal institution that has opinions about who she loves.
Who should read "Twisted Games"?
Romance readers who enjoyed Twisted Love and want to continue the series; fans of bodyguard romance; readers interested in the royal romance trope with more institutional stakes than usual.
What are the key takeaways from "Twisted Games"?
Professional duty and personal feeling operate on different moral registers that cannot simply be reconciled Institutions like royal families constrain their members in ways that choice and desire cannot simply override The bodyguard dynamic is interesting precisely because protection and control exist on the same continuum Falling for someone in a position of vulnerability toward you requires exceptional ethical care Love that requires someone to give up their identity is not love — it is possession with a romantic frame
Is "Twisted Games" worth reading?
The strongest book in the Twisted series: the bodyguard-princess dynamic has genuine narrative tension beyond the romantic, Bridget's position as a woman constrained by an institution she didn't choose gives the romance real stakes, and the writing is more assured than in Twisted Love.
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