Title: God of Fury
Author: Rina Kent
Series: Legacy of Gods #5
Genre: Dark Romance
Published: December 6, 2023
Format: eBook
Pages: 624
POV: Dual POV
Spice Rating: 4/5
Tropes: MM, Enemies to Lovers, Golden Boy x Mafia Heir, Grumpy vs Scary Sunshine, Gay Awakening, Angsty, Secret Romance, Push & Pull, New Adult
God of Fury Book Review
God of Fury by Rina Kent was my first-ever MM romance read, and it’s also the author’s first MM romance. Unexpectedly, I loved this book so much! Having read the first four books in the series, I was really excited and curious about the chaotically destructive Niko and how he seemed obsessed with Bran in the previous book.
Can God of Fury be read as a standalone?
Well, God of Fury happens in a timeline that coincides with the previous books in the series. It can be read as a standalone, but the story is a spoiler for all the previous books. Would recommend reading them in order for a really great experience.
To the ones who scream in silence
Going into this book, I expected chaos because Nikolai Sokolov had been stealing every scene he appeared in throughout the Legacy of Gods series. What I didn’t expect was Brandon King completely breaking my heart and, at the same time, pissing me off.
GoF follows Brandon King and Nikolai Sokolov, two people who couldn’t be more different. Brandon thrives on control, routine, and predictability, while Niko is chaos incarnate. Their romance is messy, emotional, hilarious, and surprisingly healing.
The story takes place during the events of the previous Legacy of Gods books, letting us revisit familiar moments from a completely different perspective. I loved seeing how all the storylines connected together.
Rina’s writing shines brightest when she’s writing obsessive and possessive characters, and Nikolai might be one of her most memorable creations yet.
Nice to officially meet you, Brandon. Or, hold on! I actually found you a perfect nickname. Lotus flower. You know, because you managed to bloom so beautifully while surrounded by the muddy swamp that is Landon. Isn’t that so fucking poetic?
Brandon is a rule follower and someone who needs control over every aspect of his life. On the surface, Brandon appears calm, composed, and dependable. He’s the type of person everyone leans on.
But beneath that carefully crafted facade, Brandon is struggling. It’s something we never really noticed in the earlier books because Brandon was always overshadowed by Landon’s larger-than-life personality.
He loves his family fiercely, especially his twin brother Landon, and would do absolutely anything for the people he cares about. At the same time, he hates burdening them with his own problems, leaving him to carry everything alone.
What I loved most about Brandon is that his struggles are visible from the very beginning. The signs are there in his thoughts, his reactions, and the way he constantly suppresses parts of himself. You know something is wrong long before you know why.
Watching those layers slowly unravel was one of my favorite parts of the book.
However, Brandon also infuriated me with the way he treated Nikolai in the first half of the book. At that point, it was a mix of confusion and fury, and when he eventually opened up, it turned into a mix of empathy, love, and understanding (I guess Rina wanted us to feel what Nikolai felt).
"You’re mine, Brandon. Fucking mine. If you think there’s another option out there for you other than me, I have a news flash for you.” I bite the shell of his ear, and he moans, the sound muffled by my hand. “You fucking don’t. Just know that I’ll slaughter anyone you let near you and fuck you in their blood."
Nikolai is an absolute menace.
From the moment he appears in the story, his sole mission seems to be making Brandon’s life as difficult as possible.
He’s chaotic, hilarious, reckless, possessive, obsessive, and completely unapologetic about any of it.
And then there’s his counterpart, Kolya. LMAO, every time Niko mentioned him had me giggling.
What makes Niko so endearing is that beneath all the chaos, he’s incredibly intentional. Once he decides he wants something, there is absolutely no stopping him.
And unfortunately for Brandon, what Niko wants is Brandon.
He has his own issues to deal with, but Nikolai is always aware and in control of himself. He is an open book and pretty straightforward about his motives.
Honestly, if I wanted a boyfriend, I’d want him to have the level of dedication Niko has for Bran. Nikolai was so gone for Bran that he followed him around like a golden retriever, always wanting his attention. When Bran was in pain, Niko seemed to suffer from it as well. He is loyal, fiercely protective, and loving.
And I loved when Niko stopped taking shit from Bran. He knew what he wanted, and he forced Brandon to see the truth.
“You’re a fucking nightmare,” he mutters, his throat working beneath my fingers. “Your nightmare.” “I hate you.” “I don’t.” “You’re fucking crazy.” “About you,” I whisper against his lips and claim them with a guttural moan.
Brandon and Nikolai shouldn’t work together on paper.
Brandon is four years older, obsessed with routine, and desperately trying to maintain control over his life. Niko is a hurricane disguised as a person. Brandon hates how much Nikolai destabilizes him. He hates how easily Niko slips past his defenses and disrupts the routine he’s built for himself.
And Niko? He refuses to leave him alone.
The push and pull between them is addictive. Their banter, text messages, and constant attempts to get under each other’s skin had me smiling through most of the book.
But beneath all the humor is something much deeper.
Niko is just the right person for Bran, and you see it in how varied their personalities are and how Bran slowly but surely opens up. Nikolai becomes the person who forces Brandon to stop merely surviving and start living. While Niko has friends and family supporting him, Brandon spends so much of the book carrying his burdens alone.
Their romance isn’t just about falling in love. It’s about Brandon finally allowing someone to see him.
And honestly, that’s what made NikoBran so unforgettable for me.
That’s my twin brother. My other half. You don’t get it, Dad. He…he’s my. Other. Half.
I love the Kings and the Heathens. If they weren’t in the opposing groups, I’m sure they’d make for a spectacular friendship gang.
I love the camaraderie among the second-generation guys. They’re chaotic, loyal, protective, and constantly involved in each other’s business.
Landon managed to carve his way into my heart with the way he loves Brandon so much. In all the other books, he comes across as a dismissive, narcissistic, wrecking hell everywhere he goes, an asshole. I thought GoF was one of his redemption plots that continued in Brandon’s book.
I also love how poetic it is that the twins fell for the Sokolov siblings. It warms my heart that Lan and Bran will still be together, along with their better halves.
Even if you hate yourself, I’ll love you for the both of us.
God of Fury is one of those books that completely consumed me as I read it. The humor, banter, chaos, obsession, friendships, and ultimately healing, this book delivered all of it.
To this day, NikoBran remains one of my favorite couples in the entire Rinaverse.
If you have been following along the LOG series, don’t skip this book!
Dare I say, this is the #1 book in the entire series.
Books Similar to God of Fury
I would recommend reading Hunt the Villain by Rina Kent next. Same vibes, the MCs sharing similar characteristics, and you’ll travel back to the Heathen’s world.
You’ll also get a glimpse of NikoBran’s future in the epilogue of Hunt the Villain. You will devour that chapter as I did!
God of Fury Blurb:
From USA Today bestselling author Rina Kent comes an MM college romance.
I’m not attracted to men.
Or so I thought before I slammed into Nikolai Sokolov.
A mafia heir, a notorious bastard, and a violent monster.
An ill-fated meeting puts me in his path.
And just like that, he has his sights set on me.
A quiet artist, a golden boy, and his enemy’s twin brother.
He doesn’t seem to care that the odds are stacked against us.
In fact, he sets out to break my steel-like control and blur my limits.
I thought my biggest worry was being noticed by Nikolai.
I’m learning the hard way that being wanted by this beautiful nightmare is much worse.
This book can be read on its own, but for a better understanding of the world, you might want to start with God of Malice.
Get Your Copy of Hunt The Villain:
About Rina Kent:
Rina Kent is an international bestselling author of everything enemies to lovers romance.
Darkness is her playground, suspense is her best friend, and twists are her brain’s food. However, she likes to think she’s a romantic at heart in some way, so don’t kill her hopes just yet.
Her heroes are anti-heroes and villains because she was always the weirdo who fell in love with the guys no one roots for. Her books are sprinkled with a touch of mystery, a healthy dose of angst, a pinch of violence, and lots of intense passion.
Rina spends her private days in a peaceful town in North Africa daydreaming about the next plot idea or laughing like an evil mastermind when those ideas come together.
More books by Rina Kent:
