Book: Pretty Ruthless by Lexi Davis
Reviewed by Michelles_Cosy_Booknook
Rating: 4.5/5
4.25 ⭐️'s
Pretty Ruthless is the prequel to Pretty Vicious, but you absolutely do not need to have read book one in order to enjoy this story.
Set once again within the opulent, secretive world of Ashford University’s fraternity and sorority houses, this instalment takes us back to 1994 and follows Carsson Ashford and Becky Dawson.
Both characters are carrying dangerous secrets — but only one belongs to the ancient and deadly society known as The Order. A shadowy organisation whose influence stretches far beyond the university walls and into the very foundations of power itself.
Having read Pretty Vicious, I genuinely didn’t expect this book to make me reassess my feelings about Carsson Ashford. He is still deeply flawed and, at times, utterly vile — but understanding his past added layers to his character that answered so many questions about the man he eventually becomes.
Becky Dawson, meanwhile, is exactly the kind of person you want beside you when facing injustice. Fierce, relentless, and unwilling to back down, she was such a compelling FMC to follow. And trust me — the Becky you meet at the start of this book is not the same woman you leave behind by the end.
One of the strongest elements of this story was watching the emotional connection between the MCs evolve. Their relationship is built on far more than attraction alone; it’s rooted in trauma, tragedy, understanding, and the way their individual histories slowly intertwine.
I also loved learning more about The Order. So many lingering questions from Pretty Vicious were finally answered… while somehow leaving me with an entirely new list of theories and questions for Pretty Savage (Sept 2026). Lexi Davis really knows how to leave her readers desperate for more.
Dark, fast-paced, emotional, witty, and laced with spice, Pretty Ruthless completely pulled me into its world.
Thank you to Lexi Davis for the early copy. All thoughts are my own.