If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Romeo and Juliet were raised by mob bosses, trained in hand-to-hand combat, and had a penchant for morally gray foreplay—Ria Wilde’s Little Bird answers that question with a blood-soaked smirk and a silk blindfold. This dark romance, the first in the Twisted City Duet, is not for the faint of heart—but it’s a feast for readers who crave danger, desire, and a heroine who can throw a punch as well as she throws shade.
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🖤 Plot Summary: Love in the Time of Gunfire
Set in the gritty underworld of Brookes Hill, Little Bird opens with a bang—literally. A family gathering turns into a massacre when the Silver family is ambushed by their rivals, the Valentines. Alexander Silver, heir to the Silver criminal empire, watches someone he loves die and vows vengeance with the kind of icy resolve that makes you shiver through the page.
Enter Wren Valentine, daughter of the enemy, trained in self-defense by her paranoid father, and just trying to live a semi-normal life. That dream dies the moment she crosses paths with Alexander at a club. Their chemistry is instant, electric, and deeply problematic. Alexander sees Wren not just as a woman, but as a weapon—a pawn in his war. So naturally, he kidnaps her. As one does.
From there, the story spirals into a twisted dance of predator and prey, captor and captive, enemies and lovers. Wren is held in Alexander’s stronghold, enduring psychological torment, unexpected tenderness, and a whole lot of sexual tension. The city’s criminal factions watch and wait, but the real war is happening behind closed doors—between two people who should hate each other but can’t stop wanting more.
🕊️ Character Breakdown: Who’s Who in the Twisted Zoo
Wren Valentine Our titular “Little Bird” is anything but fragile. Trained to fight, emotionally scarred, and fiercely independent, Wren is a heroine who bites back. She’s not here to be rescued—she’s here to survive, and maybe burn the whole damn place down while she’s at it. Her inner monologue is sharp, her instincts are killer, and her vulnerability is layered beneath armor she forged herself.
“I wasn’t born to be prey. I was trained to be the storm.”
Alexander Silver (Lex) Imagine if Christian Grey had a vendetta, a body count, and zero interest in therapy. Lex is cold, calculating, and obsessed with control. But beneath the brutality is a man unraveling—haunted by grief, driven by revenge, and increasingly undone by the woman he thought he could use. His obsession with Wren is both terrifying and tender, and Wilde walks the tightrope of his character with impressive finesse.
“She was supposed to be leverage. Not the thing that made me feel again.”
Griff Wren’s mentor and father figure, Griff is the grizzled voice of reason in a world gone mad. He’s protective, pragmatic, and probably the only person in the book who doesn’t need therapy. His dynamic with Wren adds emotional depth and a sense of history that grounds the chaos.
The Valentines and Silvers These families are less Capulet and Montague, more Corleone and Soprano. Their feud is bloody, personal, and generational. The supporting cast includes various henchmen, siblings, and shady allies, all contributing to the sense that Brookeshill is one bad decision away from total collapse.
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
This book is unapologetically dark. Ria Wilde doesn’t just flirt with taboo—she takes it to dinner, buys it a drink, and lets it handcuff her to the bed. Readers should be aware of the following content:
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Kidnapping and captivity
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Physical and psychological abuse
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Dubious consent / power imbalance
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Violence and murder
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PTSD and trauma
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Explicit sexual content
If you’re looking for a cozy romance with cinnamon roll heroes, Little Bird will eat your soul and spit out the feathers.
💋 Tropes That Fly
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Enemies to Lovers: Wren and Lex are on opposite sides of a blood feud. Naturally, they fall in lust.
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Kidnapping Romance: A classic dark romance setup, executed with tension and twisted tenderness.
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Morally Gray Hero: Lex is not redeemable in the traditional sense, but Wilde makes you root for him anyway.
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Strong Female Lead: Wren is no damsel. She fights, she plots, she survives.
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Obsession: Lex’s fixation on Wren is intense, unhealthy, and weirdly romantic.
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Found Family: Griff and Wren’s bond adds emotional weight and a sense of loyalty beyond blood.
🔥 Quotes That Slap
Wilde’s prose is sharp, evocative, and often laced with venom. Here are a few standout lines:
“He looked at me like I was the answer to a question he hadn’t dared ask.” — Wren, contemplating Lex’s gaze (and probably her own sanity)
“Brookes Hill doesn’t forgive weakness. It devours it.” — Lex, explaining why therapy is not an option
“I wanted to hate him. I needed to. But hate doesn’t make your skin burn when he touches you.” — Wren, caught between survival and seduction
🎭 The Good, The Bad, and The Bloody
The Good
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The tension is delicious. Every scene crackles with danger and desire.
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Wren is a standout heroine—complex, capable, and compelling.
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The pacing is tight, the stakes are high, and the cliffhanger will leave you screaming into your pillow.
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Wilde’s writing is cinematic, with fight scenes and emotional beats that feel like a Netflix thriller.
The Bad
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The romance is not for everyone. If you need clear consent and healthy dynamics, this ain’t it.
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Some readers found the duet structure frustrating, with Little Bird ending on a cliffhanger that demands the sequel.
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The world-building is intense, but occasionally overwhelming. You may need a flowchart to track the family drama.
The Bloody
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This book doesn’t shy away from violence. It’s part of the aesthetic, but it’s also part of the emotional arc. Wren and Lex bleed, break, and rebuild—and it’s messy in all the right ways.
🧠 Final Thoughts: Feathered and Ferocious
Little Bird is a dark romance that sings in screams. It’s brutal, beautiful, and brimming with emotional chaos. Ria Wilde crafts a story that’s equal parts seduction and survival, with characters who claw their way through trauma to find something resembling love.
Is it healthy? No. Is it hot? Absolutely. Will you need a drink and a hug after reading? Probably.
But if you’re the kind of reader who thrives on twisted dynamics, fierce heroines, and prose that punches you in the gut—Little Bird will leave you breathless and begging for book two.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 broken hearts and brass knuckles.
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