Book Review: Rook & Rebel

Author: Kate Crew

Review: 5/5

Spoilers!!

If you’re looking for a dark romance that will punch you in the face, rip out your heart, and somehow make you laugh about it, look no further. Rook & Rebel kicks off The Mavericks series, and it absolutely owns every second of it.

We’ve got Rook, a morally grey biker on a mission to burn a corrupt businessman to the ground after losing everything that mattered. And we’ve got Regan, a rich girl fresh out of business school, stuck in her daddy’s mansion like a bird in a gilded cage, desperate to break free and prove she’s more than a pretty face with a trust fund. Their worlds collide in the worst possible way, and what should have been a simple revenge plot gets a whole lot messier once feelings start crawling in.

Rook stalks her.

Regan stalks him right back.

It’s unhealthy, chaotic, obsessive—and it’s kind of beautiful.

The character development here is some of the best I’ve read in a long time. You can feel every ounce of anger, loneliness, and need simmering under the surface. Rook isn’t just a “bad boy” biker stereotype; he’s broken in a way that feels real, and Regan isn’t just some spoiled princess either. She’s scrappy, stubborn, and more than willing to put Rook in his place whenever he starts running his mouth, which is often.

The banter between them is razor-sharp and perfectly timed. And don’t even get me started on the side characters. Aiden and Hero are absolute chaos gremlins in the best way, delivering some of the funniest moments in the book without ever pulling attention away from the main story. Evie and Harper are pure mischief, and I’m already counting down the days until I can read more about them <insert me desperately waiting for the second book>.

That being said, if I had one complaint, it’s that the moment where Rook and Regan finally admit they love each other felt a little small. After everything they went through, after all the walls they had to tear down to even get there, I wanted that emotional payoff to knock the air out of my lungs.

Also, and I’ll die on this hill, but Regan or Rook should have been the one to kill her father. Not Elliott. I get it, but it still felt like a missed opportunity for that final, brutal catharsis.

But god, this book. Obsessed.

The pacing is tight, the chemistry is explosive, and the found family vibes? Top fucking tier. The Mavericks are the kind of crew you wish you could roll with. You mess with one of them, you mess with all of them, no questions asked. The loyalty, the brotherhood, the absolute insanity of it all—it’s addictive in the best way.

Rook & Rebel isn’t just a good dark romance. It’s the kind that leaves you wrecked in the best way. It's fast, filthy, funny, and somehow manages to be heartfelt without ever getting cheesy. The balance is perfect.

Ultimately, if you like your love stories full of obsession, revenge, and characters who would absolutely shank someone for touching their person, this one's for you.