If you enjoy contemporary romance with high emotional stakes, complex characters, and forbidden tension, Ana Huang’s latest novel King of Envy should be at the top of your reading list. Featuring a world-renowned model navigating New York high society and a reclusive billionaire with a haunted past, this book offers the kind of slow-burn, character-driven romance Huang is known for.
Chinese-American author Ana Huang has become a bestselling sensation thanks to her TikTok-viral romance novels. Personally, I’m a big fan of hers, so naturally, I was full of bubbling anticipation for her latest release on April 29, 2025. Let me just say that it has met — and surpassed — all my expectations.
King of Envy delves into a forbidden romance between Vuk Markovic, a reclusive billionaire known for his aversion to human interaction, and Ayana Kidane, an internationally acclaimed supermodel. As well as the fiancée of Vuk’s best friend (…enter the drama).
Let’s just say that this novel depicts one of my favorite things: yearning. The kind of slow-burning, soul-aching, “we want each other but can’t have each other” tension that keeps you glued to the page. Vuk is the ultimate broody hero, all ice and restraint until Ayana — who he’s watched from afar — starts to melt his walls.
I mean, seriously, who doesn’t love to read about an amazing romance with drama, suspense, tension, and billionaires — set in New York high society. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be screaming internally (and maybe a little externally) the entire time.
They’re just super sweet, so cute together, and exactly what I was hoping for when Huang announced the book’s release date in November of 2024. One of my favorite tropes ever is the “I-hate-everyone-but-you” love interest; I mean, at the end of the day, we all want to feel chosen — especially by the person who never chooses anyone.
Beyond all the glitz and glamour, King of Envy — like all of Huang’s other books — also tackles deeper themes: loneliness, identity, trust, and what it means to be truly seen by someone. Huang nails the emotional payoff without ever losing the heat.
With the mix of well-loved romance tropes, relatable themes, and immersive writing, King of Envy was the perfect getaway. I truly believe that part of my love for reading stems from the need to escape reality; to step into a world where I don’t have to be myself, even just for a little while. I find that getting lost in the pages of someone else’s story is the best escape.
King of Envy is the 5th book in Huang’s Kings of Sin series, where each story follows a different billionaire love interest inspired by one of the seven deadly sins. A great thing about this series is that it’s set in the same “world” as Huang’s other two series: Twisted and Gods of the Game. That means even more interconnected stories, recurring characters, and, best of all, lots of books to binge.
My Recommended Ana Huang Reading Order: (all three series mixed)
- Twisted Love
- Twisted Games
- Twisted Hate
- Twisted Lies
- King of Wrath
- King of Pride
- King of Greed
- King of Sloth
- The Striker
- King of Envy
More books to come
Overall, I loved it and if you’re a fan of the plethora of romance tropes Ana Huang is known for, then this book is perfect for you. From forbidden love to the “I’d burn down the world for you” morally-grey hero, you will definitely become a fan of King of Envy as well.
