Thorns Duet · 2021
Red ThornsSpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
by Rina Kent
Spice 4/5 (Explicit) · Darkness 4/5 (Pitch) · 3 trigger warnings flagged
Red Thorns is book 1 of Thorns Duet by Rina Kent, published in 2021. Expect enemies to lovers and academy. Spice is explicit (4 of 5) and the darkness is pitch dark (4 of 5). We took the warnings from the author's content warning page. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 10 June 2021 (first publication, per Goodreads). Book 1 of Thorns Duet.
Red Thorns tropes
On this shelf, Red Thorns is filed under Enemies to lovers and Dark academy romance. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Red Thorns spice level
Is Red Thorns dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Red Thorns scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More pitch books. How we rate.
Red Thorns trigger warnings
Verified from author's content notes · Source: Rina Kent's content warning page (one list for the Thorns Duet), checked 13 October 2026. Flags grouped by us. Also on that list: homophobia or racism. Read the author's list.
Graphic (1) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
Full Red Thorns trigger warnings
Thorns Duet reading order
Red Thorns is book 1 of 1 in Rina Kent's Thorns Duet series. Start here.
- Book 1 Red Thorns (this book) · 2021
Order checked against the Goodreads Thorns Duet series page on 13 October 2026.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
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Books like Red Thorns
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- Bad Apple
Bad Apple
Selena .
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
- My Bloodline
My Bloodline
K.C. Kean
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
- Green Light
Green Light
Jescie Hall
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
- Falling Away
Falling Away
Penelope Douglas
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
- The Lies We Tell
The Lies We Tell
Becca Steele
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
- Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentions
Cora Kent
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
- Watch Me Fall
Watch Me Fall
K.C. Kean
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
- F*ck You: Term One
F*ck You: Term One
Crystal North
Spice ●●●○○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Enemies to lovers, Dark academy romance
Books like Red Thorns, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Red Thorns?
Red Thorns spice level is 4 of 5 (Explicit). On-page sex, clearly written. Darkness is a separate score: 4 of 5 (Pitch).
What are the Red Thorns trigger warnings?
Graphic: Dubious consent. Moderate: Bullying. Minor: Kink. These are book-specific flags from the author's own content notes, grouped by us, plus any community-sourced additions. Read the full list before you start.
Is Red Thorns dark romance?
Yes, firmly. Red Thorns scores 4 of 5 on our darkness scale (Pitch). Bleak on purpose. Comfort is not the job.
What tropes are in Red Thorns?
On this shelf Red Thorns is filed under Enemies to lovers and Dark academy romance.
Who is Red Thorns for?
For a reader who wants hate that tips over into wanting. Spice is explicit. Darkness is pitch. Read the warnings on this page before you start.
What are some books like Red Thorns?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: Bad Apple by Selena .; My Bloodline by K.C. Kean; Green Light by Jescie Hall; Falling Away by Penelope Douglas; The Lies We Tell by Becca Steele; Cruel Intentions by Cora Kent. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/red-thorns.
Is Red Thorns a standalone?
No. Red Thorns is book 1 of 1 in the Thorns Duet series by Rina Kent.
What order should I read the Thorns Duet series in?
1. Red Thorns.
How many books are in the Thorns Duet series?
The Thorns Duet series by Rina Kent has 1 main book.
What is the Red Thorns age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 4/5 (explicit) and darkness at 4/5 (pitch). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
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