She Reads was thrilled to talk to #1 New York Times bestselling author Ana Huang about her latest book, King of Envy, morally gray heroes, and the challenge of writing about the seven deadly sins.

She Reads: Tell us a little bit about King of Envy.

Ana Huang: King of Envy is the fifth book in my Kings of Sin series, a collection of contemporary romances themed around the seven deadly sins. This one follows the story of Vuk and Ayanna.

Ayanna is engaged to Vuk’s best friend, and he’s been in love with her forever—without realizing their engagement is one of convenience. He just thinks, “Oh my God, I’m in love with my best friend’s fiancée.”

There’s a lot of angst and yearning, but also suspense. Vuk has a darker past, and elements from it resurface. Meanwhile, Ayanna is trying to free herself from an agency that isn’t treating her well. Everything comes to a head with suspense, romance, and danger—but it is a love story, so there’s a happily ever after in the end.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

SR: How does King of Envy build on or depart from the earlier books in the series?

Ana: It has a lot of the same elements readers expect: the glamorous New York high society backdrop, the spice, the tension. But Vuk is the most morally gray hero in the series so far, and there’s a bigger suspense element woven into this story.

It’s also unique because Vuk uses American Sign Language (ASL) throughout the book—he’s the first main character I’ve written who communicates that way, and I loved exploring that.

SR: Each of your kings is flawed in a compelling way. How do you balance making Vuk morally gray while still making him swoon-worthy?

Ana: For me, the line is simple: my morally gray heroes might act ruthlessly toward others—but never toward their love interest. They’re always loyal and protective when it comes to the person they love.

I think that taps into a fantasy a lot of romance readers have: a hero who’s dangerous to the world but soft for you. It’s the best of both worlds.

SR: Is there a sin in the series that’s been the most challenging for you to write?

Ana: When I first looked at the seven deadly sins, I knew sloth and gluttony would be a little tricky because they’re not as inherently “sexy” as the others. Like, what’s hot about laziness? (Although now that I’m older, lying around all day sounds pretty amazing.)

I found a way to intertwine sloth into that hero’s story, but gluttony—coming next year—is going to require a little more creativity. It’s not just about food or drink; it’s about any kind of excess.

SR: Do you ever think, “Why did I commit to all seven sins?

Ana: All the time! And my agent probably does too. But I said seven sins, so it’s seven or nothing.

Honestly, though, I love the challenge. I’ve always been fascinated by the seven deadly sins, and figuring out how to adapt them into my world has been really fun.

That said, I do alternate these books with my Gods of the Game sports romance series to give myself a mental break.

Did you watch the movie Se7en as a teenager?

Ana: Would you believe me if I said I’ve never actually watched it?

It’s always been on my list, but something new always distracts me. I’ll get to it eventually!

SR: What’s one thing about Vuk that would surprise readers?

Ana: He might seem like this big, intimidating guy, but he has a softer side—and a hobby no one would expect.

He loves playing bingo. It’s his way of turning off his brain and just enjoying the moment without overthinking everything.

SR: If the heroine could leave a one-line Yelp review for Vuk, what would it say?

Ana: “Takes a little work to get to know, but 10/10 worth it in the end.”

SR: What songs were on your playlist while writing King of Envy?

Ana: I always make a playlist for my books. This one had darker, moodier vibes.

The book has an official song: Chris Grey’s Let the World Burn, which is perfect for morally gray characters. Chris even wrote a new song called Envy after reading an early copy of the book. It drops on Friday, April 25!

I also listened to Moth to a Flame by Swedish House Mafia. You can find the full playlist on my Spotify profile.

SR: What books are you excited to read this summer?

Ana: I’m excited for R.F. Kuang’s (Katabasis) new release. I’m also looking forward to Alchemised by SenLinYu, which is a novel adaptation of Man of Gold.

I love seeing how authors transform fanfiction into original work—it’s fascinating.

SR: Did you ever write fanfiction yourself?

Ana: Not officially. When I was younger, I definitely wrote stories inspired by my favorite media.
I even wrote a short story in elementary school that was clearly Chronicles of Narnia-inspired. I think a lot of us start that way—writing what we love before finding our own voices.

SR: If you could step into any fictional world for a day, where would you go?

Ana: I’d pick a fantasy world for sure. One of my favorites is the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh.

It would be a little scary to live there permanently, but for a day? Perfect. I’d want powers, of course—no way am I stepping into a fantasy world just to be a regular human!

SR: What’s your favorite summer reading spot?

Ana: Inside, with air conditioning!

The idea of reading on a beach sounds romantic, but in reality, I hate sand and heat. My ideal day is curling up in a cozy café with a big window, natural light, an iced matcha, a pastry, and a good book.

SR: What’s your favorite indie bookstore?

Ana: The Strand in New York.

I’ve partnered with them on several pre-order campaigns, and the team is amazing. Plus, it’s such an iconic spot.

SR: If you could go on a summer road trip with any three authors, who would you choose?

Ana: Nalini Singh, Stephanie Garber—and if it’s a girls’ trip, definitely Lauren Asher, Elsie Silver, and Catherine Cowles.

We’d probably head somewhere coastal, like California, for some ocean views.

(Fun fact: when Elsie Silver was interviewed earlier, she picked Ana for her dream road trip too!)

Do you have any favorite bookish social media accounts?

Ana: I love Salma’s Library—she’s so genuine and authentic.

Pauline from The Books I’ve Loved is another favorite; she was one of the first BookTokers I followed.

There are so many incredible creators now that it’s hard to pick just a few!

SR: With such a big online following, how does that impact your writing process?

Ana: It’s a lot of incoming voices.

In the beginning, it felt manageable and inspiring. Now, with so many different theories and expectations, it can be overwhelming. I’ve had to create boundaries—like not checking social media before I write each day.

Otherwise, it’s too easy to second-guess myself.

SR: What are you working on next?

Ana:Right now, I’m working on The Defender, the second book in my Gods of the Game sports romance series.

It’s lighter than King of Envy, which is a nice change of pace.

And exciting news: Twisted Love is currently in development at Netflix! I can’t share much yet, but stay tuned.

SR: Is there a genre you’d like to explore someday?

Ana: Fantasy! I was a fantasy reader before I was a romance reader, and it’s something that’s always intrigued me.

But world building intimidates me, and I don’t want to risk making fantasy harder to enjoy as a reader. So maybe someday—but for now, I’ll just keep reading it.

SR: We’re so excited to feature King of Envy! Thank you so much for joining us, Ana.

Ana: Thank you so much! This was so much fun. I hope we get to chat again soon!