Bitter Rivals (Previously Published as Elite) (Eagle Elite Book 1)

“Nixon.” My voice was weak. “What are you doing?” His lips met mine. The kiss was brief. He sighed. “I wish I knew.” This book was like a mash up of Mean Girls, Romeo & Juliet and The Godfather and I LOVED it! I only just heard about this series recently when Facebook was blowing up with posts about the newest release, Elude. The posts and the blurb for that book had me so intrigued and wanting to read it, but just in case I ended up loving it I figured I should wait and start at the beginning in order to avoid spoilers! I read the prequel novella, Enchant, and was interested to keep going but wasn’t really sure if the series would be up my alley. With the $5 price tag on this book, I debated a bit about whether to give it a go or not. Well let me say, this was one gamble that totally paid off because I devoured this book and I am so excited to keep reading through this series to find out what is going to happen next! Trace Rooks is the winner of the annual lottery to win a scholarship/acceptance to Eagle Elite, the country’s most prestigious school, where many of the students go on to be world leaders and the like. Graduating from Eagle Elite basically makes you set for life, with any career open to you. Trace is excited with the opportunity that has been given to her but she is also feeling a little (ok a lot) out of her league and very far from the farmland of Wyoming which is the only world she’s ever known. That becomes really apparent on her first day when she comes face to face with The Elect: Nixon, Chase, Tex & Phoenix. Between their rules and the fact that they seemingly run the school, Trace begins to wonder just what she’s gotten herself into and what or who these guys are. As more and more information comes to light and after several strange occurrences, Trace is about to learn that there may have been more to her small town life in Wyoming than she ever could have imagined. ‘Classic. Someone should record the gold that flows from my mouth.’ I LOVED Trace, she was awesome! Definitely one of my top favorite female book characters I’ve ever read. Given the situation she was dropped into and considering all of the stuff that she had to put up with during her first days/weeks at Eagle, I really admired her strength and spunk. Especially since she was completely unaware of what was really going on behind the scenes. Many people would have broken after much less than what she had to go through. I couldn’t believe half the crap that the students and The Elect put her through, but just as I was about to get angry on her behalf she would come out with an awesome comeback or reaction and instead I’d find myself either laughing or cheering at how awesome she was. I loved her reactions or internal musings about all of the bizarre things she witnessed at the school, they were hilarious and I found myself echoing much of what she was thinking! ‘I counted to three and turned around, expecting one of two things. Either he was going to murder me or kiss me. There really wasn’t any other logical option, not with Nixon.’ I wasn’t sure what to think of Nixon and the other members of The Elect at first. When we first meet them I couldn’t believe what jerks they were, and their rules had me rolling my eyes. I remember thinking “who died and made them God?”, I couldn’t fathom how these “kids” could have so much power. As the book goes on though it starts to get explained and it’ll all start to become clear. And you’ll begin to see that there’s more at play here than just these guys running around with unlimited power, and there’s definitely more to them than just being jerks. I ended up really loving Nixon, even before we really learned who he was, as tough or mean as he was to Trace you could still see the underlying vulnerability to him. That really helped me to connect to him and want to learn more. I also loved Chase, it was clear early on with him that there was a nice guy hidden behind that tough guy “Elect” exterior. I didn’t learn enough about Tex to really form an opinion and from what I saw of Phoenix in this book I hated him, although I feel like there’s more to that story as well and I am looking forward to finding it out. I liked how this book combined college shenanigans with much darker mafia dealings. It was crazy how these guys would be lounging in a dorm room watching movies and eating popcorn one minute and then cracking someone’s skull with a bat the next moment. But it worked, the books flowed nicely and the story was completely engaging. I found myself liking or even loving the characters despite some of their more nefarious dealings. The book ended with a bang (literally and figuratively) and I am completely hooked and can’t wait to find out what happens next! I have a feeling like things are going to get really crazy in the not too distant future for these guys! “I’m scared.” “I’ll be scared with you,” Nixon murmured. “I’ll be scared until you aren’t scared anymore, okay?” “Okay.” “And I’ll save you from all of it, Trace. I promise.”

Oh triangles. How you vex me. I love triangles, yet I inevitably wind up falling/cheering for the underdog, at least if they're written well. And boy did she write this triangle well. I have to give her props for the romance angle in this book. It saved it from being a catastrophe. Summary: Tracey Rooks has been accepted to one of the finest schools in the country under a scholarship program. The students, however, are less than accepting of a Wyoming farm girl. Upon her first day there, she gets a welcoming committee in the form of Nixon -- the sexy, arrogant, and definitely cruel boy who is clearly the boss around these parts. She's been told the rules, but Trace has never been one for following them. Nixon knows he needs to stay away from Tracey Rooks. With his sister becoming fast friends with the farm girl who mooed in front of the entire student body, it makes it difficult to follow his own advice. Soon, he finds he can't stay away. But when danger threatens, he'll do anything to save her, even push her away. Permanently. The question is, will she still be waiting for him when it's all over? Proceed with caution -- could contain spoilers! Cons: Age group -- This is a huge pitfall for me in the overall storyline. Suspension of disbelief can only go so far, even for those with great imagination. We're supposed to believe that Nixon, whose age is never really disclosed (but we can assume it to be around 23/24), is running all of these important business operations all over the country and is the head of his family, yet he still has time to roam the halls of his school so he can be student body president? It's a bit much, even for me. Phoenix -- Total cookie-cutter villain. He was very two-dimensional and kind of annoying rather than scary. Real celeb use -- Ew. I hate this. One of my biggest pet peeves with fiction. They dated Taylor Swift? First off, can't stand Taylor Swift. Second, this author kind of painted her to be a slut. Having your own opinion about celebrities and talking/bashing with your friends is one thing, but putting it down in a novel? Not cool. Tracey's reaction -- Okay, so she just finds out that her grandfather has lied to her for almost her whole life (even while protecting her), yet she has no anger toward him at all? No kind of silent treatment, no nothing? Just an "all's forgiven"? True, it was nice that she didn't throw a tantrum or act immature, but a little bit of a reaction would have been nice. Hmph. Nixon -- His cruelness toward Trace was uncalled for, even if it was in the name of protection. Was very happy to see that Trace told him where to go when he came to her dorm to check on her after it was all said and done. What utter foolishness. Twist -- Meh. Pretty predictable. Again, the whole age thing makes it a little less believable, though. Pros: Chase -- Love me some Chase! He's kind of low-key in the beginning but winds up with a pretty big part to play. Nixon's own stupidity could have just cost him the woman he loves because Chase? He's awesome. He's fiercely protective over Tracey, even before Nixon started dating her. I don't particularly like the part he played in the beginning when Phoenix tried to teach her a lesson, buuuuuut. He more than made up for that. Monroe -- She is the only sane/normal person in this whole group of people. She was down-to-earth and treated Trace with kindness and fairness. It was almost like she was the mother Tracey never had. I was sad to see her presence dissipate toward the end. Hopefully she has a bigger role in the next book! Tracey -- I kind of have a love/hate thing going on with her. But really, I like her. She's a strong character and it's very refreshing to come across a character like this that doesn't whine or is petty after she's had the things done to her that she has. It may make her a little too forgiving/trusting, but I think we're going to see a transformation take place over the course of the series, however long they may be. By the end of this book, she's already developed tougher skin after Chase gives her grief for breaking down in front of everyone. She's had a lot thrown at her, yet she still walks with her head held high. Can't wait to see where her story is headed. Chemistry -- LOVE the chemistry between Nixon and Tracey. I'm not really a huge fan of how big of a jerk he is toward her on multiple occasions, but he kind of makes up for it. Sort of. I'm always a big sucker for these types of romances, though, so it's my weak spot. Can't be helped. I'd say overall, this story did have a lot of weaknesses to it and could have used some ironing out/tweaking, but I did enjoy it, nonetheless. Looking forward to the new book in the series.

Elite is a powerful romance that keeps the reader on the edge of your seat. Rachel Van Dyken is a new author to me and I’m so excited I finally found her. I swear I yelled at this book or rather the characters more than ever before. Ms. Van Dyken yanked me into the Eagle Elite world, made me feel the myriad of emotions her characters endure. As I finished Elite I felt as if I had run a marathon in record time. I was exhausted, and I wanted more. I was so obsessed I turned around and read the next book Elect immediately! Trace Rooks is a feisty young woman beginning her college career at an exclusive university. She’s thrust into this strange world and subjected to some awful things. One of the wonderful things about this book besides the romance are the many converging plots. As soon as you think you know what this book is going to be about Ms. Van Dyken throws a curve ball. Many times, I felt my eyes bulge while thinking Holy Sh*t did that really just happen! Elite is a new adult romance but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s your standard college romance novel. Elite deals with many adult scenarios. It’s easy to forget the characters are so young because of how they handle the cards they are dealt. Nixon Abandonato is an enigma. It’s hard to tell what is going on in his head but damn he wears Alpha Male with aplomb. He’s the leader of the mysterious Elect and a complete ass. The characters are fascinating. I hate to say much more because I don’t want to give away the exciting secrets within Elite. However, I can tell you that Trace and Nixon set the pages ablaze with their sensual romance and intense banter in Rachel Van Dyken’s Elite! I am thrilled to Joyfully Recommend it for November!

I am a HUGE fan of Rachel Van Dyken. I have not read a book of hers that I have not LOVED !! I could not put Elite down from the moment I picked it up. I was sucked in just by reading the Prologue. "Whoever told me life was easy -- lied. it's hard. It sucks. The crazy thing is -- nobody has the guts to admit the truth. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a secret. Everyone has a story that needs to be told." ~ Trace Trace was raised by her grandparents after her parents were killed. Trace won the lottery to attend the prestigious Eagle Elite College. Trace wanted to be able to take care of her aging grandpa once she graduated and she wanted to make him proud. The day Trace arrived at Eagle Elite, her life was about to change. FOREVER. Upon arriving, Trace was greeted by the welcoming committee, Nixon, Chase, Tex and Phoenix, the ELECT. It appeared that these four thought their roles at the Eagle Elite were quite important. They had a reputation to live up to and they were going to make sure Trace knew exactly who they were. Nixon made sure to advise Trace that there were rules she needed to follow while attending the school. Rules are what kept people safe. What rules could Trace possibly have to follow to keep her safe? Safe from what? All she was doing was attending school? There was something about Trace that got under Nixon's skin. Nixon immediately had Trace on his radar and made her the focus of his attack. Nixon humiliated Trace the first day she was there. She knew this was going to be a tough semester and she was just praying that she would get through it. She lucked out with a great roommate, Monroe... who just happened to be the twin of Nixon. Monroe takes Trace under her wing and tries to help Trace fit in. Trace is given a key card that gains her access to places that most are not granted. For some reason, Nixon has given her access to lunch with the Elect. The Elect consists of Nixon, Chase, Phoenix, Tex and Monroe. Trace didn't understand why Nixon would do this and why he was being nice. There were times Nixon would be mean to her, but then there were times he was nice to her. His mood swings were given her whiplash. After spending time with Nixon, Trace began to develop feelings. She definitely was attracted to him. How could she not be? He was six foot two, olive complexion, thick arms, a body to kill for, dark hair, tattoos, a lip ring, he was just gorgeous. When she was around him, she felt butterflies in her stomach. The only problem is, she didn't know if she could trust him. She never knew if he was setting her up to humiliate her again. "There was something about him. Something that made me want to touch him, made me crave his touch, and I hated that I responded to him, especially after the way he treated me at first." ~ Trace Nixon was very secretive. He grew up in a life style that most only saw portrayed on television. Nixon knew he had to protect his family and the ones he loved. He only told Trace what he wanted her to know. If he told her too much, her life would be in danger. Nixon is drawn to Trace. It is evident that he has a connection to Trace that is unexplainable. He vows to protect her from any harm that comes her way. Nixon knows a secret, that nobody else knows except for his best friend/cousin, Chase. Nixon needs Chase's help. Nixon needs to distance himself from Trace to protect her. Nixon needs Chase to be his eyes and ears when he is not around. Trace's life was about to change. Trace finds out some information that was going to change everything. The secret that Nixon and Chase know, is a secret that can cost Trace her life. Nixon makes a decision that is going to hurt him and Trace in the process. Nixon vows to protect Trace at all costs. Even if it means he may be pushing Trace into the arms of someone else. "When I make a promise I keep it. Regardless of whom it hurts, even if it means it hurts me or someone I care about the most. Sometimes... sometimes in life we're asked to sacrifice something for the greater good." ~ Nixon "I love you, Trace. I always have. Just remember that, okay? Hold on to it. No matter what I say or what I do...and trust me, I'll do some terrible things. Just know. I love you. With every fiber of my being." ~ Nixon Chase.. Oh Chase. What a total sweetheart!! Chase had a connection with Trace as well. Chase was developing feelings for Trace, but did Trace feel the same way? Did Trace see Chase as more than just a friend? Was it wrong that Chase had feelings for his cousin's girlfriend? Would he act on his feelings? When Trace needed someone, Chase was always there. Was he more to her than she was willing to admit? I LOVED this book. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started Elite, but I was blown away by it. I wanted to hate Nixon, I really did, but I couldn't. In the beginning he is such an arrogant creep. The pain that he caused Trace, I wanted to punch him in his face and kick him in his balls. But after getting the back story on why he did what he did, I don't agree with what he did, but I understand why he did it. Once the puzzle pieces started to fall together and we get the whole story, I was routing for Nixon and Trace. Trace and Nixon loved each other. But sometimes, love isn't enough to keep people together. Nixon made a promise keep Trace safe at all costs. If being with Trace was going to have her in harms way, Nixon would sacrifice his own happiness to make sure she was safe. This book was amazing. You must ONE CLICK it. I tip my hat to you Rachel. You delivered another book that had me wanting more. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see where you were going with this story. You shocked me with some things, and I have to admit, I never saw them coming!!

4.5 stars!! I just recently discovered author Rachel Van Dyke and so glad I did! The Bet was the first book of hers that I read and I loved it. Elite is REALLY different from The Bet but loved it no less! We begin our journey with Tracey (Trace) who is on her way to college. She is a farm girl from Wyoming who has lived with her grandparents since her parents died in a car accident when she was 6. Trace was homeschooled and pretty sheltered from what I can tell. She is a simple girl who was encouraged by her grandmother to enter a lottery for a school that would otherwise be out of her league, Eagle Elite. Her grandmother passed away but not before learning that Trace was accepted and Trace is determined to use the opportunity at this prestigious school to make the most of her life. Her grandfather is all she has left and she wants to make him proud and wants to be able to take care of him - she feels that she can write her own ticket in life with the opportunity to attend Eagle Elite. We are very quickly introduced to Nixon, Chase, Tex and Phoenix. They give Trace a very unkind welcome. It is really uncomfortable to read - they are brutal. Nixon is the leader of the crew which they call, Elite. Nixon is Student Body President and seems to relish in Trace's humiliation. The rest of the boys follow suit along with the entire school. She is the outcast, the charity case that does not belong in the midst of greatness. Trace surprises me and finds the courage to stand up for herself. She does not become loved overnight but her plight gets easier (then worse) for a time. Her only friend is her roommate who also happens to be Nixon's twin sister, Monroe. She does her best to shield Trace from her brothers wrath but it is clear that he is all powerful at the school. It becomes clear that not everything is what it seems. There is a mystery surrounding Nixon and Monroe, there are questions that people refuse to answer and then Trace herself is surrounded in situations she never saw coming. I loved this book! I read it in one sitting - YAWN - it was after 2:00 am when I finished but it was worth it! I love that this author can tell a story that has dark moments yet also inject humor in it. There was romance, mystery, revelations, danger... a blooming love triangle. This book had it all. There were some things that confused me which I can't get into without including spoilers so I will just leave it alone. I will just say that the Prologue on the end for Elect (Book 2) killed me. KILLED. ME! Seriously, Rachel - WHY?!?! Sigh, I ended up loving 2 boys - just like Trace and can't wait to see what happens next! Great read, highly recommend!

So this book has a college setting, only it's like no college I ever went to, and I'm pretty sure I prefer my college experience than the one the kids in this school have. But hey that's just me. So the beginning starts out a little rough for me, not as in hard to read because of bad writing or anything, but rather hard to read because it's hard to see how Trace is treated at her new school. And for the record Trace deserves a medal for not breaking someones nose, if anyone ever did to me what they did to her, I don't think I would be able to reign myself in enough to not lash out. I liked Trace, she puts up with far more than I would, but it's understand and doesn't read as false. I like that she does have a mouth on her, that she has no problem dishing back whatever is served to her. Granted this always seems to backfire (issues with a drink, eggs, the list goes on). But she does for the most part stand her ground. If I had one complaint about Trace it comes after she was attacked and after said attack she's like making out with someone, with it being so fresh I don't think it read as convincing or real. Nixon as a character both pisses me of to the extreme and then I flip the page and then I like him again. He is clearly playing the politics of the school/life he lives, but still sometimes I think he takes it way to far. You can tell without a doubt that he is stuck in a world that has these jaded rules and he is doing his best to remain both loyal and true to his word as well as do as close to the right thing as he can. Without a doubt he tries to protect the people he cares about, but forces tend to work against him in this respect. Thankfully, Trace has a couple allies at the school, her roommate Monroe is there for her the moment she meets her. I like Monroe, she is genuinely nice to Trace, but still can't exactly stand up to her brother, Nixon. My only real notes about Monroe are that I wish she had more depth, but hey this is a series so maybe we will see more depth from her in book two, especially since she was kept from knowing things for he vast majority of the book this go round. Chase is also another good secondary character, he clearly cares for Trace and protects her whenever possible, but a love triangle is clearly in the future for Nixon/Trace/Chase. It will be interesting to see how that plays out because Chase is Nixon's cousin. The mob is the backdrop for this book, which does make it hard for ordinary people to kind of relate to some of the situations that these characters find themselves in. But what it lacks in relatability it makes up for with a fast pace and a storyline that pulls you in. The author does a good job of keeping enough mystery in the air about what is going on that you can't help but want to turn the page a little bit faster. Overall I think the book is a solid opening for the series. I do want to read the second one, so it's easy for me to recommend this book. If you like books with romance, are a fan of new adult, or just like books with a mafia flare then I think you should definitely give this book a try. It was a good read and an excellent ride with the characters.

I have had this series recommended to me multiple times but I have always resisted because the blurb just sounds odd. Well, I finally decided to take the plunge. Unfortunately, this is not the point in the review where I say how glad I am I finally read such an amazing book. Nope, sadly, just the opposite. I know I am in minority here but I found this book to be not only odd but grossly unrealistic. I also had no idea this was a young adult novel from the blurb or the reviews. The heroine, Trace, starts the book a virgin and ends the book a virgin. Hard to get more young adult than that. It also feels like a young adult's vision of the mafia: young men as handsome as models, looking cold, carrying guns, and threatening violence that never really happens. The hero, Nixon, and Trace are in a mall getting frozen yogurt (yes, pretty YA there too) when the guy working in the store actually asks Nixon for his autograph! Mafioso superstar! While on the subject of the yogurt store, there is another example of why this book struck me as so YA. Trace apparently lived in such a small town that she had never heard of self-serve yogurt and did not know how to work the machine. Nixon shows her and manages to throw in some junior highish sexual innuendo about pulling versus stroking. THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS! The book starts out with our heroine from a rural farm in Wyoming landing a scholarship to a very exclusive university that seems to function more like a boarding school high school. The students who attend are the children of the super rich and famous so the school is surrounded by a fence with guards at the front gate and everyone mostly seems to stay on campus. The hazing is pretty serious and over the top and also feels high schoolish. For example,Trace gets drugged at a party and put in the quarterback's room for the night. Nothing happens to our virginal heroine but her walk of shame the next morning causes the most unrealistic controversy. The other students call her sl@t and wh@re every time she walks by after that and she even gets eggs and sugar water thrown on her. Is this supposed to be realistic? Do the student's all remain virgins at this college? I cannot see anyone being either shocked or caring who is coming out of whose room in the morning at that age. We meet the hero when he is "greeting" the heroine when she arrives at school the first day. He tells her the school is run by the Elect and she must never speak to or touch the Elect. She cannot breathe the same air they do, etc. He goes on to give her a keycard for the elevator in her dorm but tells her she can only use it once a week. You get the idea. She goes to her room scared and unhappy and finds that her new roommate is Nixon's twin sister. She also finds out that Nixon assigned her to eat lunch with the Elite. This completely made no sense to me. He assigned her before he met her so it was not like he just wanted to get to know her better. Nixon acts horribly to Trace and then tells her it is for her own good because if he picks on her no one else will. Yea, right. Up to this point the book felt like a ridiculous high school drama. Then the author decides to throw in a bit of mafia. Remember, spoilers here. Nixon is not only mafia but he is the head of his family. Despite already having graduated and being the head of a powerful mafia family he is staying at the school to keep it running smoothly and to keep everyone there safe. What? Then we find out that our heroine is really a mafia princess whose parents were killed so her grandparents took her from Chicago to rural Wyoming to hide. I might buy that except her Grandpa is the head of their family still. How did he run a powerful mafia family while pretending to be a farmer for 12 years? Just exactly how does that work? You also realize that Nixon and Trace knew each other as children. I was wondering why Trace was so close to Nixon but did not remember his twin, Monroe, at all. Turns out Monroe was conviently sent away to boarding school at age 6 since her father did not like girls. So many details in the story felt forced just like that. Nixon does not realize who Trace is until after he has already taken an interest in her. Finally, I was particularly irritated when near the end of the story someone does something horrible to Trace. The perpetrator of the crime is another of these made men students. He gets called before a commission of mafia leaders to decide his fate. Trace gets invited to this meeting and ultimately is allowed to decide his punishment! That does not feel even remotely realistic and was the nail in the coffin for me as far as this book. I could go on and on about parts of the book that just felt off or even ridiculous. This was not the book for me but keep in mind many seemed to love the series. I like raw, violent, and even gritty romance. I am completely sure that a lot of what I enjoy is more fantasy rather than reality but I like for my fantasy to seem at least plausible and this book misses that mark by a mile. I do not plan to read the other books in the series.

I’ve finally started this series by RVD and I don’t know what took my so long to start it. This book had me hooked from the moment I opened it and held me captivated throughout. This is a world that is dark and dangerous but also enticing and raw. I’m addicted to every character in this realm and I can’t wait to continue on with the series and find out what happens next. This book was a whirlwind of emotions. I had so many feelings while reading this and every interaction and moment between Nixon and Trace exacerbated them. I couldn’t get a hold on my mental state because page after page it would change. RVD is going to put your heart through the meat grinder with this and it’s only the start. I can only imagine how much more my heart is going to hurt as the books progress. Honestly I don’t want to put too much in this review because it’s something that you need to experience on your own. This book was the start, this is the foundation for the intensity that’s too come, so go in knowing that it’s building a whole entire universe of which you’ve never seen. I don’t think this series is one you can prepare for. I feel like this is one, where you jump in with both feet and cross your fingers that you make it out alive……..

I’m going to start off by saying this is my first book by Rachel, and I was really drawn in by Tracey’s innocence but also her intelligence, just not in a social setting! Nixon is one of the Elect and he dictates the rules to all new students, however, for some reason he seems to have taken a position of protection with Trace, which confuses her. Also there are lots of questions which Nixon won’t answer, which leads to more. As a Harry Potter fan, while I was reading I kept saying, curiouser and curiouser! It was a good quick paced read, it did annoy me slightly that as a farm girl she wouldn’t stand up for herself when she was accused of things she hadn’t done but also that her intelligence fled and others battled for her. In this type of world, she would be the prey and get eaten if not for Nixon and Chase and Monroe! But in all fairness she hasn’t been exposed to this type of life, so I imagine it would take some getting used to.

arrivato

OMG you guys! I've found a new love in mafia romance! This is book one in Rachel's very popular Eagle Elite series and I can tell you now that right from the beginning I knew I was going to be hooked - big time! Trace is a farm girl from Wyoming who grew up with her grandparents after her parent's accident when she was six. When her grandmother died of cancer, her grandfather agreed to let her enter into an annual scholarship lottery for Eagle Elite University. It was the only thing she could think of to help secure hers and her grandfathers futures. Entering into Eagle Elite will unknowingly change her life drastically. First of all, the kids at Eagle Elite don't act like your typical university kids. There is a group on campus that everyone fears. They're called The Elect. And their leader, Nixon is drop dead gorgeous - but also a complete ass. Everyone fears them. Nobody stands up to them, with their rules and authority. They especially do not stand up to Nixon who seems to be known all over town and nobody blinks an eye at anything he does. The kids there are ruthless to her. They devour the little farm girl who "doesn't belong". That is - until The Elect start to keep her close. There's a reason behind the saying "keep your friends close and your enemies closer." She just didn't realize she was the enemy until it was too late. "I need you like I need my heart to pump blood through my body, like I need air to breathe, like we need gravity. Hell, you are my gravity. Being with you makes me feel centered and whole, and I'm too screwed up to convince you to want any difference. I'm too selfish to push you into someone else's arms when I know mine may be the worst ones for you to be in." I seriously do not know why it took me so long to start this series! I mean - I'm desperately trying to read all of Rachel's books. I want to read them all right now and there's not enough time in a day to do so! But now i'm on my Eagle Elite kick and I am so, incredibly hooked it's not even funny! There were so many emotions going all over the place. I was back and forth between love and hate through so much of this story! There was so much happening and I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next but no matter what, Rachel always had a surprise for me around the corner. There is no doubt you will be flipping through the pages and on the edge of your seat during this book! You will get your fill of swooning characters. Heartbreak and love. New friendships and betrayals. Fighting. Lots of fighting. It is a mafia story after all. Rachel is going to throw you on a rollercoaster and she will be laughing while you scream at the top of your lungs! She is the boss! The other f'n boss of mafia romance!! If you haven't started this series yet, get on it! Get on it now! "Yeah, Chase. I have a cow under my bed. It's invisible, though, so you can't see it. But sometimes at night it comes out to play. What the hell is wrong with your brain?" I still can't decide if i'm Team Nixon or Team Chase..... Only time will tell! Onto book 2!!

This book was not what I was expecting at all and in all the best ways. Can anyone say plot twists? I love a good plot twist and this book has some amazing ones. It's dark at times but it's also just a generally really engaging read. The characters are compelling. The plot is rich with intrigue. The writing pulls you in. I can see myself devouring the rest of this series. 100% think this book is worth a one click and read.

I've never read anything by Rachel Van Dyken before but I definitely will be reading more after reading this book! I was looking for an easy read and this book was less than a £1 I liked the overview and so downloaded it, within 2 chapters I was HOOKED! It's different to other college/YA books I've read (and I've read more than my fair share of them), I really liked Nixon & Chase, however at times I wanted a little more from Trace & Monroe than always being 'saved' by the male characters. There is a 2nd book in the series & I will definitely be reading it, now that Trace knows the truth I hope the 2nd book will be a little more grown up as relationships develop. I would recommend this book to a friend. Very good read! Enjoy!