Rip by Rachel Van Dyken Review

5 Smooches

Synopsis

Pretty things aren’t meant to be broken.
But I broke her, and now we both have to pay the price.
I’m her nightmare.
I’m her savior.
And now that I have her signature on an ironclad contract, I own her body and soul.
She doesn’t remember me.
She will.
It’s inevitable.
Because as much as I know I need to stay away, for fear of unlocking the memories I helped her father bury–I can’t.
She was the apple in the Garden, dangled in front of me, her core so tempting and sweet. A voice whispered. Just. One. Bite.
I bit.
I tasted.
I fell.
Welcome to the world of the Russian mafia, where death, is your only future.

Review

‘But what’s the fun in playin chess when you already know all the moves?’

I feel like I start every review I write for a Rachel book by saying that she is an author I can count on but I say it because it is oh so true! In this new stand alone mafia book (with Eagle Elite tie ins) she has proved once again that she excels in complex, action packed love stories that are incredibly unique and leave me wondering just how her mind works.

‘I’d saved her. She just wasn’t aware that her prison – was her freedom.’

I feel like it is impossible to describe this plot in a short paragraph and yet to go too much into detail would take away from the reader discovering the crazy and surprising twists and turns that happen in the story. After reluctantly signing a contract with Nik, Maya has to live and work with him for a year and must abide by his strict rules, including asking no questions. It seems to her that he is trying to control her life but through the beauty of his perspective we see he is honestly trying to save it. So much is not as it seems and it is FABULOUS!

“Stop being creepy.” He threw his head back and laughed. “I don’t think anyone’s ever called me that.” “To your face, probably not.”

Nikolai and Maya were characters unlike any other I have read before. I adored Maya’s spunk and curiosity and her determination to never waiver or back down. But Nikolai and his broken self was the true beauty of this book for me personally. His family’s debts to the Russian mafia and the secrets they hold have forever altered him and his outlook on life. Convinced he is of bad blood and trying to do a little good in an evil world he is complex and dark. Individually they are both exciting and dynamic characters but together they burn for each other and eat the pages on fire,

“Our life . . . it will never be easy.” “Who wants easy? She shrugged. “Give me hard.”

Rip is a spin off of the Eagle Elite series and a standalone and while I do believe it would still be an incredible read by itself, layering it onto of the Eagle Elite series (falling after Elude) bring a whole new dynamic level to it. I cried with the return of Andi and Sergio to my life. I laughed with Tex and bonded with the Elite women I love so much. The whole book over all was a hit for me, but honestly Rachel never delivers anything less.

~miranda

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