Need for Speed is the continuation of Solo and Panther’s story and should only be read after book one, Danger Zone.
They train to serve their country.
They strive to be the best.
But only a select few can be…
The Elite
***
MATEO MORGAN
CALL SIGN: SOLO
Reckless, arrogant, and bold, Solo is as known in the U.S. Navy for his bad-boy reputation as he is for his skills as a fighter pilot. It’s a … in the U.S. Navy for his bad-boy reputation as he is for his skills as a fighter pilot. It’s a surprise to his peers, then, when he’s chosen to train and compete at the most prestigious naval aviation academy in the world.
MISSION RULES:
1.Kick everyone’s ass.
2.Do whatever it takes to win.
3.Do your best to distract the competition.
4.Especially when that competition is a gorgeous blue-eyed perfectionist who makes your blood run hot.
***
GRANT HUGHES
CALL SIGN: PANTHER
Disciplined, smart, and confident, Panther can’t afford not to play by the rules. As the son of a top Navy commander, all eyes are on him, and being anything less than number one is unacceptable.
MISSION RULES:
1.Keep it safe in the air.
2.Prove you’re more than Commander Hughes’s son.
3.No distractions. Stay focused.
4.Don’t fall for your competition—especially not the rebellious heartbreaker with lips made for sinning.
In the heat of the hot California sun, tempers flare and desires ignite as Solo and Panther try to resist their attraction while fighting to be number one.
With passion this intense, the question remains:
Who’s gonna come out on top?
more
I can not get enough of both these authors words!!!! Hands down, my favorite MM authors!
I was reeling from the cliffhanger in book 1 and couldn’t wait to find out if tragedy had happened.
Panther and Solo are right up there behind Logan And Tate for my fave male couple…opposites attract once again!
This book does not disappoint in the heat department either, whew!
I can’t wait for book 3, these two and their developing relationship, attraction, needs…bring it on ladies! I need more from these two now please 😉
Danger Zone was fantastic, loved Need for Speed even more! You’ll be flying through these pages, I guarantee it!
Book Two of The Elite series continues with Panther and Solo two Elite Fighter Pilots .
Their connection is off the charts they have an excessive craving for each other they cannot deny themselves.
I adore Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine their writing, it always take me on a journey I never want to leave..
This story has a great story line one that shows that sometimes there comes a point in your life you have to be honest with yourself and your feelings , this part in this book is beautiful .
I devoured this wonderful book in one sitting often with a huge grin plastered across my face.
Need book three as soon as possible ..
An awesome read with awesome characters .
These profoundly tender , passionate men have stole my heart .
Need or Speed continued right where book 1 left off and was just as engrossing as the previous novel. Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank have a way of writing characters that will captivate you and Solo and Panther was no exception. Their romance continue to captivate me and I could not put this story down, as we got more sweetness and more feels from these two characters in this story. Yes the chemistry and steamy scenes were there, but it was how easy and effortless the relationship between them continued to develop that I loved. The story ends in a slight cliffhanger and I can’t wait for book 3. This was another fantastic read and an excellent addition to the trilogy. I loved it and would highly recommend it to all lovers of MM romance.
I didn’t think Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine could have amped up the sexual tension any more than it was in Danger Zone, but in Need for Speed, that’s exactly what occurs when Solo and Panther are put in even closer quarters, after what happened at the end of book one. And, with all that togetherness, everything changes between them, testing their singular focuses and leading them to contemplate if there’s something more important than being the top pilot at the academy.
Panther has had one objective throughout his life and nothing has stood in his way, up to this point, but it’s clear that Solo is a game changer for him and vice versa. And, while that doesn’t mean they lose their competitiveness or their alpha male characteristics, the more they’re in each other’s space, the easier they find it to let down their guards, to show the other parts of themselves that many don’t see, to acknowledge that what’s between them is so much more than casual hook ups.
Frank and Blaine do a great job of illustrating the evolvement of Solo and Panther’s relationship and their feelings as well as providing much needed insight into how they became the men they are today and what that means moving forward as an undisclosed couple, as competitive pilots who both want the number one stop, and as alpha males who are used to be in control of all aspects of their lives.
There’s a lot on the line for both heroes, so moving forward, both individually and as something more, it’s difficult to assess just what will happen…if their connection is strong enough to withstand scrutiny and the competitive nature of their desired goals as well as how they will be perceived by those around them…the risks are high in significant ways, so I’ll be interested to see heading into book three, where their wants and needs will take them – going their separate ways or holding on to one another no matter the obstacle.
4.5 Poison Apples
This is the second book in the trilogy and continues the story of Solo and Panther. Their relationship is definitely something that keeps me reading and wanting to find out more. If you haven’t started this trilogy yet, what are you waiting for ‘cuz you don’t want to miss this! A great MM story that cannot be missed!
After an almost death experience, Panther and Solo are trying to move forward. After everything that has happened, it made both realise how short life can be and their bond becomes even stronger. But there is still some underlying fear that seems to be resurfacing although their relationship is progressing into something more. When all has been said and done, they’ll have to decide whether or not their newfounded love is worth taking the risk for more…
WOW… Love It, Love Panther & Solo! Awesome read but another dang cliffhanger at the end. EEK… One month to go for the next & last book.
4.5 Stars!
After the epic book hangover that I had once I finished reading Danger Zone, you can bet I started counting down the days until Need For Speed released! When it landed on my kindle I had to dive in right away and I couldn’t turn away from it! I loved this second installment!
“Panther” Grant and “Solo” Mateo’s journey continues! After I finished the first book I wasn’t sure what all was going to happen next with these characters. I loved how quickly I was pulled back into their world! Once again, I felt it all with these two characters throughout reading! They got into my heart even more and sure made me blush!
With Need for Speed, Ms.Blaine and Ms.Frank have created such an addictive read! I can’t wait for Classified to be released!
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from the authors*
After coming off of reading Danger Zone, I could not wait to get my grabby hands on Need for Speed. I wasn’t quite sure how they were going to pick things up and generally just what kind of tone they were going to stick with for book 2 in The Elite series. I did enjoy this, but I didn’t quite love it as much as I did with Danger Zone.
I would say that this book focuses more on Grant getting a bit of a wake up call after what happened in the first book. And I was here for it because he was just so adorable in this one. He was letting down his walls and just letting Mateo in. He didn’t have the serious persona going on this time around and I really enjoyed seeing that side of him.
Of course, I loved all the quality time that Grant and Mateo were having together. They were definitely getting in touch with the physical side of things.
OK, so one of the reasons that I don’t really read military romance is because my husband is in the military. And it’s always really hard for me to separate the two, so I’m constantly looking at things with a magnify glass. I also wished that they would call each other by their actual names… But nonetheless, this is a fiction so read, so I’ll just keep it at that.
After finishing this, I’m a bit curious to see what’s going to happen in the 3rd book. I’m not sure if this series needed 3, but whatever, I do love Mateo and Grant together. Definitely still enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more about these two!
**AN ARC WAS PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR A REVIEW**
The second installment in the series. The series should be read in order. Grant and Matteo are growing closer as they go through the program.
I love how their relationship is evolving. The two guys are discovering themselves. Steamy yet heartfelt. The relationship between Grant and his father is great.
I can’t wait for the last installment!!
I dove in and devoured Danger Zone and when it ended on such a high intensity cliffhanger, I could not wait to get my hands on Need for Speed, which I ended up devouring in a single day.
So far this series has been exactly what I hoped it would be. It’s a great combination of “fan yourself” steamy scenes, sweet moments between two men who are realizing a lot about themselves, and great cockpit action (and no that’s not a euphemism for sex). Each book has been difficult to put down because no matter what kind of scene it is, I need to know what’s going to happen next.
Need for Speed is a great installment in the budding love story between Solo and Panther. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, but not in the same way as the first book. It’s a bit more emotionally driven and I am eagerly awaiting the conclusion of this trilogy to see how things play out. I love these characters and their friends. Brooke and Ella have done a tremendous job painting a very vivid picture of NAFTA and the program that these characters are going through.
I can’t say enough good things about this series so far. I have no doubt that the ending will be just as fun, sexy, and difficult to put down as the first two books have been.
Thank goodness Need for Speed picks right up where Danger Zone left me twisting in the wind.
I had to know just what was going to happen next! And damn, if Panther and Solo aren’t moving full steam ahead.
They certainly have their work cut out for themselves. They’re both suffering from a harsh reality check—one that will have repercussions for their future. Potentially good and bad ones.
But it seems like they’re going to face them side-by-side, as they’re both realizing there truly is more to life than flying.
And now I can’t wait for Classified’s release next month because once again, I’m waiting with bated breath to see what happens next!
Need for Speed is book two in the Elite Series by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine. What can I say? I cannot do this book justice. Nor can I express how much I love these characters and this story and the whole series. I spent some time analysing Solo and Panther. I can spend eternity trying to figure them out, but I never will. They are an enigma. Opposite in every way. But they work. The unfolding of their journey is a beautifully bewitching experience.
Mateo (Solo) is arrogant, yet is incredibly vulnerable. He is the joker, the antagoniser, the risk taker, the adrenaline junkie, the lovable rogue. HIs personality is too big to be contained. HIs character is one I adore and cannot get enough of. At every turn of the page, the reader learns something new about Solo.
Grant (Panther) is a much more serious character. There is so much depth to him, it will take the next book to learn what makes him tick. He doesn’t often let go of the reigns and let his true character shine, but when he does, it’s blinding passion and speedy wit. You get more than you could ever have anticipated with Panther. A lovely layered soul that begs to be unravelled.
The Elite series could not have come at a better time. With the world an unknown and scary place right now, reading is so much more valuable to me. I can escape into all that is Solo and Panther and the rest of the gang. These characters are unapologetic and next level hawt. Get your copy today. 5 stars.
Need for Speed is the second book in the The Elite series by one of my favorite duos, Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine. It can NOT be read as a standalone, you must read Danger Zone first. I don’t want to spoil anything! I mean, the synopsis is even the same from book one.
Two men. Two fighter pilots. Two different sets of rules. One unexpected turn.
Panther and Solo are unmatched on paper but these two are on fire when they are in the same room. They might be getting to know each other better but that doesn’t mean the competition is over. There could only be one man on top and the fight in them is fierce. But what happens when the unexpected happens? Will it pull them apart or bring them together?
Damn…I am loving this series. Hard. It just keeps getting better and better. And the cliffhangers? Epic! Thank God, Ella and Brooke are releasing each book a month apart. I can’t wait to read the ending to their story and hope to see them again after it. There are so many hotties in this crew and I want more. Always when it comes to these authors.
Quotes:
“Look at you, you little flirt. Trying to break the rules, are we?”
I laughed and shook my head. “That’s not exactly what I meant.”
“So you’re saying you’re not thinking of me naked…”
“Solo—”
“Can’t blame you if you were. I mean, if it helps, I’ll lose the pants. Shirt or pants? Your choice.”
“You’re not looking pissed off enough. Pretend I just said something horrible.”
“That’s ridiculous.” “Your mom’s ridiculous.”
I rolled my eyes. “What are you, ten?”
“Don’t you know by now? I’m the luckiest motherfucker around.”
Book 2 in the Elite Series did not disappoint. I fell in love with Solo and Panther in book 1 and was so excited to read their story.
I can’t say how much I love Grant and Mateo! Ella Franks and Brooke Blaine have done it again! If you were worried about Need for Speed not living up to Danger Zone you have no need to worry. Panther and Solo are back, and better than before. After the cliffhanger at the end of Danger Zone I was waiting on Need for Speed not so patiently. Panther and Solo are everything! And they left me feeling like I needed a cold shower when I was finished reading.
After Panther’s accident at the end of book one we were left wondering what his fate was. Did he survive? If so how bad was he hurt? How is Solo going to take it? Obviously we knew he would survive there are three books in the series.
Grant and Mateo still have this intense, fierce chemistry and attraction that I could not get enough of. Their relationship is as complicated as they come and yet as simple as one can be. They’re attraction towards the other is enough for them to be together. Their lives are enough for them to have to keep their relationship secret. Both Navy fighter pilots who aren’t suppose to like another man, let alone another pilot. As if dealing with the Navy and what they would think we get Grant’s daddy dearest and the Navy Ball in Need for Speed. Two men can’t go to the Ball together, each must take dates and not each other.
I am completely hooked on Panther and Solo! Frank and Blaine have delivered another well-written, addicting book that left me needing more and not only because of the cliffhanger. The side characters are just as important as the main. The plot is fantastic and addicting. Everyone needs to read Grant and Mateo’s story!
I need Classified right now!
This second installment was high on feelings and you could feel this tense atmosphere in which Grant and Mateo took another step in their relationship. This couple was just everything. They made me swoon and smile so many times. Le freaking sigh.
The authors conveyed perfectly the characters’ depths, throughout their aspirations and insecurities, making me fall in love again with them. One thousand times more.
This time, maybe the adrenaline from being in the air was less powerful than being with each other. A passionate and mind-blowing chemistry, beyond the physical, a deepest foundation of something more, that showed so beautifully in this book.
I am just saying, Grant and Mateo took my breath away and made me feel so much.
It was emotionally charged, a layer focusing on the main characters’ feelings and oh my… damn my heart!
Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine raised the swoon and heat quotient pretty high in Need For Speed. This story is not only a fast paced adrenaline feast, the souldeep emotions have invaded every corner of the book.
Solo has witnessed the unfortunate and deadly accident that almost killed Panther. And it has changed him inside. While Panther recovers and also fights his insecurity and anxiety, they explore their feelings. With Solo’s inability to commit and Panther’s need to establish himself in his legendary father’s eyes, they are in for a troubled ( and sexy) ride.
This story equally emphasised on red hot physical attraction and intense mental connection. I was dying inside with all the love between two stubborn alpha males. They tease each other. They taunt each other. They have this easy camaraderie that goes beyond social obligations. The intensity and depth of their connection is mindblowing. Panther healed Solo’s lonely and broken heart. And Solo made him stronger with all the support and trust. They did not have it easy but they faced everything like true fighters. And I lust after both of them! That ending made me almost cry in relief and I cannot wait for the conclusion.
Need For Speed by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine indeed created need for more MM awesomeness for me. An amazing love story with amazing characters and brilliant writing.
Received ARC for honest review
I swear, something magical happens when Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine get together to write a book. As individual authors, these two have penned addictive standalones and series that many readers have devoured, but there’s that extra bit of decadence when they activate those wonder besties writing powers of theirs. Their new Elite series is a different flavor story-wise, given that while the PresLocke series was about an actor and a model and the Fallen Angel series was about a rock band, they were both about celebrities. Here, we’ve got two of the best Navy fighter pilots gunning for the top spot in NAFTA, a Top Gun-inspired program to find each class’s cream of the crop.
After that doozy of a cliffhanger in book one, I’d been not-quite-patiently waiting to get my hands on book two, and goodness, but how I wanted to have an after-book snuggle with my tablet after I was done reading. Grant and Mateo slash Panther and Solo are at that point where it’s clear that what they have is simply MORE. If it looks like love and feels like love, it’s most probably exactly that, boys! Le sigh. Now, now, before you think you already know what happens in this second book, tap on those brakes and hold up a minute. There’s quite a bit that unfolds here that changes the game for these two guys, and that’s inside and outside of the cockpit. The ending isn’t an evil cliffhanger, but it does leave you eagerly wanting to know what may await them! Five-plus stars for Need for Speed.
Need for Speed is book two in The Elite series by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine. This series, this couple, is just everything. These two books were my first with either of these two authors and I am ready to proclaim my undying love. While in the first book, we were getting to know the two main characters, this book we dig deeper. While the first book was filled with testosterone, this book had the feels. And oh my gosh, I swooned.
Mateo Morgan and Grant Hughes were both chosen to spend ten weeks at the most prestigious naval aviation academy in the world. In the end, there will only be one winner, and that man, or woman, will revered for that accomplishment. Both Mateo and Grant have spent their lives staying away from relationships, have remained alone, each for their own reasons, but the one reason they share is their chosen field. They never know where they’ll be sent. Relationships don’t work for a fighter pilot.
Grant has survived a near death experience. That changes a man. And through it all, the recuperation, the nightmares, Mateo was by his side, helping him get through it. Grant can’t help but to reevaluate his life’s choices. He can’t help but to wonder if everything he has given up has been worth it. The answer seems clear when looking into the eyes of the man he has fallen for.
Both Grant and Mateo are falling for each other and it’s getting harder and harder to deny it. They are both struggling with how they feel, how to deal with it. I fell in love with these two in the first book but my love for them soared like an eagle in this book. Yes, there was a bit of a cliffy as I knew there would be, but there is only one book to go until I can find out how this all turns out. The last book of this amazing trilogy is called Classified. You have no idea how excited I am to see how my two beloved characters figure things out in that book.
My Rating: ****1/2
Type: Trilogy. Book 2
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Narration: Dual POV
Primary Characters: Panther(Grant) & Solo(Mateo)
Source: Courtesy of Author/ Publisher – ARC
Book 1 Review: https://meander23.wordpress.com/2020/02/26/review-the-danger-zone-the-elite-1-by-brooke-blaine-ella-frank/
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book in exchange for honest review.
Need for speed picked up right off from the cliff-hanger in Danger Zone. We see a lot of sexual tension between Solo and Panther in book 1. We see how they fight their attraction and feelings towards one another. Solo will be persistent through the entire book 1 in seducing Panther.
Book 2 starts with the near-death experience for Panther. He survived with less injury and bad bruises. Solo volunteers to take care of panther and moves into his room. Now that they are sharing a room and start to spend more time together, we get to know the couple better and saw their vulnerabilities and fears. I liked their budding relationship. Solo is not always the reckless, cocky, party guy. He has his own demons. Panther has new fears to face and is undergoing a journey of self-discovery. Panther is struggling with what’s most important to him. He has avoided feelings for long time, now he is self-discovering. Can they have a life they didn’t think was at all possible?
I liked the new cocky side of Panther in this. He would tempt Solo. Plot moved in study pace. Totally loved the banter between Gucci, Houdini and Whiplash. They taunt, tease, but are also there for each other.
Overall, it does have a hotness, action and emotions. Grant made a bold decision at the end, lets see what’s in their queue in next installment.
https://meander23.wordpress.com/2020/03/27/reviewneed-for-speedthe-elite-2-by-ella-frank-brooke-blaine/