This novella is a fun, bonus, standalone prequel to the brand new Mafia Royals Romances for both fans and new readers.The prequel to the much anticipated Mafia Royals series….Something dark this way comes.He’s gorgeous, mean, and mine.He catches me dreaming about him, and then just like my dream, he decides to make me his.I should have said no when he asked me to swear fealty to him.The knife … when he asked me to swear fealty to him.
The knife clued me in first.
The blood second.
And third, it was the blessing of the most famous mafia bosses in the known world as they sat around the dinner table and told me that I had no choice but to join.
Because they knew my secrets.
And running meant I was nothing more than target practice.
I said yes because of my bully.
And he told me he’d keep me safe.
But who keeps me safe from him?
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Welcome back to the mafia with this prequel for the new generation of Eagle Elite. I was glued to the book from the beginning. The emotions run strong in this quick read that leave you reeling and dying to know what happens in Ruthless Princess. This book is the perfect introduction into this world and to know who all the kids are and to which family they belong.
Royal Bully is Rachel Van Dyken’s PREQUEL novella that gives us a glimpse into her brand new Mafia Royals series. Let me be really clear…this is a NEW series that begins with Ruthless Princess (coming soon). If you have read her Eagle Elite series, fabulous! You’ll see some beloved characters pop up from time to time in this book and those coming. If you have NOT read Eagle Elite, you do NOT have to in order to start Royal Bully Or Ruthless Princess (coming soon). There is enough backstory in Royal Bully that you are not going to be lost and it’s not a huge information dump, either. Now, if you’re a series junkie like me and you want to read Eagle Elite, great! I highly recommend ALL of the books. But one more time, just to be clear…Royal Bully is a STANDALONE book!
Now that we’ve covered that, on with the review!
Rachel Van Dyken is at the top of my favorite authors list. I think I have read just about anything she’s written. But I felt like there were places that, had I not read the Eagle Elite series, I would have been a little lost, and it almost felt a little choppy. That could just be me because I’m a little loopy from prescription medication, though. Like all her mafia books, I’ll go back and re-read this one when I’m not so loopy and update my review if necessary. But all in all, it’s a good story that totally whets your appetite for Ruthless Princess which will release in May.
NICUnurse’s Rating: This book is…just…whoa! It’s pretty fast-paced. It has some funny one-liners. And it has ALL the emotions. Which is typical for Rachel Van Dyken. It definitely has some violence and is quite steamy, so if that’s not something you like, and you don’t want to feel wrung out emotionally, you should probably skip this one. But if you love all the angst and emotional roller coasters like I do, grab this book now! And bonus––it’s FREE! If you’re not sure if mafia romance is for you just yet, this is the perfect time to give it a test run to see what all the fuss is about.!
I give Royal Bully by Rachel Van Dyken 4 out of 5 stars!
I love Rachel Van Dyken’s mafia books. Like seriously all of them. Rachel has this way of pulling you into them and making you love all the characters and the storyline, and this book was no different.
I.NEED.MORE.NOW!!
This book and series is a new generation of Mafia’s at Eagle Elite. So you don’t have to read Eagle Elite series to understand this new series. But you should. It was so nice to see past characters grown up with kids of their own, it just made my heart melt into a puddle.
I’m so excited to read more of this series and see what Rachel has up her sleeve with these characters because she always has something up her sleeve!
What can I say about Royal Bully besides hold on to your seat and enjoy the ride. It is a fantastic tease to what is to come within the Mafia Royal series. You get that little taste of the Elite series mixed with what is to come and you are just going to love it. Asher and Claire are going to be everything. I for one can not wait for Mafia Royals series to really take off. This quick tease is just what you are going to need to hold over.
This was an absolutely amazing series starter! It can be read as a stand-alone but it also enhances theater reading experience if you ever read the eagle Elite Series. This story is about the amazing kids of two of the previous characters from Eagle Elite Series. I worried a little when I started it that I wouldn’t be able to connect to the kids all grown up but boy was I wrong. Do not miss out on this book it is an absolute page-turner and leaves you wanting more. The next book cannot come soon enough.
Mafia romance that has your heart beating so fast, your mind wondering how it will all go….omg.
Talk about heart pounding suspense!
Oh my!!
Asher Abandonato is definitely a force to be reckoned with. His place in the mafia is important. However, is it all its cracked up to be?
With Claire by his side, can these two become more, become who they are destined to be??
This novella is heart stopping good!!! It will have your attention from beginning to end…but wait more is coming soon. I am so incredibly excited for more. Im definitely hooked on mafia! #BloodInNoOut
Wow, I loved this book. I can’t enough of this mafia family. I love these characters and seeing the children all grown up. Rachel Van Dyken is one of my favorite authors and I read everything she writes but her mafia books are my all time favorites.
If this quick prequel is any indication of the series to come all signs point to it being epic! Claire and Asher has a insane amount of chemistry and this story is full of passion, intrigue and a premise you can’t help but dive into.
More RVD mafia romance…hell yes!
This is not only Asher and Claire’s story, but a prequel to Ruthless Princess. With old and new characters that made my Eagle Elite loving heart happy, I devoured this novella. Don’t worry if you haven’t read EE because you can start right here.
Asher got the DNA that made him beautiful and dangerous and Claire got way more than she bargained for when she couldn’t stop dreaming about him. Sexy, violent, bloody, terrifying, and incredibly dark, it’s everything Mafia romance should be and I can’t wait for more!
Wow, this was fantastic, I want more, I think the next book is going to ruin me, this already got my heart. I couldn’t stop reading, Claire and Asher story is perfect, I think they deserve more, so I am sure we get more of them in the next books of the series. Being an Elite is not easy, getting initiated into the Cosa Nostra it’s not a joke, there is only one way out, death. Blood In. No Out. Phenomenal 5 brilliant stars, give me the next now!
Royal Bully is the beginnings of Asher and Claire. They both attend Eagle Elite. One day in History class Claire decides to get Asher’s attention by dropping her pencil. Oldest trick in the book works when Asher returns it. They start flirting and Claire invites him to a party. Of course it’s at a location that should not have been breached. The Spot is considered sacred grounds which is why no one is supposed to be there much less having a party.
Asher gives Claire the opportunity to live through the night, which she takes probably not thinking he was serious until members of the Families appear in the door. This is Claire’s introduction to the mafia. We come to meet all of the Families & Claire’s mysterious background. We also get a glimpse of the relationship between Serena and Junior.
I highly recommend this book. I cannot wait to read Ruthless Princess. Even though this a legacy series, I will always recommend reading The Eagle Elite series. The parents of these characters are truly amazing to read about!
Rachel Van Dyken’s Eagle Elite series is up there in my top five. Royal Bully not only has given me a taste of what is to come in her new Mafia Royals series but it felt like I’d returned home to be with old friends. Now that I have sampled what is to come, I cannot wait for more!
The next generation is taking over Eagle Elite university and they are most definitely all a ‘chip off the old block’. This short story is perfect for those who have yet to be introduced to Rachel’s mafia families or it works for those who need a reminder of who is who.
This generation is going to be as ruthless as their fathers are. They have only known mafia life and have been brought up to take over the running of the family empires. There has already been bloodshed and sacrifice and it is inevitable that there will be more.
Blood in…. no out! The one constant throughout all generations!! Abide by the rules or face the consequences. There is only one way out of this lifestyle and they don’t get to walk away!!
Royal Bully is alluring and reminds us exactly why we don’t ever want Rachel to stop writing mafia. This next generation of mafia royalty is intriguing and ruthless. I could not stop reading until the end, and then I was sad the book was over. Oh Asher and Claire are something else! Asher is the son of my mafia man Chase and that just makes me smile on principle alone. But the great thing is, you don’t have to read any of RVD’s previous mafia books to throughly enjoy this one. You won’t be lost or confused. It’s the brand new 2.0 world and it’s fantastic. This Royal Bully stole his way into my heart!!!
Tracey, Life Reads With Friends
The prequel to Ruthless Princess is everything a reader hoped it would be plus more. Asher and Claire’s story is full of romance, mayhem and all of our Eagle Elite favorites.
I seriously am waiting anxiously for the next book to see how everything that we’ve learned in Royal Bully plays out.
Holy. Fuck. The end. Kidding.
Royal Bully is a prequel in the Mafia Royals series. Yes, this the next generation of mafia but you do not have to read RVD’s Eagle Elite series to start this one!! I really can’t say anything about the storyline without spoiling anything so I won’t get into it. I will say that I am excited about this new series. They are not children anymore. They are badass mafia princes and princesses and I can’t wait to see them rule their kingdom on campus. It’s definitely going to be full of blood, sweat, tears and then some. Wow!! I seriously am dying for Ruthless Princess. Serena is one Princess I wouldn’t want to fuck with.
Quotes:
“What kind of psycho world do you guys come from?”
“Oh, that’s easy.” He set me on my feet and then flicked my chin with his thumb and winked. “The only world that matters—ours.”
“No guns during dinner, not after last time,” Nixon said with a smirk and flick of his lip ring.
“ONE TIME!” Serena, his daughter, yelled. “He stole the last piece of bread!”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Do you think you need it?”
“That’s it!” She charged toward me just as Junior, Phoenix’s son intervened and held her back. “Let me at him.”
“It’s the mafia. We don’t do creepy, we do scary as fuck, and for the record, I’m not letting you go.”
I am die hard fan of the Eagle Elite books by RVD. I’m #teamchase for life. When I heard she was doing a spin off of EE I was thrilled. This is a completely new series set in the EE world. You don’t have to read those books to dive into this series. I would never tell you not to read them, because I love and think you should, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.
What could be hotter than a book with mafia, Chase, and Chase being a politician?
NOTHING.
God I love him.
This novella is about Chase’s son Asher and a new girl named Claire. The books starts out with a bang from the get go. We’re dropped right into the middle of the story and get to see how the kids (children of the couples from EE series) learn they have to take their place at Eagle Elite University.
While I do love this book, and can’t wait for the series, I feel that this one is only going to draw in the fans of the series already. It’s great don’t get me wrong, but I think it could have been a bit better if it was a smidge on the longer side. This way it could have had a bit more to drawn in the newer fans. I feel that this one might overwhelm them a bit. I really hope it doesn’t, because I would love for someone to discover a new series they can’t get enough of.
Besides all of that, there’s nothing I love more than being dropped back into the mafia romance genre. It’s edge of your seat, can’t put down, fan yourself good. RVD is an incrediable writer, and this book just shows how much she nails mafia romance stories. It’s going to be a wild ride with these books, and I can’t wait for more.
Perfect prequel! Left me dying for the Ruthless Princess. I cannot wait to see what happens next in this mafia world.
Blood in. No out.
This was a great introduction to the mafia world and the Family. Claire is your normal everyday college girl with a crush on the bad boy. But Asher isn’t your normal college bad boy. As a member of the infamous mafia family Claire knows he’s no good, despite her better judgement she jumps in feet first and swears fealty to Asher and to the Family. She may regret this later but he’s finally hers and she is his. Good, bad or evil she’s in now.
As a newbie to the Eagle Elite/mafia world I was sucked in and will definitely be reading through the backlogs! I can’t wait for the next chapter in this!
5 Stars
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Oh how I’ve missed you my mafia family. Eagle Elite is back, well the kids anyway and boy are we on for a treat. If Royal Bully is anything to go by then bring on the rest of the series. I need them all now Rachel!
Another must read again from the queen of mafia RVD
These can be read as standalones but please do yourself a favor and if you haven’t already read Eagle Elite, you don’t know what you’re missing out on…
What a perfect way to dive back into this world. Seriously, this may be a novella but it comes packed like a full novel.
Asher and Claire seem to fit so perfectly, their love seems so easy, well at least when they are alone. It is the rest of the world that will bring the chaos to them, right.
If you are new to Rachel Van Dyken, or just haven’t read Eagle Elite, no worries this is a great place to dive in, you will not be lost. If you have read the previous Eagle Elite books you will feel right at home with this new generation and so happy to see the glimpses of the characters we have loved for so long.
Blood in, No out!
The introduction of the Cosa Nostra. This novella does that and more. This is the story of Claire and Asher and how they came to be a couple.
I liked Asher, a lot! It’s not just his hot, alpha personality because he is so much more than that. I actually felt a little sorry for him being restricted by his family, well for all of them really, it certainly made me see things from a different perspective, which was good. Blessed with good looks, money, and power but cursed too. For Claire one day things were how they always were, the next, nothing was the same. I don’t think even she realized her inner strength.
Is this brutal? At times. Is it raw? Yes. Is it passionate? For sure. Is it addictive? Definitely.
A quick introduction that certainly whet my appetite for more mafia royals! Bring on book one, Ruthless Princess, Serena and Junior’s story.
Reviewer: Robyn