User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
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.
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Rating: really liked it
I have been a fan of Solo and Panther since I started the first book and fell in love with their flirtiness. What I didn't love about the first book was that huge cliffy I was left with. Thankfully though, the wait wasn't too long and this one picked up right where the first book left us.
One thing is for sure though... Panther and Solo were as shocked by that cliffhanger as I was and they are both coming to terms that maybe there is more to life than just being a fighter pilot and being the best.
Especially Panther is struggling with what's most important to him. Feelings are blossoming and for the first time in his life...something...or rather someone...might be more important to him than flying (and trying to please his father...
They will need to figure out where they are going from here. It is clear as day for both of them that this not just "hooking-up" anymore. They are still competitors at one of the most prestigious aviation academies, and at the end of their training, they will probably be sent separate ways.
These boys will need to figure what is most important to them... being the best and fullfilling their lifelong dreams... or love..
I really loved seeing these two getting closer and closer and admitting to themselves, and each other, that their feelings had grown... They did not beat around the bush about it, and that was very refreshing. The "steamy" scenes were definitely delicious as I am used to by these authors, but I also loved that their "caring" for one another was starting to show as well...
I do however wish that this book would have been longer and I wasn't left with yet another cliffhanger!!! I want to know what happens next !!
I myself am more of a fan of big books than a series of shorter ones, but I think that's just a personal preference. Let's just hope that the wait will be a fast one ;)
An ARC was provided to
in exchange for an honest review
Rating: really liked it
NOW LIVE!Amazon US * Amazon UK
Need for Speed is the second installment of Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank's Elite series. The book starts off after the events that ended the previous one and puts us right back with Panther and Solo. These two were still really fun to read about and as their relationship continued in this book we got a lot more sweetness from them. Their connection really sparked and I loved that about them.
We get to see how both Panther and Solo have changed as they grow together and I think that was the best part of this book. They both had their own reasons for being distant when they first met but now we get to see a whole different side to each of them. A side that was so sweet and addicting to read about.
Overall, I think this will be a great MM series once it's all complete and we get to see what end will come for Panther and Solo. Going by the first two book though, i'm going to say that their ending will be something epic.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Book #2!
You NEED to have read book #1 to read this second one!
We start right where we left Solo & Panther in the first book.
Panther just had to eject out of his jet....
He survived relatively uninjured. Just a few very bad bruises.
And now the poor guy needs to be supervised for the next three days. And that's a job for Solo.
He moves into Panther's room to keep an eye on him. Lol!
And again Panther can't resist Solo's constant über-flirting and the guys become even closer than before...
But they still don't want to be 'out' for the whole military world to see ... and there's a ball coming up. What to do??
I loved reading this second book. The two guys are just adorable. The whole fly-gang is adorable and hilarious.
This book was so sweet and funny and sunny and sexy and Top Gunny.
I can't wait to see how their story will end next month!
No real cliff-hanging cliffy this time - more of an exciting and scary and sweet one! ☺
💜
💜
Rating: really liked it
A well-deserved continuation ...
Do you know when you read a good book and the author spoils everything in the sequel? I am happy to say that it did not happen here.
The second book remains true to the characters' personality, we see how the relationship begins to change, lust has an important role but love too.
This book starts where the other ended, the story develops fast and I love everything that Ella Frank writes.
In this book, we have Solo opening up about his past, Panther recovering and overcoming fears of what happened in the first book, it's so enjoyable!
Rating: 4 Stars.
Steam: 7 out of 10.
Triggers: (view spoiler)
[ None (hide spoiler)] Love Triangle: (view spoiler)
[ No (hide spoiler)] Cheating: (view spoiler)
[ No (hide spoiler)] HEA: (view spoiler)
[ Yes (hide spoiler)]
Rating: really liked it
Onto the next... (why are there 3 books??!!! Why??!!)🙄
Rating: really liked it
3 StarsOverall Opinion: This was alright. It had the 2nd book in a trilogy syndrome of feeling like just a bunch of filler for me. While I appreciated that they connected more emotionally, I don’t feel like all that much happened. On to the next!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Grant and Mateo’s story. This takes up where the cliffhanger left us. Mateo steps in in a big way for Grant and they get closer because of it. There are some sexy times and some feelings developed...and this ends with another cliffhanger.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Grant and Mateo’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well
Instalove: No, but feelings were already starting to develop on the first book.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Grant/Panther. I still liked him. I appreciated how he allowed himself to be vulnerable with Mateo.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 4 stars. Mateo/Solo. I still liked him too. I appreciated how he takes care of Grant.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: No
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: No
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place but with the final book in the trilogy, Classified, available now.
Safety: This one should be
Safe for most safety gang readers
(view spoiler)
[
- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does Not have the H1 pushing the H2 away
- Does Not have a separation between the H1 and H2
- Does Not have abuse
- Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]
Rating: really liked it
I've decided to treat this series as if it was a play in three acts.
Book one set the scene and left the reader with a cliffhanger to draw us back.
Book two gives the payoff from that, and then goes into more depth as its relationship and plot lines develop.
Book three will bring the conclusion and, if it follows true to form with this pair, a satisfying ending with lots of feels and an explosion of sexual chemistry.
I love all the characters in this homage to Top Gun, the fighter pilot elite of the US Navy, with their banter and friendship.
The complex relationship between Panther and his father, the Navy's previous top dog fighter pilot, and Solo's incredible arrogance and sheer bravado.
I just wish it was all done in the one book.
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Rating: really liked it
*little disclaimer
I have been in the biggest reading slump of my life since the end of august… it lasted for about two months and was absolutely awful… fortunately around the end of october I finally got out of it and got back to reading more like I am used to :) unfortunately I still don’t want to sit down and write *proper* reviews… you know, detailed and with full and coherent sentences… ;) usually when I get like this I can wait it out and then catch up on everything once that mood passes, but it’s not looking like it’s going anywhere anytime soon… so what I am gonna do is update all of the ones I still haven’t written (and all of my future ones will look like that as well, unless something magically changes) with this little disclaimer at the top and then a bit of an intro plus some random and chaotic thoughts… ;) I mean… it’s better than no review at all, right? :) some of them will include spoilers, some of them won’t, but don't worry, if there will be any spoilery things I share with you in my review, they will be always at the end of it, clearly marked and initially hidden from view, so there’s no way you will read anything accidentally :) ok, I think that covers everything that I needed to share with you :) we good? awesome :) then let’s just dive in ;)
I’m gonna write one review for the whole trilogy, because it’s just one story all about Mateo and Grant… also, I read all three books in less than two days and they are all merged together in my brain anyway soooo… ;)
- originally I gave this story 4 stars but after thinking more about it, I decided to bump it down to 3,5 stars instead… don’t get me wrong, I read it very quickly, cause the writing style of this duo is always entertaining, but… it felt repetitive… maybe not in the specific details, but in the overall vibe… like I’ve read this story from this duo before…
- the ending was too perfect… I know how this may sound, but I will talk about the specifics in the spoilery part of this review at the very end
- with their previous trilogies I didn’t think that (maybe it would change if I read them now) but this one felt too long… I mean, it could have been easily edited down to just one longer book… two at the most, if you really wanted to do it, but three books around 200 pages? I mean… do we really needed all those sex scenes in there? don’t get me wrong, I love a good steamy scene but I also want it to be balanced with a solid character development… and I felt it was lacking here…
- the secondary characters were amazing, and I really wished they would get more focus on them… I was hopeful, cause they were quite present in the first book, but after that they sort of took the back seat in the story…
- the romance felt underdeveloped and rushed, even though technically it happened over the span of a few months, but it felt… not enough… and it’s a matter of writing, because I have read books that took place during a week, and the romance there felt well built and fully fleshed out…
- the cliffhangers were unnecessary, especially with how they were resolved… more about that in the spoilery section
spoilers below, you’ve been warned :)
(view spoiler)
[
- like I mentioned before, the ending was too perfect… I mean for the very first time in the history of the program two pilots had the same exact amount of points just so our two heroes could be tied for number one spot? not gonna lie, that really made me roll my eyes… I would prefer if one of them took #1 and the other #3 (with Whiplash staying on #2) especially if Mateo would be the winner… with the amount of progress he made when it comes to becoming a team member and helping others, I think that would have been fair… but even if it would have been Grant, I could get behind that… but them together? a bit too much… also, don’t get me wrong, I love an epilogue with the glimpse into the future but with how this one wrapped up… they got everything they wanted and more and it just felt… like it happened all too easily for them… I don’t know… let’s just leave it at that :)
- the cliffhangers… *sighs* like I said, they were unnecessary and predictable… especially with how both of them were resolved… Grant’s crash at the end of book #1 ended with him just a bit banged and bruised and ready to go back to the program in like a week… and the big coming out as a couple during the Navy ball? again, nothing really happened at it… I don’t like cliffhangers in general, but I can understand them more when they bring something significant to the story itself, and in both cases, they didn’t…
(hide spoiler)]Just because I didn’t enjoy this story as much, I definitely don’t want to discourage you from giving it a try :) for example, my sister absolutely adored it :) it’s definitely more of a *me* thing, where my reading preferences changed over time and this story just didn’t do it for me like I hoped it would :) but that’s ok, not everything we read can be perfect ;)
XOXO
A
Rating: really liked it
|| 3.5 stars ||
This picked up right where the first book had left off, and it definitely kicked the emotional element between Solo and Panther up a notch. However, I did feel like a lot of the previous tension between them was missing. It was all going a little bit too easy: their banter was a shadow of what it used to be and they did not have any conflict between them. Don't get me wrong, I do love to see them doing well, but I also need a bit more drama, pining and maybe even some grovelling.
I am curious to see how Classified is going to go, and I am hoping it will be a little bit more intense than this book. I definitely still love the pairing between these two, and I enjoy reading about them, even if I think their interactions could be a little more interesting and well-developed. It's just that this couple has more potential than what they're being given right now.
'The Elite' series: 1. Danger Zone - 4.5 stars
2. Need for Speed - 3.5 stars3. Classified - 3.0 stars
Rating: really liked it
3 StarsA good continuation, just a bit too heavy on the sex and innuendos for me. I appreciated that things are moving in a more emotional/personal direction and am looking forward to the last book.
Series: Book 1: Danger Zone → 3 Stars
Book 2: Need for Speed → 3 Stars
Book 3: Classified → did not read
Rating: really liked it
Feels rushed but that's inevitable cause it's only under the 180 pages. I really don't like when imo these 3 books should be one full novel. Now I'll have to wait another month for the conclusion.
For me all other couples Ella Frank writes don't feel like the connection Logan & Tate have. She ruined me by them...
Oh well. I'll read the next.
*nottooexcited
Rating: really liked it
I NEED PART 3
Holy shit, I love them together and it’s dual POV so it’s nice to know that both are falling for each other at the same time. The best thing about this book is the fact that the writes not only tell us about Panther and Solo’s feelings but they really show us by their actions how their relationship is changing.
MF romance writes should read this and learn that you can write a cock hero who is not an asshole to the person he is falling for and that a man who lost his family can still acts like a decent human being because a trauma does not excuse treating people like shit.
I’m loving it. Have to confess I didn’t like it very much the fact that Panther is changing his opinion about his career (book 3 changed my opinion about that his career choose is awesome)
Rating: really liked it
Yes, I absolutely loved this second installment. I actually enjoyed it more than the first one, a big reason being because of the deepening of Mateo (Solo) and Grant's (Panther's) relationship, and their relationship development.
After the last book's cliffhanger, this one opens up right after it, and as Panther has been injured - not too severely, but he does need some time to heal - Solo not only grows a little more serious as the event not only shakes him because it's Panther and he's becoming something more, but because it reminds him of something else that happened to his brother before, and Solo volunteers to take care of Panther while he heals, and their feelings grow deeper.
I knew we'd get the deepening of their relationship in this, but the first one I liked a little less because ...well they hadn't gotten to the deepening of their relationship yet. There was small hints here or there, but not much, and that frustrated me.
But we definitely see that deepening here, and Solo letting go over his almost constant non-seriousness, which we definitely see are just walls he uses so he doesn't get hurt. I came to love Solo in this installment and understand him more and the humor he always tried to live by became less of a 24/7 thing and more endearing, because we can see how much he uses it to hide behind a wall in this one.
I loved how many more feelings we got in this one, so I would say reading the first one to get to this one is definitely worth it. Even the sex - which yes, was hot in the first one - meant more in this one so it was even more passionate and definitely loving, which I love.
There's somewhat of a cliffhanger at the end, but it wasn't so bad that I can't wait the month I'm gonna have to wait to find out what happens and how these two men who have surprisingly found their way into me loving them together are going to get their HEA.
I look forward to it.
Two thumbs up from me!
Rating: really liked it
Panther and Solo are back in this installment and it is all about the feels. First, Ella had left us completely hanging at the end of the book 1, so I had to see what happened even prior to fully reading this story. Edge of your seat reading for sure. So this book picks up immediately where book 1 left off. This book follows Panther and Solo through the murky waters of feelings, and what their feelings for each other are evolving into. I really loved this book. More than book 1. I liked reading how confused they were and how they each on their own came to terms with their feelings. This one ends on a less exciting cliff, but a cliff nonetheless. I am eager to finish this series, as this one was great, and I believe the next will be just as good. Aiden Snow & Christian Fox are amazing on these narrations. I could listen to them all day!!
