Brutal Days (Hidden Valley Elite Book 3) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Ayla Phipps

Brutal Days: A High School Bully Romance by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My oh my. So far, I have read every book in the Hidden Valley Elite series including the prequel to the first duet about Riley and Cole. Once again Isla Vaughn hooks you on page one building the tension and suspense of what’s going to happen next. Never expecting turns but always seeing the signs when you think back. Told from dual perspectives of Damon and Skylar we are taken on a very heated journey.
Finally, senior year, this was the last year of high school and Skylar’s best friend had made a to do list of her four goals for the year. One for each quarter of the year, get invited to the Ring, get a popular boyfriend, lose her virginity, and become prom queen. Gia is nothing if not ambitious, but Skylar is the one tasked with playing deal maker behind the scenes. After her best friend selects Damon, the one person that has asked her out not once but twice and failed she has no choice but to give into his demands for him to “date” Gia. Damon is suddenly in a whirlwind of intrigue about the mystery that is Skylar. Taking full advantage of their agreement he quickly becomes addicted and even obsessed with her and fiercely jealous, which is very new for him. Both on the edge of a double-bladed knife desire and hatred war between them. Damon is used to getting any girl he wants with a single word, but Skylar is not like the others, she has a backbone made of steel and fire and isn’t intimidated by him or the girls that swarm the Elites. Gia on the other hand had no backbone and was quickly had Skylar and Damon both furious with her for her lack of defending her best friend.
Can Damon and Skylar overcome their hatred? What will happen to Gia when they can no longer keep their feelings a secret? Skylar’s father is set to be released from prison soon. What does that mean for her and her mom’s future? Enemy to lovers is honestly by favorite troupe and Isla Vaughn has hands down became my favorite go to author. Each of her amazing stories is based on realistic situations with a hint of fairy tale, for the happy ever after at the end of each duet. Brutal Days has a lot more heat than the previous installments but that was to be expected with Damon’s high levels of excess energy and need for a release be it football, a fight, or intimate. June 22nd, 2023 cannot come soon enough to learn how Damon and Skylar reach their happily ever after in Brutal Nights.

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