Eulogy

Eagle Elite #10

by Rachel Van Dyken

All is lost, I shall not be found.

I don't recognize myself in the mirror anymore.
My thoughts are filled with hatred and dripping with rage. I've lost my soul. She took it to the depths of Hell with her and haunts me with images of what could have been.

Sixty lives are mine to take.
Sixty lives stand in the way of my vengeance.
Sixty lives plus one more.

Mine.

When the last drop of their blood falls — mine will be spilled. Only one person stands in the way. She doesn't realize I'll kill her too. I don't own a heart. And even if I did — I wouldn't fall prey to its lies again.

I am Chase Abandonato. Heir to a legacy of betrayal. And I will kill them all. Even if it means pointing the gun at myself.

A life for a life.
A soul for a soul.
Now I lay me down to sleep… I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Blood in. No out.

Genres: Romance, Dark, New Adult, Mafia Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Dark Romance

478 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 20, 2018

About the author

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of mafia and contemporary romances.

Hey guys I'm rarely on Goodreads, if you need to reach me feel free to email!
EMAIL ME: rachelvandykenauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-...

Reviews

[Fiza · ia · Rating 4 out of 5]

/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿“Sangue en no fuori.”
____Blood in,Blood out_____

/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿Pew pew pew (haha)

4 stars
Goddd I really want to slit my wrist and make oaths like them lol... *🔪🤚🏻🩸📄🔥🤝*

meravi'ʎoso...don't mind me I'm learning Italian cuz I'm gonna have my mom send me to 🇮🇹 as I'm obviously missing out some Hot Italian Mafia Men... ˵༎ຶ ༎ຶ˵

Aaaaah from where do I start!?

🔪🩸💸🍷⛓️👠♛ · 𝕸𝖆𝖋𝖎𝖆 · ♛💄🤵🏻❤️‍🩹⚰️☠️🚨

⁍Forced proximity
⁍Boss/employee(but workplace is boss's house ; )
⁍Mean/Grumpy Possessive MMC
⁍Cosa nostra(Italian mafia)
⁍Multiple POVs
⁍Bromance :D

It can totally be read as a standalone...Like I did but u will need patience everything's gonna make sense at the end...& now I absolutely want to read all of them (except Mil's 🤛🏻🤛🏻🤛🏻& maybe nixon's cuz I don't like trace 🤛🏻 but I also think I'd like her if I read their book idk) & I esp want to read VIC's he is basically the patrol man but now he's patrolling my hearteu lol & he only made maybe 3 appearances in the whole book but still I already luv him 👉🏻👈🏻

& btw I read this book bcz one of my fav books is Twisted Emotions so I searched which books are similar to it & it was the first one that came up...tho the things were entirely different but if you liked Twisted Emotions,The Predator or are into mafia romances plz give it a try I can guarantee at least you will not regret you want me to take oath ok
*🔪🤚🏻🩸📄🔥🤝* guys I think the cut got deeper I'm gonna dieee but not before I finish this review...

Chase Abandonato Hot Italian Tattooed Mafia Birthright Boss...His heart 💔 "Follow your heart?” “She took it with her” AAAANNNNN He used to be the funny one but now he has so much DARKNESS/anger/gloominess in him bcz the one to whom he has given his everything had betrayed him so his sole mission is to kill that person's whole family line...
Part of blurb:
I am Chase Abandonato.
Heir to a legacy of betrayal.
And I will kill them all.
Even if it means pointing the gun at myself.
A life for a life.
A soul for a soul.
Now I lay me down to sleep… I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Blood in. No out.

(btw he can shoot 7 people in 10 sec PHEW) u crossed his path & survived?? Nah I wouldn't believe... Bcz ofc you aren't luc/me lol... & he cooks too (shoot me at this point)

Luciana Smith(luc) so caring, kind, naive,... lawyer sent by Nikolai to work for families who is absolutely clueless abt what she is getting herself into...the last thing she could stomach is violence (is even afraid of 🐭 like me)...all of their moments were so >>>> & I couldn't even consider in my dreams she could do what she did at the end AAAAAHHHHH My hearteu... I salute her...esp in ch 71 (do not get a heart attack, they were really small) I donated my 🫀to her & ik she'll keep it safe 💌...

The writing was also bravó...so many🦋 🗳️ 🗣️ 😆moments & also there were notes from ex FBI agent at the beginning of every chapter 🔍 but Excuse me 🥯 *** !? I searched it up and well it really is a thing idk what to say but if they're happy I'm happy moreover it was only 3-4 sentences so it's otay btw the spice was 2.5/5 you can even say it was a slowburn... perfettó🤌

I was so sure this book was gonna be max 3 stars but the last 10 chps proved game changer for me My mandible was going to dislocate during the last 15℅ of the book... At that moment “I’ll keep the adrenaline shots close by in case her heart stops,”he said to the room. I needed them more tbh💀

➤Things I liked abt this book

※Darkness in MMC/how deranged he was bcz of all he has been through...
🍷🪞🪟💥🔨💔🪨🫀🩹❤️‍🩹
Bcz idk abt u but I really like drastic changes & he really seemed beyond repair but our FMC 𝔻𝕀𝔻 𝕀𝕋!!
※Mafia vibes
※How FMC was a fit for him(all the comparing he does)

At some point I thought that I wanted Chase to not think abt his past that much & confess more to luc but it has only been months & it wasn't that easy to let go ALL that so respecto... ༎ຶ ༎ຶ

➤Things I hated (u are supposed to)

※MIL ( Where's my gun !? Oh she's already dead in the whole book but I still hate her so get my gun ︻デ═一💥 )


/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ My Favorite Quotes (I'm still holding back TT there were much more)

✒“I’m not worth dying for,” she’d whispered. “But you, Chase Abandonato… you’re worth living for, breathing for, existing for.

✒And love didn’t really need words, did it?
Just action.

✒That was the thing about human life.You don’t truly treasure it until you’re about to lose it.And you don’t ever really believe you’ll lose it until it’s too late

✒Don’t waste your tears on me,” I whispered. “I’m not worth it.”
“I’ll decide what my tears are worth,” she shot right back and then defiantly stared me down as the first one fell.

✒“See any light, Chase?”
“Stars,” I said groggily. “I saw stars.”

✒She, afraid of me.
Me, afraid of her.

✒It was in his darkness, his power, his possession that I found love.
Not his light.

✒“What greater love than taking the sins of those you care for and putting them on your own shoulders?”

✒I loved him where he was at.
Not where I wanted him to be.


/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ Funny one (were also many but ofc I have to hold back ╥﹏╥)

“Andrei sent them, along with a bloody hand attached to a new iPhone X.”
“How was it?” he asked.
“Bloody.”
“No, the iPhone, been wanting to grab one…” His voice trailed off.
I rolled my eyes. “Focus. I only used it for a few seconds.
🤭🤭🤭🤭


/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ⁍💥 /̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿⁍💥 /̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿⁍ 💥/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿⁍ 💥/̵͇̿̿/’̿’̿ ̿ ̿̿ ̿̿ ̿̿⁍💥

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟STARS
ARC-Review
Release Date-20/2/18

WOW WOW WOW!
Words can't describe how much I adored Eulogy (Eagle Elite, #9) by Rachel Van Dyken.
I'm actually a bit of a newcomer to this series.
Only reading RIP which is set in the same world but a spin-off to this.
It was actually that book which made me want to dip my toe in here and even though I have every intention now of rewinding and starting at the beginning I will say that this can totally be read as a stand-alone.
I had absolutely no trouble following along and I am so glad I gave this a go as I now have a whole new series to devour.
So Eulogy tells the tale of Chase Abandonato and following events in the previous books he is on a downward spiral to hell.
Chase is basically on a suicide mission to totally annihilate his dead wife's entire family line after her unforgivable betrayal.
Gone is the joker and laid back funny guy and in his place is a man his nearest and dearest no longer recognise.
Luciana is the young attractive lawyer sent to work for the families.
Supplied by Nikolai AKA Dr Death, she is totally clueless about what she is getting herself involved in.
Afraid of her own shadow she is poles apart from what Chase is used to.
And as the files she needs are at Chase's home this is where she needs to stay.
And with Chase threating to shoot her every five minutes, well let's just say the poor girl is quivering in her boots.
So as I said earlier I adored this and this was a totally new side to chase, that even with my limited exposure to the series I noticed.
A much deeper and broken psyche.
Luc herself being a much more gentle soul is exactly what he needs to attempt to put the pieces of his soul back together.
Trying in her own way to take care of him and singing him to sleep.
I felt so much for Chase here and the more I read, the deeper I fell for this mismatched couple.
And as Luc fell deeper under Chase's spell her ability to accept all the tarnished bits of Chase's life and then embrace them wholeheartedly was entrancing.
Luc herself, Showing her love in such an extreme manner, especially considering her total un-exposure to the mafia lifestyle, was So courageous of her.
Sometimes it takes an extreme act to knock some actual sense into a stubborn, macho, head.
Make a certain someone wake up and notice whats there for the taking, right under there nose.
That is so what Luc accomplishes here with Chase though I don't think that was her original intention.
It was just a much-deserved by-product of her totally selfless act.
So I think its safe to say I bloody adored Eulogy, everybody who loves a good mafia story needs to give this series a go.
I read this in one actual sitting, I found it that addictive.
I just now need to make the time to read the rest of this amazing series.
Which I will definitely make a serious priority.
I was provided with an ARC of "Eulogy" By the author of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Youssra (semi ia- shelving books don't mind me) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars 🌟

First of all, special thanks to Fiza for this rec! APPLAUSE 👏👏👏👏👏


First thing's first, mafia romances are not a genre I typically gravitate towards but when I do read them, I don't have very high expectations. I just want to have a silly, fun and goofy time and turn off my brain 😴 So, I went into this book completely blind- didn't even read the blurb or any reviews- and had zero expectations.

That being said, this was GENUINELY such a good time. I laughed, I giggled, I blushed and I even cried a little bit.🤧 Also, this had many clichés or tropy things, but I legitimately did not care and I ATE THAT UP.

The plot was entertaining enough, but their relationship was SO CUTE😭 The mmc, Chase, was this possessive and protective yet broken, and damaged man WHO HAD A COMPLETELY VALID REASON TO BE DAMAGED AND GRUMPY.The fmc, Luciana, was basically a fish out of water in this mafia world but she was actually so funny and kind. She basically saw a broken man and said "I can fix him" and fix him she did🤧

I am a sucker for a grump who slowly starts to soften for his and only his woman. He bought her tampons, took her shopping, cooked her breakfast, and prepared her a bubble bath ALL WHILE HE SUPPOSEDLY HATED HER AND DIDN'T WANT HER AROUND HIM🤭

However, I really wish the timeline had been longer so that their love for each other was more believable, and I probably would have enjoyed it A LOT more had I read the previous 9 books in the interconnected series just so I could get acquainted with all the characters and their bromances😅

Quotes:
"She made breathing hurt a bit less."

"What if the truth means I lose you forever?"
"Not possible since you're the one who found me in the first place."

You're worth living for Chase.
---------------------------------------------
pre-read:
Doing this for Fiza 💖

[Sentranced Jem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Eulogy (Eagle Elite #9)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken
Genre: New Adult
Publication Date: February 20, 2018

I am a Mafia romance Junkie and THIS series is the reason why. I read the first book Elite in the year 2013 and I have been an avid follower of this series since then. I love this series..ok...I am obsessed with this series and I am not ashamed to say that I have lost count on the number of times I have read this series. Having said that, I feel like I know these characters 'personally' hahaha. I feel like I have grown up with them through thick and thin, I have fallen in love with these characters regardless of them having made some questionable decisions.

Eulogy is the 9th book in the Eagle Elite series and I am in love.
This book is 'surrounded' around 'my' fun loving Chase Winters aka Chase Abandonato.
Before we begin with this review I'd like to say something, I forgive you Rachel Van Dyken for the ending of Enrage. You broke my heart and left it pieces, never having known the true impact and state of shock I (plus, the legions of fans) felt after the end of the previous book. I forgive you because this book was your redemption.
FYI, Enrage was so good!
Also, Eulogy is Out Of This World!

Ok, back to the review. I will admit that even though I loved Mil and Chase together, I wasn't totally sold of them like I was with the rest of the gang. It always felt incomplete... But Luc and Chase? I am on board!I love them together! They are perfect for each other.

Luc is a conundrum, she is a woman that's all soft and kind yet has enough sass to standout amongst the mafia clan. Chase, my jokester, the guy who loves life and loves to cook (Huge plus there hahaha) is a broken man in this book. After the biggest betrayal by someone he loved so much- He is a shell of the man we knew and love. He has become a man without a soul, a man without a conscience ...He is a flicker of the man we loved, a man that seemed so fun and lively but was a ruthless man, a successful businessman.

I love the fact that Luciana is the complete opposite of Mil... Mil could get very selfish. Even when she was alive, her pride was her greatest downfall. No one would ever doubt that Chase was the selfless one in that relationship. I feel like with Mil, Chase had to always be the one to concede so as not to fight but with Luciana, He felt a love that was unconditional. She was loyal, humble and selfless.

I am in awe of Luciana and in utter amazement of her love for Chase. Rachel has created characters that are so strong and inspiring. Eulogy is an amazing book, there isn't a moment where you'd feel like stopping- I read and read until the very last page.
I can't explain or stress enough how much I loved this book.
I will admit that in the entire Eagle Elite Series, Nixon and Trace were my go to couple but now they have a contender. Chase and Luciana's chemistry is a thing to behold.

Eulogy is a book on second chances, love, family, dedication and loyalty. Eulogy is emotional, passionate, at times gruesome (I mean, we are talking about the mafia here people!) but blissfully beautiful.

Happy Reading!

PS: I am not willing..I am not ready for this series to end. Luckily, Envy (Elite #9.5) is releasing this July. Don't forget to add that to your TBR list too.



For more ...
www.jemimajamir.com

[Rachel (LoverofTBR) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chase Abandanato made me re-read this book for him. For the millionth time.

His story is full of pain and darkness and I am absolutely elated each time he finds his light and redemption in Luciana.

We go from this:

"Hey, Chase?"
"Yeah, princess?" I pulled her into my arms as she pressed her cheek against my chest.
"What are you doing in two weeks?"
"In two weeks..." It was harder to get out this time, harder to swallow, knowing she'd be sad, knowing it would affect her. I squeezed my eyes shut and whispered, "...I'll be dead."

To this:

She just grinned and whispered, "Hey Chase?"
"Yeah, princess?"
"What are you doing in two weeks?"
I just laughed, eyed her up and down, and whispered what I always whispered, "You."

And here is what happens in my heart:

[Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The events from the last book changed Chase Winters Abandonato. Gone is the vibrant, optimistic and happy-go-lucky guy I knew from Elicit. He became condescending, icy and bitter after loss and betrayal. He didn't deserved any of it and it's hard to read those passages when he is in rage and self-destructive. I'm not used to see him like this. A broken man who almost gives up in life. His emotions are all over the place he cannot think coherently. He was my second favorite hero in the Eagle Elite series and I'm hopeful he's going to be okay after what happened. In this book, he wants to end the De Lange bloodline but this can lead to his death sentence.

When a newly hired lawyer (courtesy of Dr. Nikolai), Lucianna Smith steps in their mafia world, Chase unleashed his darkness just to drive her away. However, she's unwavered by his threats. Chase cannot fight the feeling he was drawn by her innocence. I love Lucianna because she's genuine, loyal and selfless. She was completely different from Mil De Lange and I grew to love her more. She gives the light through his darkness which balanced their relationship. They had a rough start and all of it was worth it.

Eulogy is by far the most intense book in the series. Everything was unpredictable , anything can happen in a snap and I'm not ready for what's coming. I'm on the edge of my seat and the plot twist @ 84% shook me to the core! Chase's story in this book was alluring, dark and heartbreaking to read. It's difficult seeing him go through the pain and self-destruction. The story, no matter how dark it is, it has so much depth in it. It's a journey of forgiveness, healing and acceptance. I love it and I feel like I moved on like Chase I truly love him with Mil. What I didn't realize their relationship was unhealthy and I never saw that. I thought she and Chase were the end game but all this time it's one sided. I hated Mil for that because she loved Chase for selfish reasons. He deserved more than that and I cannot fathom of how ungrateful she was. It hurts! 😭💔 despite of the tragedy, I'm glad Chase got the love he truly deserved from the beginning. Overall, Rachel Van Dyken did an amazing job on this installment and I'm absolutely excited what's in store for this series.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best mafia series I’ve ever read!! Review to come!!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I'm going to be honest; this book annoyed me. I don't understand why Rachel had to kill off another wife. First it was Andi, and now it's Mil; who's next, Tracy? And you know what really pisses me off, the author is replacing strong women--women who can shoot, fight, and go head-to -head with their men--with weaker ones who quake in their shoes every time someone sneezes too loud. Now don't get me wrong, I loved Sergio and Val. I knew Andi was going to die from the very beginning and that Sergio was going to get another wife. Sergio and Val's story made sense to me. Chase and Luc's did not. I don't understand why Mil had to betray everyone and die as a rat. Chase and Mil's book was great and it was clear that they loved each other, but now the author is telling me that everything was a lie and Mil was too selfish to care about him. Umm no, I'm not buying it. It makes me feel like Rachel is just creating drama so she can kill off her characters and sell more books.

Luc, the heroine (that's what Chase calls her and I can't remember her full name right now), was a junior associate at a law firm. The families needed a new lawyer, and Luc agreed to become their new lawyer. She was innocent; she didn't know anything about the mafia, and she didn't know who she was working for. The job offered too much money for her to turn down. She was adopted, and she wanted to take care of her parents. (Ok, someone tell me how an upstanding lawyer is going to sign a contract without reading it and not ask any questions when she is presented with a shady job. That's a shitty lawyer, and I would've fired her on the spot. And another thing, I understand that they need a young lawyer, but why the hell would the mafia hire a junior associate straight out of college to deal with important, life changing information!)

Chase is mourning, or should I say raging, over Mil's death. He's furious that she betrayed the family. He felt like she was never there with him, and she never appreciated him. She wanted to be too strong--standing on her own and never accepting his help, not his money or power. He's not the happy-go-lucky dude that we all know anymore. He's angry and out for blood. Chase is so angry that no one in the De Lange family tried to stop Mil's betrayal that he decided to go after everyone in the family (and by "go after" I mean wipe the entire line from existence). But to do that, he needs the blessing from most of the mafia family (aka the commission). If Chase goes against the commission's decision and kills the De Lange family line, everyone in the mafia is going to demand his blood. Everyone is worried about Chase because they know that he doesn't have anything to live for anymore.

When Luc walks into Chase's house for her first assignment, he finally feels something for the first time since Mil died. Chase doesn't want Luc in his house, and he ends up pulling a gun on her. Luc hates violence so when she sees the gun, she's frozen in fear. The others tell him that she has to work there, and so begins their love story.

To me their love wasn't convincing. I did not like Luc. The woman was scared of everything and cried at the drop of a hat. She was always scared of Chase--even at the end of the book, she wanted to run away (after she found out about the truth of her birth) because she was convince that the man she loved and who loved her was going to kill her. She still didn't trust him. When she was pulled over by the cops for speeding, she was scared and wanted to cry. When someone walked into a store and threatened her, she started shaking and crying. When she finally showed some spunk and threw a water bottle at Chase for being a jackass (he was a huge jackass throughout the book), she acted like a scared little rabbit and froze. The only time I saw a little backbone in this girl was when she got angry at Mil, and then proceeded to smash her stuff with a baseball bat that Chase handed her while he told her about Mil. She stood up to a dead woman; good job.*Rolling my eyes* I get that Luc was scared of Chase and felt sorry for him, and Chase needed time to grieve and rage, but there was only so much self misery he should drown in before Luc kicked his ass and told him to snap out of it.

Chase just threatens to kill Luc the entire time--if she moved, he will shoot; if she cries, he will shoot. I think he fell in love with the idea of her, not her. Chase was hurt by Mil, someone who never needed him even though he gave her everything. Luc, however, wanted to give Chase everything while he gave nothing back. He would push her away and then reel her back in whenever he needed her. If he needed her to sing to hold his nightmares at bay, then he would be nice to her. If he needed her for sex, you betcha he was going to be nice. With Luc, he was able to be a "man" and take charge. Luc always needed saving and protection, whether it was from the police or enemies, and Chase always got to be the hero and saved her. I never felt a spark between them. I didn't feel like they got to know one another and fall in love with each other.

This wasn't a bad book. The writing and plot was good but I did not like the main characters so I'm giving this book a 3 stars.

[Staci Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, intense, and raw, EULOGY will set you on fire.

[Wendys Wycked Words · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars ;)

[Steffi De Ceuster ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so let's start of with some truth :
I was so scared to start this one I actually didn't want to start this one because let's face it we got Entice Chase and Mil and I absolutly hate stories were we get the H and h and then another when it's another h. But I knew it Rachel can always make me fall in love with a book that I actually don't want to like an example Empire I was ruined after Elude and I couldn't handle it all.

But there were two friends who convinces me to read this one!
Jemima:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Bex:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

This one is so special and so my favorite of this year!! I have a soft spot for Chase and in this one even more then in Entice. Even though Nixon will always be my favorite! Also how beautiful is this cover?! Normally I don't have a soft spot for the half naked men, but this one is so pretty! I don't know why but it has something special!

I always have faith in Rachel Van Dyken I just know she can make me like every book even though I wouldn't normally she gets a twist in and I'm in love!
She also is a talent in hurting and making people cry, also heart mending.

So a very BIG Thank You!! To the lovely Rachel Van Dyken!!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review




A deeply, dark, intense, gritty emotional mafia romance that grips your heart immediately. Eulogy by Rachel Van Dyken was an emotional rollercoaster that consumed you in an unlikely fashion. It was heartbreaking. It was turmoil. It was centered on revenge and anger and yet showcases RVD’s ability to make readers see hope, forgiveness, redemption and second chances in a whole new light. This book is definitely more of a powerful emotional romance because it’s unfiltered and raw and hence this is why the book stood out. A must read for fans of this mafia series.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book!! HOLY SMOKES the absolute best yet from the series. All the secrets start to pour out and there are quite a few surprises that will have you going what the hell just happened?!

Full review closer to release date. Feb 20 can’t come fast enough for true fans of the series.

[aNneMarLi - Chatterbooks Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I more than want this book. I needed it like my last breath and meal. In my desperation, I dropped everything in my power just to read it and inhaled it. And Gahhhhd! Rachel Van Dyken more than delivered. In my desperation, comes a plea to please on rockin' and keep on writing a story like this. This is what I needed. I needed your words, it's in my system. It's like a music to my soul, soothing me. And the greatest part? The characters you have written are a family to me. Blood In.No Out.

When you're a fan of Rachel Van Dyken, no words could ever describe how you are always addicted to her works. It's like a drug in your blood. You are always on a high and keeps craving it. I craved Eulogy. The moment it hit my reader, I was a mad woman looking forward to her next fix. With that ending in Enrage, I know I needed this book. I want to be healed. And boy did Rachel did it emotionally and beautifully.

Poignant. Emotional. Morbid. Beautiful. Euphoric.- these words best describes Euology. With every turn of the pages I could not help but appreciate how this tale was woven. I love it. I love it to bits of pieces that reading Chase and Lucianna's story was just so easy despite the overwhelming emotions it gave me. I was on pins and needles because with Chase's loss, I was rooting for his HEA. My God, I bleed for this man. I feel his pain. Reading this felt like I was punched in the gut multiple times. I wanted to scream out of desolation. God! I ached for him. With Lucianna in the mix, I was given light to his darkness. I love how her character was poles apart from Chase. Her innocence was refreshing. I love my women sassy and feisty but Lucianna has that character that made me drawn to her. She's so unlike any other Rachel's heroine but she made an impact to this story. Damn woman is so fierce in her own way. She's a woman of great strength and power. To think she. is. innocent. I have high respect on her. The things she did for love... for Chase. I was cringing while reading it and I couldn't even erase it in my mind. It was so vivid but damn woman, it made me love her even more.

Together, I love how their story unfold. It was beautiful and heart breaking all the same. My sleepless night was consumed with the thoughts of them and the rawness it brought me. I ached for them. It left me breathless. And when I thought I had it all figured out, Rachel Van Dyken throw in scenes I never saw coming. My jaw dropped when secrets were revealed. I did not know if I'll be jumping with glee or prepare myself for more actions and blood. My emotions were all over. So I went with my gut and trusted where RVD wanted to take me . And I am glad I did.

To end, I highly recommend this book. God, I highly recommend this series. It's one of the series I have been rereading and have been patiently waiting for what's coming next. I just love how RVD managed to make me invested in my journey with the Family. Because despite the packed full of actions scenes, the morbid reality and heartbreaking moments, the Family changed me. It moved me and touched me. I did not just cry with them. I laughed with them and fell in love with them. As for this installment, Eulogy knocked my socks off, wrenched my heart so tight as Chase and Lucianna embarked their tale of healing and love. RVD writes a gripping tale of passion, heartbreak, healing, love and HEA in the mafia world like nobody's business. It's intoxicating. I am insatiable of her works. I know I will keep on coming back for more because I just can't seem to stop. She's woman on a mission, and for whatever that is, she aced it.

[Kim Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one series that I never want to end, with each book it just keeps getting better and better. Eulogy is Chases story, and after how the previous book ended I was scared to see what would happen next. Chase is my favourite, and to see him so broken and defeated it wrecked me. I have so much hate for Mil, and wish he'd never met her!

In Eulogy we meet Luciana. She's petrified of guns and has clearly never been around violence. In short she is Mil’s polar opposite. When she meets Chase he scares her, he's not the fun loving cheeky jokester we used to know, and my heart broke for him.

Eulogy has so much suspense and twists. One minute I was laughing and the next I was close to tears! What a ride! I can't wait for more of this series! Can't recommend it enough! Five stars!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

***AVAILABLE NOW - FULL REVIEW***

5+ The Peace in My War CROWNS

Words evade me. There is absolutely no way I can actually convey my love of this book. It broke my heart, it made my angry, and brought me to tears, but at the end of this story my heart was so full that I thought it would burst.

I swear to all that is holy that Rachel Van Dyken broke my soul at the end of the last book. I felt like she crushed my heart right along with Chase's. My heart bleed for him, and so when we got our hands on the synopsis for Eulogy, I was salivating for it, for him. I needed him to see him whole again, and I knew Rachel Van Dyken would put us through the ringer. Boy, did she ever with his character. From the moment Eulogy begins, his darkness is an oppressive cloud suffocating him and spreading to anyone in his path. Death and destruction is all he knows now, and it is the only way for him to alleviate any of the pain and betrayal he feels. I, honestly, couldn't fault him for any of it. I understood. What I wasn't prepared for is what was underneath the pain when we got inside his head. When we saw that all he wanted was to be loved, and the one thing he craved was denied to him at every turn. So many times, when he was pouring his soul out, even if it was just internal dialogue, had tears threatening to spill over. As he is forced to interact with Luciana, we see the light return, the man we have loved coming back a tiny bit. The man he is at the end is utterly consuming and PHENOMENAL. Watching him work through his emotions and lust for revenge to see he is worth more and to see him demand more is one of the most rewarding character evolutions I have experienced.

Luciana couldn't have been a better heroine for this man. She is the opposite of his wife who betrayed him. She is sweet and innocent, and her light draws him in and soothes his soul. She provides him moments of peace. Luc is so much more than this, though. She is a heroine who is not outwardly strong, her strength lies within, and her ability to love through fear and death makes her one of the strongest heroines I have encountered. I love her for her fortitude, but also for the way she understands Chase, for the way she doesn't run, and for the way she fights for him no matter what it does to her emotionally or physically. She is perfect in every single way.

This story is so much more than mafia revenge. Don't get me wrong, Eulogy still provides violence, death, family meetings, and everything we love about this series and mafia stories in general. It is just more. It is a story about redemption, and not redemption in the eyes of others but redemption for oneself. Chase has only ever wanted to be loved, and when the author peels back the layers of his past relationship to show how much he really craved it and how much the betrayal truly altered it and changed his perception, it will flay you open. Luciana along with the readers begins to understand what holds him the darkness because she has felt what is like to want to be loved and accepted and cherished. Watching these two come together is truly magical. His fight to stay in the darkness and her fight to bring him to the light is filled with angst and pain, but ultimately RVD doesn't let her readers down. She gives us an ending that is true to the mafia storyline but also an ending worthy of one of the best characters and romances I have a read in some time.

Anger. Revenge. Love. Healing. Redemption. Rachel Van Dyken crafted a story that will shatter your heart and then give you the needle and thread to sew it back up again. With Chase's story, we truly get to see the death of the monster he has become and the rebirth of the man he was always destined to be, and with this rebirth I have found a new mafia romance favorite. No one does it better that Rachel Van Dyken.
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ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[BookSmackedMel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well what I can say about this book RVD has done it again and just continues to feed my addiction for this series. Twist, turns, secrets, angst, drama, WTF moments. This book will make your heart break and bleed, it will shock you, envelope you, consume you. I'm too the point where I want to reread it immediately because I am just not ready to let this book go right now.

Chase Abandonato ... this man !!!! This man is angry at the world and rightfully so but his anger is so heart wrenching. Throughout this entire series Chase has always been for me the one that has my heart racing. There is just something about him that I can't quite put my finger on but it's there in spades !!! His intensity, his loyalty, his heartbreak, his anger all of it layed out in this book. Raw, unapologetic and palpable.

After all he has been through and with the ultimate betrayal I wondered how this book would play out. Would he be completely broken or would he destroy everything around him including himself.

Wow I'm still buzzing about this book !!!

We see another side of Chase in this one and OMG it was intense. How the hell was he going to get through this. I wondered so many times throughout this book if he would make it through.

And just when I think he will make it through, RVD does what RVD does best. She throws in some OH MY GOD NO bombs. And once again I am left reeling thinking OH MY FUCK how how how how is this going to go. What is going to happen next. She constantly leaves me on the edge of my seat.

Gah !!! This series is Epic. I never want it to end.

[Bani · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5+ stars!

Chase’s world was crushed in Enrage. He is living in a shell of a house, taking his rage out on anyone who makes the mistake of stepping inside, living for retaliation and revenge. He doesn’t plan on letting anyone in, not the people who already love him, and certainly not anyone new.

There is so much darkness in Chase’s world that it was hard to like him a lot of the time. If I didn’t already love him and hurt for him, it might have been harder to get into this book. But his darkness is understandable after the betrayal he felt at the hands of his wife. He has moments of sweetness followed by moments of terror that gave me whiplash just as much as it did the characters in the story.

I have come to expect the unexpected with this series, and Luciana exceeded my expectations for someone to stand up to Chase. She is so different than any of the other Eagle Elite women that she is exactly what Chase needs. I loved her introduction to him, her honest reactions, and her sweet spark.

This book kept me guessing with a mystery narrator and several rotating narrators in addition to narration by the two main characters. I found by the second half that I could not put the book down and needed to learn the connection to the mystery narrator, the background of that whole piece of the plot, and the resolution to the twists as they just kept coming.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Three Chicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!
Review by Lisa Kane

Rachel Van Dyken killed me with the ending of Enrage. You think you know your characters, and yet she managed to turn my whole Eagle Elite world upside down. Chase Abandonato is a broken man, intent on raining hell on anyone he perceives to be an enemy of the Abandonato family. He is out of control.

Nixon is still very much in control of the family and there are so many players from the previous books I had to go back and read the blurb for each of the books in the series. Although there is a little synopsis of the characters, at times I was confused as to who killed who, and who wanted to kill who....

Things are about to get sticky with the family and the government. While Chase is spiraling enemies that know too much thanks to Mil are sabotaging the business.

"Apparently, I only kiss girls that belong to someone else and ones who betray me."

Ouch...

Nixon is struggling to hold it all together. Mostly he is struggling to get through to Chase, but he is only interested in a full bottle.

"I have to believe that we've been brought to this point, not to just collapse from within, but to grow, to become greater than before."

Enter Luciana Smith. She's offered the job of being Chase's lawyer. The perks for the job are over the top. She could help her adoptive parents to live a comfortable life.

It was life-changing money.

It would give them back what they'd given me.

Little does she know that she is going to work for Satan.

I'd thought I'd loved her. Our love had been a lie.

So now the stage is set for Eulogy. Chase's heart is encased in ice. Luciana is scared of her own shadow half the time. How could she ever take on a monster like Chase?

This is a mob story. Expect gore and violence and lots of body bags. But then you wouldn't be on book 9 of the series if you didn't live for the rush that these stories bring to your Kindle.

I haven't been able to get Chase's character out of my mind since Ms. Van Dyken decimated his soul. But I can rest easy again.

It was everything the universe knew I would die for, fight for, continue to kill for, and it was mine. All. Mine.

[Romance Readers Retreat · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 AMAZING STARS

Have you ever just sat after finishing a book or looked at yourself in the mirror and reflected upon why you love the people you love in your life and how fiercely you would protect them because of that love? and all because the content of the book has made you think this way? That is me right now after reading Eulogy! I am mentally and physically drained. I am also funked and finding it hard to try read another book. Rachel Van Dyken has yet again built and produced another freaking roller coaster of a book in The Eagle Elite Series.

Chase is the one character that I didn't really connect with at the beginning of this series, I thought he was just the local joker, not very alpha and I never really took him seriously at all. However the last 2 books in this series have made him shine like a new beacon of light and Chase is now up there with the rest of the bosses. I have always been Team Sergio but after reading this instalment I could almost be swayed to go Team Chase. It was simply amazing in fact it could be the best of the series yet although Sergio and Andi's book still haunts me so we shall see.

Luciana is the heroine of the story. Initially she has no clue as to who she's just started working for and it isn't long before she gets to find out. When things go south on her first day in the job Luciana is terrified and becomes scared of her own shadow. Then she becomes curious as to why Chase is so angry and broken so she digs and digs until she finds out and then seems to want to fix him, not all is what it seems in her own life though, she just doesn't know it yet.

Obviously if you have read the rest of this series then you know the full story that came before Eulogy so there's no point in me going over it but prepare yourself for a bumpy, emotional ride. If you haven't read this series and go to read as standalone then all you need to know is it's an emotional roller coaster containing a lot of love, hate, lots of mafia antics (especially death) and a lot of wittiness as well.

I have no idea where Rachel Van Dyken will take this series next or if there even is a next because Eulogy tied up a lot of loose ends that had had me wondering throughout the last few books. I do however definitely hope there is more to come.

[Jae Mod · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**

Can this series get any better?! Rachel Van Dyken exceeds on writing masterpieces and Eulogy is no different. This is an epic continuation in her Eagle Elite saga and I only hope it extends with more stories.

Eulogy had powerful emotions that gripped me from the inside out. I craved this book since I read Enrage, book #8 and I am enormously happy that I have kept on with Van Dyken’s darkness. This is a true standalone, but from a reader to a reader, these books are fabulous.

Chase Abandonato is on a mission for revenge. The betrayal that he has been put through... he wants blood. He is broken beyond repair until Luciana Smith, the young, naïve gentle soul lawyer is sent to him by Dr. Nikolai. She is completely at his mercy but she is unwavered by his wrath. Can she calm him in a way to pull him away from the revenge he seeks?

“Who are you?”
“The Devil” he replied. “Welcome to my hell.”

Holy smokes up in flames! I have never seen so much rage before in a character, but Van Dyken worked her magic in Chase. She lures you in with her wordage, entices you with her well written plot and has you 100% at her mercy by the end. This is an intense journey for Chase and Luciana but they are unbelievably hot as sin together. She is the light to his darkness. Their struggles are your struggles, their lust for one another is the undoubtedly heat you feel off the pages; Van Dyken’s words soar beyond measure. Making you feel every ounce of emotion between characters.

If you are a lover of mafia romances with astonishing angst and two characters who are polar opposites yet who are so right for one another, then look no further than Eulogy by New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken.

5 Mafia Stars

[Christine (Shh Moms Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!
After Enrage, I was so, so, SO unbelievably sad for Chase. In Eulogy, he is the shell of a man he once was... so angry and bitter and out for revenge... out for revenge against the De Lange family who took everything away from him.

The families are in need of a new lawyer and in comes Luciana Smith. And sadly for her, she has zero idea of what she’s about to step into when she agrees without any research to take this job, only thinking about how it will benefit her family.

I liked Luc... her sweet innocence, her loyalty, her honor... she was a good distraction for Chase because she made him see his worth... she made him feel things he has never felt before.

But what happens when he has days to live and can’t promise anything more? Will he ever escape the hell he has put himself through because he deserves so much more than he has allowed for himself?

Well of course you will have to read this book to find out!

I enjoyed this book... Luc’s strength, Chase’s finding himself. As a whole I truly love this mafia series. For me though, sometimes I still get lost and confused over the number of characters and what has happened to whom so it’s hard to keep up. But RVD knows how to keep the surprises and suspense coming and Eulogy was definitely a page-turner.

Looking forward to more from the Eagle Elite series!

[Mg ♥ The Bookishmedialite · Rating 5 out of 5]

MORE! I need MOREEEEEEEE!

[The Romance Book Disciple (Samantha) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eulogy. GAH. What....Why....Wait.....GAH!!! Seriously, I'm not sure I will be able to say more words than that about this book.

Chase is a mess after his wife's betrayal and death. I was a bit leery about this plot line because Mil's death was a surprise. Killing off a major character is risky; Mil has been the main character in her own book as well as a major character throughout the story since her intro in book 3. But, it wasn't gonna keep me from reading!

Add to this drama the mystery of "Agent P" who is telling the FBI everything about the families. WTF?! I spent a ton of time guessing who might be this rat, but honestly, I was wrong. I won't give it away or give any hints. Maybe you will see the clues I missed?!

Luciana is a delight. When Van Dyken killed off Andi and set Sergio up with Val I was skeptical. But Val totally stole my heart and became one of my favorite characters. Luciana had the same effect! She is spunky and intelligent. She stands up for herself even when she is terrified, yet manages to not come off as some kind of hardened badass. I was never a #TeamMil fan, so her death was kind of meh for me anyway. Regardless, Luc is endearing and lovely! The last few mafia ladies have been fantastic and more dynamic. Mil always felt like a stereotype in some way. I struggled with Chase throughout the book. I understood his pain and desire for revenge, but he was just NOT Chase anymore. While I understood that from a story telling angle, as a reader, I just wanted him to be the Chase I fell in love with. Sigh....

Redemption, death, family drama, murder, and resurrection coincide in Eulogy! To fully appreciate this world that Van Dyken has created, you really do need to read the previous books. Could you read it as a stand alone? Maybe. But I don't advise it! Eulogy brings back so many characters from previous books and loops plot twists from former books into the story that even I had trouble keeping up because I have forgotten parts of the books!

 

POV: multiple 1st
Tears: no
Trope: mafia
Triggers: not triggers per se, but there is a lot of murder and violence
Series/Standalone: series
Cliffhanger: not for Chase and Luciana, but there are certainly some major bombs dropped that will need more explaining!
HEA: it feels like an HFN...maybe because I am a bit worried that RVD will keep killing people off

Judgement Road by Christine Feehan, Beautiful Killer by Sherilee Grey, Rocco by Sarah Castille...then you will probably like Eulogy!

 

Eulogy

See full review on The Book Disciple

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

After I finished Enrage, Rachel left me wanting and begging for this book to come out immediately. I needed to know if Chase would ever get his HEA.

My heart hurt for Chase. This man not only lost his wife, Mil, but she betrayed the family. I wasn't sure how Rachel was going to pull this off because Mil is major player in this series and she's gone now. And Chase is now out for revenge and not the man we once knew and loved. He is man without a soul and to see the darkness take over his light, it just broke my heart.

Luciana (Luc) steps in when the families need a new lawyer. Only because this job will help her family, she takes it without any research on the families or what she's about to step into. Luc surprised me - she may be totally clueless to the mafia lifestyle but she is her own person. She is quiet and kind but knows how to hold her own when it comes to these mafia peeps, especially Chase.

Luc finds herself having to stay at Chase's place because the majority of everything she needs is at his house. So while she is doing what she is hired to do, she also has to deal with Chase and he constant battering of wanting to shoot her every time he sees her. But she never once backs down from him. In her own way, she takes care of him and brings the light slowly back into his life. I don't want to say much more other than these two together were so much more than I expected.

Eulogy was more than I anticipated and blew my expectations away. Rachel delivers an action-pack and emotional story. And like I have to come to expect, she throws another unexpected twist that has left me going "OMFG!!!"

Another remarkable installment in Rachel's Eagle Elite series. I truly never want this series to end. Bring on the next book!!!!

[Elicit5.0 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know what to say about this one.

Chase, I loved him but this book felt like Rachel was just making him into a different character. The same kind of traits she has given all her alpha male characters.

I loved Mil and Chase and I liked their relationship a lot. I’d like to think Mil loved him in whichever way she could ever love someone and that is what made their relationship special. She wouldn’t have loved anyone else. Even though she was a mob boss, she was human, a girl who fell for her knight and savior. Maybe I’m reading it differently than others but the way she was portrayed in this one wasn’t fair. We have read from Mil’s POV. She wasn’t like that. She was scared though :(

I do feel for Chase tho because yeah it felt like Trace dumped him and then Mil chose death instead of a life with his protection. Luciana was so similar to Val, but I didn’t hate Val. I hated Luciana. She was like the weakest of the weak. God.

I don’t understand, again, how someone as accomplished as her can be so stupid. I didn’t understand her and Chase’s relationship. It felt forced as hell.

I don’t know. This series used to be so good. I liked Tex and Phoenix’s books the most. I am not sure I will continue anymore.

I still can’t stand Nixon and Trace. I don’t even know who Dante married, I don’t think she was even in this book lmfao. Uhm idk I need to find a new mafia series 🙄

[Valentina "TinchyB" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right now... I think nothing...
I can't think, I'll just leave 5 stars here until Goodreads approve 10 stars or more.
Chase is my favorite made men and I just know he needed something better than that bitch Mil.
Thank God miss Dyken thought the same.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5+ stars...spoiler free review
Chase Abandonato is no longer the man we have known through this series...the one with a sense of humor, the one that held them together, and the one with a heart. He is now fueled by rage, pain, and bitterness, and considers himself a soulless monster. The rest of his group all have something to lose with their wives or children, but Chase has nothing left to lose. And he is out of control and set on revenge.

Luciana Smith was a Junior assistance working for Nikolai and she now finds herself right in the middle of the families and in close quarters with the unstable Chase who does not want her around. She is naive, innocent, and smart, but anxious and fearful. She did not realize quite what she was getting herself into.

This is intense, gritty, raw, violent, and action-packed. It is told in multiple points of view... some that are clearly labeled and one that is a mystery. The families still have enemies gunning for them and now they are also fracturing themselves. And Chase himself is a broken man on a suicide mission.

But Luc unexpectedly brings him little flashes that shed light into his darkness and pain. He has never had a woman actually want him for himself and to truly accept all that he wants to give. But he does not think he could possibly have anything left to offer and does not feel worthy. But she has the potential to at least temporarily make him feel human and alive again. He has is own agenda he cannot seem to see past.

She may be in over her head, but she also might be the one that could save him. Or she could be the final nail in the coffin...

This was another no-holds-barred, intense, raw, brutal story of life in the mafia world. It brings back the whole group in all of their terrifying glory. On the one hand they live in extremes and are vicious criminals, but they also believe strongly in loyalty, family, love, protection. They have sarcastic, dark, and witty senses of humor. But at the core of this is the story of a damaged man desperately in need of hope, healing, acceptance and someone to see him and fight for him.

It took me a bit to get back into this world and up to speed on all that was going on...and to handle seeing Chase in a whole new light. But it kept me guessing and wondering, and it kept building, and the last half of the book had so much going on that I was completely enthralled. There were so many secrets, omissions, twists, surprises, shockers, and big reveals! I guessed some, but others totally made me yell out in surprise. So much violence, danger, passion, action, and situations flipping. And so many strong emotions. This is why I cannot stop reading this series. I am so attached to the unique and complex characters, and this author is not afraid to step outside the box and go to extremes.

I was gifted a copy.
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[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG i knew this would be good but wow it was ever better than i could of imagined, I couldn't wait to read Chase's book and see what would happen, I will not be giving anything away as i know i would hate to have this spoilt for me. What i will say is this, If you have loved all the others in this series then you really really want to read this. Rachel you know how to keep this series going and keeping it fresh and new. One thing i do want to add is you get more than just Chase POV.