Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Matt
 
Two years ago, I broke her.
A year ago, she broke us.
 
Ever since that day two years ago, I was a shadow of my own self. Everyone saw me as the funny jokester, the life of the party. No one knew the truth hiding behind thick walls of sarcasm and jokes.
Not even my best friends.
I thought I could hide from reality if I didn’t say it out loud, but when I finally broke down confessing the darkest secret weighing me down, I could no longer escape the truth.
I still cared for her. I still wanted her.
Despite every fibre in my body hating her.
After all the pain, suffering and hurt we’ve put each other through, she remained my one true love.
But in our game of love, where she expected me to Buy-In by changing my behaviour and actions, there was no folding. 
If I was serious about her, I had to see it through.
Till the very end.
Otherwise, I would lose the greatest games of all.
Her love.



This is the second instalment of Elites of Eastview High where Gossip girl meets Dynasty in the form of an angsty and emotional hate to love second chance romance.

It's a standalone in and interconnected series. Can be read without the first book in the series.

Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2023

11 people are currently reading
65 people want to read

About the author

Mia Kun

9 books188 followers
Mia is a New Adult and Sports Romance Author.
She grew up in Budapest, Hungary, but she is currently living in London.
She's been dancing since she was six and that's why ballet is heavily featured in her books. If she is not writing she loves to spend time with her friends and dog, and reading.

Let's connect:

Instagram
instagram.com/miakunauthor

Facebook
facebook.com/miakunauthor

BookBub
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mia-kun

Newsletter
https://miakun.substack.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
12 (23%)
4 stars
25 (49%)
3 stars
13 (25%)
2 stars
1 (1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Summerlynn83_reads.
767 reviews8 followers
April 24, 2023
First things first, this book has some sensitive triggers and I definitely suggest readers check those out before jumping into this highly emotional read.
Matt and Kiki were the definition of what can go wrong in a relationship and how to break another person. However, because of those traits there were steamy hot and insanely emotional scenes that all lead to heartbreaking situations. The amount of angst these two constantly delivered made me feel some sort of way. I was cheering for them, I needed them to find their way out of the darkness. I was so glad I battled through with them because that ending was exactly what I needed.
Profile Image for Maddie (Bookaholic_Dreamer).
966 reviews82 followers
April 20, 2023
3.5/3.75 ⭐️

Here with Matthew ‘Matt’ Hayes and Katherine ‘Kiki’ story, Buy-In is the second interconnected Standalone book from Mia Kun’s Elites of Eastview High series.

When it came to following along Matt and Kiki’s story, let it be known there was honestly a lot to process and take in from the tumultuous journey they were made to embark on, given the complexity that was their unstable and unhinged relationship.
At times it was a little complex given all the subplots that came into play, which connected to the main plot. And so you couldn’t help but get a little lost and confused IMO at least.
But it’s what made the overall story quite filling from all that was packed within.

The paths that were Matt and Kiki, it consisted of major angsty-ness from the constant pushing, pulling and going back and forth, due to their constant head butting.
Just when you think all was going well, it would explode from a big blow up between the two, only to repeat itself again like a cycle.
Yet it made sense when you took into account the battles they were facing and having to fight individually.
With their inner demons always at play, it made their personal issues all the more harder to overcome. Since they couldn’t help but fall every which way. Having allowed their demons to win by giving in and having them take over.
This was where the sensitive subject matters came into place, seeing what Matt and Kiki were facing in those battles throughout. Which Mia deep dived into, showcasing through their dual perspective as the story progressed, allowing a genuine and authentic feel to it from the realism that was presented within the details.

It needs to be said, this book had me in a mixed mind and emotions in regards to my overall thoughts and feelings.
Coming from not only the narrative and how it developed as the story advanced. Also the characters themselves, seeing the many layers that made them who they were come unravelled as time went on.

There just seemed to a lot going on, and when you add to that the slow moving story pace that occurred from the beginning, it's what led my attention to wane for a good period of time.
Majority of the characters are high school kids, which was made very clearly known, particularly in regards to their behaviour and choices they made. Something they obviously couldn’t be faulted for, since they were only teenagers, so it was to be expected.
Yet from some of the things they achieved, it contradicted with them being shown as high school students IMO, especially since their immaturity levels just seemed non-existent at times. Particularly when it came to achieving something so major and out of their age range too.
It made me think, maybe the story could've been better if they had been college students instead, since the story would’ve worked better when it comes to having the realistic aspect in that part that was needed.

Although it did take awhile for Matt and Kiki's story to not only click, but also for me to process everything and figure out my ultimate thoughts and feelings.
Overall, Buy-In still ended up being a decent read, and has me looking forward to Mia Kun’s next book in Elites ot Eastview High series. Especially with knowing whose story it is.



*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lissete.
583 reviews4 followers
April 20, 2023
The angst, the pain, the regrets… oh my!
Matt and Kira are back and this time they will have to go through their mistakes to get to their HEA.
Probably not everyone will understand their reasoning but deep down Matt and Kira know they’re IT for each other and will fight hard for their happiness.
Profile Image for Maz.
1,687 reviews29 followers
April 26, 2023
Wow, what a roller-coaster. This was second chance, Lovers to enemies to lovers Trope.
This has a lot of triggers, so please read the them.
It covers very intensely about eating disorders and alcoholic behaviours.
This is interconnected Standalone.
Both Matt and Kiki were very much in love but very toxic. They were young and made silly decisions. They continued to hurt each other over and over again. When they think they can love again but the come round full circle and succumb to their darkness.
It was quite painful to see them self destruct like that.
Although they want to fight for each other, it's hard when they're barely living themselves.
This is quite a dark book mentally.
There are lots of twists and turns. They're all spoiled rich kids but have strong love and respect for each other.
It was a very long book. I did like how they eventually seeked the help to finally have that hard fought HEA. Their chemistry was strong and the spicy scenes were just as hot.
My only issue was that their age really didn't match their behaviour, maturity and achievements. It felt that they should have been a bit older than what they were.
But this definitely had Gossip girl vibes.
I am intrigued by The next book about Gabriel and Natalie.
Profile Image for Angels_46.
291 reviews21 followers
April 24, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Buy-in by Mia Kun is the second interconnected standalone book in the Elites of Eastview High.
Before I go deeper into the review, thank you Mia and Grey’s Promotions for this ARC in exchange for an independent and honest review.

Like the first book, this story is heavy in the mental health area (eating disorders, alcohol abuse, bullying, anger issues, abortion and mentioning suicide). So if any of those themes are triggers for you don’t read this book.

The book focuses on Kiki and Matt. They have a lot between them and that makes this book very emotional. Matt is “happy” and always with a smile or a joke but he is really struggling inside. I liked that Mia brought eating disorders in men into the table.
Kiki has a lot of guilt and pain inside her and that makes her hate her body (with the help of her awful mother…)
They are toxic to each other and the first half of the book is them “hating” and hurting each other but unable to stay away.

“𝕀 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕪 𝕨𝕒𝕪. 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕀 𝕜𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟”

The writing is refreshing and the characters complex despite having everything they could want. They are “the elite” and that comes with a bit of entitlement as in the previous book.
The tension and attraction between them easy to imagine and the spice (or smutty scenes) felt right for them.
We met new characters and I can’t wait to read Natalie and Gabriel story 😏

You will enjoy this books if you enjoy:

⚜️friends to lovers to enemies to lovers again.
⚜️angst and shared trauma
⚜️Gossip Girls vibes
⚜️characters reaching the bottom and going back up.

Profile Image for kreadsoften.
1,472 reviews82 followers
August 18, 2023
This book deals with some very sensitive issues, so check the trigger warnings.

This is the second book in the Elites of Eastview High series, but it can be read as a standalone. It follows Matt and Kiki as they both struggle through their problems with each other as well as their own personal problems.

I guess the series title should have tipped me off with the "Elites" as these kids are truly the at the top of the school. They're rich, entitled, and cruel to anyone not in their inner circle. But, I guess that's to be expected from spoiled rich kids.

Anyway, I had a really hard time connecting with these characters and had to push through to get past some parts. First, I really really disliked Matt in the beginning. He was cruel to Kiki even though he claimed to love her, and she retaliated by saying hurtful things. Matt eventually developed his own problems. They were addressed and resolved, but the story never really went into how he worked through it.

Kiki was equally as bad. She was very childish and cruel to Matt as well, also while claiming to love him. Honestly, these two were so bad for each other, and their mental health surely suffered. Also, she gave up what she wanted for Matt, which was disappointing and didn't show much character growth.

At the end, both Matt and Kiki did manage to work on themselves and their mental health before getting back together. I was happy that after everything they went through, they were both able to heal and treat each other better.
Profile Image for Clary.
323 reviews16 followers
July 6, 2023
I have three words: crazy rich teenagers! The amount of drama those people go through is out of this world. I expected nothing less from this series.

Those characters have a lot to deal with, and they deal with it in the way their young age would make them. That's why I had a hard time liking Matt at the beginning, but he grew on me and even made me swoon a little.

The plot was a bit messy, but it worked with the vibe of the series. Overall, it was a nice book. 3.25 stars from me for Kiki and Matt.
Profile Image for vivi.
140 reviews
April 21, 2023
Buy- In is the second book in Mia Kun’s Elites of Eastview High series and follows Matt and Kiki. We already got a first glimpse of their relationship in the previous book and to say it‘s a messy one would be an understatemant.

They constantly threw each others mistakes and struggles in their faces with such hatred and toxicity that I questioned if they even liked each other. Yes, sometimes you need someone who tells you when you did something wrong or need to change your behaviour and I get that Matt is an addict and Kiki had her own issues but they didn’t help each other, they made the other one feel worse and in my opinion that isn’t a sign of love. So, I had a very difficult time with both characters.

The plot was messy too and seemed to be a mirror for their relationship. I had the feeling that there was a lot left unsaid and there were a few plot points that weren’t further explained or discussed which left me with a few questions.
I’m happy that both of them worked on themselves and seemed doing better at the end since they had a lot to get through and deal with, so they both got their deserved happy end.

I enjoyed reading about the other characters again and I’m excited for Gabriel and Natalie’s story and I'm really sorry but this book wasn’t it for me.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

3/5☆
Profile Image for Laura Fabian.
643 reviews54 followers
April 26, 2023
ARC kindly provided for the author in exchange for an honest review

OMG! 😱 Matt & Kiki were much more than I expected, they are both broken, sad characters, with complex stories and a toxic relationship that made me suffer a lot, but I think Mia Kun did a masterful job of bringing us back to the world of Elites of Eastview High, especially dealing with the eating disorders issue, showing a real and human side of the processes of Kiki & Matt and making me love them so much more than I expected when I started reading Buy-In.

It's important to say that all the characters in this series are rich & privileged teenagers that sometimes are superficial at the worst moments, who are willing to do ANYTHING to get what they want and can be quite spoiledtoo , BUT they do what they can with the resources around them, something that with Matt & Kiki is even more obvious: neither of them have proper parental supervision, not even Matt with a more involved family, and I think the "burden" of him and his sister falls on Gabriel, something that broke my heart, and although this DOES NOT JUSTIFY AT ALL the behavior that these characters had throughout the book, I think this serves very well to understand many of the behaviors that they have.

Matt was a character that stole my heart since I read about him in High Roller: Friends-to-Lovers High School Romance with Darker Theme, I fell in love with his personality immediately, and even when I knew that his character would have his own demons to overcome, it hurt me a lot to read this new side of him: the cruel, impulsive, hurt boy, incapable of taking responsibility for his actions, and who,no matter how he tries, he doesn't know how to heal his broken heart and only hurts himself and Kiki more. And even though I don't agree with most of the decisions he makes, he's a character I can really empathize with, especially when he lets the real Matt out and shows how kind, cute, sweet and understanding he can be.

The truth is that Kiki also has my heart since I read the first book of the series and her character is not simpler than Matt's: she is a girl who is all alone in the world, she has to face the cruelty of her mother, sometimes Matt's too, and that thanks to her emotional deficiencies she is the victim of abuse by Daniel, because no matter where we see the situation, he took advantage of her at his most vulnerable moment. Also, I have to say that it broke my heart to read her hurting Matt with her words during the prologue, though I fully understand where her annoyance and choice of words was coming from. Something I really liked about Kiki was reading her trying to put her well-being above her feelings for Matt on numerous occasions, although it doesn't always work out for her, I think it was a great act of bravery, especially considering the environment he comes from and the problems he has.

As I said at the beginning, the relationship of Matt & Kiki throughout the book can only be defined as problematic due to all the situations they face against each other, and despite that Mia gives us many moments where the two show through actions how important they are to each other, even when they are in the darkest of places, like the scene where they share the cake that just broke my heart, or all the times Matt was there for Kiki when she needed it most. The only problem is that after the beautiful and tender moments something always happened that brought them back to those mistakes of the past and everything fell apart, something that is part of the traumas that both have to overcome, also, I think the author approached the issue of eating disorders in a raw, shocking way and that she attacks some of the beliefs that exist about them, such as that men cannot suffer from them, and I liked to see the way of Matt & Kiki's path to recovery was not linear, they had setbacks, but in the end they realized what they needed to heal, especially that their problems were not solved only by the power of their love!

Another thing that really broke my heart was reading Axel trying to control everything when it comes to Matt & Essie, particularly because I thought that with everything that had happened in his book he had managed to grow a little more, also, it was painful to read that neither Axel nor Essie know how to be the friends Matt & Kiki need, and although I think the strategy at the end was a good decision, Matt needed a lot more of them throughout the book, and he almost never got it 💔 But I loved that space of friendship, security, understanding and wisdom was occupied by Natalie, not only with Matt, but with Kiki as well, besides, I think Nat is going to give it an interesting twist to the plot of the series as she is from a much more realistic background than the rest of the guys and I can't wait to read her.

🍷Kiki: 4/5
⚽Matt: 4/5
🍷Plot: 4/5
⚽Love story: 3.5/5
🍷Secondary characters: 4/5
Natalie is the best character in this series! 😍
⚽Cover: 4/5
🍷Universe: 5/5
🌶️: 2/5

🇪🇸
ARC amablemente proporcionada a cambio de una reseña honesta

OMG! 😱 Matt & Kiki fueron mucho más de lo que esperaba, ambos son personajes rotos, tristes, con historias complejas y una relación por demás tóxica que me hizo sufrir muchísimo, pero creo que Mia Kun hizo un trabajo magistral trayéndonos de regreso al mundo de Elites of Eastview High, especialmente tratando el tema de los trastornos alimenticios, mostrando un lado humano y real de los procesos de Kiki & Matt y haciéndome amarlos mucho más de lo que esperaba cuando comencé a leer Buy-In.

Es importante decir que todos los personajes de ésta serie son adolescentes ricos, privilegiados y a veces superficiales en los peores momentos, que están dispuestos a TODO para conseguir lo que quieren y pueden llegar a ser bastante malcriados, PERO que hacen lo que pueden con las herramientas que tienen a su alrededor, algo que con Matt & Kiki es aún más obvio: ninguno de los dos tiene la supervisión debida por parte de sus padres, ni siquiera Matt con una familia más involucrada, y creo que la "carga" de sus hermanos recae en Gabriel, algo que me rompió el corazón, y aunque esto NO JUSTIFICA PARA NADA el comportamiento que estos personajes tuvieron a lo largo del libro, creo que este contexto sirve muy bien para entender muchos de los comportamientos que tienen.

Matt fue un personaje que se robó mi corazón desde que lo leí en High Roller: Friends-to-Lovers High School Romance with Darker Theme, me enamoré de su personalidad de inmediato, y aún cuando sabía que su personaje tendría sus propios demonios a vencer, me dolió mucho leer este nuevo lado de él: el chico cruel, impulsivo, lastimado e incapaz de hacerse responsable de sus actos, y que por más que lo intenta no sabe como sanar su corazón roto y solo se hace más daño a si mismo y a Kiki. Y aunque no estoy de acuerdo con la mayoría de las decisiones que toma es un personaje con el que puedo empatizar muchísimo, especialmente cuando deja salir al verdadero Matt y muestra lo amable, lindo, tierno y comprensivo que puede ser.

La verdad es que Kiki también tiene mi corazón desde que leí el primer libro de la serie y su personaje no es más sencillo que el de Matt: es una chica que está completamente sola en el mundo, tiene que enfrentar la crueldad de su mamá, a veces la de Matt, y que gracias a sus carencias afectivas es victima de abuso por parte de Daniel, porque no importa por donde veamos la situación, el se aprovecho de ella en su momento más vulnerable. También, tengo que decir que me rompió el corazón leerla hiriendo a Matt con sus palabras durante el prologo, aunque entiendo perfectamente bien de donde venía su molestia y elección de palabras. Algo que me gustó mucho de Kiki fue leerla intentando poner su bienestar por encima de sus sentimientos por Matt en numerosas ocasiones, aunque no siempre le funciona, creo que fue un gran acto de valentía, especialmente teniendo en cuenta el entorno del que viene y los problemas que tiene.

Como ya dije al principio, la relación de Matt & Kiki a lo largo del libro solo puede definirse como problemática debido a todas las situaciones que tienen en contra, y a pesar de eso Mia nos da muchos momentos en los que los dos se demuestran con acciones lo importantes de son para el otro, aún cuando están en los lugares más oscuros, como la escena donde comparten el pastel que simplemente me rompió el corazón, o todas las veces que Matt estuvo ahí para apoyar a Kiki cuando ella más lo necesitaba. El único problema es que después los momentos lindos y tiernos siempre pasaba algo que los regresaba a esos errores del pasado y todo se venía abajo, algo que es parte de los traumas que ambos tiene que superar, además, creo que la autora abordo el tema de los trastornos alimenticios desde un forma cruda, impactante y que ataca algunas de las creencias que hay sobre ellos, como que los hombres no puede padecerlos, y me gustó ver que el camino de Matt & Kiki hacia la recuperación no fue lineal, que tuvieron tropiezos, pero al final se dieron cuenta de lo que necesitaban para sanar, especialmente que sus problemas no se solucionaran únicamente por el poder de su amor!

Otra cosa que me rompió mucho el corazón fue leer a Axel tratando de controlarlo todo cuando se trata de Matt & Essie, particularmente porque creí que con todo lo que había pasado en su libro había logrado crecer un poco más, también fue dolorosa leer que ni Axel ni Essie saben ser los amigos que Matt & Kiki necesitan, y aunque creo que la estrategia del final fue una buena decisión, Matt necesitó mucho más de ellos a lo largo del libro, y casi nunca lo obtuvo 💔 Pero me encantó que ese espacio de amistad, seguridad, comprensión y sabiduría fuera ocupado por Natalie, no solo con Matt, si no con Kiki también, además, creo que Nat va a darle un giro interesante a la trama de la serie ya que ella es de un entorno mucho más realista que el resto de los chicos y no puedo esperar a leerla.

🍷Kiki: 4/5
⚽Matt: 4/5
🍷Trama: 4/5
⚽Historia de amor: 3.5/5
🍷Personajes secundarios: 4/5
Natalie es el mejor personaje de esta serie! 😍
⚽Portada: 4/5
🍷Universo: 5/5
🌶️: 2/5
Profile Image for Keza Campbell.
780 reviews12 followers
April 19, 2023
I had some trouble with this book.
Why? Well, first of all, Matt was a complete mess. These guys were just so young and behaving like grown ass adults but being rich, I guess.....
Anyway, he redeemed himself for me, and I did fall for him, so clap hands for that ending.

Kiki, I struggled with her. Her eating disorder, well, I felt for her with that from personal experiences but the coach!🤔

Things just seemed out of wack for me. But this could have been for me an outstanding story. Overly! I just didn't feel it with Matt and Kiki's as I did with Axel and Essie's.

ARC Review 📚
Profile Image for Stanislava Stoeva.
44 reviews5 followers
April 28, 2023
Do you love "Gossip Girl" (it's one of my favorite series 🥰)? If your answer is: "Yes", then you will definitely like "Buy-in" by the wonderful Mia Kun.
🥀They are beautiful! They are famous! The power is in their hands! They are the Elite! But behind the beautiful and perfect exterior they hide the scars of the past and they are not ready to part with it yet.
🥀Beautiful body, but at what cost? Funny, but only in appearance. She can have anyone she wants, but the one her heart longs for, she hurt two years ago in her quest to not be the only loser. She ruined them! She ruined them! And he thought it was all over. The longing of the heart, however, cannot be ignored so easily.
🥀Two years ago he wanted everything. He wanted freedom and he got it, but at what cost. By losing the one for whom his heart beats so fast. He changed, but only externally. However, his soul still wants her, and despite the wound she caused him, he will do everything in his power to get her back.
🥀 They are like flame and gasoline. Beautiful and hot, and the two of them together can burn the whole world to ashes. As much as they try to stay away from each other, they can't, but they can't be together either, because the wounds are still fresh and hurt. After all, when two people are destined for each other, they always find their way to each other.
🥀While reading "Buy-in" I was on both poles. At first, to be honest, I didn't like Kiki at all. I thought of her as a superficial, spoiled, rich daughter who, out of boredom, decided to draw everyone's attention to herself. Behind her apparent light-heartedness, I was able to discover a very troubled and hurt soul who was longing for some love and support. She has walked the hard and thorny path of childhood. Because she is from a rich family and everything is provided for her, but money does not bring warmth, does not give the necessary support and does not hug you when it is most difficult for you. Her every act or action was dictated by fear, uncertainty and a great deal of pain.
The book is great in so many different ways. It also touches on many interesting topics that are at first glance overlooked and brushed aside. Especially the subject of the obsession with the perfect and thin body and the sacrifices that girls and boys are willing to make just to look thin enough and follow some ridiculous and dangerous norms.
I love the story because its main characters went through a long and sometimes painful path of growing up to become wonderful and very responsible young people. My rating for the story is 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and I can't wait for the next one in the series.
Profile Image for Ally Doby (Schleicher).
1,123 reviews12 followers
May 13, 2023
Check the TW first, Great Read

I would highly suggest you read the trigger warnings before reading this story. This is a heavy and heart wrenching story. Kudos to Mia Kun on being brave enough to bring the less talked about subjects to the surface as well as very controversial subjects. You did a great job of expressing all the topics.

This is book two of this series, told in dual first person POV and leaves you with a HEA. This story can be read as a standalone but is interconnected with the first book, and is more enjoyed, IMO, if read in order.

This was a lovers-to enemies-to lovers, many times over, story that will break your heart and put it back together. There were many times that I almost forgot these characters were in high school. With their adventures and activities, they seemed more like college students (I mean they were close enough being seniors). For them to be 17-18 years old, they got away with so much, but they were also overlooked on the important issues.

I loved Matt in book one. He was always so funny and carefree. I knew that his book would be deep. With everything he went through for so many years, I was upset that it took his parents so long to do something about it. I went through cycles of loving him and being very disappointed in him to being very proud of him. Not only was he funny and carefree, but he could be dark and cruel as well as sweet/caring and romantic.

I liked Kiki and her enthusiasm from book one. She seemed like she had spunk and her life together. Boy was I wrong. She was so alone and misguided, but she had the strength to turn herself around and make things right and better herself. I give her kudos for holding all she held in for so long and not breaking sooner. I went through all the same cycles with her as I did with Matt.

I wanted to shake them both, hog tie them to drag them to get help and mother hen them the whole book. I was hooked and needed answers and resolution for them both. I loved the side characters as well. I loved Natalie and Gabe and I can’t wait to get their story to see what secrets they hide.

I received an advanced readers copy as well as borrowed this book from kindle unlimited (I love the continuous scroll). These thoughts and opinions are my own and left voluntarily.
Profile Image for Misty (Reds Romance Reviews).
3,408 reviews6 followers
April 25, 2023
Matt Hayes knows he screwed up two years ago when he pushed the girl he loved away, but at the time he foolishly thought he was doing the right thing. Kiki is the kind of girl you promise forever too, but at age fifteen those are feelings a boy is just not ready to deal with, so he thought the only logical thing to do was push her away and make her think he didn't care... even though he secretly did.

But she had a secret of her own to share, one that could completely unravel their young lives, and that secret lead her to make decision that pretty much dissolved any hope that Matt had of them ever reconciling... her decision crushed him. And it's been haunting him everyday since he learned it... there is no way he can forgive her for what she did, or is there?

From the get-go this beautifully penned story of young love held me captive, I met Kiki and Matt and found myself completely and utterly obsessed with them. I had to see what the pages held for them and if there was a happily ever after in their future... and what I found waiting for me did not disappoint. There story was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, as we join them in the opening chapters we learn that they have a past that won't let them go, healing to do, and a lot of baggage to sort through. But that is hard to do when you can't stand the sight of one another one moment, and are madly in love the next. Matt was struggling with the decision she made that broke them, he also isn't too happy about who she is spending her free time with, and he wants to intervene... but how can he tell her who to date when he has no right to?

These two broke my heart more than once, there'd be a glimmer of hope and then two pages later it would be dashed. But I kept at it cause I knew there just had to be a little happy coming their way eventually. It took a bit for them to find their way, but when they finally did my heart found the much needed reprieve... their story broke me in all the best ways. I loved this one, it's well penned words took me on an unforgettable and heart squeezing escape!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
Profile Image for Maycee.
673 reviews9 followers
April 23, 2023
Buy-In is the second book in Mia Kun’s Elites of Eastview High Series. This book is a standalone but does reference plot points from the first book in the series. Just a bit of a warning - if you are looking for an easy breezy romance - this is not the book for you. Buy-In is heavy, it’s a very emotional read. This book contains a lot of intense situations that could be hard to read for some. This isn’t a cookie cutter romance, it’s gritty and the characters are flawed. I’ll be honest, it was hard to like Kiki and Matt in the first part of the book. I absolutely LOVED Matt in High Roller and was excited for his book. I always say the ones that smile the biggest and laugh the loudest are usually hiding the most pain, and Matt proves this. Both Matt and Kiki are seriously flawed. They are broken, shouldering all kinds of grief and guilt, and lacking accountability. These two start off really toxic and I wasn’t sure how Mia was going to pull this off. I think it shows how well Mia wrote these characters when it was so hard to like them and it hurt to watch them go through everything. The chemistry was insane even with the back and forth of love and hate. The character growth was bonkers. I was rooting so hard for this couple, even when they made me want to pull my hair out. This book will put you through the emotional ringer. This couple has to hit rock bottom before they can build themselves up, and the readers are along for the ride. I wasn’t a big fan of the whole Coach plot, it felt a bit rushed and swept to the side even though it’s a huge plot point. I really liked the sneak previews into future books and I loved finding out that this series is connected with Mia’s other book The Sky Between Us, it’s one of my favorites. All in all if you’re willing to hurt your heart for a very intense book about growing up, second chances and true love then Buy-In is for you!
Profile Image for  •Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥.
3,444 reviews155 followers
April 25, 2023
After having read High Roller i started looking forward to more from this world and author! As soon as i found out about this second installment i wanted to read it. I picked it up and got right back into the Elites of Eastview High world! I enjoyed this second book!

Kiki and Matt's journey captured my attention right from the very get go! The person that left the biggest mark on your heart, is the one you can't forget, no matter how hard you try which Kiki and Matt know all too well when it comes it one another. Will these two let hate win? or will they fight for how they make set each other's souls ablaze?

I got into Kiki and Matt's story so quickly. I've been so curious about these two and i was so glad that i got to dig deeper with them. It's far from an easy journey for Kiki and Matt. These two go through so dang much and so many moments drew every bit of emotion out of me. From the raw realness Matt and Kiki go through together as well as in their lives, truly got to me. I enjoyed digging deeper with these two, especially the chemistry they shared and their battles. I didn't know how they'd tackle it all and that got me even more into their story.

I was glad to be back in this world and get to reunite with some familiar faces!

With Buy-In, Ms.Kun has created such a good and dark read that'll make you feel every bit! She doesn't shy away from the tough which i enjoy. I am so looking forward to diving back into this series with the third installment, Double or Nothing!

This story tackles certain subjects that could be triggering.



*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Grey's Promotions / the author*
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,336 reviews2 followers
April 24, 2023
Buy-In is a book perfect for those who like to experience a lot of heartache and angst before getting to the light at the end of the tunnel. Please heed the author’s trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. If any of the triggers mentioned are even slightly traumatic for you, I would recommend skipping this one. I greatly appreciated the author Mia Kun’s inclusion of these narrative elements, and feel that they helped me make an informed decision about reading the novel before I proceeded.

All that said, I think that this book was a little too heavy for me. I admire the bold choices that the Kun made, but it felt overly traumatic and weighty for me. I personally needed a little more happiness in the book because of the strain between the two main characters and the events that caused that strain. I thought it was bold for the author to address a certain “controversial” decision that the heroine made, but I did not love the ways in which she was shamed for it. Though those reactions felt pretty true to life.

I can appreciate an author who is willing to take risks, and just because this particular book wasn’t my favorite doesn’t mean that it won’t be yours. If you love angst and aren’t triggered by the elements in the story, you’re in for one wild ride!

Thanks to the author for the ARC.
722 reviews11 followers
May 2, 2023
Dark Highschool Second Chance Romance
In Book 2 of Mia Kun’s “Elites of Eastview High” we get Matt and Kiki’s story. They have a deep connection. There is some beef and bad blood poisoning their relationship, but the chemistry is still there. Their story started two years ago when they fell in love, but a series of issues tore them apart. Now Matt has a deep-rooted hatred towards Kiki that lights a fire under him. He cares about her to a certain extent, but ultimately, he despises her for how she handled things and the nerve she has for throwing it back at him. Kiki curses herself for still caring, but she has convinced herself that she caused him to walk down the path of self-destruction that he is. The irony of Matt & Kiki’s lives is that they both chose the same coping methods for the same issue while blaming the other when deep down, they blame themselves. This is intense emotion journey with lots of drama and includes abortion, eating disorders and alcohol addiction. These very real issues may be triggering for some. You can read this book as a standalone, but it does interconnect with Book 1 in the series and is much more enjoyable if you read the series in order.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in return for voluntarily writing an honest review.
3,306 reviews70 followers
April 26, 2023
Have you ever picked up book that literally hooked you from the very first page ? That had you glued to the edge of your seat anticipating what would happen from one second to the next , that left you speechless and had the ability to crush your heart and then so flawlessly put it back together again. Well Matt and Kiki’s epic love story and emotional journey did just that and so much more then words can even express. It’s dark and raw and gritty, it’s filled with angst and pain and push and pull moments, it’s heartbreaking and heartfelt. There are so many obstacles and demons they have to deal with and learn to overcome. Not to mention all the twists and turns that will keep you guessing. It’s a journey of learning to love yourself, of love and healing and second chances . It’s the type of story that just grabs onto all your emotions so quickly and pulls at your heartstrings in ways you certainly will not be expecting. I honestly do not think there are any perfect to how what a exceptional job Mia has done writing this book / series, it’s something you need to experience for yourself
Profile Image for Amy.
1,173 reviews7 followers
April 28, 2023
"Buy-In" from Mia Kin was an intense read I didn't know I needed. I'm a new reader of this author, this is the first series I've read from her collection. I enjoy the darker reads with intense storylines and subplots - so this book was one that I enjoyed, however - I realize it could be triggering for others, so I would caution others to understand them prior to reading.
This is the story of Matt and Kiki, both complicated characters with personal demons to battle throughout the story. Overall, the book is well written especially given the way she writes complicated characters - she brings them together in a way that will bring me back for other books in the series.
A great addition to your book collection. Happy Reading...enjoy!
Profile Image for Jessica Johnson (jess_l_lovessmut).
353 reviews34 followers
April 29, 2023
I want to start this with, the contents of this book could be very triggering for people. With that being said, I thought she did a great job at portraying these difficult situations. Two high school kids fall in love and fight through so many obstacles. They battle so many internal demons. I do like her writing and she allows the reader to understand the characters so well that you can not help but fall in love with them and want to be there for support. At one point while the friends were texting, I actually went to hold down a comment of Gabriel's so I could give it a "LIKE" . I agreed with him and was so consumed by the story I felt I needed to show him some love. I think this fits perfectly in the category of YA.
Profile Image for Wendy Livingstone.
20.1k reviews257 followers
April 25, 2023
This is the second book in this incredible series, and this is Matt and Kiki’s journey. These two have a complex, tumultuous, and toxic relationship, where they broke each other. Matt acts as the jokester and life of the party, but underneath he is hiding his true façade. Can these two move on from enemies / lovers? This is a well written emotional roller coaster, with intrigue, angst, drama, turmoil, challenges, friendships, secrets, second chances, truths, and love, which leads to a steamy page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Profile Image for Nicole Ortiz.
2,057 reviews55 followers
April 26, 2023
3.5*
I don't what to write this was one intense, emotional and a bit painful story. Matt and Kiki have a love that is just I don't even know how to put it but they are toxic for each other. The triggers in this one is huge, I did have a hard time putting it down and there were times where I had tears in my eyes. The only thing I can't believe is I understand a lot of times Kiki didn't have anyone but Matt his best friends, his family let it escalate to a point it shouldn't have someone should of stepped in I would rather be hated than turn a blinds eye if he was my friend or if he was my kid I would of stepped up a long time ago.

I received an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.
1,793 reviews6 followers
April 25, 2023
This is the second book in this series and what an emotional read.
Matt and Kiki have a very tumultuous relationship and it doesn't seem to work when they are together or apart but with impacting every part of their lives they try to stay away from each other.
With both their lives imploding will they be able to get help and then work there way back to each other.
So many ups and downs and plenty of secrets but also friendships and so much love.
Can't wait for the next book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
Profile Image for Devons book corner.
1,423 reviews40 followers
April 27, 2023
Buy-In is a rollercoaster ride of second chances and lovers to enemies to lovers. This is book two in the Elites of Eastview High series, but you can read this as a standalone. This is Matt and Kiki's story, and we already saw them and their relationship in book one, so we know that a mess it truly is. Together, they are both toxic people, and their relationship is the same way. Separate though I did like Matt. I do like Kiki as well, and I feel sorry for her. Overall, I enjoyed this story. This book is full of sensitive topics, so make sure you check all TW.
Profile Image for Mindy Lopez.
2,307 reviews13 followers
May 8, 2023
This is Book 2 in the Elites of Eastview High Series by this author, and can be read as a standalone. It is a second chance romance between Kiki and Matt. These flawed but likeable characters, the strong connection, the combustible chemistry, and the unique plot make for an intriguing read. It is an emotional love story with drama and angst, sexual tension and chemistry, and engaging secondary characters to keep the reader interested. Seriously entertaining.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Grey's Promotions and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
Profile Image for Only.ever.books.
1,478 reviews25 followers
April 25, 2023
ARC Review
Buy In
By Mia Kun
Rating: ⭐️5/5
Emotions: ❤️5/5 🌶4/5

Matt & Kiki

In the world of the rich and the beautiful, the need to always be perfect is high. At a young age Kiki and Matt too, felt it. Some at the words of their parents, some of their friends and some from hurt feelings.
Despite loving each other more or less, they hurt each other. In many ways possible.
Matt was scared of the love they could fall into at a young age so he broke up with Kiki, which made her feel less worthy.
Kiki did something that broke Matt’s trust, and that amongst other things, forced him to turn to alcohol.
Now, both suffer from their actions, their words and hurt feelings. Slowly they come closer again, but always something stands in their way.
Will they be able to make things work out between them and finally find their true happiness, this time for good.
Profile Image for evieo17 .
5,078 reviews51 followers
May 26, 2023
Wow. Talk about a roller coaster ride that Kiki and Matt took. At first I’m rooting for them to have a HEA but the way they treated each other and themselves, I just couldn’t see it happening. They were toxic when they were together. But with sometimes and help, they made major changes and slowly things started to become more attainable for their HEA. Can’t wait for Natalie and Gabriel’s book. That one should be a doozy
1,404 reviews7 followers
April 25, 2023
I have read worse.

In no particular order: I didn't read the first book, and found that repeated references to Essie and Axel's story were both too much and too vague, which I know doesn't make sense. And maybe that book explains how a very adult-oriented club is seemly populated solely by high schoolers. I wasn't fond of Kiki's name. I also didn't believe how the characters could apparently attend school, do their homework, do extracurriculars, party, invest so much time in posting to social media, get a hotel venture off the ground and still have time to sleep. I also didn't believe how Matt's parents, who were supposedly so involved in his life, let his drinking etc. get so out of control.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.