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Rivermont Royals #1
Reign
From Elizabeth Stevens, writing as E.J. Knox comes...
A King. An Heir. And the unwilling pawn with the power to win or crush a Royal coup.
Beckett Maxwell reigns over Rivermont Academy with his loyal court: the Royals, their courtiers, their harem. He doesn’t have time for a nobody like me: a scholarship student and daughter of faculty to boot. I’m the lowest of the low in a school full of highs.
One year everything's going fine. Enough. The next, I'm some pawn in a Royal power struggle. Well, I won't have it. They can bully me, they can torment me, they can make my life miserable. But I will not be used in one of their twisted games.
But when the fox is lurking at the door, sometimes the only safety is in the arms of the lion. Beckett might actually be the lesser evil in this case. And I can't deny there's something between us. Something I wish wasn't there.
The closer we get, the further he pushes me away, but something keeps pulling me back. When it comes to Beckett Maxwell, I'm a sucker for punishment.
But I'll only bear it so long. If Beckett wants his claim on me to stick, then he might need to choose between his crown and my heart.
This is a standalone dark, angsty, contemporary high school bully/enemies-to-lovers romance with enough steam to melt your screen. Do not engage in public consumption unless your poker face is impenetrable.
Do not read if you don’t like bossy alpha males claiming what’s theirs, a nerdy but feisty heroine determined to keep what independence she can, unlikely friendships, snarky love-to-hate-them side characters, or bad boys with secret hearts of gold.
This book is set in Australia and therefore written using Australian English. This will affect the spelling, grammar and syntax you may be used to. It might come across as typos, awkward sentences, poor grammar, or missed/wrong words. In the majority of cases (I won’t claim it’s infallible, despite all best efforts), this is intentional and just an Aussie way of speaking (it took my US beta readers a bit to get used to). I can’t say ‘the’ Aussie way, since we seem to differ even within the same state. Just think of us as a weird mix of British and US vernacular and colloquialisms, but with our own randomness thrown in. I still hope you enjoy it, though!
Contains possible triggers.
Also, don't miss the Rivermont Royals Reveals, a series of novellas including the prequel to Reign from Jaeger's point of view. Parts one and two available now.
#1 Obsess
#2 Infatuate
#3 Crave
#4 Fixate
A King. An Heir. And the unwilling pawn with the power to win or crush a Royal coup.
Beckett Maxwell reigns over Rivermont Academy with his loyal court: the Royals, their courtiers, their harem. He doesn’t have time for a nobody like me: a scholarship student and daughter of faculty to boot. I’m the lowest of the low in a school full of highs.
One year everything's going fine. Enough. The next, I'm some pawn in a Royal power struggle. Well, I won't have it. They can bully me, they can torment me, they can make my life miserable. But I will not be used in one of their twisted games.
But when the fox is lurking at the door, sometimes the only safety is in the arms of the lion. Beckett might actually be the lesser evil in this case. And I can't deny there's something between us. Something I wish wasn't there.
The closer we get, the further he pushes me away, but something keeps pulling me back. When it comes to Beckett Maxwell, I'm a sucker for punishment.
But I'll only bear it so long. If Beckett wants his claim on me to stick, then he might need to choose between his crown and my heart.
This is a standalone dark, angsty, contemporary high school bully/enemies-to-lovers romance with enough steam to melt your screen. Do not engage in public consumption unless your poker face is impenetrable.
Do not read if you don’t like bossy alpha males claiming what’s theirs, a nerdy but feisty heroine determined to keep what independence she can, unlikely friendships, snarky love-to-hate-them side characters, or bad boys with secret hearts of gold.
This book is set in Australia and therefore written using Australian English. This will affect the spelling, grammar and syntax you may be used to. It might come across as typos, awkward sentences, poor grammar, or missed/wrong words. In the majority of cases (I won’t claim it’s infallible, despite all best efforts), this is intentional and just an Aussie way of speaking (it took my US beta readers a bit to get used to). I can’t say ‘the’ Aussie way, since we seem to differ even within the same state. Just think of us as a weird mix of British and US vernacular and colloquialisms, but with our own randomness thrown in. I still hope you enjoy it, though!
Contains possible triggers.
Also, don't miss the Rivermont Royals Reveals, a series of novellas including the prequel to Reign from Jaeger's point of view. Parts one and two available now.
#1 Obsess
#2 Infatuate
#3 Crave
#4 Fixate
402 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2023
282 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
E.J. Knox
16 books32 followersE.J. Knox is the darker/bully romance penname of bestselling author Elizabeth Stevens.
E.J. is the name to read if you want darker/bully romance in the Mature Young Adult/New Adult crossover space. Think high school, college, and academy. E.J. brings my usual wit, banter, and repartee in good old enemies-to-lovers showdowns between alpha males and the sassy heroines strong enough to knock them down a peg or two.
There's fake-dating, love triangles, kidnapping and danger, second chances, and more.
Find out more at the website, or check my socials:
Facebook
Instagram
Wattpad
If you'd like to keep up with all my shenanigans, you can sign up for my newsletter here.
NB: I'm usually happy to discuss review copies of my books. A track record of reviewing is preferable, but not completely necessary.
E.J. is the name to read if you want darker/bully romance in the Mature Young Adult/New Adult crossover space. Think high school, college, and academy. E.J. brings my usual wit, banter, and repartee in good old enemies-to-lovers showdowns between alpha males and the sassy heroines strong enough to knock them down a peg or two.
There's fake-dating, love triangles, kidnapping and danger, second chances, and more.
Find out more at the website, or check my socials:
Wattpad
If you'd like to keep up with all my shenanigans, you can sign up for my newsletter here.
NB: I'm usually happy to discuss review copies of my books. A track record of reviewing is preferable, but not completely necessary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 1, 2023
Reign Eden and Beckett spoiler alert
The book started slow but kept me captivated. I enjoyed reading the storyline, usually, I'm not too fond of mob-teenager high-schoolers stories, but this one was well written. I just wanted to read more of Eden and Beckett. I was not entirely fond of Eden. However, I like Eden's sense of humor and her strength towards the end of the book. She matured. Once Eden learns how to defend herself, stand up to her bullies, and shows her power, her status at school change, and she receives more respect. It is the catalyst for the change at school. Somehow the bullying started because she is a faculty daughter and scholarship student. All the student knows her because of her mother's position at school, and the elite believes she does not belong. The before-mentioned reasons are prevalent in these types of genre books. I am fond of Beckett. He is an elite. There is a hierarchy at school that all the students respect and follow without question. Beckett is the King of the school.
There are levels of the Court to which each elite belongs. Eden and her friends are the plebs. Beckett is the King, and his father is the boss/leader of a powerful mob family. The elites belong to the powerful family mob and are all connected to Beckett’s father. Beckett learns from the father to be a ruthless and heartless leader. He has been conditioned since childhood to behave in specific ways where love is considered a weakness. He cannot show weakness, or he might lose his leadership and crown position. He is considered dangerous, cold, conniving, and calculating. Beckett belongs to a dangerous world, and he does not want Eden to belong to his world. So for the last four years of school, he ignores her, does not even look at her, and they have never exchanged eye contact. However, this ideal setup is threatened when the next online future King sets a bet with another elite and has a fake interest in Eden. The future king wants to challenge Beckett and set up a coup to overthrow Beckett. Beckett is a senior, while Eden and the future King are in their junior year. Eden is pulled into their scheming plan. I liked the secondary characters, in particular Jaeger and Rowen. Rowen is described with a darker side. Jaeger is lighter and more fun, more like a joker. I like the banter between Jeger and Eden. Family life for all the elite is not easy because their upbringing made them who they are, and the family has expectations of them. I wanted to read more of Eden and Beckett. The author described very well Beckett’s conflict. It would be a great read to read how Beckett overcomes all his uncertainties when he takes over some or all of his father’s responsibilities as the head of the family. The author did not address specific aspects of the relationship between Beckett and his father. I am curious about what Beckett's father wanted to talk about at the wedding. I am curious to understand Beckett's father's POV regarding Eden. Also, I am interested to read how Eden adjusts to the Elite-mob life. I cannot wait to read Jaeger's POV when Beckett meets Eden for the first time. I definitely will continue to read the series. I hope the author writes more about the above couple. The next book is Rowen which will be released next year.
The book started slow but kept me captivated. I enjoyed reading the storyline, usually, I'm not too fond of mob-teenager high-schoolers stories, but this one was well written. I just wanted to read more of Eden and Beckett. I was not entirely fond of Eden. However, I like Eden's sense of humor and her strength towards the end of the book. She matured. Once Eden learns how to defend herself, stand up to her bullies, and shows her power, her status at school change, and she receives more respect. It is the catalyst for the change at school. Somehow the bullying started because she is a faculty daughter and scholarship student. All the student knows her because of her mother's position at school, and the elite believes she does not belong. The before-mentioned reasons are prevalent in these types of genre books. I am fond of Beckett. He is an elite. There is a hierarchy at school that all the students respect and follow without question. Beckett is the King of the school.
There are levels of the Court to which each elite belongs. Eden and her friends are the plebs. Beckett is the King, and his father is the boss/leader of a powerful mob family. The elites belong to the powerful family mob and are all connected to Beckett’s father. Beckett learns from the father to be a ruthless and heartless leader. He has been conditioned since childhood to behave in specific ways where love is considered a weakness. He cannot show weakness, or he might lose his leadership and crown position. He is considered dangerous, cold, conniving, and calculating. Beckett belongs to a dangerous world, and he does not want Eden to belong to his world. So for the last four years of school, he ignores her, does not even look at her, and they have never exchanged eye contact. However, this ideal setup is threatened when the next online future King sets a bet with another elite and has a fake interest in Eden. The future king wants to challenge Beckett and set up a coup to overthrow Beckett. Beckett is a senior, while Eden and the future King are in their junior year. Eden is pulled into their scheming plan. I liked the secondary characters, in particular Jaeger and Rowen. Rowen is described with a darker side. Jaeger is lighter and more fun, more like a joker. I like the banter between Jeger and Eden. Family life for all the elite is not easy because their upbringing made them who they are, and the family has expectations of them. I wanted to read more of Eden and Beckett. The author described very well Beckett’s conflict. It would be a great read to read how Beckett overcomes all his uncertainties when he takes over some or all of his father’s responsibilities as the head of the family. The author did not address specific aspects of the relationship between Beckett and his father. I am curious about what Beckett's father wanted to talk about at the wedding. I am curious to understand Beckett's father's POV regarding Eden. Also, I am interested to read how Eden adjusts to the Elite-mob life. I cannot wait to read Jaeger's POV when Beckett meets Eden for the first time. I definitely will continue to read the series. I hope the author writes more about the above couple. The next book is Rowen which will be released next year.
August 27, 2023
not for me
I finished it but it was a struggle.
There’s bullies and then there’s cowards. Any man that can stand there and watch the woman he supposedly loves get attacked and do nothing says it all.
There’s nothing redeemable about these characters at all. Some may like it, but I thought it a train wreck.
It’s a no from me.
I finished it but it was a struggle.
There’s bullies and then there’s cowards. Any man that can stand there and watch the woman he supposedly loves get attacked and do nothing says it all.
There’s nothing redeemable about these characters at all. Some may like it, but I thought it a train wreck.
It’s a no from me.
August 19, 2023
ugh
Did not finish at 60 percent. I really did try to give this book a chance but it literally just kept repeating the same stuff over and over. Never really knew what was really going on. No depth to the characters. Eden was completely ridiculous and immature. Even at 60 percent didn’t know nothing about Beckett. Just couldn’t finish it
Did not finish at 60 percent. I really did try to give this book a chance but it literally just kept repeating the same stuff over and over. Never really knew what was really going on. No depth to the characters. Eden was completely ridiculous and immature. Even at 60 percent didn’t know nothing about Beckett. Just couldn’t finish it
March 23, 2023
oooffff where do i begin, so i was lucky enough to recieve an arc copy of this and have chosen to review it as follows,
This was a new author for me having never read the authors books before under this name or her full name and i did actually really enjoy it. The book is very much young adult romance but with a twist as such
The main character Eden is at Her school because her mum is a Swim coach teaching the elitist of the elite school and she is basically there because of it,
Beckett Maxwell is one of the elitist or the King as such of the Royals (not proper crowned) of the school, the untouchable who the others all basically bow before, he is in Edens eyes someone she can watch from afar and think wow but can never touch and would of course never want to because she in the grand scheme is beneath him and all the other royals of this academy and as such can’t speak to them but can look dream and not want a part of that world, until the day she gets unexpectedly pulled in to it.
From this she suffers pain and heartache love and fear at different points and when reading this you kinda want to shout at her to forgive forget them to say Hell no,
The emotions it brings in this one are fabulous pulling you right in and along for the ride.
The book is mainly one POV and sometimes your kinda wondering what Beckett is thinking but i’ve seen there is a book from his side when he first sees Eden and it doesn’t seem to have been when she first notices him noticing her.
Will definitely be purchasing the other story’s in this collection
This was a new author for me having never read the authors books before under this name or her full name and i did actually really enjoy it. The book is very much young adult romance but with a twist as such
The main character Eden is at Her school because her mum is a Swim coach teaching the elitist of the elite school and she is basically there because of it,
Beckett Maxwell is one of the elitist or the King as such of the Royals (not proper crowned) of the school, the untouchable who the others all basically bow before, he is in Edens eyes someone she can watch from afar and think wow but can never touch and would of course never want to because she in the grand scheme is beneath him and all the other royals of this academy and as such can’t speak to them but can look dream and not want a part of that world, until the day she gets unexpectedly pulled in to it.
From this she suffers pain and heartache love and fear at different points and when reading this you kinda want to shout at her to forgive forget them to say Hell no,
The emotions it brings in this one are fabulous pulling you right in and along for the ride.
The book is mainly one POV and sometimes your kinda wondering what Beckett is thinking but i’ve seen there is a book from his side when he first sees Eden and it doesn’t seem to have been when she first notices him noticing her.
Will definitely be purchasing the other story’s in this collection
March 19, 2023
Royally heavy.
Wow! It's hard to find the right words to cover this book because my heart is still racing. Actually, I have a lot of words but because there are so many dark, emotional and difficult situations, they sound so negative. I definitely don't have negative feelings about this book. I really liked it. It is very dark, heavy, frustrating, and sometimes kinda scary. But it flowed and it worked and it made for a very compelling story that I couldn't put down.
I really liked Eden's strength of character and she stuck to her resolve (almost all of the time). She really stood up to the 'Royals' and put them in their place many times. She dared to do things that many others wouldn't have the balls to do.
Beckett really pissed me off a lot. I went between wanting to slap him or throat punch him to wanting to just run away to wanting to pat him on the head like the sad little puppy that he acted like sometimes.
I really really like this book. It had so many emotions that were heart-wrenching, intense, heartbreaking, and the passionate pendulum swung to the far edges of both hate and love. This is the kind of book that you tell people "it destroyed me, you have to read it."
On a lighter note, I learned a new Australian phrase that I love: 'budgie smugglers.' That's akin to 'banana hammocks' in the US but more properly called men's Speedo swimwear. 😁
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems)
Wow! It's hard to find the right words to cover this book because my heart is still racing. Actually, I have a lot of words but because there are so many dark, emotional and difficult situations, they sound so negative. I definitely don't have negative feelings about this book. I really liked it. It is very dark, heavy, frustrating, and sometimes kinda scary. But it flowed and it worked and it made for a very compelling story that I couldn't put down.
I really liked Eden's strength of character and she stuck to her resolve (almost all of the time). She really stood up to the 'Royals' and put them in their place many times. She dared to do things that many others wouldn't have the balls to do.
Beckett really pissed me off a lot. I went between wanting to slap him or throat punch him to wanting to just run away to wanting to pat him on the head like the sad little puppy that he acted like sometimes.
I really really like this book. It had so many emotions that were heart-wrenching, intense, heartbreaking, and the passionate pendulum swung to the far edges of both hate and love. This is the kind of book that you tell people "it destroyed me, you have to read it."
On a lighter note, I learned a new Australian phrase that I love: 'budgie smugglers.' That's akin to 'banana hammocks' in the US but more properly called men's Speedo swimwear. 😁
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems)
August 28, 2025
I was so not sure whether I will be able to read the whole book and I was tempted to leave it more than once. All this teenage mafia and king and empire and I will keep you safe and I always get what I want, though I never do anything about it, the hunchmen and rivals and all are truly laughable.
There was something wrong with the writing style - was it too repetitive, what it too much telling, or was the book just too long for something with no meaningful content, I am not sure. But I know that I was soo bored.
Beckett and Eden truly begged to be strangled at times and I could hardly stop myself from doing it.
There was something wrong with the writing style - was it too repetitive, what it too much telling, or was the book just too long for something with no meaningful content, I am not sure. But I know that I was soo bored.
Beckett and Eden truly begged to be strangled at times and I could hardly stop myself from doing it.
March 7, 2023
3 1/2 stars
This book was well written and edited, but I like dual POV stories more than single POV's. For half of this book it felt like Jaeger was the love interest as he had more interaction with Eden than Beckett. The boarding school background always makes for an interesting read. Sam was a great character, and I understand that there are several small novellas attached to this world that I have not read and in my opinion I hate because then you don't have the big picture, and why aren't they listed as book 1, 2, etc.?
This book was well written and edited, but I like dual POV stories more than single POV's. For half of this book it felt like Jaeger was the love interest as he had more interaction with Eden than Beckett. The boarding school background always makes for an interesting read. Sam was a great character, and I understand that there are several small novellas attached to this world that I have not read and in my opinion I hate because then you don't have the big picture, and why aren't they listed as book 1, 2, etc.?
July 8, 2023
If you like dark/bully, enemies-to-lovers stories, I definitely would recommend! Although frequently frustrating, Beckett--the King of the Rivermont Royals--is a bad-boy that you can't help but to hope gets the girl in the end. There are some unexpected twists, and the second-in-command, Jaeger, promises to bring comedic relief, while dangling the carrot of uncharted depths to his character. No spoilers here, but the ending left me anticipating the remainder of the series.
February 3, 2024
Exactly what you'd expect from this genre
There were no real surprises in this book, the plot is just what you'd expect in the middle of a rivalry between an upcoming king and heir. I was so disappointed in the lack of progress with the lead female, I'm sure that others may see character growth but the very fact she accepts the apology after the horrid treatment made me feel otherwise.
There were no real surprises in this book, the plot is just what you'd expect in the middle of a rivalry between an upcoming king and heir. I was so disappointed in the lack of progress with the lead female, I'm sure that others may see character growth but the very fact she accepts the apology after the horrid treatment made me feel otherwise.
March 21, 2023
Reign is a riveting story that is spellbinding, and you can't help but connect with Beckett and Eden. It takes you on one thrilling ride into the lives of rich students and all of their faults. It is a descriptively well written story with characters that I found intriguing.
I am volunteering to leave a review for an ARC of this book.
I am volunteering to leave a review for an ARC of this book.
March 28, 2023
Loved this!
I have to say both of these characters pulled me in. I loved how she stood up for herself and wasn't going to just be a doormat. I loved seeing him adapt to being more than just the cold hearted person with her. I definitely cannot wait for the next book in this series and to see what comes from the rest of the Royals.
I have to say both of these characters pulled me in. I loved how she stood up for herself and wasn't going to just be a doormat. I loved seeing him adapt to being more than just the cold hearted person with her. I definitely cannot wait for the next book in this series and to see what comes from the rest of the Royals.
March 19, 2023
Could not stop reading!
This sexy, thrilling story was so mesmerizing and crazy good. Hot, dominant guys and an awesome heroine show us the roller coaster life of being a rich student. It was so exciting and smokin hot that you will burn up in the best way. Amazing!
This sexy, thrilling story was so mesmerizing and crazy good. Hot, dominant guys and an awesome heroine show us the roller coaster life of being a rich student. It was so exciting and smokin hot that you will burn up in the best way. Amazing!
March 25, 2023
This enjoyable romance is between school royalty and a scholarship nobody. The MCs are defined, have amazing chemistry, and have trust issues. They have a journey to get their HEA, but it is attainable. I voluntarily read an ARC and this is my honest review.
May 5, 2023
2.5
I definitely prefer a less melodramatic Elizabeth Stevens romance—I get that she’s trying to branch out into edgier fare with this pseudonym, but skip this one if you’re not willing to suspend literally all of your disbelief.
I definitely prefer a less melodramatic Elizabeth Stevens romance—I get that she’s trying to branch out into edgier fare with this pseudonym, but skip this one if you’re not willing to suspend literally all of your disbelief.
August 5, 2023
I liked it. And I liked Eden a lot.
I loved jaegar - can’t wait for his book.
But my 2 issues:
1. Beckett sat and watched the girl he loved be bullied. Like say what 🤯
2. My god this book was so long. Too long. So much could have been stripped out!
I loved jaegar - can’t wait for his book.
But my 2 issues:
1. Beckett sat and watched the girl he loved be bullied. Like say what 🤯
2. My god this book was so long. Too long. So much could have been stripped out!
January 28, 2024
This book was an enjoyable read, but I couldn’t give it full 5. The reasoning was the frustrating yes no yes no yes no back and forth same arguments over and over and sort of vague explanations of things. I did love the characters though especially J.
June 5, 2024
I don’t like mob books, so i’m thankful this wasn’t jacked full of that shit. My God does this girl get bullied though. I did love the slow burn, but did he seriously have to get his friend to say his feelings for him?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2023
Honestly, liked this book a lot more than I thought I would.
It's a bully romance with plenty of spice. But, the character development is also excellent.
I enjoyed it. :)
It's a bully romance with plenty of spice. But, the character development is also excellent.
I enjoyed it. :)
April 2, 2023
DNF ...What is this a remake of Elites king club by amo jones?!! 🫥
July 9, 2023
Really good.
August 9, 2023
I give it a solid 3.5 stars
October 19, 2023
it was good but could be better
It was good but I wish I had Beckett point of view to understand more in his side and his world
It was good but I wish I had Beckett point of view to understand more in his side and his world
September 26, 2024
2.5stars.
Too frustrating! 😡 The H is such an a-hole. 😤
Too frustrating! 😡 The H is such an a-hole. 😤
September 29, 2024
Más las acciones que las palabras
dnf
September 29, 2024DNF at 9%. There are way too many characters to keep track of. Not my type of book
October 5, 2024
Horribly written, could hardly get through the first chapter. An overload of information that has no purpose other then to fill the page.
October 15, 2024
This was Beckett and Edie’s story. I agree that it started slow but kept me intrigued. It was an intriguing read. And voluntarily leaving this review.
May 7, 2025
I really enjoyed the beginning but ended up skimming when it got to the middle and the ending. The same plot seemed to drag on. It kinda boring but I was invested enough to make it to the end.
July 29, 2025
This was a fun and steamy HS romance. Lots of mystery to the Royals. 4.5 stars
dnf
October 27, 2025God I got to 83% and just couldn’t go on. They were still going over the same stuff that was a problem in the first half of the book got boring.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews