The Rivals of Elite reading order, book by book

What order should I read The Rivals of Elite in?

The Rivals of Elite is a dark college romance series by Amalia Brooks, and it must be read in order. Start with He Played Me, book one, then continue with They Played Me, book two. Both books follow the same couple, Tiffany Sinclair and Tristan Ford, so the second book will not make sense on its own.

• 1. He Played Me — 634 pages, published August 2026
• 2. They Played Me — 499 pages, published September 2026

What is He Played Me about?

Tiffany Sinclair is first in her year: top of every list, one scholarship away from Paris, and untouchable — except for Tristan Ford, the rival who has matched her mark for mark since the day they met. He is the shadow she has never been able to shake, and the one person who seems to enjoy watching her work twice as hard.

Then one mistake pulls Tiffany into a world she was never meant to see, and her perfect rival drops his mask. Tristan does not just want to win anymore. Her best friend's life has a price, and he is the one who sets it: two months as his absolute property.

Behind the heavy gates of a manor where seven vicious millionaires answer to no law, the rivalry becomes something far more dangerous. The book is built on academic rivals to lovers, dark academia and an obsessive, possessive hero who has spent two years wanting to destroy her.

What happens in They Played Me?

They Played Me picks up after those two months. Tiffany has stopped fighting what she feels. She has seen what Tristan does in the dark and how far he will go, and somewhere in all of it the hate turned into something far worse.

For a while, being his makes sense: the manor, the games, the nights she stops pretending she wants out. She tells him she is falling in love; he tells her he will stop before she does. But Tristan Ford has never done anything without a reason, and he has been playing a much longer game than she could see.

Can I read They Played Me as a standalone?

No. They Played Me continues the same relationship, setting and games rather than starting a new story. Its emotional turns depend on what happens between Tiffany and Tristan in He Played Me, so read book one first, ideally straight before book two.

How long are the Rivals of Elite books?

Together the series runs to 1133 pages. He Played Me is the longer book at 634 pages and is available as a Kindle ebook and in paperback. They Played Me is 499 pages and is available as a Kindle ebook. Both can be read with Kindle Unlimited.

Who are the main characters?

Tiffany Sinclair is the ambitious, top-ranked student whose plans for Paris fall apart after a single mistake. Tristan Ford is her academic rival — ruthless, obsessive and possessive — who becomes the man she belongs to for two months. The seven millionaires of the manor form the lawless world around them.

What tropes are in The Rivals of Elite?

Based on the official descriptions, readers can expect:

• Academic rivals to lovers
• Dark academia
• Obsessive, possessive hero
• A bargain: two months as his property
• A lawless manor of seven millionaires
• Rivals to lovers, continued
• Falling for the one who owns you
• Mind games and a longer con

Is The Rivals of Elite 18+?

Yes. Amalia Brooks describes The Rivals of Elite as a strict 18+ dark romance. He Played Me includes explicit sexual content, dark obsession and possessive relationship dynamics, and the author includes a full content-warning list in the book's front matter. Read our 18+ content notice before you start, and pause whenever you need to.

Where can I read The Rivals of Elite?

Both books are on Amazon as Kindle ebooks and can be read with Kindle Unlimited. He Played Me is also sold in paperback. The buttons on each book page open your own country's Amazon store, and every book has a free sample you can read in your browser before deciding.

What should I read after The Rivals of Elite?

If you finish the series and want more from Amalia Brooks, try Marked by Him, her standalone second-chance romance. It swaps the elite manor for Las Vegas nightlife: Meredith White, left at the altar a year earlier, is caught between the man who broke her and his dangerous business partner, who offers her revenge.