Tiffany Sinclair
First in her year
- Top of every list.
- One scholarship away from Paris.
- Two months as his absolute property.
A dark college romance series · 18+
The Rivals of Elite
The Rivals of Elite is a dark college romance series by Amalia Brooks. Read it in order: He Played Me, then They Played Me.
Book 1
He Played Me
Tiffany Sinclair is first in her year. Top of every list, one scholarship away from Paris, and utterly untouchable. Until you count Tristan Ford.
Book 2
They Played Me
She stopped fighting it. Tiffany Sinclair spent two months hating the man who bought her. She found out what he does in the dark, what he's capable of, exactly how far he'll go — and somewhere in all of it, the hate turned into something far worse.
What is The Rivals of Elite about?
The Rivals of Elite follows Tiffany Sinclair and Tristan Ford, two academic rivals who have competed mark for mark since the day they met. Tiffany is first in her year and one scholarship away from Paris; Tristan is the ruthless shadow who refuses to let her breathe.
In He Played Me, one mistake drags Tiffany into a world she was never meant to see. To save her best friend, she becomes Tristan's property for two months, inside a manor where seven vicious millionaires answer to no law.
In They Played Me, those two months have changed everything. Tiffany has stopped fighting what she feels for the man who bought her — but Tristan has never done anything without a reason, and he has been playing a far longer game than she could see.
How many books are in The Rivals of Elite?
The Rivals of Elite currently has 2 books with 1133 pages in total: He Played Me (634 pages, August 2026) and They Played Me (499 pages, September 2026). Both follow the same couple, so read them in order. New releases are announced on Amalia Brooks's Amazon author page, TikTok and Instagram.
The Rivals of Elite: character files
Tristan Ford
Her academic rival
- Has matched her mark for mark since the day they met.
- Doesn't just want to win anymore. He wants to break her.
- Has spent two years burning to destroy her.
Tropes & themes
Content note
18+ dark academic romance with explicit sexual content, dark obsession and possessive relationship dynamics. A full content-warning list is in the book's front matter.
Questions about The Rivals of Elite
In what order should I read Amalia Brooks' books?
Marked by Him is a standalone, so it can be read at any time. The Rivals of Elite must be read in order: start with He Played Me, book one, and continue with They Played Me, book two, which picks up Tiffany Sinclair and Tristan Ford's story.
How many books are in The Rivals of Elite?
The Rivals of Elite currently has two books: He Played Me (book one, 634 pages) and They Played Me (book two, 499 pages). Both follow Tiffany Sinclair and Tristan Ford, so they should be read in that order. New releases are announced on Amalia Brooks' Amazon author page, TikTok and Instagram.
Is there a third Rivals of Elite book?
Two Rivals of Elite books have been published so far, He Played Me and They Played Me, and no third title is listed on Amazon yet. Follow Amalia Brooks on her Amazon author page, Goodreads, TikTok or Instagram to hear first about any new book in the series.
Is The Rivals of Elite series 18+?
Yes. Amalia Brooks describes The Rivals of Elite as a strict 18+ dark romance. He Played Me focuses heavily on obsession, possessiveness and dark rituals, with explicit sexual content, and They Played Me continues Tiffany Sinclair and Tristan Ford's story in the same tone.
What tropes are in The Rivals of Elite series?
The Rivals of Elite series (He Played Me and They Played Me) features enemies-to-lovers / academic rivals, dark academia, an obsessive and possessive hero, a bargain or debt trope (two months as his property), and a private lawless manor of seven millionaires.