Cover Image: Fashion Jungle

Fashion Jungle

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Member Reviews

Fashion Jungle is a unique and very emotional book. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from this book going into it. There were parts that I really enjoyed and some other parts not quite as much. My favorite part of the whole book was Oliver. He is so charming and funny and sweet, I just loved everything about him. He helped bring a lightness to a often dark and sad book. Brittany is a sweet girl; she was my favorite of the main characters. She was easy to like and I felt for her throughout the book. I looked forward to her chapters, also because I was hoping for more Oliver. Zoe and Everlee are interesting characters, I just didn't like them quite as much. One thing that did bother me a little bit about all 3 women was that they didn't always know how to say no and stand up for themselves. They're all strong individuals and have been through so much, I guess I just thought it should have been easier for them to do, but they all do have a lot on their plates. I had mixed feelings about Dane. He really did remind me of Rachel's Eagle Elite men, just not quite as likable, especially in the beginning. There was just something about him that I didn't care for, but he grew on me as the book went on. Overall I enjoyed the book. I wasn't expecting the storyline to be so sad and heavy, but it has it's light moments as well. It was a unique and different read.

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Wowzer, this book was not at all what I was expecting and for that I kept putting off reading it. I have to say though that I am so glad that I did finally dive in because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I will say that I did initially find it a little difficult to get into and as it’s told in multiple POV’s, it took me a couple of chapters to find the rhythm of the book (I personally prefer chapters to be headed by the POV whose chapter it is), however, once I got into it, then I was hooked. The mystery edge to the story was great and the relationship between the female leads is a real high point (best friends but still with secrets to unfold throughout).

I liked how this book didn’t glamorise the fashion world and there were some emotional areas dealt with really well. It was a dramatic and emotional read and it held my attention throughout. On a side note, I loved Dane’s character, he was dark and edgy but with a soft core for those he loves and I would love to read more from him.

Overall this was a cracking read and I would happily recommend it.

I was provided with a copy of this book from the publisher; there was no inducement or obligation and I opted to leave a review.

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Four young teenage girls’ bond and make a commitment to each other as they try to “make it” as models in New York City. Danica, Brittany, Everlee, and Zoe didn’t realize what they would have to sacrifice to have the modeling career they wanted. Twenty years later the Fashion Jungle as taken the life of one of the girls and left the other three to pick up the pieces. Secrets, lies and revenge are just part of the fashion industry and not everyone survives. Someone is going to pay for the girl’s death it’s just a matter of time and patience and then the Fashion Jungle is going to come tumbling down.

Welcome to the Fashion Jungle by Rachel Van Dyken and Kathy Ireland. This book shows the tawdry, cutthroat world of modeling and how some of the girls and guys make it big. There is lots of drama, tears, revenge and true loyalty between friends and family. I enjoyed Fashion Jungle and couldn’t wait to find out how it ended. 4-stars for Fashion Jungle by Rachel Van Dyken and Kathy Ireland.

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Fashion Jungle is a story written by Kathy Ireland and Rachel Van Dyken. I really didn't know what to expect when I started the book, but I was pleasantly surprised by the heart, depth, suspense, love, friendship, pain and loss that was between the pages. It's based on true stories and events and that makes it even better. It's real. It's not a work of fiction for this tribe of fashion models who were once young and innocent, but they had each other. Now, they are older and wiser, but still trying to live in the Jungle. The book follows three women. Best friends, a tribe of amazing women. Each have their own obstacles, visions and pasts, but they have each other. The underlying tone of the book: you can survive if you have friends. Period. They are supportive, give tough love when needed, just listen or give hugs. Their support is unwavering. Even when Dane's endless pursuit of Zoe seems questionable. When Brittany finally finds a man, a doctor, who wants to love her for who she is. And Everlee, who finally opens her eyes and sees the truth. They know loss and pain and yet they move ahead, together. They don’t let each other give up or give in. It's a peak behind the scenes to unthinkable things that happen in the fashion world. The secrets and lies. It's amazing anyone makes it out alive! I've been a huge fan of Rachel Van Dyken's for years, and this book definitely has "her voice" in it. The switching POV's didn't bother me at all and I was never confused. Overall, I loved it! It was well written, fresh and interesting. It kept my attention from the start to the very end.

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Fashion Jungle by Kathy Ireland and Rachel Van Dyken was an absolutely different and deeply moving reading experience for me. Emotions are riding high in me. From suspense to heartbreak to angst to naked reality. This story has hit me hard at all the right places and is definitely one of the most brilliant stories I ever read.

This story has a complex web of characters and incidents that you have to experience yourself. In short, this is the journey of four best friends where they navigate through and struggle for a place in the corrupt and deceptive fashion world. This is a road paved with misery, sacrifices, sufferings, trauma and loses. Do they really find fame, riches and glamorous life? What demons are lurking at shadows behind the bright light of fashion? Everlee. Danica. Zoe. Brittany. Four intertwined lives are explored in depth and details with raw precision. There is a long list of equally important supporting and facilitating characters. Danica's brother and underworld boss Dane who wants justice for his sister and protection for his love. He is a brooding and dominating and intimidating man but his softness for Zoe is everything. Senator Ronan with a complicated and heartaching history with Brittany. Surgeon Oliver who wants nothing but peace and happiness for Brittany. Everlee's husband and top photographer Frederick with secrets and lies. You would not know what will hit you in the next page. This whole story was a maze of conspiracies, corruption, betrayal, deceptions and danger. But the girls and their loyalty and support will bring light beautifully in this dark world.


I broke down too many times while reading this story. I shamelessly cried at the ending. These tears are for the pain and raw torture they endured. These tears are for the true happiness and closure they finally found and for the closure they deserved. I had way too many panic attacks and nail biting moments. My heart was literally lodged at my throat all the time. I was literally shaking from the effect of contradictory yet perfectly synchronized emotions. Love. Friendship. Failure. Success. Desperation. Regret. Guilt. Shame. Second chance. Redemption. Justice. Forgiveness. Healing. Tragedy. You name it and this story has it.


Fashion Jungle by Kathy Ireland and Rachel Van Dyken is a stunning, honest and intense portrayal of the intricacies of highly competitive and demanding fashion world. My heart and soul is under the spell of the beautiful and captivating story telling.

Received ARC for Honest Review

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Fashion Jungle by Kathy Ireland and Rachel Van Dyken is a brilliant, jaw dropping romantic read. Holy moly! No wonder why gossip magazines sell. So much subterfuge where truth and fiction blend so seamlessly. This is a fast paced read especially at the beginning. I actually had to reread passages just to remind myself which character's POV it was and by then I was hooked/dumbfounded. I'm shocked at how horrible the industry is portrayed and I thank my lucky stars for my slice of normal. The characters were so well written. Dane, oh my heart, those tricksy mafia boys are everything. The insightfulness and compassion of Oliver balanced all the drama completely. The ruthlessness of the fashion industry bled through the lines of the story and shined the spotlight on the strength of the models involved. A wonderful collaboration to tell the tale.

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This new dynamic duo of amazing woman writing together a story based on true events and told by four different characters perspective is a phenomenal one. While reading I had to try to fact checked some of the situations and try to figure out what where the real events based on. It was such an amazing read, it sorts of combines fashion industry with politics and much more. As Danica, Brittany, Zoe and Everlee's story unfolds you will be exposed to drama, romance, secrets, lies, jealousy, tragedy and everything in between. Being a super model is not always what it seems from the outside and the inner circle gets even more complicated than you ever thought so. This very unique story is one you don't want to miss, Kathy and Rachel has given us a must read 5 star book, can't wait to see how far this story will go, I foresee a TV show, movie or something alike and I would be totally rooting for it, as I believe this story should be shared on a wider audience.

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First of all Wow, this was a wonderful book with so much going on. Four friends all with different stories, but bonded through modeling and their strong friendship. I do not want to give any of the storyline away, but there are some surprises in there and it is the type of book that once you start reading it you don’t want to put it down. Parts of this book just broke my heart and made me angry, at what some of these girls and women have had to go through, it’s ridiculous. But there where many good parts as well, with their strong bond as friends, and the men that were sincere and truly love them. Many tender moments and even many swoon worthy romantic moments. As you can tell this book had many and all of the feels. I would definitely recommend reading Fashion Jungle, Rachel and Kathy did an amazing job of weaving truth in with a story that will capture you and that you will fall in love with. You can not help but get bonded to and love most these characters!! It’s definitely one of those books guaranteed to leave you with a book hangover!!

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What a book, whatever you thought you would be getting from this book, just forget it. It so much more than any of the hype, so much more than the blurb and a complete masterpiece in my honest opinion.

Now don't get me wrong it's not a straight out of the box winner. It slowly builds and at about 25% you realise this book is a game changer and you can't put it down, you know that things are a miss and you know that people aren't at all what they seem but what you really don't know is who.

It would be hard to break the characters down individually and I won't be doing that in this review. As all characters are major players. Especially Zoe, Brittany, Everlee and even Danica who is dead but the character of this book for me is Dane. A character that has all the charm of the devil himself. But that just my opinion. I guess you'll make up yours.

This books is a total recommend from me. I may even jump the gun and say this could be a contender for my read if the year. Yep I know it's only January but the book is just that good. So I'll take that gamble.

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Fashion Jungle is suspense meets the fashion world meets mafia meets decades of friendship meets romance. It’s a gripping set of intertwined stories about friends that have been in the fashion world for what feels like forever.

Although this is my first time venturing into the fashion world via romance, it is truly a stunning display of friendship, love, and betrayal. The characters are intriguing and beg of you to keep reading. Their stories are engaging and Dane and Zoe’s storyline drew me in and Brittany was a unique character that holds the reader captive waiting to see what happens next.

Expect a rollercoaster of emotions to hit you as you read Fashion Jungle, hold on tight and enjoy the ride. From behind the scenes, fashion world moments to threatening moments to sad moments you wish hadn’t happened to romance that was bound to happen – it’s a fantastic read.

The collaboration of Kathy Ireland and Rachel Van Dyken has created a novel not to miss. It’s full of suspense, intrigue, and even a bit of honesty. Beautifully written and executed.

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WOW!! Fashion Jungle was brilliant and the only words I have to describe it are....... Bloody Amazing!! I was totally unsure how I would feel going in, but the first chapter just drew me in and I cannot put it down. The anticipation at the beginning of each chapter and how I'm rooting for each of these girls feels so real. (Dane though 😍) Just Bloody Amazing!!!! A thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish.

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I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this book. I’m not big into fashion. But this book wasn’t only about fashion! It was four stories in one! It has mystery, it has romance, it has feels. This book made me tear up in a couple places.

If you’re debating on whether or not you’ll be interested in this book don’t debate. Pick it up and read it. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised like I was!!! This book is definitely one of the best books I’ve read in over a year!!!

I loved reading about Brittany, Ronan, Oliver, Zoe and Everlee! I loved their connection. I would love to read more about all these characters!!!

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Omg wow, I just finished Fashion jungle and I'm feeling shocked (In a good way) and not sure what to say about this book other than this was hands down an amazing story from Rachel Van Dyken. You really really brought this to life and I felt part of the story. And I love that is was in 4 POVs. I've read a lot of Rachel's books over the years and this has to be one that will stand out for me. A big congrats Rachel.

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Anyone that has read my reviews, followed my reviews, or follows Wickedcoolflight book blog knows that I’m a long-time Rachel Van Dyken fan. And since I stal…er…follow her closely (cough, cough), I’ve known about Fashion Jungle for quite a while. And I sat (mostly) patiently waiting until I was able to get my hands on it. And once I did, there was absolutely no way I was going to start this book at bedtime because I knew I’d be sucked right in and not want to put it down until I had read every last page. And I was NOT wrong! (Hey…I’m a mom, and we’re usually right, after all!)

Fashion Jungle grabbed me from the very first sentence of the prologue and had my undivided attention until the very last word. I literally devoured it in one afternoon, banning my entire family from talking to me or asking me for anything until I was one hundred percent DONE with it! And when it was all said and done, I honestly had to take a few days to just let it all sink in and to process it. I’m old enough to remember Kathy Ireland’s rise to fame, and knowing this book was based on real events had my brain in overdrive once I finished reading. The phrase supermodel might have been coined a few decades before my childhood, but most of my growing up years were during the heyday of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover supermodels and true supermodels of the fashion industry. Most of us little girls dreamed of an exciting career in modeling in New York and/or Paris. Reading Fashion Jungle made me so glad I never really tried to pursue that pipe dream. Today, unfortunately––or maybe, fortunately––almost everyone is aware of how prevalent sexual assault and sex trafficking are in our world. But in the 1980s and 1990s, it wasn’t something we heard much about. At least not in my circles. My heart is still breaking for all of the young ladies in the fashion industry that were made to feel less than during that time. Fashion Jungle was most definitely an eye-opener. And it made me want to be able to go back in time and let every one of them know that they were enough and never less than. But it wasn’t just about tragedy and despair. Its bigger message, to me at least, was about triumphing despite horrible, and sometimes horrific, circumstances. That it’s possible to overcome impossible situations when you simply refuse to give up and put one foot in front of the other, day after day.

While the stories penned in Fashion Jungle are based on real-life events, I’d be doing it a huge disservice if I didn’t highlight just how talented––and with a wicked cool imagination (ha!)––Rachel Van Dyken is. Long-time fans of her stories will not be disappointed in Fashion Jungle despite its detour from her normal writing style. It’s less romance and more romantic suspense than we normally expect from her books, but all of the emotion we’re used to her pulling from us with her words is absolutely still there. It’s incredibly well written and will not disappoint those of us who have loved her words for so long.

NICUnurse’s Rating: I’m not even going to delve into any of the characters or storylines because it’s too easy to fall into the spoiler category, and I do NOT want to spoil one second of this book for anyone. It is just that good! The characters became so incredibly real to me as I read the story, and I could picture––and feel––all of the crazy energy of New York City in nearly every scene. It was written in a way that made it so easy to picture it playing out in my head just like a movie. (Hmm…) And when it was all said and done, I’ll confess to spending a good bit of time with my friend, Google! It was truly a rollercoaster ride of an emotional book. Some character’s worlds were absolutely coming together as some other’s lives were falling apart. You were given a bit of the warm fuzzies just before a good gut punch…and everything in between.

I give Fashion Jungle by Rachel Van Dyken and Kathy Ireland a resounding 5 out of 5 stars!

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Wasn’t sure what to expect or if I could get into this book but it is eye opening about a cut throat business.
4 POV’s and a well co written book.
YOU WILL WANT TO EXPERIENCE THIS BOOK....
With some emotions and suspense too.
So go ahead I dare you step into the Jungle!

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I really enjoyed this story. I liked the telling in multiple voices. I learned something about the fashion world and I was entertained. That makes the whole thing worthwhile.

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Kathy Ireland and Rachel Van Dyken regaled us with a tale of what happens behind the scenes in the fashion industry. Some of it is fiction and some is the truth but it really shows how much everybody’s worth is measured in a currency of secrets and who you know. There are hard topics that were handled brilliantly. This book will reel you in and consume you in the best way and keep you waiting to find out all the secrets and how everything comes together. This book surprised me in the best way with all 4 point of views and dying to know what was going to happen next.

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“There is no in between. That’s not life, and that’s not how people should love, with only part of their souls or just when it’s easy and pretty. Love is ugly, it’s painful, it’s full of sorrow, long days, terror filled nights. Love asks for everything and nothing all at once. I love the only way a person should love. With every part of me that’s tethered to this universe”

It’s a jungle out there! Wow! Just Wow! What a uniquely, thrilling, lusciously dramatic, romantic and suspenseful read! Based on true stories and events, we felt like voyeurs, enjoying a ‘behind the scenes’ look into the mired world of the fashion industry, through the eyes of three very different, formidable yet achingly vulnerable best friends. With twenty years in the fashion industry, Zoe, Everlee and Brittany, have secrets…many, many secrets and we were dying to hear all of them. Starting with the death of their best friend Danica.

“…this city has a way of hurting you in ways I don’t think most cities do. Like you said, New York is a living, breathing thing, isn’t it? A monster if you let it be. Or a savior. An escape. It can be whatever you want it to be, and I came here thinking it would be this great adventure. And it was, but everything has a cost, you know?”
“What was your cost?”

The gripping synopsis gives you all you need to know about this story and its various players and it’s a story that’s best enjoyed completely spoiler free. As we closed the last page, we felt as though we knew each of the characters intimately, experiencing the myriad of emotions felt by the characters, desperate to uncover their pasts and devour the secrets they slowly shared with us.

‘Love wasn’t cut and dried, and if you couldn’t fight for something, that meant a person didn’t deserve to have it in the first place…….
He’d fight for the rest of his life to deserve her.’

Kathy Ireland and Rachel Van Dyken make an incredible and exciting writing partnership bringing swoony romance, unrequited love, political and celebrity scandals and buried secrets between all characters. Secrets that bubble to the surface and threaten to explode in the weeks leading up to New York Fashion Week. Oh gosh, it was all so DELICIOUS! We couldn’t get enough!

“Sometimes, men have no choice but to become monsters to protect those they love from the darkness.”

Kathy Ireland and RVD strikingly captured the passion of these women, their strength, their camaraderie and the hurt and the take downs that marred their confidence. Yes, they were beautiful and had the world at their feet, yet they were crippled by insecurity in an industry brimming with predators and people prepared to tear you down. Their resilience was a credit to them.

It’s not just the women who held us spellbound, there were two unbelievably gorgeous men who completely stole our hearts. The sweet and swoony Dr Oliver Desmond (the way Oliver leans against a door frame…talk about swoooon) and the mysteriously mouth-watering devil in a dark suit, Dane Saldino, whose cloak and dagger antics had us on the edge of the seat. His love for his sister Danica, and her friends, his ingrained protectiveness towards these women made our hearts swoon! We would LOVE a Dane Saldino spinoff! Prepare to fall hard and fast for these guys!

‘…..when you loved Dane, you loved the good and the bad. You loved the man and the monster. ‘

We were completely enthralled by Fashion Jungle from start to finish! Our inquisitive minds were teased, our romantic hearts were tantalised, and our venturesome ways were satiated in this story of friendship and love against a backdrop of lies and betrayal. Clever, poignant inventive storytelling with a real life feeling woven between the pages ensured we enjoyed every single moment!

‘He’d save here because he was selfish. Because he saw, he fell, he wanted.’

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What a great book! It's a little "Project Runway" and a little "Sopranos" mixed in with some mystery and romance. The fact that this book is based on real life events is freaking sad and so scary, but the fact that real life is sad and scary is part of what makes this book so good! This is a story of survival and friendship. It's about love and loss and staying true to yourself. It's about the decisions you make that shape the rest of your life. It's about second chances. After reading this book, you'll never look at the world of fashion and modeling the same way. And that's probably a good thing!

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Expect the unexpected
This new novel by RVD is everything and more. It takes you on an unexpected ride through a world so unknown for most of us.
The story of those three main characters, Britany, Zoe and Everlee is so captivating that it is impossible to not feel for them, hurt for them.
Knowing that this is partially based on real life events makes you see that the world out there, also in general, is dark and twisty and not everything that shines is gold. And it is scary to know that there are indeed people who take advantage of young girls and boys who have this one dream and just don’t know any better.
This novel, co-written with Kathy Ireland, is not the typical RVD read. It is so much more. It is intense and once you turn the first page it won’t let you go. Even after finishing. It’s going to be stuck in your head. It gets you thinking about the important things as well as the little things and how grateful we all should be for all of them. Cause it is a jungle out there and you never know when it gets to you.
Don’t miss this fantastic book about dreams and hope, success and failure, about the ugly and the pretty out there and everything in between.

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