This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
Hard Rules is the first book in the "Dirty Money" series and it slowly introduces the world of Dirty Money to the reader. It starts off with a meet cute between our main characters "Shane and Emily" this is a story that is packed with corruption, secrets and thirst for power and is focused on the Brandon family who are entrenched in things that Shane is determined to get their family out of. This is a story that will start very slow for the reader, and to be honest, I recommend listening to the audiobook or just give it a wide forgiveness range as the story doesn't really get you invested until about halfway, you just need to stick with it and then you will get hooked and won't want to put it down.

First Line
"Tequila and tonic number two," I say, setting the drink on top of a Martina's Casa Napkin for the dark, good looking stranger who'd come in asking for my brother.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Shane Brandon
The Heroine: Emily

Summary
Hard Rules begins with Emily having to go on the run and in secret when she discovers something dangerous but has a set of secrets that could put someone she cares about in danger. Then we have Shane Brandon, who is a wall street lawyer, but came back home to get things in order after his family had a close scare with the law. But his family are entrenched in things against the law, secret after secret, and he is the only one who is determined to keep the business legitimate so they don't end up in prison. But he is playing a dangerous game, and he doesn't know the true intentions of the other players in this game of chess and he will have to play it carefully. But could it be the most dangerous player of all is the one that is closest to him?

What I Loved
Whew! This book was edgy and kept me so interested. There was so much fascination with the build up of the plot and seeing what was happening with the Brandon family and where each player was truly invested. And even at the end of this book you will be even more mystified by the Brandon family and no true answers will be given and I kinda love that. THIS element is what I truly love the most about this author. She really knows how to write such mysterious characters and kept you guessing all the way through.

Even though the romance is slowly built and it will take a while to get invested...once you become invested, then you will get hooked. Once I was hooked, I was so in tune with these characters and wanted to cheer them on. There is such a deep connection that these two have with each other, and I did love the mystery behind the heroine. Even though part of the story is from her POV, you still don't know what is happening with her or what her TRUE motivations are and I kinda love that it was written like this. Normally you see exactly where the heroine is coming from. But in this book, its a complete mystery and you have to wonder what she is doing with Shane and if she is a enemy or friend and it only builds up the tension that is building between them.

What I Struggled With
The first half of the story will be a struggle for some readers. Even though I was completely into the plot with the Brandon family, the actual romance between Shane and Emily is hard to become invested in. But if you stick with it, its worth it in the end. I almost did DNF this book, but I switched to the audio and I highly recommend going that route because the narration really pulls you into the story if physically reading it isn't quite doing it for you. Now keep in mind you probably won't become invested in the romance plot until about 50%....but once you get hooked, you will NOT want to put it down. The only thing that I would recommend being better is having a beginning that was more addictive in getting the reader to be tugged into the romance side of things here as I can see some readers DNF this book over it.

Narration
This narration is done by Jeremy York and Grace Grant and these two made a great pair. I am not sure I have listened to York with this female narrator but I enjoyed it quite a bit. She really balanced it well with Jeremy York and I did love seeing Jeremy York doing the male POV in this story to be honest. And I am also glad it had Jeremy, because he can always pull me into a story if I am struggling with it otherwise.

Overall View
I found Hard Rules to be a interesting but captivating read that once you are invested, will addict you like the best romantic drug in the business. You will be pulled different directions, be battling with your conscience and not knowing which way to turn which makes it a great mystery you can get behind!

Favorite Quote(s)
"It's time for some rules?"
"Rules? What rules?"
"Hard rules. And hard rule number one is, no more lies."

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Dark Romance
Character Types: Alpha Male, Lawyer
Themes: Danger/Suspense, Secrets, Secret Relationship, Meet Cute
Tropes: Mistaken Identity, Protector

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A blend

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Maggie Cole
Willow Winters
Meghan March

Song This Book Inspires
Outnumbered by Dermot Kennedy

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

Narrators:
Grace Grant
Jeremy York