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loverofromance 's review for:
Rule
by Jay Crownover
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: ποΈποΈποΈποΈ
World Building:ππππ
Cover:ππππ
Hero: π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»
Heroine:π¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈ
Intimacy Level: π₯π₯π₯π₯
Relationship Building: πππ
Heart & Feels:ππππ
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: πππ
Page Turner Level:ππππ
Ending:π§§π§§π§§π§§
Overall View: β¨β¨β¨β¨
First Impressions
Rule is the first book in the "Marked Men" series and this series is also loosely connected with her Point books and Saints of Denver series. I have been wanting to get through this author's backlist. I have really come to appreciate her style of contemporary and it just has such a refreshing feel to it. rule is a new adult setting. It has such a great mix of tropes and character types that just blended together so well. This one does have plenty of drama and angst as is typical with many new adult romances but it entertained and seemed to just work so well within the story. I think if you are a fan of this author's work overall and the way she writes her characters, then this book will most definitely be for you. I found Rule to be most entertaining and even though it wasn't a full five star read, it was such a solid beginning to what I am hoping is a fabulous series.
First Line
At first, I thought the pounding in my head was my brain trying to fight its way out of my skull after the ten or so shots of Crown Royal I had downed last night, but then I realized the noise was someone storming around in my apartment.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Rule Archer
Bad boy brother, emotionally constipated, a playboy with women of sorts and has a short fuse on his temper. He lost his twin in a accident and has been treated like an outcast by his family.
The Heroine: Shaw Landon
Shaw was best friends with Rule's brother, and has been in love with Rule since she was a teenager. She acts like his friend, guardian, and drags him to family functions and attempts to be the peacemaker. She is from a high society family, but feels more at home with the Archer's and is going to college to be in the medical field.
Summary
Shaw Landon has loved Rule Archer from afar and right next to him. She has never let him know of her true feelings for him. But acts more like his babysitter than the woman who has loved him. She was his twin's best friend and confidant but they believed she was something more. But when Rule's brother returns from the military for a recovering break, their family ties are going to be tested when it becomes apparent the toxicity and mental illness their mother has been suffering and laying out on Rule most of his life just because he was different from the rest of her children. Then when Shaw cuts ties to stand by Rule, a bond between them forms as well as something deeper and for the first time in his life Rule wants more than just casual sex with women, he is seeing Shaw as a woman and not just a family friend and menace. But a relationship with the family black sheep and a high society princess will be much more difficult than either of them could imagine. Can they find a common bond to make a real relationship work long term or will it fail?
What I Loved
What a wonderful book this one turned out to be. I really had a blast with this book. It was so interesting because I would never have expected this combination of tropes to actually work the way that it does. But somehow Jay Crownover is able to make it work just right. I also was captivated by the family connections. My heart broke for this family though and most especially Rule who lost his twin. A twin bond is so special and unique and I love seeing these played out. I also loved the frenemies relationship that Shaw and Rule had together. Its also so fun when you see a pining character just act so antagonistic towards the person they love haha It makes no sense and wouldn't happen in real life but it makes for some lively interactions for a romance. And Jay Crownover really captures the right focus for these two.
Rule was such a wonderful bad boy hero. I just have a soft heart for those bad boys and you definitely see why he has become a bad boy. His mother is so emotionally abusive and I did relate to some of that on a personal level and so I was always going to be on team Rule. I hate how his father and older brother even just stood by and let it happen though and forced him into situations that only emboldened the mothers behavior instead of standing up to her better. I did love how Rule stood up to the abuse, and didn't just let her destroy him emotionally. He had such a free wild spirit. And when Rule gets together with Shaw, I really respected how Shaw and Rule are together. Their relationship displays such a fresh and new vibe to it. The romance between them was intimate and strong and unique.
What I Struggled With
First all, the new cover is just awful. I am not sure what the author is thinking with these new covers, but they make no sense to me. Why do authors and publishers do this to books? Can't they just leave a good cover alone?? Apparently not. And also I wasn't a fan of the third act conflict. To be honest they drifted apart and it didn't make any sense why they did that. Especially on the part from the heroine, she kinda does the silent treatment and doesn't ever explain why so of course the hero reacts to it in a very confused manner. So it made more sense his reaction than how she treats him and I do think she should have done the grovel not Rule. I also didn't understand the epilogue either when the heroine suddenly is getting a body full of tattoos....when that wasn't who she is in the book or wanted for herself. I just wish there had been some details better explained in why character changes had happened.
Overall View
Rule is a story that digs deep into relative emotion and intimacy, its a spicy installment that will capture readers attention, with a blend of tropes that really flesh out a beautifully executed story to steal your heart!
Favorite Quote(s)
I'm learning easy thing never really pay off. It's the things that make you work that really matter."
You have me, Shaw, any way you need me, any way you want me, you have me."
βBecause itβs always been you even when I didnβt want it to be, even when it broke my heart over and over again. Itβs just always been you.β
βTrue enough, and opposites donβt just attract, they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down.β
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Character Types: College Student, Tortured Hero, Bad Boy, Heiress
Themes: Tattoo's/Piercings, Sexual Piercings, Friendships, Family Bonds, Pining Heroine
Tropes: Unrequited Love, Opposites Attract, Enemies to Lovers
Book Perspective
Duo POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A mix of both
Song This Book Inspires
Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as a standalone
Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: ποΈποΈποΈποΈ
World Building:ππππ
Cover:ππππ
Hero: π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»
Heroine:π¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈ
Intimacy Level: π₯π₯π₯π₯
Relationship Building: πππ
Heart & Feels:ππππ
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: πππ
Page Turner Level:ππππ
Ending:π§§π§§π§§π§§
Overall View: β¨β¨β¨β¨
First Impressions
Rule is the first book in the "Marked Men" series and this series is also loosely connected with her Point books and Saints of Denver series. I have been wanting to get through this author's backlist. I have really come to appreciate her style of contemporary and it just has such a refreshing feel to it. rule is a new adult setting. It has such a great mix of tropes and character types that just blended together so well. This one does have plenty of drama and angst as is typical with many new adult romances but it entertained and seemed to just work so well within the story. I think if you are a fan of this author's work overall and the way she writes her characters, then this book will most definitely be for you. I found Rule to be most entertaining and even though it wasn't a full five star read, it was such a solid beginning to what I am hoping is a fabulous series.
First Line
At first, I thought the pounding in my head was my brain trying to fight its way out of my skull after the ten or so shots of Crown Royal I had downed last night, but then I realized the noise was someone storming around in my apartment.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Rule Archer
Bad boy brother, emotionally constipated, a playboy with women of sorts and has a short fuse on his temper. He lost his twin in a accident and has been treated like an outcast by his family.
The Heroine: Shaw Landon
Shaw was best friends with Rule's brother, and has been in love with Rule since she was a teenager. She acts like his friend, guardian, and drags him to family functions and attempts to be the peacemaker. She is from a high society family, but feels more at home with the Archer's and is going to college to be in the medical field.
Summary
Shaw Landon has loved Rule Archer from afar and right next to him. She has never let him know of her true feelings for him. But acts more like his babysitter than the woman who has loved him. She was his twin's best friend and confidant but they believed she was something more. But when Rule's brother returns from the military for a recovering break, their family ties are going to be tested when it becomes apparent the toxicity and mental illness their mother has been suffering and laying out on Rule most of his life just because he was different from the rest of her children. Then when Shaw cuts ties to stand by Rule, a bond between them forms as well as something deeper and for the first time in his life Rule wants more than just casual sex with women, he is seeing Shaw as a woman and not just a family friend and menace. But a relationship with the family black sheep and a high society princess will be much more difficult than either of them could imagine. Can they find a common bond to make a real relationship work long term or will it fail?
What I Loved
What a wonderful book this one turned out to be. I really had a blast with this book. It was so interesting because I would never have expected this combination of tropes to actually work the way that it does. But somehow Jay Crownover is able to make it work just right. I also was captivated by the family connections. My heart broke for this family though and most especially Rule who lost his twin. A twin bond is so special and unique and I love seeing these played out. I also loved the frenemies relationship that Shaw and Rule had together. Its also so fun when you see a pining character just act so antagonistic towards the person they love haha It makes no sense and wouldn't happen in real life but it makes for some lively interactions for a romance. And Jay Crownover really captures the right focus for these two.
Rule was such a wonderful bad boy hero. I just have a soft heart for those bad boys and you definitely see why he has become a bad boy. His mother is so emotionally abusive and I did relate to some of that on a personal level and so I was always going to be on team Rule. I hate how his father and older brother even just stood by and let it happen though and forced him into situations that only emboldened the mothers behavior instead of standing up to her better. I did love how Rule stood up to the abuse, and didn't just let her destroy him emotionally. He had such a free wild spirit. And when Rule gets together with Shaw, I really respected how Shaw and Rule are together. Their relationship displays such a fresh and new vibe to it. The romance between them was intimate and strong and unique.
What I Struggled With
First all, the new cover is just awful. I am not sure what the author is thinking with these new covers, but they make no sense to me. Why do authors and publishers do this to books? Can't they just leave a good cover alone?? Apparently not. And also I wasn't a fan of the third act conflict. To be honest they drifted apart and it didn't make any sense why they did that. Especially on the part from the heroine, she kinda does the silent treatment and doesn't ever explain why so of course the hero reacts to it in a very confused manner. So it made more sense his reaction than how she treats him and I do think she should have done the grovel not Rule. I also didn't understand the epilogue either when the heroine suddenly is getting a body full of tattoos....when that wasn't who she is in the book or wanted for herself. I just wish there had been some details better explained in why character changes had happened.
Overall View
Rule is a story that digs deep into relative emotion and intimacy, its a spicy installment that will capture readers attention, with a blend of tropes that really flesh out a beautifully executed story to steal your heart!
Favorite Quote(s)
I'm learning easy thing never really pay off. It's the things that make you work that really matter."
You have me, Shaw, any way you need me, any way you want me, you have me."
βBecause itβs always been you even when I didnβt want it to be, even when it broke my heart over and over again. Itβs just always been you.β
βTrue enough, and opposites donβt just attract, they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down.β
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Character Types: College Student, Tortured Hero, Bad Boy, Heiress
Themes: Tattoo's/Piercings, Sexual Piercings, Friendships, Family Bonds, Pining Heroine
Tropes: Unrequited Love, Opposites Attract, Enemies to Lovers
Book Perspective
Duo POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A mix of both
Song This Book Inspires
Need You Now by Lady Antebellum
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as a standalone
Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.