I’m forever requesting books without realising they’re part of a series. I’ve done it here again with this one, which is the second in a series. I think you can probably read these stand alone although there might’ve been a bit of background between these two characters that probably would’ve helped if I’d read about it rather than just had it rehashed here.

Some time ago (presumably in the first book) Zoey and Ryder had a one night stand and then he disappeared without calling her. Now Zoey is again working for Ryder’s brother Jason, redesigning the interior of a ski lodge that Jason has purchased. Instead of Jason turning up to help her, to her shock it’s Ryder. The professional snowboarder is currently out injured and is helping out his brother.

As soon as Ryder sees Zoey again, the commitmentphobe realises that he wants more than his usual one night stand. And it appears that Zoey isn’t over Ryder either, despite firmly telling herself to not get involved for a myriad of reasons, two important ones being a) Ryder is her client, working as Jason’s proxy pretty much, and b) she’s already been there, done that and Ryder up and vanished without a trace. But the more time Zoey spends with Ryder, the harder it is to keep resisting him.

I really liked the premise of this but unfortunately I didn’t end up loving the execution and I think it’s solely because of Ryder. I found him very childish and immature, constantly taunting Zoey and smirking at everything and he came off as very smug and unlikable. Zoey is attempting to do a job and Ryder keeps making things difficult for her at first, thinking that Jason has made a mistake purchasing the property. He delays responding to her emails and when they are finally working, he constantly crosses a professional line. I felt like the “set up” was drawn out far too long and Zoe and Ryder had too many frustrating interactions where he pushes her buttons. I didn’t really find their banter funny and most of the time I would’ve felt sorry for Zoey, who had a job to do and who had been told that basically her position within her place of employment hinged on how well she could continue to foster the relationship with Jason’s company. However Zoey was so thick at times that it made it almost impossible to feel sorry for her. She was almost unbearable when Ryder was around, also acting immature and unprofessionally, so maybe they were a perfect match for each other.

I think that probably the last third of the book was by far the best as things got moving much better in that section after dragging out in the first two thirds. Ryder seemed to finally come to the conclusion that he’d met someone who he could have more than just one night with but he had the difficulties of his career versus his heart to contend with as if he returned to professional snowboarding he would spend large amounts of time away competing. He also began to stand up to himself with his family however I did feel like there were a few confusing moments at the end where things weren’t really explained as well as they could’ve been.

For me, the most interesting thing of this whole book was the story of Ryder’s brother Jason. It’s only mentioned briefly but I found him far more appealing as a character than Ryder and I think if there were a book that featured Jason in the future, I’d be pretty tempted to read it. He seemed like he might have depth to him, whereas I found Ryder quite shallow and uninteresting. He got better by the end of the book but unfortunately by then all his smirking and unpleasantness had made its impression.

It's not often that one finds the second book in a series to be better than the first. Normally, the first is so good it outshines the rest of a series. This was not so with The Rule Maker. While I really enjoyed its predecessor, The Rule Book, I loved The Rule Maker even more.

In The Rule Maker, Zoey is disturbed when she's forced to work with the one man she never wanted to lay eyes on again. Ryder is the brother of her current client...and the man who disappeared after an amazing night of sex.

What made The Rule Maker so much fun were the main characters. Zoey and Ryder were a hoot. There was a great post-hook up awkwardness to them that made everything uncomfortable between the two. That uncomfortable awkwardness made the story so funny. I loved how they pushed at each other and tried to avoid dealing with their feelings. They had such a cute and sexy connection.

Speaking of sexy...Ms. Blackwood upped the sexiness in this one. There was a definitely a sensuality the first book was lacking. I liked that it went a little further. I felt it was appropriate for the nature of Zoey and Ryder's relationship and past.

I also enjoyed seeing a little bit of Lainey and Brogan. It was fun to see their relationship from Zoey and Ryder's perspectives. I loved knowing where they were in their relationship.

The Rule Maker was such a fun read. Contemporary romance fans will definitely love the humor and romance. I'm really, really hoping this series continues. I want a story for Ryder's brother, Jason. There is so much potential for his character and I would love to see him get a happy ending. Oh, and I can't leave out the fact that I adore this cover. The pink adds a sexiness in a way I never imagined it could.

Jennifer Blackwood packs in the laughter with The Rule Maker (after The Rule Book) and it’s a fun and sexy romance that is thoroughly entertaining. Ryder Covington and Zoey Reynolds had a one night stand months ago that ended badly when he left in the middle of the night without a word. Zoey hasn’t forgot him or their night together and unexpectedly finds him as her client when her design firm is hired to renovate his brother’s company’s new ski resort. Ryder is usually a professional snowboarder traveling extensively and is only in charge of the remodel, because his brother can’t do the job right now and he’s home temporarily to heal from a broken leg. The two are still fiercely attracted to each other, but Zoey is still angry over Ryder’s morning-after behavior and doesn’t trust him. Complicating matters, her company has a firm rule preventing designers from getting personally involved with clients. Sparks fly between them as they struggle to control their desire. Ryder will ultimately have to prove he’s worth Zoey risking her career and her heart to a man whose admits he’s around for a limited time. She is quirky and witty, and she’s The Rule Maker the heart of this enjoyable romantic comedy.

Sadly I just didn't connect to the characters nor the story.. I really had a hard time doing it and I didn't finish the book

The Rule Maker by Jennifer Blackwood had many laugh-out-loud moments. The obvious one-up-manship between Zoey and Ryder carrying the bulk of the laughs. A good read that brings the chuckles. Rule Maker is the second book in The Rule Breakers series.
Review copy received from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley
3.5 Stars

Don’t blink when new client turns out to be former one-night stand.
The Rule Maker is the second instalment to Jennifer Blackwood's The Rule Breakers Series this time it centers around Ryder.
A professional snowboarder who wants nothing to do with the family business. Then a snowboarding accident puts him out of action and bored clueless he offers to help his brother out on remodeling a property he's purchased. This throws Ryder & Zoey together.

One night with Ryder was all that she got.... no promises of more. Now Ryder's back and Zoey has to protect her heart from non-committal Ryder.

Who knew a little time out was all that Ryder needed to put his life in perspective and Zoey right in his sights.
A really adorable, sweet romance with a sprinkling of sports to finish it off!

Score: 3.5/5
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