I picked this book up because of the cute cover, the premise and it fit perfectly for the #LNYReadathon20 plus I’m always on the lookout to try new to me authors.This is about a couple that was married years before and their marriage fell apart. They got divorced and went on completely separate paths. Now the heroine has moved back to NYC and looking for an apartment, and the hero is in need of moving because of issues with his current place. By chance they end up looking at the same listing and when high rents force them to realize they can’t really afford what they want/need on their own, well what better idea than to get the place they want and move in together sharing their expenses. As roommates, of course.

Frankly, I wanted to like this book more than I did. The characters and the romance felt a bit bland to me. I didn’t fell much of a spark between them either. And when it came to the writing, it just didn’t flow for me. Kind of choppy and lacked emotional connection. It could just be me though.

I’m not sure I’ll be reading more from this series at least for now.

House Rules caught me by surprise. It was a pleasant read, which I honestly had not expected it to be.

I had definitely not expected to like set-up of how the exes would come to live together. Because, a premise like that is hard to sell. But the author does a stellar job of making the set-up convincing. And she does that in a very effective way of the characters voicing the doubts that the readers might have with the whole arrangement. Of course, the state of the New York real estate helped make it more convincing too.

I had not expected the story to play out the way it did. There were no awkward encounters. That is to say, there was plenty of awkwardness in their interactions, but no silly or used tropes that we usually find in cohabiting romances. I also enjoyed the refreshing absence of any plot-device like jealousy or a third person’s involvement.

The lack of denial was also unexpected. Both Lana and Simon are very conscious of their lingering feelings and attraction towards each other. Simon more than Lana. Both in their forties, they are mature enough to make conscious efforts to not make the arrangement any discomfort. There is no bitterness or efforts to one-up each other.

I could relate to Lana very much. She quit a career mid-way because she realized her happiness lied elsewhere. She is pragmatic and grounded. Simon, on the other hand, is more ambitious and stubborn. The author does a good job showing us their contrasting personalities through their actions, rather than just telling it to us.

There was no drawn-out angst. The main conflict was also resolved very quickly. A little too quickly if you ask me. It only takes a conversation with an elderly for Simon to realize his mistakes. It felt almost like a cop-out. And while I like that there was not too much focus on their past, I still would have liked a more layered look into their relationship and what led to its derailment in the first place.

Overall, it’s a short and sweet read. The writing is engaging, and the story is believable, aside from the want of a little more depth. I think I’ll definitely read more of this author in the future.

ratings

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!

I loved the take that House Rules took on second-time romance and thought the story was super sweet and enjoyable. Will definitely be reading more of Ruby Lang's books in the future!

📖 Book Review 📖
House Rules by Ruby Lang

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed her writing. How Rules is an adorable second chance romance. A novel that focuses on making a marriage work a second time around.

What I liked most about this book was watching Simon and Lana grow together and figuring out how to make things work. Although this book focuses on a greater message, the storyline is fun, clever and will keep you entertained all the way through.

The relationship that developed over the course of the story is admirable. As Simon and Lana learn to better understand each other’s needs, they continue to grow as friends. Will this make their relationship work a second time around or prove that it’s time to move on?

Karlasbookcorner

So the great thing about House Rules was that it's a second chance, and our leads are ex husband and wife. BUT they are now in their 40's and are seeing each other for the first time in over fifteen years. I just adored tapping into some slightly older characters - where it went wrong and how they still had it.

This had some lovely moments and sexy writing from Lang. I've come to enjoy her work. Lana and Simon fell pray to the forced proximity trope and I'm not sure this was used to its full capacity considering this was a short book / novella. I found the last 20% a bit boring and would have liked some more build up scenes, saving the rekindling for the end.

I didn't read book one but I preferred book two to this, but not a bad little read.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was okay. It was too predictable for me. I tend to read a lot of mystery, so I had the rest of this story figured out very early. I find this to be an issue with most mysteries. Otherwise, great read. I enjoyed the story line. I just wish the mystery had been deeper!

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

I have never read anything by this author, but so glad I read this! This is a 2nd chance romance, which is my favorite. I enjoyed the New York setting so much and the developing relationship between Lani and Simon.. This modern love story was so adorable and had me laughing out loud a few times. Def. an author I will be checking out.

Ruby does such an incredible job with this couple and New York City! She gives us a second chance romance that’s also a roommate romance in my favorite city and it feels so real and genuine 🥰
Lana and Simon have to navigate a new relationship that is different from their past and yet has hints of it. I was just rooting for them the whole time and the backdrop of the city just added the perfect touch!

“She hadn’t seen Simon for years, and he was as handsome as ever, the asshole.”
Welp, there it is: how to fall in love with a book in one first-chapter sentence. This third entry in Ruby Lang’s Uptown series feels even more exquisitely crafted than the first two, and god help me but I want to start drawing careful, detailed floor plans of all these apartments as an act of fannish homage.
Here is the bathroom: where ex-spouses of seventeen years Simon Mizrahi and Lana Kai sit awkwardly on the side of the tub and agree to be roommates, because the apartment Lana found is a two-bedroom that’s too beautiful to pass up.
Her bedroom: where Lana curls up in the dark because endometriosis is a cruel bitch, and Simon, not knowing why she’s ill but worried sick, letting her tug him into the sheets to keep her warm as they both sleep.
The kitchen: where they kiss for the first time again, and it’s not quite how it used to be because both of them have changed over seventeen years.
Their romance is not an easy one, but it has a weathered, poignant beauty that feels all the richer for the difficulty. Simon gets in loops of self-sabotage but also a keen sense of transcendent joy. Lana has a habit of cursing hardest when she’s most sentimental that is just such a chef’s kiss of a character trait I could perish from envying it. It’s a romance about two people with shared baggage, who have to relearn how to talk to one another.
This book gives me my favorite thing in the book world: seeing a great author get even better.

This third installment in the Uptown series, is the best in the series so far; each time I feel the author can not top herself, she drops another book and blows me away. Lang develops heartwarming romances that deal with real life issues; but the item that stands out the most about all in Lang’s books, especially this one, is her characters. however, Lang writes diverse characters of different race and age groups, uniquely focusing on groups rarely featured in modern romances.

House Rules isn't super inventive, but it is pretty adorable. As a former grad student I understand completely the idea that a couple that are both enrolled in the same program might have very different real goals. This is a second chance romance between formerly married folks who just didn't understand each other the first time- I enjoyed watching them figure out what they both really wanted, in the end. Four cute but not super stellar stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Ruby Lang has managed to create a sort of Modern Love Story subgenre with her latest series of novellas that are set in her beloved New York City. She sets her stories not around the more popular and glamorous part of the city but rather the lesser famous but no less iconic places and burroughs. This is cemented once more in her latest novel, House Rules about a a divorced couple who once again are living together brought together by circumstances, specifically, affordable rent in the most charming apartment in Harlem. But Lani and Simon didn’t part in the most amicable way and now find themselves in their forties, at a place they never really planned to be, much less within each other’s orbit once again. And this is where Ms. Lang weaves her magic by making two fallible humans once again fall in love and maybe, just maybe stay together despite their differences and their life plans. I love the way this romance makes ordinary people the most marvelous and unique characters in their romance. Lani and Simon are not perfect but its within their imperfection as characters does their romance take a much more realistic tone that will endear them to readers.

I liked the first two books in Ruby Lang's Uptown trilogy, but "House Rules" was by far my favorite one of the three. This story featured likeable, relatable protagonists in their 40s, which I really enjoyed because so many of the stories I read focus on characters that are much younger than that. I'm only a few years younger than Simon and Lana, so it was easy for me to relate to where they were in their lives and careers. In particular, I had to chuckle when the aches and pains of middle age were mentioned; I can already feel them starting to creep up on me, just like they were on Lana and Simon!

I really loved the way that Simon and Lana's relationship developed over the course of the story. As former spouses, there was obviously a lot of history between them, and they had to be careful not to fall back into old patterns when they moved in together. It took time for them to get to know each other again and start to understand how they had each grown in the time they were apart. Lana found a fulfilling career and learned to ask for the things she needed to be happy, while Simon needed to learn to be more open to change and not to force his judgments on others. As more mature adults, they fit together much better than they did when they were in their 20s, and I had no problem believing that their relationship would work the second time around.

Overall, I highly recommend "House Rules" and look forward to seeing what Ms. Lang writes next.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

this book was adorable. I loved every page of it. Ruby lang has slowly started to become one of my favorite romance authors.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it drew me in from the very beginning, it has a great storyline and fabulous characters, with more than a few laugh out loud moments. Definitely makes you giggle and smile too. Love this story. Loved all the characters. Was sucked in from the start. Could not wait to see what would happen next. The characters make for one fun couple for you to fall in love with. There connection is off the charts. Can’t wait to read more by this author. Happy reading!!

This is the first book that I have read by this author and it was a good read. Second chance romance for Simon and Lana. The attraction was still there even after being divorced for so long. Loved watching them find their way back to each other again.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

House Rules is an excellent installment for the Uptown series. It’s just like Playing House in the best ways. The history between the couple is sparsely, slowly revealed as it goes, not just dumped in the beginning. The characters are well done, the plot worked through, and it sticks the landing. I totally utterly need more!

I don’t know how I missed the second installment Open House, but I’ll be going back for it and following this series more closely to keep from missing anymore.

Second chance romance m/w
Dual POVs
Gorgeous apartment *swoon*
MC that does PT and has endometriosis, left to find herself & career.
Choir conductor who’s a clueless cinnamon roll hermit with driven focus and tunnel vision
Cute!! They are adorable about each other.
Sweet tender loving care from Simon when Lana needs it.
Several hot & steamy scenes
Simon is attracted to Lana’s strength and muscles
I love the differently supportive families, with the sister & niece and cousin.
KITTY!!
Straightforward adult romance without games where they talk together and are there for each other while they handle the baggage to move forward.
It’s easy to slip into and devour in a sitting.


five-stars

Perfect read and series for the day, and anytime for romance fans. It’s fun, it’s sensitive, modern, tad spicy but mostly sweet.

An absolutely charming long-ish novella about a second-chance romance between two people who married young, separated for a litany of reasons, and then find themselves in each others' lives again almost two decades later. Ruby Lang manages to provide enough recollections and flashbacks to give you a taste of what went wrong in their 20s -- slowly dolled out details throughout the story -- but also enough present-day action to make the characters feel real and developed. The story is sweet and the ending so satisfying.

Thank you to Netgalley and Carina Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Sometimes, I really enjoy a modern romance novel as a means of escapism an this one delivered for me. The characters and their struggles were relatable and on par with what I would expect two middle-aged professionals in NYC to be experiencing. I am really really happy to see the male lead, Simon, come to the conclusion that he doesn't need to have children to live a fulfilling life. So often in literature we find that a "happy family with lots of babies" is the end goal, and it can be a little alienating for those of us who either cannot or do not want children. Simon's interaction with his sister Maxine regarding children is something I have definitely experienced first hand, and it was really refreshing to see someone stick to their decision and not change their wants to meet their family's.

The writing style was really engaging and I think the author is clearly very talented. The story line was pretty simple, but I think that worked well for the characters and setting. All in all, a 3.5 star read for me. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review!

This series is such a delight, and this installment is no exception. A spicy second-chance romance between two mature adults in their forties who must decide if they are willing to COMPROMISE the way they couldn't in their youth in order to build a mutually livable future TOGETHER, ahhhhhh so good. They have known and loved each other the whole time but they have to learn and fall in love all over again! Simon goes to watch Lana at work and he's just BOWLED AWAY by how good she is (I love this vibe the most) and he's all MY EX-WIFE IS AMAZING LANA DID YOU KNOW YOU'RE AMAZING. There's realistic discussion about artistic jobs (he's a musician, she used to be a pianist but is now a chef) and how a lot of these industries are for the young and Lana is Tired and just wants health insurance okay. Endometriosis representation! The sex is great but also they need sleep! They can't have kids and that's okay because they don't really want them and instead they have a grumpy cat! The NYC real estate market does not miraculously stop being nuts and that's okay because compromise can be a happy ending too! So delightful. Also just since the cover doesn't really indicate what's inside, I wanna give a little warning/advertisement -- the sex in this one is EXPLICIT.