I loved Bea and Austin! Beatrice is an ad executive who has quit her LA job and moved to Credence, CO. She is breaking all the rules that she has followed. Her father and her grandmother did not want her turning into her dead mother who died when Bea was young. Her mother was an artist. Bea strikes up a friendship| lover relationship with the town’s 25 year old deputy, Austin. Can she overcome herself and step outside the box for true love? The apple does not fall far from the tree. 5 stars

Redheads Unite!!!
Amy Andrews' writing is energetic, savvy and downright sassy in <u>Breaking All the Rules</u>! The younger man/older woman trope grabbed my interest.

Most of these age-disparate relationships do not tend to end well because.... hmmm, lets see: Youngsters tend to have short attention spans.... and Olders tend to worry too much about wrinkles, waistlines and they also usually have issues with trying to carve out some non-existent time around a busy career or pre-existing family obligations. This highly entertaining, often hilarious story had all of the above angst, plus a few more surprises packed into it.

Beatrice Archer did not want to become her mother.

Beatrice's emotionally volatile, Wild Child, artistic mother died tragically young. Ironically, her mother was running off with a younger lover when tragedy struck. Her father and grandmother worked hard to ensure that Beatrice would channel her own artistic abilities into safer outlets. A stable career in marketing, a corner office and an executive title were all approved choices for Beatrice, and she was willing to follow the road map set out for her by her well-meaning family...

But that darned Glass Ceiling (and her misogynistic jerk of a boss) kept blocking Beatrice from fulfilling her <i>family's</i> life ambitions for her....

Or was it Fate, in the guise of a sexy small town Colorado cop who complies with Bea's drunken demands to be thrown into a jail cell for breaking all the rules of time by wearing Thursday's panties on the wrong day.... because he just can't say no to this sexy redhead?

I am definitely ordering the other books in the Credence series. Post-Covid - and due to the demands of my day job - I had been on a long hiatus from reading romance novels, but the synopsis for this story lured me right back in! The excellent and sophisticated writing style (not to mention those EXTREMELY STEAMY SCENES!) kept me glued to the pages of this highly entertaining story right to the very end! I'm rating this one four and a half stars, rounded up to a 5 for the engaging storytelling and colourful characters.

My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was really a hilarious story that started off very strong. I enjoyed the small town setting and I really could relate to Bea and all her problems. Who haven't thought about breaking all the rules before? For me this story was too slowburn sometimes. I lost some interest at times. Also the romance between Bea and Austin didn't convince me at all. He 10 years younger than her felt like a too big age gap. But overall an okey read.

Thank you to netgalley and entagled publishing for the advanced copy.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED. A favorite for the year. Just delightful. The characters and the tension and the spice. I am here for all of it! First Credence book and I already want more.

I enjoyed this older woman/younger man romance! I hadn't read any of the previous books in the series ( I will remedy that!) but the small town vibe is well established as are a great troupe of secondary characters. Bea is marvellous as a woman with no more 'f's to give, taking a much needed break from the corporate advertising world to hole up in Credence and do things she never could do or never made time for before. Austin, a police deputy 10ish years her junior finds her amusing and very attractive leading to a fun, sexy affair. Taking that to another level though is a challenge - not for Austin but for Bea. Watching her work through her issues made me a bit teary eyed ( always a good sign that I'm invested in the characters). Their happy ending ( plus epilogue) is very satisfying. Amy Andrews has been a fave author of mine since her Rugby series and continues to write engaging and enjoyable contemporary romances.

I freaking loved this book! Woman having a midlife crisis meets a hot stud 10 years her junior? Great premise right there. Throw in some childhood trauma in the way of parental death, having to erase part of your destiny to appease the elders in your life, trying to succeed in a male-dominated career field, and then losing your sh** and moving to a small town to break all the rules she has ever lived by… priceless!! Oh - and there’s lots of pie 🥧

This book took my emotions on a roller coaster through the romance and childhood memories portions, and I’m already looking forward to re-reading it again.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Beatrice is done playing by the rules, done with not eating carbs, or having pie for breakfast and definitely done with bras. She’s run away to the countryside only to have a run-in with a sexy small town cop. Over the next few months, Bea learns to fall in love with life again, until her past sneaks back into her life. Will her old life come to claim her again or is small town life enough?

This book was super cute, witty and fun. Not to mention a tad steamy on occasion. I enjoyed the main character and her journey. The whole story was a page-turner and was thoroughly enjoyable.

No one does heat and humor like Amy Andrews! Credence, Colorado is the perfect quirky romance small town, and add in a steamy age gap and tons of romcom goodness, it can’t miss.

Breaking All the Rules was a fun, small-town, age gap romance. It took me a bit to get into this one, but once I did, I really enjoyed it!

Beatrice finds herself in Credence, CO after leaving her job and her big city lifestyle behind in Los Angeles. She had hopes and dreams and when she didn't get the promotion she wanted, she felt like it was time to find herself and reevaluate what she really wanted and what her next steps should be.

Deputy Austin Cooper gets a call from a concerned citizen that he needs to check on a woman who is downtown in her pjs, eating two ice cream cones in her bunny slippers - in the middle of winter! Only in a small town!

It turns out it is our fearless Beatrice and she is at the point where she is doing what she wants in the way she wants to do it; she's ready to break the rules. Hence eating ice cream in her pjs in the middle of downtown! As she and Austin get to know one another, they spend more time together and this book has it all - humor, heat and plenty of drama.

I laughed several times while reading this book. It definitely was full of humor and pies. Lots and lots of pies. You can most definitely read this as a standalone and I would recommend it.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

“Breaking All The Rules” by Amy Andrews
Gotta love Annie’s PIE
Yes, my first note to myself was that this was a steamy read. BUT I did love the story in spite of the scenes that I did not need to see in my minds eye. (which I skimmed to find, the story vs the non-essential visual). Meanwhile I did love this story of loss, recovery, misdirection, and restoration , a story of growth and the power of love. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley

I just loved Bea and Austin, they were such a wonderful couple even though Bea wanted to deny any kind of relationship with Austin because of his age. Bea was told as a child how being like her mother was not good for her and would lead her down the wrong path. This caused Bea to deny her artistic side and then deny any relationship with Austin because he was quite younger than her. Unfortunately her heart couldn’t deny what her brain was telling her because Austin was everything she could have wanted for herself. I seriously loved how these two were together, Bea was so serious and stressed in her former L.A. life that when she showed up in Credence and met Austin she needed someone that showed her how to enjoy life. Even though Austin was younger than her he never acted immature or like he was younger and I think that helped Bea enjoy her life in Credence and realize that was the life that made her happy.
This was a wonderful addition to the Credence series but can I just say I am desperately waiting for Arlo and Winona’s story!

I really loved this book, it was just perfect for my mood. I think we all have had those times where we just want to leave the rat race behind, drink beer for breakfast, and eat all the pie,, with bonus points for the bunny slippers Supernatural binges, and for picking our new home by throwing a dart at a map, then moving there.

Bea was sick and tired of being passed over yet again for a promotion she richly deserved and I was cheering her all the way as she reinvented her life by moving to Creedence, CO from LA and realizing she needed to break all the rigid and boring rules she'd been taught to live by. Austin, an adorable, hunky, 10 years younger local cop happens along just as she comes to this realization and is the perfect guy to assist her with her new rule-breaking resolve.

The book started out on a comedic note but still hit the emotional notes as Bea rediscovers her own self, starts to connect with other people, and re-invents her life. With Austin's help, she even adopts a scraggly, ginormous, snaggle toothed, older Maine Coon cat named Princess who steals pretty much every scene she's in. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

What a fabulous first meeting. Bea is taking back her life after years working in advertising only to be passed over the promotion she has earned. She boldly threw a dart at the map and landed in Credence, needing to embrace small town life. From the moment she meets Austin, there is an unexpected connection but also a co-conspirator for her plans to break out of her old life and be bold and daring. Austin is intrigued by the woman in the bunny slippers and loves that she speaks her mind and doesn’t make apologies. But Bea is reluctant to be with Austin because he’s younger than her. She is afraid of making the same mistakes her mother did. I love how these two bonded and built a friendship while capturing each other’s heart. Getting to take this journey with Bea as she’s finally honest with herself as she finds her true passion and a life that she never expected. Austin gave her all the support she needed while also challenging her when needed to encourage her along the way. What a wonderful story. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot.
Bea is done with everything, she had enough, of being nice, do what has to be done right way. She left and moved to small town in Colorado and will do everything she wants. During that time she find herself, and find answers to her questions and more.
Great storyline.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I had no idea when I started this book, that it was a continuation in the Credence series I'd started a while ago. I enjoyed all of those books, and this one was wonderful too! Bea and Austin were a lot of fun together. I loved their meet cute, and their banter, and who can say no to a twenty five year old who treats women like that? The plot made a lot of sense, as did their decisions and behaviour. It's an easy book to read and doesn't drag on. Would've been 5 stars, except when she told him she didn't love him, that was too brutal ;)
4.5 stars

Beatrice has always followed the rules, but where has that gotten her? No where, at least that’s what it feels like. After being passed up again in her corporate life she decides to throw caution to the wind, live life on the wild side, and break all the rules. Austin is back home after working as a police officer for 5 years in the big city. He is happy being a cop in his small town, filled with all the familiar faces of his neighbors, but one look at newcomer Beatrice eating an ice cream cone and all bets are off. When she practically begs him to arrest her Austin realizes Beatrice just wants to spread her wings and decides he’s the man to show her the way. Their 10ish year age difference means nothing to Austin, but Beatrice, well that’s another story. This is not your typical age-gap romance but much, much more. The mix of seriousness, heat and humor will have you rushing through the book. While Austin is younger he’s not a kid. Sometimes he even seems to be the more mature and understanding one. The attraction between the two is instantaneous, with lots of humor thrown in due to Beatrice’s crazy check list, the wonderful townspeople, and of course, Princess. Their relationship is definitely more a friends at first situation, at least for Beatrice but the simmering sexual tension heats up fast. I am happy to say we’re finally back in Credence Colorado with this book, so those familiar with the series will be happy to see a lot of familiar faces, but you don’t have to have read the others in this series to enjoy this book. I’m hoping the next book in the series ( Arlo pretty please) is coming soon. 4.5 stars. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I have been so excited to get this latest book in one of my favorite series. I love the town of Credence and the people in it. Now Bea has arrived in town, and she is ready to break some rules!
After quitting her job in a toxic workplace, Bea is ready to let go of the things in her life that don't serve her. She is revelling in all the things she didn't get to do before: binge watching televison, eating carbs, and dressing the way she wants to. It is absolutley glorious and hilarious. But she has wounds from her childhood that have never been addressed, and it takes a few months for her to be ready to face those.
During those months, she has Austin to keep her entertained, and he does a fantastic job of that. I loved their banter together, and I loved the way Austin respected Bea's journey. He always asks her what she wants, something that was not a feature of her previous life. Austin shows her a life that she could have if she is brave enough to keep it. So what will Bea do when validation of her former life comes calling?
I laughed all the way through this book because of tons of banter, Bea's inner monologues, and the characters around town. Even the steamy scenes were funny while I still needed a fan and a cold drink. I loved Bea and Austin as individuals and as a couple. The whole thing was fun and uplifting.

This was a very fun book to read. Bea has quit her very lucrative job at a high end advertising firm. She had given everything, expertise, time, enthusiasm, talent; basically her life to the firm. Even though she had won prestigious awards, a less qualified man got the big promotion and she quit. Now she was 35 and determined to start anew - at something.

She found a small town by throwing darts at a map. She moved in (with her $100,000 car) and she was determined to break every rule. She encountered Austin, a 25 year old police officer who was as patient and sweet as anyone could be. Wise beyond his years. And the attraction was mutual! Although Bea had no intention of having a relationship with a much younger man, she decided a fling was fine. Although Bea felt safe in his arms, she wasn't settled, and yet he stayed with her, helped her spread her wings, and let her grow in different ways.

Loved the story. I wish all men were as level headed as Austin; as giving, as sexy, as loving, as gorgeous! But Bea wasn't sure what she wanted.

Sexual content so I'd recommend for mature readers.

I was provided with an advance reader copy of the book. This is my honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An unexpectedly darling and perfect little Friday night romance read featuring a reverse age gap. She's a mess, finding and reinventing herself after too many years in the corporate hamster-wheel. He's a small-town officer of the law.

I immediately connected with the main character, and respect the authentic way she was written, with an imperfect body and stains on her clothes, as she devours real sugar for the first time in who knows how long. She's trying on rebellion, but her head still gets in the way on occasion.

The love interest is delicious, with just enough swagger (and abs) to cover his small-town boy heart. Their chemistry and spice definitely sparked a few scene re-reads.

I appreciate the tension as she navigates choices in this new landscape, without complications of too many plot twists. A fun and believable cast of supporting characters has me wanting to dive into more of the Creedence stories, but no worries, this one can stand alone.

Breaking All The Rules

Sometimes you gotta toss your whole life into a burning dumpster to find what’s most important...

Beatrice Archer has always done everything she’s supposed to —worked her ass off, ignored her non-existent personal life, and kept her mouth shut. Now she’s over it. The rat race, respectability…the underwire bras. She’s taking her life back. Starting with moving to Nowhere, Colorado to live life on her own terms.

Now Bea gives exactly zero forks. Beer for breakfast. Sugar for everything else. Baggy sweats and soft cotton undies FTW. Then a much younger and delightfully attractive cop is called to deal with her flagrant disregard for appropriate clothing outside the local diner (some folks just don’t appreciate bunny slippers) and Bea realizes there’s something missing from her little decathlon of decadence…and he might be the guy to help her out.

When it comes to breaking rules, Officer Austin Cooper is surprisingly eager to assist. He’s charming, a little bit cowboy, and a whole lot sexy. But Bea’s about to discover that breaking the rules has consequences. And all of the cherry pies in Colorado can’t save her from what’s coming…

A super quick, fun, easy read small town romance with a fair amount of heat. Lots of puns in this story which I loved, as well as secondary characters to add depth.

Easily read in an hour.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.