3.5

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I mostly enjoyed this book about an advertising exec ditching the LA corporate life for peace, quiet and no rules in a small town. The steam was great and the leads had good chemistry. Austin was full of humour and heart - I really enjoyed his character.

Things that held it back from a higher rating for me:
- I know there was some justification for Bea’s stress about it, but the age gap didn’t seem that significant to me. It was mentioned over and over. The mom storyline was underplayed which made Bea’s fears about the age gap seem OTT
- The start of the book felt a little slow. I found the sugar scene and the cafe at the start too drawn out
- I was uncomfortable when she demanded to arrested - I didn’t find this part funny, It felt rude and privileged

In short: a fun read with a cute male lead and well written steamy scenes - it didn’t feel pervy or cringeworthy. I’m curious to check out the other Credence books!

This book was a fun read, and I enjoyed Beatrice. But I found the plot predictable and it dragged in parts. If you're looking for a breezy read in a cute small Colorado town, you'll likely like this one. (I was provided a free copy from Netgalley)

I want to live in Credence!

Beatrice (Bea) Archer had always followed the rules but she finally had enough when she was passed over for promotion again so she quit on the spot. Bea decided to find a small town where nobody knew her and she ended up in Credence, Colorado doing whatever she wanted, tasting all the pies at the local diner and meeting Austin Cooper.

Austin Cooper knew he had the best of both worlds, returning to Credence as a police officer and living on the family ranch and helping out on occasion. Bea wanted to break some rules and maybe Austin is the person to help her out.

I think every person has had a time where they need to live life on their own terms.

You need to read the other books about Credence starting with Nothing But Trouble.

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

Small Town Romance
Age Gap
A 25 years old sexy police officer
A 35 years old badass and rebellious woman
Funny and super steamy.
All the rom-com tropes we love are in this book , which makes it the perfect read.

Here is a glimpse inside the story:
Beatriss had enough with the corporate life with men bossing her around and taking opportunities she long deserved from under her feet sho she quit and leave LA and go to a little town called Credence.
There she decides to be a rule breaker and live her life to the fullest. Which means:
1: binging TV shows ( Super Natural ( Team DEAN forever) )
2: eating sugar and a lot of it ( PIES)
3: wearing comfy clothes ( Sweatpants )
However, what she didn't account for is meeting the very sexy and handsome Austin who has her craving for a lot of things that has nothing to do with sugar😉👀🌶️. The problem is he is way younger and after everything that happened with her mother she should be??? OH FOR GOD SAKE BEATRISS IS A RULE BRAKER NOW AND THERE IS NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT TO START HER MAJOR REBEL.
Loved this book so much. It is inspring, romantic, funny, and steamy.

Beatrice has had enough of the crazy world of advertising! So much so that she not only quit her job, she burned her bridges, and moved to nowhere Colorado! Problem is she has some problems dealing with the hunky cop who is ten years younger than her. Problems are something she doesn't want to deal with anymore!
Austin just met a woman who instantly challenges him, and who actually knows what she wants. This should be fun.
This is one of the most hilarious, cutest, can't put it down books I have read in quite a while! It gives you all the feels, and makes you wish you could meet a guy as wonderful as Austin!

I LOVED this book. After leaving her sexist, misogynist boss and career she sets off to a small town in order to do everything she's been missing out on all these years, when work was her life. She gets tangled up with a hot cop named Austin who throws a wrench into her plan.

The spice in this was out of this world!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Breaking All the Rules is an entertaining, steamy, small-town romance that is sure to pull you in from the beginning and keep you turning the pages. I laughed many times while reading this book. Breaking All the Rules has everything that I hoped it would and a whole lot more. I will definitely be recommending this one to others.

Bea is done giving a f<*k. And it’s hilarious. This 30-something is regressing to frat-boy stage and living lazy, cramming pie like there’s no tomorrow (all the pie is drool worthy and sugar coma inducing), and sparking heavy with a guy 10 years her junior (get it). Now, I am not a cowboy romance woman, but this is like a sneaky cowboy, maybe cowboy-lite… and I liked it! Austin Cooper is a small-town cop with a touch of cowboy and whole lot of fun. Flirty for the win.

The two leads really balanced each other but also had similar personalities, they felt very real and believable. I loved their sexy romance. It’s mainly Bea’s story and journey, but Austin get’s a little depth too. It’s all a mix of fun, sugar, sex, chemistry, commitment issues, identity crisis, and a cat!

It’s definitely leans a little more towards the easy/fluff side of romance style (which was exactly what I needed right after the busy holidays when I read it). I think the two could have had a little more serious added into their romance build, though it’s still enjoyable. And I definitely got exasperated at the stressed way Austin always said “Beatrice”, if only because I couldn’t hear the difference the author was trying to emphasize.

There’s also some highlighting of other characters, and possible future romances, that I will definitely keep an eye out for, if only because I wanted more of them in this book. So they better be getting their own!

Overall, it’s a delightful read and a delicious escape.

Beatrice is new in town and wants to break all the rules to.escape from.her old life. Will Officer Austin let her get away with it?
Great read, looking forward to the rest of the series!

This book is sooo good!
I laughed and even cry a tiny bit!

Bea has had enough! After being past on a promotion she decides to leave LA and move to a little town on eastern Colorado where she decides to do whatever she wants! Including have beer for breakfast and going to the diner for ice cream and pie and 9 in the minting in pjs and her bunny sleepers!
Austin, the youngest member of Credence Police Department loves his layback town life, he’s called to deal with someone with odd behaviour outside the diner!
Their first encounter is hilarious and believe me when I say you won’t put this book down!

Small town romance trope for the win!

Who of us hasn’t at least once as this thought: “she was going to wear what she wanted, eat what she wanted and say what she wanted”? But how many have actually followed through?!

This is the story of Bea, who does just and more after escaping home when she doesn’t get a promotion. When she stumbles outside dressed in fuzzy bunny slippers and bra-less she has the police called on her. When Austin, the 10-years younger officer on call shows up, sparks fly.

This book was funny from page 1. I loved how Austin just took Bea’s highjinks in stride and with humor. And watching Bea dig into her “rule breaker” new persona was fun - she fully embraces sweatpants, carbs and messiness! And for those who enjoy some spice with their rom-coms, this delivered just a little bit of that too!

Wow! What a great funny and entertaining book. I devoured this book!! Once you start you can't stop. I always love a good small town, friends to lovers story. Then when the writer tops it off with spice and humor, you can't help but want more! This is a must read if you like these kinds of books. I can't wait to read more of her books!!

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for allowing me to read this ARC in advanced.

Beatrice is one of my favorite types of characters...independent, successful, & fun. I like that she has already had a great career by age 35 & is her own person. She is not a damsel in distress even though she did have a bad parting with her job. It was still her choice. Austin is a great counterpart to her as he is young, starting to establish what his career is, & knows what he wants for his future. Credence is a great backdrop full of good characters. Highly recommend reading this book.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

You know what I didn't realized I needed? A small town age gap romance. And she's the older one. YES.
Beatrice is over all of it. The rat race life of her career, especially when she's passed over for a promotion that should've been hers. So in comes the EFF IT moment...which involves throwing a dart at a map and going from there. Off she goes to live life to the fullest. And while that seems all good and fun...she really was having an existential crisis. BUT in comes the hot younger cop to help sort all of that out. LOL.

I was torn between giving it 1 or 2 stars (might be a minority here?)

Synopsis:
Tired and burned out, Beatrice sought out for a temporary new life in Credence, a small city that's very different from her LA own. There, she met a local police officer who is 10 years younger than her and decided to just explore her 'freedom' to dos with him.

What I like about it:
THE POTENTIAL! Oh my, what a wasted potential! I'm really liking the first (maybe) 10% because it was quite funny with a touch of self-deprecating in Bea's side. I was prepared to like Bea and the playful, always-Junior Austin. The concept and idea was fun too, although it was nothing new.

What I don't like about it:
Reading Bea and Austin's horniness towards each other irked me. I'm not opposed to a sex in a relationship (or in their case, temporary relationship?), but both lusting on the other (and its description) just made me want to drop the book. Alas, I promised myself to be more mindful and decided to skimread instead.
And what annoyed me most more than the '...You Tarzan, me Jane.' that Bea thought the first time the have sex was that Austin literally there with her almost 24/7. Bea's getting acknowledgement and praise and all from Austin and it didn't sit well with me.
But oh, well, I'm finished tho.

Final thought:
Might be more suitable for some looking for a light read and just that. Don't put too much expectation or if you're fond of slow burn, this isn't for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, LLC, and author, Amy Andrews for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review. Breaking All the Rules comes out on January 24, 2023!

A successful, city girl moves to a small town after having a breakdown and needing to reevaluate her life. There she meets a hot cop who is called to do a wellness check on a woman eating two ice cream cones outside in pjs and slippers in the dead of winter. Let a woman live! Turns out the woman is saying f*ck it and doing whatever she whats, when she wants, and how she wants. I really enjoyed her 'breaking the rules' lists and the hometown characters. I loved the romance and steaminess of this book. The MMC is 25 and the FMC is 35 - and I am constantly on the hunt for an older woman/younger man pairing.

4 1/2 STARS!

Highly addictive and laugh-out-loud sexy goodness! Amy Andrews is pulling out all of the stops when her signature snark is fully exposed and creating unforgettable cringe-worthy moments to entertain even the most serious romance fan. I loved every minute of Bea and Austin ... I only wished for a tad bit more of them living life delightfully together to strengthen the ending a little.

Beatrice is hilarious and she doesn't even mean to be! She's disgusted with the rat race of putting her all into a job for years and being screwed over time and again, so she walks away and let's it all hang out for a change. I loved her!

Austin is adorable and sexy as all get out and his ability to let everything Bea has to offer delight him no matter how outrageous she is just really made me smile. What a guy!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a laugh with their steamy romance. Such a joy!

Breaking All the Rules by Amy Andrews is a stand-alone romance novel. We meet Beatrice (Bea) Archer, our heroine, as she arrives in Credence, Colorado, to escape the rat race she has always lived; now at 35, she is tired of being passed over on promised promotions. She quits her job of 15 years, decides to take her non existent life back, and with the throw of a dart, she ends up in Credence. Bea spends two weeks watching TV, and breaking all the rules, doing things she never has done…drinking beer, eating sweets, wearing sweat pants and going to the local diner, for the amazing pies.

The local residents start noticing her, especially in her strange attire, such as bunny slippers, and then she meets police officer Austin Cooper, who finds himself attracted to her strange behavior. Even though there is a 10-year age gap (Austin is 25 and Bea is 35), Austin willingly offers to help out on her rule breaking journey.

What follows is a fun, sexy, sweet and delightful romance with a couple that were humorous, passionate and spicy. I loved Bea and Austin, and all the fun they had together. I got a kick out of the cat, Princess; and the secondary characters were very good. When Bea starts receiving job offers, especially using her artist ability, she needed to decide what life she wants to continue.

Breaking All the Rules was a vibrant, amusing and entertaining story so very well written by Amy Andrews. I wholly suggest you read this book, as it was lots of fun to read.

I loved this so much. Austin is the perfect book boyfriend. I loved him and Bea together, even if she spent so much of the book denying they were in a relationship. I want to eat Annie’s pies and buy a Cranky Bea greeting card. I’m glad Bea unpacked all her negative feelings around being and artist and opened up to Austin. The conflict made sense and wasn’t some frustrating miscommunication.

Breaking All the Rules is the story of Beatrice and Austin, set in a small town called Credence. After being passed over for a promotion which she'd worked her socks off for, Bea decides that she's had enough of corporate life and all the strictures that come with it and she is on a mission to break all the rules. Credence police deputy Austin Cooper comes across Bea during one of her rule breaking moments and charmed by what he finds, he decides to help her on her mission.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters, the story, the steam and chemistry and the witty dialogue had me cruising my way through this book as fast as I could whilst also trying to savour it and all the feels it was giving. The theme in this book has been cleverly explored by Ms Andrews with her usual doses of banter and sass and plenty of sexy times. Both Bea and Austin were brilliant and authentic characters who I fell in love with right from the start. It's the first Credence book I've read and I'll definitely read the others.