Thank you to PenguinTeen and Netgalley for gifting me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rules for Rule Breaking is the perfect road trip rom com, full of hilarious banter, the sweetest characters, and many fundamental aspects of teenage life. It follows two (unwilling) family friends as they're forced to go on a college tour road trip with one another, the summer before their senior year. The writing in this book was incredibly clever, not only was the dialogue entertaining but the character's internal thoughts too. Very spunky, sarcastic, and wry...i.e. very teenager (coming from one herself!), but not in a way that made me cringe. Kudos to the author, this book was a joy to read!

As an Asian American, I really appreciate the supportive and fun-loving portrayals of Asian parents in this book. Halmeoni was the cheekiest gambler of a grandma and reminded me a lot of my own Asian aunties who are just as vibrant and young at heart. Both Winter and Bobby's parents were so kind and fun as well. In typical media, Asian families tend to be narrowly portrayed as strict, school-focused, and old-fashioned, and while this is true for many Asian parents (and isn't necessarily a bad thing!), it's refreshing to see the warm and loving aspects of Asian families be represented too.

This book did such a good job of staying overall fun and enjoyable, while covering hardships in life such as breakups, estranged family, and college decisions. I also really enjoyed seeing Winter and Bobby grow as characters throughout the trip, from their silly forms of teenage rebellion, late night talks about life, and slowly bonding with each other. They were truly such a hilarious and sweet duo, with Winter's strong careless personality and Bobby's softheartedness (we love a sensitive king). I rarely find contemporary enemies to lovers believable, but Winter and Bobby's relationship dynamic was really well crafted and I liked that it wasn't just an academic rival situation, but also related to race (seeing as they're the only Korean Americans in school) and family pressures.

Overall, super cute, I had such a fun time reading this!

ucker’s debut novel is an absolutely delightful read. Like, I actually laughed out loud a couple of times. It follows two hilariously uptight teenagers as they make their way up the east coast, from NC to MA, visiting colleges along the way. Winter and Bobby’s parents are friends, but they’re dead set on disliking each other. What struck me is how each thought the other was too uptight, when they were each uptight in their own way, to the point where their cold disregard for each other manifests as a set of rules.
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When circumstances leave Winter and Bobby no choice but to complete their tours together, they’re forced to confront the arbitrary rules that govern their relationship. Tucker does a great job at breaking down how Winter and Bobby’s relationship ended up that way, and unravels some of the baggage that they both carry. I particularly like the way that Tucker shines a light on the family drama that often happens in immigrant families (mine included) and how the youngest generation often gets caught in the crosshairs of their parents’ and grandparents’ grievances (like I did). As they work through their rules, both Winter and Bobby become determined to break them, which enables them to finally recognize the romantic feelings that they have. The road trip setting with multiple major east coast cities, like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston (as a Bostonian, I feel obligated to share that this was an accurate depiction of the city) as the backdrops was really fun, too.

This book was a pretty interesting read. Bobby and Winter were fun characters and I loved the childhood nemesis and academic rivals-to-lovers aspect to it. I have not read many with those tropes and it got me wanting more. I would love to read more from this author!

Rules for Rule Breaking is a hilarious and laugh-out-loud good time. We get a distinct pair of protagonists whose characters are strongly painted in the first few chapters, and we get to see them mature as the story develops. I absolutely LOVED Winter; her humor is caustic, biting, and finely-tuned. Looking forward to more from Talia Tucker.

Rules for Rule Breaking is a sweet enemies to lovers romance. In addition to the enemies to lovers trope, this book also features forced proximity and academic rivals tropes.

Winter Park and Bobby Bae are Korean American high school juniors whose families have been friends since the kids were little. However, they don't like each other or get along well. Bobby suffers a difficult break up and Winter is dealing with her best friend moving overseas and not attending MIT with her. When their parents essentially force the two to go on a college road trip together, Winter and Bobby have just one rule; to break all the rules!

While there were some heavy topics touched on (mental health, family dysfunction), the spirit of the book was still lighthearted. This book boasts relatable characters and witty banter while also focusing on Korean-American culture, breaks stereotypes, and creates characters with layers and depth. The slowly developing romance over the course of the road trip is reminiscent of the relationship we see develop between Harry and Sally in the movie When Harry Met Sally.

Cute, romantic read.

Rules for Rule Breaking had all the right elements for me (I will never turn down a rivals to lovers romance), but unfortunately the execution fell extremely flat for me. I loved the concept of a road trip—fun, episodic YA romances really satisfy my nostalgia for the Jenny Han-esque YA romances of the 2010s—and while Tucker hit all the right plot beats, the characters and pacing never moved me past mild interest.

I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but something about the characters was just a bit too archetypical and flat for my tastes. While I enjoyed the commentary on second-generation diasporic experiences, especially when it comes to what counts as being “authentic” to ancestral cultures, I found the thematic explorations relatively surface-level. For a road-trip romance, I expected far more interiority between the main characters than what was presented, especially considering that Winter and Bobby are positioned as opposites. Instead, the two seemed to be vehicles for the plot, going from one stop to another on their itinerary, experiencing something out of the ordinary, and then moving on. I really wish there could have been more introspective moments in which the two could discuss their complicated relationships with Korean culture.

That being said, Rules for Rule Breaking is not a bad book by any means, and I think its emphasis on repairing intergenerational relationships is an important conversation for immigrant families. While Rules didn’t manage to stand out in the crowded YA romance space for me, there’s still a lot to enjoy for younger readers seeking a more introspective and emotionally-driven romance. Definitely give this book a try if the synopsis interests you!

3/5 stars
Many thanks to Kokila (Penguin Teen) for the physical and e-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm giving it a standard 3 ⭐ due to DNFing at 63%.

This is a very cute YA. Coming of age for two characters who never break the rules. They end up learning a lot about themselves and about each other. Would recommend 14+ maybe younger if the reader is more mature. The two main characters are 16 and 17 and making decisions about their futures. Up until the point I stopped it's been very innocent with kids just trying to "break rules".

I just really struggled wanting to read this book and it's probably because I'm past that point in my life, and I cannot relate now that I have children that are getting closer to the age. I will for sure let me children read once they are a little bit older.

The story follows Winter Park and Bobby Bae, two Korean American high school juniors as they embark on a college road trip. They challenge each other to break rules along the way, from sampling local food to partying, resulting in some memorable and comical situations. I really enjoyed the rivals to lovers tension between the two characters and their growth felt genuine and relatable.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, & Kokila for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very cute lifelong rivals to "more than" story. As the only 2 Korean Americans in their class Winter and Bobby have spent their lives compared to each other and competing against each other. They are forced by their parents to go on a road trip to visit college campuses. Winter is hilarious and annoys the rule following Bobby to no end. I really liked the side characters and how everyone has layers. Definitely worth picking up!

4 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the eARC and gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC

I think this book would have worked better as a contemporary novel rather than a romance one. The romance was great, I love academic rivals to lovers and forced proximity tropes (which this book excelled at), and the characters' journeys were great, but I feel like there were so many important messages and themes that could have been explored more if given more time.

The characters and their emotions were very relatable to me. There were so many themes about culture, family, and friends that the audience can easily relate to, but they weren't as in depth as I hoped it would be. Again, the romance took over the book completely where I felt like it should have been more of a side plot. A story about two teenagers discovering themselves while on a college road trip is a good enough plot, I think that the romance was added to entice the romance-loving booktok audience.

Rules for Rule Breaking was not a bad read at all, I just think that it could have been better with some changed elements.

**Rules for Rule Breaking**

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**Synopsis:**
You have 2 of the best students in school. Their family has been friends for years, but not the same can be said about Bobby and Winter. They hate each other so much that they have rules against anything that can make them friends. Bobby recently went through a break-up and Winter's best friend is leaving the country soon. This leaves Bobby feeling like he is unlike himself, and Winter is encouraged by her Grandma to let loose. When forced on a college road trip by their parents, they decide the only rule on their trip is to break the rules. Rules are broken from dares and any time they become friends. Will they stay friends or more?
**Personal thoughts:** This was an adorable book! I liked the small adventures. I would say this book I got before release, I took longer to read it due to the pace. I found it a bit slow at times but overall not bad. Giving it 3 stars is "I like it". If you like clean romance, slower-paced, just cute high schooler romance then this is good for you. I didn't think the risks were big enough.

**Spicy level:** 🌶️/5 | minimal romantic gestures

**Trigger warnings:** N/A can’t remember any

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Instagram: @readswithtayee

This was a fun young adult read. The enemy to lovers troupe was a little different in this one which made it fun. The aspect of family was in the forefront which added well to the tension and plot line. I would recommend this to any teen/tween who is looking to escape for a couple hours into the life of someone who might be just a little bit like them.

This was a fast paced, fun but serious when it needed to be, coming of age YA rom-com. It gave me A Charmed Life by Julie Abe vibes (without the magic). I loved the longtime rivals turned lovers romance and really liked the way the author presented themes of the future, college, making / keeping friends. So my YA books or even adult books have these fictional friends that like each other or hang out despite having nothing in common and nobody talks about that.

This book was so real with the MC’s fear of making new friends and was a fresh take on realizing the relationships you have are not always what you think.

I also loved the grandmother’s role in the story and loved that she was a troublemaker with good intentions.

I’d definitely read more from this author and would even enjoy a spin off with some of the other characters we met.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“there are plenty of other fish in the sea, right?” “yeah, but you’ll never catch any of them if you don’t grab a pole.”

rules for rule breaking by talia tucker! 💖🧡🖤

i very much enjoyed this book! it had definitely had me giggling and rooting for the characters from the very beginning 🥰 bobby and winter had such great banter! the writing style was interesting for me because i usually struggle hard with third person language but with this book i barely noticed it! i listened to the audiobook while reading along with the physical book and the different narrators for winter and bobby’s perspectives really helped :) i loved the ending i just wish it had been a little bit longer because 292 pages was NOT enough of these characters!!! (bobby bae my beloved, he is so neurodivergent coded and as a fellow autistic person he felt so special to me 🥰🥰) i would recommended this if you are in the mood for some fun characters, road trip vibes, and a cute romance, with a side of a warm hug from a grandmother :)

Booksmart meets Never Have I Ever in this debut YA rom-com about two Korean American teens forced into a shared college visit road trip where they discover that the reasons they’ve been rivals their entire lives might actually be signs they’re a perfect pair.

This book was so good!! I'm a sucker for books with road trips. I found the characters really funny and relatable, and I'd definitely recommend it.

Rules for Rule Breaking was pretty entertaining. Winter and Bobby and family friends and academic rivals and they hate each other, for unknown reasons. But throw in some forced proximity when they are forced into a roadtrip together and you get A LOT of witty banter.

While there were some heavy topics (culture, mental health, family dysfunction), it felt like a relatively light read. I still don’t really know why Winter was so against Bobby, but I did like seeing their friendship blossom

The narrators were definitely spot on and they brought these characters to life. Great intonation. I’ll be keeping my eye out for more from both the author and the narrators!

This was such a fun and refreshing rom-com! I love supporting POC authors and reading stories with POC characters who are simply living their lives. This was one such story that was such a fun read!

"Booksmart meets Never Have I Ever in this debut YA rom-com about two Korean American teens forced into a shared college visit road trip where they discover that the reasons they’ve been rivals their entire lives might actually be signs they’re a perfect pair."

I wanted to love this book, but I unfortunately couldn't. It had some elements of fun, however, I felt that the plot never reached it's full potential and was overshadowed by the two main characters and their building romance. I think if the plot had been explored a little deeper and a larger focus of the book it really could have made a different impact for me.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. all opinions are my own.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend it.