Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this! Quick note: I LOVE football and I adored "The Cheat Sheet", so this same-world second chance romance / marriage of convenience was bound to be right up my alley.
Derek and Nora are college sweethearts/exes in their past, agent/star tight end in their present, forced to work together and eventually have a 'fake' relationship to salvage both of their careers. The forced proximity drives them to really delve into their past relationship and current traumas in a way that's completely believable and also deeply emotional. As usual, Adams' story excels in writing about the nuances of career (and what we are without it), found family (the brotherhood of the LA Sharks is just brilliantly done), and women in the football industry. Complete perfection.
The one big note for this one: Sarah Adams has always been a closed door romance author and I've always loved that. I think sometimes spicy scenes can be gratuitous and completely plot adjacent. Her first foray? Brilliant. It's the perfect balance of steam and spice and just beautifully written and plot driven. I also loved, for anyone who might not be interested and want to stay closed, that she gave a content warning on exactly what chapter to skip (the steam is all contained). Honestly a perfect way to handle this, and I hope she continues. She's great at it.

3.5 stars. Another enjoyable romance from Adams. I found Nora to be too extra for my taste but I loved the empowerment vibe at the end. Her silly sayings weren’t awful but her office attire was childish, not quirky. Derek was such a hottie and so vulnerable—swoon. Good humor throughout and loved reading more about Nathan and Bree. Love these sports romances. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @randomhouse for an early copy of The Rule Book by @authorsarahadams. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Release date: April 2nd, 2024

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/182484354-the-rule-book?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Lr1aIMtEKE&rank=1

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

The Rule Book is the perfect second-chance love story. I loved almost everything about this book, especially the main characters’ Nora and Derek’s character growth. From being college sweethearts to exes to agent/client to a fake-married couple to being a real married couple, they have gone through a lot together and apart from each other. Nora has always been struggling with equality in a male-dominated profession and her issues with her father not being the father he needed to be even when she entered adulthood. In contrast, Derek has been struggling with his learning difficulties, which turned out to be a late diagnosis of dyslexia, and dealing with his anxiety about what’s going to happen next with his football career after his injury. These are a lot to take in, and I was so glad that despite their initial reluctance to work together for Derek’s return to football and furthering Nora’s career, I enjoyed how they reconciled. Adams has written their love story so beautifully and naturally and brought each character’s highlights even brighter when both were inspired by each other.

The only part that bothered me was how much Nora was trying to say certain catchphrases but failed to tell them correctly even though she knows it’s not correct or how much Derek says it isn’t correct. It was charming at first, but it became old and annoying very quickly with how often she tries, and she tries really hard. I also wished we got to see Derek be upfront and have a one-on-one conversation with his parents about his dyslexia and how its late diagnosis has affected him growing up, I was also looking forward to Nora’s confrontation with her father but sadly it wasn’t in the book.

Pick up Sarah Adam’s newest companion to The Cheat Sheet! You’ll enjoy Derek and Nora’s cheesy and romantic love story, and meet all the other characters again!

This book was a delight!!! I have read all of Sarah Adams' books and this one is one of my favorites. I love the idea of a woman in the sports agent industry, so when that woman dated her new client, it's going to be good. I fell in love with the characters (Niclole needs her own story) and the swoon in this book was PERFECTION!! The chemistry between Mac and Derek was off the charts even when they didn't like each other. This book is realistic and I could not put it down.

Sarah Adams has out done herself with this one. A quirky, Girl Boss FMC sports agent who refuses to be cast aside because she's in a male dominated workplace and a grumpy, protective MMC tight end 😉 who is trying to recover after an injury. Combined with a brutal college break up, forced proximity, a wild night in Las Vegas, laugh out loud banter, and It Was Always You vibes. The longing and protectiveness Adams wrote into Derek and Nora's story absolutely melted my heart and put it back together again.

Dual POV, Closed Door Romance, Sports Romance, Workplace Romance, Forced Proximity, It Was Always You, Found Family, Fake Marriage

I loved this second chance love story! THe characters were so fun and I really enjoyed getting to know then and see the deep love they had for each other. I loved Derek! Obsessed with him and his love for Nora. Such a good story for anyone (sports lover or not),

What is better than sports and a love story? A sweet story about rekindling real love. Nora and Derek fell in love in college, but ended it before graduation. Fast forward several years and stages of adult life, they end up in the same agency office. Sparks fly, both hate and love, and they find a way to navigate the hurt they are both feeling from the past.
I love that they also dealt with real life issues because it made their love story even more believable!

This book was amazing! It was my first Sarah Adams book and I loved it! I love a good football romance. It’s my favorite sport to watch on tv. I loved Nora’s character and all her silly sayings. She’s so funny! Nora and Derek’s love story was the best! I enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read more! Thank you so much for the ARC!

The Rule Book was a DELIGHT. What a wonderful follow-up to The Cheat Sheet. I absolutely loved the plot and the connection between Nora and Derek. This will 100% be a hit for any reader!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange to an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sarah Adams is the queen of the slow burn. I haven’t read The Cheat Sheet which is technically the first book in this series, however I didn’t need to. The characters from the prior book appeared in the novel, but the story was completely separate. I LOVED Practice Makes Perfect and read it fairly recently so I was really looking forward to The Rule Book… and it didn’t disappoint! It definitely has a different, more manufactured vibe from Practice Makes Perfect… but I think sometimes fake dating does that for me. However the smoldering looks, pining, and second chance romance took this book up a notch for me. Nora’s character is beyond lovable- I need to know her. I loved how unique and genuine she seemed without giving “manic pixie dream girl” vibes. Definitely recommend this one! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

Rating: 4-4.5 star

Thoughts: I ADORE Sarah’s books so I have been impatiently waiting to read The Rule Book and it did not disappoint! If you like second chance romance or a sports romance, you definitely want to pick this one up! This will be a romance you hear a lot of buzz around this Spring!!

Synopsis:
This is the follow-up to the Cheat Sheet but can be read as a standalone. I liked the Cheat Sheet (3/5) but really enjoyed The When in Rome Series (4/5) by the same author, so was pumped to get this advanced copy from NetGalley/Random House Publishing, due out April 2.
In this installment the tight end has a new agent, his ex girlfriend…
Pros and cons: I will say I like the When In Rome series better, but this was still enjoyable. I had a smile on my face most of the book. The only downfall was that it was really cheesy. The female lead, the romance, the plot- all very cheesy. But still very cute! Just not anything unique.
If you’re looking for light and cute, check these books out!

“Sometimes I wonder, if I stay quiet, will she continue to talk the whole night? I’d happily let her.”

The number one theme of my 2024 reading it seems are love stories where the main characters finally get to live in a world where they are truly seen by the people around them. It’s a form of love meant to be cherished, because it’s an opportunity to live in the most pure form of yourself while being met with acceptance for who you are. That is exactly what Nora and Derek have.

When I tell you I LOVED this book so much?! It’s honestly my favorite of Sarah’s books by far. I feel like I went through an entire range of emotions while reading-I laughed, cried, cheered, and everything in between. This book had so many of my favorite tropes that were done in a really subtle way-each one had a place in the story and as we shifted between them all, it happened with a natural progression.

Beyond the love story, Nora is a character that made me as a reader truly feel seen. She’s a woman who worked hard to earn her position in a field dominated by men, and she never changed who she was at heart on her quest for success. She was unapologetically herself and that was something I loved seeing in a FMC.

Sarah really did her big one with the Rule Book and I’m not sorry to say it 😭

Some of my favorite tropes from the book:

-Second chance romance
-Enemies to lovers
-Forced proximity
-Definitely counts as a workplace romance, right?
-ONLY ONE BED

Like I said - if Sarah writes a book, I read it, and I LOVE IT.

This book was immediately 5 stars for me. I just knew it. I was excited about all the tropes, but I nearly fell out of my seat when I realized it was an Oops we got married in Vegas storyline. PERFECTION.

I just felt so happy reading this book. I think it’s Sarah’s best work yet ( but I literally think all of her books are great, so really, HOW does it keep getting better?). It has her normal charm, humor, and swoony moments. I loved the maturity of all the characters in this story, I loved the second chance romance, and I loved that Nora was a badass agent working in a “man's world.” I liked how she was tough, and went toe to toe with Derek, and I just loved their chemistry.

Thank you Random House for a copy of this arc - you made my day!

Let me start by saying Sarah is an autoread author for me. I recommend practice makes perfect constantly for a cute fun romance read. I literally am in love with Will. With that being said. The Rule book did not disappoint. Derek is my new favorite and is 100% in my top 10 book boyfriends. I normally hate second chance romance in way shape and form but this one was perfection. Their banter, the quirkiness, the iou he keeps GAHHH. I could keep going on for how much I loved this. I will definitely be recommending this to everyone. It hits so many great tropes…ie sports romance, cinnamonroll mmc, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, work romance, agent and talent, fake engagement, Vegas marriage, revenge plan. It may end up being my favorite rom com of 2024! Ah!

4.5 Stars Sarah Adams’ novels are filled with so much sweetness, it makes my cheeks hurt from smiling and The Rule Book is no exception. If you love second chance, accidental marriage/marriage of convenience, he falls first, sports romance, this one is for you! 8 years after they broke up, football star Derek Pender is shocked and infuriated when his new agent is his college ex-girlfriend, Nora Mackenzie. Derek is still hurt and doesn’t want Nora as his agent, so he plans to give her bogus assignments until she quits. Nora knows Derek’s game, but since he is her first client in her dream job, she’s not going to let him get to her and certainly not going to quit. Then everything changes after they wake up after a night out in Vegas, married and with the news going viral on social media.

This was a fun, fast-paced story with surprisingly low angst for a second chance romance. Even though he treated her terribly at first, it was adorable to see all of the little facts and mementos of their time together that Derek kept. The story also discusses a neurodivergent character being diagnosed later in life and coming to terms with that after a difficult childhood because of their learning disability.

Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender, who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.

4/5

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. I usually listen to the audio of Sarah Adam's books. So I feel like it would have been a 5/5 if I listened to it. But the characters development was great and the spice! Love it!

I knew I would be obsessed with this book, but truly this one blew me away. I swear, Sarahs writing just keeps getting better and better.

I laughed out loud a lot.
I cried some too.

It was absolutely amazing to be back in this world and getting to see our friends Bree Cheese + Nathan again.
———————————-

after breaking his heart (and her own) in college, Nora Mackenzie never thought she would really see Derek Pender again.

But after his agent up and retires, the office decides to hand him off to the up and coming rookie agent, Mac.

Little did Derek know how much walking into that conference room that day to meet “Mac” was going to change his life.

💍 fake marriage
💕 second chance romance
🏈 sports romance

thank you to Sarah Adams, Random House & netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 🥊

No one in this world can convince me to give this wonderful book less than five stars, reigniting my love for sports romance more than I imagined. Truth be told, I've read plenty of them lately, given the rising popularity on TikTok. However, the Queen of quirks, Nora, and the sweet pie hiding behind the grumpy facade, Dere-Bear Derek, emerge as the winners!

Firstly, this book encompasses all of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, second chance at love, grumpy meets the sunshine, forced proximity, and not-so-fake but drunk Vegas marriage! The author brings out the biggest guns, and how can I not fall for this book, especially with its spicy chemistry, great characters, and amazing supporting friends of Derek, including the "Cheat Sheet" couple Nathan and Bree, making a cameo that fueled my excitement.

Let's delve into the plot: enter Nora Mackenzie, an aspiring young agent climbing the steps of the corporate ladder in a men's world against chauvinism and condescending attitudes. She's a near-freak, with a colorfully criticized fashion style, looking at things from the bright side with a sunshiny attitude, not-so-catchy phrases, and silly knock-knock jokes.

She is excited to prove to her male counterparts that she can be an exceptional agent, but her first assignment hits a brick wall – a charming but grumpy giant hiding behind emotional barricades, her ex from college. The same man she broke up with for pursuing career dreams now holds the fate of her entire career. Isn't it ironic?

Enter Derek Pender, a hotshot Sharks team NFL player, taking a break after a tragic injury, attempting a comeback before being replaced by a younger player or traded to another team.

Nora thinks she can convince him that she's the best agent to work with. Maybe he doesn't even remember their relationship. After all, he's a playboy football star. His college girlfriend might be just a small blast from the past.

Oh, Nora, you couldn't be more wrong. Derek remembers every second of their relationship, and payback is a bitch! To prove herself capable of representing him, she must endure excruciating tasks – ripping his clothes, cooking for him, delivering his dry cleaning during rush hour, filming his workout at dawn, and more. She is stubborn enough not to give up, and Derek slowly gives in because seeing his ex-love in close proximity makes him realize she's the one that got away.

But they have no clue how things heat up in the middle of commercial filming in Vegas. They find themselves drunk, with tattooed rings on their ring fingers and compromising photos shared on social media in a French kiss position. Ta-da: they are drunkenly married. Nora can be fired at any moment, losing the career she's worked hard for, or Derek can take the lead and declare that what they have is real. They decide to get an annulment, but Derek takes it seriously, and they end up on a honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico, where reporters cover their every move to document their love story. It's only for saving Nora's job, right? Both Derek and Nora are not still in love with each other. Right?

Grab your own copy to find out and enjoy this thoroughly entertaining ride! This couple is one of my favorite rom-com couples. Both are sweet, one-of-a-kind characters with engaging qualities I can easily resonate with.

Take my five NFL stars and high recommendations!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Dell for sharing this amazing book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback.

Quick intro:
After breaking up with her college sweetheart Derek 8 years ago, Nora becomes his sports agent and the two drunkenly get married in Vegas…further complicating their relationship. 😅😂

Quick thoughts:
This book was such a fun ride. I loved Derek and Nora’s story. It was a joy to see them process through their individual challenges and insecurities, grow, and ultimately reconnect. It was so so sweet. Sarah Adams just keeps getting better! The dialogue had me laughing out loud, awwwwwing, and gasping. I ate it up in two days. Physical TBR? We don’t know her. I dropped everything to read this book.

Read if you like: grumpy x sunshine, second chance romances, learning disability rep, “that’s my wife,” it’s always been you, right person wrong time, and strong women.

If you loved The Cheat Sheet, you will gobble up the Nathan and Bree Cheese cameos and every single scene with the Sharks. Sarah Adams’ writing really shines in these chaotic, hilarious, and bustling scenes.

A big giant thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Sarah Adams for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I cannot wait to get my copy in April and would recommend preordering this gem of a book!

Publisher info:
Review shared to Goodreads.
Review will be posted on Instagram first week of February (@jenn.newm.reads).