<b>3 stars</b>

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC to review. All thoughts are my own.</i>

The Rule Book is my second book by this author, and I had enjoyed the tension and character development in The Cheat Sheet enough that when I learned there was going to be a second book set in this world, I decided to pick it up and see what it would be like as it was marketed to be more than Adams' closed door romances.

Whilst I enjoyed some of the light-hearted moments and the swoonable segments between Nora and Derek, I found it hard to get fully engaged with the characters represented in this book. Nora is needlessly kooky to present a conflict for her character being too much for some people. While I got what the author was attempting to achieve and promote that all people can be loved for who they are, I just found that it led to several contradictory plot devices, and made Nora challenging to enjoy as there often didn't feel like there was any real depth to her. With Derek, I appreciated his recent dyslexia diagnosis and the subsequent triggering trauma he faced when younger being explored, but in the present timeline, he felt quite beige as a character.

The whole concept of them working together despite their past breakup trauma sounded great in the synopsis, but both characters felt very juvenile until they finally aired their grievances. I did enjoy more as the romance rekindled between them, but the parameters for it (a drunken marriage when they were barely communicating felt strange to me and using their honeymoon for publicity) felt off and I just found myself a somewhat stuck passenger witnessing it all and not vibing with it.

For those who prefer closed-door romances, the author gives over the chapter number where the sex scene occurs, and it is rather brief and tame, so I think fans will be very pleased to not lose Adams' focus on emotions over passion that way. I also appreciated the content warning at the front of the book, and I feel the reader is well supported in all aspects of any triggering content, which is a huge win for a romance novel being released in 2024 - this is refreshing to see.

Overall, I do think this was something you can have a bit of fun with. It was light-hearted for the majority of the read and very easy to navigate your way through. I just didn't gel with these two main characters as much as I hoped to and just had an alright time reading this book.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I actually enjoyed this book more than The Cheat Sheet. Mainly because I thought Nora was hilarious, and Derek was an absolute sweetheart. The pacing of the book was quite well done, and there wasn’t anything too dramatic in the plot to make me dislike them. I was sad for the time that they missed out on together, but the author explains it well; that they weren’t right for each other back then.
I love romance books that you can get lost in.
4.5 stars

Thank you to Hachette Australia & New Zealand for sending me the digital ARC of Sarah Adam’s newest release ‘The Rule Book’. This is the second book I have read by Sarah Adams and I can say with absolute certainty that it won’t be my last. This book had me in a choke hold, right from the beginning. I became invested in Nora and Derek’s story.

Derek is a famous NFL tight end, recovering from a possibly career ending injury.
Nora is a sports agent who has battled in a male dominated industry until finally getting her big break with her first client, Derek Pender. Her Ex. From college.

While this book does have a bit of a comedic spin on the friends to loves, second chance romance, it also has s level of drama and intrigue that will keep you coming back for more and more, until, finally there is no more left to read.

I devoured this book in less than 2 days, I would (and I have!) highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light-hearted romance that also has depth and character development.

You know what they say, what happens in Vegas….

A wonderful follow-up to "The Cheat Sheet".

I really enjoyed Nora and Derek's story. It was fun, sassy and unexpected, engaging from the beginning, and a delight to read.

If you've read Sarah Adams books before, you'll know she's great at dialogue and character interactions. She's also great with chemistry. This book follows the same format.

NB I received an ARC of this novel.

Set within the same world as The Cheat Sheet, The Rule Book Is Derek Pender and Nora Mackenzie’s story, a delicious second chance romance that will fill your heart! Derek is serious book boyfriend material 😍

💫Grumpy MMC who soon melts your heart
💫FMC who is funny and full of sunshine
💫Second chance romance
💫All the rules and some pranks
💫Football player x sports agent
💫Fake marriage
💫 Forced proximity
💫Positive body image
💫Open door scenes, mild descriptive language

I loved this book and everything about it! This is second chance romance at its best, a college romance that ended abruptly with the love never really fading for either Derek or Nora. They meet again a few years later as a rookie sports agent (Nora) and football player (Derek) with the NFL team the LA Sharks. Derek is Nora’s first client and she is super pumped though daunted knowing things didn’t end well when they were together. Derek is hurt, confused and is seeking revenge … in a romantic comedy type way!
The author seamlessly discusses their past, both together and individually and the hurdles and challenges faced to get to the present day. Nora is one strong and amazing lady, quirky, full of mischief and doesn’t back down. I adore her. Derek worked his way into my heart, with his vulnerability, his loyalty and love for those around him, even though he was a grumpy one to start with. You can tell these two are made for one another, the chemistry, memories and love is on every page. This book just made me so happy and I just loved it! Recommend to all who love a good romance, The Rule Book is for you. All the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and lots of gushing by me!

Thanks to hachettenz and hachetteaus , the author and netgalley for the early copy I received. This is my honest review.

The e-book of The Rule Book is out tomorrow, April 2nd, with the paperback releasing April 9th!

Nora Mackenzie’s ex-boyfriend Derek Pender still has control over her career. As a famous NFL player, he is now her first client in her role as an official full-time sports agent; however, Derek is set on revenge. He is determined to make her life a misery, kidding himself that he isn’t bitter about their breakup. Yet Nora is determined that she won’t quit and starts a scheme of her against Derek. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married.
Nora was such a great character, a woman who is so determined and super-organised. Derek slowly warmed to me, but his initial behaviour made him less than favourable. Both have their own personal issues such as Derek’s dyslexia which Sarah Adams deals with and displays the impact on his life. There was plenty of great banter between the characters, making for a great read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Because when we kiss, it feels right. Because when you smile at me my world feels whole."

- Sports romance: football player x agent
- Accidental marriage in Vegas
- Second chance: college sweethearts
- Forced proximity & one bed… on their Mexico honeymoon!
- He has a tattoo for her!
- Closed door (with one scene)
- No breakup
- Dual POV

There’s just something about Sarah’s writing that’s so comforting.

Nora is sunshine personified – from her outlook on life to her clothing. Derek… is not 😂. But this makes for such a good dynamic, as underneath, he is a total softie who loves her infectiously quirky personality, puns and all.

The little ways he showed she never forgot her? My heart exploded. Braiding her hair for her like she taught him in college. Keeping her IOU in his wallet. Anonymously funding a charity close to HER heart. Oh, and a tattoo, people! I cannot.

The way he saw her was EVERYTHING >>> “You’re a gemstone. Rare and unique and vibrant. And anyone who can’t see that doesn’t deserve to have you in their life.”

I loved how The Rule Book played out. You have them reconnecting with a side of hazing, before they wake up in Vegas married. They agree to stay married, which leads to an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Mexico. I loved that when they returned home, they communicated how they were feeling, and there was no unnecessary breakup.

The slow-burning tension is reminiscent of Practice Makes Perfect, with the added bonus of one open-door scene (which you can easily skip if necessary). I think fans of Sarah’s work will love being back in this world for one last stop.

"Every sweep of his tongue, caress of his hands, press of his lips seems to say I love you, I love you, I love you."

Thank you so much to Hachette ANZ for the early copy!

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

The Rule Book is a delightful and steamy romance that will leave readers swooning from start to finish. With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and sizzling chemistry, this book earns a solid 5-star rating and is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance.

Nora Mackenzie and Derek Pender's reunion sets the stage for a captivating second-chance romance that is as heartwarming as it is entertaining. As former college sweethearts turned adversaries, their dynamic is electric, and readers will find themselves rooting for them to overcome their past and find love once again.

Sarah Adams expertly navigates the complexities of love and forgiveness, weaving together a story that is both poignant and steamy. The tension between Nora and Derek crackles with intensity, their banter sparking off the pages and keeping readers hooked until the very end.

What sets The Rule Book apart is its refreshing take on the second-chance romance trope. Adams infuses the story with humour, heart, and unexpected twists, keeping readers guessing and gasping until the final chapter.

With its captivating storyline, witty dialogue, and irresistible romance, The Rule Book is a standout in the genre. Whether you're a fan of sports romance or simply love a good love story with plenty of heat, this book is sure to satisfy. Don't miss out on this irresistible read that will leave you cheering for Nora and Derek's happily ever after.

This book was absolutely fantastic!!!
I loved the second chance romance, and was really rooting for the main characters. It was written with dual POVs and you can really see how much the characters love each other through both their thoughts and actions. One of the main things I loved was their communication. It was so refreshingly mature, and they talked about their past hurts and new feelings along the way. Obviously not everything was resolved as otherwise there wouldn't be a book, but there was no intentional miscommunication for the sake of drama or plot. Both of the characters were also so lovable. Nora was supremely wacky and I absolutely loved it - I think I laughed out loud most chapters! Derek was just a big, beautiful teddy bear. He loved so deeply and I think anyone would be lucky to have someone as kind and loyal as him. They also had great banter and the competitiveness between them was lots of fun. Small spoiler ahead:

I loved that Nora was the one that took the leap first after their "honeymoon" and expressed her full feelings. She was the one that was scared of commitment, so l was so glad of how the author finished this book!

I genuinely believe that my slump has ended because of this book! I'm not joking in any way!!

Nora and Derek have to be one of my favourite Sarah Adams book couples out of them all! The forced proximity, the fake marriage, and the fact that they have amazing banter?! It was everything I wanted in a book and more. I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy of this!

It's such a fun romance book that warmed my heart and made me audibly giggle when I was reading it.

I thought I loved the cheat sheet however I AM OBSESSED WITH THE RULE BOOK. A second chance romance is always a guilty pleasure of mine and this didn't disappoint!

The rule book is a follow up duet to The Cheat Sheet. This story follows Nora Mackenzie who is an up and coming sports agent in a male dominated field, To make matters worse her career lies in the hands of the famous NFL tight end Derek Pender. The problem is they were once college sweethearts...

This book was the most adorable funny sports romance I didn't know I needed.
I laughed out loud multiple times when reading, and also felt my heart warming during certain moments. Nora is absolutely hilarious and I wish I had a friend like her in my laugh. Her and Derek have the best kind of chemistry and I could almost feel the tension before they were together on the page.
I jumped into this without reading The Cheat Sheet first but will absolutely be making that a priority considering I already have it sitting on my shelf.
Thank you to Hachette and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

I am so grateful I got the pleasure of reading this book, it was absolutely incredible.

Nora is an up-and-coming new sports agent, but her dreams get shaken by her first client Derek who happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Derek’s still upset by how Nora broke up with him back in college and is determined to make Nora miserable as his agent, doing whatever it takes to get her to quit. Things don’t quite go as expected when they wake up in Vegas one day, severely hungover and married.

What I Loved:
The adults in this book actually act like adults. Even when Derek is being “horrid” and trying to get Nora to quit it’s so obvious he still cares about her and he doesn’t report to completely childish antics.
The tension between Nora and Derek was written so beautifully, it felt like these were really real characters going through this emotional journey together.
There was definitely a strong feminist message in this novel that didn’t come off as condescending or completely in your face which I really enjoyed.
The spice was written very well and there was enough tension build up that it felt really rewarding.

What I liked:
The side characters were a little one dimensional but they’re in so little of the novel that I was completely fine with it. It wasn’t like we were spending ages and ages with these bland, uninteresting characters.
This is written as a sequel/spinoff - something I didn’t know before picking it up - and I was able to read it with no complaints. There were parts where I was able to recognise that something might be a clue-in into something mentioned in the previous novel “The Cheat Sheet” but I never felt confused or excluded. (I also rushed out to buy “The Cheat Sheet” as soon as I finished this (that’s how much I loved it)).

What I Disliked:
Sometimes the character of Nora could be a little overbearing positive. However, that is a flaw - or character trait - that she herself directly addresses in the novel which I really appreciated.
Similar to the aforementioned point, sometimes Nora’s clothing choices sounded absolutely atrocious - but also that really doesn’t matter. That’s just a personal issue.

Overall, I would strongly recommend you read “The Rule Book”. It’s by far my favourite romance book I’ve read this year.

4.5 ⭐️
2.5 🌶️

Thank you so much to Hachette Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

College relationships are tough. Sometimes we think that we need to end things because we think we need to, or should, experience more, or that we will compromise what we have worked for....and sometimes those relationships come back to haunts us, and that's where Nora finds herself - she is stuck between a work promotion and an ex-boyfriend and he doesn't know that she has been suggested to act as his new agent. When he finds out, things don't go well. She broke his heart and he still carries that, so what is he supposed to do other than to make her life a little bit hell-ish....

I loved this book. I don't usually love the 'let's-torture-the-ex-to-get-them-to-quit' trope, because it often comes off as immature, but I enjoyed it in this instance. I like that these two thought they could make a list of rules to keep themselves in check, it just made me want to kick my heels in the air and squeal, because we all know how well those situations work.

This is a slow burn which allowed us to really learn who Nora and Derek are. It was perfect.

It was also fun to catch up wit the friends from The Cheat Sheet - that whiteboard....

Lastly, I have all the hearts for Derek.

This was by far one of the easiest 5 stars I’ve given. This book was so funny and I ended up reading it in two sittings. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing story early!!

Tropes include:

- second chance
- marriage of conscience
- found family

I went into this book blind, I was thoroughly impressed and surprised with the tropes and communication between Nora and Derek. The phrases Nora would spit out have never made me laugh so hard, she was just so unapologetically herself and Sarah Adams absolutely nailed it with her character. I loved that she was such a smart woman too and knew her worth. Derek was such a wonderful character to read about but what made everything tie together nicely were all the side characters. I want a Nicole in my life, she was such a funny person to read about.

Solid 5 stars, can’t wait to read more by Sarah Adams

Sarah Adam’s is such a comfort author for me. Her books are guaranteed good reads and they are like a big warm cosy hug. I was only 10% into this one when I knew it was going to be a 5 star read. It captivated me straight away and I love every single minute of it!

It was a sports open door romance packed full of tropes. We had enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine and a not-so-fake Vegas marriage. It was such a fun read that had me laughing out loud and grinning ear to ear.

The Rule Book is a companion novel to The Cheat Sheet so we had the same friendship group from that book but this time focussing on Derek and we got introduced to Nora who was an ABSOLUTE VIBE. She was so quirky and I’m still swooning over the witty banter between her and Derek.

Overall, I was obsessed and I recommend picking this one up next week when it’s released on April 2nd. A huge thank you to @hachetteaus and @netgalley for this #gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

🏈THE RULE BOOK📒

@authorsarahadams is an auto-buy author for me, and thanks to @netgalley I was able to inhale this one as an ARC.

Now, I loved The Cheat Sheet, and The Rule Book is a linked stand alone with that one. Same world and featuring some of the same loveable and hilarious characters 🙌.
(You don’t miss out on anything reading these out of order by the way.)

The Rule Book is a second chance love story - not usually a trope I love but it worked here. Derek and Nora are amazing. Quirky Nora is the perfect mix of adorable and boss lady 💁‍♀️.

If you’re looking for cosy, feel good rom-com with a fun cast of characters look no further than Sarah Adams.

This one is out in Australia on April 2nd!!! Get in line people 👏.

Ahhhh this book is amazing !! Such a fun lighthearted and banter-filled read. I loved Derek & Nora - it’s fair to say this is one of my FAVOURITE second chance romances! I laughed the whole way through. An amazing palate cleanser. If you liked the cheat sheet you will LOVE this book

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 / sarah adams

a quirky queen with ocd and an nfl player who carries around an iou from college?! say less because this book was literal perfection!!

i am a huge fan of sarah adams and her writing, she’s literally the most adorbs human ever 🥹 i loved when in rome & practice makes perfect and i knew if she wrote a spicy romance it would be elite and the rule book did not disappoint!

nora is quite possibly the most badass and relatable fmc i have ever read and i want to be best friends with her irl 🫶🏼 she works in a male driven industry and has to literally prove herself at every point, especially when her first client is her college ex boyfriend who has his sights set on revenge.

derek freaking pender 😮‍💨 if someone flirted with me the way derek flirted with nora i’d be a puddle on the floor. i couldn’t help but literally smirk and giggle while reading their interactions especially the way they tried to rile each other up.

tropes featured in this book:
🏈 marriage of convenience
🏈 second chance romance
🏈 enemies to lovers
🏈 forced proximity

thank you sarah for writing a book that is such a beautiful reminder that we are all enough and deserve to be loved 💗💗

thank you to netgalley and hachette for providing an e-arc of the rule book in exchange for an honest review.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Rules are meant to be broken right? 🤭

Big YES. If you’re a fan of Sarah’s other work or The Cheat Sheet you’ll love The Rule Book. I loved The Cheat Sheet so getting to jump back into the world of the L.A. Sharks was everything I hoped it would be. More of the found family that surrounds Bree, Nathan and Derek was the best.

I loved the representation of Dyslexia. Something that doesn’t always get represented and I thought it was done well.

This book was giving black cat x golden retriever energy at the start but then it kinda morphed into golden retriever x golden retriever energy and I LOVED that. Nora was the one that got away for Derek, we love a second chance romance!!! Plus we love a good one bed trope 😉

This was a cute, he re-falls first romance that had me giggling out loud 🥰

Nora is one of the quirkiest MFC’s I’ve read in a while. I loved all of her quirks and the way Derek loved those quirks made me love the book even more. The little sayings and jokes Nora would make were hilarious. I also loved the little pop culture references!

I’d definitely recommend this book to someone who wants to read a lighthearted romance.