4 Setting the Ground Rules Stars!!

I just finished this newest book by Ms. Flynn and while I had a little bit of a tough time getting into the story at the beginning, the more I read the more I fell in love with Caleb, Zara and her lovable horse of a dog Anchovy!

Caleb and Zara are brought together because they both need something, albeit different things, but equally important to each of them and the only way to get what they need is to agree to five dates on the new dating app Bramble. The kicker is that Caleb's mom is in charge of picking his match and with Zara he's getting more than he bargained for!

Having been on a few blind dates both from fixups and internet matches I could totally relate to what Zara was feeling as she made her way to first date, with no help from Anchovy! I absolutely loved how Zara was her authentic self. She is quirky and funny and smart and she doesn’t let how extremely hot finds Caleb to be deter her from speaking her mind and Caleb is shocked by happy because he feels like he can be who he really is and so begins their 5 dates!

This book moves at a great pace given they’re both motivated to get in their 5 dates to reach the end of their time together. Except something happens along the way and they become friends and find there’s a mutual attraction and soon it’s clear there’s more going on than just fulfilling an agreement. Zara’s not experienced someone like Caleb before in or out of bed and let’s just say, it’s zing, zang, zoom HOT between these two. Throw in Anchovy who has ways of making his presence known and life as they know it changes.

I loved how we got a surprise appearance by a Hartigan, secondary characters that I’m completely on board with getting their own stories and two people who find love when their least expecting it and it’s a total Hat Trick! I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

i really enjoyed this one! this is my 4th Avery Flynn book and i feel like i know exactly what i am getting with one of her books. they are so enjoyable and so readable. i thought this was a ton of fun, super cute and steamy to boot. i liked both characters, i liked the story. i can't wait to read the next one!

Parental Guidance is a cute fun read. Zara and Caleb are both kind of forced into using a dating app where they are matched up. Zara is on the dating app as part of wanting to win a bet with her friend. Caleb is on the dating app as part of a PR stunt to make his hockey team look better. Neither really wants to lasting relationship at of it, they just want the five dates so this should be easy for them but of course feelings get involved. They are very likeable character. These two are so cute. I loved reading this one.

Cute concept with this story. I always love an Avery Flynn novel as it is always more than just a cute rom com. Loved the characters of Zara and Caleb. When Caleb doesn’t take a leadership role with his fellow hockey players, PR steps up and tells him he has to go on a dating app where his mom can pick his date. Zara thinks the whole idea is crazy but also fills out the app too, and her father helps her. Caleb and Zara agree to the 5 date rule but agree there will be no relationship! Ahhhh, famous last words. Ms. Flynn always has a way with her storyline and makes her characters so real. Really enjoyed this story!

Parental Guidance was my first book by Avery Flynn, and I loved it. It was a lovely, different book with great characters that melted my heart. In fact, all of the characters were so likeable and relatable that I found myself quickly engrossed.

Caleb melted my heart, and I really wanted to give him a big hug so many times. He is a big softy and had a few issues to deal with that just made me love him more. Zara is a straight talking, feisty little firecracker who made me laugh and gave me all the feels. Although these two don’t think they could work, it’s soon obvious that they are perfect; they just have to realise that, too.

Caleb and Zara both have difficult parents who have given them some anxieties to deal with in adulthood. That makes for a real page turning plot; the plot was unique and flowed at just the right pace. Who would even think to let their parents handle their dating life? Not me!

When I first read the blurb for Parental Guidance, I thought it sounded funny. I’m so glad I took a chance on this book!

Parental Guidance was basically Kim catnip. Fake dating, meddlesome parents, sassy heroine and sexy hockey player? Hello, right up my alley. This is 100% a literally-laugh-out-loud-with-a-cheesy-grin-on-your-face book. The sexy times were pretty darn hot, too. All of that, combined with characters that were relatable and easy to root for made it the perfect book for me. 

I loved Caleb and Zara, both separately and together. The unlikely pairing worked so well for me. I was totally hooked from their early banter and agreement to play along with this parent-driven dating app and show. They totally made me smile. Reading along as they got to know each other better and formed a friendship that turned into more was such a joy. Their dates were fun and creative and their chemistry sizzled.

Parental Guidance was a super fun read. If a hockey romance with a "bad boy" hero in need of an image makeover and a sassy heroine who is most decidedly NOT looking for a relationship sounds like something you might enjoy, look no further. This'll be your next favorite read. I'm so happy to have discovered Avery Flynn this year. I can't wait to see what she gives us next.

Favorite Quotes:

"I don't want to date. Anyone. Ever. I like being in full and complete control of my life."

"You're not into being creative? I guess that's expected for someone who has probably had women throwing themselves at him for years. You haven't ever had to work for it."

"I solemnly swear that I'm only trying to get into your pants and not your heart."

"If you think we're stopping with one, then you have the wrong guy, because I'm going to fuck you until you are wrung out, satisfied and too dick drunk to ask for one more orgasm."

This was a cute read,light hearted and fun read!I really enjoyed it I just felt it was too short in my opinion.I wish we had more.The concept behind the dating app was fun,refreshing and interesting.

I really liked Caleb and Zara they were a great match!She was sassy and he was sexy and cute!

It was an easy and quick read, perfect for summer!

Caleb is trying and doing anything to change his public image. He didn't intervene when others were running down women they had been with and his mom, along with the PR woman from the team, decides that he is going to complete five dates with a woman of his mom's choosing. After each date, he will have to have and interview to discuss how the date went.
Zara is a young woman who works so much that she has no life. When her friend talks her into doing the dating app as well, she decides to be brutally honest in her intro. After all, there is no need to sugarcoat anything when it is only five dates. Once they meet up the first time, they set rules to follow, supposedly to protect themselves from getting hurt.
Over the course of the dates, they end up seeing each other more often. He finds loop holes so he can see her more. They both like spending time together and realize that they are breaking their own rules, but can't seem to stay away from each other. They both share deeply held secrets with the other, but when he does something to be nice, it backfires and she pushes him away.
This is a great story about learning to trust someone, even when you don't think there is a future with them. The way they both realize their feelings and move to make things right after their argument were wonderful. He realized his feelings earlier, but didn't want to push her too hard. The discussion he had with his mom about Zara and his dyslexia; as well as, her discussion with her dad about her childhood were long over due and emotional.
I do believe that this should be the second book in the series because Tomboy was about one of the the hockey team members as well. The only other gripe is the fact that he never came clean with his teammates about his dyslexia. I think there could have been a wonderful way for him to acknowledge it to everyone and realize that he could get help and help others.
I loved this book and can't wait to read more about the members of this hockey team. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Avery Flynn has once again delivered a romance that brings the humor and the heart! Fake relationships are always fun, and Caleb and Zara’s story was not only a fun read, but also delivered an emotional punch as these two had to navigate through some past issues to find their way to their future together.

“Five dates and we’re done. Period” – what a great plan for both Zara and Caleb . Without the pressure of having to date, these two were able to let their guards down a bit and I loved how that led to some fun banter and allowed them to get to know each other a bit deeper than the “being on your best behavior since we’re just dating” would have let them. And I think without starting off the way they did they never would have been able to address the baggage that they had to deal with. I loved how they were so compatible in so many ways, and it was easy to see Caleb was the one for Zara when Anchovy clearly approved of him!

Zara’s dad and Caleb’s mom added the whole “Parental Guidance’ to the story and brought both humor and heart. As over the top that these two could be, it was clear that they wanted the best for their children, and I was so happy to we got to see those relationships strengthen and mend. Caleb’s teammates showed why Caleb thought of his team as family, keeping Caleb’s head in the game and giving him relationship advice, or at least trying to in that guy way that is always awkward and uncomfortable and often leads to a bit of friendly violence. And we all need a friend like Gemma – someone to serve us some shots of tequila and get us to step outside of our comfort zone and remind us we need to live, well, maybe minus the tequila!

I had a lot of fun with this one and enjoyed Caleb and Zara’s story. Filled with Avery Flynn’s trademark sass, snark, humor, heart, and heat, this is one for your TBR!

Parental Guidance is the first book in an all new series, but it can be read as a complete standalone.
Caleb Stuckey has found himself in a PR nightmare and the solution? Let his mother have control of his dating profile. Zara just wants to help her dad and get her best friend to leave her alone when it comes to dating. Five dates. That is all it was suppose to be. They would help each other out and then go back to their lives like normal.
I LOVED Zara. She wasn’t afraid to be herself and she didn’t change who she was to fit in with the rest of society. Caleb was super sweet. Yes, he didn’t make the best decision when it didn’t come to a certain viral video, but it isn’t who he truly his. After the first date they had an agreement, but after the second date Caleb started to feel more and wanted more than 5 dates with Zara. Zara was a little more reluctant when it come to her feelings.
Caleb and Zara’s chemistry is perfect. I loved following along with all their dates and of course, the video segments at the end. Their parents were hilarious and I loved that we got to see their thoughts and their opinions when it came to the dates and their children dating.
This story was sweet, it was funny and it was hot. It was so easy to fall in love with all the characters. I can’t wait to see more of all these characters in future books. If you LOVE rom coms this is a MUST READ!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and upbeat and had a unique story line with the “parental guidance” twist to the dating situation.

Caleb and Zara definitely have gotten in over their heads when they set up extra rules for their situation (not relationship). They are everything that each other needs and I think even Anchovy agrees.

This was a fun book to read and I look forward to many more from this author!

Caleb Stuckey is a defenseman for the Harbor City Ice Knights professional hockey team. He is in a bit of trouble for a video that went viral where some of his younger teammates were talking garbage about puck bunnies, among other things. He was the most senior player there, and he didn't speak up to stop them, so he's the one in trouble. His mom is a famous high school hockey coach, one of very few women coaching a boys high school team. She takes no crap from anyone, but especially not from Caleb. When the team PR guru suggests that Caleb agree to a 5 date setup from a dating app, with the winning profile for his date being chosen by his mom, he knows he's in trouble. How is he going to make it through 5 dates with some girl his mom chooses?

Zara Ambrose is a bit of a mess. She's a miniatures artisan. She has total control over the world of her miniatures, which is so unlike her real life it isn't even funny. She grew up with a totally unreliable dad, who always followed every crazy impulse he had. Now she buries herself in work, so she'll always know the bills will be paid on time, and she'll be able to eat; things she couldn't always count on growing up. When her dad has his next pie-in-the-sky scheme, to become an actor, he needs his SAG card. But first, he has to get on TV. What better way than forcing Zara to allow him to pick her a date from the app for a 5 date deal, with interviews with the local TV station after each date? She has no idea what she's in for.

When Caleb and Zara meet, they both find the other attractive, but neither are really interested in pursing a relationship, or taking these dates seriously at all. They realize they are both basically there because they have to be, and they make an agreement. They'll complete their 5 dates, to fulfill the terms of their deals, and then that'll be it. No further dating, no relationship, nothing. 5 dates, and done. They have to get to know each other some, in order to make their after date interviews interesting for the cameras, but that's all they really want to do. They have a spark, but they're both insisting on ignoring it.

The interviews with Caleb and Zara, along with Caleb's mom, and Zara's dad are hilarious. Her dad is such a mess, and he makes no bones about trying to make a buck where he can. Caleb's mom comes off gruff and tough, and she suffers no fools. I liked that she seems to have always made Caleb face up to challenges, even ones beyond his control, like his dyslexia. They are both a riot and I enjoyed seeing their interactions with the main characters. Some of the other hockey players, and Zara's best friend, were great comic relief. Zara's great dane, Anchovy was hilarious, and I loved him as well.

Zara and Caleb's connection was a slow burn, but I enjoyed their banter. Both Zara and Caleb were flawed characters, whose childhood issues really carried through to adulthood with them, causing all sorts of havoc. Zara has major trust issues, and is a workaholic. Caleb isn't good with being the center of attention, and he isn't really confident in anything but hockey. Neither really thinks the other could actually be into them. It was frustrating to see their internal thoughts that they weren't really sharing with the other person. I hated knowing that both of them were falling for the other, but didn't think there was any chance of success.

There were a couple things that I felt got sorted a little too cleanly towards the end, especially with Zara's dad. I would've liked to see that resolution between them explained and fleshed out a little more, since it was the root of so many of Zara's issues. I felt there was a little more resolution with Caleb's mom, and I appreciated that. Caleb and Zara both really had to decide what they wanted and make the changes required to get in, in order for them to be together, and I enjoyed watching it all work out.

This was my first book from this author, but I'm intrigued to read the Hartigans series now, since we met some characters from that series here. I enjoyed this one. It was a fun hockey-mance, and I'm interested in reading the next one.

I tried getting into this one but it just wasn’t for me. The plot and premise was unique and it had potential but the character development lacked.

I felt there wasn’t much chemistry with Zara or Caleb. It felt rushed and forced.

The viral video which put Caleb in the hot seat was also kind of a let down. Same with his learning disability. I felt the author could of introduced it from the beginning and actually do it justice but it was a missed opportunity.

It was funny in some parts in others it fell flat. I was excited for a good rom com as those are my guilty pleasures but this was was meh.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Caleb is a hockey player who needs to clean up his image and Zara wants to help her dad out and get her best friend off of her back, so they agree to five dates with Bramble, where their parents choose who they date. It’s a cute romance with an awesome dog, too. I felt that Caleb was a great character, but something about Zara bothered me. Great banter between them, but a typical romance. This was my first book by Avery Flynn and I will definitely read another.

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this wonderful, snarky, and funny book, Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn, book one in her Ice Knights series. This book had me on an emotional journey as we followed Caleb and Zara’s love story. This amazing story pulls out all the stops.

Caleb has learned the hard way that there are consequences for his behavior or rather for not acting like a leader and shutting down an inappropriate conversation with teammates. Especially when that conversation ends up having been video-taped and going viral, making them all look bad. The team’s PR person gets Caleb and his mom involved in a new dating app as a way to turn around the bad publicity. Caleb’s mom chooses a candidate who is to see for five dates. Zara signed up for the app after a bet gone wrong with her best friend. Her application is honest and to the point; including looking for someone to “clean out the cobwebs” and not expecting to find forever happiness. Caleb might be a foot taller than Zara but she can hold her own. Neither of these two is perfect yet they are definitely perfect together. Plus, Zara’s dog, Anchovy, adds more fun to this story and their relationship. Overall, this story was filled with sarcasm, laughs, snark, and even some sexy scenes that made me wish it never ended.

Ms. Flynn wrote a wonderful and hysterical story that was moving and filled with sexual chemistry, wonderful dialogue, and endearing but flawed characters that should definitely not be missed. I highly recommend Parental Guidance to other readers and I am anxious for the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

This is my first read by Avery Flynn and I really like her writing style. I like it a lot better than I thought I would when I first starting reading this book. It is in two person POV (the two main characters), but the way it is set up is where the author doesn't plainly point out which character's POV it currently is, rather you notice as you read. Flynn does separate the POVs through other ways such as spacing in paragraphs. This was a reason I wasn't sure if I was going to like her writing style, but I have to say it worked for this book. I usually immediately get let down when I begin a romance book and discover that it is from only one POV. I hate to say it but sometimes, unless I have been really looking forward to reading a book, I usually steer clear of single POV romances. It's really just a preference, but I feel like you discover more and are able to really feel the characters when you can read from both POV.

At first Zara seemed like one of those awkward young women with very little friends, who hide away behind their career and are extremely shy. That all changed when she is set up by her best friend to have five dates with a guy on an app called Bramble, where people are signed up to go on dates of their parents choosing and receive dating advice from them. Only she gets paired with a hotshot NHL player who is having to clear up a PR scandal, so to switch the media focus, he is roped into being signed up by his mother on the Bramble app.

Their first date is rough, but they come to a conclusion to get each other through the five required dates with no attachments. But quickly they begin to grow feelings and attraction towards each other, even when they try to deny it all.

Oh my gosh I just loved this book so much. I laughed, I cried, I got angry and I cringed at the embarrassing scenes, like when Caleb fell over his own two feet on stage and landed in Zara’s lab with his butt in the air :) hi hi.
The book is about Caleb and Zara. They both kind of get forced into entering a dating app, each of their own reasons. Their parents chooses to set them up with each other and on their first date they make an arrangement because they are both sure they are not right for each other. They agree on going on their 5 dates helping each other look good in front of the city. They have to get interviewed on morning tv after each date. They get more and more in tuned with each other and start seeing each other outside of the dates they have to go on, becoming friends and then more. The HEA is so romantic and sweet and it is like its taken right out of a modern day fairytale. They both have their problems and insecurities but they help eachother face them by opening up and confronting them head on.
The characters are so well described and you just feel everything they feel. I fell in love with every single one of them throughout the book and I am looking very much forward to the next book with Cole Phillips as the hero.
I haven’t read a book by Avery Flynn before but I definitely will be reading more of her books. I have already bought “Tomboy” about Zach and Fallon because I got very intrigued by how they got together.
I can definitely recommend this book if your in the mood for a feel good, sweet romantic book with an amazing HEA.
I got the book for free from Entangled Publishing through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

A cutesy, fluffy rom com, this book was a light read that had me laughing and shaking my head at times but it flowed well and I enjoyed the characters and their banter. An enjoyable read.

Sooo good!! Familar cast of characters, humor, passion, flawed hero & heroine, adorable Great Dane, meddling parents, simply wonderful love story about 5 dates and not falling in love. I adore our pint sized, minaturist heroine, Zara and our oversized, don't pay attention to me, want to help everyone, hero, Caleb. This is a simply phenomenal read. Quirky, sweet, steamy, all the feels! I feel so good after finishing this. Avery nailed it! I received a review copy from Netgalley. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Avery Flynn is one of my most favorite Rom com writer and I wait for each of her book anxiously. Parental Guidance was so worth the wait. Like all her previous works, she brought a fresh perspective and clever twist to conventional rom com. Her writing was on point. It was sweet, dreamy and hard core swoonworthy romantic. It was emotional and heartwarming. A gripping and fascinating story line met with Avery Flynn's sharp, witty and brilliant writing to create this Rom Com masterpiece.

Caleb and Zara are forced to go on a series of five dates through an online app due to various reasons. They were selected for each other by their parents as per the app's setting. Caleb has to salvage the image of his Ice hockey team and Zara has to help her father's aspiration. They make a deal but plans don't always go in right way. Those reluctant and obligatory dates become a deeper connection and true attraction. But what to do with the expiration date they have put on their relation?

I look forward to Avery Flynn's heroines. Honestly. She creates such amazing, fierce, compassionate and strong female leads. And Zara has own my heart too! She has been taking care of herself and the household since early age. She is passionate about her miniature art work and poured her heart and soul in it. She may be insecure and vulnerable at times but she went after what her heart really wants. She is not perfect with perfect body, perfect life and perfect dress. She is the real, free, caring and open minded woman with flaws and I could relate to her instantly. And Caleb has made her feel happy and protected. This guy melted my panties and my heart. He is so protective, gorgeous, sincere and a total golden boy. I was in for a ride of lifetime as the author took me through high and low of this beautiful relationship. The trademark humor and witty banter was there along with some heartwarming, soft and glowing emotions. The chemistry turned from cozy camaraderie to true friendship to burning passion to all consuming love!


<b>Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn was an emotional rollercoaster where I laughed, cried, swooned and had a blast. It was definition of good time. A must read Rom Com of 2019.


Received ARC for Honest Review