I am really glad that a lot of series can be read as a stand alone and this one is just like that. This was a very cute novella that I read all in one sitting I will be going back reading the rest of these soon because I fell in love with them. The characters were cute and the story was great.

HOUSE RULES by Ruby Lang is book Three in the Uptown Series. This is the story of Simon Mizrahi and Lana Kuo. I have not yet read the previous books so for me this was a standalone book.
Simon and Lana had been married but divorced due to each other having different dreams and aspirations. There was not cheating and they still have lingering feelings but Lana moved away. Now back in their present day Simon is still in his little apartment that he can no longer stand, but plans to look for something else. Lana has moved back to Manhattan for a job and needs to find a roommate to help her with the high rented apartment. Simon and Lana end up going into an agreement to be roommates but with strict rules and to reevaluate their agreement in 3 months. This was a sweet no extra drama book about a older couple getting their second changes. Really enjoyed it as a older women.

This is the third novella in Ruby Lang’s Uptown series. This is also the first book form Ruby that I have read… definitely not my last!😁

After divorcing seventeen years ago, Simon and Lana haven’t crossed paths… until today. Both are in the market for a new apartment in New York city. Simon feels he finally has out grown of his dilapidated rent-controlled place that used to be his fathers and Lana, newly returned to the city after traveling the world needs her own place. They run into each other at an open house. Maturely they decide to go for coffee to catch up and plan to never see each other again… until Lana finds the perfect apartment and needs a roommate.

They move in together on trial basis- just as roommates. As both work different schedules, it should be easy to avoid each other… until they don’t. Simon has always loved Lana, but wasn’t willing to change the trajectory of his life to fit her in? while trying to make something of herself, Lana never stopped loving Simon either. With a second chance at forever, will they both be able to compromise and find their happily ever after?

As a novella, this was a quick read, but the character development and the the growth that occurs throughout the story does not give it that slapdash novella feeling. I was impressed at Ruby’s ability to capture the audience and deliver a well carried out story full of second chances in such a compact read.

I loved this story. The characters were authentic and the crisis of finding one owns happiness and a happiness together resonated. The mature characters were a breath of fresh air and I felt their joy as they found their own Carina Press guaranteed HEA❤️.

House Rules by Ruby Lang is scheduled to release February 10th, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HARLEQUIN - Carina Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#HouseRules #RubyLang #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

House Rules by Ruby Lang


Simon is the director of a children’s chorus and Lana is a noodle master, which involves a lot of hard work and dedicated apprenticeships. If you think that this sounds like the premise for an episode of House Hunters, you’re not entirely incorrect. Simon and Lana do end up moving into a beautiful and spacious two-bedroom apartment that they would never be able to afford on their own, but it’s slightly more complicated than that.

Simon and Lana used to be married, but they drifted apart. They bump into each other almost 20 years later, and Simon doesn’t think anything will come of it. But when Lana receives the opportunity to sublet that aforementioned spacious apartment, the first person she thinks of is Simon.

They agree to move in together: as friends and only because they both need to move out of their current situations. It seems like the perfect set-up, but then old feelings start to return.

So, this is a second chance romance, but most of the other second chance romances that I’ve read involve a redemptive arc. That isn’t the case with this book; there was no Big Reason that led to Lana and Simon’s divorce; they just drifted apart. There was no angsty pining for each other over the subsequent years, but neither of them remarried either. Nevertheless, Simon and Lana have been granted a second chance with each other, and their reconnecting is both familiar and new.

This dichotomy was part of the reason why Lana and Simon had such great chemistry. They spent years together, but it’s been awhile and their bodies are not entirely the same over the years, so this makes for some really hot scenes together.

I liked that the protagonists were “older” than the average. They are 42 and 44, but in the romance genre, that’s practically ancient. They’re closer to my age than the 20-somethings who pop up frequently as protagonists, so it was a refreshing change of pace.

Simon and Lana were great, but Muffin the cat absolutely stole the show. This furry little ball of trouble chewed the scenery (literally!) at every opportunity, and was the catalyst for bringing Simon and Lana back together.

I would absolutely recommend House Rules. I loved the NYC setting and the diverse cast. I loved how realistic their situation was: Manhattan apartments are expensive and splitting the costs of a spacious apartment is a necessity rather than a manufactured conceit. I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book. This is my first experience reading Lang, but I have already added her other books to my TBR queue.





I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars = I liked it. House Rules is a mellow 2nd chance romance. Simon hasn't seen Lana since she left him behind in New York when their marriage ended seventeen years ago when then run into each other while apartment hunting. Though the chance meeting stirs up feelings, they don't plan on seeing each other again, That changes when Lana finds the perfect apartment, but can't afford it on her own - and Simon is her only hope for being able to swing the lease. Simon is not too keen on the idea - still hurt after all this time - but it really is a great place, and the apartment is set up so they each have a separate space and they work opposite schedules, so won't he won't actually need to interact with Lana and Simon agrees to give it a try.

But if avoiding each other would actually work, there would be no story. I like the fact that many of the things that drew the pair together work to draw them together again, but also the fact that they are different people now so the things they didn't get about themselves the first time around they are able to address to keep from falling apart again. I especially like the lessons Lana has learned about herself and the promise she made to herself too - that if she really wants something she will ask for it, even if it is hard to ask.

My small nit with the story is that - since it is novella length - much of the insight the pair get into how they have related to each other comes from conversations with other people and they don't feed back these insight to each other.

But still I liked the story, I liked the leads and I will definitely look to read the other two stories in this series - which are due to be published together in a collection in a few months.

This is an unpaid review - ARC via NetGalley- release date February 10th

3 stars for a second chance romance between professional chef Lana Kuo and music teacher Simon Mizrahi, both in their early 40s, who find themselves living together as roommates in NY after their divorce 17 years prior.

I was totally into this premise. Finally something with 40+ year old characters. Diverse cast! Roomies with your Ex? Second Chance? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. While the premise sounds intriguing, I found that there could have been a lot more chemistry on the emotional side from the couple. I couldn't get why she fell for him again - I actually got frustrated - when it was clear until 90% in that he hadn't changed - apart from a few more lines around the eyes. The pacing was a bit off for me too and wished at times that more details on the personal side of the characters were explored rather than other options.

This book is the 3rd in the series but can totally be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the previous book in the series, just couldn't quite connect with the characters here.

Content Warning #cw for chronic pain and infertility.

Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of #HouseRules before publication. Everything in this review is based on my own opinion.

House Rules is the 3rd book in Ruby Lang's Uptown series, but each book is a standalone focusing on a new couple..

This is a story about a previously married couple getting an unexpected second chance. Lana and Simon decide to be temporary roommates since they can't afford the NY real estate market. They set strict rules on living together, with no funny business. But as they live together, they're reminded of why they fell in love the first time.

Ruby Lang presents us with a well-written story about rekindled romance without unnecessary angst and drama. It is truly a story about two people revisiting each other and finding their way back.

This is a cute, quick, easy-to-read romance with heart and humor.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a sweet, realistic romance based on a mature couple that have to surpass the trials of their fears in order to stay with each other. Very well written and well paced. Simon and Lana are up front about their feelings for each other and learn to slowly piece together their broken relationship once again. Enjoyed it

This was a sweet and quick read, which are honestly my favorite kind of romance. I haven't read a lot of romances featuring older couples (defining that here as 40+) so that was a refreshing change of pace. Also super sweet to see their dynamic as old friends who ultimately fall in love. I love a good slow burn and would recommend this one to other romance readers who enjoy that trope.

I really enjoyed this book. Simon and Lana were sweet. Their age added a different dynamic. The story was good.

A lush and bittersweet second chance romance, Ruby Lang's HOUSE RULES is my favorite entry in this wonderful novella series. It tells the story of the rekindling of a romance between a long-divorced couple when they decide to become roommates to share a gorgeous apartment. Lang does a beautiful job showcasing the ways people can relearn to love somehow because of rather than despite the many changes that may have taken place since they last lived and loved together.

This is the third and final book in Lang’s Uptown series and while second chance is not my trope of choice, I was thoroughly charmed by this book. Probably because it *also* kind of, sort of, includes marriage in trouble. Simon and Lana were married 17 years ago and got a divorce, so yes technically not a marriage in trouble. But for reasons that may only exist in a romance novel the two end up being roommates and begin to examine why their marriage did not work. I love marriage in trouble because I love seeing couples fight for their HEA.

One of the things I love about this books is that these two are adults in their 40s who’ve grown into who they are and know what they want from life. I always find that refreshing and just beautiful to see characters who are able to express that. When Lana says to Simon:

“I told myself after—after we separated I would always ask for what I needed, no matter how hard it was, no matter how long it took to work up to it, no matter how afraid I was of the answer. I’m still trying to do that.” I was just about in tears at how much I could relate to this and how many women I know who struggle with asking for what they need. I LOVED seeing that on page from someone. I also really loved seeing Lana’s connection to food and how emotional that was for her and observations like Lana taking into consideration if she would be the only Asian woman when she moved into a neighborhood. Things like that made the story feel very poignant and relevant at times. There’s a point when Simon finally *sees* the changes that Lana has made and Lang does this via Lana’s food since she’s a chef and it’s beautifully done.

I really liked the complicated and messy characters in this whole series. When I talk about realistic storylines or characters I’m talking about vulnerabilities or complexities in characters and Ruby Lang really shines with that.

Oh and there’s an asshole cat named Muffin so I was obviously going to love this no matter what, I can’t help it, give me an asshole pet and I AM IN.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance between Lana and Simon. It was really refreshing to read about a couple that is in their 40s and really owning who they are individually instead of who they want to be as a couple. Most romance novels are about people starting out in life and this story about two people who have figured it out and want to maintain that work is so good. I love how direct the writing is. Ruby Lang really didn't fluff this up with extra details and side line stories. While that may sound weird in a review, in the book it lets you just enjoy the heart of the story.

Just after reading the description, you get an idea of how its going to end, but I still read it with hopes for an interesting end, not a predictable one. Bleh! I was wrong.

This is a second chance love story. Simon and Lana were married and then divorced. Now, in their mid forties they meet again when they're both looking for somewhere to live. Circumstances lead to them sharing a lovely apartment. Their lives are sufficiently different that they don't need to see much of each other, but they can't stop looking for each other.

There are many things I liked about this story. The characters were so relatable. I loved that they were starting to feel old. Simon was often tired, not from doing anything especially tiring, but just from the day!

Simon was very sweet, if a little self centred. He grew a lot by the end. Lana is thoughtful and independent in a way that felt hard won. I liked that she was physically strong and this was hard won too.

There were a few little observations that I especially liked - like Lana taking the fact that she wouldn't be the only Asian woman in the neighbourhood into consideration when thinking about moving.
I usually like Ruby Lang's books and this was no exception. A lovely read.

3.5 stars
Cute story about second chance romance. Simon Mizrahi and Lana Kai were once married. Then divorced. Time has gone by, and now fate has brought them back together in the sense of an apartment. I found this story cute, but at times, unrealistic, at least to me.

House Rules is the third book in the Uptown series and is the best in an already stellar group. Ruby Lang writes beautiful, sweet and poignant books that feel akin to curling up in the best blanket with a good cup of tea on a cold day.

House Rules follows Simon and Lana who were married twenty years previously, got divorced and run into each other at an apartment viewing. What follows is a lovely slow burn love story of two people who (maybe) never stopped loving each other. Reading as these two characters navigated their new living arrangements and deal with the people they were versus the people they've become was so such a pleasure. I loved the juxtaposition of Lana, who is obviously aware of the ways she's made changes, listened to her needs and advocates for them against Simon who has changed and yet doesn't see that immediately.

The conflict in this book felt low but it was still well drawn and important. I loved that instead of having the couple miraculously work out their problems there was communication involved that we as the reader got to see. It made the story feel more real and intimate.

Overall this book is such a delight and is the kind of cozy romance that I just love.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. As far as romance novel tropes go, this one seemed different from the norm. I suppose you could lump it in with the "second chance" category, but it didn't feel that way. Maybe because the characters were older and more mature.

I think the blurb/ description of the book is not entirely accurate. The actual story was so much better than that. It didn't feel kitschy and stale. It felt authentic.

Simon and Lana still have that insta-chemistry that you come to expect in romance novels, but they are both cautious with their relationship. They both act like adults, they have jobs, family issues, and struggle to change and let another person into their lives. They are both far from perfect, but they realize that, and have to work on themselves.

All that being said, there are some seriously steamy scenes. I think there is really something to be said about having characters that are a bit older, more mature, and comfortable in their own skin. It's sexy as all get out.

Overall, I really liked this book. I would totally recommend it to my romance-reading friends. I look forward to reading the rest of this series, as well.

I adored this book. This is a second chance love story between two people who were married and divorced (not due to cheating, due to life things and not understanding themselves and their relationship, which felt so super real) who become roommates because NYC is expensive and it was just so GOOD. I loved watching Simon and Lana figure out who they each were now and that their feelings weren't just nostalgia, that they were real and true and they were good together like they were now, who they'd become not who they expected they'd be. I adored the very realistic family concerns and the way the figured out how to negotiate their new dreams and build a life together felt so good and so right. I just really, really, enjoyed it and is a perfect addition to the series.

House Rules is the third book in Ruby Lang's Uptown series, and can be read as a standalone for new readers. It follows Simon Mizrahi and Lana Kai, a couple whose marriage fell apart 17 years ago when they discovered they wanted different things. Now, Lana returns to New York City to take a job as a chef, and finds herself struggling to cover the cost of rent on her own. After ruling out other options, she reaches out to Simon. The two move in and soon sparks are flying.

Quiet is the word that comes to mind when I think of this romance–the hero and heroine feel like real people, who hurt each other in the past, and are trying to protect their hearts now. There isn't a big dramatic conflict other than the very real fact that they might still be wrong for each other, that even though they've changed things still might not work. In particular, I really loved how Lang explored Simon's passion for his music and Lana's history with leaving music behind to pursue work that made her truly happy. I also loved the blend of things that felt both new and familiar for a couple that once knew each other so well.

This is the first book I've read by Lang, but with endearing characters, a heartfelt romance, and a story firmly grounded in the real ups-and-downs of a relationship, I can easily see myself reading the other books in this series. There is also a very cute and temperamental cat, which is always a bonus.

I'd recommend this to contemporary romance fans, particularly those looking for older couples (both are in their 40s here) and those who love second chance stories.