When Willa mistakes Grady for a stripper (and a very authentic one at that), he's extremely amused, and more intrigued than he's been in years. Willa's rough beginnings made her grow up much too young, which colored her view on relationships and led to some extreme workaholic tendencies.

Following in his fathers footsteps as a smokejumper, Grady knows how hard the his career can be on a family. Because of this, he's more than happy to live with no strings attached - so Willa's "no more than" two-date rule suits him just fine.

But after only one date, Grady knows that two will not be enough. This leads to a string of not dates that are romantic, fun and flirty. Both Willa and Grady are happy to play the "not a date" game so that the good times don't end.

The Two-Date Rule was a lot of fun - the banter between Will and Grady had me laughing throughout the book, and their banter by text was priceless. Watching these two break down the barriers they've both built over their lifetimes is a lot of fun, but also incredibly sweet. Throw in their chemistry, and you know these two are meant to be more than just two dates.

This is another winner from Tawna Fenske - I can't wait to see what more she has in store for us in the Smokejumper series.

willa frank is wound a little tightly. to be fair, she's had to overcome a lot in her life, so the fear of failing and worrying about where her next meal is going to come from is a very real thing. and part of being wound so tight and worrying about her own safety means that she isn't really willing to let someone else in. because then she'd have to worry about their safety too and really she's got enough to be anxious about. so willa has a rule, she'll give a guy two dates and that's it.

so she meets grady and he's the kind of guy who doesn't let things get to him, mainly because thinking about bad things and hard things isn't something he enjoys. he's a smokejumper, so he knows quite a bit about bad things and hard things. he just rather focus on the here and now instead of worrying about the future. and he likes spending time with willa. so much so that he goes out of his way to make sure all the time they spend together doesn't count as a second date.

and of course then they both catch feelings and all their baggage bubbles up. but these two characters are great together and great for each other and i just loved reading the two-date rule.

**the two-date rule will publish on february 25, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/entangled publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Tawne Fenseke flips the script on the no-repeats trope with The Two-Date Rule, making the heroine the person who doesn't want to be distracted with more than... well... two dates.

Willa leads a life of structure and rules, and tries her hardest to keep herself in line when she starts falling for charming Grady on their series of non-dates. And what a charmer he is! Seriously. I Willa was an okay heroine, but I absolutely adored Grady!

It bugged me when Willa makes this big mistake that puts her entire business at risk. I felt like it could have been easily avoided since she's such a planner -- she talked about the schedule of things but then went out with Grady anyway. And she placed the blame all on him, not owning up to her own wrongdoing, and that rubbed me the wrong way.

But despite that shortfall, I did enjoy Willa and Grady's story. It was funny and fun, lighthearted and sexy with a couple who had sizzling chemistry. I received an advanced copy via NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily left a review.

Tawna Fenske’s The Two-Date Rule may be the first book that I have read and review by her. I have seen her name around for a while but couldn’t find a book that I had read. This was the perfect book to start for me. The characters especially Willa was “adorable” (to quote Grady) quirky but so very refreshingly likable. Grady was almost too good to be true. The story was flirty, fun with a easy touch on the past can hold a person back.

The Two-Date Rule seemed like such a preposterous idea until you read Willa’s reasoning and come to know her past. The narrative flows with charming encounters between Willa and Grady. Besides these two there are family and friends are all ready to help these two with advice as they work through relationships issues that bring to light their personal ones such as fear of commitment. An enjoyable read by an author whose writing that I found to my liking.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m a pretty big fan of all books Tawna Fenske. Although this one wasn’t my all time favorite of hers, I think this was a great start to a new series. The heroine was relatable, the hero was yummy and the story kept me interested! That’s about all I can ask for in my romance novel!!

Willa has one hard, fast rule when it comes to dating: two dates and she's done. She's never felt compelled to break this because she is totally focused on her business. And then she meets Grady and suddenly the two date rule isn't as appealing. So when Grady starts making "non-dates", Willa quickly agrees but when dating Grady interferes with her company, something has to give.

I loved both of these characters so much. They had such compelling backstories that I was quickly drawn in.This really was a case of opposites attract and they had a lot to overcome but they did it with humor and sensitivity. I really loved the secondary characters here too and look forward to more in this series.

Rules go up in smoke:
Willa and Grady have a deep attraction and enjoy one another's company, but they have a problem. She has a two date only rule and he doesn't want anything permanent. It was fun seeing these two work past the barriers they'd erected. There were plenty of sexy times but also what felt like honest personal development as well as growth as a couple. Poor Willa is wounded and has to overcome a lot in order to finally find peace and happiness and it broke my heart at times to see her pain. This book has depth and deals with real and sometimes difficult issues, however the overall tone of the book was hopeful and not too heavy. I also enjoyed learning about smoke-jumpers and the hardships their profession places on them both physically and relationally. Overall a great read and I can't wait to read more by this talented author.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

While Willa and Grady’s story was both funny and serious, it wasn’t what I would call a romantic comedy like Fenske’s Ponderosa Resort books. But it certainly didn’t take away from the solid and engaging romance between smokejumper Grady and small business owner Willa. I had a harder time connecting with Willa, because although I understood how her upbringing affected her personality, she was wound a bit tight.
I loved their meet-cute, the texting exchanges between the two and how they rationalized that each of their “dates” weren’t exactly dates...even though most people would count them as dates! My biggest issue was the conflict that tore them apart. Based upon Willa’s hyper-vigilance in all things business related, I just didn’t buy it. I understand why the author used this method to create conflict, but it didn’t ring true to me.
Regardless, I fully enjoyed the first book in what looks to be a great new series from a favorite, must-read author.

"You think I'm a stripper." He should probably be annoyed but could only muster flattered. "Hey, I'm not judging." she said. "I mean, obviously I'm here. And it looks like hard work."

What a great way to meet! Willa and Grady meet under unusual circumstances, and their dating pattern is designed to stay unusual. Thanks to Willa's fear of commitment and inability to let go of her work responsibilities.

This relationship is a great example of opposites attract. Grady lives in the moment. He loves his job, they have that in common. But everything else in is life is unplanned.

I love the chemistry between these two characters. Willa's backstory has dimension and totally reflects why she lives the life she lives. This is a little different than the past series I have read by Tawna Fenske. I've loved all of her books, but definitely love this new venture!!

This was so good, guys.

In this new series, we have Willa and Grady; they meet at a strip club and after a misunderstanding, they start dating. Which would be all awesome and stuff, except Willa only dates guys for two dates… too bad Grady was awesome, lol.

I loved these two, Willa was great, caring, patient and went through so much, my heart ached for her so hard. I simply wanted to hug her and solve her issues, lol. Her friends were awesome and hopefully we’ll hear more from them in future books.

So glad Grady came into the picture, he was funny, brave and generous as hell. He also had issues from his past, he just only bury them and didn’t think of them.

I loved these two together, they complemented each other perfectly. I loved Willa taught Grady that plans are possible; and he taught her that you can’t control everything, and that’s ok!

Such a fun start of this series, I can’t wait to read more of this! <3

*Thank you to the author for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*

Thank you to the publisher for an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read one other book by Tawna Fenske before and I plan to read more. This romance was a solid story - filled with what readers come to expect from a light, fun romance novel. I didn't connect to the characters as strongly as I have in other novels, but I think that is a personal preference. I would definitely read the rest of the books in the series, as I liked all the other side characters we were introduced to. 3.5 stars

Willa has a plan. After a unconvential childhood, with little money. Willa is all work and very little play. She doesnt have time for relationships, and lives by a two date rule. She has a plan and she is sticking to it. Grady is the complete opposite, lives his life as a smoke jumper. Going from fire to fire. Not making any plans for the future. Talk about opposites attract. these two are as opposite as can be.
The first time Willa meets Grady she is on a night out with her friends. She assumes he is one of the strippers. After one amazing date Grady realises he wants more than one more date. So he starts to come up with non dates. Its a win win situation, he gets to spend time with Willa and not use up the second date. The chemistry between these two leaps off the page. If you like your romance with humour and steam. You will love this. ARC requested from Net Galley, this is my voluntary review.

This is book 1 in a new series and it is off to a good start. The story is emotional on so many levels. Fear of commitment. Fear of failure. Fear of poverty. Fear that there might not be a tomorrow. Both Willa and Grady have these fears and so many more. Willa is a planner. Her life is scheduled and organized for fear of ending up like her father with nothing; no stability, no job, and at times no home. Grady, on the other hand, lives for the here and now for fear something might happen on a jump and he won't be here tomorrow.

The fears are real and both need to come to terms with why they have these fears and what can they do about them.

Growing up in a single parent home and being an only child, I related to Willa. You grow up fast, learning to be the parent at times. You learn how to budget very quickly and how to make the most of the money you have. You learn to do activities with little to no cost. And when you want a splurge, you learn to save for it. You learn to put money away, because you just don't know what might happen in the future. It becomes a way of life and it is hard to break those habits. Just ask my husband. Even now, we coupon shop and save our coins. I did not experience most of the challenges that Willa did, but it reminded me of growing up.

This was much different than I thought it would be! The concept seemed so fun, and it was, but this story dealt with much more serious issues than I could've imagined.

Willa Frank had a difficult life growing up. Her mom abandoned her, and her dad was an alcoholic, and a gambling addict. At times they were homeless, and she never had all she needed, even in the best of times. Her dad still struggles with many issues, and though she wishes she could hate him, she doesn't, and she helps him out, even when she probably shouldn't. So, she lives her life VERY carefully, and she has a lot of rules for herself. She started her own web design business, and it's been pretty successful, but she fears that could change at any time. So, rule number 1, WORK COMES FIRST, ALWAYS. At the expense of anything and everything else. Rule number 2, never go out on more than 2 dates with anyone. That way no one gets attached, or gets their feelings hurt, and there won't be anything distracting Willa from her goals. And it's all been fine. Until Grady.

Grady Billman is a smokejumper, like his father was, and some of his brothers are as well. He loves his job, but it's a relationship killer. Most women don't appreciate being left alone so often, with not much communication, and no idea when he might return. Or IF he'll return. That IF is always with him, and keeps him from making any real plans for his future, even though he knows he can't do the job forever. So, he doesn't make romantic attachments that he doesn't have the time or energy for, and then no one gets hurt. But, when he and Willa meet, and she announces her rules on their first date, he's worried 2 dates won't be enough for him. He proceeds to come up with hangout activities for them that are DEFINITELY NOT DATES, so he can continue to spend time with her. But is there really a future for the two of them?

Grady and Willa had a super hot, instant attraction, and their meet cute was pretty hilarious and unforgettable. I loved their banter and the ways that they connected well. They both held so much of themselves back though, and it was real work for them to figure out if, and how, they wanted to move forward. They both really needed professional help, in a couple of different areas, and I appreciated that by the end this fact wasn't ignored.

Willa's family life was a total mess, where Grady had a HUGE, amazing family. Though he remembers that it was often difficult for his mom when he was a kid, and she was parenting alone most of the time. His parents had struggles, some of which he never even knew about, and he had to realize the work they put in to make their marriage strong. Willa's parents were both a hot mess, and she had SO MANY ISSUES, which were all a product of her inconsistent and problematic upbringing. But, at some point, as an adult, you have to recognize what your issues are, and learn ways, besides total avoidance, of dealing with them properly. You have to take control of your own life, and she wasn't interested, or willing, to really do that until she fell for Grady.

Willa's 2 best friends were pretty great, and I enjoyed some of Grady's smokejumping teammates, and his brothers too. Hopefully some or all of them will show up in future stories in this world. They both had an awesome friend group surrounding and supporting them, and I love to see great friendships in books, especially between women.

Overall, this story was much more fraught and emotional than I thought it would be, but I enjoyed it very much. It had depth, and substance, and wasn't just your typical rom com. I really enjoyed The List series from this author a ton, and I'm looking forward to more in this series too!

3.5 Stars
This feel good romance was about two adults learning to come to grips with their commitment issues.
Willa issues had come from a childhood with a drunk father and an absentee mother and an desire to control her destiny by letting no one get in the way of her career goals, head her two date rule. Grady was a smoke-jumper that put out wild fires for a living knowing that every jump could be his last.

This book had a cute start and an HEA ending which made it an enjoyable read. Tawna Fenske is a talented author and some of her other books have been 5 stars reads for me.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy provided by Entangled Publishing/NetGalley.

I enjoyed reading this so much and it being my first book by this author, I didn't have any expectations. The story is sweet and sexy but also fun. I was smiling and laughing at Grady and his sneaky ways of getting more "dates" and not calling them that. He brought out the fun that Willa needed in her life.

The start of Tawna Fenske’s new series is an adorable romcom that nonetheless has serious undertones, something this author does very well. Grady is a “live for today” smokejumper from a large family who is comfortable with chaos and knows he should be planning for the future, but doesn’t want to think about that right now. Willa is a “perpetual planner”. She has some fairly serious abandonment/anxiety issues after experiencing poverty and occasional homelessness with her feckless, alcoholic father. As a result she has real problems with spontaneity and is scared that if she doesn’t work all the time and always have new web design jobs lined up, she’ll fail and be broke.

Willa doesn’t want to be distracted from her career goals so she has a 2 date rule to keep from getting involved too deeply with any guy. Grady meanwhile is instantly smitten and won’t take no for an answer, so whenever he asks to spend time with Willa, he insists it’s not a date so that she won’t cut him off. This leads to some fun situations and really cute banter between them. You could definitely feel the sparks and were rooting for them both throughout the book.

Willa is a woman who feels deeply. My heart broke a little for her as she tried so hard to create stability after coming from a background of chaos. Grady was totally a good guy, never hesitating to run toward danger if he saw someone in need, 100 % caretaker alpha, absolutely bonkers over Willa from the moment he saw her, and trying hard to win more time with her while also trying not to trigger her anxiety over dating. These two were just adorable together and their romance gave me a warm, happy feeling.

Willa had at least two million more pressing things to do starting with the marketing plans for the Cortland deal and the proposal for the new client from….But Willa was at the male revue-The Bone Yard Gang because it was a celebration of Aislin’s birthday . Willa had her own web design business , She realized she had become a lousy friend. She was here with Aislin and Kayla friends from college. Fun she should focus on that now. As much as Willa worked it was hard to find a time when all these women could go out together. Willa found it hard shutting off work mode. For Willa it took an act of God, and maybe a crowbar. Willa saw a hot man coming toward them as her friends stood in a long line to go to the bathroom. They really had to go and they had already been in line twenty minutes. She told the man if he could get them to a bathroom in the next two minutes she would shove the thirty ones she had down his pants. He said to forget the ones and have dinner with him. Grady stared at Willa and waited for an answer. He had swung by Boyton Ballroom after five days of fighting a blaze out in The Sikorsky National Forest. The club owner had called complaining that the bass player had left some amps after the ;last performance. Was there anything less reliable than a rock band comprised entirely of smoke jumpers and Hotshot wild land firefighters? Grady’s job made a relationship impossible. Grady realized Willa thought he was one of the male strippers. Grady told Willa he was a smoke jumper with the Hart Valley Air Center. He added his band - the Smoke Blue Boys played at this place when they’re not jumping out of planes into forest fires. Then he asked if he could pick her up at seven. Willa answered it's a date. Willa only dated the same person twice when she decided to forego a relationship so she could focus on her business.
I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, romance to read. I loved Grady had broken down Willa’s walls and really cared how she felt. I didn’t want to put this down. I really liked the plot and pace. I really liked Willa and Grady together and how they interacted. Grady and Willa are opposites and there are some things they had to get past and work out. I really enjoyed the advice given to Grady and Rose by friends and family. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.

A wonderful first book in a new series by Tawna Fenske. I can't wait for the other books in this series. I loved reading about Willa and Grady and want to know more about the other characters.

This book starts with a hilarious case of mistaken identity. I loved the first interaction between Willa and Grady.

Willa and Grady's story is a lot of hilarious but with their backgrounds, also a lot of angst. No-strings should have been easy for two people who avoid commitment like it's s some kind of disease but of course that's not the way their story goes.

This is an awesome start to this new series and I can't wait for the next one!!