Tawna Fenske starts her new Smokejumper series with The Two-date Rule, a fun and engaging read. That puts an interesting spin on the whole idea of short term dating, as you have two main characters who couldn't be more different as Willa is organised, and career focused and has a specific set of rules for dating and Grady is constantly on the move and determined never to settle down or look to the future. Yet after a first memorable encounter all that begins to change, and as the story unfolds the tenacious and sexy Grady, with the help of Willa's two friends Kayla and Aislin come up with plenty of fun reasons and loopholes to get around Willa's strict two-date rule, and what follows is a fast-paced, entertaining, sexy, yet at times serious story that I genuinely enjoyed reading.

Would happily recommend.

Willa has a rule, she never goes to more than two dates with anyone, her main focus is her job and she isn't willing to risk that,

Grady is a smokesjumper, he isn't looking for a serious relationship, so he is fine with just two dates, until he realized that he likes her and want to get to know her better,

Willa is closed off, her troubled childhood had affected her deeply.

Grady was very thoughtful and respectful, he always followed Willa's lead and making sure she was comfortable. In order to keep seeing he came up with a bunch of non-dates ideas which gave them the opportunity to spend more time together.

Ot is a very lovely romance which show a true connection between two people. I especially liked how their relationship grow.

*I received an arc from the publisher through Netgalley and this is my honest review.

Smokejumpers #1, A sweet and steamy book all in one. I'm new to Tawna Fenske and figured what better place to start that with a new series and it was a good start. I really enjoyed this one it was funny in all the right parts and romantically sweet and hot in the bedroom, but not limited to the bedroom. Best of all it had relatable characters, Grady and Willa are opposites but their spontaneous reaction to each other soon grows deeper but not without its hardships because of those differences.

Willa had a difficult childhood, her mother left and her father was an alcoholic and a gambler and more often than not they had to spend nights "out camping" because of some bill wouldn't get paid. Willa left home as soon as she could and became a successful web designer with her own company. But she's still a smart buyer, she hates spending money when she doesn't have to and when she does she's smart about it, her friends are use to her. Willa is also a planner and a hard worker and because of that she wasn't going to let anyone sidetrack her from her goal or her work hence the two-date rule.

Grady is one of ten kids, he can handle chaos. Growing up the son of a smokejumper he knew getting involved in a relationship would be difficult for his partner, he saw how it affected his parents and how hard it was on his mom for his dad to be away months at a time. He decided going into his career he wasn't going to make plans his work was dangerous enough why look forward to something if there's a chance you might not make it home.

Willa gives Grady his first date, and then a series of non-dates; miniature golf is not a date, it's a group outing not a date, meeting his parents isn't a date and so on until one day it is the second date and then third. Willa and Grady have pretty much fallen in love and not even drama from her past can get in the way of her happiness at least until it interferes in her business. Then their differences seem insurmountable and it would take a pretty big leap for them to find their way back to each other.

Overall, it was a pretty good read. I liked all the characters and the funny situations; all the non-dates. Grady's parents are pretty awesome too. I look forward to the upcoming books in this series.

A hilarious rom-com with a lot of heart!

Fair warning - this book will make you laugh out loud enough that onlookers will question your sanity. There were more snort-laughs just in the meet-cute scene than most books have altogether. Willa and Grady engage in perfectly-synced banter throughout the book, and it's one of the best rom-coms I've ever read.

But it's not all humor and heat. There's a serious layer of heartfelt emotional depth underneath all the sizzling attraction and next-level witticisms. The reasons behind Willa's two-date rule are nearly heartbreaking in their simplicity, and Grady's struggle with his own vision of the future revealed an unexpected vulnerability.

We get all the humor and heat and scalding-hot smokejumpers that a reader could ask for, all packaged into a charming, poignant, life-changing romance. Their HEA was simply beautiful, right down to the smallest detail. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I'm looking forward to reading more. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I really, really wanted to like this book. Tawna Fenske's Pondarosa Ranch books are one of my favorite contemporary series. Low angst, high humor, sexy, with great banter. That's what I've come to love and expect from her books. This one showed up on NetGalley, so of course I jumped at the chance to read it, and received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

And honestly, I liked it. But this certainly didn't work for me the way other books by the author have. First off, the banter is very blah. While it was great that they incorporated texting into their relationship, the premise meant both the hero and heroine have to hold back their emotions, so they never say or do what they really want. That grated on me after a while.

Their meet cute is adorable, but halfway through the book, it began to feel less and less natural. Grady and his other smokejumpers don't have the kind of schedule that would work for having a band with any kind of reputation or following. Let alone practice time. Willa's friends have to drag her out to brunch or a regular bar for drinks, so it's very unusual that she'd be at a strip show wasting time standing in a line without her eyes entirely glued to her phone. The more we got to know them, the facts that they spoke or met at all, especially with him still in uniform and not entirely exhausted or reaking of smoke, just felt contrived.

The third strike, though, was the dark moment. Willa making a scheduling mistake and missing a delivery when it's repeatedly mentioned that Grady was running late didn't work for me. She'd scheduled the date, but didn't realize the delivery for the biggest deal of her career would happen at the same time? Yeah, that's completely out of character and utterly unbelievable. Then she blames Grady for distracting her, rather than owning her own mistake. It just didn't work for me, and neither did the scenes with her parents that came next. It felt like a big info dump that, again, didn't work with the light, fun, flirty tone of the meet cute or the relationship for the first third of the book.

Needless to say, I liked this book, but it was by no means my favorite Tawna Fenske book. If, however, you want to learn a lot about smokejumpers or have a seemingly realistic portrayal of PTSD from homelessness and an alcoholic parent, this is the book for you.

“Your willingness to shove thirty bucks down a stranger’s pants for the good of others shows an admirable level of self-sacrifice.”

Another winning read from Tawna Fenske!

I have to admit, I opened this one when I was in a terrible mood, and several pages in, I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to finish it... and then something awesome happened—it turned my mood around. Before I knew it was a laughing and smiling as Willa and Grady bent the rules of dating and tried to come to terms with the changes in their lives and their relationship.

A funny, heartwarming, and absolutely charming book, The Two-Date Rule introduces stories and characters that I can’t wait to revisit as this new series unfolds. Highly recommend!

Willa and Grady both have reasons to not want anything serious in a relationship. Grady is a smokejumper. He witnessed the difficulties his mother had bringing up children with her husband gone for long periods of time on such a dangerous job so he doesn’t want to put any woman he cares about through that. Willa has quite a few insecurities and hang-ups having grown up with a father who had both a gambling and drinking problem. She has her own web design business now but she is excessively paranoid about maintaining financial security. So she doesn’t want to be distracted by any sort of relationship. That is why she has a rule to go on no more than two dates with any guy. Fortunately, Grady is so attracted to her that he persuades her to not count their various activities together as a second date.

Eventually, these two people will have to figure out how to get beyond the barriers that they’ve put around themselves.

I enjoyed the journey that they each took to work on their hang-ups. And they seemed to have a lot of fun going on their non-dates.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This was a very enjoyable read and loved the concept behind it. I’ve read a few books of the main character having a dating rule but its rare for me to read about a female character having this rule.

The characters in this book were very interesting and I liked the amount of character development throughout. I really liked Grady and, living in the UK, this book really opened my eyes to his career as a smokejumper. The banter between Grady and Willa made me love this book more because it was nice to read Willa having fun. Willa is so focused on her career and having a plan in place that she forgets to look after herself so it was a nice change.

This is a fast-paced book with changing for the better at its core and making sacrifices for the people you love. I recommend for anyone who loves a good rom-com and a quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for letting me read this book.
The chemistry between the main characters was hot, and their banter was fun and realistic. I found that the smoke-jumper side of the story really interesting, and yes, it would be difficult not to worry about your significant other.
The issues in Willa's life felt a tad glossed over, yet they were quite serious. Her mother and father would've needed a lot of help, and it would've been nice if Grady had been able to help her out here.
The side characters of friends, pets and family were lovely however, and really completed the story.
3.5 stars

This was a really good read. Willa is a control freak. She grew up poor and is a workaholic to keep from ever getting to that low point again. She only allows herself 2 dates so a man won’t derail her life. She meets Grady, a hottie smoke jumper and they go on a date. They have fantastic chemistry and Grady keeps coming up with “non date” dates to spend more time with her.
I loved Willa’s character and how focused she was. She just didn’t give up her dreams for a guy and stayed true to her character the entire book. Grady is more a no planner and let’s go with the flow, which worried Willa. Theirs is a real relationship with humor, steam, and fun. Though the book there’s ups and downs with them individually and together, but they find their way to bridge the gap to a happily ever after.
I received an ARC from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

Great start to a new series. Willa Frank needs to control every aspect of her life to make up for a chaotic and tough childhood. She feels that she cannot have a relationship and do well at her job, so she has a two date rule. She has a meet-cute with Smokejumper Grady Billman at a strip club, where she mistakes him for a fireman stripper. After their first date is very successful, Grady and Willa, figure a way around her rule by getting together in non-date ways. I loved Grady, great guy, loving and caring. Willa was a little harder to warm up to. I kept thinking that she needed to get some therapy. Overall, an enjoyable read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. I liked the main characters and the supporting characters as well. It's the first book of the Smokejummpers series, but it's a standalone with no cliffhangers. I had trouble putting this book down; it was well written and engaging.

I had three minor issues with the book:
> we were told about Grady's interest / dream of becoming a baker, but nothing ever came of this, even when he was considering his next career.
> when they were playing Monopoly, even though they talked about playing by the rules, the game play described was NOT by the rules. (You can't buy a house/hotel on your first roll -- you need to have all the properties in the series before building).
> the end of the book dragged a bit for me.

I'm anxious to read the next book in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review; All opinions are my own.

This is the first in a new romance series featuring Smokejumpers. Living in the UK, I have to admit that I know little about these brave firefighters and I learnt a lot from reading this story. Grady Billman is the smokejumper hero in this story. He's one of ten children, the son of a smokejumper and he has brothers doing the same dangerous job.

When he first encounters Willa Frank and her two best friends they mistake him for a stripper! He manages to convince her to go on a date with him and that's when he discovers her two-date rule. She's so determined not to be in a relationship that she refuses to have more than two dates with anyone. She's a workaholic planner, running her own business and always working towards her own goals. He's a smokejumper who tries to avoid making plans as his lifestyle is so unpredictable. Get ready for fun, laughter and family as he arranges lots of get togethers that really aren't dates - are they? As the attraction between them builds will their differences bring them together or drive them apart?

The story has a great range of characters and plenty of surprises in store. Willa's childhood has seriously impacted her attitude and outlook. She loves her Dad but he has problems that have affected her. Only by facing the past can she find the courage to move forward to a more balanced future. Her attitude has a distinct impact on Grady, who initially has a live-in-the moment and forget about the future attitude so at odds with that of Willa. His family is loving, caring and very accepting of Willa. It is a heartwarming romance with plenty of laughs as well as drama along the way.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it and enjoying doing so.

I loved reading, The Two Date Rule. I was amazed by how inventive Grady could be coming up with non-date dates. I totally related with Willa. I have a lot of the anxiety issues that she has.

Willa has a hard and fast rule. Work is her top priority, so she won’t go one more than two dates with anyone to avoid compromising her work. She has been without a mother since she was six-years old, and grew up with an alcoholic father who often subjected her to periods of homelessness. As a result, nothing is more important to her than making sure that she can support herself and have a stable life.

Grady is a firefighter and smokejumper. Few professions are as dangerous as his. As a result, he has never sought a serious relationship or planned for his future - one he secretly fears he might never have. After meeting Willa, Grady is perfectly happy with her two-date rule, since he has no interest in a relationship either. However, something in him changes as he gets to know Willa. Willa soon realizes that something in her has also changed; although, she refuses to admit that any of their many dates are actually dates.

Can two people who are very opposite in their approaches to life learn to compromise in order to find their HEA?

The Two-Date Rule by Tawna Fenske is book one in her brand new Smokejumper Series, published by Entangled Publishing LLC.
Meet Willa Frank and Grady Billman.
Willa is a young woman with her own web design business. Work is her life and not much else matters to her. That's about to change when Smokjumper/Firefighter Grady comes in her life. Her strictly two-date rule goes out of the window.
I loved this witty and fun read. Willa and Grady's story gave me all the feels. I loved the writing and the storyline just like the characters and the beautiful words. A Tawna Fenske book of it's finest, 5 Stars.

This is my first book by Tawna Fenske, so I wasn't sure what to expect in a story about a woman with a strict rule to not go on more than 2 dates. It was a pleasant surprise to find myself immersed in a charming, endearing book with two very likable characters. Yes, Willa can be rigid with her rules, but as we get to know her personality and her background, it makes sense and you start to get her. Grady is her opposite in many ways, but their chemistry is fantastic. I loved how he tried to get to know her without prejudgement. They start going without labeling the outings as dates and their dialogues and interactions had me smiling throughout. I got her anxiety, I loved his kind personality, and I will definitely seek out other books by this author.

I enjoyed reading The Two Date Rule. The H and h are both reluctant to commitment to someone. He, because his career has an increased risk of death. Her because she’s focused on her career, making money and never becoming homeless again. Their chemistry, however, is undeniable and they take the time to let attraction and genuine liking grow into love.

It’s the perfect read for a hammock or the beach.

I have fallen in love with this series. It is a sweet, romantic story about two people that have such a connection that it makes them break their rules and they do not even understand why they are doing it. I loved both Willa and Grady. Willa had a hard child life and from the time she was out on her own she was determined not to let love or men stand in the way of her being stable in life and money. Grady in a way was the exact opposite of that. Together they complimented each other and to me they were a perfect match. The side characters in the book just helped make it that much better. I am really looking forward to seeing who falls next in this series. Thanks NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is only the second book I’ve read by this author, and it was another fun, sexy read. Willa, bless her, is determined to be a success, won’t let anything get in the way of her becoming financially stable, and for reasons that soon become apparent, decides she has no time for men! After mistaking our hero, Grady for a stripper, the two of them click and go on a date, but Willa has a strict 2 date rule, so Grady comes up with a genius plans to keep seeing her, but never actually get to the second date. It was a fun read, with some really emotional parts. Will definitely read more from this author