4.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

I absolutely loved it!

Nora Mackenzie is quirky, but while she doesn't take her personal life too seriously, she works hard as a sports agents in a profession dominated by men. NFL tight end Derek Pender is her college ex-boyfriend, and also her first ever client. They decide they need a Rule Book of dos and don'ts in order to be able to work together. While Derek sets out to make her life miserable because their break-up came out of left field for him, Nora sets out to get him the best deals she can. One of those deals takes them to Vegas...and what happened in Vegas shows up all over social media as the two drunkenly announce they're married.

So much fun banter, lots of laugh out loud moments, and a great second chance romance. The ending got a little OTT but honestly, it was such a great read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Adams, you delivered with this one. Truly I have never been disappointed by her. I am no the biggest sports romance girly but Sarah got be hooked with this one!
If you are looking for a cute, realistic, fluffy, and full of banter second chance romance make sure you pick up this book! I thought the whole story was done well and there was no point in the story where I lost interest. The characters felt realistic and were very likable. I really enjoyed stepping into the MMC shoes and experience his insecurities/emotions throughout the story. I don't get to do that a lot in romance books so it is always refreshing for me when we get a dual POV. Derek and Nora's story was one you will not want to miss. It was empowering and had healthy communication between our main characters which we all love. Let's not forget to mention that the book had me laughing out loud and kicking my feed. Derek Pender had me feeling some kind of way! I just love how happy Sarah's books make me.

Thank you PRH, Dell romance, and netgalley for my free copy.

I adored The Rule Book, Sarah Adams' follow-up to The Cheat Sheet. The novel follows Derek Pender and Nora Mackenzie as they navigate a tense athlete-agent relationship. Derek is a star player on the LA Sharks facing a potentially career-ending injury, and Nora is a up and coming young sports agent assigned to help Derek out of a rut...and who just so happens to be Derek's ex-girlfriend and the reason he hasn't been in a committed relationship for nearly a decade. This book is filled with Adams' characteristic rom-com sweetness, plus some difficult topics like self-worth, workplace harassment, and learning disabilities. I absolutely loved Nora and Derek, not to mention the found family aspect of the football team that carried over from The Cheat Sheet and Nora's relationship with her single mother. While most Sarah Adams books are closed-door romance, this one does have a spicy scene that the author warns the reader of in an author's note, and, in my opinion, it was very well written.

Once again, Sarah Adams has given me what I needed from a romance book-grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, forced proximity and even a not so fake Vegas wedding! There’s oodles of chemistry between the MC and their banter is also quick and fun. And to have Nathan and Bree, characters from The Cheat Sheet, which introduced me to Sarah and the sports romance genre in the first place, back in my life, just sealed the deal for me. And then there’s quirky Nora our FMC, and the sweetest of all sweets, Derek, the MMC who just makes you want to snuggle up with him and never let him go.
Nora is a sports agent who’s climbing the ladder in a male dominated field and has just been handed the client of her career, the only problem is that it’s her college ex and it’s didn’t end well. And now he holds her fate in his hands. Derek is an injured NFL player ready to get back to the field before he gets replaced by a younger player or his team trades him so he needs his new agent to get him the best representation possible. So he forces Nora to go through so excruciating tasks to make her quit but Nora is stubborn enough to stick it out and their close proximity forces them to realize that they’re each others “the one that got away”
Y’all. I’m not a sports girl but this is one that I highly recommend. This couple is sweet and one of a kind and easily resonated with me.
Thanks to Dell Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

This was a super sweet second chance lovers, high school romance. Unexpected banter and relationship. I’ve never read a book by this author, but I will read more.

Thank you to @randomhouse @dell & @netgalley for the ARC of Sarah’s latest book!

As a fan of Sarah Adam’s book, The Cheat Sheet, I was THRILLED to return to that world with exploring the story of Derek & Nora 🤍

The themes explored in this book center around football, college exes, sports agents - especially female agents, accidental marriages & the dynamics of a very diverse yet close friend group. Not only are these things explored, but they are so well articulated! I absolutely adore Sarah’s writing and the banter she writes between characters is *chef’s kiss* 👩🏻‍🍳💋🤌🏼

The pining between Derek & Nora, their hilarious interactions and sweetness toward one another truly warmed my heart and often also made me giggle, all at the same time!

I typically get nervous about the second book in a series, especially when I loved the first one - but The Rule Book exceeded my expectations and is the perfect companion to The Cheat Sheet 🙌🏼

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!
I find Sarah Adam’s books so cute and fun every time!
It’s so cute to see her past characters in The Rule Book and also meet new ones.
I was hooked from beginning to end. Although it’s not a very ground-breaking romance, it’s easily enjoyable.

i received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!!!!

this book follows college exes Nora and Derek as the are reunited as adults.

HONESTLY i have a lot of thoughts about this book.I hate to say I am disappointed because i was SO looking forward to this.

there were definitely moments I enjoyed toward the middle of the book! there were some sweet moments between Nora and Derek that I really enjoyed. I love Sarah Adams’ writing style and I am a big fan of her books.

my biggest complaint with this novel is just how much I disliked Nora’s character. I want to be able to see myself in a main character or find them relatable in some way and I unfortunately just did not like Nora at all. throughout the book, her behavior was just childish and cringey. I couldn’t get behind her.

I also have so many issues with the way that Derek acted in the first half of the book!!!! being a complete jerk is not cool, even if you think you have a good reason.

LASTLY, i just felt like the book was disorganized and choppy. there were chapters that I just really didn’t find necessary and the concept of the “rule book” was really not focused on enough.

Honestly I enjoyed this book but I will admit there were certain parts of the book that were not perfect. For one there was a plot hole with the story behind her scar ?? The story mentioned it twice and then never mentioned it again. I also wasnt super into how the story started but after about 40 pages into the book I ended up loving parts of the story.

The Rule Book by Sarah Adams is a 5 star quirky, wonderful, and addicting read! I absolutely loved the characters and fell in love with this story! Nora Mackenzie is a sports agent at a company that is mainly men. She has just been promoted to full time agent from an assistant. Derek Pender is an NFL tight end who is coming back from a serious ankle injury that sidelined him most of last year. Derek is worried he won't be the same kind of dominating player and has worked hard in rehab and training to give him the best shot. A hot young player took his place and a lot of reporters and fans are saying he should start when Derek comes back.

Nora's boss tells her that she has a client coming in and she's giving him to Nora. He will be Nora's first official client. The client is Derek and Nora already knows him. Nora and Derek went to the same college and they dated each other. The were quite serious spending every moment together that they could. Unfortunately, Nora got spooked and broke up with Derek out of the blue with absolutely no warning. Derek was blindsided, hurt, and had no idea why Nora wanted to break up. He still thinks about it to this day as Nora was the one that Derek wanted before he got rich and famous playing football.

When Derek comes to the office to meet his new agent, he doesn't know that it's Nora, because they call her Mac at work. Nora is very nervous about seeing Derek again because she's terrified he'll take one look at her and walk out. She's also nervous just to see him again. Derek decides he'll go with Nora, but he has a plan. He's going to make her work for it. Derek decides he'll make Nora's life so miserable that she'll quit. Let the fun begin! This book will have you laughing, crying, and everything in between. Will Derek stay with Nora? Will Derek make it back to a starting tight end in the NFL? What is Derek hiding from Nora? What was it his teammates found in his bedside stand that they threatened him with. What's Nora hiding? Why hasn't she found someone by now? Will Nora be a good agent? Will Derek drive her to quitting?

The Rule Book is one of those books that you wish you could read again and not have any memory of so that you could relive the laughs and the emotional parts. I'm a huge Sarah Adams fan and love every book she writes. Pick up The Rule Book, settle in, and enjoy every moment! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House Publishing for an advanced copy of The Rule Book in exchange for a fair review. The book is now available to purchase.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

Ahh what a perfect sequel to The Cheat Sheet! This book was absolutely amazing!! Sarah Adams never fails to write such cute romance books!

Derek and Nora were absolutely perfect! The tension, the slow burn, the romance, the chemistry, it was amazing! This novel was emotional, funny, and overall just an amazing read. I felt so connected with the characters and 1000% saw parts of myself in Nora, I loved her uniqueness and especially the way that Derek loved all parts of her body and personality.

Whole the romance was absolute perfection and definitely a little spicy, I’m amazed at how many other real world elements the author added into this novel. Especially the strong feminist aspects that were truly inspiring to read. I loved all the amazing advice for women as well as watching Nora and Nicole’s journey through a work field that is mainly ran by men. But most importantly Nora’s positivity towards her body despite its “flaws” (according to the media). It was truly so amazing to read on so many levels.

On top of this, I always appreciate Sarah’s use of mental health/disability reps in these novels. In The Cheat Sheet, one of the characters had anxiety and their journey was very emotional but inspiring to see and I loved reading it, especially as someone who has many family members that suffer from severe anxiety. In The Rule Book, a character has dyslexia and has unfortunately experienced childhood trauma and slight neglect from it, but it was lovely watching them overcome their sadness and obstacles as well as spread awareness about the disorder.

Overall this book was perfection and probably the best contemporary romance book I’ve ever read. I’m so thankful to have gotten an arc of this and to be reunited with so many amazing characters. Words truly can’t describe how much I loved this book.

I 1000% recommend this and I can’t wait to read Sarah’s other series in the future!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC of this amazing sports romance book.

As always this was sunshine in a book! Sarah Adams’ district charm really shown through in Nora. I adored the 2nd chance romance between Nora and Derek. Their chemistry was sizzling! The ending made me surprisingly emotional and I am looking forward to rereading this gem of a book!

Second chance romance FTW! Nora and Derek were in love in college until Nora broke his heart. Years later they meet again, him trying to get back to his football team after and injury and her his new sports agent he didn’t see coming.

This book was cute. Nora and all her “Nora-isms” was a little much but the story and the couple were cute. I recommend it if you enjoy Sarah Adams.

Thank you NetGalley and Random Publishing House.

I was beyond excited for this book but was a bit disappointed. I love Sarah Adams, but this book just felt forced. I felt like it was repetitive at times, and second chance romance is one of my least romance tropes.

I have loved all the Sarah Adam’s books I have read so far, and The Rule Book just got added to that list. It’s a cute, hallmark-esque, style sports romance about getting a second chance with your first love. A fun, quick read that I really enjoyed!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Derek and Nora dated in college and upon their break up, had unresolved feelings about how it all went down. Years later, they are reunited when Derek signs Nora as his agent and they create a Rule Book to follow to navigate uncharted territory. I don't know why I'm surprised when the male character unapologetically pines for the woman he loves, but boy am I here for it! Their love story is sweet and a slow burn the reader can feel a mile away. This no doubt will be the perfect summer read!

4.5 stars!

Sarah Adams' books are so cute that it's disgusting (complimentary). I seriously mean that in the best way possible. I simply love her writing style. She effortlessly balances humor with drama, and emotional journeys with laughter and tears. I absolutely adored Nora and Derek, two college sweethearts who went through a bad break-up. Cut to years later, Nora is now a sports agent. She has been given the opportunity to work as Derek's representative as he is currently the best tight end in football and a household name. There are a lot more details and minutiae, but I don't want to spoil it for you! I did not read the tropes of this book before picking it up, so I was pleasantly surprised to see some of my favorites included in the story. While I admit, there is a slight immaturity to both Derek and Nora in the beginning as they start their rocky new relationship dynamic as agent/athlete with pranks and some haz1ng. I do feel that, in the end, they both showed tremendous growth throughout the story. Their chemistry is off-the-charts good. I loved their inside jokes, their cutesy nicknames, the witty, snarky banter between them, Nora's zany phrases and quotes and kitschy demeanor, and Derek's interactions with his fellow footballers/friends. Some readers will think Nora is ~*trying too hard,~* but it's all part of her story arc to being accepted for who she is. She has constantly been told that she is "too much" by the people in her life, particularly her exes. I identified with this plot point toooooooo much! I love how Nora was never, ever too much for Derek, even after she broke his heart. I found this story relatable and infectious, and I could not put it down. I devoured it very, very quickly (like I do with all of Sarah Adams's books). It's full of heart, growth, tension. and wit. Pick this one up immediately!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Adams, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

The Rule Book, by Sarah Adams was a joy to read. This sweet, sports romance is an engaging, humorous, feel-good story. We follow Nora and Derek, two former college sweethearts who abruptly break-up on the verge of graduation just as Derek’s career is beginning to take off. Years later they find one another once again, quite unexpectedly, under rather awkward circumstances, with a determination to hide their past and what they once meant to each other.

When Nora is given the tremendous opportunity to manage the famous football player, Derek Pender, as his sports agent, she has no doubt that she can do it even though she’s a rookie. What she doesn’t know is if she can handle working so closely with him given her lingering feelings for him from years ago. When they drunkenly get married one night and Nora subsequently faces the possibility of being fired, the two decide to sell their impromptu wedding as legitimate and intentional. But what does this actually mean for them as a couple and is it just for the sake of saving Nora’s career?

I truly loved this story! There is a depth beneath the romantic plot line that explores various insightful issues. I adored Nora with her bright, sunshiny ways, undermined by a steely strong, creative, clever spirit. She knows who she is and isn’t embarrassed by it. Derek is a generally good guy, as well as a star football player who is currently rehabbing a potential career-ending injury. Despite the lack of communication trope that creeps up repeatedly and is a bit frustrating, I was charmed by everything else in this story. The banter, the chemistry, the friendships, and the mutual female support in the workplace made this story a winner.

The manner in which Nora and Derek treated each other was touching. The honest view of the issues the characters struggled with, as well as the mental health representation and learning differences with made them realistic and relatable. The Rule Book is a quick-reading, entertaining, delightful story that will warm your heart and leave you smiling.

Quick Breakdown

Football Player x Agent
Second Chance
Enemies to Lovers
Married in Vegas
Fake Dating
Destination / Vacation Vibes
Only One Bed
He Falls First
He Takes Care of Her
No 3rd Act Breakup
Dual POV
Open Door - Mild Detail

Nora’s worked her tail off to climb up the ladder, landing her dream job as a sports agent. Her first client: her college ex boyfriend & famous NFL tight end Derek Pender. While he agrees to her being his agent, he’s still not completely over being dumped abruptly by Nora back in the day. Hilarious & lighthearted hazing ensues. While on a work trip, one drunken thing leads to another & the pair end up married. To save Nora’s career, they agree to stay together, claiming they intended to get married. Still cleaving face, the couple head off on a corporate sponsored honeymoon to sell their relationship.

Sarah Adams is a national treasure & I refuse to believe otherwise! Goodness, The Rule Book was SO GOOD. I am an absolute puddle of adorableness & feeling feeling so.. satisfied 🫠

Sarah holds the benchmark on delightfully quirky heroines, grumpy heroes & all the chemistry & tension I want in a romance. I cannot get over how well she wrote a second chance romance that brought all the emotion but with good communication between our MCs, it still felt light. I was so happy to be back with this found family friend group, the Nathan & Bree cameos especially.

I’d be remiss not to discuss how Sarah absolutely knocked its out of the park with the open door spice. The one scene felt perfectly timed, adding to the story by showing the intimacy & trust our MCs share. I feel confident that those who prefer closed door romance would still enjoy it.

I listened to this on audio & I HIGHLY recommend you do the same. It’s performed so well & very addictive - you’ll eat it up!