SARAH ADAMS DID IT AGAIN. Though I never doubted her, if we're being completely honest. This was one that I definitely shrieked (aloud, in public) when I saw the approval come through in my inbox, so MANY thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

The Cheat Sheet was a viral sensation, so I can imagine the pressure Sarah may have felt in continuing this series of beloved characters. Rest assured, Cheat Sheet fans, that this is everything we could have wanted (and more!). Dare I say it, but I enjoyed this one even more than The Cheat Sheet.

The ANGST. The PINING. The HE HAS FALLEN SO HARD HE CAN'T GET UP. I love a good second chance romance that gut punches you every other chapter right in the feels, and that's exactly what was delivered in The Rule Book. Nora and Derek's chemistry was OFF THE CHARTS, and I was rooting for them from the first page. It's also, in a way, an enemies to lovers, so really all my favorite tropes wrapped up in one.

If you're looking for a sports romance that will hook you from the first chapter and not let you put it down until you've reached happy ever after (literally, read it one sitting), head to your nearest bookstore or grab your kindle RIGHT NOW. This is the book for you.

Sarah Adams has definitely become an auto buy author for me. I just love her writing and how easy the story flows from start to finish, and The Rule Book felt like one of her best yet. This book was an agent/athlete, second chance, forced proximity, and one bed. You could not have outlined a better book for my favorite tropes! I ate it up so quickly and enjoyed every minute of the ride!

I really enjoyed Nora as the female lead character. She had so many hilarious moments and I found her so endearing as a character. She knew what she wanted and she just went after it. There were so many times I literally laughed out loud while reading, which is refreshing in a romcom and I don't find myself doing that a lot. I loved her different quirks and the things that made her unique and unapologetically herself. She is one of my top FMC's right now hands down.

Derek was great. I love an MMC that falls first and enjoys a challenge. I understood why he was so hung up at first about the hurt he experienced from their previous relationship. It was tied up with a lot of feelings outside of their relationship too about pursuing future careers and feeling like a burden to each other. It was classic "right love, right couple" but "wrong time." It was great that they never really gave up on each other even after all those years. Then, they were able to see them for the people they were today and become the couple they were meant to be. I love that! I love a second chance romance!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book. The Rule Book has taken the top spot in my favorite Sarah Adams books so far. I really enjoyed the more detail of the tension scenes then she has done in the past with the completely closed door scenes. It really catapulted this book with great tension and set the dynamic between Nora and Derek on a different level.

This book was so good! It was super cute, it had me in my feels, it was swoony at times and funny at times - and the banter was so great!!

💛 second chance romance
💛college sweethearts to enemies to lovers
💛grumpy/sunshine
💛he fell first
💛 pining and mad about it
💛forbidden (athlete/agent)
💛drunken but not-so-fake Vegas wedding
💛someone has a secret tattoo
💛no third act breakup

I know there was a lot of hubbub about this being Sarah Adams’s first open door romance and I think she did a great job. It wasn’t overly explicit or smutty, but it wasn’t a closed door and I’m SO grateful. 🥵 I hope Sarah feels good about it, and I hope her OG readers don’t drag her for it, because I think this was her best book yet.

📖:
“Do I hate her? I hate when your mouth curves into a smile, I can’t kiss it. I hate that you hold my heart in a vice grip, and you have no idea. I hate that I’ve never been able to move on from you - not for a single day.”

Okay, so as much as I enjoyed this book, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I just didn’t feel as much of a ✨spark✨ as I did with her previous books. I don’t know if it’s because of the second-chance aspect or if the characters felt a little off for me in this one. I think it was maybe a little mix of both.

I liked Derek’s character and getting to know him in more depth after meeting him in TCS, but Nora’s character felt a bit too much for me if I’m being honest. She felt like more of a caricature than a character and it was hard for me to take her serious most of the time.

The pacing in this book was okay; I never felt bored at any points and I still easily read this in a couple days. But some aspects of the story also felt like a copy and paste from TCS, but… not as good? An example being the fake relationship aspect. But maybe it’s because this book is in the same series as TCS so it feels too close to have another fake dating trope. I just think I would have liked to read something a little more different from the first book.

And I know I’ve touched on it before, but I’m not sure that second-chance romance is for me. And I think it’s because for me, the best part of a romance is the lead up to the happily ever after, the tension of will-they-won’t-they, and the mystery of what they would be like once they finally get together. But with second-chance, we already know what they look like and so the mystery of their relationship doesn’t feel as rewarding in the end. But that’s just me personally. Or maybe I just have to find the right book to convince me otherwise. 😅

I loved this book so much. It’s an excellent enemies to lovers, second chance romance and the main characters are genuinely in love. Their chemistry jumps off page!

Nora and Derek were college sweethearts and deeply in love. Nora always wanted to be a sports agent and Derek, who was never great in school, played football and wanted to go to the NFL. After graduation, Nora broke up with him and they were both heartbroken.

Fast forward years later, Nora works at a male dominated sports agency and has just been promoted to agent. Her first client? Her old boyfriend Derek. She hasn’t told the agency about their past relationship, and she knows she hurt him, but she wasn’t expecting his flat no when he finds out she’s his agent.

He decides that this is a great opportunity for a little payback, and for 2 weeks he runs her ragged. They end up in Las Vegas for an ad shoot, get drunk, and get married. The next morning, they pretend they meant to get married to protect Nora’s job.

Is it fake or real? What do they do now, especially since all their old feelings are coming back? The writing is excellent and I loved how Derek’s adult diagnosed dyslexia is addressed. 5 solid stars!

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I hated it. I hated it so much.

When are authors going to stop with the whole main characther calling someone by a nickname that they say out loud and multiple times that they don't like it?! It's not endearing, it's not cute, it's annoying and disrespectful. Nora does that to Derek multiple times. Speaking about Nora, let's talk about her. I can't stand the type of character that she is, the "oh, I'm so quirky, feminine, and different - look at me, look at me". Nope, she is just, once again, annoying and one note. Derek simply isn't a character - he's an extremely unprofessional (both of them are) tantrum in the format of a love interest that I'm supposed to like. I hated them. I hated their interactions.

Why there was no sport in this novel envolving a sports agent and an athlete? The only thing sports related we see is the misogyny in Nora's work place. So, besides the character that were infuriating me, I still needed to deal with that little gem.

I think I'm done with Sarah Adams. The only book of hers that I liked was Practice Makes Perfect.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

I have never read a sports centered romcom. Despite being a fan of watching sports. And The Rule Book had me hooked!! I was hooked from page one. I became emotionally attached to the band of characters. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

Sarah Adams has done a brilliant job with her final book in the LA Sharks universe! Nora and Derek were absolute dreamy main characters, and I loved getting to know them. The ending totally caught me by surprise, which I really enjoyed. Her first open door scene was fantastic! I absolutely loved this book and would recommend to anyone.

This book had me laughing and giggling! It was so stinkin cute! I didn't think I liked the second chance romance trope but this book had me rethinking!!

Wow, Sarah Adams does it again. I am always in awe of her writing. She writes the sweetst rom-coms and I am a huge fan of her work. I really enjoyed how I related to the FMC's organizational habits and how much the FMC reminded me of my best friend as well.
Also, seeing an FMC in a male dominated field and how she handle herself was amazing! I work in male dominated field and I wish I could keep my cool as much as Nora. This is such a cute and quick read - check it out if you like any of the below :)

Read if you like:
- 2nd Chance Romance
- Accidental Marriance of Conveince
- Sports Romance
- Dual POV

This was such a sweet book and a great romance! The sports element is there, which I love, because some sports romances don’t play into that dynamic well. Nora is such a fun FMC. She’s still pretty quirky but it isn’t too over the top. I think the miscommunication in this is done so well. It was just enough to provide tension but wasn’t super annoying. I loved all the surprises and plot twists, the interruptions in serious conversations that were resolved in a timely manner so the story didn’t drag, and the romance between Derek and Nora was so good! The ending was so sweet and I loved the connection to the Cheat Sheet. The characters personalities were much more amped up in the Rule Book so it was nice to see the character growth across the books. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommended it.

The Rule Book is absolute perfection, and honestly after reading The Chest Sheet. I didn’t think it could get any better than that

This is a dual POV sports romance. Nora Mackenzie is funny, quirky and a girl I could be friends with.. and when she gets a promoted from intern to sports agent, and realizes her first client Derek Pender, a football player recently recovered from an injury… and her college ex boyfriend that she broke up with! Oh there’s more… they accidentally end up more than client/agent, but I won’t tell you what happened, you need to read it and find out!

I loved every moment of this book! I was holding back my laugh reading them give each other rules, because I just knew they would all be broken soon. I loved how they became each other’s biggest cheerleaders, supporting each other’s goals and careers, and they didn’t ask or expect each other to change or really give anything up. I’m a sucker for a second chance romance and this one did not disappoint at all

Happy Publication Week to this second chance sports romance! Nora has just gotten a promotion from associate to sports agent. Her first client is Derek, an injured football player who, incidentally enough, Nora broke up with while in college.

Nora and Derek haven’t seen each other in a few years and Derek, despite everything, hasn’t gotten over Nora. Not only is he depressed from being injured, he doesn’t want anything to do with Nora or her sponsorship deals - no matter how hard she tries. Derek’s friends are into the idea of the two of them and with their help, Nora gets Derek on a plane to Vegas to shoot a commercial. Many drinks and one hungover morning later, they realize that got married and tattooed rings on their fingers.

To save Nora from screwing up her career, she and Derek decide to stay married. To work together, they start a “rule book.”

These two had me swooning a bit. Derek was so good with Nora and all her quirks. Nora’s abundant sunshine and work ethic got Derek out of his depressive state. This second chance romance was fun and low stakes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this eARC. The Rule Book is out now.

I’m 95% sure Sarah Adams has a window into my soul. Every book she writes she continues to create FMC that I relate to on such a deep level. I knew from the beginning of the book I was going to fall in love with Nora. I often struggle with getting judged for having a very girly personality and dressing in bright colors in a male environment. Sarah echoed my sentiments and my emotions surrounding it just perfectly.

*rant over* now back to The Rule Book. I delayed reading this book because The Cheat Sheet is my one true love, and I just had such high expectations. I’m happy to report that it managed to exceed my expectations. The personal character development of Nora and Derek was so good, and their connection just burned off the page. Also, love that there was no 3rd act breakup. And Sarah Adams adding a little bit of spice to her books?! YES PLEASE

Don’t get me started on how she incorporated the rest of the LA Sharks in the book because that was also *chef’s kiss*

Quit reading my review and start reading the Rule Book immediately!

The Rule Book
Sarah Adams
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @prhaudio, @netgalley and @dellromance for the opportunity to read and listen to this book!

This book is 👏🏻 perfection! 👏🏻
Sarah Adams is for sure one of my favorite authors and it’s because of books like this.

Nora has finally ‘made’ it when she lands a huge client, Derek Pender, who plays as a tight end for the Sharks. The only problem is he is her ex from college and they didn’t end on the best of terms.

I enjoyed every second of this book. It was filled with so much banter and laugh out loud moments. You can’t convince me that enemies to lovers is not a superior trope and Sarah did it so well here. I loved all the tension between Nora and Derek and how it slowly unraveled into longing and desire.

Nora and her quirky personality was the perfect touch. She felt so relatable with her one liners and had me wanting to be her friend! Her relationship with her mom was so very sweet. I love seeing such a strong family connection in books.

Narration was done by Hathaway Lee and Will Dameron. I did not want to stop listening to this book. These two did such an amazing job.

I definitely recommend this book and if you can listen you won’t be disappointed in their performance!

Read this if you like:
✨Sports Romance
✨Second chance
✨Enemies to lovers
✨Drunken marriage
✨Forced Proximity
✨Alll the banter

We’re watching history being made. Glass ceilings are breaking. And athletes like Caitlin Clark are getting the recognition they deserve, not because she’s a woman, but because she’s good at basketball.

In The Rule Book, Nora is the same type of person. She’s a sports agent in a man’s world, and just because she’s a woman she has to prove herself. When she finally gets a chance to go solo and represtnt someone for the first time at the firm. She can’t possibly pass up a chance like this, even if he’s her ex, the one she loved and still loves. Their meeting is explosive because Derrick doesn’t want to work with the woman who broke his heart all those years ago. So they come up with a rule book, a list of don’ts that they plan to enforce so that they can work together. Then a crazy night in Vegas happens, and they’re married. While this would just be a blip on Derrick’s image, for Nora it’s a career killer. That’s when the book gets really interesting. Because what happens when you throw out the rules? Anything and everything. You realize that the person you loved all those years ago was meant for you, but not until now. Glass ceilings break and so do records.when you break all the rules. Whether you’re a woman slaying it in a man’s world by breaking viewership records. Or showing your coworkers that you re just as competent as they are. It’s time to take the girls seriously. While this is a funny and heartwarming romance, it’s also an anthem for every woman who has a dream.

Sarah Adams does it again. Every book of hers makes me smile and feel so happy, and this one was no exception. The Rule Book follows Nora, a sports agent who gets the opportunity to represent hotshot NFL player Derek Pender. This is a huge opportunity for her, but there’s one problem: Derek is her ex boyfriend from college who she ended things with unexpectedly, leaving both of them broken hearted. The book also follows Derek’s POV. He’s preparing to make his comeback after an injury sidelined him last season, dealing with his recent dyslexia diagnosis, and of course pretending he isn’t still broken hearted by the one that got away. A drunken night in Vegas leads to an impromptu wedding, which leads to a PR nightmare resulting in Nora and Derek presenting themselves as a real couple to save face and their careers. Second chance fake romance shenanigans ensue.

If you’ve read Sarah’s books before then you know the drill, and you’ll enjoy this book for its humor, fun banter, and lighthearted romance. Sarah’s characters are always dealing with some type of deeper issue, and we see that in this book as well. Derek is questioning his identity without football and coming to terms with finding out that he has lived with undiagnosed dyslexia his whole life. Nora is dealing with her own issues at work—sexist colleagues included—and now trying to work through her lingering feelings for Derek and the issues that caused her to break up with him in the first place.

Nora and Derek aren’t my favorite Sarah couple, but they’re still adorable and fun to follow. Derek is one of Nathan’s teammates from The Cheat Sheet, and there are cameos from Bree and Nathan, as well as the rest of the guys from the first book. The tension between Nora and Derek is just right, and the signature Sarah slow burn is on full display. I love fake dating and marriage of convenience, so this book combined two of my favorite tropes. Unfortunately, second chance romance isn’t always a favorite of mine, and it played against my enjoyment a little bit here. The lead up to the college break up didn’t feel fully fleshed out to me, and the ensuing fallout felt pretty miscommunication-y. Also, while I love Sarah’s humor and banter, there were a few times when the dialogue or inner thoughts of the characters felt a little too cheesy or over the top for me. I was a little worried about this being Sarah’s first open door romance, and I appreciated that it didn’t get too detailed. Of course she’s perfectly entitled to write whatever she wants, but my personal preference is all of the chemistry and tension without necessarily seeing all of the spice. This book felt like the best of both worlds—if it’s going to be open door, I still like to leave some things to the imagination 😂.

If you like Sarah Adams, especially The Cheat Sheet, you’ll like this one too. You can always feel safe in Sarah’s hands.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I just love books by Sarah Adams, they are all like holding a piece of sunshine, eating cotton candy, or snuggling a fluffy stuffed animal. The rule book was no exception. 🥰

The rule book is a second chance, enemies to loves story between nfl tight end (Travis Kelce’s position, swifties) Derek Pender and his newly appointed sports agent, Nora Mackenzie- who is also his ex college sweetheart 😬

after a drunken night in Vegas the two wake up married to each other with the wedding ring TATTOOS to prove it- and so the fun begins!!

I didn’t realize this book would turn into fake marriage and I LOVE the fake dating trope so I was invested as soon as it happened.

These characters were incredibly cute, even the side characters (Nathan and Bree are there too!)

Romance aside, my favorite part of this book was going through Nora’s career in a “man’s world” with her and seeing her come out on the other side. I’ll be a women in sports supporter until I’m 💀.

Overall, I just think I prefer Sarah Adams’ When in Rome Series over this L. A. Sharks universe but that doesn’t take away from this being such a funny, enjoyable story and I think it’s perfect for spring and summer!!

The Rule Book is Sarah Adams’ sequel to her romantic comedy The Cheat Sheet but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. It’s a second-chance romance between a NFL player recovering from an injury and his new sports agent, who was his college girlfriend.

Nora Mackenzie was raised by a single mother in California. Her father wasn’t around much but he instilled a love of sports into Nora. While in college she fell in love with Derek Pender, a star football player who seemed to be headed to the NFL. Right before exams she broke up with him because she realized that she was sabotaging her educational goals and career plans to be with him.

Now Nora is working for a professional sports agency and fighting discrimination from her male colleagues. Her mentor is a kick-ass senior agent named Nicole, who assigns Noras her first client when another agent is diagnosed with cancer and must go on a medical leave. Unfortunately Nora’s new client is Derek Pender, a tight end for the LA football team.

Derek Pender was a minor character in The Cheat Sheet, a teammate and close friend of Nathan Donelson. He was a neighbor of Nathan’s who had the excellent home gym that the group of friends would come over and use while giving Nathan romantic advice. Derek grew up in the shadow of his brilliant older sister, disappointing his parents because he struggled in school. He has recently learned that he has dyslexia, which he hasn’t shared. He’s recovering from an ankle injury and wondering if he will lose his position on the team to a younger player, Abbott. He’s trying to tune out the sportscasters’ predictions in his head, but it’s not working.

Derek and Nora pretend that they don’t know each other, but he refuses to call her Mac, which is her professional moniker. They come up with a list of rules for their working relationship, which include no touching or discussing the past. He decides to get revenge on her by making her miserable with demeaning demands so that she will quit. After two weeks of Derek refusing to accept any professional advice and limiting Nora’s duties to menial tasks, Nora talks to her mentor, Nicole, and changes the game.

Nora accepts a lucrative deal with a prominent suit manufacturer that involves a trip to Las Vegas to film commercials. They wind up having a wild night and wake up in bed together the next morning married. The rule book has been blown to smithereens and they must figure out their personal and professional paths forward.

The Rule Book is a great sports romance with well-developed characters with amazing chemistry. The back-and-forth between Nora and Derek is like lightning in a bottle; the reader can feel the sparks. I especially enjoyed Nora’s colorful phrasing that was profanity-free. I found The Rule Book to be more page turning than The Cheat Sheet, and I couldn’t bear to put it down. There is minimal cursing and no graphic sex scenes. I highly recommend The Rule Book. I hope the author will continue this series.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I plan to purchase a paperback copy.

Derek and Nora dated in college and she broke his heart. Now, 8 years later, she is preparing to try and represent Derek as his agent for the NFL. He isn’t happy to see her and they devise a Rule Book in order to be able to work together for any length of time. In full on rom-com fashion, you know early on they will end up finding their way back to one another, but it is admittedly a fun ride getting there. They are both super lovable and you just want to cheer for them and maybe be friends with them too!

I have read Sarah Adams before, but missed the companion book to this one, The Cheat Sheet, so I’m definitely going to have to go back and pick it up!