This was my first Sarah Adams book and I regret not picking her books sooner, because damn that was a book! I was hooked from the beginning and I finished it in less than a day.

I’m a sports romance girly and this book nailed it. I loved the found family of Derek and his football buddies, but I loved Nora and Derek’s relationship even more. This was a second chance romance done the right way 🙌

Nora is one of those FMCs that I would love as a best friend in real life. Her character hit close to home with her funny quirks, catch phrases, & the need to organize everything. Nora is for all the girls that were ever told they were “too much” and I love this author for giving us this character.

Read if you enjoy:
⭐️ Football Romance
⭐️ Second Chance
⭐️ One Bed
⭐️ Accidental Marriage

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is ahhhhhh-dorable and the perfect rom com and you’re going to want to put it on your radar if you haven’t yet!

Nora is a quirky sports agent who lands her first real client. The only problem, it’s her college ex-boyfriend Derek. He isn’t happy with it at all, because he’s still hung up on her 8 years later, so he agrees but he does not have her best interest in mind. They meet up and set up a list of rules they must abide by during their business relationship.
However, after a drunken night in Vegas, they wake up with tattooed wedding bands and try to figure out what each other is thinking and how to navigate out of this mess??

Both characters are super likeable, I laughed out loud soo many times while reading this… and rooting for them the whole time! They each had their own personal struggles (dyslexia, insecurities) and both were well played out. Derek’s friend group was hilarious and I need more of them! The pacing was perfect and I devoured this book!!

Read if you like:
-cinnamon roll MMC
-quirky FMC
-lots of witty banter
-second chances
-fake marriage

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Random House for my advanced copy!!

4.5⭐️

I am kicking my feet and giggling! The Rule Book is what second chance, friends to lovers dreams are made of! I was so excited to dive into (with a book about Sharks, this pun was necessary) this story after being completely charmed by the side characters in The Cheat Sheet. Nora and Derek’s story exceeded all of my expectations and this had the swooniest moments, hilarious banter, endearing characters, and all the heat we’ve come to know and love from Sarah’s book.

Sarah’s romcoms embody charm, tenderness, and the most delightful and relatable characters, and The Rule Book has become one of my favorites from her! Drunkenly getting married in Vegas aside, I loved how Nora and Derek took their time getting to know each other as they rekindled their spark and learned about each other as adults. Even when the conversations turned uncomfortable, I appreciated how they didn’t resort to miscommunication or avoidance. I really loved how they found their way back to each other by learning from their past and forging a new path, while learning to balance the personal and professional.

I loved the relationship between Nora and her mom! Dare I say their relationship rivals (probably tops) Lorelai and Rory’s?? Their relationship as mother and daughter was also a beautiful friendship with an easy push and pull of encouragement and support. It was just the sweetest seeing Pam remind Nora there is also strength in taking a chance on and following your heart to pursue joy and personal fulfillment.

If you love Sarah Adams, stories about softies, knock knock jokes, and late night bowls of cereal, I am 1000% confident you are going to fall head over heels for Nora and Derek.

Rule book

⭐️⭐️💫 2.5 stars. Man, this one just didn’t do it for me. I had a hard time finishing it. I think it was just too predictable and formulaic. The When In Rome series is my favorite of hers, but as far as sports romances go The Cheat Sheet was much better IMO.

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Steamy. Caution to sensitive readers. Sarah Adams does share that if you prefer completely closed door romances to skip Chapter 34

Read if you like these tropes:
•Enemies to Lovers
•Second Chances
•Multiple POV

This book deserves all the stars! I could not put it down, it had all the classic Sarah Adams charm but also made me very emotional. I love how much depth there was while also holding a lot of humor as well. Nora and Derek are the definition of soulmates and it was so heartwarming to see their story play out. I loved being back in the LA Shark world and I loved everything about this book. Nobody writes heartfelt swoony romance like Sarah!

Nora thinks she can convince him that she's the best agent to work with. Maybe he doesn't even remember their relationship. After all, he's a playboy football star. His college girlfriend might be just a small blast from the past.
Oh, Nora, you couldn't be more wrong. Derek remembers every second of their relationship, and payback is a bitch!
To prove herself capable of representing him, she must endure excruciating tasks - ripping his clothes, cooking for him, delivering his dry cleaning during rush hour, filming his workout at dawn, and more. She is stubborn enough not to give up, and Derek slowly gives in because seeing his ex-love in close proximity makes him realize she's the one that got away.
But they have no clue how things heat up in the middle of commercial filming in Vegas. They find themselves drunk, with tattooed rings on their ring fingers and compromising photos shared on social media in a French kiss position.
Ta-da: they are drunkenly married. Nora can be fired at any moment, losing the career she's worked hard for, or Derek can take the lead and declare that what they have is real. They decide not to get an annulment, and Derek takes it seriously, and they end up on a honeymoon in Cancun, Mexico, where reporters cover their every move to document their love story. It's only for saving Nora's job, right? Both Derek and Nora are not still in love with each other. Right?
Grab your own copy to find out and enjoy this thoroughly entertaining ride! This couple is one of my favorite romcom couples. Both are sweet, one-of-a-kind characters with engaging qualities I can easily resonate with.

I am a long time football girly, so I was really excited to see this follow up to The Cheat Sheet. And I’m even more excited to have read it at the peak of the Taylor & Travis mania! I love this second chance romance between two people who were meant to be together!

Finally get our story about Nora and Derek. I love this little world Sarah Adams created.

- second chance romance
- sports romance
- forced proximity
- one bed
- dual POV

I loved this book. It sucked me in right away and I couldn't put it down. I read it over one day. Nora and Derek dated in college and broke up and tried and failed to get over each other for 8 years. Nora then has an opportunity to manage Derek in the NFL. The book has flash backs from college and the present day. I enjoyed the updates from Nathan and Bree. Overall 4.5 stars! 1/3 spice there is open one door romance scene.

I cannot wait to read more of Sarah Adams Books

Thank you NetGalley, random house and Sarah Adams for the ARC. This is an honest review of The Rule Book

The sexual tension in this book is off the charts. Typically this type of “we like one another, but refuse to act on it” plot isn’t for me, but I loved it.

Nora and Derek dated in college but their relationship ended when Nora broke Derek’s heart. He’s now a professional football player and his new sports agent happens to be Nora, his ex!! Derek is still holding a grudge and tries really hard to make Nora pay for the past. Deep down Derek is just a lil ole teddy bear, but it’s certainly fun to see him try to be snarky towards Nora. Of course the big question is…. Can they survive this new business relationship?

I really enjoyed that the novel was written from both characters perspectives so you can experience both of their feelings of regret and confusion on how to handle their professional relationship. Especially since they both are dealing with a lot of unresolved feelings.

Side note: this is a little spin-off from The Cheat Sheet and the main characters from that book are sprinkled in a bit, which I loved.

I’d love for this little circle of friends story to continue as I’m obsessed their friend group!

4 1/2 stars! - I have read a few Sarah Adams books before and this one was by far my favorite! I really loved the two main characters of Norah and Derek. I liked how this was a second chance romance. I really loved the discussion of a woman trying to have a successful career in the sports industry. I also really loved Norah trying to be authentic to herself. I really liked the character development in this book and how there was no third act breakup. I would definitely recommend this book!

When Sarah Adams writes a book, you better belive would move mountains to read it. This author has a gift of writing sizzling chemistry between two characters and a great story that grabs your heart. She’s very good at developing a backstory and building on a stable foundation that is believable and heartwarming.

There is something special about your first true love and your first true heartbreak and this author captured those emotions perfectly. Derek’s hesitation and internal emotional struggles felt raw and authentic to his situation, but having Nora’s quirky dialogue and well timed botched sayings prevented the story from being overly emotional and kept it lighthearted. Though Nora was completely quirky and vibrant, she was also written in a heartfelt way, where the readers can easily connect with the emotions she was feeling and the situations she was in.

I was very excited and surprised that this author decided to up her writing game and included an open door romance scene. I think the way that she handled it fit perfectly with her style and was a seamless transition by adding a little bit more spice to her books. This book shows that this author can truly write a good scene without compromising her integrity of writing.

Truly this is one of my favorite books by this author. Between the swoon worthy moments and emotionally intimate scenes, my heart ached at the tension and laughed at all the amazing quirky dialogue. This book is Sarah’s best work to date.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine, Dell for the ARC

Sarah Adams has done it again! This new release was a big 5 star read! I can promise you… I will never ever shut up about it.

This second chance romance had me in a chokehold, I couldn’t put it down! When Derek, a pro football player is assigned a new agent, the last person he expects to work with is no other than his ex-college girlfriend who dumped and broke his heart 8 years ago. Derek agrees to work with Nora, but only because he plans to make her life as a new agent miserable. While the two are both scheming behind each other’s back, old sparks start to fly and after a boozy night in Vegas, the two wake up in the same bed… married! Lines become blurred and rules that are supposed to keep them apart start getting broken, one after the other.

I was in a constant state of butterflies the entire time I was reading. Nora is the Leslie Knope equivalent! She talks fast, she’s dorky, overly organized, and ALWAYS has a catchphrase ready to use. Most people find her annoyingly over the top and competitive. But Derek, aka Dere-Bear, has always loved her spunky spark.

“I’ll gladly lose to you every day of my life – because for me, the prize is just being near you.”

These two had me kicking and giggling, their chemistry was unmatched and adorable. The fact that these two had still been pining for each other since the moment they broke up, they continued to root for each other in their separate careers and remembered every little detail about each other from their past. It’s impossible not to love Derek and Nora.

If you want to laugh out loud and have your heart strings pulled, this book is for you!

What you will find in this book:
Dual POV
Second Chance Love
Grumpy/ Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Fake Marriage
He Falls First
Funny Inner Dialogue

Thank you to Netgally and Random House for this early ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh how I love Sarah Adams. Her books fill you with the best kind of joy.
The Rule book is no exception. It was so fun and wacky.
Sarah Adams knows how to write characters that feel real, with real life stories and issues.

Things I liked about this book:
-the banter
-Seeing Bree and Nathan and the rest of the Sharks again
-the beginning set up
-the second chance trope
-the messaging of impowering women in the workplace

Things I didn't like:
-the romance. at first it was really good and cute but by the end I was struggling to see chemistry between Derek and Nora. And the way it was written was not for me.
-The plot was all over the place and didn't flow well in my opinion
-The ending was a little convenient
-The fact that there won't be anymore books in this series bc all the Sharks were married off out of nowhere
-The whole book just felt disjointed

Overall, I don't know if I would read it again. It reminds me of 'The Off-limits Rule' also by Sarah Adams which is my least favorite of her books.
The story and romance just didn't do it for me. But there are some great parts and quotes throughout the story, and it was a beautiful joyful book.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!

Nora has wanted to be a Sports Agent for the longest time and when she is finally given her first client, it turns out to be no other than Derek Pender, her college ex-boyfriend. Derek is definitely holding a grudge for how Nora ended things and he decides to give her lots of little tasks to keep her busy such as cooking his dinner and other odd jobs around his how. When they end up in Vegas for a campaign photoshoot, they drunkenly get married and post it all over social media and the backlash will be so much worse for Nora than it will for him.

I loved Derek and how much he truly cared about Nora even when he was trying to make her life miserable. He is flirty, fit, and so sexy and it makes him hard to resist. He steps up and does what is best for Nora’s career and the time they spent on their fake honeymoon, I was just grinning ear to ear at all the mischief they were getting into. The way he defended her in his post game interview and was willing to do whatever it took to keep her was so precious. Derek Pender is now one of my top book boyfriends 😍 This was truly the perfect cheesy sports romance😍🔥 There is some spice, but really the perfect amount.

If you are looking for a super sweet second chance sports rom-com, "The Rule Book" is a great read. It had just the right amount of cheesiness that I look for in a rom-com, and I loved Nora and Derek's story.

Nora is becomes the agent to her unknowing footballer college ex-boyfriend, Derek. I don't want to give any spoilers, but this story had a few common romance tropes in a different way than I have seen before. It was a super quick read, even though I have not yet read "The Cheat Sheet" (and now I have to!). I have read several of Sarah Adams' books, and this one definitely brought the sweet romance and love story with some depth I always get from her.

I absolutely recommend this book to all romance lovers, especially if you are looking for one with a quirky, strong, successful female lead. I always love a sports romance and this did not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I feel so lucky to have gotten a sneak peak of this wonderful book!

A darling football romance full of all of the best tropes: enemies to lovers, second chance romance, fake marriage, only one bed, famous person/regular person, grumpy/sunshine. This was a quick, delightfully predictable story told using dual points of view. The perfect book to read right before the Superbowl and to start my self-imposed romance month. 💘
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Publish date: April 2, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book because it seemed right up my alley but oh boy. The book lost me the moment I read the phrase “holy mother of harry styles”. I thought the characterization of the two main characters was a little bit all over the place too and left me frustrated at certain points. While I loved the idea the execution just fell a little flat for me unfortunately.

This book was everything I hoped it would be and more! I read The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adam’s at the very beginning of January and I enjoyed it, but for me I was left wanting just a little bit more. Going into The Rule Book I was skeptical that the same thing would happen, but Sarah did NOT disappoint. The chemistry between Nora and Derek is evident from the moment you start reading the book. Nora is one of the strongest FMC I’ve read about in a long time. She wasn’t afraid to put herself above everyone else, including the people she loves. Everything Derek brought to the table as the MMC was great. It’s not often that you have a MMC who’s so open about his heartbreak. Not to mention the dyslexia aspect of the book, showing his vulnerability was something he did from the very first encounter. Together, these two were chef’s kiss. Their banter, honesty, and love was swoon worthy and I found myself unable to put the book down.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ .5

I really enjoyed this! I appreciated, in particular, that there was no third act breakup. The growth of the two main characters over the course of the story was satisfying and well-paced. At times the writing was a little cheesy and winked too much at the reader. However, the two main characters more than made up for it. I think this series is the author's strongest overall!

If you're into cute romances and dig second chance and sports romance tropes, this book is for you.
I literally read it in one sitting, and although it was an enjoyable read, it didn't hit me like "When In Rome" and "Practice Makes Perfect" did - those were two of my favorite reads in 2023.

I loved Derek, but Nora was just too quirky for my taste, and I wasn't a fan of what Derek did just a week after their breakup (but he redeemed himself later!). Still, it's a solid 3-star read and I'll keep following this author's releases!

Bonus: Derek is on the same NFL team as Nathan from "The Cheat Sheet," so not only do you have him in and the others guys in this book, but you also get a few tidbits about how his relationship with Bree is going these days *love it*.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC!