“Sometimes I wonder, if I stay quiet, will she continue to talk the whole night? I’d happily let her.”

The number one theme of my 2024 reading it seems are love stories where the main characters finally get to live in a world where they are truly seen by the people around them. It’s a form of love meant to be cherished, because it’s an opportunity to live in the most pure form of yourself while being met with acceptance for who you are. That is exactly what Nora and Derek have.

When I tell you I LOVED this book so much?! It’s honestly my favorite of Sarah’s books by far. I feel like I went through an entire range of emotions while reading-I laughed, cried, cheered, and everything in between. This book had so many of my favorite tropes that were done in a really subtle way-each one had a place in the story and as we shifted between them all, it happened with a natural progression.

Beyond the love story, Nora is a character that made me as a reader truly feel seen. She’s a woman who worked hard to earn her position in a field dominated by men, and she never changed who she was at heart on her quest for success. She was unapologetically herself and that was something I loved seeing in a FMC.

Sarah really did her big one with the Rule Book and I’m not sorry to say it 😭

Some of my favorite tropes from the book:

-Second chance romance
-Enemies to lovers
-Forced proximity
-Definitely counts as a workplace romance, right?
-ONLY ONE BED

Like I said - if Sarah writes a book, I read it, and I LOVE IT.

This book was immediately 5 stars for me. I just knew it. I was excited about all the tropes, but I nearly fell out of my seat when I realized it was an Oops we got married in Vegas storyline. PERFECTION.

I just felt so happy reading this book. I think it’s Sarah’s best work yet ( but I literally think all of her books are great, so really, HOW does it keep getting better?). It has her normal charm, humor, and swoony moments. I loved the maturity of all the characters in this story, I loved the second chance romance, and I loved that Nora was a badass agent working in a “man's world.” I liked how she was tough, and went toe to toe with Derek, and I just loved their chemistry.

Thank you Random House for a copy of this arc - you made my day!

Let me start by saying Sarah is an autoread author for me. I recommend practice makes perfect constantly for a cute fun romance read. I literally am in love with Will. With that being said. The Rule book did not disappoint. Derek is my new favorite and is 100% in my top 10 book boyfriends. I normally hate second chance romance in way shape and form but this one was perfection. Their banter, the quirkiness, the iou he keeps GAHHH. I could keep going on for how much I loved this. I will definitely be recommending this to everyone. It hits so many great tropes…ie sports romance, cinnamonroll mmc, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, work romance, agent and talent, fake engagement, Vegas marriage, revenge plan. It may end up being my favorite rom com of 2024! Ah!

4.5 Stars Sarah Adams’ novels are filled with so much sweetness, it makes my cheeks hurt from smiling and The Rule Book is no exception. If you love second chance, accidental marriage/marriage of convenience, he falls first, sports romance, this one is for you! 8 years after they broke up, football star Derek Pender is shocked and infuriated when his new agent is his college ex-girlfriend, Nora Mackenzie. Derek is still hurt and doesn’t want Nora as his agent, so he plans to give her bogus assignments until she quits. Nora knows Derek’s game, but since he is her first client in her dream job, she’s not going to let him get to her and certainly not going to quit. Then everything changes after they wake up after a night out in Vegas, married and with the news going viral on social media.

This was a fun, fast-paced story with surprisingly low angst for a second chance romance. Even though he treated her terribly at first, it was adorable to see all of the little facts and mementos of their time together that Derek kept. The story also discusses a neurodivergent character being diagnosed later in life and coming to terms with that after a difficult childhood because of their learning disability.

Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender, who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.

4/5

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. I usually listen to the audio of Sarah Adam's books. So I feel like it would have been a 5/5 if I listened to it. But the characters development was great and the spice! Love it!

I knew I would be obsessed with this book, but truly this one blew me away. I swear, Sarahs writing just keeps getting better and better.

I laughed out loud a lot.
I cried some too.

It was absolutely amazing to be back in this world and getting to see our friends Bree Cheese + Nathan again.
———————————-

after breaking his heart (and her own) in college, Nora Mackenzie never thought she would really see Derek Pender again.

But after his agent up and retires, the office decides to hand him off to the up and coming rookie agent, Mac.

Little did Derek know how much walking into that conference room that day to meet “Mac” was going to change his life.

💍 fake marriage
💕 second chance romance
🏈 sports romance

thank you to Sarah Adams, Random House & netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion 🥊

No one in this world can convince me to give this wonderful book less than five stars, reigniting my love for sports romance more than I imagined. Truth be told, I've read plenty of them lately, given the rising popularity on TikTok. However, the Queen of quirks, Nora, and the sweet pie hiding behind the grumpy facade, Dere-Bear Derek, emerge as the winners!

Firstly, this book encompasses all of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, second chance at love, grumpy meets the sunshine, forced proximity, and not-so-fake but drunk Vegas marriage! The author brings out the biggest guns, and how can I not fall for this book, especially with its spicy chemistry, great characters, and amazing supporting friends of Derek, including the "Cheat Sheet" couple Nathan and Bree, making a cameo that fueled my excitement.

Let's delve into the plot: enter Nora Mackenzie, an aspiring young agent climbing the steps of the corporate ladder in a men's world against chauvinism and condescending attitudes. She's a near-freak, with a colorfully criticized fashion style, looking at things from the bright side with a sunshiny attitude, not-so-catchy phrases, and silly knock-knock jokes.

She is excited to prove to her male counterparts that she can be an exceptional agent, but her first assignment hits a brick wall – a charming but grumpy giant hiding behind emotional barricades, her ex from college. The same man she broke up with for pursuing career dreams now holds the fate of her entire career. Isn't it ironic?

Enter Derek Pender, a hotshot Sharks team NFL player, taking a break after a tragic injury, attempting a comeback before being replaced by a younger player or traded to another team.

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 to get an annulment, but 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 rom-com couples. Both are sweet, one-of-a-kind characters with engaging qualities I can easily resonate with.

Take my five NFL stars and high recommendations!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine/Dell for sharing this amazing book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback.

Quick intro:
After breaking up with her college sweetheart Derek 8 years ago, Nora becomes his sports agent and the two drunkenly get married in Vegas…further complicating their relationship. 😅😂

Quick thoughts:
This book was such a fun ride. I loved Derek and Nora’s story. It was a joy to see them process through their individual challenges and insecurities, grow, and ultimately reconnect. It was so so sweet. Sarah Adams just keeps getting better! The dialogue had me laughing out loud, awwwwwing, and gasping. I ate it up in two days. Physical TBR? We don’t know her. I dropped everything to read this book.

Read if you like: grumpy x sunshine, second chance romances, learning disability rep, “that’s my wife,” it’s always been you, right person wrong time, and strong women.

If you loved The Cheat Sheet, you will gobble up the Nathan and Bree Cheese cameos and every single scene with the Sharks. Sarah Adams’ writing really shines in these chaotic, hilarious, and bustling scenes.

A big giant thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Sarah Adams for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I cannot wait to get my copy in April and would recommend preordering this gem of a book!

Publisher info:
Review shared to Goodreads.
Review will be posted on Instagram first week of February (@jenn.newm.reads).

This was by far one of the funniest and exciting sports romance books I've read. I literally loved everything about it. I normally don't care to much for sports romance, because I do not relate to sports much but this was literal perfection. I was cracking up the whole time. There was one chapter of actual spice but other than that it was fairly mild. The FMC is so witty and funny. I was actually laughing out loud and my friend was like "are you okay." Thank you so much for this book NetGalley and Random House Publishing!

Another win for Sarah Adam’s, who has become one of my favorite rom-com authors in the past year. The Rule Book, similar to The Cheat Sheet , but different main characters grabbed my attention span immediately. Nora is fun and quirky and a bit obnoxious (if you don’t like characters like this, you’ll hate her) but positively adorable. I would highly recommend this book for rom com lovers! Thank you for the ARC!

“Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender, who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.

Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship save their careers or spark the romance of a lifetime?”

**What I enjoyed about this book:
I have loved every book by Sarah Adams that I have read and this book was no different! The shared history between Nora and Derek created so much fabulous chemistry and Derek was such a great cinnamon roll MMC!! Sarah Adams is the queen of clever, quirky writing and she didn’t let me down in this book!

Read if you like:
*second chance romance
*fake engagement
*cinnamon roll MMC
*dual POVs
*definite steam

I absolutely loved this book. I’ve read pervious books by this author and this one did not disappoint! I’m always a sucker for second chances romance and this one did not disappoint! For me sports romances can always be iffy but this one wrote it perfectly! Such a fun read!

All the stars. I love Sarah adams books! Derek was such a great book boyfriend. I loved his character arc in this one. I don’t want to say too much about tropes because I went into the story blind and I think it turned out so good!

Sarah Adams has quickly become an auto-buy author for me! THE RULE BOOK is officially my favorite book by her -- it's second chance and complete and utter perfection! Can't wait to see what this author will write next -- I will read all of it!

Love this! Sarah Adams books always make me feel cozy, happy, and hopeful. I loved both main characters, even though I know little to nothing about sports or sports agents.

Sarah Adams quite literally never fails. She is so gifted at writing a sweet and heartwarming book that is original every time and makes me actually giddy. I went into this book with such high expectations and a big amount of excitement because of how much I loved the Cheat Sheet, and I was NOT disappointed. Derek and Nora were such a joy to read about and I loved all the Nathan and Bree cameos, along with the other beloved players from the Sharks.

Derek is so sweet and supportive and protective, I fell in love with him from the start. Nora is seriously my spirit animal, she is so spunky and fearless and proud of who she is. She doesn't hide from anything or anyone and I learned so much from her. Now as a couple!! They are absolutely so sweet and perfect!!! This book was so Taylor and Travis coded I was OBSESSED. Genuinely couldn't get enough of these characters, this setting, the football games, the Vegas wedding, ALL OF IT!

I also really appreciate the way Sarah puts content warnings in her books now so that her readers who prefer closed door can stick to that. I think it's amazing that she can do that and also write what and how she wants. She is so amazing and such an inspiration and I seriously cannot wait for this book to be out in the world. I just know everyone will fall in love with Derek and Nora the way I did.

Another hit from Sarah Adams! I loved diving into the world of Nora and Derek (and realized apparently I’ve never read the Cheat Sheet, so I added it to my TBR immediately!) and felt that their story flowed perfectly and kept me wanting more. I’m a huge fan of Adams’ writing style and the way that I can be “aww”-ing on one page and legitimately giggling the next. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Sarah Adams writes with such grace. I love her ability to have flawed strong characters.

Exes turned to marriage of convenience
Such a great read. Can't wait to see them appear in more books.

The Rule Book was such a fun book! I know football romances have cecome very popular since Taylor Swift and Travis Kielce have been dating so this is a great book to add to your TBR pile if that is something that has captured your interest. I love how they were college sweethearts. They had great chemistry and I love how they are thrown into working together again. It was a well written story and I highly enjoyed it!

(This review will go live on my blog on 1/29/24)

I thought that surely I would love this one because it's in the same world and has the same characters as The Cheat Sheet, but unfortunately I DNFed The Rule Book at 20% because I cannot stand these characters and the repetitive storytelling.

Nora's quirkiness is obnoxious, annoying, and unbelievable. Instead of recognizing Derek's feelings, she railroads over him with fake perkiness. She comes off as so immature and lacking in awareness. She's also incredibly shallow, which is something I've noticed is a hallmark of this author's books. I got so tired of reading the repetitive statements like: Derek is so huge. Derek is so big. Derek is so much bigger than he was in college. How can Derek's t-shirt stretch enough to contain his muscles? Derek's hugeness is stretching his shirt so much that I can see his tattoos through it. Is this man 8 feet tall and 700 pounds of pure muscle or something? Is Nora actually Thumbelina? His size is so overly discussed every time that they are in the same room together (and then later again when she reflects on their time together) that I'm picturing a comic book character like the Hulk.

Derek is very unlikable. I understand how much Nora hurt him. He's allowed to be hurt, but he's looking for revenge. He's aiming to manipulate her and control her and then ruin her career because she broke up with him with no explanation. I just don't understand how someone can act like this. Hulk is throwing a tantrum, and it's hard to empathize with someone who is this hostile. He is so unbelievably rude and I can’t find anything good about his personality right now. Nora is just as manipulative in her own way, but not outright rude like this. She's trying to be nice, even if it's fake. But seriously, is she so downright clueless that she doesn't realize how much she hurt him? Does she really not understand why he "hates" her? When I start trying to figure out which character sucks less that's when I know I've got a problem. I hate these two individually and together.

The writing flows nicely and keeps you turning the pages, but maybe this author's humor just isn't my humor. Things that I can tell were written to be funny aren't funny. And hopefully the repetition is edited out before the final printing. How many times is Nathan referred to as Nathan Donelson, quarterback of the Sharks? Not once is Nathan referred to as only his first name, even though anyone who is paying any attention will know who the book is referring to after reading his last name and who he is the first time. Nobody else in the book is referred to by their entire name and job title every time they're talked about. Bree, from The Cheat Sheet, is "Bree, Nathan Donelson's wife" multiple times. Perhaps this is done in an effort to help people who haven't read The Cheat Sheet know what's going on, but neither character is important enough in this book to need this kind of attention placed on them over all the other secondary characters. I also feel like I read way too many repetitive details about Nora's and Derek's shared past. I got tired of reading about both of them reflecting on their prior relationships. I got tired of reading the internal musings of these two after their meetings. I'd read about the actual meeting, then I'd read about Nora thinking about it and recounting things that happened, and then I'd read about Derek thinking about it and recounting things that happened. Then one of them would talk to someone about what happened, and before you know it I've basically read the same thing four times.

I’m so disappointed, because The Cheat Sheet is one of my favorite books ever (I re-read it each year) and I wanted a sequel so badly because the guys on Nathan's team are amazing. I'm sure it's overwhelming to write a follow-up to such a popular and well-loved book and I commend the author for trying, but this book is trying way too hard.