Rules of the Game by Sandy James

Sometimes, frothy, escapist literature is the perfect salve for our scorched souls.

Sandy James' Rules of the Game makes no pretense of being Literature or Serious. It is all about fun.

The premise, tenuous though it is, focuses on Madalyn Sawyer, a romance novelist who wants a hot date for her upcoming 15th high school reunion. Lacking in a man friend, she heads to a biker bar in Jersey City, where she meets Scott Brady. Believing him to be a typical tough biker dude, she strikes up a conversation with him. One thing leads to another, and Scott agrees to consider her request.

But before he will agree to be her date, he wants her to do a favor for him: meet his intrusive friends and family, and convince them that he does not need them to worry about his romantic life. Maddie agrees, and before she realizes it, Scott changes the rules of their game.

Of course she falls in love with him. You knew that, right? But the course of true love never runs smoothly, and Maddie has some issues that need facing. Boy, does she have issues. Are they enough to stand between her and Scott, or can she get past them? You'll have to read and see.

There are some love scenes:

When he pulled back and stared down into my eyes, I found some of my lost wits. "This is supposed to be a business arrangement."

"I told you, I'm changing the rules."

"You can't."

"I can." His hand slipped up from my waist to cup my breast. His thumb rubbed across it until the nipple hardened through my barely there bra. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about this." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to my neck, nibbling his way up to my ear. Heat pooled between my thighs, making me weak in the knees. "You're all I thought about when I was all alone in my bed. I pictured every inch of you, angel. Kissed every inch of you in my mind. You've thought about me, too, haven't you?" 

Uh, yeah. She did.

My biggest complaint about this book is that Scott falls a little too easily for Maddie. He comes across as a pretty tough, stick-to-his-guns kind of guy, yet he quickly becomes besotted by Maddie. It felt too neat to me. But that seems a minor quibble, considering this book is intended to be lightweight. Can you question cotton candy? Or do you just dive in and enjoy?

Think of Rules of the Game as cotton candy and enjoy.


Published by Carina Press and available on Amazon.com.
Thanks to NetGalley for the preview.