From New York Times bestselling authors Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland comes a new standalone romance.
I t all started when I hosted a little party for a bunch of new friends.
Though “friends” might not be the right word since the invitees were all the women I’d found out my boyfriend was talking to behind my back. When the guest of honor walked in— aka my now ex —things took a turn…
Unfortunately, a stranger witnessed the whole blowout. I was in a mood that night and ended up giving this gorgeous guy an attitude, too. As if my night could get any worse, before he stormed off, he informed me he was actually my landlord.
Colby Lennon, along with three of his friends, owned the building where my tattoo shop was located. He and I were total opposites. He wore a tie, oozed confidence that came with years of women falling at his feet, and wasn’t afraid to say what he wanted, which lately— was me .
I hated that I found myself attracted to him. Especially since I was supposed to be on a self-imposed dating hiatus. Yet the two of us couldn’t seem to stay away from each other. We started hanging out, as friends. I even went as far as making rules for what he’d dubbed our “undates.”
But eventually, our explosive attraction became too much to bear, and we broke our resolve. I let my guard down and started to really fall for Colby.
Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on. And I certainly wasn't prepared for where I'd wind up when the ride was over.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty novels.
In 2014, Penelope’s fourth book, Stepbrother Dearest, became the #1 bestselling independently published Kindle ebook of the year on Amazon.com and was credited with igniting an entirely new subgenre of romance. Her 2016 smash hit RoomHate debuted at #2 on The New York Times Bestseller list. Penelope is an Audie Award Winner and three-time Goodreads Choice Romance of the Year Nominee. Her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly and Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review).
Penelope’s novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
She can often be found chatting live with her readers in her private Facebook group, Penelope’s Peeps.
When I read the blurb I was excited to dive into this. A revenge party with all the girls Billie's ex was talking to behind her back? Sounds epic! But it ended up being super underwhelming. Then as the story continued, it was just fine, nothing special. I liked the characters, just not much else going on. I also didn't like the second part of the story. I ended up having to skim through parts. Overall this was a bland story.
I wish I found single dads hot 🥵 but I don’t. I always wonder where is the kid mom. Is she dead then that’s dead ex drama not my thing. If she alive then that’s another drama. This one she’s alive and play a big role in this one. I guess I’m just bored with these books now. The same stuff over and over does that.
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The H's daughter. The side characters. The H's pursuit at the beginning.
The Not-So-Good: The pacing.
The Bad: The dramatic elements.
Overall: This had a lot going on but I surprisingly didn't feel all that invested in the end. While I did enjoy the un-dates and the interactions with the H's daughter, I felt as though the rest of it was a little much while being shallow at the same time. I know I probably don't make sense, but it felt like drama elements thrown in for the sake of drama elements and that they weren't necessarily evoking the feels like I'm sure they were intended to do. Idk! Overall, I just thought it was meh 🤷🏻♀️
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Billie and Colby's story. Billie finds out that her boyfriend is talking to other girls on tinder and plots revenge by inviting them all to the same place, only she doesn't expect to meet her new landlord, Colby, in the middle of it all. Later when they meet again, things get cleared up and Colby starts his pursuit. Billie feels like she has been burned too many times and is hesitant to start anything more than friendship with the hot single dad. There is some big life changing drama, some sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Billie and Colby's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. This felt long (or it dragged) at times but I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Colby. I liked him. I enjoyed how he was a good dad, was persistent with the h, and the un-dates.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Billie. I liked her. I really enjoyed how she was with the H's daughter.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes, but no They are physically separated shortly (few weeks), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time (not technically a break-up but a break for the H's drama)
Possible Triggers: Yes Child abandonment (off page), verbal/emotional abuse from parent (off page), and blackmail/custody/deportation issues (on page)
Closure: This ends in a good place with what I would call a HEA ending they get married
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending
For a while now, this writing duo has been hit or miss with me – and this go-round hit me somewhere less than mid-range. There were laughs, a group of guys who kept things on the lighter side, along with Saylor, an adorable four-year-old that created those much-needed “Oh so sweet” moments. The relationship between Colby Lennon, a single dad, and Billie Holland, an artistic tattooist begins slowly with opposites attracting, and then friendly “undates” until attraction bursts into flames and then things get erotically HOT fast! As you might imagine, there’s plenty of angst that follows when life gets real.
What was planned as a kapow moment was anticipated long before it showed up when a very unlikable and messed-up individual enters the picture. Very predictable and quickly lost its staying power and appealability. Could have left this part out completely. Sometimes less is more – and this is a prime example!
It’s fiction and unrealistically well-endowed. A sexy romp that fills pages with repetitive and explicitly detailed sexual acts and innuendos if this is your thing. There are moments of frivolity and good times and a touch of tender-heartedness as well. Overall, I found the story juvenile and a bit boring and top heavy sexually. The characters were vulgar with little depth and didn’t capture or hold my attention.
Even though I’ve had a hard time staying with this duo’s books through their last few releases, their writing remains solid and easy to follow and well-edited, but it’s the messages and repetitiveness that lose me.
I found the ending rushed and less than satisfying. Once again, sex seemed to rule the moment and the story flat-lined. To say that I wasn’t impressed with this latest release is putting it mildly. I won’t be continuing with this series.
📚”You act like I’m asking you to go to the gas chamber.” Billie laughed. “I do not.” “Prove me wrong, then, and come. I’m not asking you on a date this time. We can be friends, can’t we?” She bit her lip. “Fine. Yes, we can be friends.” “Great.” I winked. “But just to clarify, I sometimes look at my friends’ asses.
📚My heart raced out of control. Colby moved his head closer. We were practically nose to nose. “You know what I think? I think you’re just as jealous as I am.” “I am not.” The heat between us sparked so hot, it felt like my entire body was on fire. “Liar.” “I’m not lying.” “Bullshit, Billie! All I’d have to do right now is move two inches closer. Once we touched, you’d be begging me to fuck you, and you know it. Maybe I should do it. We’d both get our rocks off and feel a hell of a lot better. But I won’t do that to you. Do you know why?” He moved still closer and spoke into my eyes. “Because I don’t want your body without your heart.”
📚Colby scooped up a spoonful of sauce and blew on it before lifting it to my lips. “Oh, wow. That’s really good. Nice and garlicy, the way I like it.” A tiny drip from the underside of the spoon fell and landed on my collarbone. Colby leaned in and licked it off before running his tongue up my neck and sucking along my pulse line. “You had some sauce.” He grinned. “I don’t have any paper towels.” I pointed to the full roll next to me and raised a brow. “I meant, I’m environmentally conscious and don’t like to use too many paper towels.”
📚I shook my head. “I have no idea what I did to deserve you.” She smiled. “That’s how I know this is real. Because true love is when you both feel like you’ve found someone you don’t deserve.”
Fırından taze taze çıkan Vi&Penelope kitabını havada kaptım valla. Bu kadının (Vi kraliçem👸🏼) kitaplarını ne zaman okusam tam da ihtiyacım olduğu anda okuyormuşum gibi bir duyguyla okuyorum. Her zaman ilaç gibi geliyor bana🤌🏻🤌🏻
Yazarların biraz olsun konu değiştirmesi ya da konudaki ilerleyiş açısından sadece ikili ilişkiye odaklanmaması; aşk ilişkisi dışında, iki karakterin yaşadığı bazı şeylere birlikte çözüm bulmaya çalışması, karar alması ve süreci birlikte yaşamaları çok hoşuma gitti.
Bekar bir baba olarak Colby’ye aşık oldum resmen. Tek başına hem şahane bir çocuk yetiştirmişti, hem de hayatında herkese çiçek gibi davranıyordu. Dövmeleri ve sürpriz girişiyle😁😁 Billie’yi de sevdim. Saylor’a ilk andan beri yaklaşımı çok sıcak ve tatlıydı. Güçlü olduğu ve sevdiği adama destek olduğu durumlarda kendisiyle gurur duydum. Billie&Colby&Saylor ilişkisini daha sayfalar dolusu okuyabilirdim. Bu açıdan kitaba bayıldım, çok sevdim.
İlk yarısında daha çok Vi kalemi gibi hissettim. 2. yarısını kötü bulmasam da beklediğimden farklı çıktı. Bu farklılık başta biraz tarz dışında olduğu için şaşırttı ama devamını da severek okudum. 1-2 fazla gelen klişeden, gereksiz bulduğum yanlış anlamadan 1 puan kırdım. Bunlar haricinde zevkle okuduğum bi Vi&Penelope kitabı oldu yine.
Sondaki epilogta ufak bir sahne kitabın yıldızı oldu benim için. Küçücük bir detay da olsa böyle bitişlerin köpeğiyim🥹🥹
Grup arkadaşlarının hepsinin kitabı olur mu acaba gibi bir düşüncem vardı. En azından şimdilik Holden’ın kitabının olacağını öğrendim. En merak ettiğim eleman o olsa da, Owen ve Brayden’ın da kitapları belki zamanla gelir umudunu koruyorum🤩🤩
📚As I stepped inside, I immediately noticed the mountain of laundry in the middle of the room. It was practically five-feet high, an explosion of pastel colors mixed with masculine ones, dresses mixed with collared shirts, pink towels mixed with black. “I interrupted your laundry night. I should go…” “Are you kidding? Best interruption ever, trust me.” I plopped myself down next to the pile and began to fold. He held out his hand. “Whoa. What are you doing? You don’t need to do that.” I looked up. “I actually love folding laundry. I find it so relaxing, placing the warm material against my face, stopping to smell the fresh scent, focusing on folding it just right. It’s like sensory meditation.” I grabbed a random item and took a long whiff. “You know that’s my underwear, right?”
📚”…there’s a reason love and lose are only one letter apart. It’s so damn easy to miss the boat and wind up with the wrong one.”
I would have given this book a higher rating, if it weren't for the sex scenes. I cannot anymore with these guys in romance books who are perfect 10s in bed and always, ALWAYS have the biggest packages. Just nope.
Billie has just broken up with the guy she thought she was exclusively dating in a spectacularly public way. One of the people who bore witness to this is her new landlord Colby Lennon. Oops! Billie is a talented tattoo artist and rents building space for her studio from Colby. She is passionate about her career and enjoys the creative outlet of giving people meaningful permanent ink.
Colby is quite taken with the feisty woman who definitely left a lasting impression on him. Colby has never had trouble finding female company but there is something about Billie that has him wanting to know more about her. The interest from Colby towards her is not welcome, the last thing Billie wants to think about is dating. Colby has a solution though.
‘We don’t have to date Billie, we can ‘undate.’
It takes a while for Billie to see the benefits of undating someone. It is a perfect way to get to know someone really well when there are no expectations of intimacy. It’s great to have someone to hang out with, talk to each day and go out on exciting adventures, like shopping at an Ikea store. Over time, they become so comfortable around each other that before they know it ‘feelings’ and ‘attraction’ have decided to undate them too.
Without realising it, they have fallen for each other and when things move into a more intimate relationship it is steaming hot. These two cannot get enough of each other and insatiability is a pretty accurate way to describe their sex life. Everything just feels so right and Colby can see the future he had only ever dreamed of before with Billie.
Then his past comes knocking and it is not a gentle tap, more like a trojan horse. His whole world is spun off its axis and he cannot see a way out that wouldn’t involve horrendous heartbreak for everyone.
Oh man, there is a lot going on in this story. I loved the slow burning attraction between Colby and Billie. Then when things go tits up there is a whole pile of angst to deal with. Having said that, I loved the development of Billie’s character throughout this story. There were also so many laugh out loud moments, the banter between this couple was fantastic. Another fabulous, indulgent read from this awesome writing duo :)
Billie Holland is a tattoo artist living in New York. She has a job she loves and is in a relationship she thinks is going in the right direction. Then she finds out her boyfriend has been secretly talking to other women. She comes up with a brilliant idea to let him know they are through, and hosts a revenge party for him and his new “friends.” While carrying out her plan a gorgeous stranger awkwardly walks in and witnesses the whole thing. She was at her worst and doesn’t make the best impression. She then learns the charming man in the suit is her landlord. Colby Lennon and his three best friends own the building. She regrets giving him attitude, but it is what it is. As their paths continue to cross, she hates how attracted she is to him. She was unlucky in love, and on a break from dating, but Colby was determined to get a chance with her. As it becomes harder to pretend he doesn’t affect her, her growing feelings terrify her.
Colby Lennon couldn’t seem to stay away from the feisty, uniquely beautiful woman who rents the tattoo shop downstairs. He was drawn to her, and felt an intense connection when she was near. She is cautious and hesitant to get involved with anyone after her last experience, but he convinces her to spend time together as friends. They go on a series of what they call “undates.” If they follow the rules they can enjoy each other’s company without things getting messy. Everything becomes complicated when real feelings develop. Will they be able to avoid falling for one another, or will they give in to what their hearts want?
The Rules of Dating by Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland is a slow burn, opposites attract, single dad, friends to lovers romance full of emotion, humor, angst, explosive chemistry and plenty of heart and swoon. This story was fantastic! It reminded me why I love this writing duo so much! I need more from this world and am dying for the other friends, especially Holden! <333
Kitaba bayıldım. Konusu olsun yan karakterleri olsun bütünüyle kitap çok güzeldi. Bu yazarlar ne yazsa keyifle okurum. Bu arada Amerika'da formaliteden evlenilince neler olabileceğinide dolaylı yoldan öğrenmiş olduk. Yan karakterlerden Holden'in kitabı nisan ayında gelecekmiş o zamana kadar nasıl beklicez😔 aslında hepsinin kitabını çıkarsalar daha güzel olur. 2 kitapçık daha 🤗
The Rules of Dating is a standalone contemporary romance by authors Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward. It's a full length single parent, told from both POV with a HEA. Tropes: ✔️ big city ✔️ friends to lovers ✔️ hero falls first ✔️ opposites attract ✔️ single parent
Vi & Penelope have another epic love story to their collection. Colby and Billie’s story hooked me from the start and had me on pins and needles throughout with its flirty banter and angsty overall plot.
I usually am pretty good at separating my real life from the books I read. But as I’m writing this review I can’t help but think of a real little girl who is going through some rough times and knowing she’s not guaranteed a HEA, so I find myself a bit morose and desperately wishing that life could imitate art.
In The rules of Dating though, I knew I could dive right in and trust that Vi and Penelope would deliver and fun and uplifting story which gave me hope.
Billie and Colby were completely opposites. She’s daring and unashamed, but also reserved when it came to her heart. She’s a caring tattoo artist who swore off men. Colby is a straight-laced architect and single father who upon meeting Billie was relentless in his pursuit of her. So much so, that he even suggested they “undate” in order to spend time with her.
And although it seemed like their relationship was a slow burn while they got to know each other, their attraction was instant and palpable.
Just when it seemed that Billie and Colby had hit their stride, life throws them a huge curve ball. But I have to say that even though my heart broke for them, I wasn’t really anxious about their relationship because they both handled the obstacles that were put in front of them with grace, maturity, love and trust.
Also of note was Colby’s best friends: Owen. Brayden and Holden of which we get books of? In the meantime, Vi & Penelope have announced that we WILL get Holden’s story and I can’t wait to read it!
★ I received an ARC of this title from the author via Give Me Books PR. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. ★See all my book edits on Instagram
I got this because Zachary Webber narrates and he’s fantastic as always. His character is a single dad who is an absolute sweetheart.
And then there’s Billie. She started off strong. Her revenge on her ex - that was amazing. (Wellllll…. The tattoo is questionable, but the women she brought together- well done!). But then she went downhill fast! Her reasons for not dating Colby made zero sense. Then she got jealous when he was COMPLETELY HONEST about a night out with his friends - even though she had NO BUSINESS asking what happened because they’re NOT. DATING🤦🏻♀️and not because he doesn’t want to.
But then she went out with another guy even though Colby is an amazing guy who has the patience of a saint. And that’s when I DNFd.
Lord, give me strength. Dumbass heroines are on my last nerve.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
are you telling me one of the rules of dating is to be so noble & understanding that... [spoiler:i would consent to my boyfriend fake-marrying his baby mama as a scheme to get her green card cause if he doesnt agree, she wont give him full custody of their child]?? i dont think im at that level of sainthood. so, hats off to the h of this book. even though i wasnt particularly on board with how the story took a turn in the second half, there was something comforting & admirable how the H & h handled the situation with such maturity, love, and trust.
Bekar baba temalı kitapları çok seviyorum hele bir de Colby gibi muhteşem bir babaysa tadından yenmiyor 🤤 kitaptaki her karakteri çok sevdim (malum kişi hariç) hepsi birbirinden güzeldi ama tabi ki kitabın yıldızları Colby,Billy ve Saylor'du.
İkinci yarıda çektiğim acıdan sonra epilog ilaç gibi geldi özellikle de son sahnesi Colby ile birlikte ağlamış olabilirim...
Pek PW - VK birlikteliği fanı olmasam da konuyu ve yorumları görünce dayanamadım elbet. Maya ortaya çıkana kadar ki kısımı eğlenerek ve severek okudum ama sonrasında baya sıkıldım. Romantik kurgulardaki gereksiz dramlar kapatılsın 🙄
3.5 stars rounding up to 4 because I absolutely loved Billie and Saylor. Sadly this book just had moments that really bothered me and prevent me from truly loving the story. I really really enjoyed the first half. I loved how different Colby and Billie were. They fought their attraction and feelings for as long as they could. I was glad when Billie gave in and they started actually dating. Billie and Saylor were just so cute together and I loved the bond they created. And part of me knew something bad was going to happen because Colby and Billie were just too happy. The second half of the book is where it fell apart for me.
There were moments when I really loved Colby but I absolutely hated the decisions that he made during the second half of the book. There were things he definitely should have done differently and most of the time Billie was just way too understanding. I don't know many women that would be ok with the choices that were made no matter how "noble" the intentions were. It's been a long time since I have despised a secondary character as much as I do one of the ones in this book. I almost closed the book and quit when certain things started happening and that has never happened with a book by these authors. And then the ending was just entirely too neat and tidy for my liking. It's like all of a sudden everything is sorted out and everyone is just happy again. It was just a bit too unrealistic for me. I know I couldn't just get over what was done literally in an instant.
I know that I will be in the minority here and that is ok. Everyone isn't going to love every book (even when it's written by one of her absolute favorite authors). Maybe over time my feelings will change and if that does happen, I will edit my review in a heartbeat. Right now I'm irrationally angry at some parts of this story.
початок був яскравим, на мою думку. і знайомство героїв вносило свою ізюминку.
Колбі – батько-одинак, який виховує маленьку крихітку Сейлор, яка однозначно була вишенькою на торті цієї книжки. і Біллі – тату-майстриня, яка втратила віру в чоловіків після інциденту з колишнім. нехай знайомство від початку не вдалося, але вони досить швидко знайшли після цього спільну мову та зацікавились одне одним. вже на 30-35% книжки у них було все майже добре. а якщо все на початку так добре, то це означає, що надалі буде треш.
повернуся ще до плюсів. у книжці гарно розписано дружбу, є жарти, які навіть можливо знайти дотепними. можна захоплюватися другорядними персонажами, наприклад, Холденом (про нього є наступна книжка, і вже в цій частині натякали на певне продовження його історії, що безумовно підігріває інтерес). також маленька донька Колбі додавала книжці ефекту мілоти. і не можна не помітити, що сам чоловік – люблячий та турботливий, і загалом прекрасна людина. але завжди є але.
мені не сподобалося, як почали розгортатися події після половини, і якщо ЦЕ викинути з книжки, то виходить непогано так, але цього не сталося. мені довелося все це читати і дратуватися. тому я поставила ⭐️⭐️/5. куди ж без драми?
далі враження зі СПОЙЛЕРАМИ.
от невже все втратило б сенс, якщо викинути з книжку цю божевільну ідею одруження на колишній (матері Сейлор) заради блага дитини? з цього починається все найгірше і читати було неможливо ці страждання. більша половина книжки чисто про це. одружився – розлучився. ну, таке. зате щасливий фінал прийшов швидко і все закінчилося добре.
I didn’t know The Rules of Dating was a single dad romance and I wish I had known before reading. Ward and Keeland are one of my favourite writing duos, so I usually pick up their books without the synopsis. Single dad romances are predictable and the kids are never always that cute and understanding.
The main character Billie is weary of relationships after she has been burned a few times in the past, so Colby has to prove himself to her through what he calls undating. Essentially, dates that aren’t labeled as dates.
The first half of the novel focused on Billie and Colby’s developing feelings for each other. The tension between Billie and Colby was lukewarm and certainly not Ward and Keeland’s best. However, there were a few moments Colby became a bit more aggressive in his pursuit of Billie that worked really well.
The second half of the novel introduced the biological mother. There was so much drama and the emotional impact her arrival was supposed to have on Billie and Colby didn’t hit like it was supposed to because of their lack of significant chemistry.
The Rules of Dating ended quickly and with a perfect bow, though most romances end like this so expecting more from a romance ending is setting yourself up for failure.
Overall, The Rules of Dating was a disappointing single dad romance that lacks the signature Ward and Keeland chemistry.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Una storia leggera e piccante quanto basta, ma che devo ammettere non mi ha coinvolta più di tanto. L’entusiasmo iniziale che riponevo in questa improbabile coppia, lei indipendente e forte, lui un uomo posato e adorabile ma poco fermo nelle prese di posizione, è andato scemando, probabilmente perché lui ha impiegato fin troppo tempo ed energie per conquistare Billie.
Questo, oltre che alle inutili paturnie mentali che hanno frullato nella sua testa portandolo anche in alcuni momenti a fare dietro front, hanno influito a mio parere sul lato romantico del libro e dunque la magia della storia d’amore, così come me l'ero immaginata, non l’ho avvertita.
Ma la presenza di scenette divertenti e alcuni dialoghi che ho trovato esilaranti, hanno reso la lettura piacevole e leggera, che consiglio a chi vuol trascorrere qualche ora spensierata in compagnia di un formidabile duo di autrici che seguo e leggo praticamente da sempre.
Usually love this combo but this one was just boring and the “joke” at 16% was just poor taste and I couldn’t go on any longer…not sure when the holocaust was something that got bandied about as a joke. Lame.
Billie hat gerade eine dramatische Trennung hinter sich, als sie ihren attraktiven Vermieter Colby kennenlernt. Aber nach ihrer letzten Beziehung hat sie Vertrauensprobleme und will sich daher nicht ausgerechnet auf einen Mann einlassen, der nicht nur eine wilde Vergangenheit hat, sondern auch alleinerziehender Vater ist.
Trotzdem können sie sich der Anziehung nicht widersetzen, aber besonders wegen der kleinen Saylor halten sie sich zurück. Seine Tochter hat für Corby immer Priorität, aber er kann Billie auch noch nicht aufgeben. Seit dem schmerzlichen Verlust seines besten Freundes hat sich sein Blick auf das Leben geändert und er möchte sich eine Frau, die so viele Gefühle in ihm auslöst, nicht aus Angst vor Verlust und Verantwortung entgehen lassen.
Billie ist eine leidenschaftliche Tattookünstlerin, hat aber auch Probleme mit ihrer Mutter, für die ihr Job noch nie gut genug war. Sie traut sich noch nicht, Corby eine Chance zu geben, aber zwischen ihnen ist einfach mehr als Freundschaft, auch wenn sie ihre Treffen "Nicht Dates" nennen. Ich fand es auf jeden Fall schön, wie sie erst eine freundschaftliche Basis aufbauen, bevor ihre Gefühle immer tiefer gehen. Auch Saylor fand ich sehr entzückend, auch wenn sie mir für ihr Alter von vier Jahren schon fast ein bisschen zu schlau war.
Das Autorinnenduo Keeland & Ward enttäuscht mich selten und auch hier bieten sie eine Liebesgeschichte, deren langsame Entwicklung man gut spüren und nachvollziehen kann, außerdem gibt es natürlich auch etwas Herzschmerz, Humor und auch an Drama darf es nicht fehlen. Letzteres war mir wieder ein Ticken zu viel, aber insgesamt ist es wieder eine gelungene Mischung aus verschiedenen Elementen, die sehr gut miteinander harmonieren.
I've been a little grumpy with the ratings lately, but why it is soooo hard to find a 5-star book? Why?? Especially when you begin one written by your favorite author, Penelope Ward, the choice would have been obvious, but it was not the case.
"The Rules of Dating" was a good book in terms of message and awareness, but in my opinion, it lacked the dynamic I've been searching for. The action was absent and even if the problem was real, I couldn't understand why a whole book was chosen with only this topic. I think that was the major issue, that I needed something more besides what I already received.
Billie is a talented tattoo artist who discovered that her boyfriend is cheating. Soooo, she masters this plant to catch him in the act and as collateral of all this, Colby Lennon, her landlord, is caught in the heat of the moment. No problem, because the 2 of them instantly hit it off and their chemistry was off the charts. But Billie is reluctant to begin a new relationship now and Colby is a father of a precious little girl names Saylor. So, between responsibility and trust, Billie and Colby must find a way to manage this chemistry and not get anyone hurt in the process. The problem comes afterward when Colby's past comes to hunt him and threaten what he loves most - his daughter.
The book was sweet and again, the message was loud and clear - when you embark on a new relationship and you have a child, it is very difficult for the kid, but also for your partner. In this story, Billie and Saylor connected soooo well and it was a pleasure to see them together. The chemistry with Colby was also very sweet and palpable, but it all fell apart in the second half of the book when all the attention went sideways.
I don't want to spoil it, but I think Penelope and Vi wanted something more from this book, but ran out of topics and just let it go. I wanted the plot to be more realistic and more dynamic, but the pace was slowed down in the last 40% and it killed me. I wanted more time with my couple, to get to know them and understand where they are at. Instead, I received a lot of drama that didn't seem authentic to be applicable in real life....
The thing I am looking forward to is the next book because a loose thread was left, in order to begin a new intriguing series, with Colby's best friends. I really hope it will not disappoint.
Ця книга заполонила мій день. Вона мене розчулила відносинами між Коблі Біллі та Сейлор. Як вони жертвували своїми відносинами і почуттями заради Сейлор. І як вони стійко це все витримали. Дружня лінія тут теж чудова, підтримка друзів і на що вони готові заради свої другій. З цією книгою я і сміялася і переживала, нервувала і навіть заплакала. Ця книга як затишок. Чекаю на продовження цієї серії ( вже про іншого друга) І Разджу прочитати!!! І також головне тут троп - татко одинак я обожнюю його. Це один ідеальний чоловік в копілочку😍
When Billie set up a little revenge get together to put her cheating boyfriend in his place she didn’t expect making such a scene…or the handsome man that walked in witness to it. Well, at she won’t have to see him again right? Unless, he happens to be her tattoo shop’s new landlord. Colby Lennon walked in just at the right time, or did he, to a woman’s breakdown. Not the best first impression but who is the feisty tattooer that now occupies his building? What a brilliant opening to this story even if a wee bit unprofessional lol! This is such a feel good romance that will have you rooting for Colby! Their blossoming friends to lovers vibe will have you smiling ear to ear. I really enjoyed the twist too! A definite Top Read of 2022. Told in dual POV
📸 Teaser Collage by Miss Petite Brunette Book Blog
Це моя перша прочитана книга, де головним героєм є самотній батько, особливо якщо це такий захоплюючий батько, як Колбі. Мені дуже сподобались всі персонажі в цій книзі, всі вони були чудові. Але безумовно, Колбі, Біллі та Сейлор були справжніми зірками цієї книги.
Після всієї тієї болісної подорожі, яку я переживала у другій половині книги, епілог прийшов до мене як ліки, особливо остання сцена. Можливо, я навіть пролив кілька сліз разом з Колбі...
Ще одна книга від авторок, яка мені дуже сподобалась ❣️🥰. Помітила для себе, що книги Ві Кіланд можуть витягнути навіть з нечитуна - вони легкі, цікаво читати і більш-менш адекватні вчинки і герої. Хто полюбляє троп # самотній гарячий татко - то ця якраз вам сподобається ❤️ Класні дорослі адекватні герої : Колбі - батько-одинак, який разом з друзями володіє приміщенням, в якому Біллі - дівчина тату-майстер орендує приміщення. Нехай знайомство між цими двома виявилось трошки сумбурним, але з часом вони дедалі більше захоплюються одне одним, а разом з тим і закохуються 🥰🥰. Те, яким турботливим татком для Сейлор був Колбі - прям в саме серденько ❣️❣️. І як Біллі, не бажаючи цього, а навіть лякаючись такої перспективи, сама полюбила цю маленьку дівчинку, як мило вона проводила з нею час, купала її і вкладала спати - 💔💔. Для мене трошки банальною була драма з біологічною мамою Сейлор, але на щастя все вирішилось так, як і в принципі мало б бути ❤️ Ну і ще тут у героя дуже класні друзі - четверо хлопців, з якими вони дружать майже з дитинства, і які завжди прийдуть на допомогу один одному 🙌. Мені вже не терпиться прочитати наступну історію в серії, героєм якої буде запальний барабанщик Холден 😍😍
Si pudiera darle 0 estrellas lo haría. La sinopsis (aunque nada fuera del otro mundo) me llamó la atención y las primeras páginas fueron algo interesantes…luego, todo fue un caos. Esa trama que surgió de la nada es simplemente la cosa más tonta que he leído desde hace un tiempo.