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Marked Men #1
Rule
Opposites in every way . . . except the one that matters
Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight-A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want—and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.
To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess-and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw-even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.
But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.
Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight-A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want—and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.
To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess-and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw-even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.
But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 30, 2012
3,463 people are currently reading
54.8k people want to read
About the author
Jay Crownover
134books14.4kfollowersJay Crownover is the International and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point and Breaking Point Series, and the Loveless, Texas series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,604 reviews
January 3, 2014
I am conducting what I'm shelving as a "New Adult (NA) Experiment". I'm going to work my way through some of the popular New Adult books and see if I can weed out the crap and hopefully find some surprising gems. Here's hoping!
contains every single thing I've come to hate about New Adult. You might think it no longer possible that I could be surprised by how terrible a NA book is, I thought so too before reading this. But this book was so annoying, so offensive, so bad, it seemed as though it must have been written as some kind of terrible joke. Or by a twelve year old who only speaks broken English. The editing was some of the worst I've ever seen. I appreciate that it's possible I own the original ebook that was published before the book was noticed by a major publisher (and made use of their editorial department) but, even so, I had to literally decipher each sentence. Did anyone even read through this once before pushing the "submit" button? And yet, somehow, has still managed to collect an impressive pile of five star ratings and glowing reviews. How? I have to ask, because I couldn't understand a whole lot of it.
You know, it's funny how the YA genre - on average - is so much better written and more mature than NA. At least there's usually some attempt to develop the characters beyond cliched stereotypes of "bad boy" and the "sluts" he uses and casts aside before the "virginal heroine" comes along. There's even an "evil cheerleader" thrown in. Sometimes I have to stop and wonder what century I'm living in. Because, honestly, I don't know which was worse: the complete dick of a guy who has absolutely no respect for women, or the holier-than-thou girl who obsesses over said guy but calls other women "whores" for doing the same.
The annoying "heroine" of this piece is Shaw. She sees herself and Rule as above every other lowly human being in this story and is certain everyone else merely fails to understand the grand complexity that is her. What a moron. She views Rule's behaviour as that of a victim who is only a dickhead because he is seduced by various tramps who wander around in revealing clothing. At one point, Rule's parents try to talk some sense into him and she defends him because he's a "terrific son" when really he seems like a complete douchebag. She also actually thinks this line: "her name was Amy Rodgers and I had spent all four years of high school being tormented by her and her cheerleader cronies". Seriously, grow up. Everyone is out to get her and in her head she can do no wrong. There's a psychological term for blaming other people for everything that's wrong with you: . Just sayin'.
And Rule. Bloody Rule. And all the fascists in this novel who thought it would be a great idea to name their kids Rule, Rome, Jet and Nash. Rule is the poster boy for double standards - I don't think I've ever read a book where it is so fully rubbed in my face. The message couldn't be more clear: Rule is a bad boy for sleeping around with lots of different women, but the women in question are all tramps, sluts and whores. He supports Shaw's theory that the women are to blame for these sexual encounters. He's just being a guy but the girls are exploring an all new level of immorality. He refers to his conquests with disdain, like this: "any chick that was willing to come home with a stranger for unattached sex". And they get this the next morning: "if you don't want to be treated like crap maybe you should stop going home with drunken dudes you don't know. Trust me we're really only after one thing and the next morning all we really want is for you to go quietly away." (God, I really want to add some commas to those sentences). We don't even have to look at this as being about gender. Male, female... who cares? He's just fucking rude.
You know you're in a NA book when losing your virginity involves "sex acrobatics".
For all the sexy scenes that NA likes to throw about, overall, it seems pretty damn obsessed with virginity and the giving of it. Shaw is quite clearly presented as a superior being because of her virgin status. It distinguishes her from her "slutty coworker" who also has the hots for Rule. It makes her better than the "disgusting bar bimbos" and "teenage tramps". But, of course, the losing of the virginity is mind-blowing, world-changing intercourse! NA seriously makes me laugh for this. Multiple orgasms on your first time? Yeah... right.
Virginity or, at the very least, no sexual promiscuity is a requirement for the majority of NA "heroines". If you're female, then you're either a heroine or a whore. If you're the heroine, then you're virginal and holier-than-thou; if you're a whore, then you're probably a cheerleader. But even if you escape the pom pom fate, you can never be seen to be having anything resembling feelings. There are exceptions - like and - and I enjoy finding them so much that reading books like this is *almost* worth it. One of the worst things, though, which is starting to annoy me even more than the separating of women into sexuality-based categories, is the necessity for women to be modest and unaware of their own attractiveness. To, essentially, be all you don't knoooow-oh-oh, you don't know you're beautiful!
I'm not sure why we're celebrating insecurity. I'm not sure why it's a bad thing if a woman knows she looks good and doesn't go home to stick her finger down her throat*. I really don't get it. But then, I'm not sure I get this "genre" (or whatever). But I will keep looking for good stuff in 2014 and most likely keep being annoyed by the bad. To end this extremely negative review on a positive (and slightly late) note - Happy New Year!!!
March 9, 2023
"Opposites don’t just attract. They freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down.��
I want to give this book more than 5 stars!!! Loved it!�
Ladies and gentleman... let me introduce you to� RULE ARCHER
My struggle came with the fact that Rule was complicated. He was brash, mouthy, careless, thoughtless, and often cranky and generally an insufferable pain in the ass. But when he chose to be, he was also charming and funny, artistically brilliant and more often then not, the most person in the room and I had been head over heels in love with both sides of him since I was thirteen years old.
And the girl that loves him... Shaw
Rule and Shaw have a complicated relationship. Rule Archer had a identical twin brother(minus the ink and piercings), Remy Archer. Remy and Shaw were very close, they were best friends. Everyone assumed their relationship was romantic, but it was strictly platonic. Remy died in a car accident three years ago. Shaw has been a part of the Archer family since she started hanging around with Remy at thirteen. Rules parents and older brother Rome love Shaw. Every Sunday, Shaw picks up Rule(she often finds him in compromising positions) and brings him to his parents house for brunch. Rules parents(especially his mother) are critical of rule and his lifestyle. Lets be honest.. Rule is a bit of a man slut, and with his changing hair color/style, ink and piercings etc, he is not what any conservative family would deem appropriate. Shaw doesn’t care. She loves everything about Rule and it drives her crazy that his parents don’t see all the wonderful in him. Unfortunately, Rule thinks Shaw was his brothers girl so he’s never seen her as anything else. Plus, she seems like too much of a good girl/spoiled princess for him. One drunken night, Shaw will finally make her move on Rule. And it will change everything....
You see this story through the eyes of Rule and Shaw, with the dual povs.
Rule is dealing with guilt from his brothers death, his mother blames him and people just don’t accept who he is. Remy is one of the only people who did and he is gone. He copes with his issues with alcohol and women. Lots and lots of women. Shaw is a college student, and a virgin (due to the fact that when ever she got close to a guy, it didn’t work. Because they weren't Rule.) She has parents who expect perfection from her, but they are all about appearances. They don’t really care. She is dealing with a psycho stalker ex boyfriend and is keeping a secret for her best friend Remy, that makes her life more difficult. Rule and Shaw have a lot of obstacles to overcome in their relationship.
I knew I would love Rule Archer from the very start of this book! A tattoo artist, ultimate bad boy with attitude, hot and sarcastic man whore who is tattooed and pierced- in all the right places... Whats not to love???
I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked Shaw. She’s rich, but she’s not spoiled or entitled. She is a loyal person. She’s kind and hardworking. At first, she conformed to what people wanted/expected of her, but I loved when that changed and she realized she didn’t have to live up to everyones expectations.
I deserved better and if they weren’t willing to give me the love I showed them without restrictions or demands, then I didn't want them in my life.
Most of the secondary characters were great, they really made the story. Rome is a soldier, and Rules big brother. Loved his interactions with Rule and Shaw, he was such a sweet guy. Ayden, Nash, and Cora were all good friends and were there for Rule and Shaw when they need them. Of course there were some not great characters, but thats to be expected.
Rule and Shaw’s relationship had many ups and downs, but they had some scorching hot moments and some really sweet and swoony moments. Loved their relationship and their chemistry. They were perfect together.
”Because it’s always been you. Even when I didn’t want it to be. Even when it broke my heart over and over again, its just always been you.�
“What if I ask you to give me everything Shaw, what if I want it all? Won’t that make me just like all the rest of them?”�
“No, because you don’t have to ask me for anything. All of its already yours. You’re the only one I ever wanted to give it to.�
This story sucked me in! I loved everything about it! There were some grammatical issues, but the story was so good, they were easily overlooked. The ending was PERFECT! I’m excited for book 2 in this series- Ayden and Jet’s book. Especially if we get more Rule and Shaw! A fantastic debut novel! If you haven’t read this one, read it now!!!
February 10, 2013
So much potential it's almost painful...
Comma, period...meet Jay Crownover. Jay Crownover, meet comma and period.
Hopefully this will be the beginning of a beautiful, intimate relationship between you two, but until then, I'll be your biggest cheerleader. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jay Crownover is incredibly talented with the unique gift of expressing herself through a great story. Her words are incredibly well written, but the lack of punctuation was like giving me this amazing gift without a way to open it. It was wrapped so tight with editing errors and typos that it made it difficult for me to even want to try. However, I didn't give up. I decided to tear through it because the gift underneath was worth it. The gift of Remy, Rule and Shaw was worth it. "Big brother" Rome was worth it. The perfect sexually charged progression of Rule and Shaw's relationship was worth it. The sexual tension alone...was worth it. So. Much. Potential.
I know what you're probably thinking, "Contradict much?" Maybe a little, but the fact remains...this is a great story.
So how can it be well written, but not? Well, the words she used to tell her story showed amazing talent. The way she told her story...incredible. The actual story...loved! So can you be a good writer, but suck at grammar and punctuation? Survey says...hell yeah you can! That's what editors are for, right? I'm pretty sure if I wrote a book, every single English professor just might simultaneously drop dead. Babies would cry and the Titanic would sink...again!
However, I'm not an author, I'm a reader. And as a reader I have to say...this book just wasn't ready to be read yet. I see so much potential in Rule that if I had the money I would personally invest to have this story edited in the way it should have been. I would pay Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations to design one of her amazing covers.
I usually let grammar and editing slide as long as it doesn't distract from the story, but here? It was one gigantic distraction. However, it was a distraction I was willing to overlook. That has got to say something. It may have been enough to keep me from truly being able to pimp Rule to the masses but not enough to make me, for one second, sorry I read this book. Pull it, clean it up, re-release it, and BOOM! I just wish I had the means (aka the monies) to showcase Rule in the way it deserves to be!
READ ON!
Comma, period...meet Jay Crownover. Jay Crownover, meet comma and period.
Hopefully this will be the beginning of a beautiful, intimate relationship between you two, but until then, I'll be your biggest cheerleader. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jay Crownover is incredibly talented with the unique gift of expressing herself through a great story. Her words are incredibly well written, but the lack of punctuation was like giving me this amazing gift without a way to open it. It was wrapped so tight with editing errors and typos that it made it difficult for me to even want to try. However, I didn't give up. I decided to tear through it because the gift underneath was worth it. The gift of Remy, Rule and Shaw was worth it. "Big brother" Rome was worth it. The perfect sexually charged progression of Rule and Shaw's relationship was worth it. The sexual tension alone...was worth it. So. Much. Potential.
I know what you're probably thinking, "Contradict much?" Maybe a little, but the fact remains...this is a great story.
So how can it be well written, but not? Well, the words she used to tell her story showed amazing talent. The way she told her story...incredible. The actual story...loved! So can you be a good writer, but suck at grammar and punctuation? Survey says...hell yeah you can! That's what editors are for, right? I'm pretty sure if I wrote a book, every single English professor just might simultaneously drop dead. Babies would cry and the Titanic would sink...again!
However, I'm not an author, I'm a reader. And as a reader I have to say...this book just wasn't ready to be read yet. I see so much potential in Rule that if I had the money I would personally invest to have this story edited in the way it should have been. I would pay Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations to design one of her amazing covers.
I usually let grammar and editing slide as long as it doesn't distract from the story, but here? It was one gigantic distraction. However, it was a distraction I was willing to overlook. That has got to say something. It may have been enough to keep me from truly being able to pimp Rule to the masses but not enough to make me, for one second, sorry I read this book. Pull it, clean it up, re-release it, and BOOM! I just wish I had the means (aka the monies) to showcase Rule in the way it deserves to be!
READ ON!
January 18, 2013
Tattooed.
Pierced.
HOT!
That's Rule Archer
He’s also arrogant and explosive, he treats women like crap because too many of them let him get away with it for a long time after his brother's demise, but he was doing it all locked inside this bubble that none of those who loved him could get through. He's cold and unreachable...
But then all of a sudden, there were cracks and the robot version of himself he had as a front started to fade away...
Because of one girl...
Their family buffer.
The girl who's always there to fetch him the morning after screwing different women every night.
The girl who has always thought that he's worthy and in need of love even when he did his absolute best to convince the rest of the world he isn't interested in being loved.
The same girl who had loved him ever since she first laid eyes on him...
... Shaw Landon...
[image error]
BUT,
"...opposites don’t just attract they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down."
There are going to be hindrances.
Crazy ex.
Secrets and lies.
Family issues.
and he will SCREW UP a lot!
“You have to promise not to bail on me when I get lost, Shaw. You have to promise to just wait it out until I can find my way back. I need to know you’re at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black.�
How will they survive?
Is there really a light at the end of the tunnel for Rule Archer?
Want to find out?
Now, READ IT!!!
This book has got it all! It's like I'm watching a soap opera. And I loved it!
Okay, so it took me a while to finish this, not because I didn't get sucked in to the story, but because I've been catching up on my fave TV series, so yeah, but I know I'm clearly missing out, and I should've finished this asap because it's FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!!!
Like seriously, Tattooed, pierced bad boy who also had a troubled past? Nothing new, right? But who cares anyways? I STILL LOVE IT! and I know most of you does too. I love how the story unfolds and that for a change, what happened to Shaw and Rule isn't insta love, and I love how their love story blossomed.
Halfway through the book I was thinking "you know what, I think it would be the best if the author writes a book for Ayden and Jet(because he's a rockstar and everyone loves a rockstar!!!) and I'm happy at the end of the book, I found out that there IS gonna be a book about them, so YAY!
I think the only problem I have with this book is the typos. I have to admit, I have to reread some words again because sometimes, the sentence doesn't make sense so this book clearly needs editing, but if you just disregard that, this book is perfect. :)
Also, the thing about Remy's "secret", I figured it all out and guessed it right that I'm starting to think I'm a genius. LOL, nah, JK ;)
OVERALL, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
'Nuff said.
4.5 STARS!!!
Pierced.
HOT!
That's Rule Archer
He’s also arrogant and explosive, he treats women like crap because too many of them let him get away with it for a long time after his brother's demise, but he was doing it all locked inside this bubble that none of those who loved him could get through. He's cold and unreachable...
But then all of a sudden, there were cracks and the robot version of himself he had as a front started to fade away...
Because of one girl...
Their family buffer.
The girl who's always there to fetch him the morning after screwing different women every night.
The girl who has always thought that he's worthy and in need of love even when he did his absolute best to convince the rest of the world he isn't interested in being loved.
The same girl who had loved him ever since she first laid eyes on him...
... Shaw Landon...
[image error]
BUT,
"...opposites don’t just attract they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down."
There are going to be hindrances.
Crazy ex.
Secrets and lies.
Family issues.
and he will SCREW UP a lot!
“You have to promise not to bail on me when I get lost, Shaw. You have to promise to just wait it out until I can find my way back. I need to know you’re at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black.�
How will they survive?
Is there really a light at the end of the tunnel for Rule Archer?
Want to find out?
Now, READ IT!!!
Remarkable.
Undeniably addicting.
Lovely.
Engaging.
This book has got it all! It's like I'm watching a soap opera. And I loved it!
Okay, so it took me a while to finish this, not because I didn't get sucked in to the story, but because I've been catching up on my fave TV series, so yeah, but I know I'm clearly missing out, and I should've finished this asap because it's FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC!!!
Like seriously, Tattooed, pierced bad boy who also had a troubled past? Nothing new, right? But who cares anyways? I STILL LOVE IT! and I know most of you does too. I love how the story unfolds and that for a change, what happened to Shaw and Rule isn't insta love, and I love how their love story blossomed.
Halfway through the book I was thinking "you know what, I think it would be the best if the author writes a book for Ayden and Jet(because he's a rockstar and everyone loves a rockstar!!!) and I'm happy at the end of the book, I found out that there IS gonna be a book about them, so YAY!
I think the only problem I have with this book is the typos. I have to admit, I have to reread some words again because sometimes, the sentence doesn't make sense so this book clearly needs editing, but if you just disregard that, this book is perfect. :)
Also, the thing about Remy's "secret", I figured it all out and guessed it right that I'm starting to think I'm a genius. LOL, nah, JK ;)
OVERALL, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
'Nuff said.
4.5 STARS!!!
February 18, 2014
*** FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED *** 4.5 stars
What an awesome book!!! My first thought after finishing it was... WHY DID I NOT READ THIS SOONER?????
Rule was one of the books I'd had on my TBR the longest without having read it. I literally bought it the day it was first released as an indie (back in 2012!!) and for whatever reason, I just never had got around to reading it. The funny thing is that I actually always thought I'd like it. Maybe I was subconsciously saving it for desperate times?? Who knows... but from the first few pages, I was totally pulled into the story and knew there was no way I was going to put it down. Everything about it just screamed WIN!!
The story is about Rule and Shaw who were about as polar opposite as you could possibly get. He was a hot headed, rebellious, man-whoring, tattooed (and thoroughly pierced!) bad boy, and she was a pristine, straight A student. They'd been in each other's lives since they were young teens but as far as he knew, she was also the love of his late twin brother's life. But what he didn't know was that she'd always and only loved his twin like a brother and had always been secretly in love with him....
I absolutely loved their banter. It was fun and so snappy!
"You're twenty-two, Rule. When are you going to stop acting like an indulgent teenager?" �
"You're nineteen, Shaw�. My eighty-two-year-old grandma has more of a social calendar than you, and I think she's less uptight." �
"I like Ethel." �
"Everybody like Ethel. She's feisty and won't take crap from anyone. You could learn a thing or two from her."
"Oh, maybe I should just dye my hair pink, tattoo every visible surface of my body, shove a bunch of metal in my face, and sleep with everything that moves. Isn't that your philosophy on how to live a rich and fulfilling life?"
There might not have been any insta-love in this book (quite the opposite in fact) but I sure fell instantly in love with it. Everything about it was fun and addictive. And it was so much more than just a bad boy romance too -- there were deeper things at play ... a long unrequited secret love, a dysfunctional family dynamic made worse by a tragedy that just rubbed salt into old wounds, a fantastic cast of Alpha male brothers (of both blood and friendship), and a wonderful romance at the heart of it all.
Rule really stole my heart. He was such a misunderstood character I think. While his outer appearance was too much for some people to look past, or it just made them judge him wrongly, he had a heart of gold and for as much of a bad boy as he was, he was also such agood guy.
"Are you, Mr. Manwhore of the Century, seriously trying to give me relationship advice?" …�
"Just because there hasn't been on girl I wanted to hang out with exclusively doesn't mean I don't know the difference between quality and quantity."
I loved how naturally protective he was of her. At times, it was actually hilarious...
"Maybe next time you could just pee in a circle around me so that they know you've already been there."
But all joking aside, he had no problem telling anyone who messed with his girl right off...
"I'm telling you this stops now or you can go to the hospital and I can spend some time in jail, got it?"
And with so much history between them, they both knew what was on the line...
"Rule, if this goes bad, it's gonna be so, so bad." �
"True, but if it's good, its going to be so very, very good."
Oh, and I also have to say that while I dolove a protective here, it's also totally awesome when the girl stands up for her guys and Shaw had a totally badass line that I have to share with you...
"I'm not giving you his number because he's mine and if you get anywhere near him I swear to God the things I do to you will be chronicled on Investigation Discovery for years to come."
My heart really broke for Rule though. The way his family treated him was so unfair and I just wanted to reach in and hug him and tell him that it would all be ok. And given all of the things he'd been through, it was an understandably big step for him to open up his heart to anyone.
I can't say enough how much I loved that this wasmore than just a romance. I feel like the external issues in both Rule and Shaw's lives brought a lot of dimension to the story. I didn't actually expect that and it was a pleasant surprise. And I also loved that even though the focus of the book was clearly on Rule and Shaw, the few pages that each other character graced were enough to connect me to them and have me interested in their lives as well. Especially Rome -- omg, I'm totally crushing on him (shhh, don't tell Rule).
Taking a little side moment to gush about Rome here... this quote basically described him asexactly the kind of hero I love most...
"Even battered and bruised, Rome was the kind of guy who stood between the people he loved and anything that might possibly hurt them."
Be still my heart!! Ok. I'll hold off on the rest of my Rome-love until his book. Back to Rule now...
The story was well paced and it kept my attention the whole way through. No slow or sticky spots. And, for the most part, there was a lot of what I love most in books which is two people trying to work through their issues to figure out how to make their relationship work. I'll admit that therewassome stupid mixed in but for the most part it didn't bother me because with the way the story was told, in alternating POVs, I could always see that neither of them evermeant to hurt the other and they were trying in their own way to do the right thing... even though sometimes they did the wrong thing first and then had to learn from their mistakes.
And I really have to give Rule credit -- he may not have made all the right decisions but that man sure knew how to give an epic apology and grovel. He was impossible not to forgive. The things he said just melted my heart and I loved how, once he's sorted out his feelings, he was bound and determined to make sure Shaw knew how he felt.
I really loved seeing Rule and Shaw work through things. They both were dealing with a lot of respective external drama in their lives but I could see them improving as they went.
"We have to fix this."
"We need to learn how not to break in the first place."
The book ended in such a way that it totally wrapped up Rule and Shaw's story but left me curious and intrigued to read on in the series and find out about the other guys' stories.
You know, it's funny but I guess sometimes you can get spoiled reading a lot of really great books and after those it's sometimes hard to find another one that you reallylove. And after starting and stopping no less than four books this week that just weren't working for me, I was starting to wonder if maybe it was me, y'know? Like, what's the likelihood of that many books not working out? But then... I started this book and just instantly connected. Total book magic.
The best word I can use to describe this book would be 'addictive'. This is definitely a must read bad boy romance. It's fun, flirty, and sexy, but also has a lot of depth and a great core group of characters I can't wait to read about.I highly recommend it!
Rating: 4.5 stars
PS -- I just want to address this because some people have been asking. The original indie version of this book had a lot of errors in it that some readers were complaining about. But since then, it has been reedited so I just want to assure you that the version available now is totally clean and reads without any issues.
Oh and here's my casting for Rule...
***
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February 28, 2013
Can you change for someone ?
Will you ever be able to realise that the most beautiful things in life are moments?
Can you love truly love someone that you didn't like?
Well , Rule Archer CAN.
Rule
Shaw
Rule is the guy that will have a one night stand with you and toss away in the morning.
"Any chick that was willing to come home how with a stranger for a night of unattached sex didn't get the right to cast judgment around, especially while they were still naked and rumpled in bed."
On the other hand Shaw is the girl who studies , has a job and stays away from any kind of trouble .
But staying away from Rule isn't easy .
She has to pick him up every weekend and make him visit his parents.
This is a turture for both of them .
Rule hates her because she's the rich girl that had invaded in his family a few years ago.
Shaw can't stand him because every time she picks him up he is half-naked or naked with a different woman in his bed , and this is painful for her.
We should never give up our hopes or on our undying loves...
Something might happen...
He gave her a perfect birthday present.
She walked away....
She didnt want to become one of those trashes he used to spend his night with.
He went after her so they would figure out what to do with each other.
Her dream came true...
After all these years he was hers.
However, dealing with Rule and your ex at the same time is not easy.
Have you met your brother, right?Mr I'll bang anything with big boobs and negative IQ
The girl has money and status written all over her , you have nothing but ink and a good time spelled out bright and clear all over you.
Rule is determined to change for her and he does.
It is scary to know how easily I could hurt this girl and how desperately I didn't want that to happen.
She was different.
With her I was different.
She gave meaning to his life.
She taught him how to love.
Still , no matter how a perfect match they were , he was insecure about their relationship .
Why I loved Rule : He was funny , though and smart. He wasn't the fucked-up character who didnt want to hurt any girl.
He was a jerk! Just imagine that he considered a relationship as a monogamy thing.
Why I loved Shaw : Pride comes first from everything . Beautiful and smart . She knows how to handle him and how to treat him.
Will you ever be able to realise that the most beautiful things in life are moments?
Can you love truly love someone that you didn't like?
Well , Rule Archer CAN.
Rule
Shaw
Rule is the guy that will have a one night stand with you and toss away in the morning.
"Any chick that was willing to come home how with a stranger for a night of unattached sex didn't get the right to cast judgment around, especially while they were still naked and rumpled in bed."
On the other hand Shaw is the girl who studies , has a job and stays away from any kind of trouble .
But staying away from Rule isn't easy .
She has to pick him up every weekend and make him visit his parents.
This is a turture for both of them .
Rule hates her because she's the rich girl that had invaded in his family a few years ago.
Shaw can't stand him because every time she picks him up he is half-naked or naked with a different woman in his bed , and this is painful for her.
We should never give up our hopes or on our undying loves...
Something might happen...
He gave her a perfect birthday present.
She walked away....
She didnt want to become one of those trashes he used to spend his night with.
He went after her so they would figure out what to do with each other.
Her dream came true...
After all these years he was hers.
However, dealing with Rule and your ex at the same time is not easy.
Have you met your brother, right?Mr I'll bang anything with big boobs and negative IQ
The girl has money and status written all over her , you have nothing but ink and a good time spelled out bright and clear all over you.
Rule is determined to change for her and he does.
It is scary to know how easily I could hurt this girl and how desperately I didn't want that to happen.
She was different.
With her I was different.
She gave meaning to his life.
She taught him how to love.
Still , no matter how a perfect match they were , he was insecure about their relationship .
Why I loved Rule : He was funny , though and smart. He wasn't the fucked-up character who didnt want to hurt any girl.
He was a jerk! Just imagine that he considered a relationship as a monogamy thing.
Why I loved Shaw : Pride comes first from everything . Beautiful and smart . She knows how to handle him and how to treat him.
May 26, 2017
I’m annoyed with myself for letting this sit on my kindle for so long, smooshed under a massive tbr pile. Rule is my weakness in New Adult. I love a hero who can be a bit of an arsehole but underneath has an ample amount of redeeming qualities. It’s his protective and loyal qualities in Rule that make him so irresistible to Shaw—despite the fact he unwittingly hurts her more often than he even realizes with his stream of one night stands. I loved their back story, their rich, complex, and tragic history because it gave them both so much room to grow. Jay did a fantastic job on character arc and journey with Rule because this is a true coming of age story for both Rule and Shaw. Add in sizzling chemistry, passion, suspense and a wonderful crew of secondary characters and you’ve got the very best New Adult has to offer. I LOVED every minute! So much so I jumped straight into book two JET and am now about to start ROME. The Marked Men series is truly addictive reading!
Read
June 9, 2023Why the hell did i read even most of this? SO BAD AND SO STUPID AND SUCH A BAD MESSAGE.
I am not even going to rate this, and I will deny reading it to my grave.
I am not even going to rate this, and I will deny reading it to my grave.
December 4, 2013
4.5-4.75 Stars
Meet Rule Archer. He is my latest book boyfriend crush.
I loved Rule like it was my mission in life. I loved him like it was inevitable�
So the first thing I noticed right away is the cover. It’s gorgeous and I could not say no to a guy who looked like that. I mean, have you seen him? He’s gorgeous! And those tattoos? Total fucking SWOON!! YUMMY. After I finished this book, I had to Google more tattooed hotties. I engulfed this book. I just couldn’t stop reading. Today was my day off and I was determined to be lost in a book. The story had drama, a little bit of angst, and a whole lot of sexual tension between the H/h which led to some wonderful times in between the sheets. This was just what the doctor ordered.
“Gotta tell you, Rule, I’m a fan of kissing with all that metal in your face. I never thought that was something I would be into, but you sure make it work.�
Rule is moody, complicated and brash, but underneath his tough tattooed exterior lies a man who’s sweet, artistic, charming, brilliant and loyal. He’s also PIERCED in all the right places **wink & smirks** Just picturing his piercings makes me squirm and blush. Oh. My. God. Is it hot in here? FUCK! He’s hot.
Anyway, I digress. He’s always been the odd brother out in his family, but when his beloved twin dies, he was an outcast more than ever. He’s always played by his own set of rules. He’s a very successful tattoo artist and is a big hit with the ladies. The way his parents treat him, especially his mother, makes him feel unworthy of being loved. He has never had a serious relationship and goes from one fling to another.
“So Nash and I went out and there were redheads and there were brunettes and there was even a super-hot chick that looked kinda like Pink, but you think any of them did it for me? No, Shaw, not one because they weren’t fucking you; ever since you walked out on Sunday all I’ve been thinking of is you.�
Shaw Landon has loved Rule Archer since she first laid eyes on him. Ever since his twin brother, Remy, took her home, everyone in Archer family welcomed her with open arms. Her own family has never made her feel as welcome as the Archers did. She never did belong her parents' world of the privileged and rich. They even tried to push her towards a man like Gabe, a man of good breeding, but completely psycho.
Shaw has always been a fixer. Every Sunday, she picks up Rule from his apartment to drive him to visit his parents. She constantly finds him sprawled naked with his flavor of the week next to him, but she does it; no matter how much it hurts knowing that Rule never really sees her. As for Rule, he hates Sundays, but he always reluctantly goes. Little did he know that she would do anything for him. She always puts up with his bullshit without a hint of complaint. In Rule’s eyes, a girl like Shaw was in his eyes, unattainable.
It wasn’t until the night of Shaw’s birthday that everything changed�
“What are you trying to say Rule?�
“I don’t know, all I know is other girls aren’t you and that isn’t cutting it for me. I think we need to figure out what’s going on between us.�
This story between Rule and Shaw was one I couldn’t put down. Rule could be such an asshat sometimes, but I loved that he was trying. He wanted to be the type of man Shaw deserved. All Shaw ever wanted was Rule, flaws and all. The angst was kept at a minimum, but the drama was all there.
There were a couple reasons why I couldn’t give this a full five stars. One: This book needed some serious editing. This version I have is supposed to be the tweaked out version, but they need to go over it again because the slight mistakes they missed made sentences long and drawn out. It even made it confusing at times. Two: The separation between Rule and Shaw towards the end seemed a little drawn out. Aside from that, I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait for the next book that stars Ayden and Jet. But for now, I know I’ll be thinking about Rule, his tattoos and his piercings (**Blushes**) for a long time to come ;)
Meet Rule Archer. He is my latest book boyfriend crush.
I loved Rule like it was my mission in life. I loved him like it was inevitable�
So the first thing I noticed right away is the cover. It’s gorgeous and I could not say no to a guy who looked like that. I mean, have you seen him? He’s gorgeous! And those tattoos? Total fucking SWOON!! YUMMY. After I finished this book, I had to Google more tattooed hotties. I engulfed this book. I just couldn’t stop reading. Today was my day off and I was determined to be lost in a book. The story had drama, a little bit of angst, and a whole lot of sexual tension between the H/h which led to some wonderful times in between the sheets. This was just what the doctor ordered.
“Gotta tell you, Rule, I’m a fan of kissing with all that metal in your face. I never thought that was something I would be into, but you sure make it work.�
Rule is moody, complicated and brash, but underneath his tough tattooed exterior lies a man who’s sweet, artistic, charming, brilliant and loyal. He’s also PIERCED in all the right places **wink & smirks** Just picturing his piercings makes me squirm and blush. Oh. My. God. Is it hot in here? FUCK! He’s hot.
Anyway, I digress. He’s always been the odd brother out in his family, but when his beloved twin dies, he was an outcast more than ever. He’s always played by his own set of rules. He’s a very successful tattoo artist and is a big hit with the ladies. The way his parents treat him, especially his mother, makes him feel unworthy of being loved. He has never had a serious relationship and goes from one fling to another.
“So Nash and I went out and there were redheads and there were brunettes and there was even a super-hot chick that looked kinda like Pink, but you think any of them did it for me? No, Shaw, not one because they weren’t fucking you; ever since you walked out on Sunday all I’ve been thinking of is you.�
Shaw Landon has loved Rule Archer since she first laid eyes on him. Ever since his twin brother, Remy, took her home, everyone in Archer family welcomed her with open arms. Her own family has never made her feel as welcome as the Archers did. She never did belong her parents' world of the privileged and rich. They even tried to push her towards a man like Gabe, a man of good breeding, but completely psycho.
Shaw has always been a fixer. Every Sunday, she picks up Rule from his apartment to drive him to visit his parents. She constantly finds him sprawled naked with his flavor of the week next to him, but she does it; no matter how much it hurts knowing that Rule never really sees her. As for Rule, he hates Sundays, but he always reluctantly goes. Little did he know that she would do anything for him. She always puts up with his bullshit without a hint of complaint. In Rule’s eyes, a girl like Shaw was in his eyes, unattainable.
It wasn’t until the night of Shaw’s birthday that everything changed�
“What are you trying to say Rule?�
“I don’t know, all I know is other girls aren’t you and that isn’t cutting it for me. I think we need to figure out what’s going on between us.�
This story between Rule and Shaw was one I couldn’t put down. Rule could be such an asshat sometimes, but I loved that he was trying. He wanted to be the type of man Shaw deserved. All Shaw ever wanted was Rule, flaws and all. The angst was kept at a minimum, but the drama was all there.
There were a couple reasons why I couldn’t give this a full five stars. One: This book needed some serious editing. This version I have is supposed to be the tweaked out version, but they need to go over it again because the slight mistakes they missed made sentences long and drawn out. It even made it confusing at times. Two: The separation between Rule and Shaw towards the end seemed a little drawn out. Aside from that, I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait for the next book that stars Ayden and Jet. But for now, I know I’ll be thinking about Rule, his tattoos and his piercings (**Blushes**) for a long time to come ;)
July 11, 2022
ｃｈｅｃ� ｏｕ� ｍｙ ｂｏｏｋｓｔａｇｒａ�:
This book was... just ok.
Yes, I read similar books that were much worse... but I also read books that were better. 😬
There was nothing special or new about this book: the good girl who is in love since forever (not sure why 🤦♀�) with the bad tattooed boy, who has a heavy emotional baggage and only one night stands - who never notices her, until his friends say she's hot - and then he falls deaply in love. 🙄
📚 "𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣." 📚
The plot was very predictable and there was no emotional development or even passion between the characters... Hell, even the sex scenes were pretty boring. 😬
I didn't hate it, but I didn't enjoy it either. If I had read it 4 years ago I probably would have enjoyed it more. 🤷♀�
Needless to say, I will not continue to the rest of the books in the series.
I listened to the audio version (which was great).
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
📖 ᖴOᒪᒪO� ᗰE O� IᑎᔕTᗩGᖇᗩ�:
📖 ᐯIᔕIT ᗰY ᗷᒪOG ᖴO� ᗰOᖇE ᖇEᐯIEᗯᔕ:
📖 GOOᗪᖇEᗩᗪ�:
💕 לקריאת הסקירה בעברית, כנסו לבלוג: 💕
June 30, 2016
I picked this book out of so many New Adult books in my tbr because it seems promising. And seriously, I love books that are with male protagonists with sexy, bad-boy image. Given the fact that this book also has high ratings, why not?
Rule is the first book of Marked Men series. We get to be introduced by the sexy, tattoo artist named Rule here-- a guy who grew up with family issues because of the tragic history that happened to his twin brother Remy. Then there is this girl named Shaw, a medical college student who always had a thing for Rule since she was 14. The thing is, she was close to Remy and everyone in Rule's family assumed that she and Remy were sort of an item-- not knowing exactly that Shaw is secretly in love with Rule.
This book is potentially good, I guess... If only I have no issues.
But then, I simply could not totally like it. Why? It's because of the characters.
First, let's talk about Rule. This guy is sexy as hell. With all those tats and piercings-- well, he's a guy every girl in the corner wants to hook up with. At first, I really adored him. But when I've read more and more chapters, my adoration for him slowly died. He's so not worth it! I don't like the way he's so full of himself, like "hey, I'm bad and sexy, girls. Want to f*ck with me? Come and get me" I have nothing against man-whore male leads but then this guy-- he just ruined my good impression on him. He's total jerk in a literal way. And so immature. All right, he has some issues I get it but to text his girlfriend "I kissed some chick last night"? WTF? If I were Shaw, I would not only destroy my phone after reading that text from him. I would freaking destroy his face!
And oh, I hate it when he always compare Shaw to his previous conquests. Like, how Shaw is much better in bed than his previous one-night-stand girls, and how she's even sexier. Alright, Shaw is sexy and perfect and that should be it. Why bring up the EXes?
And now on to Shaw.
Shaw is what you can consider an ideal girl. Pretty, smart, rich, decent, and a medical student at that. Perfect. But then, she constantly disappoints me. All throughout the book I was groaning inwardly or rolling my eyes because she's such a love sick woman who is willing to cross everything just to be with Rule and it's just not right. She's playing martyr which does not sit well on me because I think she's too good for Rule. And when Rule openly admitted to cheating on her and she just instantly forgive him? WTH?
And here's her line that made me raise some serious eyebrows:
"Even if I hadn't been on the pill, having a moment of wild, uninhibited and totally unprotected sex with him was most definitely worth any of the risks that were involved with that."
Holy sh*it! That guy has serious sexual histories with different girls-- night after night-- and you could say THAT? You mean, you're ok getting STD because he's worth it? Oh, no!
Because of that, the book did not gain thumbs up from me. I was mostly busy rolling my eyes at the immaturity of them. Maybe the next books of this series are better but I'm not so sure if I will pick them up soon. Maybe-- maybe not.
I still give it 2 stars, however, because I enjoyed the first parts of it. :)
Rating: 2 Stars
Rule is the first book of Marked Men series. We get to be introduced by the sexy, tattoo artist named Rule here-- a guy who grew up with family issues because of the tragic history that happened to his twin brother Remy. Then there is this girl named Shaw, a medical college student who always had a thing for Rule since she was 14. The thing is, she was close to Remy and everyone in Rule's family assumed that she and Remy were sort of an item-- not knowing exactly that Shaw is secretly in love with Rule.
This book is potentially good, I guess... If only I have no issues.
But then, I simply could not totally like it. Why? It's because of the characters.
First, let's talk about Rule. This guy is sexy as hell. With all those tats and piercings-- well, he's a guy every girl in the corner wants to hook up with. At first, I really adored him. But when I've read more and more chapters, my adoration for him slowly died. He's so not worth it! I don't like the way he's so full of himself, like "hey, I'm bad and sexy, girls. Want to f*ck with me? Come and get me" I have nothing against man-whore male leads but then this guy-- he just ruined my good impression on him. He's total jerk in a literal way. And so immature. All right, he has some issues I get it but to text his girlfriend "I kissed some chick last night"? WTF? If I were Shaw, I would not only destroy my phone after reading that text from him. I would freaking destroy his face!
And oh, I hate it when he always compare Shaw to his previous conquests. Like, how Shaw is much better in bed than his previous one-night-stand girls, and how she's even sexier. Alright, Shaw is sexy and perfect and that should be it. Why bring up the EXes?
And now on to Shaw.
Shaw is what you can consider an ideal girl. Pretty, smart, rich, decent, and a medical student at that. Perfect. But then, she constantly disappoints me. All throughout the book I was groaning inwardly or rolling my eyes because she's such a love sick woman who is willing to cross everything just to be with Rule and it's just not right. She's playing martyr which does not sit well on me because I think she's too good for Rule. And when Rule openly admitted to cheating on her and she just instantly forgive him? WTH?
And here's her line that made me raise some serious eyebrows:
"Even if I hadn't been on the pill, having a moment of wild, uninhibited and totally unprotected sex with him was most definitely worth any of the risks that were involved with that."
Holy sh*it! That guy has serious sexual histories with different girls-- night after night-- and you could say THAT? You mean, you're ok getting STD because he's worth it? Oh, no!
Because of that, the book did not gain thumbs up from me. I was mostly busy rolling my eyes at the immaturity of them. Maybe the next books of this series are better but I'm not so sure if I will pick them up soon. Maybe-- maybe not.
I still give it 2 stars, however, because I enjoyed the first parts of it. :)
Rating: 2 Stars
February 25, 2013
Be warned: The English language will never be the same
I got up to 30% and honestly, this is my absolute limit. This thing (which I refuse to call a book) has to be deleted off the face of cyberspace or any other space that it may inhabit.
Author, you may have great ideas (that I doubt but will never know for sure, as even I'm not that masochistic to make myself finish this thing). What you obviously don't have, however, is an editor. This piece ofshit 'literature' so desperately screams with the need to be edited, that I cannot force myself to continue reading, and it pains me because with each word I can feel the English language dying a slow, excruciating death.
And one more thing: I usually don't rate anything before at least making it to the middle, but this is too much for me to bear and people need to be warned.
I got up to 30% and honestly, this is my absolute limit. This thing (which I refuse to call a book) has to be deleted off the face of cyberspace or any other space that it may inhabit.
Author, you may have great ideas (that I doubt but will never know for sure, as even I'm not that masochistic to make myself finish this thing). What you obviously don't have, however, is an editor. This piece of
And one more thing: I usually don't rate anything before at least making it to the middle, but this is too much for me to bear and people need to be warned.
October 27, 2017
“It all starts and ends with you for me.�
I loved this book. I really loved it so much! It was just my favorite kind of romance. Emotional but as realistic and convincing as it can be, nothing cheesy or over the top! The characters were well-written and the dialogues were superb. I rarely like a heroine in a book because I always want them to act like I would, but usually, they don’t :)
As a matter of fact, the heroine in this book, Shaw, didn’t act the way I would because I don’t know if I can be that good in situations like she faced but the way she acted, thought and spoke made me adore her and I loved her dearly. She was an awesome character.
Rule (an interesting name!) is our bad boy with tattoos & piercings everywhere (yes, there, too!) He has such a beautiful face with dark hair and blue eyes but the tattoos, the wild hair styles and kick-ass piercings on his face and body make him someone irresistible for all the girls around. So, he is the man-whore of the century!
Rule’s twin brother Remy and Shaw were very close friends and the whole family loved Shaw deeply. Only, Rule was rude and cold to her. Everyone in the family thought Remy and Shaw were soul mates and were destined to be together no matter how many times Shaw said they were just friends. After the tragic death of Remy, things got very complicated in the family. His mother blamed Rule for the accident and Shaw was the one trying to make sure the whole family stay connected.
For Rule, Shaw was the picture perfect beautiful and rich girl, uptight and cold. He never tried to get to know her. Thinking she was his twin brother’s ex, he never thought to get involved with her in any other way. But, he couldn’t be more wrong.
Shaw, on the other hand, has been in love with Rule since she was 13 and she watched him go from one girl to another, tortured herself and she cannot be in a stable relationship because she can never get over him. That is why, she also breaks up with the boring, creepy rich guy Gabe after 6 months of dating.
I sabotaged relationships, turned down guy after guy simply because I didn’t want a good guy, I wanted the one that was damaged and blind to the way I felt.
***
He shook his head and pointed a finger at me.
“That’s the girl you complain about driving home with every weekend?
That’s the girl you whine endlessly about walking in on you when you’re acting the fool?
That’s the girl you dodge calls from and avoid like the plague?
Geez Rule, I never knew you were gay.�
Nash snickered and Jet busted out in a full belly laugh. I flipped Rowdy off and narrowed my eyes.
“Shut up. You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.�
“No? I have eyes and that chick is killer so either you’re blind or stupid...�
***
The girl was rocking ... I wondered what in the hell I had been smoking to miss it right up until then.
***
I made my way back out of the bar thinking that it was probably the first time since I had met her when she was just a kid that I had ever seen Shaw be Shaw and it made me a little nervous that when she didn’t have all her guards up and all her haughty defense mechanisms in place she seemed so fallible, so undeniably human, so approachable and so…attainable.
The moment when Rule realizes how hot and sexy Shaw can be when she is not around her or his family is the beginning of their starting an affair. But Rule is known for his one night-stands. How things evolved from this point on was very realistic. No confessions of love and hearts all of a sudden. While Rule was trying to figure out what he was feeling, Shaw tried to be content with what she could get from him. Everything happened as it would have in a situation like this. I loved the down-to-earth side of this story.
I had kissed hundreds of girls and there was always something nice about it, but Shaw kicked nice to the curb and went right into coma inducing.
***
“You’re like good whiskey, Shaw. You go to a guy’s head quick and smooth.�
***
Kissing Shaw was probably as close to heaven as I was ever going to get.
As Shaw always says, Rule is worth loving but he makes it hard for people to love him. That is why, things are not easy peasy with Rule. He goes and makes an as*hole act every now and then. As he has never had a girlfriend or he has never been in a relationship, he doesn’t know how to do it right but he wants to try. And Shaw is patient enough to try to teach him how to be happy in a loving relationship.
“It’s okay to get a little lost in your head as long as you come back and we can talk about it. I’m not going to ask you to give anything you aren’t comfortable with. People have done that to me my entire life and I’m sick of it.�
***
“I need to know you’re at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black.�
***
“I know how to wait for you Rule and I don’t mind doing it as long as you promise not to shut me out.�
***
The tunnel was long and dark and sometimes no matter how good my intentions were the walls tended to close in on me but if Shaw was willing to be my light at the end then there was no way I wasn’t going to try.
***
“You can be scared alone or we can be scared together.�
In addition to the crazy of Rule, there are other outside effects they have to deal with such as Shaw’s parents who do not approve their relationship, Rule’s mother who still thinks she belongs to Remy and of course, Shaw’s ex-boyfriend who has now made her an obsession and tries hard to get her back in the most gruesome ways.
The thin line Shaw and Rule are walking on is disturbed greatly by all these people. However, they also have awesome friends and Rule has a very good big brother, all of whom try to talk sense into him.
RULE is the story of how Shaw and Rule find what they are looking for in each other and their fear of losing it and their struggle to win it back when they lose it.
“I’m tired of my love not being good enough.�
***
“I think I wanted it too much and you didn’t want it enough.�
***
“She needs your strength and you need her to teach you how to love.�
This was a beautiful read for me. It was not very hot but hot(tish). If it were a little bit more steamy, it would have been a 10-star read for me but this was certainly enough for me to give it 5 stars. The book made me smile, it made me cry and it made me swoon. It made me feel everything. In short, the book satisfied me greatly on an emotional level so it goes to my favorites shelf directly!
“Because it’s always been you even when I didn’t want it to be, even when it broke my heart over and over again. It’s just always been you.�
***
“Here’s my heart Shaw. You have it in your hands and I promise you’re the first and last person to ever touch it.�
I loved this book. I really loved it so much! It was just my favorite kind of romance. Emotional but as realistic and convincing as it can be, nothing cheesy or over the top! The characters were well-written and the dialogues were superb. I rarely like a heroine in a book because I always want them to act like I would, but usually, they don’t :)
As a matter of fact, the heroine in this book, Shaw, didn’t act the way I would because I don’t know if I can be that good in situations like she faced but the way she acted, thought and spoke made me adore her and I loved her dearly. She was an awesome character.
Rule (an interesting name!) is our bad boy with tattoos & piercings everywhere (yes, there, too!) He has such a beautiful face with dark hair and blue eyes but the tattoos, the wild hair styles and kick-ass piercings on his face and body make him someone irresistible for all the girls around. So, he is the man-whore of the century!
Rule’s twin brother Remy and Shaw were very close friends and the whole family loved Shaw deeply. Only, Rule was rude and cold to her. Everyone in the family thought Remy and Shaw were soul mates and were destined to be together no matter how many times Shaw said they were just friends. After the tragic death of Remy, things got very complicated in the family. His mother blamed Rule for the accident and Shaw was the one trying to make sure the whole family stay connected.
For Rule, Shaw was the picture perfect beautiful and rich girl, uptight and cold. He never tried to get to know her. Thinking she was his twin brother’s ex, he never thought to get involved with her in any other way. But, he couldn’t be more wrong.
Shaw, on the other hand, has been in love with Rule since she was 13 and she watched him go from one girl to another, tortured herself and she cannot be in a stable relationship because she can never get over him. That is why, she also breaks up with the boring, creepy rich guy Gabe after 6 months of dating.
I sabotaged relationships, turned down guy after guy simply because I didn’t want a good guy, I wanted the one that was damaged and blind to the way I felt.
***
He shook his head and pointed a finger at me.
“That’s the girl you complain about driving home with every weekend?
That’s the girl you whine endlessly about walking in on you when you’re acting the fool?
That’s the girl you dodge calls from and avoid like the plague?
Geez Rule, I never knew you were gay.�
Nash snickered and Jet busted out in a full belly laugh. I flipped Rowdy off and narrowed my eyes.
“Shut up. You don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.�
“No? I have eyes and that chick is killer so either you’re blind or stupid...�
***
The girl was rocking ... I wondered what in the hell I had been smoking to miss it right up until then.
***
I made my way back out of the bar thinking that it was probably the first time since I had met her when she was just a kid that I had ever seen Shaw be Shaw and it made me a little nervous that when she didn’t have all her guards up and all her haughty defense mechanisms in place she seemed so fallible, so undeniably human, so approachable and so…attainable.
The moment when Rule realizes how hot and sexy Shaw can be when she is not around her or his family is the beginning of their starting an affair. But Rule is known for his one night-stands. How things evolved from this point on was very realistic. No confessions of love and hearts all of a sudden. While Rule was trying to figure out what he was feeling, Shaw tried to be content with what she could get from him. Everything happened as it would have in a situation like this. I loved the down-to-earth side of this story.
I had kissed hundreds of girls and there was always something nice about it, but Shaw kicked nice to the curb and went right into coma inducing.
***
“You’re like good whiskey, Shaw. You go to a guy’s head quick and smooth.�
***
Kissing Shaw was probably as close to heaven as I was ever going to get.
As Shaw always says, Rule is worth loving but he makes it hard for people to love him. That is why, things are not easy peasy with Rule. He goes and makes an as*hole act every now and then. As he has never had a girlfriend or he has never been in a relationship, he doesn’t know how to do it right but he wants to try. And Shaw is patient enough to try to teach him how to be happy in a loving relationship.
“It’s okay to get a little lost in your head as long as you come back and we can talk about it. I’m not going to ask you to give anything you aren’t comfortable with. People have done that to me my entire life and I’m sick of it.�
***
“I need to know you’re at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black.�
***
“I know how to wait for you Rule and I don’t mind doing it as long as you promise not to shut me out.�
***
The tunnel was long and dark and sometimes no matter how good my intentions were the walls tended to close in on me but if Shaw was willing to be my light at the end then there was no way I wasn’t going to try.
***
“You can be scared alone or we can be scared together.�
In addition to the crazy of Rule, there are other outside effects they have to deal with such as Shaw’s parents who do not approve their relationship, Rule’s mother who still thinks she belongs to Remy and of course, Shaw’s ex-boyfriend who has now made her an obsession and tries hard to get her back in the most gruesome ways.
The thin line Shaw and Rule are walking on is disturbed greatly by all these people. However, they also have awesome friends and Rule has a very good big brother, all of whom try to talk sense into him.
RULE is the story of how Shaw and Rule find what they are looking for in each other and their fear of losing it and their struggle to win it back when they lose it.
“I’m tired of my love not being good enough.�
***
“I think I wanted it too much and you didn’t want it enough.�
***
“She needs your strength and you need her to teach you how to love.�
This was a beautiful read for me. It was not very hot but hot(tish). If it were a little bit more steamy, it would have been a 10-star read for me but this was certainly enough for me to give it 5 stars. The book made me smile, it made me cry and it made me swoon. It made me feel everything. In short, the book satisfied me greatly on an emotional level so it goes to my favorites shelf directly!
“Because it’s always been you even when I didn’t want it to be, even when it broke my heart over and over again. It’s just always been you.�
***
“Here’s my heart Shaw. You have it in your hands and I promise you’re the first and last person to ever touch it.�
November 20, 2015
My bookish friends know that I’m not a fan of the New Adult stories. In fact, I’ve sworn you’d have to drag me kicking and screaming into this genre� There’s just way too much drama, too many misunderstandings, more angst than my head and heart can stand� The thing is, at 53 years old, I’ve lived through that pain myself, and having a 33 year old daughter, I lived through her living through it, too. Thankfully my 22-year-old girl has managed to avoid it, and my 19-year-old son has managed to steer clear of hormonal, high maintenance girls. Never thought I’d be so thankful for his addiction to Xbox Live and video games! The drama, the angst, the bickering, the unaccepting parents� yep, I lived through that crap and don’t want to read about it in my romance escapism!
But that said, there was something different about Rule. And I don’t just mean Rule, the man; I mean the whole story. There was something about it that drew me in and kept me reading, even though there were times I wanted to throttle both Rule and Shaw. Their immaturity, their lack of communication, the way they reacted to one another... I found it frustrating on a “been there done that� level. But the more I read, the more I invested in them and wanted to see them grow as individuals so that they could make it work as a couple.
And Rule and Shaw aren’t the only people I invested in! As bitchy as Rule’s mother was, my heart broke for this woman who lost her son, Remy, Rule’s twin brother, in a car accident. I can’t even imagine the grief she’s endured. Hell, my son just left for Uganda on a two year mission for our church and I break down sobbing for missing him� how any mother can stand the anguish of losing a child to death� well, I just can’t fathom that kind of pain. Sure, I wanted to slap her upside her head a few times, too, but in the end, she was another character I couldn’t help but care about and wanted nothing more than to see her heal.
What does this mean for me? Well, I’m not sure I’m ready to just dive right in to the genre, but maybe I’ll snorkel in� you know, slow and easy like� I definitely want to read more in this series. I want to see how things work out for Rome, Rule’s older brother, and I’m truly looking forward to revisiting Rule’s mom and dad to see how they’re changing as parents, now that their family is mending.
The bottom line: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Rule. It’s not without flaws � some minor editing issues and times when the story dragged a bit � but overall, poignant, cute, romantic and sexy� definitely an entertaining story.
My thanks to Avon Books and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2025
3.5 stars. Honestly, y'all: Rule is a douche and a player. He tries his best to be everything his deceased perfect twin wasn't to the extremes. He sleeps with a different girl almost every day. He has his sexy body pierced and tatted (personally a fan of this rebellion :-p) Finally, his relationship with his parents is glacial. Shaw was his brother's best friend and Rule put her firmly on the off limits section. Except, he had no idea Shaw has loved him since she was 13. A drunken night makes all those walls he has built to keep her out crumble to the heat they generate. These two have fantastic sexual chemistry. After it's all said and done, I was pleasantly surprised to read Rule being the initial pursuer :) Dear Rule, however, is also learning to be in a relationship and goes about coping with his feelings in a very bad way. That part REALLY pissed me off. Almost as much as Shaw forgiving so easily. After that, they start to develop as a couple but hit a few big bumps along the way. I wasn't a fan of Rule's methods for coping, which consisted largely of ignoring Shaw or trying to change into what he thinks she wants, but it felt like a part of his flaws. I was really glad to read him finally come into himself. He shows good growth. I liked Shaw and her big heart. I wanted to put her in a bubble to protect her from the hurt that her family, ex, and sometimes Rule put her through. All in all a good read with a few cringe-worthy moments and plenty of steamy sexy times. Safety: No OM/Sharing, though there is major ex drama for the h. H kisses a OW. No rape. Yes to abuse but not by the H.
PS: Started this in audio and finished in ebook. The ebook version was a grammar nazi's nightmare but I survived >.< lol
PS: Started this in audio and finished in ebook. The ebook version was a grammar nazi's nightmare but I survived >.< lol
June 2, 2014
I am sooooooo late to the Marked Men party it's ridiculous. This has been on my tbr list for so long I don't know why it took me so long to finally read it. I think it was the cover. Not really a fan of it.
But the best part of being late to read a series? I now have 4 books just sitting there that I don't have to wait to be released. Winner!
But the best part of being late to read a series? I now have 4 books just sitting there that I don't have to wait to be released. Winner!
May 5, 2014
★★★☆ 3.5 Stars!
I guess this was another one of those "I liked it but didn't love it" type of books, mainly because there was so much:
Maybe my expectations were a bit too high or maybe I just wasn't really in the mood for the constant angst/tension that was happening in this book, but I wasn't as invested in the story as I was hoping to be.
Don't get me wrong; there were some definite 4 star-worth scenes. There was an interesting back story, fun side characters, alternating POV's, a feisty heroine and a tattooed/pierced bad boy hero. What's not to like about all of that, right?
Well, there's also the fact that the book (at least the version I had of it) needs some major editing. I don't mind it at all when there are just a few spelling mistakes, but when they appear on almost every other page and when there's a huge lack of punctuation, it becomes a bit distracting...
I think, if I'd read this book a year and a half ago I would have probably enjoyed it much more. But now it seems as if I've read so many NA "good girl falls for tortured man-whore hero" stories that it takes a lot for me to be blown away by one... Still, it was overall a fun read and I'll most likely continue with the rest of the series...Jet, Rome and Nash have already sparked my interest so I'm looking forward to read their stories ;)
My favorite quote:
"Me and this girl spent too much time trying to be too many different things for too many wrong reasons for too many other people, now it was just up to us to be ourselves for each other and love each other for all the right reasons."�
November 7, 2020
4.5 Pierced, Tatted, Mohawked, Forever Stars
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-2014 Review
Due to my wonderful GR pals... a book called Rome came across my feed. Read the reviews/teasers and found out it was part of the Marked Men series by Jay Crownover. Being that I like to look into the source or beginning of a series even if they are stand-alone... found out the first part of this group was Rule. So off I went to meet him, his family and friends.
Well, I was in for a treat. I met a fella who was tortured, hot, confident in spite of everything, and had that special something that made anyone with a vagina want him... no questions asked and under any conditions.
He was part of a family which on the surface functioned before the tragedy happened killing his twin, Remy. This family had Rome, the eldest and keeper of them all in line; with Remy the "good, amiable, peace-keeper twin and Rule fulfilling the slot of difficult, stubborn, marching to his own drum and banging it loudly. The parents of these children were everyday people...living their lives and seeming to be the answer to a little lost girl's prayers.
This shy, emotionally poor girl from the ultra-rich parentage was found by Remy when she was 13... and he kept her safe, comforted, and became her lifeline to this family she wished was hers.
But what was the most precious for her in meeting these people was Rule... she was taken at first glance and continued to love him desperately. Remy knew she did... but somewhere in the bonding of Remy and Shaw, an unwritten contract was formed of a knowing which would be hidden from all ... and no matter how many times Shaw explained to the family, Remy and she were Not lovers, just the very best of friends... no one believed her...especially Rule... as Shaw was everything he never would have... clean, privileged, super smart and his twin brother's girl.
So they grow up together.. high school and then onto life... Tattooing, a career, and man whoring for Rule; Rome deciding the Army and protecting his country for him; Remy finding his place and him encouraging Shaw to come to Denver and college to be close to him and Rule.
Then that tragedy I mentioned happens... skewing everything... this perfect family, connections and how people relate to one another...
Remy dies driving to pick up Rule because he is drunk... and now Rule has heard out loud all of the venom from his mother's lips she has held back ....blaming him and saying at the grave, she wished it had been Rule...
So we meet these people at this juncture... doing a charade of life; Rule acting like he has it handled; fucking and drinking to ease the pain... Rome in the Army dealing with seeing all of his buddies dying around him and just trying to keep it together... and Shaw...
Shaw is the glue that is holding everyone connected by the tenuous threads left. She picks Rule up every Sunday in a war dance they have perfected; she coming and pulling him out the bed no matter what the flavor of the night was... getting him to his parents' house for Sunday brunch... living through the batting the mother and father do to Rule and her balancing everything because even as bad as all this is... it is not a fraction of how horrible her actual parents are...
Her actual parents either wish to pawn her off as a political prize to this Judge's son, Gabe... with no care as to whether she wants to be with him or his fucked up actions. They hold her tuition over her head to make her stay in line and Shaw wants to be an ER doctor... and make a difference in the world. She loads herself up with all of the classes, study groups, and a job just to get by. She doesn't pay attention to the fact she is stunningly beautiful... she only knows she has goals and the one she dreams of and thinks will never happen is Rule.
This book was an eye-opener for me... as a parent... My children are grown and yes, there were times all of us were frustrated with each other... but no matter the issues ... no matter the actions... my children knew their parents were their safe haven... that there were unconditional love and support... and in my naivete... I sometimes forget that is not always the case.
I forget... life other than my own, causes people to do and say things I could never consider thinking. I forget....people are raised, grow and never learn to not to trust because there has never been an example for them to see it is ok to do so.... and I forget that if you think you have never been loved... you may not know what that feeling is... and know how to accept it from others.
Rule... was that man/child who had the love and trust from his brothers... but that feeling from his parents ... not so much... so when Shaw and Rule finally connect the way everyone around them knows they should have years ago.... it is staggering to Rule... this feeling and he has to learn how to handle it... it is frightening... it is scary and he really doesn't want to fuck it up.
When these two connect... it is a thing of beauty... hot, frantic, wanting and just really good. Every time, the telling of their meeting together works... so this was an added bonus to a heartfelt couple.
Shaw was a great character... even in her most compliant and appeasing with her demanding and controlling parents... she showed an inner strength... she had a solid core of beliefs and although she may have faltered a couple of times... she always was strong in her love of Rule. She really saw him and his loyalty to his friends and brothers... she saw his creativity and talent ... and fought for him.
This story has all of the elements to love...extremely strong secondary characters; a plot and story to hold you, and the emotional kick which hits every chord sincerely... not manipulative in any way.
This book was an all niter for me...I started it in the late afternoon and before I realized it... it was well into late-night... I just couldn't let go of the ride I was on.
Thank you Lisa Jayne and Lili... because of you I discovered a terrific series and will be seeing if Jet and Ayden figure out their story...
Rule (Marked Men, #1)
/review/show...
Jett (Marked Men, #2)
/review/show...
Rome (Marked Men, #3)
/review/show...
Nash (Marked Men, #4)
Rowdy (Marked Men, #5)
/review/show...
Asa (Marked Men, #6)
/review/1951...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-2014 Review
Due to my wonderful GR pals... a book called Rome came across my feed. Read the reviews/teasers and found out it was part of the Marked Men series by Jay Crownover. Being that I like to look into the source or beginning of a series even if they are stand-alone... found out the first part of this group was Rule. So off I went to meet him, his family and friends.
Well, I was in for a treat. I met a fella who was tortured, hot, confident in spite of everything, and had that special something that made anyone with a vagina want him... no questions asked and under any conditions.
He was part of a family which on the surface functioned before the tragedy happened killing his twin, Remy. This family had Rome, the eldest and keeper of them all in line; with Remy the "good, amiable, peace-keeper twin and Rule fulfilling the slot of difficult, stubborn, marching to his own drum and banging it loudly. The parents of these children were everyday people...living their lives and seeming to be the answer to a little lost girl's prayers.
This shy, emotionally poor girl from the ultra-rich parentage was found by Remy when she was 13... and he kept her safe, comforted, and became her lifeline to this family she wished was hers.
But what was the most precious for her in meeting these people was Rule... she was taken at first glance and continued to love him desperately. Remy knew she did... but somewhere in the bonding of Remy and Shaw, an unwritten contract was formed of a knowing which would be hidden from all ... and no matter how many times Shaw explained to the family, Remy and she were Not lovers, just the very best of friends... no one believed her...especially Rule... as Shaw was everything he never would have... clean, privileged, super smart and his twin brother's girl.
So they grow up together.. high school and then onto life... Tattooing, a career, and man whoring for Rule; Rome deciding the Army and protecting his country for him; Remy finding his place and him encouraging Shaw to come to Denver and college to be close to him and Rule.
Then that tragedy I mentioned happens... skewing everything... this perfect family, connections and how people relate to one another...
Remy dies driving to pick up Rule because he is drunk... and now Rule has heard out loud all of the venom from his mother's lips she has held back ....blaming him and saying at the grave, she wished it had been Rule...
So we meet these people at this juncture... doing a charade of life; Rule acting like he has it handled; fucking and drinking to ease the pain... Rome in the Army dealing with seeing all of his buddies dying around him and just trying to keep it together... and Shaw...
Shaw is the glue that is holding everyone connected by the tenuous threads left. She picks Rule up every Sunday in a war dance they have perfected; she coming and pulling him out the bed no matter what the flavor of the night was... getting him to his parents' house for Sunday brunch... living through the batting the mother and father do to Rule and her balancing everything because even as bad as all this is... it is not a fraction of how horrible her actual parents are...
Her actual parents either wish to pawn her off as a political prize to this Judge's son, Gabe... with no care as to whether she wants to be with him or his fucked up actions. They hold her tuition over her head to make her stay in line and Shaw wants to be an ER doctor... and make a difference in the world. She loads herself up with all of the classes, study groups, and a job just to get by. She doesn't pay attention to the fact she is stunningly beautiful... she only knows she has goals and the one she dreams of and thinks will never happen is Rule.
This book was an eye-opener for me... as a parent... My children are grown and yes, there were times all of us were frustrated with each other... but no matter the issues ... no matter the actions... my children knew their parents were their safe haven... that there were unconditional love and support... and in my naivete... I sometimes forget that is not always the case.
I forget... life other than my own, causes people to do and say things I could never consider thinking. I forget....people are raised, grow and never learn to not to trust because there has never been an example for them to see it is ok to do so.... and I forget that if you think you have never been loved... you may not know what that feeling is... and know how to accept it from others.
Rule... was that man/child who had the love and trust from his brothers... but that feeling from his parents ... not so much... so when Shaw and Rule finally connect the way everyone around them knows they should have years ago.... it is staggering to Rule... this feeling and he has to learn how to handle it... it is frightening... it is scary and he really doesn't want to fuck it up.
When these two connect... it is a thing of beauty... hot, frantic, wanting and just really good. Every time, the telling of their meeting together works... so this was an added bonus to a heartfelt couple.
Shaw was a great character... even in her most compliant and appeasing with her demanding and controlling parents... she showed an inner strength... she had a solid core of beliefs and although she may have faltered a couple of times... she always was strong in her love of Rule. She really saw him and his loyalty to his friends and brothers... she saw his creativity and talent ... and fought for him.
This story has all of the elements to love...extremely strong secondary characters; a plot and story to hold you, and the emotional kick which hits every chord sincerely... not manipulative in any way.
This book was an all niter for me...I started it in the late afternoon and before I realized it... it was well into late-night... I just couldn't let go of the ride I was on.
Thank you Lisa Jayne and Lili... because of you I discovered a terrific series and will be seeing if Jet and Ayden figure out their story...
Rule (Marked Men, #1)
/review/show...
Jett (Marked Men, #2)
/review/show...
Rome (Marked Men, #3)
/review/show...
Nash (Marked Men, #4)
Rowdy (Marked Men, #5)
/review/show...
Asa (Marked Men, #6)
/review/1951...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
September 4, 2021
Third re-read: 04.09.2021
This re-read was not successful. I think it was more me than the story itself, but this time things just didn't work out. I started skimming and before I knew it I had started to lose completely interest in the characters. I just wanted the book to be over with. Again, this might just be my mood and health this time around, but I don't know. I truly don't think I'll ever re-read this book again...
New Rating: 2 stars.
Second re-read: 19.01.2020
I'm not sure why I decided to re-read this one again. Over the past half year or a year or so I've been re-reading more than I've read something new. It because I'm struggling to find new things to interest me. I've been struggling so darn hard lately with concentrating on a book, to fully read it without starting to skim or wanting a break. So I go back to what I've read before so I know what will happen and it doesn't need my full concentration but I'd still be able to read, and to read is important to me. I have to say that the first 30-40% in this book, I was invested, but after that I noticed that I started to skim and loose concentration. It's not to say the book is bad, it isn't, but it didn't have enough in to to pull me fully in, if you know what I mean. That being said, the story is still interesting and I like the characters, I just wish more happened.
New Rating: 3 stars.
Re-read: 22.03.2018
I've had this book on my mind for a re-read for quite some time, however, I couldn't remember the title of the book, nor where I had shelved it so it took some time to find it. I'm glad I did though. Shaw ‘Casper� Landon (19, turns 20) and Rule Archer (22) are quite adorable, in a perfect, messed up way.
I like that they are each others light of sorts. Rule needs someone to teach him love, and Shaw needs someone strong enough to handle her world. They both struggle to be enough and are constantly in doubts of themselves. They need love and trust, which they can give each other. If they can get out of their heads, that is.
Overall, I don't regret re-reading this one. If you're looking for sweet, cheesy and a little bit of heartbreak, I'd say this book is for you. It's about excepting you are enough as you are. Still it wasn't as good as I remember, but considering how picky and how big of a slump I've been in for the last year , I think it's a good sign for the book that I still enjoyed it quite enough.
Other characters:
� Nash, Rule's roommate who had been best friends since elementary school, and works at the same tattoo shop as him.
� Rome Archer (25?), Rule's older brother. Has been overseas for a good portion of the last six years, but he and Rule were still tight and had always been his role model when it came to being a badass.
� Remy ‘Rem� Archer, Rule's identical twin brother who died three years. ‘Three lonely, three empty, three sorrow filled years since the Archer brothers went from a trifecta to a duo.� Everyone believed Remy was together with Shaw, despite them telling they weren't.
� Margot and Dale Archer, Rule's parents, who are quite cruel to him; specially his mom. She blames him for Remy's death.
� Shaw's best friend, Ayden ‘Ayd� Cross, who she shares an a apartment with. Known each other since freshman year and worked at the same sports bar Shaw did. She was a chem major.
� Rule's friends, Rowdy, who worked at the shop with him and Nash, and Jet, the lead singer of a local metal band they liked to go see play.
� Shaw's ex-boyfriend, Gabe Davenport, crazy motherfucker. Judge George Davenport, his father.
� Lou, the bouncer for the bar Goal Line where Shaw works.
� Shaw's mother, Eleanor Landon.
� Cora Lewis, the shop manager at where Rule works (Marked) and their resident body modification expert.
� The state attorney general, Alex Carsten. A client of Rule and the most influential legal person in all of Colorado. Shaw's mother helped get him elected.
� Retired homicide detective, Mark Bradley, a client of Rule.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (New Adult) Contemporary Romance.
Series: - Series (Standalone?), Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Shaw ‘Casper� Landon.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Who knows.
New Rating - 3.5 stars.
First read review:
Review posted: 16.04.2016 (edited: 10.05.2016)
I love it! Okay, not really loved it, but I liked it a lot. It 's great written, though in the there was a lot of grammar mistakes in the version I read. Luckily it didn't ruin the book. Rule's story was good, even though there some type of insta-love (Shaw falls for Rule instantly when meeting him at thirteen, was it?) but you don't really get the feeling of insta-love, because many years older, she still hasn't told him. And I was okay with that kind of insta-love.
The characters was awesome. At first I thought Shaw Landon would be the annoying, rich girl who would be naive and stupid, but she wasn't! Hallelujah! Shaw was kinda fantastic. She was kind and loving and so good hearted that it broke my heart that she didn't get much in return. I really wanted to give her a huge, warm hug and then I wanted to kill her parents. And Rule's mother, sometimes. Such a horrible, vicious woman when we met her.
Rule Archer. Man, I kinda loved him, but for the most part I really just liked him. I guess I laid on a fine line from liking him and loving him, but the tip scaled to liking him a lot. Rule's...incredible. He doesn't let anyone tell him what to do, what to say, what to wear. He stays true to himself. Rule has made a life for himself, and he refuses to let anyone ruin that, including his parents. He's sexy, confident, talented, strong headed and truly a good person. People might think he is a bad-boy on the wrong side of town, just for how he looks, but he's just himself. Rule's heart is broken, beaten and hidden. I truly adore him.
Rule and Shaw's relationship was good. I liked it, though it wasn't my favorite relationship but I really did like them together. They made each other better and strong, and they help each other to heal. I liked how they were together, and how much they loved one another. Though they didn't tell each other until late in the book, you could still feel the love and the heartbreak when they were apart. You really can't miss it.
Overall this book was good. I loved the heartbreaking and lessons learning quotes. I even had some tears in my eyes at some point. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series even if I liked this one, but I'm like...70% sure I'll re-read it sometime in the future.
Rate: 3.5/3-4 stars.
This re-read was not successful. I think it was more me than the story itself, but this time things just didn't work out. I started skimming and before I knew it I had started to lose completely interest in the characters. I just wanted the book to be over with. Again, this might just be my mood and health this time around, but I don't know. I truly don't think I'll ever re-read this book again...
New Rating: 2 stars.
Second re-read: 19.01.2020
I'm not sure why I decided to re-read this one again. Over the past half year or a year or so I've been re-reading more than I've read something new. It because I'm struggling to find new things to interest me. I've been struggling so darn hard lately with concentrating on a book, to fully read it without starting to skim or wanting a break. So I go back to what I've read before so I know what will happen and it doesn't need my full concentration but I'd still be able to read, and to read is important to me. I have to say that the first 30-40% in this book, I was invested, but after that I noticed that I started to skim and loose concentration. It's not to say the book is bad, it isn't, but it didn't have enough in to to pull me fully in, if you know what I mean. That being said, the story is still interesting and I like the characters, I just wish more happened.
New Rating: 3 stars.
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Still a nice read*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Re-read: 22.03.2018
I've had this book on my mind for a re-read for quite some time, however, I couldn't remember the title of the book, nor where I had shelved it so it took some time to find it. I'm glad I did though. Shaw ‘Casper� Landon (19, turns 20) and Rule Archer (22) are quite adorable, in a perfect, messed up way.
My struggle came with the fact that Rule was complicated, he was brash, mouthy, careless, thoughtless, and often cranky and generally and insufferable pain in the ass but when he chose to be he was also charming and funny, artistically brilliant and more often than not the most interesting person in the room and I had been head over heels in love with both sides of him since I was thirteen years old.
I like that they are each others light of sorts. Rule needs someone to teach him love, and Shaw needs someone strong enough to handle her world. They both struggle to be enough and are constantly in doubts of themselves. They need love and trust, which they can give each other. If they can get out of their heads, that is.
“True enough and opposites don’t just attract they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down.�
Overall, I don't regret re-reading this one. If you're looking for sweet, cheesy and a little bit of heartbreak, I'd say this book is for you. It's about excepting you are enough as you are. Still it wasn't as good as I remember, but considering how picky and how big of a slump I've been in for the last year , I think it's a good sign for the book that I still enjoyed it quite enough.
We had been a fixture in each other’s lives since middle school, she knew every strength and fault I had, my parents loved her like their own and made no bones about the fact they more often than not preferred her company over mine. One would think with all the history, both good and bad between us that we could make simple small talk for a few hours without it being difficult.
Other characters:
� Nash, Rule's roommate who had been best friends since elementary school, and works at the same tattoo shop as him.
� Rome Archer (25?), Rule's older brother. Has been overseas for a good portion of the last six years, but he and Rule were still tight and had always been his role model when it came to being a badass.
� Remy ‘Rem� Archer, Rule's identical twin brother who died three years. ‘Three lonely, three empty, three sorrow filled years since the Archer brothers went from a trifecta to a duo.� Everyone believed Remy was together with Shaw, despite them telling they weren't.
� Margot and Dale Archer, Rule's parents, who are quite cruel to him; specially his mom. She blames him for Remy's death.
� Shaw's best friend, Ayden ‘Ayd� Cross, who she shares an a apartment with. Known each other since freshman year and worked at the same sports bar Shaw did. She was a chem major.
� Rule's friends, Rowdy, who worked at the shop with him and Nash, and Jet, the lead singer of a local metal band they liked to go see play.
� Shaw's ex-boyfriend, Gabe Davenport, crazy motherfucker. Judge George Davenport, his father.
� Lou, the bouncer for the bar Goal Line where Shaw works.
� Shaw's mother, Eleanor Landon.
� Cora Lewis, the shop manager at where Rule works (Marked) and their resident body modification expert.
� The state attorney general, Alex Carsten. A client of Rule and the most influential legal person in all of Colorado. Shaw's mother helped get him elected.
� Retired homicide detective, Mark Bradley, a client of Rule.
We were both from a small town called Brookside in an affluent part of Colorado. I moved to Denver as soon as I had my diploma in hand and Shaw was a few years behind because she was younger than me and also because she had wanted nothing more than to get into D-U. Not only did the girl look like a fairytale princess but she was also on track to be a freaking doctor.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (New Adult) Contemporary Romance.
Series: - Series (Standalone?), Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Shaw ‘Casper� Landon.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Who knows.
New Rating - 3.5 stars.
First read review:
Review posted: 16.04.2016 (edited: 10.05.2016)
“I’ve never trusted anyone all the time. It’s the people I care about the most that always seem to do the most damage.�
I love it! Okay, not really loved it, but I liked it a lot. It 's great written, though in the there was a lot of grammar mistakes in the version I read. Luckily it didn't ruin the book. Rule's story was good, even though there some type of insta-love (Shaw falls for Rule instantly when meeting him at thirteen, was it?) but you don't really get the feeling of insta-love, because many years older, she still hasn't told him. And I was okay with that kind of insta-love.
“I think I wanted it too much and you didn't want it enough.�
The characters was awesome. At first I thought Shaw Landon would be the annoying, rich girl who would be naive and stupid, but she wasn't! Hallelujah! Shaw was kinda fantastic. She was kind and loving and so good hearted that it broke my heart that she didn't get much in return. I really wanted to give her a huge, warm hug and then I wanted to kill her parents. And Rule's mother, sometimes. Such a horrible, vicious woman when we met her.
“You have me Shaw, any way you need me, any way you want me, you have me.�
Rule Archer. Man, I kinda loved him, but for the most part I really just liked him. I guess I laid on a fine line from liking him and loving him, but the tip scaled to liking him a lot. Rule's...incredible. He doesn't let anyone tell him what to do, what to say, what to wear. He stays true to himself. Rule has made a life for himself, and he refuses to let anyone ruin that, including his parents. He's sexy, confident, talented, strong headed and truly a good person. People might think he is a bad-boy on the wrong side of town, just for how he looks, but he's just himself. Rule's heart is broken, beaten and hidden. I truly adore him.
“It’s always been you even when I didn’t want it to be, even when it broke my heart over and over again. It’s just always been you.�
Rule and Shaw's relationship was good. I liked it, though it wasn't my favorite relationship but I really did like them together. They made each other better and strong, and they help each other to heal. I liked how they were together, and how much they loved one another. Though they didn't tell each other until late in the book, you could still feel the love and the heartbreak when they were apart. You really can't miss it.
“Opposites don't just attract they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down."
Overall this book was good. I loved the heartbreaking and lessons learning quotes. I even had some tears in my eyes at some point. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series even if I liked this one, but I'm like...70% sure I'll re-read it sometime in the future.
“You have to promise not to bail on me when I get lost, Shaw. You have to promise to just wait it out until I can find my way back. I need to know you’re at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black.�
Rate: 3.5/3-4 stars.
September 3, 2016
All right!!! That book was freakin' A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!!!!
I'm so glad that i read it, but so sad that i didn't do it earlier!!!
Oh, my Gosh!!! That book was mind blowing...
I thought i was about to catch fire when Rule and Shaw were together in the same room, even though the things between them didn't seem so good in the beginning!!!
But what i liked more than the sexiness and the steamy hot atmosphere was all the background story and not only that...
Did i mention that i love Rule???? Or that i love Shaw????
This guy was so extreme and complicated, but that girl even though she seemed so preppy and cold, she literally rocked!!!
Yeah, man!!! Those two people was so opposite in every possible way but in a strange way they were so perfect for each other!!!
Their story managed to earn a special spot inside my heart...
And i can not wait to find out more about all the others...
But let me talk to you about Rule and Shaw first...
What can i say about Rule???
Rule was the ultimate badass, womanizer type... He was covered all over his body with tattoos and many piercings... But don't let his appearance to trick you... Inside of him was more depth than that!!! And what was the deal with all these tattoos??? First of all, he was an artist... a tattoo artist and he was living with his best friend. He liked to hook up with random girls and to get buzzed from time to time with alchool... He was in distance with his own family and not without a reason!!!
Three years before he was having a twin brother, but not anymore... His brother was the good guy, the guy that everybody loved... They were so similar in appearance, that's why he started to marking his body... To difference himself from his brother that loved so much. His loss cost him, and that loss was the reason that the relationship with his parents turned out to be an awful thing... The only person that tried so hard to built a bridge between him and his family was a girl that he barely could tolerate....
Shaw loved the Archer family like her own... No, more than her own!!! When she was thirteen Remy Archer saved her and took her under his wings and from that moment they were inseparable... So everyone around them assumed that they were a couple, but Shaw's heart was beating hard for his twin, Rule... Even though he was so untamed and independed... Even though he rarely acknowledge her presence... her heart belong to him!!!
And even though she lost her best friend, she still remained beside Rule and tried to make everything better for him... Even though her heart was breaking every time that she discovered a different girl in his bed or that he didn't want to have any kind of contact with her...
In that point, i would like to tell that Shaw was a great person with her own problems... Her parents were living in their own worlds and they only demanded things from her. They never show her love, they only made her do things that they wanted for their own good. So Shaw was dressing and acting like all the others wanted from her to do. And that was exhausting...
The only thing that she ever wanted for herself was Rule!!!
And one day, she claimed him and she managed to earn that battle...
But then started the problems....
Problems with the parents, problems with her ex that he was the favorite person of her parents, problems with Rule...
You see, something started to change when Rule started to acknoledge her present as a woman... and because in all his life he was building walls around his heart, the feelings that surround him were so unfamiliar and so scary!!!
But Shaw knew him so well and she always accepted him the way he was... Something that nobody else was doing except her and his friends...
The journey of their relationship was long and sweet and difficult... but i guarantee you that it was a hell of a ride....
A ride that i enjoyed so fuckin' much!!!
My only thorns in this book was that psycho ex of Shaw and Rule's mother...
What the hell was going on inside their minds???? That was unacceptable!!!
So, now Rule is over and i'm really wondering what else Jay had prepare from the rest of the guys!!!
I can not wait to find out!!!
I'm so glad that i read it, but so sad that i didn't do it earlier!!!
Oh, my Gosh!!! That book was mind blowing...
I thought i was about to catch fire when Rule and Shaw were together in the same room, even though the things between them didn't seem so good in the beginning!!!
But what i liked more than the sexiness and the steamy hot atmosphere was all the background story and not only that...
Did i mention that i love Rule???? Or that i love Shaw????
This guy was so extreme and complicated, but that girl even though she seemed so preppy and cold, she literally rocked!!!
Yeah, man!!! Those two people was so opposite in every possible way but in a strange way they were so perfect for each other!!!
Their story managed to earn a special spot inside my heart...
And i can not wait to find out more about all the others...
But let me talk to you about Rule and Shaw first...
What can i say about Rule???
Rule was the ultimate badass, womanizer type... He was covered all over his body with tattoos and many piercings... But don't let his appearance to trick you... Inside of him was more depth than that!!! And what was the deal with all these tattoos??? First of all, he was an artist... a tattoo artist and he was living with his best friend. He liked to hook up with random girls and to get buzzed from time to time with alchool... He was in distance with his own family and not without a reason!!!
Three years before he was having a twin brother, but not anymore... His brother was the good guy, the guy that everybody loved... They were so similar in appearance, that's why he started to marking his body... To difference himself from his brother that loved so much. His loss cost him, and that loss was the reason that the relationship with his parents turned out to be an awful thing... The only person that tried so hard to built a bridge between him and his family was a girl that he barely could tolerate....
Shaw loved the Archer family like her own... No, more than her own!!! When she was thirteen Remy Archer saved her and took her under his wings and from that moment they were inseparable... So everyone around them assumed that they were a couple, but Shaw's heart was beating hard for his twin, Rule... Even though he was so untamed and independed... Even though he rarely acknowledge her presence... her heart belong to him!!!
And even though she lost her best friend, she still remained beside Rule and tried to make everything better for him... Even though her heart was breaking every time that she discovered a different girl in his bed or that he didn't want to have any kind of contact with her...
In that point, i would like to tell that Shaw was a great person with her own problems... Her parents were living in their own worlds and they only demanded things from her. They never show her love, they only made her do things that they wanted for their own good. So Shaw was dressing and acting like all the others wanted from her to do. And that was exhausting...
The only thing that she ever wanted for herself was Rule!!!
And one day, she claimed him and she managed to earn that battle...
But then started the problems....
Problems with the parents, problems with her ex that he was the favorite person of her parents, problems with Rule...
You see, something started to change when Rule started to acknoledge her present as a woman... and because in all his life he was building walls around his heart, the feelings that surround him were so unfamiliar and so scary!!!
But Shaw knew him so well and she always accepted him the way he was... Something that nobody else was doing except her and his friends...
The journey of their relationship was long and sweet and difficult... but i guarantee you that it was a hell of a ride....
A ride that i enjoyed so fuckin' much!!!
My only thorns in this book was that psycho ex of Shaw and Rule's mother...
What the hell was going on inside their minds???? That was unacceptable!!!
So, now Rule is over and i'm really wondering what else Jay had prepare from the rest of the guys!!!
I can not wait to find out!!!
January 10, 2013
I don't usually do "casting" but I couldn't resist this time.
Rule
Shaw
I didn't know what to expect going into this one, but I'm so glad I took a chance on it.
I loved Rule and Shaw. They were great characters. They were both battling some hard won demons, but managed to stay so appealing.
Rule is a hot bad boy. In some ways he reminded me of Brian from Rock Me. Tattoos artist, piercings, totally determined to live life in his own terms.
"I think it's genetically impossible not to be kind of in love with him when you come equipped with a vagina. It's just something about that angsty, moody swagger he has that makes you want to cuddle him up and make him feel better."
On the surface, Shaw is his exact opposite. Where he could care less what anyone thinks, Shaw spends her life trying to please everyone else. Where Rule is all angsty and out of control emotions, Shaw is reserved, and a peacemaker. Rule is afraid to let anyone in. His "relationships" consist of a series of one night stands, which he uses to try and exercise his daemons.
Shaw and Rule have been connected for years though her relationship with his twin brother Remy. Three years after Remy's death, Shaw finally has the opportunity to have the one thing she has always wanted, just for her. Rule.
What follows was a beautiful story of two people finally growing up. Shaw finally learns that she needs to live for herself, and Rule learns that shutting everyone out and living only for yourself is the path to loneliness.
I loved every minute of this story. Neither of them were perfect. Both of them made mistakes. There was nothing easy about their relationship from having to battle their own issues, to crazy Ex's and family problems galore, but it was beautiful all the same.
"She turned her head and kissed me on the temple. "Love you." I pressed my face into the curve where he neck met her shoulder and sucked the skin between my teeth. "I'm going to love you Shaw." Her eyes crinkled at the sides. "You already do."
The secondary characters were all great too. I can't wait to read Jet's book next, and I'm really hoping that Rome gets a book of his own too.
Highly recommend.
Rule
Shaw
I didn't know what to expect going into this one, but I'm so glad I took a chance on it.
I loved Rule and Shaw. They were great characters. They were both battling some hard won demons, but managed to stay so appealing.
Rule is a hot bad boy. In some ways he reminded me of Brian from Rock Me. Tattoos artist, piercings, totally determined to live life in his own terms.
"I think it's genetically impossible not to be kind of in love with him when you come equipped with a vagina. It's just something about that angsty, moody swagger he has that makes you want to cuddle him up and make him feel better."
On the surface, Shaw is his exact opposite. Where he could care less what anyone thinks, Shaw spends her life trying to please everyone else. Where Rule is all angsty and out of control emotions, Shaw is reserved, and a peacemaker. Rule is afraid to let anyone in. His "relationships" consist of a series of one night stands, which he uses to try and exercise his daemons.
Shaw and Rule have been connected for years though her relationship with his twin brother Remy. Three years after Remy's death, Shaw finally has the opportunity to have the one thing she has always wanted, just for her. Rule.
What follows was a beautiful story of two people finally growing up. Shaw finally learns that she needs to live for herself, and Rule learns that shutting everyone out and living only for yourself is the path to loneliness.
I loved every minute of this story. Neither of them were perfect. Both of them made mistakes. There was nothing easy about their relationship from having to battle their own issues, to crazy Ex's and family problems galore, but it was beautiful all the same.
"She turned her head and kissed me on the temple. "Love you." I pressed my face into the curve where he neck met her shoulder and sucked the skin between my teeth. "I'm going to love you Shaw." Her eyes crinkled at the sides. "You already do."
The secondary characters were all great too. I can't wait to read Jet's book next, and I'm really hoping that Rome gets a book of his own too.
Highly recommend.
February 7, 2021
100 stars!!!!
DING DING DING!!!
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER WINNER! ^_^
Honestly, this is one of the best bad boy meets good girl books! I recommend it to everyone. Let's all read this!
The story is all about our hero, RULE. He's every mom's nightmare. He has so many tattoos since he's also a tattoo artist himself. He dresses the part too, complete with the mohawk and crazy hair colors. He lives his life the way he wants to and that's always how it has been. Rule may look like and act like the world's biggest badass, but he has his demons. His twin brother died 3 years ago and his mom blamed him for it. Even though he was always second best to his twin, they had a good family back then, and now they didn't. Their mom is practically batshit crazy now because she's (as Shaw says) rewriting an imaginary history wherein Rule is the villain. As expected, Rule didn't take this lightly. In fact, he always doubts people's feelings for him. They always gotta prove that they care for him.
Enters our heroine princess, Shaw. Yes, I'll call her princess, and that's a real compliment because she's just too good to be true! I mean, I love her character because hell yeah, she's rich, but she's not a snob. She doesn't rub her money on another person's face. She's very patient with everyone, she's kind, loyal, headstrong and she loves as hard as she can. She has been in love with Rule ever since she was 13. Unfortunately, Remy, Rule's twin, used her as a pseudo-girlfriend in the eyes of the Archer family so Rule has been seeing her only as his brother's girl. LOL.
One night, sparks fly and suddenly, Rule is looking at her in a different way. He was even willing to KINDA date her, which was in his case, such a big deal because he didn't really date. Rule knows that a relationship with Shaw changes everything and she couldn't be just one of "those girls". On the other hand, Shaw has been struggling because she couldn't tell Rule that she loved him... A LOT. And that's where the complications rise. It was beautiful, even with the complications. I love how the author showed both of their imperfections. I love how their redeeming qualities also showed after everything. I love how Rule has been taught by Shaw that he could be loved just like everyone else.
This novel not only shows how two completely different people could totally fall for each other, it also shows how people deal with grief, and that is a beautiful thing because it's proof that we're all human. Rule's mom admitted something in the end and that made a whole lot of a difference for my Rule. I just bet he needed that the most!
The ending was really good. I love their getting-back-together scene! It rocked and y'all should look forward to it! ^_^
So that's it.. ANOTHER WINNER FOR ME!
I applaud for this book! I LOVE IT! ^_^
DING DING DING!!!
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER WINNER! ^_^
Honestly, this is one of the best bad boy meets good girl books! I recommend it to everyone. Let's all read this!
The story is all about our hero, RULE. He's every mom's nightmare. He has so many tattoos since he's also a tattoo artist himself. He dresses the part too, complete with the mohawk and crazy hair colors. He lives his life the way he wants to and that's always how it has been. Rule may look like and act like the world's biggest badass, but he has his demons. His twin brother died 3 years ago and his mom blamed him for it. Even though he was always second best to his twin, they had a good family back then, and now they didn't. Their mom is practically batshit crazy now because she's (as Shaw says) rewriting an imaginary history wherein Rule is the villain. As expected, Rule didn't take this lightly. In fact, he always doubts people's feelings for him. They always gotta prove that they care for him.
Enters our heroine princess, Shaw. Yes, I'll call her princess, and that's a real compliment because she's just too good to be true! I mean, I love her character because hell yeah, she's rich, but she's not a snob. She doesn't rub her money on another person's face. She's very patient with everyone, she's kind, loyal, headstrong and she loves as hard as she can. She has been in love with Rule ever since she was 13. Unfortunately, Remy, Rule's twin, used her as a pseudo-girlfriend in the eyes of the Archer family so Rule has been seeing her only as his brother's girl. LOL.
One night, sparks fly and suddenly, Rule is looking at her in a different way. He was even willing to KINDA date her, which was in his case, such a big deal because he didn't really date. Rule knows that a relationship with Shaw changes everything and she couldn't be just one of "those girls". On the other hand, Shaw has been struggling because she couldn't tell Rule that she loved him... A LOT. And that's where the complications rise. It was beautiful, even with the complications. I love how the author showed both of their imperfections. I love how their redeeming qualities also showed after everything. I love how Rule has been taught by Shaw that he could be loved just like everyone else.
This novel not only shows how two completely different people could totally fall for each other, it also shows how people deal with grief, and that is a beautiful thing because it's proof that we're all human. Rule's mom admitted something in the end and that made a whole lot of a difference for my Rule. I just bet he needed that the most!
The ending was really good. I love their getting-back-together scene! It rocked and y'all should look forward to it! ^_^
So that's it.. ANOTHER WINNER FOR ME!
I applaud for this book! I LOVE IT! ^_^
February 21, 2013
4.5 Stars
Rule was a story you pick up and don’t want to put down. I’m always drawn to a story where unrequited love is finally returned, and Shaw has been in love with Rule since she was fourteen. Adding to the excitement, is a stalker ex boyfriend who won’t take no for an answer.
I loved Rule like it was my mission in life. I loved him like it was inevitable, like no matter how many times I was shown what an awful idea it was, what a bad match we were, what a callous asshole he could be I couldn’t shake it.
Shaw has been fixture in the Archer family since she was fourteen and Remy took her under his wing, but it’s always been Rule she’s been in love with. When Remy’s tragic death deals the family a blow, she’s determined to keep them together. She picks Rule up every Sunday for brunch with the family to make sure he goes. Each time she does, her heart breaks a little more having to witness the string of one night stands paraded in front of her every time.
Rule has no idea that Shaw has loved him so long. He always assumed that Remy and Shaw were a couple, so he never paid much attention to her. Plus, she is the polar opposite to Rule. He’s all tatted and pierced up and does what he wants, she’s the rich perfect princess always striving to live up to everyone’s expectations. He’s tortured every week when she picks him up and directs looks of disgust his way. Add to that misery is having to sit through Sunday brunch with a family that blames him for his brother’s death. He’s always been the black sheep of the family but Remy’s death has strained their relationship to the breaking point.
Things get interesting when Rule finally wakes up and notices Shaw. He knows starting something with her won’t be like his string of skanks. He knows and has a history with her, so it won’t be a one night stand, but he can’t stay away. Shaw can’t resist Rule even realizing there’s a strong possibility their relationship will crash and burn, she still can’t help but take the chance. She’s tired of living safe and doing what her parents expect when they’ve never paid no mind to her.
Knowing Shaw had feelings for Rule for ages made my heart break for her. I always want unrequited love to get noticed and returned, so it was very satisfying to see this come about. I loved the passion and intensity both Rule and Shaw showed to each other, and I liked seeing Rule figure out what he was missing all these years. There were lots of smoking hot scenes and sizzling chemistry that were such fun to read. Plus, there was suspense that had you clicking through the pages worrying about what would happen next. That was one crazy ex!
I’m so glad I picked this up because it was exactly what I was in the mood for. Now I’m eagerly looking forward to Jet and Ayden’s story.
Thanks for the giggles and gossip, Bethany, Laura and Jenn!
You can find this review and more at
Rule was a story you pick up and don’t want to put down. I’m always drawn to a story where unrequited love is finally returned, and Shaw has been in love with Rule since she was fourteen. Adding to the excitement, is a stalker ex boyfriend who won’t take no for an answer.
I loved Rule like it was my mission in life. I loved him like it was inevitable, like no matter how many times I was shown what an awful idea it was, what a bad match we were, what a callous asshole he could be I couldn’t shake it.
Shaw has been fixture in the Archer family since she was fourteen and Remy took her under his wing, but it’s always been Rule she’s been in love with. When Remy’s tragic death deals the family a blow, she’s determined to keep them together. She picks Rule up every Sunday for brunch with the family to make sure he goes. Each time she does, her heart breaks a little more having to witness the string of one night stands paraded in front of her every time.
Rule has no idea that Shaw has loved him so long. He always assumed that Remy and Shaw were a couple, so he never paid much attention to her. Plus, she is the polar opposite to Rule. He’s all tatted and pierced up and does what he wants, she’s the rich perfect princess always striving to live up to everyone’s expectations. He’s tortured every week when she picks him up and directs looks of disgust his way. Add to that misery is having to sit through Sunday brunch with a family that blames him for his brother’s death. He’s always been the black sheep of the family but Remy’s death has strained their relationship to the breaking point.
Things get interesting when Rule finally wakes up and notices Shaw. He knows starting something with her won’t be like his string of skanks. He knows and has a history with her, so it won’t be a one night stand, but he can’t stay away. Shaw can’t resist Rule even realizing there’s a strong possibility their relationship will crash and burn, she still can’t help but take the chance. She’s tired of living safe and doing what her parents expect when they’ve never paid no mind to her.
Knowing Shaw had feelings for Rule for ages made my heart break for her. I always want unrequited love to get noticed and returned, so it was very satisfying to see this come about. I loved the passion and intensity both Rule and Shaw showed to each other, and I liked seeing Rule figure out what he was missing all these years. There were lots of smoking hot scenes and sizzling chemistry that were such fun to read. Plus, there was suspense that had you clicking through the pages worrying about what would happen next. That was one crazy ex!
I’m so glad I picked this up because it was exactly what I was in the mood for. Now I’m eagerly looking forward to Jet and Ayden’s story.
Thanks for the giggles and gossip, Bethany, Laura and Jenn!
You can find this review and more at
January 26, 2013
(Use necessary imagination to add appropriate piercings, tattoos, hair colour etc.)
Rule
/͞DZ/
Noun
A generalized statement that describes what is true in most or all cases.
Verb
- To dominate by powerful influence.
- Slang; To be excellent or superior
Well well well. How can you not love Rule?!
"It's genetically impossible not to be kind of in love with him when you come equipped with a vagina."
My God, this book turned me on, made me cry and made me smile! I love a book like that!
Before I go on, I need to mention... the typos are appalling. Lol. There are spelling errors, sentences that run on and on and with no punctuation and words inserted where they shouldn't be. But I hear that there is an edited version coming out, and if you can ignore it, this is a fantastic read! It's worth ignoring the grammatical mistakes.
Aaaah, Rule Rule Rule. Hot, tattooed-to-within-an-inch-of-his-life, pierced, angsty badass. Aaaand there's the small matter of the apadravya! (Don't know what that is? Get your ass on Google right now!) *fans self*
Rule lives his life making sure he is the exception to the rule, 'A generalized statement that describes what is true in most or all cases', decorating his skin with an array of colourful ink and determined to be his own man. A man that knows his own mind and is as different as different can be from his late and painfully missed, perfect twin brother, Remy.
"I don't care what color your hair is, if you're pale or tan, if you have makeup on or just work up all I care about is that when I look at you, you always look back and see me."
But there is no denying, he rules in every sense of the word;
'Slang; To be excellent or superior' and 'To dominate by powerful influence', where Shaw is concerned. She's loved him forever and just needs him to open his eyes and realise it.
"It's always been you even when I didn't want it to be, even when it broke my heart over and over again. It's just always been you."
I love stories where the characters have known each other for ever and eventually get it together. There's something about the intimacy and connection that only a complicated history can add to a relationship.
"I've never trusted anyone all the time. It's the people I care about the most that always seem to do the most damage."
Shaw was a fantastic heroine. I really warmed to her. I felt for her, where her parents were concerned, but she was still a strong, independent, intelligent female lead.
As I mentioned, you can't not love Rule. He's clearly chewed up over the loss of his twin brother and the break down of his family, but you can see from the beginning that there is a good man underneath all the metal, tats and brooding.
"You have to promise not to bail on me when I get lost, Shaw. You have to promise to just wait it out until I can find my way back. I need to know you're at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black."
Jay Crownover is fab at writing from his POV. The easy, chatty, slang and typically male take on things was brilliant to read. There was a lot of fun and comedy in the book. The dialogue was flowing and witty and, despite the typos, it all made reading this book so easy.
"I almost saw your boyfriend naked this morning."
I laughed at the look on her face. "I don't know what to say to that, you're welcome?"
Shaw and Rule are polar opposites to the casual observer. She's the angel to his devil and the light to his dark. But underneath, they have more in common than even they realise.
"Opposites don't just attract they freaking catch fire and burn the entire city down."
The book is super hot and the sexual chemistry between Shaw and Rule is scrumptious!
"Tell me why when we do this it's so much different than whenever I've done it before."
Surrounding characters were great. I adored Rome and hope he features in future books, and I can't wait to read about Jet and Ayden. You could feel the author building the extended cast to set each of them up for their own stories and I love that.
And to finish, I have nothing more to say other than... Best closing line ever! So Rule!
Look at me being all optimistic and shit.
Remy would be so proud.
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August 24, 2013
Really liked this one, kinda got me back onto my book
Not a big fan of too many tattoos�. But Rule worked for me.
Good solid read.
August 31, 2017
Woot! Woot! This was a great read! Since this book came out for-ev-ah ago... and there are over 5,000 reviews for it thus far on ŷ... and because I'm a wee bit pressed for time at the moment, I am not going to do a full review of this book.
What I will say is we've got the H, Rule (I mean, c'mon... the name is just hot itself)... who is a pierced and tattooed, bad boy alphahole with eyes that will steal your soul in a single glance and knows how to work it in the sack. I mean, 'nuff said because we all know how that just wets my whistle...
Loved this book... loved the characters (even Shaw who I worried would grate on my nerves)... looking forward to reading more in this series by Jay Crownover!
What I will say is we've got the H, Rule (I mean, c'mon... the name is just hot itself)... who is a pierced and tattooed, bad boy alphahole with eyes that will steal your soul in a single glance and knows how to work it in the sack. I mean, 'nuff said because we all know how that just wets my whistle...
Loved this book... loved the characters (even Shaw who I worried would grate on my nerves)... looking forward to reading more in this series by Jay Crownover!
August 15, 2017
★★★★1/2! Rule series, book 1 (stand-alone). Debut by Jay Crownover. Oh so troubled rebel & a girl who’s tired of always being the good girl.
“I adore Rule. I think it’s genetically impossible not to be kind of in love with him when you come equipped with a vagina. It’s just something about all that angsty, moody swagger he has that makes you want to cuddle him up and make him feel better.�
Books in the Marked Men series are stand-alones, but most enjoyed if read in order.
Book 1: Rule
Book 2: Jet
Book 3: Rome
Book 4: Nash
Book 5: Rowdy
Book 6: Asa
RULE ARCHER: 22 years old/tattoo artist/twin/dark brown hair/light blue-grey eyes.
Rule first met Shaw when he was sixteen and she was barely fourteen years old. Shaw had become best friends with Rule’s twin brother, Remy. All the years since everyone had thought Remy and Shaw a couple, but they never were. Then just three years prior Remy tragically died in a car accident while en route to pick up his drunk brother Rule. Remy’s death devastated the Archer family and Shaw. Remy’s mother is still grasping with her loss and blaming Rule (she is sort of the villain of this book, if you ask me!).
SHAW LANDON, “Casper�: 19 years old/student-aspiring emergency doctor-waitress-heiress/light blond hair/green eyes/virgin.
Shaw fell in love with Rule from the moment they first met and she has been harboring a secret crush ever since. But Shaw is so different from Rule. She is very much the good girl, at the same time she feels boxed in by this persona. Even though her wealthy parents have been very detached she continues to try to please them. She is a student with good grades with aspirations of becoming an emergency room doctor. She is the sweetest most thoughtful, smart and very endearing heroine, but somewhere inside of her there is a wilder side trying to break out. She never had many friends, except for Remy and more recently her roommate Ayden (book 2). Rule’s and Remy’s family had become her surrogate family and she was very close to everyone, well maybe except Rule. At the age of nineteen she has pretty much given up any hope that Rule will ever see her for more than Remy’s girl if even that�
Rule - the too handsome rebel, the troubled, tortured and self-destructive hero, the black sheep of his family lives with his roommate Nash in the city (Denver) and works at a tattoo parlor. His life pretty much comes down to avoiding his mother at as much as possible, working, partying with his friends Nash (roommate), Jet (book 2) and Rowdy, bringing home a different girl each night AND kicking her out in the morning.
“I was viscerally aware that the majority of my time was spent trying to outrun the shadow of my dead twin. I wallowed in superficial relationships so no one could get close to me, no one could judge me and find me lacking.�
Rule never, at least consciously, saw Shaw for anything other than a family friend and Remy’s girlfriend. He can recognize that she is stunningly beautiful, but she is too preppy and proper:
“She was the kind of girl that guys looked at, just because they couldn’t help themselves, but as soon as she turned those frosty green eyes in their direction they knew they wouldn’t stand a chance. She exuded unattainability the way some other girls oozed ‘come and get me�.�
Well that is until the moment Rule truly notices Shaw and realizes that there is more to Shaw than meets the eye � Rule’s wake-up moment:
“He was leaning back against the door watching me with hooded eyes. He wasn’t throwing sarcastic barbs at me or ignoring me, he was just watching me.�
Fortunately for us this is just the beginning of Rule’s and Shaw’s story. Buckle up for this is one bumpy ride of unresolved family issues, well-kept secrets, stalkers and much more as these two very different yet emotionally starved souls get to know each other. It is very much a journey for Rule and Shaw coming to terms with who they are and where they fit into this world.
“I wasn’t the type that got jealous, I mean I lived my entire life not being as good as my twin, so I couldn’t understand the murderous rage that was suddenly flowing through me, the sudden need to claim something, to announce to the world that she was mine...�
This story is alternating between Rule’s and Shaw’s POV. Ms. Crownover did a terrific job giving us Rules and Shaw’s story. She is an amazing story teller! You may have noticed comments from early reviewers about edits being needed. I read the 2nd edition and I only spotted a few � nothing that affected my rating of this wonderful read!
***
Hero rating: 4.5 stars
Heroine rating: 4 stars
Sex scenes rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 4 stars
Storyline concept rating: 5 stars
Storytelling skills rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: 4.5 stars
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 4.5 stars
Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Would I recommend this series: Yes.
Would I re-read this series: Maybe later.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
January 16, 2013
4 1/2 Tattooed Stars!!!
Yes there were many grammatical errors…but I loved the story enough to see past it! (Kinda like Shaw saw past Rule’s tattoos and piercings.)
Meet Rule Archer...pierced, tattooed, explosive personality, man-whore, loyal, hard-worker, black sheep of his family and newest addition to my book boyfriend list. He was one hell of a character and I just LOVED him!!!
Meet Shaw Landon...beautiful, medical school bound, daugther of prominent parents and longtime Archer family friend. P.S. She has been crushing on Rule since she was thirteen years old.
I thought that Rule and Shaw were both wonderful and likable characters. I enjoyed the twists and turns their relationship went through and found it to be not only believable but also well written despite the grammatical errors.
The book offered alternating povs which really added to grasping where both main characters feelings were coming from. I truly enjoyed Rule’s pov and how he handled being in his first relationship and all the feelings that accompanied it.
This story had all of the ingredients that I enjoy in a book: angst, drama, a good story line, interesting secondary characters and of course LOVE.
"Love like this wasn’t to be missed even for those of us that had never realized it was out there. Look at me being all optimistic and shit.� ~ Rule
Yes there were many grammatical errors…but I loved the story enough to see past it! (Kinda like Shaw saw past Rule’s tattoos and piercings.)
Meet Rule Archer...pierced, tattooed, explosive personality, man-whore, loyal, hard-worker, black sheep of his family and newest addition to my book boyfriend list. He was one hell of a character and I just LOVED him!!!
Meet Shaw Landon...beautiful, medical school bound, daugther of prominent parents and longtime Archer family friend. P.S. She has been crushing on Rule since she was thirteen years old.
I thought that Rule and Shaw were both wonderful and likable characters. I enjoyed the twists and turns their relationship went through and found it to be not only believable but also well written despite the grammatical errors.
The book offered alternating povs which really added to grasping where both main characters feelings were coming from. I truly enjoyed Rule’s pov and how he handled being in his first relationship and all the feelings that accompanied it.
This story had all of the ingredients that I enjoy in a book: angst, drama, a good story line, interesting secondary characters and of course LOVE.
"Love like this wasn’t to be missed even for those of us that had never realized it was out there. Look at me being all optimistic and shit.� ~ Rule
July 25, 2016
WARNING: This story has typos. A lot. And if you're a stickler, you might not be too enthused. Oh and there's the age and years past discrepancy, Shaw supposedly met the Archer family at 13 and has known them for eight years and in the book, at present time, Shaw is 19 going on 20. Do we see the issue with the math? Yes? Okay then.
There are plenty of reviews commenting on the editing needs of this story. However, this is one of the stories where all that shit...it can actually take a back burner. And I'm letting this slide-for the most part. I mean pulling someone's skin taunt, it irked me a little reading it the second time. But I'm going to let it go.
Why?
Read my words: The story is that good. I'm only taking away 1/2 star, it's a 4.5 winner.
So.
Rule. (Granted Rule doesn't smoke but he's tatted up the wazoo so this pic is closer to how I envisioned than the cover)
Yes.
Hmm...
He's everything I love when reading a hero, he's a bad boy, doesn't mind scrapping when the time calls, tattooed, pierced! (Apadrayva & Jacob's Ladder heaven - I was in raptures) and is crazy about his girl. But he's damaged and angsty and agro and just...delicious. And one owner of an ironic name albeit cool name. Rule. *giggles* He doesn't follow them, he makes them and breaks them!
*middle fingers to the world* Don't you just love it?
And Shaw? Also a possessor of a cool name. (As a matter of fact, this author gets kudos for the name choices - the Archer boys do sound like Street Fighter characters - Rome, Rule and Remy- but it's all good)She's not annoying!!! And not a TSTL heroine.
It's a joyous state of affairs when you have to not call out the heroine for being a whiny, snot nosed wimp who couldn't think for herself. Shaw has a brain. But more importantly she used it. (Alright there were some sketchy moments but knowing her background of trying to have her parents' approval I can understand her warped decisions) But whatever man, I'm over looking the minor niggle of doubt, she's pretty solid and not that bad when I recall my TSTL Hall of Fame.
There's a crazy ex-stalker, excellent secondary characters with possible lead stories in the future(I hope), angsty family drama and secrets revealed, dark and sad themes on family neglect/grief/ acceptance and within all of that...a damn love story.
Was it an epic love story?
Nope.
But pretty close.
What sold me was the more realistic approach Shaw and Rule had to there issues. They had to put in work to have their happy ending. And I appreciate stories like that.
I'm anxious for the next in the series (though I am a bit put out it's Jet and not Rome but as long as Rome gets a story, I'm gravy baby)
This story continued my excellent mood, I'm like in a unicorn shitting rainbows, happy good mood!!
FOUR & A HALF STARS
So...
There are plenty of reviews commenting on the editing needs of this story. However, this is one of the stories where all that shit...it can actually take a back burner. And I'm letting this slide-for the most part. I mean pulling someone's skin taunt, it irked me a little reading it the second time. But I'm going to let it go.
Why?
Read my words: The story is that good. I'm only taking away 1/2 star, it's a 4.5 winner.
So.
Rule. (Granted Rule doesn't smoke but he's tatted up the wazoo so this pic is closer to how I envisioned than the cover)
Yes.
Hmm...
He's everything I love when reading a hero, he's a bad boy, doesn't mind scrapping when the time calls, tattooed, pierced! (Apadrayva & Jacob's Ladder heaven - I was in raptures) and is crazy about his girl. But he's damaged and angsty and agro and just...delicious. And one owner of an ironic name albeit cool name. Rule. *giggles* He doesn't follow them, he makes them and breaks them!
*middle fingers to the world* Don't you just love it?
And Shaw? Also a possessor of a cool name. (As a matter of fact, this author gets kudos for the name choices - the Archer boys do sound like Street Fighter characters - Rome, Rule and Remy- but it's all good)She's not annoying!!! And not a TSTL heroine.
It's a joyous state of affairs when you have to not call out the heroine for being a whiny, snot nosed wimp who couldn't think for herself. Shaw has a brain. But more importantly she used it. (Alright there were some sketchy moments but knowing her background of trying to have her parents' approval I can understand her warped decisions) But whatever man, I'm over looking the minor niggle of doubt, she's pretty solid and not that bad when I recall my TSTL Hall of Fame.
There's a crazy ex-stalker, excellent secondary characters with possible lead stories in the future(I hope), angsty family drama and secrets revealed, dark and sad themes on family neglect/grief/ acceptance and within all of that...a damn love story.
Was it an epic love story?
Nope.
But pretty close.
What sold me was the more realistic approach Shaw and Rule had to there issues. They had to put in work to have their happy ending. And I appreciate stories like that.
I'm anxious for the next in the series (though I am a bit put out it's Jet and not Rome but as long as Rome gets a story, I'm gravy baby)
This story continued my excellent mood, I'm like in a unicorn shitting rainbows, happy good mood!!
FOUR & A HALF STARS
So...
March 2, 2018
1 “Hilariously infuriating & Hilariously absurd� Stars
“I won’t even bother with a quote�
Buddy read with my beautiful partner in crime of NA books. We both hated this book so yeah it was an awesome bonding experience.
I can totally see why I enjoyed reading this when I was 14. I mean I was young I didn't know more, and hot bad guys were my optimal crush. BUT NOW I KNOW MORE SO I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS.
I have such a strong hatred for this book that it interrupted my train of thought while walking upstairs and I may have fallen. Hmph.
Things I liked: Oh my, I struggled with this one a lot. Let’s just get over with this.
-Side characters. Kind of. I mean I am actually interested in the story but not very optimistic that I would like the books more. This is funny because I already read this series but I don’t remember anything.
-Cool concept of following tattoo artists.
So I really wanted to at least say this had been an addictive trashy read, but I surprised myself when I was really bored and trying to skim read. So yeah it was not addictive whatsoever.
Things I hated: EVERYTHING.
Now if you want to continue reading this review know I will be touching upon specific scenes so it may be quite spoilery.
So I will probably be saying bye-bye to some of you. I honestly don’t care if you do read it or not, is your reading taste your life whatever. You do YOU, I do I and I will trash this book I am not sorry.
WARNING: From now on I will be using strong language, probably will ramble and be overly exasperated and angry.
Okay, first you just need to know this two basic thoughts. Rule is redeemable just because he is compared with a stalker-psycho-rich-preppy-dude. Meaning he was not redeemable. So if you are waiting for this dark dude with a huge heavy past where you can’t help but protect it, this is not your guy. Second, Shaw was smart until she was not, she may be the most stupid character I have ever encountered in NA.
P.S. This book teaches you that if you treat women well you are basically a giant pussy. So fuck, excuse me but I hope all men are giant pussies then.
Rule: FUCK HE WAS AN ASSHOLE, TRULY. And I am for sure not insulting him when every three pages he reminded us he was one, literally. There is no fucked up past to redeem him, he has been a bad guy since forever. Sure your mom is trash as well but that doesn’t mean you can try other women and people like trash. Why do I make an emphasis on women? Because he was horrible to very much only women. I usually give no fuck in terms of characters sexual activity, but if you are gonna be having sex with a woman every single weekend and you are not worried you are carrying STD’s, I am judging you. He was an utter shit with all the women he spent a night with, we are not asking you to tell them you loved them, is just common decency, my dude. He literally looked at women as if they were meat or ice cream, different flavors easy to have his way with. Do I need to remind everyone that the first night he was out after declaring his “somehow-relationship� with Shaw he could keep his eyes off other women? Like not just scanning how hot they were, but saying over and over again how he would love to have sex with them. BURN JUST BURN. But of course, he didn’t have a problem with making Shaw feel like a utter shit for riding to a meeting with his ex, even knowing she had zero attraction to him. UGHH. Mmmmm, he also has serious problems with violence.I am tired to pretend white-straight-dudes saying they wanna kill people is totally fine because if a poc were to say the same, they would be treated as gang members, a total danger for people, so yes I had to bring race right here because is true. Fight me if you want to.
Shawn: My dear, you were plainly stupid. Why? Because when the guy of your dreams, the asshole of your life, started treating you finally with decency you fucking hated it. So yeap I am not even blaming him to be horrible with you because you fucking loved it? Basically, you let him treat you like shit, made you feel like shit, but you secretly just wanted more. Emmm� sure you were a bit sassy and all that jazz but you were also a horrible person with anyone who was interested in Rule.All your problems somehow always turned to Rule, you could be dealing with your family stuff or your post trauma after the assault but always ended up on Rule. Like fuck why?
Basically, this two characters felt they were the shit.com. Supermodels who turned heads every time they walked everywhere and then the people who turned were sluts. BYE.
Family: All families were a piece of crap. All families were horrible.They were obviously made to receive hate, and that’s exactly what I am doing. Now, the mom of the Archer boys, was the cherry on top of hypocrisy. She could very much be abandoned by everyone and wouldn’t have felt a bit of sympathy.
Slut-shaming: WELL THIS IS A PRETTY BIG NORMAL THING YOU DO IN THIS BOOK, so probably need to be okay with this, because if not you will want to pull out every single hair of your head by the end of the story. If I follow the rule of this book, slut/tramp/bambi, is everyone who appeared even a bit interested in our main guy. But Let me tell you if I were to slut-shame anyone here it would have been RULE.Like fuck, why having testicles, or identifying as a male immediately saves you from being called a slut. When you are obviously the one who has sex with pretty much everyone and also eat everyone with their eyes. It was obvious that the purpose of making other female characters who wanted Rule was too called them bambies, they were there just for that purpose.
Using LGBTQIA characters as a plot device: Excuse me but this has gotten old. Like the poor guy couldn’t even defend himself because he was dead. Like bro, why he not screaming to the four winds he was homosexual was such a big trouble. Literally, his parents knew and they preferred to act as if it didn’t exist. I DIDN’T LIKE THIS.
Sex-scenes: BORINGGG AND DUBIOUS. First sex interaction they had, she was completely wasted, which probably would indicate you that her decision-making ability wasn’t clear. Rule kept repeating that a decent guy wouldn’t touch someone in this states, yet he proceeds to do so, so yeah an asshole. May I also remind that at that moment Shawn was still his brother's girlfriend. He just accepted her because he found her hot after seeing her wearing a tiny sports uniform, for fuck's sake. The other sexy-times were just meh. I mean yeah sure it was cool to read about people with metal alterations in their private parts but that’s about it.
Relationship: I will call this emotionally-abusive. Lets� just summit up like this: Rule fucked up + Shaw felt responsible for it = Shaw saying sorry and make-up sex.
As I made clear I HATED THIS BOOK. No, I don't regret reading it because it has helped me open my eyes in how much I have changed as a person, and I for sure it for better.
“I won’t even bother with a quote�
Buddy read with my beautiful partner in crime of NA books. We both hated this book so yeah it was an awesome bonding experience.
I can totally see why I enjoyed reading this when I was 14. I mean I was young I didn't know more, and hot bad guys were my optimal crush. BUT NOW I KNOW MORE SO I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS.
I have such a strong hatred for this book that it interrupted my train of thought while walking upstairs and I may have fallen. Hmph.
Things I liked:
-Side characters. Kind of. I mean I am actually interested in the story but not very optimistic that I would like the books more. This is funny because I already read this series but I don’t remember anything.
-Cool concept of following tattoo artists.
So I really wanted to at least say this had been an addictive trashy read, but I surprised myself when I was really bored and trying to skim read. So yeah it was not addictive whatsoever.
Things I hated: EVERYTHING.
Now if you want to continue reading this review know I will be touching upon specific scenes so it may be quite spoilery.
So I will probably be saying bye-bye to some of you. I honestly don’t care if you do read it or not, is your reading taste your life whatever. You do YOU, I do I and I will trash this book I am not sorry.
WARNING: From now on I will be using strong language, probably will ramble and be overly exasperated and angry.
Okay, first you just need to know this two basic thoughts. Rule is redeemable just because he is compared with a stalker-psycho-rich-preppy-dude. Meaning he was not redeemable. So if you are waiting for this dark dude with a huge heavy past where you can’t help but protect it, this is not your guy. Second, Shaw was smart until she was not, she may be the most stupid character I have ever encountered in NA.
P.S. This book teaches you that if you treat women well you are basically a giant pussy. So fuck, excuse me but I hope all men are giant pussies then.
Rule: FUCK HE WAS AN ASSHOLE, TRULY. And I am for sure not insulting him when every three pages he reminded us he was one, literally. There is no fucked up past to redeem him, he has been a bad guy since forever. Sure your mom is trash as well but that doesn’t mean you can try other women and people like trash. Why do I make an emphasis on women? Because he was horrible to very much only women. I usually give no fuck in terms of characters sexual activity, but if you are gonna be having sex with a woman every single weekend and you are not worried you are carrying STD’s, I am judging you. He was an utter shit with all the women he spent a night with, we are not asking you to tell them you loved them, is just common decency, my dude. He literally looked at women as if they were meat or ice cream, different flavors easy to have his way with. Do I need to remind everyone that the first night he was out after declaring his “somehow-relationship� with Shaw he could keep his eyes off other women? Like not just scanning how hot they were, but saying over and over again how he would love to have sex with them. BURN JUST BURN. But of course, he didn’t have a problem with making Shaw feel like a utter shit for riding to a meeting with his ex, even knowing she had zero attraction to him. UGHH. Mmmmm, he also has serious problems with violence.
Shawn: My dear, you were plainly stupid. Why? Because when the guy of your dreams, the asshole of your life, started treating you finally with decency you fucking hated it. So yeap I am not even blaming him to be horrible with you because you fucking loved it? Basically, you let him treat you like shit, made you feel like shit, but you secretly just wanted more. Emmm� sure you were a bit sassy and all that jazz but you were also a horrible person with anyone who was interested in Rule.All your problems somehow always turned to Rule, you could be dealing with your family stuff or your post trauma after the assault but always ended up on Rule. Like fuck why?
Basically, this two characters felt they were the shit.com. Supermodels who turned heads every time they walked everywhere and then the people who turned were sluts. BYE.
Family: All families were a piece of crap. All families were horrible.They were obviously made to receive hate, and that’s exactly what I am doing. Now, the mom of the Archer boys, was the cherry on top of hypocrisy. She could very much be abandoned by everyone and wouldn’t have felt a bit of sympathy.
Slut-shaming: WELL THIS IS A PRETTY BIG NORMAL THING YOU DO IN THIS BOOK, so probably need to be okay with this, because if not you will want to pull out every single hair of your head by the end of the story. If I follow the rule of this book, slut/tramp/bambi, is everyone who appeared even a bit interested in our main guy. But Let me tell you if I were to slut-shame anyone here it would have been RULE.
Using LGBTQIA characters as a plot device: Excuse me but this has gotten old. Like the poor guy couldn’t even defend himself because he was dead. Like bro, why he not screaming to the four winds he was homosexual was such a big trouble. Literally, his parents knew and they preferred to act as if it didn’t exist. I DIDN’T LIKE THIS.
Sex-scenes: BORINGGG AND DUBIOUS. First sex interaction they had, she was completely wasted, which probably would indicate you that her decision-making ability wasn’t clear. Rule kept repeating that a decent guy wouldn’t touch someone in this states, yet he proceeds to do so, so yeah an asshole. May I also remind that at that moment Shawn was still his brother's girlfriend. He just accepted her because he found her hot after seeing her wearing a tiny sports uniform, for fuck's sake. The other sexy-times were just meh. I mean yeah sure it was cool to read about people with metal alterations in their private parts but that’s about it.
Relationship: I will call this emotionally-abusive. Lets� just summit up like this: Rule fucked up + Shaw felt responsible for it = Shaw saying sorry and make-up sex.
As I made clear I HATED THIS BOOK. No, I don't regret reading it because it has helped me open my eyes in how much I have changed as a person, and I for sure it for better.
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