Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Rules are Made to be Broken by Mylissa Demeyere

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

I’ve loved Will Henderson from the first day I laid eyes on him. But I made a solemn promise that same day. I would never, ever date Will Henderson.
 
For almost a decade, Charlotte Dubois has loved Will Henderson from afar, squelching her heart's silent yearnings. But no way could she date her best friend Kelsey’s brother. Their whole friendship is based on one rule: No friend of Kelsey can ever date Will. Instead, Charlotte has watched him date and break more hearts than should be legal.
 
Will Henderson never got over that stolen kiss he shared with Charlotte years ago—though he's tried valiantly to rid his system of his sister's best friend.
 
When circumstances bring the two into each other’s arms again, Will wants to convince Charlotte to break the rules and take a chance on him. But to do so, they will have to hide their relationship from the ones they love most. Can true love triumph, or will they both end up losing?

My Review

I had mixed feelings about this one! The story was compelling- I love a good long-time unknown love trope, but there were some aspects that bothered me and prevented me from connecting to the characters. First, the good stuff. Charlotte and Will are both likeable yet flawed, making them realistic rather than perfect. They have great chemistry, and I enjoyed their banter for the most part. I loved the secondary characters of Charlotte's grandmother Mamie and Will's parent Kate and Robert. I thought they brought a much-needed maturity to the scenes. Now for the things that took me out of the story- there was so much ogling! I don't mind when they appreciate each other's physical beauty, but it was overdone and I missed seeing how they were friends besides their secret attraction. I think their relationship would have felt stronger if that foundation had been more established. I was irritated with Kelsey's selfishness- or perceived selfishness- that made her friendship with Charlotte more important than Will and Charlotte's potential happiness. Really, they didn't give her a chance by keeping it secret. But I think I would have liked her more if her closeness with Charlotte had been shown on a deeper level. It seemed more convenient and shallow, but I sensed it could have been written as more. Overall, this is a story about vulnerable people with fears, secrets, miscommunication, and trust issues. I was interested enough to keep reading to the end to see how the happily-ever-after would come about.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Extras

Spotify Playlist for Rules are Made to be Broken

Book Trailer on YouTube

Excerpt

CHARLOTTE

“I let you out of my sight for one minute, and already you almost ruin a perfectly great tray of stuffed mushrooms, Charles?”

I didn’t need to turn around to know who had spoken. If the voice didn’t give him away, there was only one person in the world that would ignore using my given name and call me Charles, just to get a rise out of me. Will had an uncanny talent of sneaking up on me when I least expected it, delivering a line that sounded like melted chocolate with that husky voice of his. Most women swooned in his presence, especially when he worked his magic. I was not one of them. Well, at least not that I let him see. I’d known him too long and had trained myself to not give in to his charm. I’d been weak once before. Never again.

“You know me. I’m useless without you.” I laid on the sarcasm, and to add an extra push, I added, “William.”

It was our thing. Will riled me up by calling me Charles, I retaliated by calling him William. It was a childish habit we’d yet to outgrow.

Will’s face broke out into a wide grin, and I felt a flutter in my belly. No surprise there. He had that effect on me. He’d caught my attention that first day in high school, before I even met Kelsey. Who wouldn’t notice those ice-blue eyes and short, blond curls? It didn’t hurt that he had a broad chest with toned abs. I knew; I’d seen them up close many, many times. Be still my heart!

A female server passed with another tray, momentarily breaking up the intense stare-down between us. I took the opportunity to catch my breath and remind myself that Will was off limits. I would remain strong.

Will’s eyes followed the female staff member’s retreating form. She turned back and caught his eyes on her. I couldn’t blame her for turning back to take another look. The man was a nearly perfect specimen—absolute eye candy. He gave her his classic look, the one that made women want to have his babies, and her cheeks darkened. Instead of watching their exchange, I focused on Will. I’d seen him work his charm for almost a decade. I knew he was a player. So why did I let him get to me like this?

    Without another word, I turned from the familiar scene. I was done having my heart crushed, as much as I hated to admit he still possessed the power to crush it.

About the Author

Mylissa Demeyere was born in Belgium, and resides in the beautiful city of Ghent. She lives in a somewhat organized home with her four beautiful children and the love of her life. If she isn’t working, she’s writing, exercising, reading, or enjoying time with her kids, who are growing up way too fast.

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