"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."
It's just always been you."
--Jay Crownover, Rule
"When you find someone, someone who gets you, who understands you, it's worth fighting for."
--Jay Crownover, Jet
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Jay Crownover Books & William Morrow Paperback
Pages: 327 & 416
Publication Date: December 30th, 2012 & May 28th, 2013
Source: Bought & Bought
Goodreads Description
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.
JET
With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.
Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.
Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?
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.
JET
With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.
Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.
Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?
Ok, I'm gonna make this quick and dirty and do mini-reviews of Rule and Jet and then a full review of Rome because Edelweiss was amazing enough to grant me a review copy--holla!!
Rule
I loved this book! Hardcore LOVED! I read this and Jet while on the bus traveling around Africa, and let me tell you, the already hot bus ride was made even hotter while reading these books. I contemplate re-reading Rule every week. That's how much I love it. Anways. Objectively, it starts off as another typical NA novel. Bad-boy is a dick to the sheltered rich girl and they fall in love blah blah blah. But oooooh, you guys, this book breaks the mold with all the emotions. And there are so many!! Rule is a phenomenal character and is second only marginally to Shaw. I LOVED Shaw. While she irritates me in her constant need to please her horrible family, she grows SO much. She is smart, driven, and has a heart that is larger than Rule's...attitude...aka huge. She is so much more than her family gives her credit for and she needed to realize this. I love that she defends Rule with a passion and sees the person underneath. Their love story is beautiful. It is flawed and real and emotional and I freakin' LOVED all of it. There are real life issues at hand and some serious psychological issues going on with other characters that makes this book a page-turner.I could not get over how impressed I was with the writing and storytelling of Jay Crownover. She completely breaks the mold on the stereotype of New Adult. Her characters are raw, honest, imperfect, real, and oh so hot. I really need to start hanging out in tattoo parlors. My word. The intensity of the emotions and the ache you feel for these characters to be together and love is palpable. Since reading, I have had to talk myself out of re-reading this book every week. It's that good. I could not get enough of this book and cannot wait for more.
VIP Status
Jet
I didn't really have any strong opinions on Jet while reading Rule so I was excited to read his story. I really liked it...but nowhere near as much as Rule. This is my own personal feelings because Rule's personality drew me and as well as Shaw's just a bit more than Jet and Ayden. Jet is awesome, don't get me wrong. He is deep and cares so much for Ayden and I loved reading about their relationship but Ayden got SO annoying at around the 55% mark. I know she had a lot of issues to work through so I need to cut her a break because where the plot takes her is not pretty and my heart absolutely breaks for her. I think I got frustrated with her because I wanted so badly for her to have her happy ending sooner rather than later. She completes this vicious cycle of repeating the same mistakes and then beats herself up over it. Breaks my heart. However, when they do get their moments together...holy hot. Wowza kind of hot!
I think one of my favorite parts of the story was when Ayden FINALLY realized that Jet was there for her long-term. Seeing him make the first move and be there for her and forsaking all other obligations was just beautiful. I found the ending to be a little unrealistic but hey, I'm never gonna be mad about a happy ending.
I think one of my favorite parts of the story was when Ayden FINALLY realized that Jet was there for her long-term. Seeing him make the first move and be there for her and forsaking all other obligations was just beautiful. I found the ending to be a little unrealistic but hey, I'm never gonna be mad about a happy ending.
Backstage Pass Status
"Relationships are not tailor-made and people are flawed.
You have to work around and love the other person anyway.
Our flaws our what make us unique."
You have to work around and love the other person anyway.
Our flaws our what make us unique."
--Jay Crownover, Rome
Genre: New Adult ContemporaryPublisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Pages: 387
Publication Date: January 7th, 2014
Source: eARC provided via publisher on Edelweiss--Thank you!!
Find on Goodreads
Previous Books in Series: Rule & Jet
Goodreads Description
Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .
Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.
Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .
Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . .
Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer.
Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .
.JPG)
The Belle
Rome. To be honest, I was SO excited to read Rome's story. I fell a little in love with him in Rule. Huge, badass soldier set on saving the world protecting his country? Excuse me while my panties spontaneously combust. I mean, c'mon. AND FINALLY people we have a good-looking man on the cover. Rome was the best (and only redeeming) part of this book for me. He is broken, a little lost, tortured, hurting, and in dire need of somebody to step up to the plate and save him. I loooooove him. You all know how much I love a broken soul. Rome recognizes his shortcomings and the things he needs to work on and does just that. He is not perfect but he damn near kills himself to be the best person he can be.
The Plot. Rome's growth in this book is phenomenal and I think Jay Crownover did an AMAZING job at discussing the aftermath of a soldier trying to adjust to civilian life. His emotions, reactions, and process of healing was handled perfectly in my opinion. I give her mad props for not only going there but handling it with grace and realistic expectations.
The Plot. Rome's growth in this book is phenomenal and I think Jay Crownover did an AMAZING job at discussing the aftermath of a soldier trying to adjust to civilian life. His emotions, reactions, and process of healing was handled perfectly in my opinion. I give her mad props for not only going there but handling it with grace and realistic expectations.
The Beast
Cora. Ugh, where do I begin? I didn't really warm to her in Rule...or Jet...and I just found her incredibly annoying in all three books. I don't know she just rubs me the wrong way. I cannot stand people who dish out all the unwarranted advice they can get out and then don't take their own advice in their own life. I get it, you were seriously dicked over by your ex-fiance. We've all had our share of bad situations and heartbreak. You're not alone in this so stop acting like it happened 5 minutes ago when it's been half a decade.
Should You RSVP To This Ball?
Of Course
I am in love with this series and while Cora didn't do it for me, I can overlook that in the overall plot of things and know I still really loved this book. This entire series is just phenomenal and is everything the genre New Adult should be.
I looooooooove Rule! (the audiobook is really good too)
ReplyDeleteI read this when it was an indie and there were so many typos and missing commas and periods but I still gave this 5 stars because I loved the story so freaking much.
I skipped Jet because I'm not a fan of the 'rock star' romances. Plus Ayden annoyed me in Rule...
I was so excited for Rome and kind of disappointed. Yeah Cora was annoying but what bothered me most was the baby thing. I should point out that I despite babies/pregnancies in books and was bummed it had to happen in this one. Really, she has to get pregnant after having sex only like 2 times? When I first read that she was tired I was like 'you have got to be fucking kidding me?' It bothered my so much that she went on a 'no sex until we figure out our feelings' rule. I mean really? The damage is done, no point in making you both miserable.
Plus, I'm so over the 'omg his dick is so huge I don't think it will fit' thing.
I gave Rome 4 stars but Rome was a big part of that. I am way excited for the next books. Nash, Asa and Rowdy!
I haven't started this series yet, but I do want to! I'm especially drawn in by that Rome cover -- it's GORGEOUS in person because he's so EFFING HOT. Ahem. But yes, I'm still wary because I'm not much of an NA reader! We'll have to see how that winds up going for me.
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH. Rome's book has been my favorite so far but I love every single character and they way the author set the majority of them up for us in the beginning so we already know them. It's like visiting friends when I read each new book.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Rule! Like you said, it breaks the emotions mold.
ReplyDeleteI am reading Jet right now, not that far in only like 60 pages, but yeah it's not as good as Rule. I think I might just go ahead and read Rome next instead of whatever review book is on my pile because your enthusiasm for it is SO INFECTIOUS oh my goodness. Also, this comment is like a month late but I was on goodreads and clicked to read the rest of your review and so here I am.