The Off Limits Rule

If this were a video game, I’d have just somehow stumbled over a cheat code and would now be facing the final boss to defeat. Level 100: Brother’s Hot Best Friend. Drew is seriously looking at me like I’ve lost my mind, and guess what? I have.

The Off Limits Rule

Title: The Off Limits Rule (#1)
Published: December 13, 2020
Pages: 284
Pacing: Medium
Moods: Funny, Lighthearted
Content Warnings: Hospitalization
Tropes: Single Parent, Sibling’s Best Friend, Forbidden Romance, Mutual Pining, Caretaking While Sick, Insta-love, Fake Dating (Brief)

I have found rock bottom. It’s here, moving in with my older brother because I’m too broke to afford to live on my own. But that’s okay because we’ve always been close and I think I’m going to have fun living with him again.

That is until I meet Cooper…

Turns out, my brother has very strong opinions on the idea of me dating his best friend and is dead set against it. According to him, Cooper is everything I should stay away from: flirtatious, adventurous, non-committal, and freaking hot. (I added that last part because I feel like you need the whole picture.) My brother is right, though. I should stay away from Cooper James and his pretty blue eyes. He’s the opposite of what I need right now.

Nah—Who am I kidding? I’m going for him.

This. Was. So. Freaking. Cute. I can’t believe I waited so long to read this book, and Sarah Adams’ work in general.

I was charmed from the very start by Cooper and how besotted he was with Lucy. The chemistry between them was immediate, and it led to some amazing tension and yearning as they tried to stay away from each other. The side characters were fun, Drew and Jessie especially, but I even enjoyed the two girls at the salon who I’m sure we will never see again.

The Off Limits Rule was truly just so pure. Cooper’s interactions with Levi were adorable, Lucy’s slight naivety was surprisingly endearing, and I loved how the storyline didn’t rely on the third act breakup (not that I hate those, but not every story needs one).

The writing was hilarious and casual, and the audio narration really brought it to life. It felt like Lucy and Cooper were actually just talking to me. Even if you’ve read this book, I highly recommend going to Spotify and listening to the audiobook for free.

The Temporary Roomie

”I think you’re right, Andrew. I think we could make a deal.”

The Temporary Roomie

Title: The Temporary Roomie (#2)
Published: Self Published, April 4, 2021
Pages: 274
Pacing: Medium
Moods: Funny, Lighthearted
Content Warnings: Pregnancy
Tropes: Pregnancy, Best Friend’s Sibling, Fake Dating, Enemies to Lovers, Roommates to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Pranks

Drew Marshall may have let me move into his spare bedroom while my house is being renovated, but don’t think for one second his kindness comes without strings. Big, ugly, fake relationship strings.

That’s okay, though, Dr. Andrew. I’ll agree to your terms, move into your house, and act like your girlfriend when the big day comes; but I also plan to make your life miserable—make you pay for what you did to me.

I may not be good at forgiving or forgetting, but I’m excellent at getting even.

After The Off Limits Rule, I was really excited for The Temporary Roomie. There were parts I liked. I loved the friendships between Drew and Cooper and Jessie and Lucy, and I loved how smitten Drew was with Jessie. Some of the tropes were my favorite, like roommates to lovers and fake dating, and they were well done.

However, Jessie got on my nerves for a large portion of the book. The antagonistic relationship between them felt almost entirely her fault. The pranks were over the top at times, especially the big prank Jessie pulls later in the book. Also, I read this via audiobook, and this isn’t a complaint about the book itself, but the narrators’ southern accents were sporadic and took me out of the book on occasion.

Overall, I loved Sarah Adams’ writing, but this one missed the mark with me.