It started with a crush.
The best stories always do.
Our story sounds predictable.
Short-lived.
Destined for failure.
Lincoln Beckett is the star wide receiver of Brighton University—
smart, funny, and like many would guess,
heartbreak shines in his dark brown eyes
and is etched across his steel jaw.
He’s popular,
a guaranteed draft pick,
and worst of all:
My brother’s best friend.
It’s a … best friend.
It’s a tale of unrequited love.
I tried not to like him.
I have an entire list of reasons.
Reasons that have become my rules for dating
Rules that he keeps bending.
more
I really enjoyed this book! There were several secondary characters that were well-developed and likable or questionable – depending on what the situation called for. This book does end on a cliffhanger – so be warned!!! Luckily, I have KU so I was readily able to get the next book. I would definitely recommend this book!
t has been a long time since I have read an entire book in 1 day but I could not put this one down!! Holy smokes! Reagan and Lincoln are absolute fire. The tension between them, the push and pull, all of it made me go through so many emotions throughout the entire book. Don’t even get me started on the ending!!!! I can’t wait to start book 2. This is a new author for me and lord am I loving her writing.
I started reading this series out of order and had to go back to read this book so that I could learn how Lincoln and Reagan came to be. I’m glad I did and now I’m moving on to book 2 for more.
Cliffhanger….
Reagan has had feelings for Lincoln ever since her brother has brought him home for dinner two years ago. Lincoln has found himself catching feelings for Reagan, but doesn’t want to hurt his friendship with Pax.
There was so much push and pull on my heart. I know that being the first book in the series especially when it’s a duet we learn a lot of details. There is a lot to digest in this first book – Paper cranes, several men that have interest in Reagan, crazy girlfriend, and a ton of characters and with that being said I am looking forward to reading the others stories!
Hold on tight! Your emotions are going to have whiplash!
I absolutely love this Book! I am new to this Author, however I am now addicted and can not wait for more! This book was amazing. She creates a world where you Feel like you are right there with the Characters. They have some much depth that you can’t help but laugh at their craziness, but also cry at the heartache that they feel. I highly recommend this series of books this is part of a duet how ever she has stand-alones with the supporting characters. This book is 10
SLOW BURN + FOOTBALL + BROTHERS BEST FRIEND ROMANCE
I was overjoyed to find many of my favorite tropes buried in this book. Brother’s best friend being the main one but then it being a football romance plus a love triangle! I was hooked immediately and couldn’t put it down! Then that ending hooked me even more!
I loved the forbidden aspect of this story; nothing too taboo but just a love that isn’t expected and, in some eyes, shouldn’t happen due to friendship and loyalty…except you can’t help who you fall for. Lincoln remained a mystery almost all of this book but I really enjoyed Raegan’s personality and the relationship between her and her siblings. That closeness that I read in this book reminds me so much of my relationship with my own sisters! I’ve read enough books with sibling rivalry or hate existing between siblings that I find it very refreshing to experience this close-knit sibling relationship!
Although I loved this book, I do with that it had been dual POV, rather than just the heroines POV. I would have loved to get Lincoln’s thoughts during so many of those scenes between him and Raegan!
I finished this book and virtually ran to download the second book because I NEEDED IT IMMEDIATELY!! You will to!!
I love a good friends-to-lovers story, and that’s exactly what this was. Reagan was strong-willed and determined when it came to what she wanted from her life. She wished to finish college and be able to work in cetology, caring for the whales and dolphins she had become so attached to. Though she had a crush on Lincoln, he was her brother’s best friend, played on the same football team as he did, and aside from being older was off-limits. It was difficult to tell her heart that though.
Lincoln wasn’t up for a relationship. He’d watched the problems between his parents, had difficulties getting along with his father, and certainly shouldn’t be entertaining anything involving Reagan. But he had a hard time walking away from her. Hovering around the edges was only torturing him, and he didn’t know how to do relationships. He has rules he follows. But the more time he spends around her, the more the edges of the rules become fuzzy.
I had read the 4th book in this series and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to read the ones preceding it. I liked Reagan’s strength and Lincoln’s vulnerability. It was almost painful to delve into their psyches as circumstances continued to take them on the dangerous path the were to follow. But it was exciting too. This one has a cliffhanger that made me jump right into the second one.
I liked this book. Rae was a relatable character that had a very genuine air about her. The story was very plausible and kept me entertained. Lincoln was quite likable…except when he wasn’t. I have to admit suffering a bit of frustration with this character but I suppose that was the point. Overall there is a lot of angst, emotion, inner turmoil and stumbling around blindly trying to figure out life and love as a YA. Ends on a cliffhanger that left me needing more. I am posting a candid, volitional review.
So for starters it ends with a cliffhanger. A dramatic cliffhanger. Raegan is a freshman in college. Lincoln is a junior, football star and her brother Paxton’s best friend. She has had a crush on him since she first lays eyes on him. When she starts school she’s determined to get over Lincoln and her crush. Lincoln makes it hard by pulling her in and pushing her away. There is no steaminess, it has drama, lots of guys interested in Rae and it could be an HEA but it ends with a life or death situation that has you needing the next book to find out what the heck is going on. I seriously hate cliffhangers. But I got sucked into the story and now need the next book to find out what happens.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow!! I wasn’t expecting so much to be going on but I should have! Bending The Rules was the first book in Mariah’s The Dating Playbook Duet. It was predictable at times but also threw me for a loop! It had me on the edge of my seat the closer it got to the end and of course the cliffhanger…I almost threw my phone!!
Raegan was in love with Lincoln. He was the star wide receiver and her brothers best friend. She tried to hide her feelings for him the best she could, but as time went on, the harder it became. She created rules as to why she shouldn’t, but those rules started to bend.
The banter between them!!! And I could physically feel the connection the two of them had. It made my heart ache at points but also made it soar! Luckily, book two was available so I didn’t have to wait too long to find out what happened!!
First, let me say how intrigued I was by this synopsis! I just couldn’t not read this book! It has everything I always love about a book – brother’s best friend and love triangle! I just love this combination! Although the story was more about brother’s best friend and less a love triangle, that didn’t make me love the book any less!
I just loved Lincoln and Reagan!! Eeeekkk, those two were just such lovely characters. I couldn’t not fall for them. The whole story is just heartbreakingly beautiful – it’s raw, sexy, sweet, heartbreaking and so much more than I ever expected.
Definitely worth the read! …and now on to Breaking the Rules, because that ending!!!!
Incredible
I fell in love with author years ago, & honestly, the development of her craft is something utterly fascinating. Books I didn’t think I’d enjoy. Feelings I didn’t want to sort through, and yet every time, I do.
Raegan gets my whole heart. Motivated, ambitious, making the right decisions, loyal, caring. She’s literally the whole package, and it makes perfect sense that people flock to her.
I loved this.
Bending The Rules, has left me feeling too much, and not quite enough. A story, starting with a crush, that tips the scales to how much can you really feel about one person, or one cause, and how far are you willing to go for each. I can hardly wait to find out. This story has all the feels. A true 5 read!
Bending the Rules, book 1 in the Dating Playbook duet is a NA sports romance that will hold your interest until the end. This was an entertaining coming of age story that was angsty and intriguing, humorous and drama-filled, with an interesting cast of characters, witty banter, intriguing twists and turns and an unexpected ending that left me anxious for book 2. This story will give you all the feels and you will be unable to put it down. This novel contained brother’s best friend, love triangle, and sports romance tropes all condensed into this fantastic story. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to all lovers of NA romance.
Couldn’t put it down! Little bit of a love triangle but not much. I loved the mc and the other characters. There was a few layers to the plot that made it interesting. That cliffhanger! I’m glad book two will be out soon.
Mixed emotions all the way thru!
“ I can’t breathe when you’re not near me.”
This is my first Mariah Dietz book and I was hooked from the beginning! A nice young adult book filled with mixed emotions , heart breaks, hopes and buried feelings. I loved how Reagan is confused and learning how to deal with the reality of being a college student and how she slowly realizes that life is not a fairy tale, that she needs to stand up for herself and do what’s right for her. The party scenes, the Football team, the studies and work ( let’s not forget the hotties on campus !) are a lot for Reagan to deal with but nothing will stop her from making her dream come true. The few shy steamy scenes between Reagan and her dreamy Lincoln made me read faster and eager to see if they would finally admit their mutual attraction! Mariah has a way of transporting us in her created world right along her characters. I was left on edge at the end and cannot wait to see what will happen in the sequel: Breaking the Rules.
Great Book
This was my first book by Mariah Dietz. I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to the conclusion of the book in Breaking the Rules book 2 in this duet. This is A brother’s best friends romance. Lincoln and Raegan belong together but it just seems like it’s not gonna happen. As the book goes on Lincoln start to explain to Raegan why he is the way he is and doesn’t want to act on his feelings. Reagan doesn’t give up. Also as the book proceeds along Reagan gets a stalker that starts leaving her messages and just when you think it’s gonna be a happy ending the book ends on a cliffhanger. This book is worth your time and with for the next book to come out in the duet.
By Kristina
I need to start saying that I completely fell in love with this story. I am an Oceanographer, and all the descriptions of Reagan’s love for beaches and cetaceans have brought me great memories of my college time.
Reagan has a crush on Lincoln, her brother’s best friend, since she met him three years ago, and now that she has entered the same university as him, she is willing to forget him once and for all. But what seemed so simple, has exciting twists in the story.
While trying to deal with feelings for Lincoln, another member of the football team, Derek, is also interested in her.
The attraction between Reagan and Lincoln is palpable, but at the same time they are always in a game of cat and mouse, when they are too close, one of them, usually Lincoln, drives Reagan away with his words. She is an open book with her expressions and feelings, but he is unable to express exactly what he is feeling.
I have to say that the end of this book left me extremely tense and looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend the reading.
Wow! That’s a lot of book and I’m completely hooked. Dietz has delivered so much in this book it’s hard to review. Reagan is a remarkable girl in the shadow of her siblings, with her future mapped out. I adore the sibling love and admiration in the family. Navigating a huge course load and two jobs would be a lot for most freshman and Reagan is just getting by and still trying to have a social life with her bestie Poppy who is determined to sample several of the campus athletes. Her big brother is QB1 and she’s grown up being included with the guys playing football. Reagan is grown now and beautiful, several of the guys are taking notice. The problem is her long time crush and brothers best friend Lincoln, “The Pres” is throwing mixed signals like he is the coach rather than the star wide receiver.
I loved Reagan so much with her absolute love for orcas and dolphins and general love for the ocean. She’s an athlete and a devoted sibling. She just a little green when it comes to all the new male attention she’s attracting at college.
The group of friends is interesting and clearly drawn. There are some characters I want to know more about! I’m feel fortunate that the second book is releasing soon!
Loved Raegan and Lincoln in Bending the Rules. Their story was full of heartache, loyalty and unrequited love. . Raegan has dreamt of becoming a cetologist and working with marine life her whole and is determined to make her dreams come true. She is smart, fun, loyal and beautiful. Raegan loves her family, friends and the path that she is on, but whenever she is around her brothers best friend, Lincoln, she finds herself on unfamiliar ground. Lincoln leaves her confused, unsettled and uncomfortable in her own skin. She tries to get past her crush, but when Lincoln continues to seek Raegan out she finds herself hoping for more. Lincoln is a brooding, quiet gorgeous football star that does not do relationships. He does his best to protect Raegan but at the same time keep his distance from his best friends younger sister. When Raegan starts to get noticed by other men, Lincoln realizes just how special she is. I was frustrated and disappointed with Lincoln and how he kept stringing Raegan along. I hope we get to see more of Lincoln and what makes him tic in Breaking the Rules. What a cliffhanger! Can’t wait to see what happens in Breaking the Rules!