Love is a battlefield for a quirky matchmaker and the cocky football star who hires her to find him a wife.As the owner of Perfect Pairings matchmaking service, Maddie McRae earns her living helping others fall in love. And one thing the sweet Southern belle knows for sure is that the foundation of wedded bliss is built on similarities: opposites might attract, but they don’t stay together. Enter … don’t stay together.
Enter Mason Spark.
Rude, arrogant, and notoriously allergic to monogamy, the hottest quarterback in the NFL is Maddie’s polar opposite. He’s also her new client. Her gorgeous, infuriating new client who’s paying her an outrageous sum of money to find him a wife. With his multi-million dollar contract on the line due to his behavior on and off the field, bad boy Mason is willing to pretend to settle down.
But when he starts to fall for the adorkable matchmaker who can’t stand him, the playboy finds himself in the game of his life to keep something he never thought he’d lose—his heart.
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A sweet sports rom-com that had me laughing out loud at 34% in to the point that I had tears! This author is a go-to favorite of mine, but I usually seek her work out when I need to feel something, have a heaviness in me that will only ease up after I give it a big ol case of ‘the feels’, not so with this one, and surprisingly I loved it all the more for it! Mason and Maddie are the PERFECT opposites, their bickering and banter had me chuckling throughout, but the heat and tension was off the charts! I knew the minute these two went at each other it was going to be combustible! And add in a crazy manager and an Aunt with a touch of a gift and you have a WONDERFUL weekend read! Loved every minute of these two!
Rules of Engagement is an enemies to lovers romantic comedy.
NFL player Mason Sparks and matchmaking owner Maddie McRae have only one thing in common, a past that has defined them. These two couldn’t be more opposite if they tried. When they meet for the first time, you can visualize the sparks flying. Their constant battle of wills was hilariously entertaining.
Mason is not exactly Prince Charming but the more the story progresses the more you learn what great guy he really is. He had a pretty rough childhood and he hasn’t been able to shake the negativity he was exposed to for so long. It took no-nonsense Maddie to shake some truth into his life.
Maddie has also had a pretty traumatic event from her childhood that has held her back. It took Mason to push every one of her buttons to wake up to what’s right in front of her. I liked how she didn’t bow down to the great NFL player but treated Mason as the man that he is.
I loved the chemistry between these two. Their banter was fun and made me laugh. I also loved her aunt. What a character she was! This was a cute story.
What a breath of fresh air!!! J.T. Geissinger’s writing is always fantastic whether she’s ripping your heart out with angst, getting your blood pumping with suspense, or – in this case – making you smile with a banter-filled, light, and playful rom com. While Rules of Engagement might come off as slightly over the top at the start of the book, the further in you get, the deeper and more impactful the story. I loved this opposites attract romance, and couldn’t believe how quickly I devoured it.
The story follows Mason, a pro football player with a bad reputation. He’s a giant of a man with a temper, a penchant for blondes, and the tendency to lose himself in liquor. When his team threatens to drop him if he doesn’t clean up his act, he seeks out a matchmaker to find a wife who will provide him with a more stable appearance – at least publicly. What he doesn’t expect is the impact the matchmaker herself, Maddie, will have on his life. She’s surprisingly feisty for a woman who gives off the impression of being uptight, and it’s not long before Mason realizes he’s met his match in her.
Tonally, this is a huge shift from what Geissinger has been writing recently, and while her romantic suspense is great, I loved this just as much. The book flies by, with palpable chemistry between Mason and Maddie, a lightness and easiness that pairs well with the shots of emotion, and a story that gets richer and deeper as it goes on. It’s everything you could want in a rom com, and I would have zero problems with Geissinger launching a new series with this football team as the centerpiece. If you’re looking for a rom com with heart, I recommend it without hesitation. I received an ARC via Social Butterfly PR (then purchased it for my collection) and am voluntarily leaving a review of this rom com goodness.
Have you ever been fixed up with a person whom your friends thought would be perfect for you due to similar interests and beliefs? Maybe you have done the online dating thing and were matched with the perfect person based on a questionnaire. I think that’s is what the term “perfect on paper” means. So what happens, when you meet that person and there is no chemistry? What if you meet someone that is your complete opposite yet the chemistry is undeniable and everyone around you can feel the sizzle? That is the interesting conundrum that Maddie McRae and Mason Spark (I am NOT kidding) find themselves struggling with in J. T. Geissinger’s newest book, “Rules of Engagement”. Grab a sweet tea and let’s chat about “Rules of Engagement”.
Quarterback Mason Spark has spent years running from relationships. Don’t get me wrong, he has plenty of relationships of the one-night variety but he doesn’t have friends or family for that matter. A product of a broken home and years in the system followed by a stint in juvie, Mason is a hurt, broken man who conceals it by being an ogre…to everyone. His coach is tired of it. His teammates are tired of it. His sponsors of tired of it. His last chance to prove that he is cleaning up is life is to get married to a woman who can reign him in a little bit.
It is Maddie’s job to find the perfect match for Mason but so far her “perfect on paper” matches have not gotten past the introductory phone call. Upon the first face-to-face meeting with Mason, Maddie fantasizes about committing murder. After getting to know Mason, Maddie’s fantasies begin to turn a little more x-rated which is so confusing because Mason is not Maddie’s “perfect on paper” man.
J.T. Geissinger has, all in one book, quoted George Carlin, The Princess Bride, as well as Harry Potter. She has also made me fall in love with tattoed hunk, Mason Spark who will be playing quarterback for the Atlanta Pioneers in Super Bowl LIV (wink wink). I can’t wait to watch the game! Go Pioneers (but only for the purpose of this review because this girl right here is hoping that Kansas City goes all the way – GO CHIEFS!!) BlueSeal’s rating of Rules of Engagement by J. T. Geissinger – 5 out of 5 propellers.
deliciously sexy romantic comedy full of heart and laughs!
These two were fun! Their story was super endearing and moved at the exact pace it needed to move. It’s really hard sometimes for me to phrase into words when a book is just happy in a way that will make you #oneclick because I honestly do not have another word. Everything I want to say about this book/story/characters is that they/it made me happy! So go forth and read you some happy 🙂
This was a hilarious book! I was laughing throughout the entire book! I loved the couple and their story.
I enjoyed this slow burn enemies to lovers storyline. The banter was witty and hilariously funny. The chemistry between Mason and Maddie was sizzling hot. I absolutely loved Auntie Waldine and Dick, great additions to the story.
Mason Spark has got to be one of her most arrogant and frustrating clients to date, he came to her for her matchmaking skills, and she tried her best to pair him with the perfect woman. But not one of the women she set him up with quite measured up to his standards, so she offered to give him his fee back and send him on his way.
But for some reason he insists that she continue to search for the perfect woman for him while he makes her life miserable in the process. She is in the business to help people find their happily ever-afters, not find fake mates to save floundering careers. The man tests the limits of her patience… and makes her heart skip a beat too, which can only mean trouble!
The pages of Rules of Engagement hold a charming and humorous enemies-to-lovers tale that is certain to have readers giggling throughout! These two were complete opposites on every end of the spectrum, Maddie adores love and helping others find it, and Mason is allergic to it and anything remotely serious. Watching this one unfold was quite entertaining, mainly because Maddie detested everything Mason stood for, and Mason had no idea how to get in her good graces. So there was a lot of push and pull and feeling fighting going on there. I really enjoyed this one, it had a good blend of everything you could want in a romance… it left my heart quite happy! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
I loved this book – it was full of funny banter, heroine who couldn’t see how the hero (Mason aka Sparky) saw her. You can’t help but to fall in love in Mason and Maddie. The saying OPPOSITES ATTRACT has their picture below in the dictionary. He always an A-hole who lived to swear and she was a Southern belle. I loved the eccentric aunt. That lady was a Co-Co but I loved her and the way she tried to push Maddie in the right direction.
After finishing this I just feel happy and satisfied. I can’t wait to see what comes next from J.T. Geissinger.
****Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
This book was hilarious and refreshing! This is an opposites attract/sports/fake relationship(not your typical fake relationship romance)/opposites attract, romantic comedy. It is a standalone with an HEA. The first couple of pages had me questioning whether or not the book was going to be good. I am happy to admit that I was so wrong! I LOVED IT!
Mason was a growly, broody, smart, and sexy football player with a penchant for trouble and a chip on his shoulder. He is a player in and out of the bedroom. As the hottest player in the NFL, he has no problem getting the ladies, but that is one of his biggest problems. Now he is in need of a reputation overhaul. His agent/manager, Dick, is more like a father to him and insists that he needs to get married if he doesn’t employ the help of a private agency to help him find a wife. Mason’s childhood was far from ideal and a bit tragic. He overcame that and is one of the best players in the league but not without the internal scars. Maddie McRae is not what Mason expected and definitely isn’t his type but there is something about her that he finds attractive, even if he won’t admit that to himself. I loved Mason because there was so much more to him than meets the eye. He was funny and smart and endearing.
Maddie McRae! There is so much to say about her. I loved her as well. She was the owner of Perfect Pairings, a matchmaking service. She was prim, proper, puritanical, sweet, a hopeless romantic, a little clueless, funny, quirky, witty, and has sass that rivals the best of them! She has experienced tragedy at a young age but she is one of the most positive people around. After meeting Mason, she finds he may just be her biggest challenge but she is up for it! Her heart is in the right place but Mason is testing her patience. Maddie sees through him though and refuses to let him hide behind his growly, broody personality that he uses as a shield. I loved that she was patient with Mason but also gave him back what he dished out.
This book was witty, funny, sexy, steamy, heartwarming, and entertaining with a boatload of charm! I gobbled this book up in one sitting. There were so many laugh out loud moments but also sweet and touching moments! The plot was engaging, well-written, well-paced, and I couldn’t get enough! The characters were beyond wonderful! I loved every single one of them. Aunt Waldine and her crew were the best. She almost steals the show. I enjoyed her shenanigans, meddling, and conspiring with Dick as well as her witchcraft. I think it would be hilarious to read a book with Aunt Waldine and Dick getting together! The banter and push and pull between Mason and Maddie was hilarious and entertaining. Their chemistry sizzles. If you like romantic comedies, this is the book y’all! You need this in your life! I loved every minute of it, including the “afterword” and acknowledgments. There were touching and heartfelt. This is my first read by this author but definitely won’t be the last.
****ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.****
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT by J. T.Geissinger is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, erotic, romance story line focusing on thirty year old owner of Perfect Pairings matchmaking service Maddie McRae, and twenty-eight year old, professional football player Mason Spark.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Maddie and Mason) RULES OF ENGAGEMENT follows the building relationship between thirty year old owner of Perfect Pairings matchmaking service Maddie McRae, and twenty-eight year old, professional football player Mason Spark. Mason Spark’s reputation is a mess, and his agent thinks it is high-time Mason settles down, and finds a wife but our hero wants nothing to do with love or a happily ever after. Enter match-maker Maddie McRae, and the woman with whom Mason will fall in love. What ensues is the building but tempestuous relationship between Mason and Maddie, and the potential fall-out as Maddie’s past comes looking for a second chance threatening Mason in the process.
Maddie McRae is a spitfire shrouded in an uptight, librarian kind of façade but their first meeting finds Maddie on the offensive against Mason’s attitude and less than cooperative stance. Mason doesn’t want a wife or a relationship but something about Maddie draws Mason like a moth to a flame. With every attempt to match Mason, Maddie’s heart breaks a little bit more.
The relationship between Maddie and Mason begins acrimoniously as both take a stand about the current situation but Maddie refuses to ‘supply’ Mason with the type of women he wants, and Mason refuses to accept anyone Maddie presents. The back and forth banter between our leading couple is fun, flirty and often heart breaking. Maddie reveals a little bit about her past, and Mason’s past is about to threaten his relationship with the woman with whom he is falling in love. The Sex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are introduced to Maddie’s eccentric Aunt Waldine; Mason’s agent Dick; and Maddie’s former boyfriend Robert Cavendish.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT is a story of opposites attract; a war of wills; a sexy, romantic comedy. The premise is lively ; the romance is provocative ; the characters are feisty and spirited.
I.loved.this.book. Just yes! This was my first book by J.T. Geissinger and I cannot stop gushing about it. First of all it’s a sports romance (yay me!), second, it’s a slow burn, kinda sorta enemies to lovers romance too (with a twist). He’s a surly football player, she’s a sassy matchmaker. He needs a wife, she thinks he wants a wife. He thinks she’s a prude, she thinks he’s a player. He thinks she’ll fail, she knows she’ll succeed. What happens? The obvious. They fall and fall hard for each other in the sweetest, sexiest, make your toes curl way. A fantastic love story, a fabulous happily ever after, one hell of a great read. TBR and enjoy. (I read an arc and am voluntarily leaving a review.)
This book is f-wording fantastic!!! This is one of the most charming, fun and witty books I’ve read in a long time and I literally devoured it in one sitting, late night and all!
When Mason needs to clean up his public reputation, his agent sets up a meeting with a matchmaker to find him a wife. Mason is not on board with this idea, but he’d do anything for Dick. The minute Maddie walks into the room, Mason is a goner.
’She smiles.
I feel that smile all the way down to the darkest corner of my soul, the place where light never shines and I keep all the monsters hidden under lock and key.
She smiles with her whole body. With her whole being, like she’s a conductor of light itself and all that’s good and pure in the universe is being channeled through her on its way to me, where it surrounds me and bathes me in golden rays of sunshine, so warm and sweet I could almost cry.’
But, Mason, being Mason, does the only thing he can. He f-words it up.
I have huge amounts of adoration for Maddie. She’s a Southern lady to the very marrow of her bones. (Notice the f-words?) But lord have mercy can the girl bring you to your knees if you cross her, and do so without ever breaking one of her momma’s rules. As Mason soon learns. She was just as much fun as Mason and definitely a favorite heroine of all time.
’I fold my hands in my lap and smile, because Southern girls don’t need a gun to shoot you dead.’
Mason was just hilarious, despite his grumpy, rude ways. He’s a complete womanizer, has no friends, drinks too much and can’t be relied upon by his teammates. But under all of that beats a heart of gold that would do anything for the people he loves. The problem is, he doesn’t believe in love. To say his past has left him scarred would be an understatement. The fact that Maddie is determined to find him a wife drives him crazy but he’s quick to turn it around and use it as an advantage.
This book had me laughing out loud, my cheeks hurting from all the grinning both at this couple and their antics as well as the secondary characters that added so much to this couple’s finding happiness. The humor was perfect without ever being juvenile. The chemistry between Maddie and Mason was felt from their first meeting and simmers throughout the story making this one sizzling slow burn.
I loved everything about this book. EVERYTHING! I can’t recommend this enough if you enjoy rom-coms. And if they sometimes don’t work for you, try this one because if one could change your mind, this would be it.
J.T. Geissinger’s newest stand-alone romantic comedy, Rules of Engagement, was a fun, quick read that was filled to the brim with laugh out loud moments and high levels of quirkiness including the antics of Auntie Waldine and leisure suit Dick.
The romance brewed slowly beneath the surface for Mason and Maddie until you thought they were going to combust. They had great chemistry and just like Mason, I loved that Maddie didn’t fall all over him just because he was famous.
This was a great story and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us next.
/5
Rules of Engagement is the latest stand-alone rom-com by JT Geissinger. It’s light-hearted, fun, sweet, and guaranteed to give you this happy feeling when you’re finished .
Maddie McRae owns a matchmaking agency. She carries a librarian vibe, prim and proper, sweet and caring, and believes in true love and HEAs. When football star Mason Spark approaches her to find him a wife, she’s determined to do her best to find the most suitable match for him, including relationship coaching. After she realizes he “needs” a wife in order to salvage his reputation and protect his career, she sets out to convince him to give falling in love for real a chance. She thinks he’s cynical, aggravating, bad-tempered, and ill-mannered, while he thinks she’s a pain in the butt, uptight, and sometimes clueless . They seem to have nothing in common, until they spend more time in each other’s company to realize their chemistry is undeniable. Don’t we always say “opposites attract”?
I’ve always been a fan of Ms Geissinger’s works. Her writing has an easy flow with clever and beautiful prose and a great sense of humor. She can write fantastic angsty, dark, thrilling stories, she can also make you laugh , swoon , and fan yourself with steamy hot romances. This book falls into the latter category. Even the secondary characters (Maddie’s auntie or Mason’s agent) have their own voices, and they certainly add in the quirky humor to the story. I love how Mason is a huge brooding brawny guy but a total softie inside, and Maddie a sweet, adorable Southern belle but a steel magnolia underneath. I just wish Mason demonstrated a bit more of his inner characters in the beginning to make Maddie “seeing” him and falling in love with him more relatable. But toward the end, the story develops a lot stronger with great character connections and understanding. If you’re looking for a short, fun, sweet, steamy rom-com with a bit element of surprise, this book is for you !
*Special thanks to JT for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Release date: January 28, 2020.
4.5 Adorkable Steamy Stars!
I absolutely loved this enemies to lovers romcom! This kind of romance can go either way for me but Geissinger created the perfect blend of biting and witty banter, laughter, and delicious sexual tension, all in a heartwarming love story. NFL quarterback, Mason Sparks, needs to turn his wild image around and settle down to help save his career. He and his manager, Dick, have turn to a matchmaker to find him a wife, and Maddie is their last resort. She is a sweet southern bell who is no pushover, has a smart mouth, and an unhealthy love for the color pink. She sees right through Masons foul mouth and cranky exterior to the soft, intelligent, kind man he hides to protect himself. Maddie has her own heartbreak that she hides behind her prim, rigid routines. She believes in love so passionately, she will do whatever it takes to find Mason his perfect match, even if she breaks her own heart to do it. Mason is intrigued by the ferocious little steel magnolia, but doesn’t think he is good enough for her. I love Mason and Maddie together! They look like total opposites but are so much alike. They see each other for who they truly are, they challenge each other, and their explosive chemistry leaps right off the page! As they fight against their fiery attraction, there are quirky loved ones who are the real matchmakers behind the scenes that make this story even more fun and fresh. I am a sucker for a great epilogue and this one was so perfect for them. I absolutely loved this hilarious, heartwarming, and steamy romance!
Book hangover alert! Once you start this one, you won’t want to put it down. I loved all the characters in this one; primary and secondary characters included. In fact, when I grow up, I want to be like Maddie – smart, sassy, successful (no damsel in distress here) witty, compassionate and loving. And poor Mason. I just wanted to hug him, prickly exterior and all. While there were some steamy scenes, this fast paced, heartfelt story mainly focuses on the ‘courting dance’ between Maddie and Mason. Fantastic read. I’m going to be re-reading this one for sure!
I received an ARC from the author. This is my unbiased review.
I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, but I really enjoyed it! It was a quick read and I fell in love with the characters. Dick and Auntie Waldine are just the best!
I loved Mason’s f-word banter with himself from the get-go! Being a Southern girl, I could just hear Maddie in my head and I laughed out loud so many times.
The first real kiss was just amazing! All the feels!
This opposites attract romance has a much deeper story that was just beautiful.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT by J.T. Geissinger is the story of Maddie McRae and Mason Spark.
Mason is a famous NFL quarterback who has a reputation of of being a bad boy on and off the field. Mason has been instructed to clean up his image because his multi-million dollar contract is in jeopardy. Maddie has a matchmaking service called Perfect Pairing, which of course is her goal too. Maddie hasn’t had a easy time but she is the total opposite of Mason which leads to some funny scenes. Maddie is struggling to find someone for Mason who really only wants the perfect wife to boost his image not for anything true or real. But Mason hadn’t counted on the feelings that Maddie brings out in him. This was a funny hot read! I couldn’t put it down!
4.5 stars
Who is going to come off best? A diminutive pink fairy godmother or a behemoth of an athlete?
One thing’s for sure, you’ll enjoy finding out!
Maddie and Mason’s story will have you laughing out loud from start to finish.
He’s a grumpy, tattooed muscle man but Maddie can stop him in his tracks with a few well chosen words. His temper has a short fuse but Maddie easily sees through his gruff exterior.
A match made in matchmaker heaven? Not on paper! The reality however is quite different.
Maddie and Mason should not be missed!