Rule #1: Don’t fall in love.As a single dad, my life revolves around my daughter. No complaints…until my ex-wife forces my hand over custody.I needed a cover story. In steps Katharine Morello. My best friend’s sister is ready and willing to be my fake fiancée.Overnight we’re engaged. A temporary arrangement.No sex.No strings attached.No complications.Easy, right?Not quite. The last few months, … complications.
Easy, right?
Not quite. The last few months, I’ve been doing dirty things to her in my imagination. But that’s all they’ll ever be. Fantasies.
Rule #2: Don’t give in to temptation.
Neither of us is looking for a relationship. Been there. Done that. Even drank the Kool-Aid.
So, you see, I can resist beautiful, sexy Katharine. It doesn’t matter she’s hot as f*ck with an amazing personality to boot. All I have to do is NOT touch her.
I’ve got this.
Spoiler Alert…One night make-believe merges with reality. Sparks fly—and burn.
Now I want her. All of her.
Rule #3: See rule #1—don’t fall in love.
Man. Hindsight’s a bitch.
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Love this story about Kate and Lucas. Story is between a single day and his best friend’s sister. Lucas is a loving father who has gone through a bitter divorce which has left him feeling a bit bitter about relationships and marriage. Kate is Lucas’ best friend’s sister who has her own thoughts and hang ups about relationships. When they decide to pose as recently engaged to each, in order to present Lucas in a positive light in his upcoming court date with his ex, their feelings begin to change.
I enjoyed this story and the way Ms Jolie showed that love and relationships don’t always adhere to the rules we think they should. This is such a sweet and entertaining couple!
I absolutely loved all things Kate and Lucas! I admired their love for one another. Everyone should be so lucky as to fall in love with their best friend!
I am a sucker for a single dad and Lucas is as sexy and perfect as they come. His interactions with his baby girl had me swooning to the point I was worried about my ovaries exploding. Lucas always puts his daughter before anything or anyone. His ex-wife is bitter and wants to hurt him, so when she decides to play dirty and threatens to take his baby girl from him, Lucas is willing to break his rules to beat her at her own game. Enter his “friend” Kate. They’ve been friends for years, but lately have noticed their friendship shifting. There is a spark, but neither one is willing to act on it for their own reasons. However, Kate is not willing to sit idly by when her friend needs her, so she steps up to be Lucas’s fake fiance. They set rules, but as you know, rules are meant to be broken.
Kate’s outlook on life is so refreshing. She has a way of looking at a bad situation and finding a way to spin it into a positive learning experience. She and Lucas were fire together. They have an insane amount of chemistry. When they finally crossed the line and became lovers, holy smokes. I loved how she was willing to sacrifice her happiness for Lucas. Such a good book!
Rules of Engagement is a standalone in the Platonically Complicated series.
Kate and Lucas wow. This book goes to show you never know where or when love will show up or how it will show up. Not all great love stories have the grand gesture. However, this one does even though they may not know it at the time.
There is so much more to this story than just heat. Don’t worry there’s plenty of heat and its not gratuitous, but it is steamy. What you get in addition to two people who are life long friends are two individuals with opposing views of life. One is willing and open and the other is closed off, or so they think. What we think about ourselves is not always the truth. Sometimes we have to dig a little deeper and be willing to search out how far are we willing to go for ourselves and are we willing to take another chance?
Both individuals have been through the wringer so to speak. Both have come on the other side with different results.
To say that I didn’t fall in love with Lucas would be false. He has so much to give and is so caring. The fact that doesn’t realize this is just swoon worthy and sexy.
One of the best parts of this book is the relationship between father and daughter. Seriously, your ovaries will explode when you see the lengths that Lucas will go to for his daughter, Emma. I don’t do spoilers but I will just say there is a dance scene that made me laugh out loud and tear up at the same time. Prepare yourself. If you read this book for that scene alone it is worth the read. I’m still picturing it in my mind.
We are also treated to previous characters from former books this author has written. I was thrilled when I saw them again. I fell in adoration with them before, safe to assume I remain that way. You also get the villain. Who you will love to hate. I did. I could go on and on about this book and how it brought all the feels but it would be redundant. So I’ll just say do yourself a favor and read this book. I read it in one sitting. No it is not War and Peace or The Great Gatsby. That’s not what you’re looking for anyway. However, that being said there is a point to this story besides a HEA. It deals with relevant issues and may get you to take a closer look at yourself and how you view things and deal with them. Or you can just enjoy this beautiful heartfelt story and swoon away for the single dad!
I love friends to lovers romances especially when they are as steamy as this one. We start the story in the head of Lucas hearing his thoughts was funny and illuminating in equal measure. He kind of validated every thing I’ve imagined men thinking about the opposite sex and yeah it made me giggle.
Lucas is a single dad facing the prospect of losing his little girl and so a plan is hatched to make him look more stable. Kate is one of his closets friends who he just happens to have naughty thoughts of, she agrees to become his fiancee to help him out. Now I liked Kate but it’s no surprise Lucas was for me the star of the book. Loved the late night texts and the banter between them, it helped show the connection between the two. It’s fun and flirty but also sweet and poignant. A well written fun love story with great characters that I really enjoyed.
reviewed by Sweet Spot Sisterhood
Oh man! Can I keep Lucas? I’m a sucker for a friends to lovers read, but then throw in single dad and I’m a goner. I’m not typically a fan of the fake fiancé trope, but Jolie’s writing style and character development make this a very realistic take on that trope. Lucas and Kate’s relationship has been strictly in the friend zone for years, even though their chemistry and attraction is undeniable. But when his ex-wife threatens his relationship with his daughter, Emma, Kate steps in to help him out. One of the things that I really appreciate about this read is that the hero and heroine are both strong, independent and mature. I thoroughly enjoyed their journey from friends to lovers and beyond. Jolie’s writing is delightful and I look forward to more reads from her in the future.
Rules are meant to be broken sometimes.
Such an amazing story of heartbreak, fear, friendship, love, trust and learning to love without the fear. This story has it all. Friends to lovers; best friends sister, amazing chemistry and realizing they share a soul-deep love that is as necessary as air.
Mika Jolie’s Rules of engagement is an amazing romance. It’s heartfelt as well as heartwrenching, and the banter and flirting between Kate and Lucas is mesmerizing.
I admire the author’s ability to captivate the reader telling the story from the Hero’s point of view. It is sweet, steamy and humorous.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book.
Rules of Engagement by Mika Jolie is the story of Lucas and Kate.
Lucas’s ex wife is being terrible ex-wife. Lucas who is trying to focus on their daughter has to make a move which turns into involving Kate. Lucas tries to keep the deal he made with Kate but the more that he is around her the more than he is wanting more. But Lucas has been down a similar road and it didn’t work out…will this time and his true feelings be different. Enjoy both characters and their story.
What a great friends to lovers romance that I rate a 4 ½ stars. The book is very well written and the author has given us characters to love and swoon over. This is my first book by author Mika Jolie and may I say she has a delightful writing style that I found to be a breath of fresh air. I look forward to reading more from her.
Lucas and Kate have been longtime friends. Kate being his best friends sister, well you know the ole bro-code – that means hands off. But that doesn’t stop Lucas from lusting after her in his mind and little does he know Kate has always been attracted to him as well. Lucas is a great guy, he’s sexy, rich and best of all a devoted father to his young daughter Emma. Sadly his ex-wife is a nightmare. Kate is a strong independent successful business woman, and every mans dream.
When Lucas’s ex threatens to take Emma away from him, the storyline kicks into high gear. Needing to show a more stable lifestyle, than his playboy ways, Kate steps in and becomes his fiance. But can these too fake it, secretly knowing how attracted they are to one other?
This is a fun, flirty, sexy romance that will keep you smiling thr
4 stars
Holy hotness, single dad Lucas has got it going on! Rules of Engagement is a best friends to lovers story that sizzles with heat and soars with heart.
Lucas locked his heart away after he ended his disastrous marriage and he’s not interested in another woman in his life, except his little girl Emma. He works hard to create a secure life for her and that’s all that matters, until his ex-wife decides to fight him for custody. She’s determined to take their daughter away to France and is playing dirty. When his best friend, Kate, offers to play his fake fiance to help his court case, he initially shoots it down as preposterous but when Lucillifer (a hilarious moniker given to his ex) takes the gloves off, Kate steps in to his rescue.
Kate and Lucas have been friends for over twenty years and they’ve been dancing around deeper feelings for each other for awhile now but they’re both too afraid of hurting each other, and ruining a beautiful friendship (especially since Kate’s brother is Lucas’ other BFF) to pursue anything. Can they return to best friends-without benefits-without breaking their hearts?
I loved this book. Great characters with tons of heart. Written in Lucas’ POV, we are treated to insight on how he feels about the women in his life and why he’s made the choices he has. He’s honorable, loyal even to a fault and desperately wants to do the right thing by everyone. Beautiful to read about. The chemistry sizzles and the sexy times are smoking. The extra characters are funny and add to the story. Great read!!
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
Rules of Engagement is the first book I’ve read by Mika Jolie, I loved her writing style and I’m hooked!! I love a good friends to lovers story and this one did not disappoint. The plot is solid, light hearted and an enjoyable breath of fresh air. Lucas has been in love with Kate for a while now even though she’s unaware of it. He doesn’t want to jeopardize his friendship by revealing his true feelings and she’s also his best friend’s sister which makes it even more difficult. Kate has always had a crush on Lucas as well. I loved the idea of these two secretly having feelings for each other unbeknownst to either one of them. Lucas is also a single dad (and a hot one at that) and when the threat of losing full custody of his daughter to his ex wife arises, Kate decides to pretend to be his fiancée in an effort to prove he can maintain a stable relationship and be a reliable parent.
Lucas and Kate are so sweet that you just can’t help but love them and want them to get their happily ever after. Ms. Jolie did an excellent job with their character development as they are relatable and just all around good human beings. I cheered for them because they deserved each other and I wanted them to be together so badly. I definitely recommend reading Rules of Engagement and I’m looking forward to reading more books by Mika Jolie.
Lucas loves his daughter and full custody is fine with him–until his ex-wife wants to take custody and move to France with their little girl. No way. With the court hearing just a few days away he has to find a way to appear the most stable parent. His friends and BFF’s little sister is the perfect choice, just as long as he doesn’t kill Lucas for hurting his little sis. A platonic, temporary engagement fits just fine. No problems if you don’t consider their just-friends status changed about a year ago. Neither has let the other know they are interested in more.
Watching them set rules they are bound to break is cute. Trying to end what should be just the beginning brings pain to them all. Can they find a way to give up their decisions not to get involved in a relationship again? While there are some real steam and serious situations, overall it is a fun story. The characters are all likable drawing support from the reader.
Reviewed for Words Turm Me On