This was such a amazing read. Starting from the characters, plotline and scenarios, everything was on top notch and the pace was well maintained throughout the whole book. The characters were penned down brilliantly, not only the protagonists shine throughout the story but also the side characters too. The spotlight was given to each and every character to shine and contribute to the book.
I had a great time reading this one.

This is a captivating friends-to-lovers romance narrated by CJ Bloom and Marcio Catalano, who bring Rebecca and Blake’s story to life with charm and depth. Rebecca, recovering from a painful divorce, seeks Blake’s help to navigate dating, but their friendship soon turns into something more. The chemistry between them is undeniable, with moments of humor, love, and vulnerability that keep you hooked. Bloom and Catalano's performances beautifully capture the playful banter and emotional intensity, making the characters even more relatable. Set in the vibrant Kingston Lane, this audiobook is a delightful mix of second chances, personal growth, and heartwarming romance. An engaging listen for fans of angsty, feel-good love stories!

TL Swan was my adult introduction to romance and is forever a comfort author for me. Her audio books are just such a pleasure to pop in an earbud and enjoy. I felt like this one was so reminiscent of her miles high guys that made me originally fall in love with her. I got the same vibes of the writing and just couldn’t resist listening non stop.

This was a very sweet and fun best friends romance. The FMC Rebecca is really annoying, to be honest, and was way to oblivious to the situation. I also hate that she played the victim card. Sure, her sort-of ex-husband was a dick and cheater, but that does not mean that you have that many misunderstandings with your current bo, especially when he is bending over backwards to make you happy. The MMC Blake's reaction though was, to put it bluntly, an overreaction. There were so many times when both seemed to come off as spoiled little brats. Still, I enjoyed it for the most part, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. 3 stars.

Looking for a hilarious, swoon worthy romance that combines “let’s-just-be-friends” with “oops-we-have-all-the-chemistry”? My Rules by T.L. Swan is your next must-read, especially if you love a little bit of sass, a lot of laughs, and one irresistible player who's about to get a taste of his own medicine!

Meet Rebecca, our FMC who’s tired of dating disasters and players galore. What’s a girl to do? Well, obviously, she makes a list, a master list of dos and don’ts for spotting Mr. Right (and more importantly, avoiding Mr. Wrong). But instead of tackling it solo, she ropes in the perfect person to help: her charming, mischief making neighbour and certified red flag himself, Blake Grayson. He’s a player, he knows the game, and who better to teach her how to dodge heartbreak than the ultimate playboy?

Their little dating experiment kicks off as a game, double dates, late-night ice cream binges, and plenty of playful banter. Blake’s the ideal wingman, and Rebecca’s taking notes on all the women who fall at his feet, making mental reminders not to join them. But here’s the thing: when you’re spending all that time with the King of Charm, it’s hard not to get caught up in his intoxicating smile and addictive personality. Uh-oh, Rebecca, is that a flutter of feelings? So many LOL moments in this story, such as the feet finder scenario and booktok (what ladies like to read). Loved it!

T.L. Swan absolutely nails the “friends-to-maybe-more” dynamic here. Rebecca’s determined to stick to her rules, and Blake’s... well, determined to break them, of course. What follows is a rollercoaster of emotions, with plenty of moments that will have you laughing out loud and clutching your Kindle during all the steamy tension. Blake’s journey from the ultimate player to someone capable of love is full of unexpected depth, and Rebecca’s resistance to falling for him feels so real, you’ll be rooting for her the entire time.

The banter between these two is electric, and you can practically feel the sparks flying off the page. But beneath all the humour and swoony moments, there’s a heartfelt message about second chances, trusting yourself, and playing by your rules, no matter how tempting the other team may be.

If you love a good friends-to-lovers story with a sassy heroine, a heart melting player, and plenty of slow burn heat, grab this book immediately.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

To be super honest here, this one was lacking for me. Not enough to loose the 4+ stars, but it just didn’t give me the magical TL vibes that I’m craving from her books.
The plot just sort of fell flat for me in a lot of places. I will say I did enjoy the characters and the banter. My favorite part was revisiting Kingston Lane again. I love the found family aspect in this series and how close knit the neighborhood is.
The narration was fantastic! No complaints there!
Huge CJ fan 🫶🏼


Looking forward to continuing the series.

This is not it. There's no plot, THE MMC is a horrible person for no reason. THE FMC is annoying. Their behavior is childish. Blake just has s*x with everyone, yeah nope, this is not a love story and it's not for me.

"My Rules" by T.L. Swan, narrated by CJ Bloom and Marcio Catalano, is an absolute treat. The chemistry between Blake and Rebecca is electric, and the witty banter keeps you smiling throughout. I loved how their friendship slowly blossomed into something deeper, with humor and charm laced into every scene. The narrators do an excellent job bringing the characters to life, making it easy to feel their emotions and connect with the story. The mix of romance, humor, and a dash of heartache kept me hooked from start to finish. Blake’s charm and Rebecca’s sass make for a perfect match, and their journey together is full of steamy moments and laugh-out-loud scenes. It's an easy, enjoyable listen that perfectly captures the fun, emotions, and swoon-worthy moments. A light-hearted, addictive story that I didn’t want to end!
Very grateful to Brilliance Audio for my alc, opinions are my own

The audiobook for My Rules was a real highlight for me. CJ Bloom and Marcio Catalano brought so much life to the story, and honestly, their performances saved the book. Marcio Catalano, a new-to-me narrator, was particularly exceptional, and I’d gladly listen to more of his work. The audio production was top-notch, and without it, I don’t think I would’ve made it through.

That being said, the story itself was a different matter. Blake and Rebecca were extremely toxic to each other, which made it hard to root for their relationship. The writing itself was strong—TL Swan knows how to craft an engaging narrative—but I struggled with the characters. Rebecca was frustratingly insecure and wishy-washy, constantly letting her doubts and insecurities sabotage her relationship with Blake. To make matters worse, she wasn’t even legally divorced during all this, which only added to the mess.

Blake, on the other hand, fit the mold of the typical TL Swan "fuckboy" hero. After the breakup, he runs off to New York and starts dating another woman, while Rebecca is left chasing him down. Even when she tries to fix things, Blake treats her poorly, using her for sex and then sending her back home. When he finally comes back, we don’t see any meaningful character development. Can we really trust that he’s changed? It feels like there’s a lack of growth on his part, which made the rushed ending unsatisfying. Rebecca’s decision to take him back without question left me frustrated.

I appreciate that Rebecca sought help and worked on herself, but Blake’s lack of change really bothered me. There was no real resolution or proof of his growth, and that’s where the story fell flat for me. The potential was there, but the execution of their relationship arc left me feeling unsatisfied.

Overall, while the writing and the audiobook performances were fantastic, I couldn’t get behind these characters or their toxic relationship. I think more character development, especially for Blake, would have made this a much stronger read.

I just finished *My Rules* by TL Swan, narrated by CJ Bloom and Marcio Catalano, and I have mixed feelings.

The neighborhood camaraderie and antics are still top-notch. Two books into the series, and I seriously wish I lived on this street. Blake and Rebecca have been neighbors and friends for years, but both have some heavy personal baggage. Surprisingly, the couple doesn’t spend much time together in this book. I did enjoy the subplot about the guys trying to decode BookTok tropes—there was so much potential for humor, but Marcio’s narration fell flat with almost no emotional depth.

Both characters also had some immature reactions that were hard to overlook, which made parts of the story off-putting. Overall, I found the book somewhat sad. This is the most heartbroken I’ve ever felt after reading a TL Swan book. I don’t dislike it, but it’s not my favorite. It felt more like a necessary stepping stone for the larger plot of the series. That said, the Easter eggs dropped throughout have me excited to see what chaos these neighbors will get up to next.

I’d rate this book 3.5 stars, the narration 3.5 stars, the series 4.5 stars, and the Open Door spice level at 3 peppers. I received an advanced copy from NetGalley for review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blake.. I liked him from the get go. Even from book 1 I liked his character!
Rebecca however. I found myself getting infuriated and frustrated with her. She has zero confidence and was annoying. Yes, She was humorous and had me laughing but she was almost desperate and bratty.
I feel like the story flowed well until around 85% when it suddenly felt mega rushed and was forced to be finished within x of pages.
I did devour it. But didnt love it

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬-𝐭𝐨-𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐫s
𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲
𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭𝐲

𝐃𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
CJ Bloom & Marcio Catalano

✨Thoughts✨
Returning to Kingston Lane was so much fun. We finally get Rebecca and Blake's story. They had been neighbors and close friends for quite some time. When Rebecca's marriage came to an end, their mutual friends thought that Blake would finally confess his feelings. However, both Rebecca and Blake were hesitant to make a move, fearing that their attraction for each other might jeopardize their friendship.

♥︎ Blake and Rebecca were in this constant dance of "will they or won't they." They circled around each other, hesitant to take the plunge. It was both frustrating and amusing to watch them navigate their feelings. Blake's playful nature added a touch of fun to the mix. The build-up was gradual, but once Blake and Rebecca finally let their guard down, the sparks flew.

🎧The dual narration by CJ Bloom and Marcio Catalano was excellent. They did a fantastic job bringing all our favorite characters to life. Their narration added depth to the story.

♥︎ If you enjoy friends-to-lovers with hints of fun neighborhood drama, then this is an audiobook you need to listen to.

I am always a huge TL Swan fan and supporter! She has a way of writing men who always elicit such strong feelings from me. Whether I’m swooning over them, or they are making me so mad 😂 it’s always so incredible how she can make me feel so strongly about people and relationships who don’t exist!

That being said, this was not my fave tl swan book but definitely kept my attention and I flew through the audio book at 3x speed and it was performed phenomenally! This was a 4 star read for me because I am not a fan of the cheating trope, and Rebecca came off a bit too whiny for me! But in true TL Swan fashion I loved the spice and overall I couldn’t put it down!

Blake Grayson lives on Kingston Lane, which is a tight knit block where everyone knows everyone and what is going within their circle. Blake's best friend and next door neighbor Rebecca is seperated from her husband John but wants to stay in her house. As a teacher Rebecca knows that it will be impossible to do so on what she makes teaching. Blake helps Rebecca set up an account where she sell pictures of her feet to people with that fetish. Now Rebecca can keep her house with these extra payments rolling in. The only stipulation is that John wants her to wait five years before she can divorce him or she looses everything. Rebcca wants nothing more than to move on and with Blake at her side navigating her through the dating world what can she loose. This was a harlious book and I loved the guys in this book and their need to read erotic books after Blake finds a flash drive with partial stories written on it. While this is book 2 in the Kingston Lane series you can read it as a stand alone. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Brillance audio for letting me have an advanced copy of this audio book.