Quick Summary: A NA romance that addressed some pretty heavy issues

My Review: Against the Rules by Bree Hayden is book #4 in the Even the Score series. It is scheduled for release on 2/25/25.

About the Book: "Tattooed, scarred, so gorgeous, King was who I wanted to take my v-card until I saw the jersey on his back."

In My Own Words: A guy with a troubled past meets a girl with a broken spirit, and they have the courage to find a forever love, as well as the hope of a better future.

About the Characters:

King - > Strong, scarred (emotional/physical), driven, good, just, loyal, sensitive, loving, kind, patient, sweet, passionate; a warrior

Willow - > Layered, colorful, bold (but also timid), loyal, family-oriented, faithful, broken, compassionate, open, loving, ambivert; a fighter

The Romans - > Solid, diverse, family

About the Conflict: There were multiple conflicts that drove this story. What I appreciated was the fact that there were both internal and external struggles. They involved the lead individuals, the couple, the friend group, the family, and the social groups. It was very much on point for what NAs deal with, especially when considering the jump from high school to college to adulthood.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Easy-to-read
Entertaining
Happily Ever After
Page-turner
Romantic
Steamy
Wonderfully textured characters
Nod to importance of mental health
Found and blended family angles

My Final Say: This new adult novel was actually quite good. It was light, but it was also deep. At a surface level, it had the elements that involved a close knit group of friends, a found family, a blended family, college transitioning, dating, and the challenges of coming into adulthood. Beneath the surface, it dealt with emotional adjustments associated with parental and partner relationships, mental health and recovery intervention, moving beyond past mistakes, serious health issues, caring for loved ones who are in a crisis, and dealing with the expectations of others.

I loved that the author addressed Willow's issue so head on. Not only was it presented in a realistic way, but it was also presented in a contemporary fashion, which might be easy for similar aged adults to relate to. I really liked how King showed his support, despite his initial demonstration. (There was more to his response than it seemed. Still, the actions revealed a lot about his thinking.)

I also really liked the way King's issues were discussed. What a sobering matter! I loved how Willow showed up for him. (This was huge for him and for her. It showed the depth of heart that was a part of their story.)

Other: If readers are willing to go past the surface level of this novel, I think that they will see something remarkable and real and beautiful.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA
Re-read: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was a pleasure to review. I am grateful for the opportunity.

This is the first time I've read a book with disability representation in it, and let me tell you—I was not disappointed! I was hooked on King's and Willow's story from page one. The author's portrayal of Willow's disability was nothing short of amazing—thoughtful, authentic, and deeply moving. It never felt forced or like an afterthought; instead, it was seamlessly woven into the narrative, making Willow feel like a fully realized character rather than just a symbol of representation.

Beyond that, the character development was incredibly strong. Both King and Willow had distinct personalities, struggles, and growth throughout the book, making their journey all the more compelling. Their relationship felt raw and real, filled with moments of vulnerability, strength, and understanding. It was refreshing to see a story that didn’t just acknowledge disability but embraced it as an integral part of the character’s life without reducing them to it.

This book not only captivated me with its storytelling but also opened my eyes to the importance of well-written disability representation in fiction. I’ll definitely be seeking out more books like this in the future!" #AgainsttheRules #NetGalley

This book had some ups, some downs, and some mehs, but I want to be general in case anyone is looking at this before it's release in 3 days. I'm going to go from the bads to the positives. I like ending on a good note.

I feel like parts of this book were unnecessary. It was a pretty long read for a college sports romance with many conflicts that felt like they were resolved way too easily or not resolved at all. The constant "Im sorrys" every few chapters before a steamy moment that would inevitably end the same as the last steamy moment did not build the way I think it was intended to, for me at least. It became a very repetitive cycle and for me as a reader that was frustrating. I can also say, the ending is not what I wanted for characters like King and Willow.

The parts that were meh and kept me invested were the friendships. The circle of friends within the novel were adorable. The girl gang was my absolute favorite. They felt so innocent, kind, caring. They're the ideal friendships and they had me invested which ultimately leads to my goods.

This can be read as a standalone. I appreciated that a lot. I had just started the other parts of the series, but when I was approved for this eARC I wanted to prioritize getting it done. The almost reintroductions were so helpful. I did not feel like I was reading a part to a series. I felt like, had it not ended the way it did, I was reading a beginning. I also LOVED King and Willow. Individually and together.

King is so deeply complex. He felt like he was a calm in a storm and his character sucked me in. His selflessness, his protectiveness, his devotion. King was beautifully written and very clearly meant to be the type of book boyfriend those of us are actively seeking fanart for.

Willow was real. Willow felt like she was personally carved to every gorgeous detail. She feels like the best example of a self insert, in the best way, and I adored her. Her sass, her creativity, her boldness. Willow was impeccable. She truly made me forget about my negatives in this book. I totally see why King worships her. She's fantastic.

I think the romance between these two was deeply personal to Bree Hayden. The way the read, the different little quirks about them. I can tell this was the couple Hayden has been itching and waiting to write. That dedication to them is why I am giving this 3 stars (3.5 on storygraph). I love the touch of personal in this little novel. To me it makes everything in this book worth it. I can tell these two mean a lot to her.

I do want you all to know my biggest meh is the ending. Some of you are going to eat it right up, though. I do recommend this to those of you who love sports romance with a mix of miscommunication and modern forbidden romance. You'll love it.

I want to thank NetGalley and Bree for allowing me to receive Against the Rules as an ARC.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The writing style was rough. The instant love was just TOO instant. How many times it was mentioned within 5% of the book that she was a virgin was wild. The way the FMC (willow) was so incessant about sex and wanting a man she’s known for literally 30 minutes to take her virginity was almost enough to have me DNF.

I liked the premise of the book, but for me personally, it wasn’t executed well. There were things I enjoyed, such as the MMC (King) being so obsessed with her, the way their relationship evolved, and their more romantic moments (which I wish there was more of).

For this being such a long (500 page) contemporary romance, I wish it would’ve been a little slower paced so we could’ve gotten more character and relationship development rather than instant lust.

Thank you Net Galley for the early arc! Wow I was so surprised by this book. First off the cover drew me in immediately because it's actually the cutest thing l've ever seen but also the romance between our two main characters absolutely blew me away. This story follows willow and king and from the very moment they meet they are heavily attracted to each other but each time the go to hookup something happens and prevents them from meeting up so they from this relationship through FaceTime and texts and it's just so cute. When they do finally get time together they have to keep it a secret so what they do when no one is watching had me PANTING!!! Yall king is absolutely filthy and willow is down to learn. Besides the spice I just fell in love with this love story and definitely will be reading the rest of these books.

One of my first college sports romance books. It was long but I did finish it in 5 days. I was in a roller coaster of emotions through reading. I got to really enjoy and care about the characters. They grew up so much throughout the book. Definitely recommend. Also had a quite bit of spice so if you’re into that awesome read.

This is my first book by Bree and I have to say I am quite impressed with her story telling and writing skills. I loved the chemistry between King and Willow and I loved how it grew throughout. I also loved the forbidden aspect to the story. One thing that I had an issue with was pacing of the book. It felt abrupt at quite a few places it I enjoyed the book regardless.

This was so stinking cute! I absolutely LOVED King & Willow’s story.

Willow is our FMC who is an aspiring musician with a hidden double identity (think: Hannah Montana). Her stepdad is a coach for her college football team, and she’s trying to rebuild her relationship with him & her mom. Along the way, she makes friends, takes boring comm classes, and, of course, falls in love ;)

King is our MMC and he is a baddie with a PAST. The “bad boy” on the team, take-no-💩 turns total golden retriever for our beautiful Willow. He had me literally kicking my feet and giggling during this story.

This is one of my favorite sports romance books, and I’m going back to reread the entire series now bc the found family makes my heart so 🥹

Highly recommend everyone read this book!!

So thankful to have been given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 💙

Bree, THANK YOU for writing their story 🤩

I love a sports romance novels and I was super excited to receive an ARC of this football star/coach's stepdaughter story!

While the novel did start with insta-lust, I did feel that the characters were given realistic backstories and were well thought out. I think it is important for authors to discuss real-life issues in their novels and the topic of vaginismus did allow space for the reader to be educated and the MCs to be well-formed.

I did struggle at points while reading, as the book felt 100-150 pages longer than it needed to be and there were scenes that felt unnecessary to the overall plot. Overall I did enjoy the novel because of how strong King & Willow's relationship was.

After a famous football coach caused her parents' divorce, Willow has a firm rule against athletes. She meets a cute guy at a bar and asks if he's an athlete, he says no.
Willow moves in with her mother and step father and she's introduced to her stepdad's star defense player. Him, Travis King.
Tattooed, scarred, so gorgeous, King was exactly who she wanted, until she found out he's a football player.
This was a great read! The chemistry between Willow and King was 🔥 They way they are so drawn to each other even though they know they shouldn't be together. They both had a lot of issues they needed to work through and watching them work through them together was beautiful!

I highly suggest picking up the first three books in this series before starting this one. I didn’t, so I felt disconnected from the friend group at the beginning not knowing enough about them. You do get more backstory on them as the story progresses just not enough in my opinion to read Against the Rules as a stand alone. This was a pretty long book which I didn’t realize going into it but it has very nice pacing that kept me wanting to read. This book is very dialogue heavy which I enjoy! The two main characters, king and Willow, were super cute and I loved reading their story. I will most likely pick up the previous books and any future books in this series. I want to thank NetGalley and Bree Hayden for providing me with this Arc! It will be available for everyone to enjoy on February 25th, 2025!

found out very quickly this book was not for me which I was very sad to find out. I love the cover and I loved the description, but for me the writing was not for me.

Bree Hayden’s Against the Rules attempts to deliver a compelling romance but falls short in execution. While the premise, a forbidden love trope set against a backdrop of workplace dynamics has potential, the novel suffers from weak character development, predictable plot twists, and inconsistent pacing.

I stopped reading as soon as I got to Chapter 3 because I was just really confused on what was going on. They were kissing and wanting to get in bed and we are like 30 pages in. There is no plot in this. The dialogue often feels forced and corny.

Overall, Against the Rules is a frustrating read that fails to deliver on its romantic promise. If you're looking for a book with genuine chemistry and engaging storytelling, this one is best skipped.

Amazing romance, i was literally hooked from the start.

An amazing love story, overall I loved it even thought I wish more for the ending.

A Must for 2025

So going into this I had no idea it was like number 4,5? in the series but I was committed so I read anyway! It can be read as a standalone you just meet a couple of the other couples all throughout the book. ANYWAY! This book was so good like seriously just such a cozy read I couldn’t put it down. I adored King and I adored Willow I think they were perfect for each other. I will be going back to read the others because this book was so beautifully written and id love to meet the others! Thank you so much for the ARC such a good read!

I loved this book. It was so cute. I'm kind of annoyed with the ending, though, To be honest, I wanted more before the ending but Overall I really enjoyed the book.

I’d like to thank NetGalley for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review!

I could not put this book down! I was truly upset when I had to pause to attend to real life. Willow and King are great characters on their own, and their ARC is just too good to walk away from.

My number one appreciation for this book is the real life scenarios that each MC battled and how the other showed up and supported them. Willow’s medical condition and King’s patience and demeanor with it? SWOON!

I wish the last 10% of the book was a little more developed, but I enjoyed the mention of “a new introduction” prior to the epilogue!

The spice factor is definitely there so if open door romance is not your thing, I’d wait until someone creates a guide on which pages to skip ;)

Thank you, Bree Hayden and NetGalley for the Against The Rules ARC! This was my first ever ARC!

Overall, I think I'm going to give this book 3 stars.

It started off a little rough for me with King and Willow's meet cute, but by about 40% in I was enjoying it more. It is a much longer book than I'm used to in a college sports romance, but I don't know if there is much I would take out to make it shorter - all the little conflicts throughout made the story a little more realistic. I liked their relationship, and I thought the way they worked through Willow's condition was thoughtful. King was intense, both in his feelings and his actions, but his support of Willow was so deep, and likewise her support of him.

Normally I don't dive into a series midway, so trying to figure out which side characters were paired up with each other already was a struggle, especially because the summaries for the other books don't include names. I might go back a read at least the second and third book to get a better understanding of the friend group.

The writing was a little confusing for me at times. At one point they are at a face painting event with decorations, but there isn't an explanation as to what it's for, and then it's King's sister's birthday party, and I thought the birthday party was at the training centre and that's why there was a face painting event, but then they were at King's mom's house for the party. There were a few other instances like this that had me going back and forth trying to see if I misread something.

Thank you again for the ARC!

Wow - where do I start. I've been waiting for King's book since I DEVOURED the first three books in the series. Bree somehow manages to write with the perfect about of spicy and romance that I just can't put these books down.

I loved how King would do anything for Willow, but she was still a strong female character in her own right. I also loved loved loved the epilogue chapters - what a treat to see into the future.

This is my favourite book series ever and I think this might have just stolen the favourite book crown from Out of Bounds ❤️. Please tell me there's more books coming!!!

So cute! So sweet! I loved this! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!