Rule

Author: Jay Crownover
Info: William Morrow & Co., copyright 2013, 426 pages

Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight-A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want—and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.

To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess—and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw—even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.

But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.
 -Goodreads description

The Rundown
Shaw really did fall head over heels the first time she met Rule. In the years since his twin brother, Remy, passed away tragically she's been the only one who can almost keep Rule in line. Shaw is the one who acts as a shield for Rule against his parents who are still grieving over their lost son and can't seem to understand the wild, tattooed twin. It's not the Rule isn't attracted to Shaw, but love 'em and leave 'em is more his style when it comes to girls. He doesn't feel he could ever measure up to all of the standards an uptight goody goody like Shaw would have. After a few too many shots on her birthday, Shaw shares her heart (and a steamy night) with Rule. Can their love endure long buried secrets, family drama, and Shaw's abusive ex?

What Rocked
The characters! Not just Shaw and Rule, but everyone! This is the first book in Jay Crownover's six part Marked Men series that follows this group that's as endearing as TV's Friends but with a lot more ink, punk rock, and a great Denver setting. I found myself falling for Rule right along with Shaw. I mean come on a guy who's described as tall, lean muscled, ice blue eyes,  covered in tattoos & piercings with a blue mohawk (my favorite of his ever changing hair styles) that's a tattoo artist? Seriously? Yes please! And Shaw was just so sweet you were rooting for her to win Rule's heart once and for all. 

As heartbreaking as they were to read, I loved the scenes where Rule and Shaw had to deal with their family drama. Rule's parents are still so caught up in the grief of a lost child that it takes them a while to see how bad they're hurting and pushing away their living sons (Oh yeah there's another Archer brother. Rome! Book three!). Shaw's parents are just awful. Wealthy, divorced, selfish jerks who use their daughter as a pawn in games against each other or to get ahead. It's almost a miracle, and a huge credit to the positive role that Archer family played in Shaw's life, that she's as kind as she is. 

Aside from writing amazing characters, Crownover cooks up some STEAMY love scenes. Like hot. Super crazy hot. When you're as attached to the characters as I got it makes everything about the romance that much better. I also love how much music she incorporates into her novels. Killer soundtracks!!!

What Wasn't So Rockin
I order and review New Adult books for my library, but they're not housed in our YA area for a reason. Romantic scenes in this genre are typically more R rated compared to the PG 13 level you see in most teen lit. This isn't a criticism of Crownover's writing at all but rather a warning to other teen librarians who may also be ordering New Adult for your library. These works are directed toward the 19-27 age group. 

5/5 Stars