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Summary: What happened after Carly Cassidy left Dean at the altar
Review: Readers first met Carly Cassidy in Jamie Denton's "Rules of Engagement," where the focus was on older sister Jill, who had brought a faux fiancé home for Carly's wedding. However, the day of the wedding Carly ran away and it was Jill and Morgan who ended up taking their place. In "Breaking the Rules" we find out what happened to Carly after she left Dean at the alter. Her explanation is that they loved each other and were not in love with each other (i.e., they were missing the requisite "spark"). Marrying Dean would not have been right and this is clearly a concern for Carly, who knows the rules by which a lady is supposed to act, but also has been evolving her own set of laws that can lead to her eventual happiness.The conceit of Denton's romance is that each chapter begins with one of these rules (e.g., A lady never cries in public, Under no circumstances should a lady ever initiate advances), which comes into play during the ensuing narrative. Often the counter position comes into play as our heroine reminds herself of one of Carly's laws (e.g., If it feels good, do it!). When Carly runs away from her wedding in Homer, Illinois she ends up in an older section of Chicago in general and The Wilde Side, a bar owned by ex-Navy SEAL Cooper Wilde. He cannot believe a platinum blonde princess would walk into his dive and she is intent on breaking a few of those rules she has been obeying for 24 years. The initial set-up is a bit reminiscent of the pilot episode of "Cheers," with Carly ending up working for Coop in his bar because basically she has no where else to go. As long as she is indulging her whims, Carly decides she would like to take advantage of the good look Coop, but he lives by his own set of rules and insists on drawing lines. It is only when Carly figures out that there is nothing wrong with drawing lines as long as both parties agree on where they are being drawn does she find a way to temp him with more than her body. She also proves to be more demanding than he is when it comes to what she ultimately wants. The critique of the rules of being a lady is pretty implicit since it is left to the reader to draw their own conclusions given the turn of events in each chapter. What I like about "Breaking the Rules" is that it deals with the serious question of how these two people are going to live their lives together once they finally give in to their passions and consummate their relationship. This is something Denton did in "Rules of Engagement" and it is one of her strengths as a writer of romances, especially to some one like me who has this strong practical streak getting in the way of romantic intentions. The aforementioned "spark" ignites the steamy romantic scenes, but Denton also provides the other items necessary for a healthy fire.
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Summary: Spicy, steamy passion and a Wilde hunk to die for!
Review: This book is the recipient of a Heart Beat Award at Heart RateReviews Having followed the rules all her life, Carly Cassidy actstotally out of character when she leaves her childhood sweetheartpractically standing at the altar. Dressed in all her wedding finery,she keeps driving away from her hometown until her car dies inChicago. Left with no other recourse except to look for a pay phoneand call a tow truck, Carly marches into a nearby bar, The WildeSide. Cooper Wilde, an ex-Navy SEAL, has come home to help his unclerun the bar. The last thing he's looking for is trouble, butthat's exactly what he finds when a beautiful, platinum blonde,princess walks into the bar, wearing - of all things - a wedding gown!One look at that innocent face and those misery-stricken yet gorgeouseyes, and he knows it's trouble with a capital T. The attractionbetween the two is an open wire. Electrifying. No matter how hardhe tries to get Carly on her way and out of his bar, he doesn'tsucceed. Finally, when Carly talks him into letting her stay on tohelp out at the bar, Cooper reluctantly agrees because his tenderheart is already lassoed by Carly's playful spirit. He justhasn't realized it yet! BREAKING THE RULES has an original plotfollowed by a sizzling, romantic story line. Ms Denton displays herexceptional talent by giving her fans a wonderfully woven plot that issure to delight and satisfy. The story is well written; it is easy tostep into the pages and become one with the characters. Loaded withsexual tension, tender moments and sizzling passion, this romantictale is very easy to read. The characters are well depicted, livelyand full of spice. Cooper Wilde is sure to have readers drooling andmesmerized. His tender and caring personality, and his unfailinglyhuman quirk of orderliness, makes him a memorable character. Carlyhas enough sweetness and spunk to make the right match for a guy likeCooper; if only he can get her to be a bit more neat and organized.He spends his time constantly picking up after her, or trying to avoidtripping over her shoes! The dialogue is exceptional and fits thecharacters. They all speak and act true to their personalities, andthere's absolutely nothing predictable about them - especiallyCarly! BREAKING THE RULES, the sequel to RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, is anunforgettable romance. I enjoyed reading it and will no doubt want toread it again! Ms Denton has delivered an entertaining and memorablestory that is a pure delight to read. Fans of Ms Denton's willdefinitely want to add this one to their keeper's shelf! ElenaChanning for Heart Rate Reviews...
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