The Rule Breaker

Colton U Playbook #1

by Stephanie Alves

Isabella

A rebound. That’s all I was looking for.
A fresh start, a clean slate, and maybe a little distraction to get my ex out of my head.
What I didn’t expect was my roommate pushing me right into Ryan Reed—hockey team captain, and oh... my brother's best friend.
Avoiding him becomes impossible when I'm stuck seeing him every day thanks to my internship with my dad… who also happens to be Ryan’s coach.
And then came the late-night talks. The flirting. The lines we promised we wouldn’t cross.
It was supposed to be a one-time thing.
Now I’m in way too deep, and falling for the one guy I was never supposed to touch.

Ryan
Being the captain of the hockey team and the younger brother of a hockey legend comes with a lot of pressure.
Which turns into the longest dry spell I’ve had in a while.
But then I meet her.
Isabella Hayes.
Smart. Sexy. So damn tempting.
But her brother’s my best friend. Her dad is my coach. And I’ve been warned to stay far, far away.
Getting involved with Isabella is a disaster waiting to happen—especially when she deserves someone who can offer her more than casual fling.
But when I find out she wants a rebound, I tell myself I can do this.
Just once. No strings.
But once turns into twice.
Twice turns into three times.
And soon I can’t even remember what it’s like to be away from her.
Her brother would never forgive me if he found out.
Her dad would kill me.
But I can’t stop.
And I sure as hell don’t want to.

Genres: Sports Romance, Romance, Hockey, Hockey Romance, College, Sports, College Romance

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2025

About the author

Stephanie Alves is an avid reader and writer of smutty, contemporary romance books. She was born in England, but was raised by her loud Portuguese parents. She can speak both languages fluently, though she tends to mix both languages when speaking. She loves to write romantic comedies with happy endings, witty banter and sizzling chemistry that will make you blush. When she’s not writing, she can be found either reading, or watching rom coms with her two adorable dogs cuddled up beside her.

Reviews

[{ ° Olivia ° } · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read most of Stephanie Alves' books and half of them I didn't like but this book was a HUGE step up (love you Stephanie 💗)

[tanvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟

okay so this rating is a bit questionable of me… this book was 70% spice and 30% plot but it made me laugh and held my attention very well… towards the end, there were some concern-worthy scenes but i nodded my head and moved along! this was a guilty pleasure read for me and i am feeling 4 stars right now 🤷🏻‍♀️

[charisse ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i picked this book up bc i got the arc for book 3 "the risk taker" and i thought why not binge the entire series in one go so here we are...

this was my first stephanie alves book so i came in with no expectations but i feel like this book is exactly what i needed but didn't know.. i was about to finish it in one sitting.. like an hour ish?? it was just very fast paced and addicting. also like it's 70% of isabella and ryan going at it, and 30% plot?? but i'm not complaining tho.

and i love all the side characters and austin is unhinged lol.

[Chiara^•^ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rule Breaker by Stephanie Alves
4/5⭐
3/5🌶️

This was my first book by this author, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The main characters are relatable and likable, and their chemistry is off the charts right from the start. I especially enjoyed the whole forbidden aspect—there’s something so thrilling about sneaking around! Isabella, a freshman, ends up at the same campus as her brother, and that’s where she meets Ryan. They hit it off immediately! But then Ryan discovers that Isabella is not only his best friend's sister but also his coach's daughter.

Ryan is an interesting character! He appears confident and cocky, but he also has his vulnerabilities and feels the need to prove himself, especially to his family. I loved how quickly he became obsessed with Isabella. Even though he’s a dedicated hockey player who usually avoids relationships to focus on his sport, one glance at Isabella makes him reconsider everything. At first, he tries to keep his distance, but their connection is undeniable, and when they finally come together, it’s electric!

Isabella, fresh out of a relationship, is looking for a rebound, and she’s drawn to Ryan. I loved that even though she’s not used to casual flings, she knows exactly what she wants. It was so great to see her gain confidence throughout the story, and by the end, she stands up for herself when others try to underestimate her.

Their relationship is such a fun mix of passion and sweetness! I loved the playful banter and undeniable chemistry between Ryan and Isabella. I loved Ryan's jealousy and protectiveness, and I admire how he supports Isabella’s dreams. The side characters are fantastic too, and I’m already curious to learn more about them! The camaraderie among the players is hilarious and kept me laughing with all their antics. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

[Nikky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, addictive read! Rule Breaker by Stephanie Alves delivers a perfect mix of romance, tension, and emotional depth. The characters are what truly make this story shine. Their personalities are vivid, relatable, and layered with real emotion. The main leads have incredible chemistry, with witty banter and a push-and-pull dynamic that keeps you hooked, while their personal growth throughout the story feels authentic and satisfying. Even the supporting characters add warmth and depth, making the whole world feel alive. It’s fast-paced, heartfelt, and impossible to put down. Was definitely a five-star experience for anyone who loves a bold, passionate, hockey romance story.

[ApoorvaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“He leans down until his breath fans over my lips. “How about forever?”
My heart skips, the thought of forever with him settling deep into my chest. “Forever sounds perfect.”

how much I spread Ryan and Isabella🥺 Ryan was so protective, cared so much for her and I loved how much he treated her right.

Isabella was such a relatable FMC with her struggling with confidence but I loved how she never gave up and she legit has an amazing character growth which I couldn’t help but root for her.

The story was very well paced, swoon worthy, easy read and really enjoyed all the tropes like brothers best friend, coach’s daughter, college romance, rebound which it dealt with.

I can’t wait to read the future books in the series!

ARC provided by Love Notes PR

[✮⋆˙ Cleo [ depressingly studying :( ] · Rating 5 out of 5]

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅ 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓾𝓵𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓻


Boyfriend - Ariana Grande
1:36 ━❍──────── -3:18
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
VOLUME: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 100%

✮⋆˙ 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
𐙚 College Hockey Romance
𐙚 Coach's daughter
𐙚 Brother's best friend
𐙚 Forbidden
𐙚 Friends with benefits
𐙚 He falls first and harder
𐙚 Found family
𐙚 Twilight reference HEHEHE

ᯓ★ Plot : 3.5/5
ᯓ★ Spice : 4/5
ᯓ★ Rating : 5/5

✎ᝰ. Plot:
𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚, 𝐰𝐡𝐨'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡'𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐀𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 *𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡* 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦. 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥; 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤.


✎ᝰ. Spice:
𝐓𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐋𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐧𝐠𝐥.


✎ᝰ. Thoughts:
𝐈 𝐤𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨𝐭, 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐧𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬.

" 𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝑰'𝒎 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏? "
" 𝑰'𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒈. "
" 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒈𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 "
" 𝑨𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒄𝒌 "

𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭? 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐎 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋, 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐀𝐇𝐇𝐇!


────୨ৎ────

♡ ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤

╰┈➤𝓡𝔂𝓪𝓷 𝓡𝓮𝓮𝓭
𝐑𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐔 𝐇𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝. 𝐇𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐍𝐇𝐋 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.

" 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚. 𝑫𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕. 𝑼𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓. "


╰┈➤𝓘𝓼𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝔂𝓮𝓼
𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡'𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 ( 𝐈 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞 ). 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 '𝐠𝐮𝐲'𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞'. 𝐒𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡.

" 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 ����𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑰'𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆. 𝑹𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎. "


-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

[Zoë Nira · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

I liked this book a lot! It read wonderfully and I just love hockey/college romances, so this one was right up my alley. The pacing kept me hooked and I flew through it.

The biggest reason I couldn’t give it 4.5 stars (5 is for books I’m obsessed with) is because some things didn’t feel very realistic. For example:
• He’s best friends with her brother, yet he doesn’t even know her name or what she looks like when they first meet? 🤔
• She sneaks into his house (where her brother also lives) and spends the night, but the next morning when her brother knocks on the door about twenty times, he never just…comes in? Even though the door was unlocked?
• The whole hockey team supposedly stayed in one Airbnb for an away game instead of a hotel. I don’t know exactly how many players are on a team, but I can’t imagine they all fit into one house 😂.

That said, what I loved most was the chemistry. The tension between Isabella and Ryan was so good and the slow build of their relationship felt natural and fun. Neither of them was looking for love, yet it grew between them anyway and I really enjoyed watching that unfold. Both of them are super sweet, not toxic at all, and I especially appreciated that they actually communicated with each other instead of letting drama drag things out.

The epilogue was also a really cute touch, though I wish it had said how far in the future it was set.

Overall, this was a super fun, swoony, feel-good romance. I enjoyed every bit of it and definitely recommend it to anyone who loves hockey romances with lots of heart.

[Maggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed!!!

I always love a good hockey romance and a good college romance and this definitely hit the mark. Ryan is my new book boyfriend and nobody take him away from me. That man is HOT, treats Isabella so right, like hello green flag, and he fights for her (literally and figuratively, but he also knows when to just take the hit, if you catch my drift). I'll take 14 of em right now, please and thank you. Isabella, love my girl. She struggles a bit in the beginning with her confidence, which like totally makes sense with her being in a male (boys) dominated field, but she has amazing character growth and doesn't take shit from anyone (including her fam) at the end.
I love how their relationship builds and of course love the spice. The story is just well-paced and just super cute, spicy, swoon worthy and overall an amazing read.

What to expect:
❄ Brother's best friend
🏒 Coach's daughter
❄ Hockey romance
🏒 College romance
❄ Sneaking around
🏒 Rebound

Thank you Stephanie Alves for the early copy!

[wardah ୨ৎ]

Dnf at 25% (this was not for me!)

[Gabriella୨ৎ (semi-ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

━━━ઇଓㅤ⤸
꒰ 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ꒱

𝟑 ✩

🎧꒱ ‘My Brother’s Best Friend’ | Hannah Trager

“𝒲𝑒 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹𝓃’𝓉 𝒹𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈.”
“𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀.”
“𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝒷𝒶𝒹 𝒾𝒹𝑒𝒶.”
“𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓽.”

꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ꒱
This book is my guilty pleasure, and I’m not embarrassed about it one bit. Is more than half the book pure smut? Yes. Could it have maybe, possibly been toned down a bit? Yes. Did I still devour it? Of fucking course.

I knew quite quickly that I was going to have a blast reading The Rule Breaker, and that’s because the tension and flirting and mmc trying to hold back from kissing her was just de-licious. The whole ‘fuck it’ moment? Ugh, give me more. The sneaking around behind her brother’s and dad’s back? Perfection? Everything about it I ate up. Something about this book just hit. I don’t know how to explain, but it had things I wanted–tiny little details or big scenes that other hockey romances with similar plots don’t have.

It’s not a 5 stars–very little to no college romance book so far has ever gotten a 5 stars from me–and the reasons are because: 1) Ryan called her a slut in the bedroom. I’m not into men calling women slurs while having sex, and therefore I took my rating down. 2) There was just so much smut. I loved the first half, but then they were confessing their love at the end and still, they just kept having sex and nothing else–where was their connection?. 3) I found some errors that weren’t big but also made me a little confused–removing a belt when the mmc is wearing sweatpants? Isabella sitting between her legs (it was supposed to be sitting between his legs)? Not the end of the world, I know. But it took me a moment to understand what was happening and what exactly the author was actually trying to say. 4) When her brother and dad eventually found out about Ryan and Isabella, it was at, I think, 90%? That to me was just wayyy too late, and I thought there should’ve been more about processing this new information and accepting their relationship, not rushing it all in the end. Don’t get me wrong, the whole book was cute and hot as fuck, but just felt dragged out and then really rushed.

Moving on, I loved the theme of women working in a male dominated industry. It showed the not-so pleasant side of things–sexist comments about only getting her job because of her dad, something about the hockey team winning because their opposing side was ‘distracted by her boobs’. But she didn’t back down, and instead stood her ground and showed them that she was successful because of her own effort. I couldn’t help but cheer when she proved the disgusting boys she was sharing a class with wrong in the most satisfying way. From the few sports romance books that I’ve read, a lot of the fmcs are women who want to work in sports and media, and it’s honestly so empowering how they demonstrate persistence and never let men try to bring them down.

[ Being the only girl in this class isn’t always easy, but I’m not backing down or cowering away. This is my dream, and I’m not going to let anyone make me feel like I don’t belong. ]

So no, The Rule Breaker wasn’t a work of art, and I was probably in one of those moods where in that moment it was good but in general it isn’t, but I still enjoyed it and will most definitely be continuing this series only because I want a book about Aurora and Cole. The tension and pure hate emanating from them throughout is something I want to bless my eyes with and devour like a piece of tiramisu. Something happened between them in the past–a messy breakup, ex-friends, etc–and I am eager to find out like I’ve never before. I need their book, please and thank you.

꒰ 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: ꒱

Fuck, her eyes are pretty.

God, she’s gorgeous.

Something always bites me in the ass when everything’s going well. It’s like the universe loves to remind me that I can’t have nice things.

He has such a nice laugh.

“Sports management is about skills, not gender. If you think otherwise, you’re in the wrong field.”

I’m so fucking proud of her. I have no doubt that she’ll do great.

“I don’t want to let anyone down.”
“You won’t.”

Losing her is scarier than staying. So, I stayed.

“You could drag me to the pits of hell, and I’d follow with a smile on my face.”

“Damn. She’s hot.” He’s not wrong–she is hot. But she’s more than that. She’s beautiful in a way that knocks the air out of my lungs. Has a laugh that I can’t get out of my head. Scrunches her nose when she’s uncomfortable. She’s smart, funny as hell, and one day, she’s going to own every single room she walks into, whether it’s as a sport analyst, or running a team from behind the scenes.

━━━

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝: 13/4/2026
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 16/4/2026

-𝓖

[Anushka Yadav · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review - The rule breaker 🩵
Oh My God !!! I freaking loved the book 📎 now I get it what was all hype about , I mean woah . So we have Ryan ( The MMC ) and Izzy (The FMC ) , Ryan is Izzy's brother's best friend and most trusted person . So he is not allowed to betray Nathan (Izzy's brother) right ? But no 🙂‍↔️ he saw Izzy , everything fell apart , every promise was broken , everything shattered. He is not suppose to think about her , dream about her , lust about her and most importantly love her , but love have no boundaries so do Ryan . I mean I would do anything to get Ryan in real life ( obviously there's no Ryan in reality) . Brother's best friend was never my trope but I think now it is .

Final verdict - Just go and freaking read the damn boooookkkkkk ( thank you ) 🩵

Romance - 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
Rating - 5/5 ⭐
Spice - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[moonlitnovels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Stephanie Alves and Love Notes PR for this eARC. All thought are honest and my own.

This story follows Ryan, the captain and a star hockey player at Colton U and Isabella, the coach’s daughter and Nathan’s (who is Ryan’s best friend & teammate) sister.

Ryan is sweet, cocky, funny, supportive, and protective. He comes from hockey royalty (his brother is in the NHL). His strength and ambition was showed perfectly against his insecurities and vulnerabilities. Ryan is so bad at lying, his answers are cute and hilarious. Also didn’t expect him to have such a dirty mouth and he’s definitely got some moves.. whew 😮‍💨

Isabella is adorable. She’s shy at first but her confidence and sense of self only grew and strengthened throughout the book. Since she is the coach’s daughter, others give her a hard time for wanting to work in the sports industry. She believes in herself and her dreams. She doesn’t take crap from anybody and proves them all wrong. I love her 🙂‍↕️

Isabella and Ryan are so sweet together. The way she’s sees and is there for Ryan, and the way he supports and believes in her is so heartwarming. Their chemistry, the teasing, tension and banter between them was absolute perfection. The spice was hot and definitely had me flustered 🥵🤭

The side characters friendships and support were incredible. I loved the found family vibes. The inside jokes and the locker room moments definitely had me laughing out loud. Austin and Aurora were definitely my favorite side characters ❤️

I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait for the next one. I can’t wait to see more of these characters and I really want some of my hopes and theories to be correct! 😊🤞🏼

Read this if you like ⤵︎
✨ Brother’s Best Friend
✨ Coach’s Daughter
✨ Hockey Romance
✨ College Setting
✨ Rebound
✨ Sneaking Around

[megs · Rating 4 out of 5]

coaches daughter & brothers best friend trope? scrumptious!! 4⭐️

thank you to love notes pr & the author Stephanie Alves for an eArc in exchange for an honest review!

this book was so fun. is it the same formula as your usual smutty sports romances? yes. but why change what works?

miss stephanie can certainly write chemistry and comedy wow. i laughed out loud so many times - and a book really stands out to me when it can get me laughing hard as though the joke was spoken aloud. and the chemistry was sensational, one liners smoother than butter, realistic conversations, and no second hand embarrassment which is such a common feeling for me in books but i didn’t experience it once here, a great romcom.

only reason it wasn’t a 5 stars is because it didn’t stand out to me as an all-time-favourite. for me it was a fun, quick and easy read, easy to pull you out of a slump.

keeping this as spoiler free as possible so future me, once this book is published, will come back to fill the blanks, but for present me: i need ** and ** ‘s book asap, i see the fiery vision already and i know it’ll be such a blast! also stephanie do i have a vision for you with a Logan plot… and finally: Austin is hilarious and deserves a shoutout because he was so well written that i can easily find his voice and envision his personality.

[Amilia Poling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Stephanie Alves book, and now I'm even more excited to go back and read her previous books!! I loved this one so much!! Isabella was such a sweet character, and I loved how much of her drive and passion we got to see all through the story! I loved how her confidence and sense of self grew and strengthened as the book went on, especially at Ryan's push and support! And Ryan was just perfection in this book!! His strength and ambition was displayed so perfectly against his insecurities and vulnerabilities, and it all came together so well to make him a very real and relatable character! These two were so sweet together and I just loved their journey together so much!! Plus we got the added benefit of all these incredible (and hysterical) side characters in this team and world!! I cannot wait to see more of these characters, and see if my theories (hopes) end up being correct! Overall, I really loved this book, and I am so incredibly excited to see where this world goes!! 4.5 stars; 3.75 chili peppers

Tropes:
- Brother's Best Friend
- Secret Relationship
- College Hockey
- Coach's Daughter
- Meddling Friends
- Reformed Playboy

[Serafina Sunflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Love Notes PR & Stephanie Alves for an advanced readers copy of The Rule Breaker in exchange for my honest review 😊🖤

Yet another adorable read by Stephanie Alves. I was absolutely obsessed with her Campus Games series so I've been excited for this one to come out for months!!!
Tropes:
×brothers best friend
×coaches daughter
×hockey romance
×forced proximity
×sneaking around
Emphasis on that last trope because oh my GOSH!!! 👀
I liked the main characters but I was IN LOVE WITH the side characters. Particularly Austin. Loved his bubbly personality and can't wait to get to know him more.

Now, with that aside, who else is excited for more of Cole and Aurora? Because I just KNOW something is going to happen between those two

[nina]

this is just like the deal by elle kennedy but more shallow

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

"The Rule Breaker" by Stephanie Alves is an ok romance, but it's not the best book I have read this year. I feel like I have read a couple of truly exceptional hockey romances in the last few months, and this one just doesn't come up to par with those. It is fluffy and fun, so I do not doubt that readers will love the story between the main characters, Isabella and Ryan, so don't necessarily take my word for it. I just wanted something with a little more substance and a little more oomph, especially since this book deals with some tough subjects (sexism, not measuring up to familial expectations, etc). I found Isabella and Ryan to be a little too one-dimensional for me. Alves tries to have there be one "big thing" for both of them to go through that is interwoven in the fabric of their situationship, but I didn't get fully invested in them or their relationship other than their hooking up on a surface level. There is *a lot* of spice, and though it do be spicing, it felt like a little *too much* spice (which is *~shocking~* coming from me). It's seriously like 70% spice, 30% plot...and that might even be a little generous. I do love a secret/forbidden romance, though, so that aspect made me giddy from time to time, but the ultimate conflict doesn't seem like it's *that* big of a deal for Isabella and Ryan to have a relationship?? Feels like something that one big conversation early on would have fixed. It also seems like a lot of the scenarios in this story happen and then are repeated several times, just in different locations, but with very similar prose/verbiage. There is an interesting commentary on women in sports management (sports being a male-dominated field in general), though. All in all, this book is fine. You could certainly do worse.

Thank you to Stephanie Alves and Love Notes PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Simona · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75?!?
A little cringy
70% spice and 30% plot...

[khushi · Rating 5 out of 5]

• ARC REVIEW •

This book is a perfect blend of spice, banter, character depth, swoon worthy moments and humour.

Ryan is passionate, cocky, funny, supportive, protective and vulnerable when it counts. His strength and ambition were displayed so perfectly against his insecurities and vulnerabilities, and it all came together so well to make him a very real and relatable character. I absolutely didn’t expect him to have such a dirty mouth but OUFFF

Isabella is smart, determined, and not afraid to stand up for herself. I appreciated how the author gave her a voice of her own, she’s not just a love interest, she’s a fully fleshed-out character with ambition, fears, and emotional depth. Her growth throughout the story is subtle but strong. I loved how her confidence and sense of self grew and strengthened as the book went on, especially at Ryan's push and support. I loved how much of her drive and passion we got to see all through the story.

I liked both Ryan and Isabella as individuals, and as a couple, they complemented each other well. They were so supportive of each other and believed in one another from the very start. They both could relate to each other on deep levels and help each other with their insecurities, and build each other up.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the way Stephanie built up the tension while still keeping the tone fun and light. Their friendship which slowly turns into a relationship just felt so real and honest. The tension and chemistry between them was electric from the beginning and i absolutely loved their flirty banter.

I absolutely loved the friendship of Isabella and Aurora. They were so amazing and supportive of each other.

There’s a real camaraderie among Ryan and his teammates that brought levity and humor to the story. Each of them had such distinct personalities The locker room banter, the inside jokes, and the brotherhood made the romance feel grounded in a larger world.

This book did a good job of also setting up the rest of the series and potential matches (I’m looking at Cole and Aurora, I have SM theories and I just know their book gonna eat so bad !!!)

Tropes :
- Hockey romance
- Brother's best friend
- Coach's daughter
- Forced proximity

4.5 stars

Thank you to Love Notes PR and the author for the arc🫶🏼

[nancys_reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rule Breaker by Stephanie Alves (due 8/1/2025)

Rating: 3/5
Spice: 3/5

Thank you so much to Love Notes PR for the e-arc!

Tropes:
❤️ Book 1 in the Colton U Playbook series
🥰 Brother's Best Friend
😇 Coach's Daughter
🤭 Sneaking Around
🏒 College Hockey Romance
🌶️ Spicy
🤫 Forced Proximity

This is my first ever Stephanie Alves book and it was a fun time! I read this in under 8hrs! The story is very fast paced and easy to follow. The characters, my opinion, were very simple. I felt like the characters were very real, and the problems that they were dealing with were relatable! Isabelle is dealing with always being in her hockey brother’s shadow and Ryan feels as if he can never make his dad proud and is constantly compared to his older brother who is a professional hockey player. Although their characters were relatable, I felt like they were very one-dimensional. I found myself more interested in Aurora and Cole’s relationship (I’m more of an enemies-to-lovers girlie so I cannot wait for their book!) than Isabella and Ryan’s. Also, their little sneaky relationship was spicyyyyy which I was not expecting! I was shocked by the things Ryan was saying. The small touches between them were everything! Cannot wait to see what book is next in the series!

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys...THIS BOOK!!

I never doubted I would absolutely love a Stephanie book, because duh? She's the best! But this one blew my mind. Friends to benefits to lovers PERFECTION. The pacing was incredible, I devoured it, and at the end, I looked at the time and didn't even realize I'd been reading for hours. The way I loved main characters, side characters, random interactions, and meaningful moments should be studied.

Ryan was the good boy with the filthiest mouth. This man was the perfect amount of cocky, confident, funny, serious, and caring all in one perfectly hot and smart package. I mean, how could our girl Izzy not fold? He listened intently, had an obsession with her hair, her eyes, and her whole self. Wanted her close, touching, and was desperate when they were together, but couldn't touch. I mean, this guy would have sacrificed his whole college hockey career because not only was Izzy his best friend's sister, but also the coach's daughter...this man was ready to risk it all...and that confession moment will go down in my books as top 5.

And Isabella? Absolutely loved her as an FMC. She was determined, had a great personality, interest, ambition, and things that didn't revolve around the MMC alone. She was smart, passionate, and so into Ryan it was laughable to think 'one time only'. Like bestie...we all know that's not going to happen. I liked that she stood her ground when needed, and relented when feelings were involved. She stood up for herself in front of her father and brother in the BEST way ever, and I was cheering her on in that office. She's awesome and I love her.

Now, the spice? Good lord, I need a cold shower because oof- these two had chemistry for days and I was fanning myself while blushing.

I can't recommend this book enough. I truly feel like this one is setting the standard for the rest of the series, and trust me, you'll want to be here for them all!

Thank you, LoveNotes and Stephanie, for this e-arc!

Quotes:

There's nothing hotter than a guy moaning. I want him in my ear groaning and moaning and making it known how fucking good he feels.

"That's it, baby. Come on my tongue. Fill my mouth with your cum."

"I can see my cock inside you, baby. Look at how full I've got you."

And now that I've had her—now that I know what she sounds like, tastes like, feels like—I can't stop wanting her.

"You love this, don't you?" I murmur. "Knowing someone could walk in? Knowing we shouldn't be doing this?"

I want every inch of you marked by me."

"Before I got to fucking taste you and then had to see you every day knowing I couldn't touch you again. Before last night."

I shouldn't feel this way. I don't get attached. I don't get needy.
But then again, no one's ever been Isabella.

God, I'm never going to get tired of this. Kissing Isabella is like nothing I have ever felt.

It messes with my head in the best way and makes my heart slam against my ribs, like she's rewriting every damn part of me to erase every other person out of my mind and shaping me to fit perfectly with her.

"Are you going to change your favorite color every time?"
"Guess I'm just a sucker for whatever you're wearing."

My mouth actually waters. Fuck me.

"You want my mouth, baby? Want me to tongue-fuck this tight little cunt until you're begging me to stop?"

"Say it. Tell me you want me to eat you like the filthy little slut you are. Say you want my tongue buried in this sweet, soaking pussy."

Fucking love hearing her moan my name. Like I'm the only man that's ever touched her. Like I'm the only one who ever will.

"Be good for me. Be quiet, and I'll give you my cock. I'll fuck you so hard you forget your own name. But you gotta earn it. Can you do that, huh? Can you keep those pretty sounds inside?"

She fits perfectly, like her body was made for mine. Warm, soft... perfect.

She's not wrong. I'm fucking obsessed with that girl, and it scares the hell out of me.

"You like getting fingered on the team bus, don't you?"

"You gonna come on my cock, baby?"

"Gonna soak me right here where anyone could walk out and see you bouncing on my dick?"

"You want me to fill you up? Want me to fuck my cum so deep in you you'll still feel it tomorrow, next week, and every time you sit down?"

"I dream of your curls, your sweet perfume, the shape of your lips, of you with your clipboard in hand, standing on the side of the rink."

"You're gonna be the death of me." And I'll die a happy man if it means I get to be with her.

"You're my best friend, Bels,"

Never thought a girl would be my best friend. But this girl right in front of me is just that. We may do some... very non-friendly things, but when it comes down to it? She's my person. I tell her shit I've never told anyone. She's the first one I want to talk to when anything happens-good, bad, or in between.

How was I ever scared to be someone's boyfriend? Because this?
This doesn't feel like pressure. This feels like home.

"I'm your boyfriend. No one else gets to have you like this. No one else gets to see you like this-spread out, messy, dripping, fucking begging for me."

"Jesus, Isabella. Look at me like that again, and I'll come right down that pretty throat."

My cock's still sensitive. My pocket's still holding her panties. And I'm still fucking obsessed.

If I had you alone right now, I'd have your legs over my shoulders and your voice hoarse from begging me to give you more of my cock.

"God, you make me wanna follow you anywhere. You could drag me to the pits of hell, and I'd follow with a smile on my face."

"I love watching you work that tight little pussy on my cock,"

"So, fucking greedy for it, baby. You can't get enough, can you?"

I have the best thing in my life right beside me, and I will do everything to keep her.

[adeeya · Rating 1 out of 5]

honestly this was one of the worst book experiences i’ve ever had.

i kept waiting for this book to get better but it just kept getting worse. ryan gave me the ick from start to finish, and isabella had almost no personality — but somehow ryan’s was still worse. their chemistry was basically nonexistent. don’t even get me started on that ugly ass nickname ‘curls.’ i never got butterflies, never felt tension building, and honestly didn’t even care when they finally got together.

the best friend’s brother trope had so much potential, but it completely failed to deliver. the only time i actually felt entertained was when nathan punched ryan after finding out about them. that was more engaging than the romance itself.

the only other scene that stood out to me was austin smashing all the plates in the house as a distraction. somehow that chaos had more emotional impact than the main relationship.

despite all that, i’ll probably keep reading the series, but only because i want more austin content and to eventually / hopefully get to nathan’s story. this book just wasn’t it for me.

[Zoey’s Review Corners❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75/5⭐️this book reminded me why I love college romances for real. The brother’s best friend part was just a bonus to it. So Isabella and Ryan meet at a party having no idea who they both are to Nathan (Brother/Best Friend) and once they find out they try to stay away from each other but unfortunately the heart wants what it wants. It was a wholesome romance. Ryan’s family could have been flashed out more though and to be honest these two were horrible at sneaking around 😂😂it this was real life they would’ve been caught by chapter 7 but it was funny watching them “sneak” around their friends and teammates.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[˗ˏˋ saoudia! ˎˊ˗ · Rating 3 out of 5]

made me realize im not the biggest fan of the “brother’s best friend” trope if it means the brother is a misogynistic asshole.

other than that, it was a fun read, i got attached to the characters. i felt like the storylines of ryan’s family could have been more fleshed out (them randomly showing up at a game was just giving “this books needs to end quickly so let me wrap this up”).

it was also interesting to see the future pairings, but they were a bit too obvious. (aurora/cole, austin/figure skater, nathan/logan i think???)

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

“I’m so obsessed with you,” I mumble into her mouth between thrusts. “God, you make me wanna follow you anywhere. You could drag me to the pits of hell, and I’d follow with a smile on my face.”

Was slightly too spicy for me which is why it is not 4 stars. But I giggled many times and got teary a few times too. Banter was very good and Austin was hilarious so I need to read his story immediately. This reminds me of the Windy City series so I’ll probably finish the series out.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

Can we stop with the whole “because I’m your big brother and you’re my *baby* sister I can dictate who you do and don’t date and I’ll go ballistic when I find out you’re dating my friend because I’m literally god” thing? If the roles were reversed NO ONE would gaf but since she’s the “baby sister” she can’t make her own choices? Yeah, fuck that 😃

[Lulu · Rating 2 out of 5]

aburridisimo!! es un libro sin trama y con mucho relleno +18
le regalo una estrella de más solo porque la portada es linda

[Ellen Gtstwrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ladies, grab your popcorn and settle in The Rule Breaker by Stephanie Alves has officially crowned Ryan Reed as your new book boyfriend! I was thrilled to receive an ARC from @lovenotespr and @stephaniealves thank you both for this swoon-worthy treat!

From the moment Ryan met Isabella, sparks flew… with a tiny twist. You see, Isabella’s dad is Ryan’s coach, and her brother is not just his teammate but his best friend too. Oh, the delicious drama! 📣

It’s like a rom-com collided with a sports locker room and I’m here for every second of it.
I cannot wait for Book 2 in this thrilling new series bring it on!

Five stars isn’t enough I’d give this book the whole stadium scoreboard if I could! 🏆

[Ruby-Mae Lusher · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 🌟 ARC review - out 25th July.

“I’m fucking obsessed with that girl, and it scares the hell out of me”

*sighs* oh what a cutesy romance. Really enjoyed this hockey romance, the book was easy to read and to follow. Can’t beat a good forbidden, sneaking around, brother’s best friend/team mate romance.

It was only meant to be a one time thing, but Isabella and Ryan became obsessed with each other. She started to fall, but he definitely fell hard. Sunshine x sunshine, golden retriever MMC. Packed full of spice. The FMC becoming her own person.

Loved the side characters and the banter between the other team mates. Really hoping they get their own books!!