Title: The Off Limits Rule
Author: Sarah Adams
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Rating: 4/5
“My ovaries are screaming, HIM! We PICK HIM!!! But their opinion no longer matters ever since they got me knocked up by a man who didn’t want a relationship with me, so I tell them to shut it.”
Lucy, having her self esteem crushed by the father of her child, moves in with her brother who happens to have a very attractive best friend named Cooper. Upon their first interaction, Lucy and Cooper instantly feel sparks. However, those sparks are dimmed by the eggshells that they must walk on, put in place by Lucy’s protective older brother. As their relationship grows, they are forced to make a decision. Do they follow the rules and walk away or do they follow their hearts and choose each other?
There are mixed reviews for The Off Limits Rule, but I for one loved it! Some people argue that the characters don’t act their age, letting a brother and friend tell them who they can and cannot be with. However, putting myself in their shoes, I would have been hesitant as well. Lucy had very low self esteem after being the recipient of constant rejection by her previous crush. It is completely plausible that she would be hesitant to ruin her relationship with her brother over a man who very well could fall into the same pattern.
Similarly, Cooper, being the noble man that he is, knew that he needed to figure out what he wanted first, before pulling an already broken woman through another messy relationship. Sarah Adams did a great job portraying the conflict that the characters felt as their relationship transformed into something undeniable.
“I’ve come to terms with the fact that in a room full of J.Crews, I’ll always be a Target. I love Target. Let’s see J.Crew try to sell delicious soft pretzels in their store.”
The comedy was my favorite part about The Off Limits Rule, as very few books have made me laugh as hard as this one did. Lucy had a gift for putting herself into the most awkward, cringeworthy moments, and they were utterly hilarious! Her inner dialogue had me busting out laughing for both the absurdity and the relatability of it all.
My only fault with this book is that it was very PG when it came to the romantic encounters between Lucy and Cooper. I personally like my romance books to be a little more steamy which is why I didn’t give this book the full 5 stars. Nonetheless, this book made for a fun, playful read that readers of all ages can enjoy.
