Review: Rules of Engagement by Mika Jolie

Posted on January 25, 2019 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in 2019 New Release Challenge, COYER Winter, Reviews / 9 Comments

Review: Rules of Engagement by Mika JolieTitle: Rules of Engagement
Author(s): Mika Jolie
Series: Platonically Complicated #3
Also in this series: The Boy Friend , Paging Dr. Hookup, What Happened in Vegas: A Laugh out loud Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy
Published by Self-published on January 25, 2019
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Format: ARC, eBook
Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star
Series Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star
Heat Level: One FlameOne FlameOne FlameOne Flame


Rule #1: Don’t fall in love.

As a single dad, my life revolves around my daughter. No complaints…until my ex-wife forces my hand over custody. I needed a cover story. In steps Katharine Morello. My best friend’s sister is ready and willing to be my fake fiancée. Overnight we’re engaged. A temporary arrangement. No sex. No strings attached. No complications. Easy, right? Not quite. The last few months, I’ve been doing dirty things to her in my imagination. But that’s all they’ll ever be. Fantasies.

Rule #2: Don’t give in to temptation.
 Neither of us is looking for a relationship. Been there. Done that. Even drank the Kool-Aid. So, you see, I can resist beautiful, sexy Katharine. It doesn’t matter she’s hot as f*ck with an amazing personality to boot. All I have to do is NOT touch her. I’ve got this. Spoiler Alert…One night make-believe merges with reality. Sparks fly—and burn. Now I want her. All of her.

Rule #3: See rule #1—don’t fall in love.
 Man. Hindsight’s a bitch.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

I remember the first time I read a book written by Mika Jolie and I thought to myself damn this woman can write. Since then no book of hers, I have read disappointed.
After reading The Boyfriend, I wanted the supporting characters to get their story. Well, I received what I hoped for in Rules of Engagement. This is Katherine and Lucas’ story and it was all I hoped for and more.
I became completely invested in them and their relationship from the beginning. Here we have Lucas a divorced, single dad who fears commitment based on prior experience and Katherine who, despite being cheated on by her fiancé, believes in finding true love. These two have been friends for twenty years, but it was not until lately they discovered their attraction to each other. Lucas‘s  fantasies regarding Kate intensified, but as far as he is concerned it will stay that way as being the sister of his best friend she was off limits.  However, when his ex- wife’s shenanigans threatens his custody of their daughter, Katherine offered him a solution, which involved a fake engagement.
The chemistry between these two scorched the pages, which blurred the lines between fake and reality. Their engagement may have been a fake, but their feelings were the real thing.
I had fun spending time with Lucas and Kate. Kate is not afraid to go after what she wants and Lucas is whom she wants. Despite his fear of relationships, he could not fight his attraction to Kate and pretending to be engaged did not help the situation.
Told primarily from Lucas’s POV, I experienced his insecurities regarding his past relationship. These insecurities formed the basis of his conflicted feelings towards Katherine. One of the things I admired about him was his complete devotion to his daughter.
I got insight into Kate’s feelings through her blog posts. The posts were few, but they along with her actions were enough to give clarity as to her true feelings. Her thoughtfulness is admirable. To offer help a friend in such the fashion, opening herself for heartbreak knowing the pain of betrayal she experienced in the past demonstrated her selflessness.
A well-written story, with few conflicts and angst made for an easy and enjoyable read. Jolie did a remarkable job with pacing, character development.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Rules of Engagement was a treat from start to finish and one I recommend to fans of the friends to lovers and fake engagement trope.

Rules are definitely made to be broken

About Mika Jolie

Mika Jolie is the bestselling author of the Martha’s Way series. She lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos—her husband and their energizer bunnies. A sports fanatic and a wine aficionado, she’s determined to balance it all and still write about life experiences and matters of the heart.  Let’s face it, people are complicated and love can be messy. When she’s not weaving life and romance into evocative tales, you can find her on a hiking adventure, apple picking, or whatever her three men can conjure up. She loves to hear from readers.

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9 responses to “Review: Rules of Engagement by Mika Jolie”

  5. kindlemom1

    I do like this trope as well! So glad this was such a great read for you Nadene. Have a lovely weekend!

    Reply
  6. Debbie Haupt

    I love when an author does that Nadene, lives up to all your expectations. This author is now on my wish list. Thank You

    Reply
  8. Sophia Rose

    I think that’s neat how you fell in love with her writing and have been in love ever since. I’ve got a few like that. Now, I want to try her books. This one sounds great with the depth you describe.

    Reply