PLAYING BY HER RULES (Sydney Smoke Rugby #1)

PLAYING BY HER RULES                       AMY ANDREWS

In this grudge match, the first to score… 

When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.

…could win it all!

Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!

MY REVIEW:

     Matilda Kent who was raised by her grandmother almost since birth in fact she was two weeks old when she and her father moved in.  Poor Gran had suffered another blow when Matty’s father Gran’s son took his own life.  Her Gran was an odd duck but it never bothered Matty. 

     Especially, when she started dating and fell in love with Tanner Stone one of the most handsome and popular rugby players at school.  But Gran had taught her to be proper and although she wanted to be with Tanner sexually she just couldn’t until she felt comfortable.  He never complained or pushed her.  They just loved being together no matter what they were doing.  She was there for him watching all his practices and games.

     Gran just loved Tanner he would help her around the house without being asked.  They would talk and joke but he also knew he rules.  He could not be in her room and no being fresh.  He did as she said gladly.  Then one day Matty surprised him and went all the way.  But going down on each other was out of the question so he was not to go there and he was okay with that too.

     Tanner was a happy man he had rugby, Matty and sex.  No worries as far as he was concerned until Matty talked about not going to college and following him around until he got picked up by a pro team.  But she had gotten a full ride to Stanford for journalism and Tanner knew she could not pass that up.  Being a journalist had always been her dream.  He couldn’t let her throw it all away for a maybe.

     Tanner came up with a sure fire plan to get her to go.  It would make her leave and being mad at him enough to go was the only way to do it he thought.  Now eight years later he might not have been so quick on the draw and rethought that whole plan but he did it and had to live with it.  He might not have involved Jessica Duffy (the popular girl, cool chick, queen bee, mean girl) and the one that went after Matty at every turn.  She had been snobby and merciless in how she disliked those beneath her like Matty, who had been caught in her crosshairs more than once.

     She would call her the “Odd nerd girl” which she ignored okay.  Her sad attempts to snag Tanner hadn’t worried Matty either because she was that secure in her relationship with Tanner.  She would never lie though and say that she sometimes felt less than in her “A” cups to her double “D’s.”  That Jessica Duffy had done numerous guy’s and was good in bed to hear the guys talk.  Yet, it had only been the last 8 months of their 2-year relationship that her and Tanner had been together sexually.

     So, on the day she walked in and saw Tanner kissing Jessica Duffy her world went spinning out of control.  She went home packed for Stanford.  She was going and not looking back.  Tanner felt what he had done needed to be done in order for Matty to achieve her dreams and he never wanted to hold her back.

     Now 8 years later Matty has to write a six-piece expose about Tanner who is now a big time rugby player.  She has plans to filet him for what he did to her with Jessica Duffy.  Can she?  Is he who she thought he was?  Is she where she thought she was?

     A lot of emotions can cloud our judgement when we rely on them only.  We have to look at all the facts before we rush to judgement something still not learned even at Stanford by this journalist, especially when it came to matters of the heart.  It is harder to do in real life than on paper that is for sure.  I enjoyed to story but wonder how it could or if it really could be applied in real life because emotions are such a powerful experience.  When we bruise those along with the heart wow, stand back.

I give this 5 stars.  Provided by netgalley.com.  Follow us at:

www.1rad-readerreviews.com.