SEXY SUMMER SATURDAYS: RULES OF ENTANGLEMENT by GINA MAXWELL

Sexy Saturdays is a weekly post we started to challenge ourselves to read more steamy books and have a lot of fun. Feel free to join in. (let us know so we can add a link to your post).

The Autumn Review
Sim-Sational Books
Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Reviews
Insightful Minds Reviews
My Secret Romance
Globug and Hootie Need a Book


**The books featured on SEXY SUMMER SATURDAYS are for adults. If you are under 18 years of age, or do not like smexy books, please stop here. **


Series: Fighting for Love #2
Category/Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Publication Date: 3/31/13
Format: eARC
Pages: 247
Source: Received from publisher for review

Seven days. And seven rules to break...

District Attorney Vanessa McGregor firmly believes that structure and order are the stuff that dreams are made of. Happiness can be planned - and it starts with seven rules she's laid out for her future. But as she's organizing her best friend's wedding in Hawaii, all of Vanessa's best-laid plans are about to meet their match in a wickedly hot MMA fighter...

Jackson "Jax" Maris is focused on surfing, training and fighting. That is, until he opens up his big mouth, and finds himself having to pretend he's engaged to his little sister's best friend, Vanessa. When they're force to share a romantic bungalow, however, their little charade suddenly takes a turn for the seriously sexy. And while Jax is definitely not part of Vanessa's long-term plan, he has seven days - and seven naughty nights - to turn her seven-rule plan upside down.

 

I am a big fan of all the books that I've read from the Entangled Brazen line. Last summer I heard huge praise about Seducing Cinderella. Of course, once I checked it out for myself, 1-clicked that baby, though I still haven't read it. Sad, right? So when the opportunity to review Rules of Entanglement, a companion to Seducing Cinderella, I was all over that.

Rules of Entanglement was exactly the story I'd hoped it would be. It was fun, sweet, romantic, and sooooo sexy. I loved the exotic Hawaiian setting, which Maxwell portrayed so vividly that I could practically see it in my mind. The setting also provided many opportunities for sun, sand, and flirting in the water for the characters. I am now in search of a waterfall of my own, and my husband should be prepared for my begging for a trip to Hawaii.

In addition to a beautiful setting, Rules of Entanglement had great characters. Vanessa, the best friend of Lucie from Seducing Cinderella, is in Hawaii to help plan her wedding until she and Reid can make it to the island. This leaves Vanessa in the care of Lucie's brother Jax. Vanessa is all about control and order, and lives by seven rules. Jax is about freedom and simplicity, outside of the ring, and seems to be a direct contradiction to Vanessa's rules. Jax and Vanessa's relationship is a tug-of-war for dominance. Vanessa wants control of everything, and though Jax loves her strong opinions, he wants control in the bedroom. What's so cool about Jax wanting control of Vanessa's body, it's not about dominance, really. It was about Vanessa's trust for Jax, letting go, and not always having to carry the burden.

Vanessa was a strong character, but not brittle and hard to like. When her background is revealed it's so easy to see why she thinks she needs her seven rules. Jax, an elite MMA fighter, was beyond sexy. But besides his gorgeous exterior, he was a fantastic guy. He spent years taking care of his younger sister, and now lives simply and happily. He looks tough (and hot), but was a sweet and thoughtful guy. The chemistry between Vanessa and Jax was immediate and intense. Rules of Entanglement had so many great steamy moments. I read this at a crowded lake beach with my family, and literally had to set it down and cool off. I love books that make me blush and fan myself in public!

Rules of Entanglement was such a fun read for me. With two characters like these, I had no choice but to love their story. I cannot wait to read Seducing Cinderella, the next book, Fighting Irish, whatever else the series has in store.




Favorite Quote:

  Oh, he was definitely doable. Did Hawaiians have the saying "Save a surfboard, ride a surfer?" If not, she was totally starting it.  ~eARC, 1%


  "Now, baby," he said against her neck. "Let go with me now."
  And so she did, praying he'd hold onto her tight enough to prevent the cracks he'd made from breaking her wall into a million pieces.  ~eARC, 49%


  Seeing the jungle up close and personal as opposed to a two-dimensional picture was like the difference between seeing Jax in pictures (oh, he's cute) and knowing what it was like to make love to him (oh my fucking God he's heaven). No contest.  ~eARC, 66%


  "You're mine. Right here, right now. Only mine."
  She reached up and trailed the tips of her fingers over his brow, down his nose, across his cheekbones, his lips. Finally, she placed her palms on the sides of his face, looked up at him with her heart in her eyes and whispered, "Only yours."
  Two words. Three syllables. Nine letters.
  Something so small shouldn't have such a tremendous power over him. Shouldn't be able to bring him to his metaphorical knees or make him want to climb mountains if she asked. But it did. And it felt...right.  ~eARC, 72%

The Fighting for Love Series

 

(click covers for GoodReads page)

 

 

 

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About the author:
Gina is a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit. Growing up she dreamed of entertaining people and taking them on fantastical journeys with her acting abilities, until she came to the realization as a college sophomore that she had none to speak of. Another ten years would pass before she discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion for addicts just like her.

A member of the Romantic Writers Association (RWA), San Antonio Romance Authors (SARA), and Rose City Romance Authors (RCRA), she recently signed with Entangled Publishing to write for two of their imprints.

Her Fighting for Love series with MMA heroes will debut July 2012 for the Brazen imprint with the first book in the series, Seducing Cinderella. The first book in her Prophecy of Souls trilogy, Desires of the Soul, is set to release in mass trade paperback in Summer 2013 for the Entangled Select imprint.

When she’s not writing or wrangling plot bunnies in her San Antonio home, Gina keeps busy with her wonderful family and their ever growing extra-curricular activities. Thanks to their immense patience and support, she’s able to live her dream of bringing a little romantic fantasy to the world, even if only in the pages of a good book.

Connect with Gina:
Website  |  Twitter  |  GoodReads