Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely

Duet narration by Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor

Romantic Comedy. Standalone, first in a related hockey series.

Warning: Just Breaking the Rules by Lauren Blakely is bad for your diet! That didn’t stop me from loving every minute of listening to it, though. I’m not going to lie, I may have ended up trying potato chip chocolate chip cookies because of this book. Just Breaking the Rules is the first in a new hockey series (that I think features single dads?) called Hockey Ever After. When it comes to Lauren’s books, I always listen to the audio. She writes with narrators in mind, and this duet performance made a great book even better.

Mabel is a bit of a hot mess. She’s a fantastic baker, but things never seem to go her way. She has always dreamed of owning a bakery, so she enters a baking contest in the hopes of winning enough money to finance that dream. Her cake is absolutely perfect… until a mishap turns it into a smash cake. Corbin Knight, her brother’s best friend and a sexy-as-sin pro hockey player who loves to bake, is there and helps rescue her from further embarrassment.

“Mabel, have I not made myself clear? I was taken with you the first time I met you. And I’m not missing my chance this time around. Even if we have to break the rules.”

Corbin has a lot on his plate. He plays pro hockey and is a single dad. He dreams of owning a bakery and making his late mother’s recipes after he retires from the sport. But when Mabel suddenly has the perfect opportunity right now, she convinces Corbin to partner with her and open a bakery together. And let’s just say the bakery isn’t the only thing opening, if you know what I mean.

“I don’t want to stop touching her, and this is a problem. A problem I like far too much.”

The banter is fantastic and the chemistry leaps off the page. Just Breaking the Rules is an easy, feel-good read, but Lauren’s books are always a step above. They’re just a little smarter and sexier, and there are always adorable rescued or foster pets.

Before I can get a word in, though, he arches a brow and leans closer. “Is that a new sport for you?”
“Is what?”
“Mocking me?”
“New? Please. I’ve been playing it for a while.”
“I think you took it to a new level today,” he counters.
I blow on my fingernails. “What can I say? I’m good at baking and teasing.”

I loved how the couple tried to keep things strictly business even when they clearly could not resist each other. I wouldn’t be able to resist this sexy and sweet baking girl-dad either.

“I meant everything I said earlier. How much I think about you, it’s ridiculous. But I’ve got to do a better job at resisting you.”

Corbin’s daughter completely stole my heart, and the ancient firehouse love letters added one more romantic layer to an already delightful story. Corbin is colorblind, and I love the way Mabel was his eyes.

Likes:

Lauren’s books just always make me happy. There is no unnecessary drama.
The perfect amount of sexy time and it’s never cringe.
Amazing chemistry from the start.
He is an amazing girl-dad, even French braiding hair.
He was colorblind and I loved how she described the colors.
Cute fosters and rescues.
I loved the addition of the love letters.
The bloopers at the end (Samantha’s giggles are amazing).

Dislikes:

This book was BAD for my diet!
As much as I loved it, it won’t stick with me as being memorable.

The Narration:

Lauren Blakely is a must-listen author for me. Her audiobooks have landed on my favorites lists every year since 2016, and she’s one of only a handful of authors where I automatically listen to every release. Teddy Hamilton and Samantha Brentmoor are one of my all-time favorite narrator pairings, and when Lauren writes characters with them in mind, it makes the audiobook even more immersive and addictive. Make sure you stay till the end, after the preview, for bloopers!

The Down & Dirty:

How does Lauren Blakely release so many books when every single one hits for me? Just Breaking the Rules floats right to the top with a fun, sexy, engaging, and ridiculously entertaining listen that balances sweetness, spice, and humor in all the right ways. Add in baking competitions, a swoony single dad, and nonstop chemistry, and I was completely in. If this is how the Hockey Ever After series is starting, I am absolutely ready for the rest because I have a feeling it’s only going to get better from here.