⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Tropes
🤫Secret Relationship
🎓College Romance
💦Inst-lust
🍭Interracial Romance
👊🏼Overprotective MMC
😇😈Good Girl/ Bad Boy

I really enjoyed this! It had me giggling, aww-ing, and swooning. I loved the storyline and the character growth from not just the MCs Willow and King, but all the side characters as well. I LOVEDDD the banter and the constant suspense of “omg, they are going to get caught!” I have been trying to read more interracial romances because I relate to them, and this was just what I needed!

Thank you @BreeHayden for the ARC!! I absolutely enjoyed it!!

I really enjoyed this story. Willow and King’s connection felt genuine, and their journey had emotional depth. It’s more than just a college romance—it’s about breaking old patterns, setting boundaries, and learning how to trust. The tension between them was well-written, and I appreciated how both characters had personal growth beyond the romance.
“You’re not a weakness—I think you might be the reason I’m stronger.”

A solid 3.5⭐️, steamy, and emotional

A solid college sports romance with great tension and chemistry. Willow and King’s dynamic kept me hooked, and the emotional build-up was worth the wait. A bit long, but if you love slow burns with spice, this one delivers

This book was amazing, I was hooked after the first couple of chapters and didn’t want to put it down.
The plot kept you guessing, it was spicy (which I love)!
I have realised there are other books in this series by Bree Hayden so definitely will be purchasing those

Rating: ★★★★☆

Against the Rules by Bree Hayden is a compelling addition to the Even the Score series, offering a fresh take on the college sports romance genre.

The narrative centers on Willow, the daughter of a renowned football coach, who has sworn off dating athletes due to personal family history. Her resolve is tested when she meets King, her stepfather’s star defense player, leading to a complex and emotionally charged relationship.

Hayden masterfully navigates themes of forbidden love, personal growth, and the challenges of overcoming past traumas. The chemistry between Willow and King is palpable, and their journey is marked by witty banter, heartfelt moments, and a slow-burning romance that keeps readers engaged.

The novel also delves into the intricacies of family dynamics and the pressures of collegiate athletics, adding depth to the storyline. Hayden’s writing is both heartfelt and humorous, making for an enjoyable read that balances romance with personal development.

Thank you to Bree Hayden and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this ARC. Against the Rules is a delightful read that will resonate with fans of contemporary romance

ARC REVIEW

This was an ok read, college sports romance, guy falls first, the chemistry between the two main characters was good, the drama, the secret relationship, duo POV, but I wanted more depth about Willow’s V issue and it is way tooo long.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

Against the Rules is a college sports romance with equal parts romance, drama, and comedy. It is book four in a series but can be read as a stand-alone novel. Fans of Bal Khabra will enjoy this book. I can't wait read the first three books in this series.

Bree Hayden scored a touchdown with this sports romance. I adored “Tattoos” and “Angel” and loved watching their secret relationship progress throughout the book. If you enjoy forbidden love trope (coach’s stepdaughter), this one is definitely for you! I cheered for the characters in this book and cried when they shared their past and their pain. I felt like I put their skin on and crawled around in it. There was also vaginismus rep as well as some physical abuse in the book, so be sure to check your triggers. Overall, I loved it. This is my second Bree Hayden book. I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Welcome to Marrs University where the only thing hotter than the football players is the Texas sun! Against the Rules is a sweet college football romance about a budding musician named Willow and a football star they call the King. The only problem? Willow’s only rule is that she doesn’t date football players. So what is King to do besides omit a few details about his extracurriculars. No harm in that unless the object of all his desires transfers to the same school after a messy divorce where Willow’s mom remarries King’s football coach six weeks after said divorce. Yeah. That would do it.

This book had all the sweet and spice you can handle plus a sprinkle of found family, sordid pasts, and parental drama just to keep things interesting. There’s also some real good touch her and die moments as well as a grumpy sunshine MMC.

Triggers include off page parental affairs and domestic abuse, on page violence and drugs, and the use of alcohol.

Thank you to Bree and NetGalley for this ARC, I’ll definitely be looking for the next in the series! This is one for your TBR list.

Lots of spice but also there’s so much going on in the plot line that it evens out.

Our main character Willow is a horny virgin Hannah Montana with a man who’s off limits. We love a forbidden relationship trope. She’s like a super cool alt black girl I loved seeing her work through her issues by going to therapy.

King could also use a therapist. That guy has some serious trauma and anger to work through. But considering all that he’s been through he’s a total lover boy.

I love the epilogues

A little long for a romance and a little problematic in some parts but I was thoroughly entertained

3⭐️ 2.5🌶

I really enjoyed the relationship that developed between Willow and King. King was down bad. King and Willow were so hot together and they were there for each other which melted my heart. The only negative I could find with this would be that I felt that 100 ish pages could have been cut. The story just dragged and there was so many different plots that it took away from the power and emotion of Willow and Kings story. I loved that King was so kind and open about Willows Vaginismus. I really liked that King fought for Willow to truly understand the condition rather than thinking she was broken. I loved that the more King and Willow opened up to each other you saw their love blossom for each other. I feel like there were some plot points that were just not needed and could have removed in editing. However, I know that Bree is an indie author and each book feels like her writing is getting better and better and I am so excited to see the next book and where that leads.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion,

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for lovers of sports romances, quirky FMCs, and unique storylines. The only downside of this book was its length. At least 75-100 pages could be shortened this book could be removed to create a better flow and continuity. In my opinion, romances should be short and sweet. This one had its highs and lows with miscommunication being one the lows. I enjoyed the author's writing style and ease of reading this.

I loved this book. I've never read any of Ms. Hayden's work, but I plan on looking up her backlist as soon as possible. I assumed based on some of the conversations that took place in the book that some of the established couples must have their stories in previous books in the series. The main trope and premise wasn't new, but I thought all of the details and character development were done wonderfully. Definitely didn't mind the spice and King's possessiveness one bit. I can't wait to check out the rest of the books in the series and hoping there are more to come!

Thank you for the advance copy to enjoy!

I liked this football centric romance. After famous coach broke up her parent’s marriage, Willow has refused to date any guy involved in sports. Her stepfather, the football coach, thinks the world of her and his players know better than to even think about Willow.
Willow has transferred to her stepdads school where she meets a rugged guy named King. He doesn’t tell her he’s a football player, and doesn’t know who Willow is until it’s too late. He’s fallen hard for her, and when Coach asks him to keep an eye on her, he eagerly accepts.
For her part, Willow is disappointed he’s an athlete but she can’t shake her bodyguard and honestly isn’t sure she wants to lose him.
How can they ever explain their relationship to her father? A fun, steamy escape!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It was a good sports read, but there was some little details I just couldn't get over like the nicknames and her constant obsession with finding someone to take her virginity.
Overall, its a good short read if your looking for a effortless fluffy read.

Against the Rules was an engaging read with plenty of heat, but I found myself wanting more in terms of character depth. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable, and the spicy moments were certainly well-written, making for a fast-paced and entertaining romance. However, while the passion was strong, some of the characters felt a bit shallow, leaving me wishing for more emotional depth and development.

I enjoyed the tension and the premise, and the story had its moments of charm. However, a stronger connection to the characters—beyond the physical—would have made this book even more compelling. If you’re looking for a steamy, easy read, this one delivers, but for those craving deeper character exploration, it might leave you wanting just a little more.

At 600+ pages this book is long, and I found it a bit slow paced in places. It was also extremely insta love which isn't my favourite. While it was insta love, there was the suspense of when they were going to give in and get together. It did get a bit repetitive towards the end though with the on/off thing going on.

This book does come with some added angst and trauma, which is how I like my romance. I thought the vaginismus representation was done pretty well, there was no quick fix, and therapy and professional help was encouraged. There is also diabetes rep and how a sick parent can affect the children as well. Both characters have trauma from their family lives which made them feel real.

I liked the friendshis and the banter was excellent. Jazz was the star of the show. She was so freaking adorable and I loved seeing her interact with Willow. I did question the reactions of King's mates though. It felt extremely immature.

It's definitely a book that makes you feel a range of emotions, with plenty of giggling as well as spice. Overall, I did enjoy this book, but I'm not sure if I'd go back for the rest of the series.

i'm always on the lookout for sports romances that are written by authors of color and feature characters of color, so i was really excited at the prospect of this one! i was a little let down by the lack of explicit reference to the heroine's cultural background. that being said, this is a common pet peeve of mine in most sports romances written by authors of color even if i like the rest of the novel, ie bal khabra's "collide" and "spiral," esha patel's "offtrack" and "overdrive," sookh kaur's "breaking away."

anyways, i did like the character development but overall did find the pacing to be a bit slow for my liking, and wished it was a tighter book.

DNF at 52% (which btw is still 300 pages so)
Sure the concept of this was something I’d usually eat the hell up. Boy on the football team, girl who hates athletes. But please they fell for each other in the first page and every other chapter it’s “ugh I love you so much I want you right here right now” and then “I hate you you’re the worst thing to ever happen to me do not speak to me”. I cannot do 600 pages of that! Chapters were short which is great but genuinely cut it in half it was dragging fr. Hate to DNF a book especially this far in but it is seriously putting me in a slump.