Book Title: Infidelity Rules
Author(s): Joelle Babula
Publisher(s): Black Rose Writing
Publication Date: July 23, 2025
Currently Available on KU? ✅
Audiobook? 🙅🏼‍♀️

🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: Unlike some readers, I was drawn into Infidelity Rules immediately, and I have to say, Joelle Babula really nailed a fresh take on the cheating trope. Never have I ever read from the POV of a FMC only dating married men, and there was soooo much to unpack here. Book club, anyone?

🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: The wine and food really stole the show here, and I loved it when a chapter would start with a food menu for Persimmon, the restaurant Quinn works at. I haven’t read much (anything?) that has a sommelier at the center of it, and my mouth was watering at some of the pairings. This definitely isn’t a book you should read hungry, and I would recommend having a charcuterie board and glass of wine or bubbly present. I also loved the strong female characters at the center of the story and that family bonds was a large presence. Oh, and did I mention it was hilarious at times while also making me cry?

💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: While I think Quinn’s moral compass was way off, I was happy that she grew as the book went on and I applaud the author for taking on such a polarizing topic for her debut. If I am honest, I didn’t understand the epilogue at all, and depending on what that was, my rating could change dramatically. If you can get past the infidelity piece of this storyline, it is a real gem, and I can’t wait to see what Babula writes next. Hopefully it’s a sequel! 🥲

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 🍷🧀💔💍

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (maybe)
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 0.5🌶️

This wasnt my favorite. 😩 I wanted to give it a chance despite the tropes not being what I normally gravitate towards but seeing how little the FMC thought of marriage and the wives and family of the guys she gets in a relationship with really soured her love story for me. I cannot root for her at that point and this was hard to finish.

Rating: 4.8/5 Stars

Come for the romance! Stay for the food and wine!

Quinn is a professional sommelier who, thanks to getting her heart broken in romantic relationships, exclusively dates married men. She loves the thrill of the new relationship and knows that she will never be in the relationship long enough to get bored. Best of all, expectations are set, and Quinn will never get her heart broken. Quinn meets a sexy, handsome, and exciting pilot, Marcus, she falls head-over-heels. He is perfect in every way except... he isn't married.

As a disclaimer, every time I tried to explain this book to someone, I got looks of horror about the infidelity piece. I did not have any qualms with Quinn seeking non-committal relationships. And, I would rather blame the participant that made a vow of fidelity to begin with, but that is my opinion. I was able to easily look past this aspect of the book.

The slow burn between Quinn and Marcus is masterful. Thier relationship was so dreamy and was always accompanied by detailed descriptions of the food and wine that they enjoyed. Also, Quinn has a wonderful support system in her best friend and her brother who offer contrasting relationship opinions. While the romance was so much fun, the best part of this book in my opinion was the descriptions of food and wine. Most chapters began with the daily specials being served at the restaurant where Quinn works. During the chapter, Quinn describes her preferred wine pairings that she offers to the restaurant guests to pair with the special. Ok, so I am 100% the target audience for this book. I am an avid wine and food lover. I LOVE CHEESE! I would think about the detailed and descriptive food and wine pairings for days!

I would recommend this book to any lovers of romance and/or wine. Oui, chef!!!!

Quinn is such an interesting character and despite not agreeing with her thoughts on dating married men, I was still fascinated by the situations she found herself in and whether or not she would ever make the right choice. There weren't very many men in her sphere that I liked, but her brother Alex and her friend Julian seemed to try and help her. Also her best friend provided some support and encouragement to find a new way to approach men and dating. I'm not sure how I felt about the ending, but the story as a whole is very entertaining.

This was such an interesting read! I loved the friendship dynamic between Quinn and Dezi. The author did a great job with the execution of this book and it made me want to know what the next rule would be. This is my first from this author, but I’ll definitely be checking out more of their books.

What an unusual book. I have never read another book about someone who only dates married men but I am glad I decided on this one. Quinn has been hurt in the past so she is unwilling to risk her heart being broken again. She feels she is safe with married men until she meets Marcus and falls head over heels for him. She has to make decisions about her future that could be painful at best. The author did such a good job with this character. I felt her pain and indecision as if she was my best friend. I was somewhat surprised by the ending but maybe I just wanted her to make a different choice. I highly recommend this, especially for anyone who is tired of the same old, same old. You will love it I promise.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this mesmerizing book in exchange for my honest opinion.

It’s been over a week and I still can’t decide how to rate this book. The story centers around Quinn, a character whose response to heartbreak and a failed marriage is to only “date” married men. She is, thus, a complex character who is difficult to root for if you take issue with her unethical approach to dating.

That said, that same complexity that makes this a challenging read, also makes it more compelling. As the plot unfolds, Quinn somehow becomes an increasingly sympathetic unsympathetic character. Her friendships and relationships with her family are highlights, especially Julian, and they serve to make her more relatable- if to also make her choices more perplexing.

If any of this sounds intriguing to you, I’d say it’s definitely worth a read- in part to entertain, and in part to challenge your own assumptions.

Many thanks to Joelle Babula, Black Rose Writing, Get Red PR, and NetGalley for the gifted book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This story is around a 3.75-star read for me. I feel like I write from the point of view of Dezi (the main character's best friend) since I too had a messy friend like Quinn at one point in my life, and while I did not agree with her personal choices all the time, she still was my friend and I cared about her.

I enjoyed the female characters in this story because they were so independent and strong-willed in their own ways, and who doesn't want to read about that! Now Quinn is an unlikable character right from the beginning, but this is one of those stories where you get to watch her grow a little throughout the story as well. This book had me laughing, feeling sad, and sometimes angry!

The ending did feel a bit rushed to me, and I would have liked maybe one more chapter of seeing how things turned out, but overall I enjoyed the characters and the messy main character drama. Thank you GetRedPR and the author for my advanced reader copy.

Oh wow.
So the cheating trope is very significant in the story. And if that doesn’t sit right with you, I would definitely skip this one. Personally, it doesn’t usually bother me, so I went ahead and continued reading this ARC from Get Red Pr. Which I must always give lots of gratitude to them.
Our FMC Quinn doesn’t make it easy to like her much. After going through two marriages herself, she decides that when she wants to date, it’s only gonna be with married men. She doesn’t want the possibility arising if she hooks up with single men, for it to turn into something more. Throughout this whole story, we see the repercussions of Quinn‘s actions. Of how her rule list still impacts the lives of other people. I feel like throughout the story Quinn does learn lessons. But I’m not gonna lie. The ending had me really worried. I would say if you enjoy books that involve lots of drama, messy main characters, and aren’t deterred by the cheating trope, then you may enjoy this.

What a fun book! Not very often that you see a romance comedy told from the perspective of "the other woman" .

While it's definitely a risky protagonist for a novel, I do think that the story explained very well the thinking and the character development behind this character and her choices.

The predicaments that she found herself in were hilarious and embarrassing in a way that made the reader feel the humanity of "the other woman", while also showing the ripple effect of affairs and cheating on business, spouses, family and friends.

I enjoyed this book way more than I thought that I would. I was so pleasantly surprised and am definitely recommending this book to others. The perspective of this novel really sets it apart from other rom-com books you will read.

This book has everything set-up to have you fully dislike the main character. Cheating is one trope that is certainly enough to put off a reader, and it is where many would draw the line, however, go into this one with a fully open mind. Whatever your expectations are, this one may surprise you, but you need to give it a fair chance. It does take a little bit to "click" and get really invested, but in the end it was a fun read.

It does get repetitive early on with Quinn explaining her "rules" for why she dates married men, exclusively, but considering this is Babula's debut, I'm not going to knock the book too much for that.

Looking forward to seeing what this author writes next. 3.5/5

Infidelity Rules by Joelle Babula

This was a fun read...not groundbreaking, but enjoyable.

I know the cheating trope isn’t for everyone (understandably), but I’d still recommend giving this one a shot. It takes a fresh, slightly chaotic approach that feels more like a rom-com with messy morals than anything truly scandalous. That said, I did get a little tired of the main character constantly reminding us that she only dates married men. Like… okay girl, we get it. Maybe consider talking to a therapist, and let’s move forward? But to the book’s credit, once it found its footing, I settled in and had a good time. It’s fast-paced, lusty, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you're in the mood for something a little wild and a little flawed, but still fun, this might just hit the spot.

Would I recommend?
Yes, with the caveat that you need to be okay with morally messy characters and a whole lot of questionable choices.

Thank you, Black Rose Writing, GetREDPr, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read and provide my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and @BlackRoseWriting for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Infidelity Rules by Joelle Babula is a smart, bold, and refreshingly original story that had me hooked from the first page. Quinn Davis is a character that will stay with me for a while. Witty, successful, and emotionally complicated in the best way. Her unapologetic attitude and unique approach to love (and heartbreak) felt both unconventional and surprisingly relatable.

Joelle Babula blends humor, heat, and heart with an ease that makes the story incredibly readable. The wine and cheese metaphors were fun without being overdone, and Marcus? Let’s just say he’s as delicious as Quinn’s favorite Pinot.

While I truly enjoyed this book and raced through it, the ending left me a little confused. I would’ve loved just a bit more clarity or closure in those final pages. Still, it didn’t take away from how much I appreciated the journey.

If you’re looking for a sharp, emotionally layered rom-com with a twist on the typical love story, this is the book for you. 🍷🧀

4.25 Stars!

#NetGalley, #InfidelityRules, #JoelleBabula, #RomCom

This is a story that will make you think—and rethink what you thought you knew. It challenges you to place character above plot, then cheekily glances back and says, “You thought you knew where this was going, didn’t you?” with a gleeful laugh, because it knows you’re following right along.

Go into this book like the best kind of road trip: with an open mind, an open heart, and a general idea of where you’re headed—knowing full well you’ll end up somewhere even better than expected.

Thank you @Netgalley @Get Red PR Books @Black Rose Writing @joellebabulawrites For sharing this amazing book that I might have otherwise missed and what a shame that would have been.

So so good fun fast paced read I love it till the very last page and the cover is cute thank you for this read I will recommend

This was a funny and entertaining story. Loved the main character and the fact that she was self aware of her own flaws.

i wasn't sure whether i was going to go with this one. i knew it intrigued me but....
then i gave my head a wobble. if i didn't read books i dont agree with the themes of then i wouldn't read at all. and some of my most delightful reads have been those, haha.
Quinn is a complex character for sure. and this has so much to do with her story and where she goes from this point on. because neither side of the coin will make her happy living amongst the demons or living with practices that dont make them go away and add layers of even more questionable notes to her life.
there was no moral grey areas for what she was going. she was wrong. sorry, never going to change for whatever reason its wrong. you might have a woman with explainable reasons. but explanation doesn't ever make it right. and that is the thing i think many of us will be fighting over in the reading of this book. but sometimes its good to even explore those feelings and themes. because this isn't just a cad not giving a sh* and going out seeking anyone they chose(sadly this is far too often the case-and yes likely a man doing it) this is hurt woman going about healing that hurt in all the very flawed ways.
because suddenly she also sees something new in someone new. and her rules are shattered. her fears are also shattered. but the weight she carries of being hurt might ruin it all. but wasn't it already?
then what we as a reader get to explore throughout this novel makes all my questioning stop. and i was in. and i new there was a reason my heart carried me to this book and made me open up to it. there is more here for you to see, you just wait.

A surprising turnaround!
I appreciate NetGalley for sending me this ARC.
Infidelity Rules was certainly an interesting read. The beginning felt a bit like a slow burn for me—Quinn explains her reasons for dating only married men over and over (and over), to the point where I felt as though I was stuck in a loop.
We get it, Quinn. We got it on the first 50 times you explained yourself.
I dreaded picking the book back up because it didn’t seem to be progressing. It felt like we were circling the same points, and I honestly struggled to stay engaged for the first 45% of the book.
However, just as I was ready to give up, preparing my 1-star rating and rehearsing my polite “it’s not you, it’s me” exit speech, the story took a surprising turn. It felt as though the author had a sudden jolt of inspiration and decided to shake things up. Around the halfway point, the pacing improved, and I found myself genuinely invested. The twists were clever, and the finale completely turned things around for me.
I’m honestly surprised my rating jumped from what I thought would be a 1-star all the way up to 4 stars.
I’m happy I didn’t give up on Quinn—she may have tested my patience, but in the end, she won me over.

"Rule #12: Never be the first one to bring up the wife."
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Thank you for gifting me this ARC for free! My review is my ideas and thoughts and mine alone.
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This book was like taking a nice, deep breath of fresh air. I have never read a story with this concept before and it was delightful. I loved the characters within the story and the depth that they had. I had nothing but fun while reading this book. I ate this story up like a good cheese, if wine, cheese, and drama are your thing you will love this story!
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Quinn is a wine coinsurer, a lover of good food, and has a specific taste for married men. When she is not working at Persimmon, a damn good restaurant with an amazing bar she is scouting out her next man. Though she isn't a monster, she does have some rules when it comes to the married men that she dates. Her best friend Dezi, and her brother Alex try not to get involved in her life, but when a handsome married man named Marcus walks into the restaurant one day her world is flipped upside down. Can Quinn win the heart of a married man, or will the wife get in the way?

This book is not like any book I have read before. Quinn is a sommelier and is successful in everything but love. She has been hurt before so she makes it her mission to not fall in love and date only married men.
She soon finds one who is married and then in walks a man who is charming and everything she wants not married. Her heart is torn between what she has always done or does she take a chance on the gut who rocks her world?
This novel is steamy and the addition of wine, cheese and food makes ones mouth water in a very good way. I will be looking for more of this authors work.