Review – Rules of Entanglement (Fighting for Love #2) by Gina L. Maxwell

Rules Of Entanglement is one of those adversaries to lovers’ stories that will completely entertain you, make you go through a gambit of emotions, and wish that more chapters would magically appear even after it says the end. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures

Description:
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’ve really been slacking lately, reading the second book in a series before the first and while that use to drive me completely insane, I guess it is part of growing older because I can deal with it now. The thing is I have Seducing Cinderella on my Kindle, it’s been there for months but I just haven’t been able to fit it into my personal reading schedule. I had no idea Rules Of Entanglement was the second book in this series until after I started it, but if this book is anywhere close to the first one, I’m really looking forward to reading it. For now, though I will just say that Gina L. Maxwell is an author I will keep an eye on. I love her easy, breezy style and her complex characters. I love her humor and the fact that she can write some truly insightful sex scenes involving all kinds of locations. Most of all, I love that she can write a strong woman character who is smart enough to realize sometimes it is okay to let go and let someone else take care of you every once in awhile.

Vanessa MacGregor no doubt has some control issues which is why she has her “Lucky 7” Rules To Live By and just the fact that she’s a fan of Leroy Jethro Gibbs of NCIS makes me like her from the start. As her story unfolds and we see everything she’s endured and accomplished despite it, you can’t help but admire her. So even though she’s a tough as nails control freak, I can understand her character but what I really enjoyed was watching her tough exterior crack and crumble the more she was forced to interact with her best friend’s big brother, Jackson.

Jackson Maris has been living a carefree life since moving to Hawaii over 10 years ago. Becoming a “parent” at barely 18 to his 13 year old sister, he shouldered responsibility at a very young age. Now he’s fighting in the MMA, living in Hawaii, and living life on his terms. He’s dated a lot and never had a hard time finding female companionship. So when Vanessa flat out rejects his help and basically cuts him off at the knees he finds himself completely and totally enamored and for the life of him he can’t figure out why. He sees the complete opposite of the submissive type of women he usually goes for and all it does is make him want her even more.

In the first chapter I found myself laughing out loud, rolling my eyes, and falling completely and totally in love with these characters. I always find it amusing when two people who think they have nothing in common wind up having a lot in common and also find that they really are good together. It was interesting how they both found the need to confess and share some very private things with one another that they’d never shared with anyone before. The fact that they did showed a trust that neither one of them was willing to admit. It was interesting to watch them absorb the information and then offer comfort and advice as needed, way intense for two people having a three day fling. With Vanessa and her crazy rules and fling contract and Jackson with is “see how it goes” laid back attitude they have a hard time denying that they both burn for one another and let’s be clear, we get to witness just how much these two want one another. Over and over, they prove their want and their need in many ways. They are combustible so it’s no surprise that when secrets come out the blow up is as spectacular as a fireworks finale.

I am so enamored with Gina L. Maxwell after reading this book and can’t wait to read the first one and am excited a third one is in the works. Rules Of Entanglement is one of those adversaries to lovers’ stories that will completely entertain you, make you go through a gambit of emotions, and wish that more chapters would magically appear even after it says the end. I loved this story and am so happy I FINALLY got around to reading this author!

4.5 Stars