Rules of Payne by Elizabeth Lynx Pages: 110
Published by Createspace Independent Pub on April 1, 2015
Genres: contemporary, Humor, Love & Romance, Romantic Comedy
Source: ecopy from Author
***WARNING - Steamy Sex Scenes - Cake addiction - Incorrect usage of the word Potatoes***
Morgana Drake has some problems in her life.
Problem #1: She has a boss she hates. Truth be told everyone at her company hates him, he’s a jerk.
Problem #2: Morgana fantasizes and has sex dreams about her awful boss because he is just sooo good looking. She may have done a lot more than fantasize, but please don't tell anyone.
Problem #3: She wants to get into her company’s Executive Development Program, but there is one thing standing in her way. You guessed it, her boss.
Problem #4: Morgana needs to get laid by someone other than her boss. She feels if she likes someone else she will stop lusting after Henrik Payne.Henrik Payne is very serious about his job. He has worked hard for over ten years to become VP of Sales and Marketing and make Mimir the third largest online retailer. He has rules he follows to make sure the company and his life run smoothly.
Rule #1: Know the company from the ground up and the people who make this place great.
Rule #2: Don’t do anything that might negatively affect the company or him.
Rule #3: It’s best not to date women. If he does, they are to be kept at a distance. Emotions cloud judgment and can cause harm to the company if he is with the wrong woman and reveals too much.
Rule #4: Don’t drink. It weakens people's resolve, makes them act ridiculous and can make them do horrible things. Things that can’t be undone.
So, why does he keep breaking all his rules?
Rules of Payne is a new adult or adult (I think it could go either way) romantic comedy. I didn’t really love the cover of the book, but I loved the summary of the book. I am a big fan of rules to follow type books, and office romances, especially in the comedy arena because it normally will lead to some very funny scenes. And I can see where some people would enjoy that aspect of Rules of Payne, but this book really did not work for me. I am sad to say it, but if based on the summary you think it will be a hit for you- I have linked a couple of reviews from people that really Enjoyed Rules of Payne.
Rules of Payne is the first book in the Cake Love series. And yes, the main character really liked cake. I really, really wanted to like Morgana. I so did. And Payne- Morgana’s boss. I liked him ok, but my real issue came with Morgana. And that is almost a kiss of death for me. I wanted her to be ambitious and quirky and witty. And she was…kind of. It is hard to pin down exactly what my issue was with Morgana. Because I couldn’t connect with her and that just ruined my chances with Rules of Payne. Morgana was funny, but she just wouldn’t take a breath. She was exhausting. Her conversations always read to me like “and this. and this. and this! and this!!! and and andnand and and…etc” I couldn’t really get to know her because she wouldn’t slow down enough to let me.
This book is a very fast read, which was a good thing because if it had been much longer I am almost positive that I wouldn’t have been able to get through it. I so very much wanted this to be a fun and sexy read, but it felt more cringe worthy than fun to me. I couldn’t connect with the characters and the pace of the book seemed disjointed and always at a sprint. I couldn’t get into it enough to enjoy it. So not the book for me, but for those of you that like instant gratification and funny (in its’ own way) stories, you may completely fall in love with the Rules of Payne and Cake Love series like the readers below. Check it out if you think you will enjoy it more than I did, and please let me know your thoughts after reading it.
But don’t just take my word for it
Check out these reviews from bloggers that loved Rules of Payne:
The Phantom Photographer gave it 5 stars
Wicked Reads gave it 4 stars
While you are here
Have you entered these giveaways?
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Jenny @ Supernatural Snark
Shoot! It sounds like this story had the potential to be really cute Michelle, I so love rules in a romance as well. And grouchy but delicious bosses:) It’s too bad Morgana made it hard to settle in though with her frantic thought process, I think that would be an issue for me as well. Thanks for your thoughts:)
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Yea, the rules were what drew me to the book in the first place. I normally really enjoy that, but this one was just so hard to get into. It was making me aggravated while I was reading, and that is never a good sign.
jazmen
I never heard of this book. I kind of dig the cover girl’s “look,” but she looks like she’s physically in pain and it’s kind of awkward. Sorry you didn’t like this one, but onto the next, right?!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
You are right about the cover. I didn’t think about it like that. I hope if you read it you enjoy this more than I did Jazmen 😉
kindlemom1
It is so hard to like anything if you can connect at all to anything. So sorry this didn’t work out.
Michelle @ Book Briefs
There are always more books! Hopefully others will enjoy this one more than I did 🙂
Melissa (Books and Things)
Oh this sounds like it came close but just didn’t quite make the fun light read it wanted to be. I understand cringe-worthy. I also agree with you on the cover. Not a fan. Brilly review!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
yea I think with some tweaking it would have worked for me, but alas. Hopefully others will enjoy it more. Thanks for stopping by Melissa 🙂
Linda
ookowllinda.blogspot.com
Linda
I haven’t read this yet, but I probably will just because the synopsis caught my attention, and I’m a sucker for funny new adult romance! I also agree with you about the cover, it’s not very appealing!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Yea, the rules were what drew me to the book in the first place. I normally really enjoy that, but this one was just so hard to get into. It was making me aggravated while I was reading, and that is never a good sign.