Synopsis for Rules of Rebellion (from Goodreads):
1. Skinny dip (her idea)
2. Prank someone (his idea)
3. Stargaze (her idea)
4. Kiss someone (his idea)Leo Zimmerman has had a crush on his curvy best friend Kylie Jenkins since forever, so When he discovers the girl with a flair for baking has a newfound plan to rebel against her overbearing parents, he’s determined to be the one to help her carry it out. Who better than a self-proclaimed rebel like himself to show her the ropes of letting loose?
Sure, taking her to her first high school party, helping her sneak out of the house, or watching a sunset together isn’t exactly a hardship, but much harder is masking his feelings the more time they spend together. And when he suggests adding “kiss a boy” to Kylie’s plan and she accepts…suddenly all his dreams seem to be coming true.
But Leo’s got a secret that could change everything between them, and it’s only a matter of time before it comes to the surface.
Series?: This is a Spin-Off of The Rules of Persuasion
Author: Amity Cross
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: cool
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: April 2, 2018
Source & Format: Netgalley–eARC | Thank you Entangled Publishing!
Add: Goodreads | Buy: Entangled Publishing
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
For a girl who used to be afraid of the YA contemporary genre, I’ve been hitting all the right notes lately! I couldn’t resist signing myself up for this book when I read the synopsis. I’m a sucker for “secretly in love with” scenario–especially in high school settings–and I loved the idea of Kylie and Leo completing a high school bucket list of sorts. So I couldn’t wait to read this!
The Plot:
I think the synopsis is a touch misleading because it implies that Kylie and Leo are already good friends–or at least that’s how I read it. It’s more like they are within the same friend group but don’t know that much about each other. Which honestly, just makes this story even sweeter because you get to see them form that deeper bond of friendship…and watch it bloom into something else.
The pacing for this novel was fabulous. It simply strikes the right balance between romance, character growth, the “to-do” list plot as well as the “big secret”. I’ll admit, I had totally guessed that secret wrong so I liked the twist that provided as well.
The Characters:
What I love about Kylie and Leo is that they are genuine people. They have big hearts, care about their families and are just nice people. You really want them to succeed in whatever they set out to accomplish in this story.
But they are also human and have their flaws. It was great watching them grow a little more confident in themselves as the story progressed thanks to their relationship. They both have some solid character development throughout the story and I always like to see that in my YA contemporaries.
The Romance:
Well, I found myself a new book boyfriend with Leo! Swoon! He was just adorable and immediately stole my heart by the end of his first POV chapter. He is so in love with Kylie and watching him try to win her over was as sweet as it was fun.
The romance here was positively charming and everything I wanted it to be when I picked this novel up.
My Rating: 4/5
This book will definitely melt your heart and put a smile on your face!
Read if You Like: YA contemporary, swoon-worthy heroes
Avoid if You: want a darker story
- All the Ways You Saved Me by Jamie Howard (Love Unplugged Series #1)
- The First Kiss Hypothesis by Christina Mandelski
- Love in the Friend Zone by Molly E Lee (Grad Night Series #1)
- Adorkable by Cookie O’Gorman
Amity Cross
Amity lives in beautiful northern Minnesota with her two sons, two cats and their Rottweiler.
She has a degree in elementary education and worked in that field for ten years before deciding to self-publish.
Her first self-published novel, Twisted, was listed by Amazon as a Top 100 Kids & Teens Kindle Book of 2012. It hit Amazon’s Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance Best Sellers List in several countries. Truths and Dares held the #1 position on Amazon’s Best Sellers in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance eBooks in the UK.
If she’s not writing or spending time with her boys, she’s most likely reading.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads
Add: Goodreads | Buy: Entangled Publishing
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This sounds like so much fun! Also gotta love a curvy girl. I cringe so hard every time a YA heroine describes herself as “too skinny”.
Me too! “Skinny” is not a description I like to hear and I’ve noticed lately that most books have been gravitating towards celebrating curves–which I love!