Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Following the Rules

SERIES:  The Script Club #1

AUTHOR:  Lane Hayes

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  191 pages

RELEASE DATE:   May 7, 2021

BLURB:

The geek, the jock, and a new set of rules…

Topher-

My friend’s brother needs an academic assistant and I need a job. Problem…jocks are my weakness. Seriously. I lose my ability to speak coherently around muscle-bound hotties. Oh yeah, I lose my inhibitions too—not a good look for a guy with a genius IQ. So what am I going to do about Simon?

Simon-

Finishing college isn’t high on my list of priorities, but my future in professional football is looking bleak. I need a plan B or C, and I could use some help navigating life as an undergrad. Topher is perfect. He’s also a little strange…but in a good way. And I like the way I feel when I’m around him—as though anything is possible. Maybe if we follow our hearts, we’ll find what we’re looking for. But that means changing the rules…

Following the Rules is a MM, bisexual awakening romance starring a lovable nerd, a cool jock, and some extracurricular fun.

REVIEW:

Topher has an allergy that no amount of Claritin will help (although a bottle of Astroglide might). He has a thing for jocks, but as a nerd himself, he gets tongue-tied and freezes around the muscular dudes he’s attracted to. He’s an aerospace engineering grad student in his final year at UCLA, and when his internship falls through, his best friend, George, has a solution. (At this point, Topher and his geeky friends are gathered around a restaurant table talking science. I’m trying hard not to think about the cafeteria scenes from The Big Band Theory.) George’s big brother, Simon, is returning to college and is in need of a tutor. But Topher says nada, nil, no. Not gonna happen. You see, not only is Simon a former professional football player, Topher used to have a secret crush on him. But necessity wins – Topher needs the money too much.

Simon lives for football. All he cares about is football. Unfortunately, though, he was just cut from the L.A. Rams after suffering three consecutive concussions and he has no backup plan. So back to school he goes, but he’s scared about a future without football – a fear of the unknown – and he’s nervous about the schoolwork. He’s certain he needs Topher to help him and keep him on track.

With the new uncertainty in his life, Simon’s self-confidence is waning. It quickly becomes apparent he craves the simple companionship Topher provides, and needs the social interaction as much as he does the tutoring. He finds himself attracted to his awkward, uptight tutor but can’t quite figure him out. Ultimately, it’s their highly imaginative role-playing scenarios that break through Topher’s nerves. Mutual attraction develops, but Topher is tired of being an experiment for bi-curious jocks. Simon doesn’t need a label, though; he’s been with guys before, but Topher is his first kiss, the first guy he likes.

Over the course of the book, Simon undergoes a transformation. His priorities change and he’s not the same person he was before meeting Topher. He’s not sure if football provides his place in the world anymore. Topher has opened his eyes to new possibilities, both in a relationship with a man and professionally.

Topher and Simon are both extremely likable characters. They have a sweet relationship with friendship, fondness for each other, playfulness, sexual chemistry, and eventually love. But I didn’t feel the deep emotional connection I would’ve liked. I wish the author had pulled harder on the heartstrings. I wanted to swoon; I wanted my toes to curl. Also, with fewer than two hundred pages, the book felt too short; I personally would’ve enjoyed a longer read. But overall, this is a cute story with a satisfying HEA.

RATING:

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