Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Rule of Law
SERIES: The Goode Life
AUTHOR: Isla Olsen
NARRATOR: Kale Williams
PUBLISHER: Moonwalker Press
LENGTH: 4 hours and 12 minutes
RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2022
BLURB:
Lawson
I have one rule when it comes to my sex life: I only hook up with guys who identify as straight. It’s a tried and tested way of avoiding the cling factor, which I’ve found to be a huge problem in the past. A one-night stand with a curious “straight” guy is the perfect situation: no strings, no mess, no dodging unwanted texts and phone calls.
Is it the most healthy way to handle my commitment issues? Probably not, but it’s what I’ve got right now.
Of course, there’s one straight guy who’s completely off-limits. And because irony’s a bitch, he’s the one guy I just can’t stop thinking about….
George Goode is sweet, charming, hilarious, and sexy as hell. And he’s also become one of my best friends since I moved to the tiny town of Finchley about a year ago.
But let’s make one thing clear: I do not have feelings for him. I don’t get feelings. I’m not wired that way. I just think about him all the time, I miss him when he’s not around, and I seem to spend a lot of my time daydreaming about snuggling on Sunday mornings and visiting famers markets together. All totally, 100 percent normal stuff to be thinking about one of your best friends…right?
You’d think, given everything, that when George decides to express a little curiosity, I’d be 100 percent on board. But for some reason it’s not quite as simple as all that….
Come visit Finchley, CA, where the sun’s always shining, the locals are always gossiping, and you won’t walk two steps without bumping into a member of the Goode family. If you’re lucky you might find gold, or even better…true love.
REVIEW:
Note: This is the third book in this series and as such contains major spoilers for the previous books.
Well this was another enjoyable book in this series. I love the humor of this series and the usage of the private FB group postings. I think most of us can relate – and if you live in a smallish town? Spot on with the “everyone is in everyone else’s business” vibe.
In this one, George Goode, proprietor of Finchley’s Bar & Grill is in the crosshairs of the town gossips, along with his new bestie, Lawson Hale. Lawson’s own family life is FAR from the large and loving Goode clan. His parents HATE each other and have forever. To say that he did NOT grow up in a harmonious home would be the understatement of the year. The only family member he’s at all close to is his his much younger sister, Parker. In fact he rarely sees either of his parents and certainly not at the same time for many many years. He’s decided commitment and love and forever just aren’t meant for him. He tends towards the one night stands with bi-curious straight guys so he doesn’t have to deal with anything long-term. There’s just one problem with this plan – and that is George.
George is kind of known as a little bit of a himbo – he’s had plenty of attention from the ladies. But all of the sudden, he seems to be curious about gay sex. He even offers to help Law out of a bit of a predicament when he gets turned on. This throws Lawson TOTALLY off his game because he KNOWS George is straight and he can’t go there with one of his best friends. Law is freaked out by this and George doesn’t get it. It was a friendly offer because he CARES about Lawson. LOL! Well it seems the whole town has a vested interest in George and Lawson getting together – only Law and George don’t know that. And Lawson does NOT want to jeopardize his friendship with George in any way.
Finally things reach a boiling point and George and Law can’t keep their hands off each other any more. But they can’t tell their families and friends. Everyone thinks George is straight and everyone knows Lawson isn’t into relationships. But that hasn’t stop the speculation. They don’t want to let everyone in on their little secret – but of course in Finchley the possibility of a secret staying a secret is two – slim and none and slim just left town 😉 So when word gets out, it’s the biggest thing to happen in Finchley since the last secret Las Vegas marriage. LOL!
Then Law gets cold feet. What if he can’t keep this relationship going? What if he isn’t a forever kind of guy after all? What if he ends up hurting George? Thankfully he’s got friends and family to talk him off the ledge.
George and Lawson are adorable. I loved how EVERYBODY just knew they belonged together except for them. George is a hoot and has been this whole series. I was happy to see him and Lawson acknowledge that there is more than friendship between them. Is it unusual for a formerly straight guy to develop feeling for his bestie? I don’ t know but it appears plausible in the context of this big happy rainbow family in this small town that seems to be pretty open and accepting of everyone. I just went with it and enjoyed the ride. George and Lawson trying to keep their changing relationship under wraps kept me in stiches along with George’s obliviousness about his reaction to Lawson. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times during this book which I really appreciated given the state of the world.
Kale Williams continues his winning streak in this 3rd book of this series. He injects just the right amount of naivete and humor and cluelessness to his characterization of George. There are a LOT of characters in these books and the consistency and continuity were spot on. His performance of Lawson and his anxiety over his changing feeling for George and his insecurity about being able to actually sustain a successful relationship was just really endearing. The humorous tone is just perfectly set by this favorite narrator who never hits a false note. Another stellar performance by a fan favorite that I’m sure will carry on in the future of this series. Highly recommended for a sweet and funny story with an HEA enjoyed by the whole town 😀
RATING:
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