4☆
My very favorite thing about this book is Crosby and Nadia's chemistry. They are already friends so they have a great base already. It felt so natural between them and was a joy to read them become more. I just love how they fit together so well and I loved seeing them both find what they really deserve!
*I chose to review an early copy *

"The Virgin Rule Book" was a fun sports romance between professional baseball player Crosby Cash and his best friend's younger sister, NFL team owner Nadia Harlowe. Crosby was beyond ready to take a break from dating after years of attracting women who did nothing but get him into trouble, so he asked Nadia to act as his "wedding buddy" for her brother Eric's upcoming nuptials. Nadia had also sworn off dating because it seemed that every man she met was intimidated by her wealth and successful career, so she was all too happy to agree to Crosby's proposal. They had been friends for years, and neither thought that spending so much time together would lead to temptation. However, they each started to notice how good the other smelled and other tantalizing little details, and the long-buried attraction between them quickly ignited. They agreed to limit their relationship to a friends with benefits arrangement and even came up with a set of rules to manage it, but would they really be able to follow them?

I loved Nadia and Crosby's banter, especially the way Crosby kept trying to trick Nadia into using profanity. The made up swear words she used instead were so funny! I also liked that they never tried to hide their true feelings from each other; they just acknowledged them and had an honest discussion about how to move forward with their relationship. Finally, I really enjoyed the bromance between Crosby and his friends and teammates, which made me laugh more than once. I'm looking forward to reading several of his friends' stories in future books.

Overall, "The Virgin Rule Book" was another winning rom-com from Lauren Blakely, and I recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I look forward to the next book in the series.

*Review copy provided by the author via Candi Kane PR. All opinions expressed are my own.

Oh Crosby and Nadia really stole my heart in this story. I very much enjoyed this book, the charaters and the secondary charaters

I love a virgin Trope... No matter what anyone says... Lol And I especially appreciate a woman whose her own boss doing the damn thang... Nadia is trying to live her best life. Crosby is a sweet funny man who had some bad relationships experiences..
With Nadia and Crosby living in the same city now and both taking a break from dating things can only heat up.

My only problem with this book is at times I found the banter between Crosby and Nadia trying too hard to be witty and funny.

And the wedding scenes dragged on waaayyy to long.

The sex scenes were fire! ...High five to that...

**3.5**
Crosby has been best friends with Nadia's brother for years but Crosby and Nadia always had a special connection as well. Both adoring the other and considered each other best friends as well. But when Crosby and Nadia agree to be each other's plus one at various functions they start seeing each other in a different light. Then comes her brother's wedding when they agree to more and decide that plus one should include friends with benefits.

After reading the book the blurb irked me - kinda misleading. And for the amount of times that "friends with benefits" was thrown around in the book you would expect benefits but sadly it was lacking in my opinion. Super slow burn that doesn't match up with "friends with benefits" IMO. That being said I did enjoy the book. Crosby and Nadia were fun and cute. I enjoyed the evolution of their friends to lover journey. And their banter was funny and cute. Enjoyed it and would recommend it despite my above issues.

Audiobook, Audible

Narrators: Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton



Nadia is so strong, so independent, so rich that even a matchmaker washes her hands and says she can't find her a match. Men are just too intimidated. After all, she's the all powerful owner of a NFL team. Crosby is her brother's best friend, a Major League baseball player who is entering a sort of a sabbatical after getting involved with a  myriad of "shady" women. It's time for him to be single for a while. So, he asks his best friend to keep him in line - no women!

But his best friend is getting married, he's going to be the best man at the wedding and the bride pairs him up with the groom's sister - Nadia. It's the best solution to his problems, since they have known each other for ages and there is no one better than her to be his plus one to the wedding. Yeah, right? You see where this is going I am sure. The thing is, they have, unbeknownst to each other, had a mutual attraction for years and when Nadia tells him of her matchmaking woes and that she is still a virgin, Crosby is more than happy help her rectify the situation and introduce her to the joys of sex with someone other than herself. 

As they explore this new side of their relationship, they "catch feelings" really fast and it freaks them out a little, especially Crosby, and they attempt a "let's see if we can do this right, take a break, then date and then see where this goes"... Good luck with that! 

It is a nice friends to lovers romance, with no angst and sweet characters. Nadia may be a virgin but she is not the innocent, sweet, naive girl of romance novels with that trope. It's a sweet story with a little steam.

You get a glimpse of Declan and Grant, too. Declan has already made an appearance in One Time Only. We get to see him fall in love with Grant in The Men of Summer series. 

 

Narration by Erin Mallon and Teddy Hamilton needs no review basically. You know you are in for a treat. 

Another fun book to start off the new series. It's sexy, romantic, and fun. It's classic Lauren Blakely and what you can expect from her.

Nadia and Crosby have always been friends since they were kids. Crosby is Nadia's brother's best friend. Just when Crosby decided to stay single, Nadia moves back and they're in the same city. The chemistry between Nadia and Crosby was off the charts. The way they view each other and their relationship start to shift.

This is a sweet story with no drama. The way their relationship developed was just organic and straightforward. I can’t wait to read more of the side characters.

Crosby Cash has to do something to keep himself on the up and up. After lawsuits, stolen lucky socks, and an unfortunate picture hitting the interwebs, Crosby swears to abstain from sex. His friends all agree to keep him on the straight and narrow, ensuring that he doesn't fall off the abstinence wagon.

Nadia, owner of the Hawks football team, moves back to SF and brings the team back to its original home. She's been on many first dates and the matchmaker she hired wasn't at all successful in finding her a match. But all those first dates resulted in her holding on to her V-card.

When Crosby and Nadia agree to be each other's plus-one to several events, Nadia proposes a friends with benefits arrangement. If there was anyone Crosby would break his female fast with, it's Nadia. Their arrangement may be more than either of them bargained for and it just may be the end of a lifelong friendship or the beginning of forever after.

Crosby and Nadia's relationship was authentic and started from friendship, which is the perfect beginning to forever. I was glad to see that her brother Eric didn't make a big deal of his best friend in a relationship with his little sister.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.