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Rulebreaker: A High-Stakes Lesbian Sci-Fi Romance
Liv Braxton's Felon Rule #1: Don't get emotionally involved. Smash-and-grab thieving doesn't lend itself to getting chummy with the victims, and Liv hasn't met anyone on the mining colony of Nevarro worth knowing, anyway. So it's easy to follow her Rules. Until her ex, Tonio, shows up with an invitation to join him on the job of a lifetime. Until Zia Talbot, the woman she's supposed to deceive, turns Liv's expectations upside down in a way no woman ever has. Until corporate secrets turn deadly. But to make things work with Zia, Liv has to do more than break her Rules, and the stakes are higher than just a broken heart…89,000 words
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2011
21 people are currently reading
586 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
November 1, 2020
Extremely slow burn F/F romance crossed with a data heist on a mining planet in the future. I was quite pleased with this! Liv Braxton, career con woman, infiltrates a corrupt mega-corporation to steal proof that they're violating the law, so her crew can blackmail the company. Part of the job may be cozying up to powerful exec Zia Talbot in a sexytimes way. While Liv has always thought she was straight, the more time she spends with Zia, the less of a barrier that seems to using seduction as a tactic.
The romance was a wee bit underdeveloped for me, but I loved Liv's all-in feelings once she realized her heart was at the point of no return. The secondary characters in Liv's criminal crew, particularly her mother and her ex-husband, are richly developed. I also particularly appreciated how much Liv ends up bonding with her fake job as Zia's assistant. Her career up to now has been crime, but she surprises herself by how satisfying it is to work hard and kick ass. Both women eventually have to own up to the consequences of their bad choices, and I really liked how neither of them offer the other absolution, but instead support for the process of realizing they did wrong and must change.
The romance was a wee bit underdeveloped for me, but I loved Liv's all-in feelings once she realized her heart was at the point of no return. The secondary characters in Liv's criminal crew, particularly her mother and her ex-husband, are richly developed. I also particularly appreciated how much Liv ends up bonding with her fake job as Zia's assistant. Her career up to now has been crime, but she surprises herself by how satisfying it is to work hard and kick ass. Both women eventually have to own up to the consequences of their bad choices, and I really liked how neither of them offer the other absolution, but instead support for the process of realizing they did wrong and must change.
February 21, 2016
This book is pure fun and at a ridiculously reasonable price. I read a review copy, but it's priced so low that it's worth picking up immediately.
The main relationship doesn't get going for quite a while, so if you're looking for the whole sci fi romance thing, just keep going because it gets there. And while I love a good romance, and this book has that, it's the whole sci fi action thing that I love the most, with twists that surprised me.
Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/ruleb...
The main relationship doesn't get going for quite a while, so if you're looking for the whole sci fi romance thing, just keep going because it gets there. And while I love a good romance, and this book has that, it's the whole sci fi action thing that I love the most, with twists that surprised me.
Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/ruleb...
October 9, 2016
If I got caught I’d end up in prison or a correctional mine, and there was no way I’d let that happen. My mother raised a felon, not a fool.I have to say that before I read this book, I had no idea it was a science fiction, so that was a nice surprise, haha. And well, the protagonist and narrator is Olivia, or Liv, a con artist and a thief, whose latest job is frustrated and finds her on the floor of a bank while said bank is being robbed by another group of criminals (don't you just hate when that happens? Very unfortunate timing).
After that happens, she's approached by her ex-husband, Tonio, with a multi-million job offer she can hardly refuse. What does she have to do? Infiltrate a big corporation as the vice president's assistant and do whatever it takes to steal the documents the company is hiding and that they can use to extortionate them. Not as easy when the VP is the alluring Zia Talbot.
Despite the futuristic setting, with some science fiction elements in it, it's very believable, and also very engaging. I wish we could have known Zia a little bit better, and maybe less of other characters, but it was pretty good either way. Liv is a great character, maybe a bit 'cold' at first, but she won me over with her attitude, which made the story very fun to read from her perspective.
“Department or floor, please,” the elevator requested. The doors whispered shut.The chemistry between her and Zia was really good. Very well done, with a lot of tension between them. We also see Liv lusting after her ex quite a bit, but it didn't bother me, although... I'd have preferred to use that time on Zia's character instead, haha.
“Human Resources. Please.” Being polite to the elevator seemed like a good idea. Any mechanism that could plunge you to your death deserved a certain amount of respect.
Overall, a very good read.
April 28, 2016
Futuristic crime! Okay I can dig that especially if I can grab that book for less than $2.00. Let it be known that this book is a gem at this price point. You literally cannot find one that is better.
Liv Braxton is straight up a thief. Oh no, she is not going to steal your purse or wallet, that’s small time. She is going to rob your bank! This bad girl is unapologetically ruthless. She takes what she needs and the bigger the payoff the better. So when offered to score mega bucks on a corporate heist, she is all in, even if she has to work with her ex-husband.
Zia Talbot is the corporate mark. She is the one that Liv needs to become besties with and get all the precious knowledge from. She holds the key to millions of dollars just waiting to be stolen my Liv and her unscrupulous partners. All is going to plan until Zia captures Liv’s heart.
I really liked this book, but I could not fall in love with it. The main issue that I had is you know so much about Liv but I felt a bit isolated from Zia. I wanted to know more about her and what made her tick. She was set-up as very interesting character but everything was basically surface after that. I also thought a few of the sub-characters played too much of a role. Overall this is definitely worthy of your time. This is a sci-fi that is not overly world building but more focused on a thief with a good heart. 3.25 stars out of 5.
My reviews can always be found at theromanticreaderblog.com
Liv Braxton is straight up a thief. Oh no, she is not going to steal your purse or wallet, that’s small time. She is going to rob your bank! This bad girl is unapologetically ruthless. She takes what she needs and the bigger the payoff the better. So when offered to score mega bucks on a corporate heist, she is all in, even if she has to work with her ex-husband.
Zia Talbot is the corporate mark. She is the one that Liv needs to become besties with and get all the precious knowledge from. She holds the key to millions of dollars just waiting to be stolen my Liv and her unscrupulous partners. All is going to plan until Zia captures Liv’s heart.
I really liked this book, but I could not fall in love with it. The main issue that I had is you know so much about Liv but I felt a bit isolated from Zia. I wanted to know more about her and what made her tick. She was set-up as very interesting character but everything was basically surface after that. I also thought a few of the sub-characters played too much of a role. Overall this is definitely worthy of your time. This is a sci-fi that is not overly world building but more focused on a thief with a good heart. 3.25 stars out of 5.
My reviews can always be found at theromanticreaderblog.com
April 10, 2014
Olivia "Liv" Braxton lives a modest life on the planet Nevarro by committing petty robbery and other not-so-legal ventures. Calm, cool, and controlled Liv follows a specific set of rules:
When another crew botches her planned hit, she recognizes her ex-husband, Tonio, as one of the robbers. Back on Tonio's radar he presents Liv with a deal that could set her off with enough to live in paradise on the planet, Pacifica. All she would have to do is infiltrate Exeter, a major mining corporation, and obtain documents proving a cover-up and secretive activities. Sounds easy right? Well when Liv shows up to work she finds Rule Number One is harder to follow when R.J. "Zia" Talbot is in the picture.
I cannot start this review without saying that this book took a night away from me. Seriously. I was up until five a.m. sucked into the action, intrigue, and plot of this book. Liv is one of the best characters I've had the opportunity to read about this year. She's got a great sense of humor, fiercely intelligent, and exactly the type of heroine you'd want in a fast-paced novel.
I was pleasantly surprised that the characters in this novel didn't waste time defining their sexuality- all connections were solely based on desire and not gender. In the first half of the book Liv enters a friendship with her ex-husband and feels some "left-over" feelings for him which become squashed just as quick. When Liv begins to feel for Zia we truly feel the sensual awakening Liv experiences and nothing is rushed but taken at just the right pace.
The first page of this book begins with a bank robbery and the action doesn't let up until the last page! In the future there are many planets where people can live and the characters in this book live on Nevarro. There are cars that zip through the air and high-tech devices the characters use throughout the story. I thought the world-building of this book was excellent and interesting without being too far out there in science fiction. This is a world that is actually believable for the very distant future.
Surprisingly I absolutely love science fiction/futuristic movies (The Island, Gattaca all time favorites) but I haven't read too much in the genre. That being said this book blew me away and I will be reading the next two for sure and highly recommend you pick it up as well!
Reviewed at: Lipstick Lesbian Reviews.
Felon's Rule Number One: Don't get emotionally involved.
Felon's Rule Number Two: Don't bite off more than you were prepared to chew. Or get arrested for.
Felon's Rule Number Three: Be reliable, and have confidence in your crew mates.
Felon's Rule Number Four: Make sure any associates weren't going to screw you over, intentionally or otherwise.
When another crew botches her planned hit, she recognizes her ex-husband, Tonio, as one of the robbers. Back on Tonio's radar he presents Liv with a deal that could set her off with enough to live in paradise on the planet, Pacifica. All she would have to do is infiltrate Exeter, a major mining corporation, and obtain documents proving a cover-up and secretive activities. Sounds easy right? Well when Liv shows up to work she finds Rule Number One is harder to follow when R.J. "Zia" Talbot is in the picture.
I cannot start this review without saying that this book took a night away from me. Seriously. I was up until five a.m. sucked into the action, intrigue, and plot of this book. Liv is one of the best characters I've had the opportunity to read about this year. She's got a great sense of humor, fiercely intelligent, and exactly the type of heroine you'd want in a fast-paced novel.
I was pleasantly surprised that the characters in this novel didn't waste time defining their sexuality- all connections were solely based on desire and not gender. In the first half of the book Liv enters a friendship with her ex-husband and feels some "left-over" feelings for him which become squashed just as quick. When Liv begins to feel for Zia we truly feel the sensual awakening Liv experiences and nothing is rushed but taken at just the right pace.
The first page of this book begins with a bank robbery and the action doesn't let up until the last page! In the future there are many planets where people can live and the characters in this book live on Nevarro. There are cars that zip through the air and high-tech devices the characters use throughout the story. I thought the world-building of this book was excellent and interesting without being too far out there in science fiction. This is a world that is actually believable for the very distant future.
Surprisingly I absolutely love science fiction/futuristic movies (The Island, Gattaca all time favorites) but I haven't read too much in the genre. That being said this book blew me away and I will be reading the next two for sure and highly recommend you pick it up as well!
Reviewed at: Lipstick Lesbian Reviews.
June 6, 2013
Lesfic sci-fi romances are pretty hard to come by. Discovering two books in a row (the other one is Deep Deception) is a real treat. Being only $1.99, i half expected this to be a mindless, faux sci-fi erotica--especially with a protagonist named 'Zia'. Turns out this is a pretty intelligent sci-fi thriller. In fact, the romance doesn't pick up until halfway into the book.
The plot is fairly elaborate. The worldbuilding is detailed enough to be believable. There is a lot of chemistry and sexual tension between the two lady protagonists (and incredibly, also between the lady thief and her ex-hubby!). There is also some family drama thrown in for good measure. An unexpected twist about 2/3 into the book cranks up the tension several notches and our heroine finds herself caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. The ending reads like a movie-- chases, explosive action, a mexican standoff, a climactic shootout--the works.
If you like f/f action thrillers (sci-fi or not), and for this price, definitely buy.
The only part I found rather hard to believe was the lead character's seamless transition from a living-on-the-edge bank robber to geeky data encoder to hot, super efficient personal assistant--granted she got a makeover from mom, but still...
A little caveat for the f/f purists--before she meets Zia, Liv spends an inordinate amount of time (by ff standards) lusting after her ex-hubby. Nothing inappropriate happens though..so, no worries. 8-)
The plot is fairly elaborate. The worldbuilding is detailed enough to be believable. There is a lot of chemistry and sexual tension between the two lady protagonists (and incredibly, also between the lady thief and her ex-hubby!). There is also some family drama thrown in for good measure. An unexpected twist about 2/3 into the book cranks up the tension several notches and our heroine finds herself caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. The ending reads like a movie-- chases, explosive action, a mexican standoff, a climactic shootout--the works.
If you like f/f action thrillers (sci-fi or not), and for this price, definitely buy.
The only part I found rather hard to believe was the lead character's seamless transition from a living-on-the-edge bank robber to geeky data encoder to hot, super efficient personal assistant--granted she got a makeover from mom, but still...
A little caveat for the f/f purists--before she meets Zia, Liv spends an inordinate amount of time (by ff standards) lusting after her ex-hubby. Nothing inappropriate happens though..so, no worries. 8-)
August 19, 2018
I'm giving up on this one halfway, unfortunately. After several months of trying, it is not holding my interest. The opening scene is exciting and clever (two rival gangs are holding up a bank at the same time, oh no!), but after that it's very slow going. I stopped at the halfway point because I'm finding it a bit dull, which is not the feeling one is looking for when reading a futuristic crime thriller romance. The love interest so far has had pretty much no page time, so this is not one to read for the romance. Sorry, but I've got so many books that I really want to read, and making myself slog through this one is a drag. I'm just not into it, so I'm stopping. Too bad.
July 10, 2020
3.5 stars
January 9, 2012
This is a book with good technique (especially the 1st person POV) and with descriptions that paint images before one's eyes. It has some astounding scenes, including the first one, and a good number of characters that all have individual personalities. The plot is interesting and the characters diverse. However the story's latter 30% has very obvious plot turns and sometimes I wonder about the characters' change of personality, although that can be explained by the main character's view of her fellow people. I believe the author has much promise and will keep my eyes open for her future works.
September 15, 2016
Where to start with this one.
Location and characters were excellent, setting had an authentic future grime feel very much in the tone of a lot of recent sci-fi.
Where in failed to rise above the okay category for me was that the plot was decidedly flat for me and an obvious crime plot line. The baddies were 1 dimensional and a payoff could be seen from a very long way off.
Kudos to the author for writing a gender queer sci-fi book, but the romance between the characters didn't work for me.
Location and characters were excellent, setting had an authentic future grime feel very much in the tone of a lot of recent sci-fi.
Where in failed to rise above the okay category for me was that the plot was decidedly flat for me and an obvious crime plot line. The baddies were 1 dimensional and a payoff could be seen from a very long way off.
Kudos to the author for writing a gender queer sci-fi book, but the romance between the characters didn't work for me.
June 17, 2014
The caper part of the story was interesting, but it wasn't much of a romance. The ending was way too sappy.
July 17, 2019
Very light, but very enjoyable. Just barely sci-fi, in the sense that the setting had few overt SF elements - it was set on another planet and there were pulse guns. The characters were charming, though, and it was so refreshing that Liv's past relationship with Tonio wasn't diminished or disparaged to highlight her new one with Zia. Hooray for the opposite of bi-erasure!
June 28, 2020
I didn’t care for the writing style but I liked the main couple quite a bit in this FF SFR bi romance. A low level con artist / thief gets in way over her head when her ex recruits her for a dangerous data theft job and she ends up falling for her mark.
I didn’t really buy the plot and I thought the world building was a little weak but I really liked watching two flawed women fall for each other and figure out what they were willing to risk for each other.
I didn’t really buy the plot and I thought the world building was a little weak but I really liked watching two flawed women fall for each other and figure out what they were willing to risk for each other.
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December 30, 2021Completely ok! I felt like I should love this more, because it checks a lot of my boxes: a Sapphic heist romance in a scifi setting, I'm not sure what else I could ask for. Maybe some zombies? The first person narrator comes from a family of cons, and def has an attachment deficit there, causing her to both seek out affection and withhold it. She and her ex-husband end up in this complicated heist together, with heist partners who are murderously unstable. She begins falling for her mark -- a corporate lady at a seriously evil sounding mining company -- just in time for her untrustworthy mother to show up and potentially get her killed, etc. The heist part seemed pretty silly to me: mostly the heist facilitates the romance and not the other way around. Which is maybe why this is just ok for me: I like when both things have equal weight. This is just me though, and otherwise this is a perfectly cromulent book, of a type there aren't nearly enough of in the world.
March 14, 2020
A romantic suspense thriller in space! Liv is a career criminal who gets roped into a high-stakes con with her ex-husband. Her job is to seduce a corporate bigwig in order to uncover the company’s nefarious deeds. Her target is Zia, a gorgeous and confident woman who pushes all Liv’s buttons, in a good way. Liv has to get close to Zia to do the job, but her heart may not have gotten the memo that it’s all a con.
January 20, 2012
For a book sold by Carina Press, it's not much of a romance novel.
Rulebreaker is futuristic-ish (I can't really say it's sci-fi since it's so light in sci-fi it could be about an oil company or something in the twenty-first century on good old Earth) book about a thief called Olivia who is running out of money and option. Then her ex-husband proposes her the big score every criminal dreams about. She must infiltrate one of the top companies of the planet, seduce the VP of R&D and get enough information to blackmail the company into giving them 200 millions of credits.
The VP is RJ “Zia” Talbott and she is hot, smart and rich. Olivia is to be her temp secretary and gain access to everything they need. I thought I was going to have a very nice lesbian variation of the trope “hot for her boss” with a bit of secret identities.
Only RJ doesn't show before chapter 7 or 8. Olivia is lusting after her ex-husband in these 6 to 7 first chapters (which is a third of the book). And that gives some kind of mixed message which is so not what I want in a romance novel. And it makes the relationship between Zia and Liv seemed to developed at an uncanny speed... Especially since a good part is glossed over in favor of secondary plots like her relationship with her mom. Her mom who bored me to tears.
Still Zia and Olivia have alchemy. And I really liked them. I only wish there was more to read about them in the book.
The secondary plot which was in fact the first (the romance was second, and that was a big disappointment... Carina Press! I trusted you to deliver) was interesting even when I thought Olivia and Tonio (that name should be forbidden, it's so used and abused it's actually not sexy at all) were stupid to think that Wilhem wouldn't bug the apartment they were staying in. The guy actually says it would be easier to keep an eye on only one apartment than two so you have to share and they don't think bugs and cams ? That doesn't make them look very professional. But whatever.
I like Olivia's voice well enough, but thought she was crying maybe a bit much. I hate that and I already have enough trouble respecting women who cries all the time irl, I don't want to read about them.
Anyway, it was enjoyable, it was pleasant, just not what I was looking for at the time. I would have probably enjoyed it much more if I hadn't thought it would be primarily a romance novel.
Rulebreaker is futuristic-ish (I can't really say it's sci-fi since it's so light in sci-fi it could be about an oil company or something in the twenty-first century on good old Earth) book about a thief called Olivia who is running out of money and option. Then her ex-husband proposes her the big score every criminal dreams about. She must infiltrate one of the top companies of the planet, seduce the VP of R&D and get enough information to blackmail the company into giving them 200 millions of credits.
The VP is RJ “Zia” Talbott and she is hot, smart and rich. Olivia is to be her temp secretary and gain access to everything they need. I thought I was going to have a very nice lesbian variation of the trope “hot for her boss” with a bit of secret identities.
Only RJ doesn't show before chapter 7 or 8. Olivia is lusting after her ex-husband in these 6 to 7 first chapters (which is a third of the book). And that gives some kind of mixed message which is so not what I want in a romance novel. And it makes the relationship between Zia and Liv seemed to developed at an uncanny speed... Especially since a good part is glossed over in favor of secondary plots like her relationship with her mom. Her mom who bored me to tears.
Still Zia and Olivia have alchemy. And I really liked them. I only wish there was more to read about them in the book.
The secondary plot which was in fact the first (the romance was second, and that was a big disappointment... Carina Press! I trusted you to deliver) was interesting even when I thought Olivia and Tonio (that name should be forbidden, it's so used and abused it's actually not sexy at all) were stupid to think that Wilhem wouldn't bug the apartment they were staying in. The guy actually says it would be easier to keep an eye on only one apartment than two so you have to share and they don't think bugs and cams ? That doesn't make them look very professional. But whatever.
I like Olivia's voice well enough, but thought she was crying maybe a bit much. I hate that and I already have enough trouble respecting women who cries all the time irl, I don't want to read about them.
Anyway, it was enjoyable, it was pleasant, just not what I was looking for at the time. I would have probably enjoyed it much more if I hadn't thought it would be primarily a romance novel.
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November 20, 2013Liv Braxton is one of the better criminals in the star system. This is mostly due to the set of rules she's been following since age four. Felon's Rule #1: don't get involved. In her newest and perhaps most daring hit yet, it's also going to be the hardest.
Alias Olivia Baines is pulled into a stunning multi-stage hit by her ex-husband, Tonio, who's still got it going on, she's painfully reminded. Blind-sided by her mother's surprise re-appearance in her life, she'll be helping the bad guys stick-it-to-the-man and make them all filthy rich besides. Until her target, powerful and gorgeous Zia Talbot makes Liv question herself in ways no one, especially no woman, ever has.
Full disclosure, I wanted to know what's going on on the other side of the romance aisle, so I went with one of highest rated lesbian romances that Harlequin's imprint Carina Press had on sale. Need I say that it was one of a handful of options anyway? I have to say, this book surprised me and grew on me. Early review scouring landed this book back on my to-read shelf several times, but a recent lay-over in a train station gave me the opportunity I'd been waiting for and I dove in.
Rulebreaker has a bit of a problem unfortunately, since it sits as one of the few lesbian romance titles in Carina's selection, it isn't nearly as much as a romance as a futuristic coporate-espionage story. There were times where Liv felt more than a little hardbroiled, and even the sci-fi aspects didn't come off strong. There are some moments reminiscent of a Star Trek episode and even a few clever jokes, but it ultimately fell flat. It surprised me in what it achieved, and the dearth of sex scenes was not unwelcome, but when one expects one thing and is delivered another, it's a little bit of a problem. Here's to hoping that fewer people pick this one up without knowing what they're in for.
Have you read a book expecting one thing, and discovering something else? Was it a pleasant surprise? Also, how much do you like the cover? I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a sci-fi and this one looked good. That isn't to say it wasn't, just not what I expected.
252pp. Carina Press. 8th Oct 2011.
Read more confused reviews at auroralector.blogspot.com
Alias Olivia Baines is pulled into a stunning multi-stage hit by her ex-husband, Tonio, who's still got it going on, she's painfully reminded. Blind-sided by her mother's surprise re-appearance in her life, she'll be helping the bad guys stick-it-to-the-man and make them all filthy rich besides. Until her target, powerful and gorgeous Zia Talbot makes Liv question herself in ways no one, especially no woman, ever has.
Full disclosure, I wanted to know what's going on on the other side of the romance aisle, so I went with one of highest rated lesbian romances that Harlequin's imprint Carina Press had on sale. Need I say that it was one of a handful of options anyway? I have to say, this book surprised me and grew on me. Early review scouring landed this book back on my to-read shelf several times, but a recent lay-over in a train station gave me the opportunity I'd been waiting for and I dove in.
Rulebreaker has a bit of a problem unfortunately, since it sits as one of the few lesbian romance titles in Carina's selection, it isn't nearly as much as a romance as a futuristic coporate-espionage story. There were times where Liv felt more than a little hardbroiled, and even the sci-fi aspects didn't come off strong. There are some moments reminiscent of a Star Trek episode and even a few clever jokes, but it ultimately fell flat. It surprised me in what it achieved, and the dearth of sex scenes was not unwelcome, but when one expects one thing and is delivered another, it's a little bit of a problem. Here's to hoping that fewer people pick this one up without knowing what they're in for.
Have you read a book expecting one thing, and discovering something else? Was it a pleasant surprise? Also, how much do you like the cover? I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a sci-fi and this one looked good. That isn't to say it wasn't, just not what I expected.
252pp. Carina Press. 8th Oct 2011.
Read more confused reviews at auroralector.blogspot.com
August 31, 2013
I love a book with a smartass, quick on her feet, professional thief as the leading gal! Put this in the future and on another planet and I am in reader heaven. Additionally, the underlining science and science fiction that threads through this big payoff gig were extra plusses from my standpoint. Having the supporting female character be a knockout, takes-no-prisoners corporate VP only heightened the enjoyment and the intrigue.
Liv Braxton has a whole list of Rules that if followed make her felonious gigs generally turn out profitable and free from police-type hiccups. She also has lots of aliases and a mother who taught her everything she knew then turned her out at sixteen to fend for herself. She becomes Olivia Baines in this book’s main job, which allows her to be called Liv for short. Clever! Oh, by the way, Liv’s mother is one of best secondary characters as she continues to show up like the proverbial bad penny.
R.J. Talbot is VP of Research and Development at Exeter and in need of an assistant. Being part of the team Liv has signed up with, makes it very easy for Liv to become RJ’s newest but Liv makes herself a truly indispensable assistant. Liv needs to procure some very critical information from RJ for her nefarious pals so they all can take home a big payoff. Liv may need to become intimate with RJ if the information is not readily procurable. That sets up a delish, delightful, and dangerous additional element.
Felon’s Rule Number One: Don’t get emotionally involved. Uh-oh! Oh, there are many uh-ohs in this totally engaging, thrilling, and tempestuous story. The supporting characters are wonderful both on the possibly slimy good gal's side and certainly on the felon’s side. This was a major treat and I heartily recommend it.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Liv Braxton has a whole list of Rules that if followed make her felonious gigs generally turn out profitable and free from police-type hiccups. She also has lots of aliases and a mother who taught her everything she knew then turned her out at sixteen to fend for herself. She becomes Olivia Baines in this book’s main job, which allows her to be called Liv for short. Clever! Oh, by the way, Liv’s mother is one of best secondary characters as she continues to show up like the proverbial bad penny.
R.J. Talbot is VP of Research and Development at Exeter and in need of an assistant. Being part of the team Liv has signed up with, makes it very easy for Liv to become RJ’s newest but Liv makes herself a truly indispensable assistant. Liv needs to procure some very critical information from RJ for her nefarious pals so they all can take home a big payoff. Liv may need to become intimate with RJ if the information is not readily procurable. That sets up a delish, delightful, and dangerous additional element.
Felon’s Rule Number One: Don’t get emotionally involved. Uh-oh! Oh, there are many uh-ohs in this totally engaging, thrilling, and tempestuous story. The supporting characters are wonderful both on the possibly slimy good gal's side and certainly on the felon’s side. This was a major treat and I heartily recommend it.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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July 19, 2018Entertaining and a pleasure to read. I was sold on it by a post in Olivia Waite's Intersectional Feminism in Romance series, particularly this line from the review:
"At this point, I had no idea where the text would go. My sense of the narrative direction had been twisted too many times — I was being conned, and I was delighted. Everything depended on the characters' choices at this point: there was no one story shape (reunion story, Presents romance, redemption arc) that was controlling the narrative's direction..."I've been struggling with some romance reads recently, needing not to see the well-worn tracks the story was running on, and Rulebreaker was a refreshing change. The plot and character arcs weren't fleshed out enough to make this a five-star read for me, but the first-person POV was well-done (and not employed as a purposeful untrustworthy gotcha!...I'm still ugh-ing over a recent read that used first-person POV for that) and the characters were engaging and unpredictable enough to keep me turning pages. The use of science fiction is about on par with J.D. Robb's In Death series, so not terribly much, but I hope the other books set in this universe expand on those interesting sci-fi aspects.
August 23, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this SFR espionage novel. The worldbuilding is very good, the main characters are vivid and vivacious. The build-up was a *little* slow for me--mainly because I didn't much care for the mother--but once Liv (our gutsy heroine and narrator) starts her new undercover job as PA to corporate hotshot Zia, the tension, both dramatic and sexual, really begins to crackle. It never lets up.
This is the sort of story that doesn't really need a villain as such. They are there, but the real enemy here is circumstance. At its heart, Rulebreaker is a tender and poignant love story between two people who absolutely can't end up together, but absolutely MUST. Recommended to all SFR readers, and for those curious about the genre but have yet to give it a whirl. You'll find Ms. Pegau's future world easy to relate to.
This is the sort of story that doesn't really need a villain as such. They are there, but the real enemy here is circumstance. At its heart, Rulebreaker is a tender and poignant love story between two people who absolutely can't end up together, but absolutely MUST. Recommended to all SFR readers, and for those curious about the genre but have yet to give it a whirl. You'll find Ms. Pegau's future world easy to relate to.
October 24, 2017
There's some ethical issues with the love interest here that just made me deeply uncomfortable. They're using prisoners to test experimental equipment, which is fundamentally not in line with informed consent. And then the issue is just that the death rate is higher than expected? And she should have known but was... too something to not investigate further? Like, blurgh. I liked other parts of this but it might actually have been better if they'd completely handwaved the ethical issues, because getting all Serious about the fact that the death rate was high but blithely accepting "oh we had signed forms, so it's good!" when you're talking about PRISONERS, who cannot consent to stuff like this... it really upset me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2013
I read these in the wrong order - I read books 2 & 3 first because I didn't know about this one. Since I liked 2 & 3, I decided to get the first one - this basically means I already knew some of the characters and I could have potentially spoilered myself if I was any good with remembering names.
I really liked Liv and Zia and the heat between them was palpable and believable. I enjoy this series and will keep reading it.
I really liked Liv and Zia and the heat between them was palpable and believable. I enjoy this series and will keep reading it.
May 1, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Great setting and plot. Nice resolution. Sweet romance.
I think Talbot was very underdeveloped. This read more like I expect a stereotypical straight romance from that perspective: everything from the heroine's point of view only, we never get inside the head of the Fabio replacement.
I think Talbot was very underdeveloped. This read more like I expect a stereotypical straight romance from that perspective: everything from the heroine's point of view only, we never get inside the head of the Fabio replacement.
did-not-finish
October 3, 202130% in and we still have not met the 'target' and love interest. While all the MC is doing is going on about her ex-husband and his leathery spiced manliness and how she is going to have to control herself on this job with him. Ick. I thought this was lesfic?
"his silk-covered manliness sent tingles through my entire body."
🤢 BLECH!!! 🤮
"his silk-covered manliness sent tingles through my entire body."
🤢 BLECH!!! 🤮
September 17, 2012
Great book! It kept me on the edge of my seat--I even caught myself holding my breath through a couple of passages. Loved the relationship between Liv and Tonio, and then Liv and Zia. Lots of tension, great chemistry. Definitely a book worth picking up.
May 10, 2018
Le résumé de ce livre m’a directement tentée, mais j’étais loin d’imaginer que je ressortirais de ma lecture totalement conquise et avec un coup de coeur.
Liv est une femme qui a du caractère, comme je les aime, mais elle a également une sensibilité à fleur de peau qu’elle s’interdit de montrer, voir même d’éprouver. Elle n’a pas eu une enfance des plus joyeuses, mais cela ne l’a pas empêché d’avancer dans la vie, même si les choix qu’elle a fait ne sont pas forcément les bons. Cambrioleuse de banque, avouez que ce n’est pas ce qu’il y a de mieux pour avoir une vie tranquille, et pourtant c’est bien ce qu’elle fait en plus de son boulot « normal ». C’est d’ailleurs lors d’une tentative de cambriolage que tout va changer pour elle, en effet, elle et son complice ne seront pas les seuls cambrioleurs au même moment dans cette banque. Manque de bol pour eux, mais du coup, au lieu de se retrouver avec pas mal de crédits en poche, elle va se retrouver au bureau de police en train de témoigner de ce qu’elle a vu. Mais comment expliquer qu’elle connaît, et même très bien, un des cambrioleur ? Comment annoncer que l’un d’eux n’est autre que … son ex-mari ?
Après cette histoire de cambriolage raté, son complice va laisser tomber, il ne veut plus de cette vie, ce que l’on peut facilement comprendre, et pourtant Liv n’accepte pas forcément sa décision. Peu après, elle aura la surprise de trouver son ex-mari devant sa porte, chose à laquelle elle ne s’attendait pas, même si elle savait que lui l’avait bien reconnue dans cette banque que lui et ses complices cambriolaient. Autre surprise, ce n’est pas une visite de courtoisie, mais s’il se trouve face à elle, c’est pour lui proposer un boulot, un boulot qui lui rapportera beaucoup plus que ce qu’elle peut imaginer, avec cet argent elle serait à l’abri de tout et pourrait même s’offrir une nouvelle vie.
Ne jamais s’impliquer personnellement dans un boulot de ce genre est une des règles principales de ce job. Liv n’a jamais été attirée par les femmes, le fait qu’elle en a déjà trouvé certaines attirantes, ne veut pas dire qu’elle aurait un jour voulu allez plus loin dans ce genre de relation. Mais lors de sa rencontre avec Zia, elle va s’en trouver chamboulée, quelque chose changera en elle, pour une fois elle ne serait pas contre le fait de s’impliquer sur un point de vue plus personnel. Et ce boulot lui fera peut-être passer par ce stade, qu’elle redoute malgré tout.
Tonio, l’ex-mari de Liv, ne cache pas qu’il a encore quelque part des sentiments pour elle, qu’il ne serait pas contre le fait de reprendre quelque chose entre eux, mais que ce soit lui ou Liv, ils savent qu’entretenir une relation n’est pas envisageable, déjà par rapport au boulot, mais également sur le point de vue personnel, s’ils se sont séparés, ce n’est pas pour rien. Malgré tout, il sera toujours derrière elle, il la protégera même contre elle-même s’il le faut.
Zia est une femme assez sûre d’elle, qui a de la prestance, qui paraît franche et autoritaire. Dès l’arrivée de Liv en tant qu’assistante, on sent directement que quelque chose l’attire vers elle, mais qu’autre chose la retient. Un peu comme si elle se protégeait, mais de quoi, on ne le sait pas. A sa façon, elle est touchante également, on a envie, tout comme Liv, de percer cette carapace qu’elle semble avoir construit autour d’elle.
Lorsque les sentiments viennent se mêler à une équation déjà pas des plus simples, cela peut foutre un bordel monstrueux, ou au contraire vous donner les bonnes raisons pour enfin faire les choses différemment. Mais Liv saura t’elle faire le bon choix le moment venu ?
Sur le dernier chapitre, Cathy Pegau aura réussi à m’obliger à sortir les kleenex, eh oui il a fallu que je verse quelques larmes sur la fin, mais il faut bien dire que je peux me montrer très fleur bleue par moment, une véritable guimauve 🙂 En même temps, on espère jusqu’au bout que Liv puisse avoir son happy end, et croyez-moi ce n’est pas franchement gagné, oh que non, elle va passer par toutes les émotions possibles, et le lecteur également d’ailleurs, mais ce final est juste parfait, alors je pardonne l’auteure de m’avoir fait verser quelques larmes 😉
Liv est une femme qui a du caractère, comme je les aime, mais elle a également une sensibilité à fleur de peau qu’elle s’interdit de montrer, voir même d’éprouver. Elle n’a pas eu une enfance des plus joyeuses, mais cela ne l’a pas empêché d’avancer dans la vie, même si les choix qu’elle a fait ne sont pas forcément les bons. Cambrioleuse de banque, avouez que ce n’est pas ce qu’il y a de mieux pour avoir une vie tranquille, et pourtant c’est bien ce qu’elle fait en plus de son boulot « normal ». C’est d’ailleurs lors d’une tentative de cambriolage que tout va changer pour elle, en effet, elle et son complice ne seront pas les seuls cambrioleurs au même moment dans cette banque. Manque de bol pour eux, mais du coup, au lieu de se retrouver avec pas mal de crédits en poche, elle va se retrouver au bureau de police en train de témoigner de ce qu’elle a vu. Mais comment expliquer qu’elle connaît, et même très bien, un des cambrioleur ? Comment annoncer que l’un d’eux n’est autre que … son ex-mari ?
Après cette histoire de cambriolage raté, son complice va laisser tomber, il ne veut plus de cette vie, ce que l’on peut facilement comprendre, et pourtant Liv n’accepte pas forcément sa décision. Peu après, elle aura la surprise de trouver son ex-mari devant sa porte, chose à laquelle elle ne s’attendait pas, même si elle savait que lui l’avait bien reconnue dans cette banque que lui et ses complices cambriolaient. Autre surprise, ce n’est pas une visite de courtoisie, mais s’il se trouve face à elle, c’est pour lui proposer un boulot, un boulot qui lui rapportera beaucoup plus que ce qu’elle peut imaginer, avec cet argent elle serait à l’abri de tout et pourrait même s’offrir une nouvelle vie.
Ne jamais s’impliquer personnellement dans un boulot de ce genre est une des règles principales de ce job. Liv n’a jamais été attirée par les femmes, le fait qu’elle en a déjà trouvé certaines attirantes, ne veut pas dire qu’elle aurait un jour voulu allez plus loin dans ce genre de relation. Mais lors de sa rencontre avec Zia, elle va s’en trouver chamboulée, quelque chose changera en elle, pour une fois elle ne serait pas contre le fait de s’impliquer sur un point de vue plus personnel. Et ce boulot lui fera peut-être passer par ce stade, qu’elle redoute malgré tout.
Tonio, l’ex-mari de Liv, ne cache pas qu’il a encore quelque part des sentiments pour elle, qu’il ne serait pas contre le fait de reprendre quelque chose entre eux, mais que ce soit lui ou Liv, ils savent qu’entretenir une relation n’est pas envisageable, déjà par rapport au boulot, mais également sur le point de vue personnel, s’ils se sont séparés, ce n’est pas pour rien. Malgré tout, il sera toujours derrière elle, il la protégera même contre elle-même s’il le faut.
Zia est une femme assez sûre d’elle, qui a de la prestance, qui paraît franche et autoritaire. Dès l’arrivée de Liv en tant qu’assistante, on sent directement que quelque chose l’attire vers elle, mais qu’autre chose la retient. Un peu comme si elle se protégeait, mais de quoi, on ne le sait pas. A sa façon, elle est touchante également, on a envie, tout comme Liv, de percer cette carapace qu’elle semble avoir construit autour d’elle.
Lorsque les sentiments viennent se mêler à une équation déjà pas des plus simples, cela peut foutre un bordel monstrueux, ou au contraire vous donner les bonnes raisons pour enfin faire les choses différemment. Mais Liv saura t’elle faire le bon choix le moment venu ?
Sur le dernier chapitre, Cathy Pegau aura réussi à m’obliger à sortir les kleenex, eh oui il a fallu que je verse quelques larmes sur la fin, mais il faut bien dire que je peux me montrer très fleur bleue par moment, une véritable guimauve 🙂 En même temps, on espère jusqu’au bout que Liv puisse avoir son happy end, et croyez-moi ce n’est pas franchement gagné, oh que non, elle va passer par toutes les émotions possibles, et le lecteur également d’ailleurs, mais ce final est juste parfait, alors je pardonne l’auteure de m’avoir fait verser quelques larmes 😉
September 1, 2017
I decided last month to obtain some nice f/f romances and see what I thought, since I've been trying writing in the genre. This is probably the first f/f romance I've read that I've really liked so far.
Plot
Liv, a professional criminal, gets over her head with a group of gangsters that send her undercover in a company to find files that can be used for extortion on a massive scale. Part of the job is getting close to Zia Talbot, her sexy boss. Which goes really, really well, except Liv can't just fake it this time--she's falling for Zia as well.
Things I Liked
-Zia is the sexy lady boss of your dreams. She's demanding but not pointlessly strict or bitchy. There's a lot on her plate and she needs employees to be able to keep up with her. And there's the softer side of her as well, which wants more than office affairs or loneliness. Not to mention, she tries to give off something of an untouchable aura, so every time she smiled or was impressed by Liv it was adorable. And she doesn't try to be really, inhumanly untouchable either. She does value relationships, she's just a little standoffish. I loved her.
-Side characters were decent: Liv's ex Tonio, the villains, the other employees, Liv's mother. None of them were all that memorable but I still enjoyed scenes with the and none of them were stereotypical or flat.
-The way tension slowly rises because of Liv's secrets and the pressure put on her by the gangsters is delicious. By the end I was completely carried away. But I also loved the quieter moments-the moments between Zia and Liv where you could almost forget Liv was lying to her and manipulating her. But not quite.
Things I Did Not Like So Much
-First third of the book is already gone by the time Zia shows up, and it drags on a bit because you really want to see who the love interest is going to be, not chat with Liv's ex so much you begin to wonder if he's the real love interest. The side characters are good, but not THAT good.
-Zia's involved in some really shady stuff which I wish she'd had to pay for more harshly. Like, I'm fine with forgiving her, but I would have liked to see her suffer first, because a lot of people have suffered for the shit she's involved with.
-Why did you have to ?
Overall
Recommended to fans of f/f romance with qualifications. I may have to look at more of Cathy Pegau's books sometime soon.
Plot
Liv, a professional criminal, gets over her head with a group of gangsters that send her undercover in a company to find files that can be used for extortion on a massive scale. Part of the job is getting close to Zia Talbot, her sexy boss. Which goes really, really well, except Liv can't just fake it this time--she's falling for Zia as well.
Things I Liked
-Zia is the sexy lady boss of your dreams. She's demanding but not pointlessly strict or bitchy. There's a lot on her plate and she needs employees to be able to keep up with her. And there's the softer side of her as well, which wants more than office affairs or loneliness. Not to mention, she tries to give off something of an untouchable aura, so every time she smiled or was impressed by Liv it was adorable. And she doesn't try to be really, inhumanly untouchable either. She does value relationships, she's just a little standoffish. I loved her.
-Side characters were decent: Liv's ex Tonio, the villains, the other employees, Liv's mother. None of them were all that memorable but I still enjoyed scenes with the and none of them were stereotypical or flat.
-The way tension slowly rises because of Liv's secrets and the pressure put on her by the gangsters is delicious. By the end I was completely carried away. But I also loved the quieter moments-the moments between Zia and Liv where you could almost forget Liv was lying to her and manipulating her. But not quite.
Things I Did Not Like So Much
-First third of the book is already gone by the time Zia shows up, and it drags on a bit because you really want to see who the love interest is going to be, not chat with Liv's ex so much you begin to wonder if he's the real love interest. The side characters are good, but not THAT good.
-Zia's involved in some really shady stuff which I wish she'd had to pay for more harshly. Like, I'm fine with forgiving her, but I would have liked to see her suffer first, because a lot of people have suffered for the shit she's involved with.
-Why did you have to ?
Overall
Recommended to fans of f/f romance with qualifications. I may have to look at more of Cathy Pegau's books sometime soon.
May 6, 2018
Sur la couverture on y retrouve Olivia surnomée Liv dans une salle de contrôle.
Tout commence lorsque son ex Tonio débarque pour lui proposer un deal : séduire Zia Talbot et lui soutirer des informations jusqu'au jour ou cela va tourner mal.
Encore un roman édité chez MxM Bookmark que j'ai dévoré d'une traite. L’écriture était fluide, l'histoire captivante les personnages attachants. Cette auteure a du potentiel, hâte de lire d'autres livres de cette auteure.
On the cover we find Olivia nicknamed Liv in a control room.
Everything starts when his ex Tonio arrives to offer him a deal: seduce Zia Talbot and extract information until the day or it will go wrong.
Another novel published by MxM Bookmark that I devoured in one go. The writing was fluid, the story captivating the endearing characters. This author has potential, looking forward to reading other books by this author.
Tout commence lorsque son ex Tonio débarque pour lui proposer un deal : séduire Zia Talbot et lui soutirer des informations jusqu'au jour ou cela va tourner mal.
Encore un roman édité chez MxM Bookmark que j'ai dévoré d'une traite. L’écriture était fluide, l'histoire captivante les personnages attachants. Cette auteure a du potentiel, hâte de lire d'autres livres de cette auteure.
On the cover we find Olivia nicknamed Liv in a control room.
Everything starts when his ex Tonio arrives to offer him a deal: seduce Zia Talbot and extract information until the day or it will go wrong.
Another novel published by MxM Bookmark that I devoured in one go. The writing was fluid, the story captivating the endearing characters. This author has potential, looking forward to reading other books by this author.
April 17, 2018
"En résumé, voilà un roman qui m'a totalement convaincue. La seule petite déception que je pourrais avoir, c'est que c'est un tome unique, et pour être honnête, j'aurais adoré que ce soit une série ! J'aurais bien continué l'aventure avec Liv, Zia et Tonio. Avec grand plaisir, même ! Bref, je vous conseille sincèrement cette lecture, d'autant plus si vous voulez vous ouvrir aux relations homosexuelles. Et si vous aimez le côté castagne et voleur, ce livre est décidément fait pour vous !"
Chronique complète: http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/ro...
Chronique complète: http://lire-une-passion.weebly.com/ro...
January 24, 2022
Different than I first thought
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: unusual job, out of your comfort zone, coming out story, bisexual character, not a romance (possibly other categories)
A "smash-and-grab" thief gets involved in a major scheme to extort money from a corporate giant by attempting to seduce the VP. She broke her rule of not getting emotionally involved with a "mark," and never expected it to happen with a woman. It took at least a third of the book before the two women got to interact, but it didn't take long after that for the mood of the story to change.
SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: unusual job, out of your comfort zone, coming out story, bisexual character, not a romance (possibly other categories)
A "smash-and-grab" thief gets involved in a major scheme to extort money from a corporate giant by attempting to seduce the VP. She broke her rule of not getting emotionally involved with a "mark," and never expected it to happen with a woman. It took at least a third of the book before the two women got to interact, but it didn't take long after that for the mood of the story to change.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews