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Breaking #1
Breaking Rules
Sometimes, the lessons of childhood are damaging enough that, by eighteen, you’ve figured out some rules so you don’t repeat your parents’ mistakes. For Mandy, that meant finishing her last year of high school, going to college, and then returning to small-town Sugar Creek to live a solitary life as a writer.
That was the plan, and her main rule for avoiding complications and staying on track was to never, ever, EVER let someone get too close.
That was before she met Gabe.
And when Gabe starts to awaken emotions she’s never experienced, Mandy suddenly begins to question every belief she’s ever had.
She can’t be falling in love, can she? That would be the biggest mistake of her life, wouldn’t it? Could she break one of her most important rules—for Gabe?
That was the plan, and her main rule for avoiding complications and staying on track was to never, ever, EVER let someone get too close.
That was before she met Gabe.
And when Gabe starts to awaken emotions she’s never experienced, Mandy suddenly begins to question every belief she’s ever had.
She can’t be falling in love, can she? That would be the biggest mistake of her life, wouldn’t it? Could she break one of her most important rules—for Gabe?
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2014
575 people are currently reading
2017 people want to read
About the author
Tracie Puckett
32 books560 followersTracie is an award-winning stage actress, an international bestselling author, and the proud mother of two beautiful boys.
Her debut novel, Breaking Rules, was selected as one of iBooks Best of 2014 in Young Adult.
In the rare occasion that she's not playing matchmaker to fictional characters, you can likely find Tracie zooming down the hills of America's greatest roller coasters!
Her debut novel, Breaking Rules, was selected as one of iBooks Best of 2014 in Young Adult.
In the rare occasion that she's not playing matchmaker to fictional characters, you can likely find Tracie zooming down the hills of America's greatest roller coasters!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
June 24, 2014
I seriously don't know where to start..
One word - shocking
I'm glad it was for free as I would not pay a penny towards it.
It was excruciating to read. I swear I skipped four pages in a row because it was the same repetitive monologue of her complaining and or whatever. It was like listening to a broke record. I get the picture! You have rules! And this guy comes along (WHO YOUVE MET FOR LIKE, 5 MINUTES!) and makes you question it and blardy-blah-blah..
You get the point.
There was his chapter where she confesses that she really, and I mean REALLY likes this guy (which they both know she's meaning him) and goes on about it for two pages because she felt his silence to her speech was a go ahead to carry on. No love. Sometimes people go quiet because your freaking themthe fuck out.
Then when she finally finishes her speech, quote..
"You didn't have to come all the way out here," I said, choosing to keep our departure light and simple.
You say what now?
This girl was seriously delusional and frankly just pissing me off. The whole story was utter garbage and I couldn't wait to finish. And no, not in a good way.
He was running from something, but he couldn't run forever, and I planned to be right there waiting when he stopped.
Okaaaay.. THIS is what I class as a girl that's gone cookoo-crazy. She avoids human interaction for what, 4 years? Then suddenly a guy takes an interest but he backs away, which, I may add, is totally executable because:
1. Your not dating, you haven't even kissed, you don't even know if you have anything in common so yes, he's allowed to change his mind which I thought was an expectable reason.
And
2. This quote just really freaked me out and I feel like she's going to become a stalker.
However I will never know as I am not wasting my time and money to get the next instalment.
One word - shocking
I'm glad it was for free as I would not pay a penny towards it.
It was excruciating to read. I swear I skipped four pages in a row because it was the same repetitive monologue of her complaining and or whatever. It was like listening to a broke record. I get the picture! You have rules! And this guy comes along (WHO YOUVE MET FOR LIKE, 5 MINUTES!) and makes you question it and blardy-blah-blah..
You get the point.
There was his chapter where she confesses that she really, and I mean REALLY likes this guy (which they both know she's meaning him) and goes on about it for two pages because she felt his silence to her speech was a go ahead to carry on. No love. Sometimes people go quiet because your freaking them
Then when she finally finishes her speech, quote..
"You didn't have to come all the way out here," I said, choosing to keep our departure light and simple.
You say what now?
This girl was seriously delusional and frankly just pissing me off. The whole story was utter garbage and I couldn't wait to finish. And no, not in a good way.
He was running from something, but he couldn't run forever, and I planned to be right there waiting when he stopped.
Okaaaay.. THIS is what I class as a girl that's gone cookoo-crazy. She avoids human interaction for what, 4 years? Then suddenly a guy takes an interest but he backs away, which, I may add, is totally executable because:
1. Your not dating, you haven't even kissed, you don't even know if you have anything in common so yes, he's allowed to change his mind which I thought was an expectable reason.
And
2. This quote just really freaked me out and I feel like she's going to become a stalker.
However I will never know as I am not wasting my time and money to get the next instalment.
September 26, 2016
Esta leitura foi a verdadeira travessia no deserto.
Estava difícil alcançar o fim.
Estava difícil alcançar o fim.
May 8, 2014
My, my. My, my, my...
I'm starting this review immediately after reading Breaking Rules by Tracie Puckett simply because I want to maintain the giddy, sparkly fluttering butterflies it's given me.
Oh where do I even begin.
There is nothing I love more than a book that sucks me in, making me invest in our narrators outcome from page one and that's exactly how I feel about Mandy Parker. I adore her, completely. She is a breath of fresh air, even in the moments when her story borders on cliched.
There's so much I want to write, yet at the same time I want to hold back as the best part of this book was the element of surprise. The anticipation of reading each moment as the story unfolds. So I won't say much about the plot line other than somethings I doubt you'll see coming and others will fill you with Mandy's own emotions, for better or worse.
Mandy is a character I connected with immediately. I can't even really put my finger on why, but something about her resonated well with me and I found myself liking her more and more throughout. She wasn't perfect and she didn't pretend to be but she was a kind hearted character who tried to be sincere. Like I said, she was a breath of fresh air to me and I cannot say I loved her enough.
Oh Gabriel Raddick, my feelings for him are undoubtedly mixed. I can't help but love him and route for him even when I know I shouldn't. At the heart of things, Gabriel cares and for that he won my love.
I would love to drone on a mile a minute about how much I adore this book but that would lead pretty quickly to me giving an awful lot away but I really don't want to do that even if I am guilty of spolier loving myself. I think this is one to read and discover for yourself.
What I will say though is if you're looking for fast paced romance you won't find it here. The development of romance is slow paced in many ways but Puckett doesn't fail to keep you interested. If anything, the time she takes to built things up makes you anticipate the outcome even more. So as much as it took its time surprisingly it wasn't a bad thing, it seemed natural to the characters and for that I'm glad Puckett didn't rush into it.
Breaking Walls is coming very, very soon (27th May) and I for one cannot wait.
I'm starting this review immediately after reading Breaking Rules by Tracie Puckett simply because I want to maintain the giddy, sparkly fluttering butterflies it's given me.
Oh where do I even begin.
There is nothing I love more than a book that sucks me in, making me invest in our narrators outcome from page one and that's exactly how I feel about Mandy Parker. I adore her, completely. She is a breath of fresh air, even in the moments when her story borders on cliched.
There's so much I want to write, yet at the same time I want to hold back as the best part of this book was the element of surprise. The anticipation of reading each moment as the story unfolds. So I won't say much about the plot line other than somethings I doubt you'll see coming and others will fill you with Mandy's own emotions, for better or worse.
Mandy is a character I connected with immediately. I can't even really put my finger on why, but something about her resonated well with me and I found myself liking her more and more throughout. She wasn't perfect and she didn't pretend to be but she was a kind hearted character who tried to be sincere. Like I said, she was a breath of fresh air to me and I cannot say I loved her enough.
Oh Gabriel Raddick, my feelings for him are undoubtedly mixed. I can't help but love him and route for him even when I know I shouldn't. At the heart of things, Gabriel cares and for that he won my love.
I would love to drone on a mile a minute about how much I adore this book but that would lead pretty quickly to me giving an awful lot away but I really don't want to do that even if I am guilty of spolier loving myself. I think this is one to read and discover for yourself.
What I will say though is if you're looking for fast paced romance you won't find it here. The development of romance is slow paced in many ways but Puckett doesn't fail to keep you interested. If anything, the time she takes to built things up makes you anticipate the outcome even more. So as much as it took its time surprisingly it wasn't a bad thing, it seemed natural to the characters and for that I'm glad Puckett didn't rush into it.
Breaking Walls is coming very, very soon (27th May) and I for one cannot wait.
November 1, 2017
OMG I LOVE CHEESY ROMANCES! But also Gabeeeeee, whyyyyyyyy?
November 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I can relate to Amanda. I can't wait to finish this series to see where Gabe's and Amanda's relationship goes.
March 18, 2014
I was a huge fan of Tracie Puckett's Just a Little series. When I found out she had a full-length novel coming out, I pre-ordered right away. The wait was totally worth it.
Mandy has been living her life according to a set of rules she created for herself the last time her heart was broken. When her new life starts to get shaken up again, though, Mandy is faced with a decision: break her rules or spend the rest of her life in solitude.
BREAKING RULES is a story about standing up for yourself and creating the life you want and need, despite what others may want for you.
I cheered Mandy on throughout this book. I laughed and teared up. BREAKING RULES was a fun ride, and I can't wait to see what's next for Mandy. I also hope there's more Jones; that guy cracked me up!
Here's to Tracie, and more stories!
Mandy has been living her life according to a set of rules she created for herself the last time her heart was broken. When her new life starts to get shaken up again, though, Mandy is faced with a decision: break her rules or spend the rest of her life in solitude.
BREAKING RULES is a story about standing up for yourself and creating the life you want and need, despite what others may want for you.
I cheered Mandy on throughout this book. I laughed and teared up. BREAKING RULES was a fun ride, and I can't wait to see what's next for Mandy. I also hope there's more Jones; that guy cracked me up!
Here's to Tracie, and more stories!
May 11, 2014
The story was nice. High school girl who has a slightly bitchy twin and a fame-hungry father volunteers for RI (Raddick Initiative) for a chance to win a scholarship. She meets the founder, Gabe Raddick, which complicates things.
The UST was what kept me reading, to be honest. And it remained unresolved. The ending was a bit too dramatic for me. Public declarations of love just turn me off. Doesn't mean the rest of the book was cringeworthy. I might read the rest of the series, but right now, I'm not in a hurry to do that despite the cliffhanger.
The UST was what kept me reading, to be honest. And it remained unresolved. The ending was a bit too dramatic for me. Public declarations of love just turn me off. Doesn't mean the rest of the book was cringeworthy. I might read the rest of the series, but right now, I'm not in a hurry to do that despite the cliffhanger.
November 13, 2014
I liked this book a lot, but I'm in no hurry to read the next one
dnf
August 5, 2023Too young sounding for me. I don't think it's bad but I also haven't read that far into it. I'm just not feeling it so I really don't want to waste my time.
February 16, 2015
Mandy has always lived by her own set of rules after learning the hard way that you can't rely on anyone and that love does not exist in real life after her family was split apart and things went downhill from there. Eager to move out of home and head to college away from her family , Mandy signs up for a scholarship competition. Raddick International funds the competition and is offering students the chance to work together and win prizes. This reminded me of the Lion Nathan Business experience challenge I entered in college. On the first day, Mandy is running late and accidentally hits a guy with her car, they end up having a not-so-nice conversation and they go their separate ways. It's not till Mandy arrives and the head of RI is introduced as Gabriel aka Gabe Raddick and Mandy realises that he is the one she hit with her car. Will this be a hinderance on her chances of winning ? As the story goes along though, we readers notice that sparks are flying between Gabe and Mandy , but what happens when Mandy decides he is the one she will break all her rules for - only to be rejected by him and if that wasn't bad enough - the rejection happened in a public ceremony and is plastered on youtube. Will Mandy and Gabe work out their differences after the rejection or will Mandy be too hurt to open her heart back up to him ?
Find out in Book#1 Breaking Rules by Tracie Puckett and Readers if you like reading books about Identical twins - then you will enjoy this book as Mandy has an identical twin sister Bailey.
Find out in Book#1 Breaking Rules by Tracie Puckett and Readers if you like reading books about Identical twins - then you will enjoy this book as Mandy has an identical twin sister Bailey.
June 6, 2014
In the beginning, I had a few thoughts of putting this book back on the shelf and picking a new one, since I'm much like Bailey, Mandy's sister, and volunteer work for school doesn't really interest me. But, I am SO glad I stuck it out. As soon as the readers were introduced to Gabriel Raddick, I fell in love. I never wanted to put it down again and was upset when it ended. I was hoping something a little more dramatic and clarifying would have happened between Mandy and Gabe but I suppose that's what the next book is for.
As for the rest of the book, I feel as if Tracie should have further explained in detail what happened with their mother, the characters talked about it, but only vaguely multiple times, kind of a cliffhanger. All in all, though, I would recommend this book to almost any young adult. I loved how Gabe really got Mandy to come out of her shell, as if that was the REAL plan all along, not getting her to fall in love with him.
As for the rest of the book, I feel as if Tracie should have further explained in detail what happened with their mother, the characters talked about it, but only vaguely multiple times, kind of a cliffhanger. All in all, though, I would recommend this book to almost any young adult. I loved how Gabe really got Mandy to come out of her shell, as if that was the REAL plan all along, not getting her to fall in love with him.
March 13, 2021
One day read! The perfect romance book with a twist at the end! Very entertaining and quick read! Recommend to anybody, especially if you've just read a big complex book, this is a perfect read to relax you
Reread// 2021
It was a fun, quick book but my reading tastes have definitely changed. I have read a lot more contemporary romance novels over the years for comparison and this story now felt very two dimensional. I still love Game as a love interest though and I think with more background, which we may get in books 2 &3, Many would be a really interesting character.
Reread// 2021
It was a fun, quick book but my reading tastes have definitely changed. I have read a lot more contemporary romance novels over the years for comparison and this story now felt very two dimensional. I still love Game as a love interest though and I think with more background, which we may get in books 2 &3, Many would be a really interesting character.
May 21, 2014
Fine, is all I can say. This was a really simple girl meets boy story, which is generally something I really enjoy. However there was nothing original to read, hence the 2 stars. Luckily it was free on Kindle and it was definitely a good way to pass the time procrastinating from revising!
May 9, 2016
Oh, I really liked this. It was sweet and INFURIATING and frustrating! Come on, Mandy and Gabe, get it together!! That ending was brutal. Bring on the next one! (Seriously... Get it together, you guys!) 4 stars.
October 27, 2015
That ending is killing me right now !
January 16, 2018
Book Review- Breaking the Rules by Tracie Puckett
Mandy has signed up this volunteering project for her break. They offer a scholarship at the end. In order to live her dream, she needs the money. Her sister makes fun of her and shows this hateful side. Mandy has no idea when her sister became so rude and self-absorbed. Then she meets the man behind the project. Her first impression was less than stellar. She knows she will have to really fight to win the scholarship.
The more she learns about Gabe, the more her rules are in danger of being broken. She is happy being by herself. She lives by the rules she developed. Gabe was once a loner but was in the military stationed in Afghanistan. His perspective changed and he started the Roddrick Initiative. He is drawn to Mandy.
Mandy fights her feelings at first but then decides to be honest with him and herself. However, everything crashes around her when her dad makes a big decision and Gabe takes a step back.
This book was hard to read. Mandy’s hurt radiated off the pages. Her parents were worthless and her old friends hurt her. She would rather be alone then at risk of being hurt like that again.
She put up a fight when it came to Gabe. Her fears were front and center. She was almost borderline hysterical fighting to keep her rules. It was so sad to watch but look at her family, easy to understand.
I can’t believe her father. There are no words to really describe him. He was extremely selfish. I was floored at how often he put his own desires first. I just wanted to strangle him. I didn’t trust him at all. The ending of the story proves that without a doubt.
Then Gabe is very mysterious. I couldn’t figure him out. Part way through the story his behavior changes. Something else is going on and Mandy has no clue what. Neither does the reader. I wasn’t expecting how the author ended the book. I was a bit frustrated to be honest, but I’m ready to read the next book to see what is truly going on. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
Mandy has signed up this volunteering project for her break. They offer a scholarship at the end. In order to live her dream, she needs the money. Her sister makes fun of her and shows this hateful side. Mandy has no idea when her sister became so rude and self-absorbed. Then she meets the man behind the project. Her first impression was less than stellar. She knows she will have to really fight to win the scholarship.
The more she learns about Gabe, the more her rules are in danger of being broken. She is happy being by herself. She lives by the rules she developed. Gabe was once a loner but was in the military stationed in Afghanistan. His perspective changed and he started the Roddrick Initiative. He is drawn to Mandy.
Mandy fights her feelings at first but then decides to be honest with him and herself. However, everything crashes around her when her dad makes a big decision and Gabe takes a step back.
This book was hard to read. Mandy’s hurt radiated off the pages. Her parents were worthless and her old friends hurt her. She would rather be alone then at risk of being hurt like that again.
She put up a fight when it came to Gabe. Her fears were front and center. She was almost borderline hysterical fighting to keep her rules. It was so sad to watch but look at her family, easy to understand.
I can’t believe her father. There are no words to really describe him. He was extremely selfish. I was floored at how often he put his own desires first. I just wanted to strangle him. I didn’t trust him at all. The ending of the story proves that without a doubt.
Then Gabe is very mysterious. I couldn’t figure him out. Part way through the story his behavior changes. Something else is going on and Mandy has no clue what. Neither does the reader. I wasn’t expecting how the author ended the book. I was a bit frustrated to be honest, but I’m ready to read the next book to see what is truly going on. I give this book a 4 out of 5.
Read
March 13, 2017Breaking Rules, by Tracie Puckett, is about a girl named Mandy Parker. Mandy has rules she lives by everyday. Rule #1 being to never fall in love. But when Mandy signed up for the Raddick Initiative (RI) in Sugar Creek, a summer volunteer program, she never knew she would break that rule. Mandy's purpose to signing up for RI so she could spend more time with her identical twin sister, Bailey, and win the full ride scholarship to the college of your choice. Mandy's father would only pay for Mandy's college if she gave up her dream of being a writer, like her mother. Their mother had left them to write for Hollywood shows and her father still hadn't forgiven her. On the first day of the program, she was driving and wasn't paying attention to the road, and there was a man standing right in the middle of the road and she couldn't stop in enough time. She panicked and got out of the car and the man didn't want any kind of help. She noticed after he got up that he walked with a limp, and she freaked out. She knew she couldn't do anything about it so she continued to the program. Once she got there, she saw him. The man she had just ran over with her car was there. She was scared he was following her so she confronted him, only to figure out he was Gabe Raddick, the founder of RI. She and Gabe got on the wrong foot at first, but as the program went on, she fell head over heels for Gabe. Mandy was pretty sure Gabe liked her, too, but she could never tell. They spent every day together and Mandy could not help but to tell him everything because he was such a good listener. But, as time went on, Gabe started acting strange. Mandy never knew what she did to him. Gabe finally had to tell her that they couldn't be together because of the program.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes drama and romance. One reason I recommend this book is because it teaches that even though bad things can happen to you, you can still be happy. Another reason I recommend this book is because the book encourages to rekindle relationships, like Mandy and Bailey. Another reason to read this book is because it makes you want to keep reading about what will happen next.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes drama and romance. One reason I recommend this book is because it teaches that even though bad things can happen to you, you can still be happy. Another reason I recommend this book is because the book encourages to rekindle relationships, like Mandy and Bailey. Another reason to read this book is because it makes you want to keep reading about what will happen next.
August 14, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this story -- an innocent young adult romance based on the real world, it was a refreshing change from the usual fantasy-type stories that seem to clutter the shelves these days. And, as weird as this sounds, the ending had a very "Japanese" feel to it; I have my reasons for saying this but explaining why would cause spoilers so I have to be a bit vague. I used to live in Japan and noticed a common theme in the conclusions of Japanese stories/movies/manga, and this book just reminded me of that, in a good way.
September 25, 2023
What an emotion-packed read! This was a book that I connected with on a deeper level. As a twin and an intentional loner myself, I totally related to Mandy and everything she was going through. I think Mandy’s depth as a character is something that other readers will be able to connect with as well. For many reasons, I enjoyed reading this book and seeing how all of the relationships changed and grew over time. The plot was well-developed and the story was written in a beautiful way. It definitely reminded me of 10 Things I Hate About You. I’m curious to see what’s next for Mandy and Gabe!
June 22, 2020
Got it for free on Apple Books so I guess that can kind of tell you something already.
Pretty cliché story line, towards the middle of the book I was just trying to get through it since I hate leaving something unfinished.
I found Amanda to be kind of annoying and her relationship with Gabe to be weird. It felt too forced and very high school cliché but not written in a way that was engaging. This is the first book in the series and I do not think I’ll be continuing to read.
Pretty cliché story line, towards the middle of the book I was just trying to get through it since I hate leaving something unfinished.
I found Amanda to be kind of annoying and her relationship with Gabe to be weird. It felt too forced and very high school cliché but not written in a way that was engaging. This is the first book in the series and I do not think I’ll be continuing to read.
April 1, 2019
This book was romantic and cliché, and I enjoyed it so much. I thought it was a good story and I liked the way it ended, because it didn't answer all of the questions and mysteries that came up throughout the book. The only part that I thought was hard to get through was the constant reference to the charities.
August 7, 2023
I’m too old for this now, but it was a light, quick read. I have no interest in finishing the series, but I’m curious enough, I’ll read the reviews. An issue I did have, however, was the fact that the protagonist was 18 — she didn’t need to move? That was a bit of a plot hole for me. The romance was also really fast, but that’s the genre…
June 7, 2017
This book is so much more then the average girl meets boy book. It deal with real family trust issues and real fears people have to over come to get what they want. I have to say this book didn't have the ending a wanted ,but now I'm excited I read to second book.
April 23, 2025
The writer is concise and has really good vocabulary. I thought the story was rather romantic and was hooked after the first 2 chapters, so give it a chance. It’s for those who truly believe in romance. Tried getting the next ones on the Apple Store, but they weren’t showing up, alas.
August 6, 2017
Teenage romance
Sometimes life experiences force one to close self in a shell until another experience forces you to break the shell and move on. Good story line .
Sometimes life experiences force one to close self in a shell until another experience forces you to break the shell and move on. Good story line .
October 23, 2017
Literally dragged myself reading this till the end.
November 12, 2017
Amazing !!!
Absolutely love this book I just wish I could find the other two.. I can't find them on kindle or online
Absolutely love this book I just wish I could find the other two.. I can't find them on kindle or online
February 16, 2018
Good book bad ending
The description of the book had a lot of promise and the plot was good, but I very much disliked the ending.
The description of the book had a lot of promise and the plot was good, but I very much disliked the ending.
August 22, 2019
Loved it!
These book got me crying and I'm only 11. It had romance, a hold your breath moment, feeling, and true emotion. This is a book that you will want to read!!!!
These book got me crying and I'm only 11. It had romance, a hold your breath moment, feeling, and true emotion. This is a book that you will want to read!!!!
June 1, 2020
It was very good book.
I love read it and I can't wait to start book 2 to see what happen with Mandy and Gabe.
I love read it and I can't wait to start book 2 to see what happen with Mandy and Gabe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews