The Fifteen-Minute Rule

Dickson University #3

by Max Monroe

Dickson University’s reigning social king can get any girl on campus to fall for him…except the one he’s been silently falling for his whole life.

Campus legend. Life of the party. The guy everyone wants to know.
That’s me—Ace Kelly.

But the one person who truly knows me? Julia Brooks.
My best friend since we were kids.
Julia’s the kind of girl everyone loves. Sweet, painfully beautiful, and steady, she’s always been my constant.

Somewhere between childhood and college at Dickson University, I fell for her. Hard. And I’ve been running an incognito mission ever since.

Operation: Make Julia fall in love with me...without ruining the friendship.

Flawless plan, right? Wrong.
One catastrophically stupid moment—fine, several—might’ve blown everything apart.

We’ve always had our fifteen-minute rule: get mad, shout, hate each other all we want, but when the time is up, we're back to best buddies.

But this time, fifteen minutes might not be enough.

Not when Julia’s trust and our entire lifetime of “us” is suddenly on the line.

I’m in love with my best friend.
And come hell or high water, I’m not giving up my girl without a fight.

Genres: Romance, College, Friends To Lovers, Slow Burn, New Adult, M F Romance, Contemporary Romance

422 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 30, 2026

About the author

Many moons ago, a dynamic duo of romance authors teamed up under the pseudonym Max Monroe, and, well, the rest is history...

Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of more than thirty contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their Facebook newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far. ​

​

Reviews

[Dani (Daniiireads)]

DNF 25%

I’m sorry, but this is not good 😅

[Briana smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 MOTHERFLUFFIN STARS(🤭)
arc review💘

The bestfriends to lovers. The yearning. The pining. THE DRAMA!!! The miscommunication and the heartbreak. I am here for it and obsessed. I dont want no criticism on this book. It made me laugh so much, tear up and my heart is so full of these two. I just wanted to yell KISS HER. I am a sucker for a bestfriends to lovers and this cured my soul 🥹

thank you hambright pr for a special physical arc 💘

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC* This was my first book of the year and what a book it was. I didn't think it was possible to top Thatcher Kelly, who btw is one of my all time favorite characters in the Max Monroe Universe, but Ace Kelly surely did.
The 15 minute rule has it all, friends to lovers, slow burn, hilarious moments, family love, and best of all a happy ending and hints of possible new love stories within the series.
can't wait for whatever story comes next.

[Erin Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Author

Oh it was like coming home again, to the brilliant world of the OG Billionaires and their antics.

The banter that flows throughout the pages and the ever present question of "What is coming next?" made this one tough to put down.

As always with Max Monroe books, there is every chance you'll snort with laughter so choose your reading location carefully!

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰]

Julia + Ace

Ace Kelley. Thatch's mini-me is finally getting his own book!
And he kinda just now realized what all of their friends and family have known for ages... that he's in love with his BFF Julia.
They've been super besties since before they were even born and now he's suddenly in love with her? How? Huh? What now?

LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN!

══════════════════




ADORABLE!
Amazing third book in this second generation series!
We've been waiting for Ace's book for what feels like decades!
And now he's finally here and he's just as thatchy as we were hoping he'd be!
He's super happy in his little billionaire son college life with his bestie by his side. But then he's suddenly in love with her? WTF!? Poor guy. And it's not as easy as he might have thought to get her to fall for him too.
Well - it would be easy if they would just talk a bit more. But he's an idiot boy and he does some idiot things before we can finally get to that happy end. Lol.

I loved reading this.
It was super funny and ridiculous and sweet and adorable and just what you'd expect from a Thatch Junior rom-com!

Of course we also meet all the other kids and parents and friends and family again.
Lots of Thatch and Kline and Cassie and Georgie and of course Finn and Scottie and a bit Blake and Lexi. Amazing cast! And now we SO need Gunnar's book. He's only 14 now - but we can wait. A bit. He's so mysterious and crazy and interesting! He's what would happen if super crazy Cassie and Thatch had a baby with a James Bond Navy SEAL! GIMME!
(Finn's brothers might get their story first!)

Plus also - can we please get a Thatch Universe TV Show??

THE FIFTEEN-MINUTE RULE was another perfect addition to this Winslow/Billionaire Bad Boys second generation Dickson University series. So funny + adorable + sparky + ridiculous + frustrating + just beautiful! And also... THATCH!! Run to your nearest book dealer for your own Acer - this one is so mine!

Tiny little complainings... It was a little bit too long. With not really much happening here and there. And then.. this is New Adult or almost YA and with them being just 18/19 I wasn't expecting anything extremely sexy - but there was almost none of that at all. I think this would've been a bit cuter a few years into the future - maybe we'll get a second book for them one day!

If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!


💜 💜

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to @hambright_pr for the early digital and finished copy of this book. I’ll preface this by saying I read book 1, but not book 2 of this series and did not feel like I missed any important storyline parts between the books.

Ace and Julia are the only friends to lovers story I will accept, as it’s not a favorite trope of mine, but I am OBSESSED with the way this was executed. Despite the fact that EVERYONE knew these 2 were soulmates, ace and Julia themselves were clueless. Ace realizes it first and his brain catches up on the years he’s been in love with her and never even realized. He falls “first” and falls hard and arranges several situations to force their proximity even more than their inseparable selves already allowed. There was just such cute scenarios and the presence of their parents (who have their own books that I haven’t read) was fantastic - they brought so much life to the books and I’m sure some nostalgia for anyone who has read the whole backlist. They also brought back the college secret Society that ace is now the president of and his wild self knew how to bring the party with these meetings. It was such an easy binge worthy read, I can’t stand enough good things.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best Friends, Finally

Max Monroe does it again—sweet, sexy, a little chaotic, and full of heart. The Fifteen Minute Rule is a fun, emotional best-friends-to-lovers story that fits perfectly into the Max Monroe universe (and yes, especially for longtime fans of the OG Billionaires).

Ace Kelly is exactly what you’d expect from Thatch Kelly’s kid: confident, charming, and slightly unhinged in the best way. Julia, meanwhile, is his steady, grounding force—and has been since childhood. Watching these two dance around their feelings for years was both frustrating and completely believable. They definitely take their time getting their crap together, but once they do? Totally worth the wait.

The Kelly family chaos is alive and well, the banter is great, and the famous fifteen-minute rule adds a fun (and sometimes heartbreaking) twist to their relationship. I loved the side characters and how much history and emotion were packed into a relatively quick, easy read.
If you’re a Max Monroe fan—or love friends-to-lovers with humor, heart, and just enough angst—this one delivers.

⭐ 3.75 stars

ARC generously provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review.

[Romancingthroughlife (Sivan) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Every girl on campus wants to date Ace Kelly. It’s annoying.”
"You know, Julia, I think Ace Kelly only wants to date one girl."

I have been waiting for this book ever since we got teased that Julia and Ace end up together and book one. Unfortunately, the book fell a bit flat for me. This is very much a slow burn romance. We don’t get much of Julia and Ace together until the very end of the book. It also seems like we got a lot of story about Ace and his character, but not much of Julia. It seemed like she was just kind of there, but not much growth to her or anything interesting. The only thing that I really liked about this book was how devoted Ace was to Julia and how much she was gone for her. The last 90% of the book was my favorite part when they finally got together and then we got to see the last few chapters of them as a couple.

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
Friends to lovers
Neighbors to lovers
Hero falls first
Slow burn romance
Obsessed hero
College romance

[Brooke Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so so so much to #HambrightPR and #MaxMonroe for the ARC. This book had me bursting with laughter, Ace’s POV was witty and comedic on so many levels and his utter chaos of his mind was perfectly balanced. And I desperately need Gunner to grow up and have a book because that kid is too freaking much, def my stand out favourite character from this book! Julia also had some brilliant one liners and her humour is a perfect match to Ace. There is so many things I loved about this, and I definitely stayed up way too late just to finish this in one sitting because I literally could not put it down. If I had to nit pick anything, (which I’ll admit is tough) the build up tension and pining in this book wasn’t as spicy as I wished it could have been especially compared to the previous ones in this series, but I’m a slag for dirty books so I’ll just have to take the wholesomeness and leave it at that 😂❤️

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, where do I begin. Ace Kelly and Julia Brooks together, I'm so sorry Kline, you are well and truly stuck with Thatch for the rest of your life. But did you really think you could get rid of him...

The Fifteen-Minute Rule had me laughing before I even reached chapter one, but with Ace, son of Thatcher and Cassie Kelly, as the MMC, I knew this book was going to be a wild ride.

Social anxiety is scared of Ace, but he showed great character development throughout the book. I loved the pining he went through and showing Julia how much he loved her. If someone brought steak to my door like that, I think I'd melt. I wish we could have gotten a larger portion of the book with them being together, but there's room for that with books still to come in the series.

Reading this made me realise I couldn't handle a real Ace or Thatch in my life. I think they would give me a heart attack with the motherfluffing shit they get up to. I'm scared to read Gunner's story in the future! I know it's going to be 100% worse than Ace's antics.

I felt a wide range of emotions while reading this. Laughter, tears, anxiety, happiness, and happy tears, I truly felt it all. I love all of these characters so much. I feel like I've known them for years, which is probably accurate as I read the OG series BBB in 2022.

My favourite part of the book is all the OG's coming back and seeing the family grow. If it keeps going, I think they are going to need to build a lake resort next to the lake house with another few dozen rooms to fit them all.

I'm curious to see who's up next in the Dickson University Universe 🤔 👀 There's at least another few couples I saw some teasers about. Why did Evie and Gunner go missing at the same time? Who is Kayla's 'C' going to be? Could it be Lexi's friend Connor. And the twins with Piper at the end. Things could be heating up even more now that they are all enjoying another summer.

Thank you so much to Max and Monroe for letting me read this ARC and being a member of the Maxed Out Readers. It truly feels like a welcoming community of book lovers.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa! Way to start out the year!! The Fifteen-Minute Rule is everything! Roller-coaster of a ride. Laugh out loud moments, heartfelt moments. Og characters with their shenanigans 😂 of course hea. 5 stars!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max Monroe The Fifteen-Minute Rule is the kind of book that opens with chaos, promises emotional stability, and then immediately laughs at you for believing that was ever an option.
Published by Max Monroe LLC, thank you to the publisher and Hambright PR for my gifted ARC.

“I’m in love with my best friend.”
And somehow that simple sentence manages to be both the entire plot and the root of every single bad decision that follows.

This is a friends-to-lovers college romance that leans hard into nostalgia, pining, and the very real messiness of growing up with someone who knows you too well. Ace Kelly is Dickson University’s social king, a charming menace raised by parents who apparently thought “impulse control” was optional. He’s confident, loud, and emotionally allergic to doing things the easy way. Julia Brooks is his opposite in the best sense. She’s steady, kind, and grounded, the kind of girl who holds everything together while everyone else spirals. They’ve been best friends forever. Their families are intertwined. Their lives are entangled in ways that feel permanent. And when Ace finally realizes he’s in love with her, everything explodes.

What makes this story work is the history. You can feel the years between them in every interaction. The inside jokes, the routines, the unspoken understanding. That foundation makes the slow burn believable, even when Ace is actively testing my patience. Instead of simply telling Julia how he feels, he launches into a series of ridiculous, well-meaning, and deeply unhinged attempts to prove he’s “boyfriend material.” Some of these moments are laugh-out-loud funny. Others made me want to close my Kindle and scream into the void. But they also feel very on brand for a nineteen-year-old who has never had to sit with real emotional vulnerability before.

The fifteen-minute rule is the emotional core of the book. It’s their rule for fighting. Get mad, say what you need to say, and after fifteen minutes, you forgive each other. It’s sweet and symbolic and works beautifully until it doesn’t. When that rule finally breaks, the story shifts in a way that feels earned. This is where the romance deepens, and the consequences of taking someone for granted finally land. Watching Ace realize that charm and grand gestures aren’t enough when trust is damaged was one of the stronger emotional arcs in the book.

Julia, for her part, is not just a passive love interest waiting around to be chosen. She has boundaries. She gets hurt. She calls Ace out when he deserves it. I appreciated that she doesn’t immediately fold just because he finally figures out his feelings. Their conflict feels age-appropriate without being trivial, which isn’t always easy to pull off in new adult romance.

The pacing is slow, and the spice is minimal, so readers looking for heat-forward romance may find this frustrating. But if you enjoy yearning, emotional tension, and watching two people who clearly belong together stumble their way toward honesty, this will hit. The side characters and family dynamics add humor and warmth, especially for readers familiar with the wider Dickson University world.

This isn’t a perfect book. Ace is immature, the burn is long, and there are moments where everything could have been solved with one honest conversation. But that’s also the point. This is a story about growing up, about realizing that love isn’t automatic just because it’s familiar, and about choosing your person when it finally matters.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars

#TheFifteenMinuteRule #MaxMonroe #HambrightPR #ARCReview #BookReview #FriendsToLovers #CollegeRomance #NewAdultRomance #SlowBurnRomance #RomComReads

[Jami Birnbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

*An advance reader copy was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.*

Ace Kelly and Julia Brooks were best friends before they were even born. But that’s all they were… that is until they started Dickson University. Together they created a new friend group with Finn and Scottie (Learning Curve) and Lexi and Blake (Playing Games). Everyone knew Ace’s name (a chip off the old Thatch block) on campus. He never left Julia behind… they were always at the events for the secret underground secret society and the best parties together with their friends. Before the end of freshman year, someone outside their friend group asked Julia out and she said yes.

Ace finally realized what all their friends already knew, he was in love with Julia. He started doing things to get her attention… had his unruly younger brother throw a party when their parents were out of the country the night of Julia’s first date with the new guy. Ace put together a picnic dinner at the park, where they conveniently “found” a lost puppy without tags (Julia always wanted a dog). He would let himself into her apartment and make them dinner. Okay, so that didn’t turn out that hot for either of them. And the list goes on.

All the while, Julia kept seeing the guy. But she kept him at arm’s length. Truth be told, Julia has been in love with Ace for the majority of their lives. She just didn’t want to be the one to speak up first, so not to fracture their friendship if he didn’t feel the same way. Then came her breaking point, when Ace waited until he heard her come home after another date, crossed the hall and kissed her.

Julia was stunned. Ace wasn’t a monk through high school and their freshman year of college. She always felt like a third wheel, even if she was out with one of his date’s friends. But he never showed any interest in her like this. And then Ace started confessing, which made Julia more confused and angry. When they were little, they created “The Fifteen-Minute Rule” ~ they weren’t allowed to stay mad at each other for longer than 15 minutes. Unfortunately for Ace, it was going to take Julia a little longer this time.

Is Julia ever going to speak to Ace again? Or did he go too far this time? And why did he wait so long? It’s not like they just met one another. I wasn’t sure how this one was going to work out. This is one of those books you just need to read yourself to see how Ace gets out of the doghouse with his very best friend.

I love how Max Monroe took the first three books in the Dickson University Series and wrote them almost as they were happening at the same time. With every new story, you see where the current book fits into the same timeline. Which means we are revisiting Finn and Scottie and Lexi and Blake. Also, you can’t tell Ace and Julia’s story without their parents, Thatch and Cassie and Kline and Georgia. Thatch needling Kline never fails to make me smile. I’m hoping we are going to be able to read more exploits from Dickinson University from Finn’s brothers and maybe even Gunther and Evie. This is the series that keeps on giving!

[Aleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Max Monroe for sending me this ARC!

The Fifteen-Minute Rule is a Romantic Comedy and the third book in a series of standalones from my favorite rom-com writing duo. I’ve been waiting so long for Julia and Ace’s book and omg it was everything I hoped for and more, I loved it so much!

Julia and Ace have been best friends literally from their birth, so when in college Ace suddenly realizes he is in love with her, he comes up with a plan to slowly show her they are perfect for each other and make her fall in love with him too. But between their crazy families, Julia starting to date someone else, becoming neighbors and college drama, Ace realizes that executing his plan successfully is going to be harder than he expected.

This book was so much fun from literally the first page, I already knew I was going to love it but it exceeded all my expectations and I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down, and laughing and crying from laughter almost the whole time. Ace was incredible in this book, I already knew he was almost as crazy as his parents, but once he realized he was in love with Julia he was willing to do anything to make her his, including setting his apartment on fire just so he could stay with her for a few days, his antics and the way his parents supported him and wanted to help with his ideas had me laughing out loud so many times. Julia was also amazing as the FMC, she was the calm to Ace’s crazy (but not always calm, she had some crazy ideas of her own) and she was a great friend and daughter, I liked her in previous books but here I came to love her and her relationship with Ace. They were incredible as friends but once Ace had his realization there was so. much. pining. like literally most of this book is him paining for her and trying to show her he loves her (with usually poor results) and I was both laughing at that but also just waiting for them to get together, literally everyone could see how much they loved each other and it was beautiful to see when they finally became a couple, they were so perfect for each other and I loved seeing them together. And the amount of Thatch, Cassie, Georgie and Kline content we got had me squealing with joy, I missed those characters and their crazy and seeing them as parents was amazing and hilarious.

The Fifteen-Minute Rule is an amazing rom-com that I had a lot of fun reading and definitely recommend to everyone. I can’t wait for more books from Max and Monroe.

[Mary Lohorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic read by Max Monroe! I’ve honestly never read a book of theirs that I didn’t love. The characters are relatable which I love. The banter in this book kept me cracking up. Ace knew the girl he wanted to be with. It was the same girl he’s known forever. His childhood best friend Julia! They grew up together and became fast friends. He was hesitant about dating her only because he didn’t want to ruin the friendship if it didn’t work out. But he set his mind to it and made his mission to make her fall in love with him. They struggled through good and bad times but they were determined to remain friends no matter what. Can they put the issues behind them and live a wonderful life as a couple? I won’t spoil anything but I highly recommend this read. You’ll be happy, sad, anxious and excited throughout. I can’t wait to see what comes next for this series.

Dickson University’s reigning social king can get any girl on campus to fall for him…except the one he’s been silently falling for his whole life.

Campus legend. Life of the party. The guy everyone wants to know.
That’s me—Ace Kelly.

But the one person who truly knows me? Julia Brooks.
My best friend since we were kids.
Julia’s the kind of girl everyone loves. Sweet, painfully beautiful, and steady, she’s always been my constant.

Somewhere between childhood and college at Dickson University, I fell for her. Hard. And I’ve been running an incognito mission ever since.

Operation: Make Julia fall in love with me...without ruining the friendship.

Flawless plan, right? Wrong.
One catastrophically stupid moment—fine, several—might’ve blown everything apart.

We’ve always had our fifteen-minute rule: get mad, shout, hate each other all we want, but when the time is up, we're back to best buddies.

But this time, fifteen minutes might not be enough.

Not when Julia’s trust and our entire lifetime of “us” is suddenly on the line.

I’m in love with my best friend.
And come hell or high water, I’m not giving up my girl without a fight.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book for forever it feels like! So happy that Ace and Julia finally get their story. I love the whole Dickson U world series and would recommend them all. Very well written, lots of humor you're used to from Max Monroe but a lot of emotions too. It's not all roses in these young adult's world.

Ace and Julia have been best friends for years. Their parents are best friends, they grew up together and naturally just gravitated toward each other. Everyone thinks it is weird that they can be friends as you don't usually see that with a guy/girl combo especially at that age. But when Julia gives Ace a bit of a scare (she plays a prank), it opens his eyes to his true feelings for her. But of course instead of just telling her, he tries to prove himself and get her to see how good they can be together through actions. Like ridiculous actions - starting his apartment on fire so he has to stay with her for a few days, "finding" a lost puppy in the park...the list goes on with the ridiculousness. Whereas Julia sees these actions from Ace, she honestly thinks he is just finally growing up. She knows his past to well to think he could like her...even when he slips up and gives her a "best friend" kiss (with tongue so definitely not accurate). When Ace makes a big error in judgement by keeping something from Julia, she is done. Even when he professes his love, she doesn't believe him but instead calls him out on always keeping her as a backup plan in the wings. For the first time in their 19 years, the two refuse to talk to each other. Normally they allow 15 minutes to be made at each other (15-minute rule) and then they have to forgive each other. But not this time. This time they might be permanently broken.

Loved this next in series and seeing all your previous favorites. Really great to get the emotions from Ace who has always been a playboy and a prankster. And to not have Julia just give in to him like she always does. Very well written and really captured the young adult emotions and angst.

[Uzia]

Thank you to Hambright PR and Max Monroe for gifting me the e-ARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

The Fifteen-Minute Rule by Max Monroe
This book follows two childhood bestfriends navigating their lives. One of them finds out they are in love with the other and the whole story starts spiraling. The MMC was so delusional that it took an effort for me not smack him in the head (ik he is fictional 😭). He takes some WILD choices and does some INSANE things for his 'love'. 🫩 Their parents were worse. 🥲 I haven't read their books but in this book, THEY WERE CRAZY. Literally facepalmed myself so many times (I think my face is flat now).
The fmc is practical and straightforward. I felt so bad for this poor girl at the ending. The amount of hold this woman had over the MMC made me scream (in a good way). Honestly, I think whatever she felt throughout the book was valid.
This was a romance book which you can pick up for a happy ending and crazy BUT (weirdly) cute moves that the MMC does. You will question the MMC's sanity and the FMC's choices but you have to trust the process.

Reason I did not give it a 5⭐:
As I said, I did not read the parent's books yet so I felt disconnected from the world. Some of the parts of the book felt like Bollywood scenes with a hint of overreacting and unrealistic love. The book felt dragged in the starting with the MMC repeating how much he was in love with the FMC a trillion times and the FMC worrying about a cockroach (honestly, same girl). 😭🤚Most of the times I was literally questioning how the hell were they in college.

Overall the book was cute college romance book with a mix of crazy RICH parents. ☺️

Thank you so much for listening to me yap!
Love,
Uzia.

[Claudia, Cmarie927 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic addition to this series!!

If you have enjoyed the Billionaire Bad Boy series (and fallen in love with Thatch, Kline and their wives) then you KNOW that their children's love story might as well be written in stone. Ace and Julia have grown up together as best friends, and everyone (but them) knows they are soulmates and in love with each other. As they begin their sophomore year at Dickson U., some things shift, and some things settle. Ace's realization of his feelings was all-encompassing, and kept these pages flipping on their own.

While this does have some really entertaining situations because - HELLO - he's Thatch and Cassie's son, I was held hostage by the excruciating longing and angst of this pair for each other. Several times I was screaming in my head "Just KISS already! You know she loves you, you know you love her, what are you doing!? ARRRGH!!" hahahaha... IYKYK.

I am really glad I read this series (and all the others associated with this series from this author duo) in order, before this one, because doing so gave me a multi-layered, fantastic experience with all of the characters. While every book can be considered a stand-alone, understanding the nuances and referenced past events to the character's stories, and building on the prior story line made this one SO enjoyable. Especially with their friend group, and the support between these couples.

I strongly encourage you to enjoy this series, and all other works from this talented author duo. Definitely worth your time to do so, IMO. I was fortunate to receive an ARC (thank you) and happily leave my review.

[Smutty Professor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting for Ace and Julia’s story for a long time, and The Fifteen-Minute Rule felt like a payoff that made sense for who these two are. They’ve been best friends basically their whole lives, completely wrapped up in each other’s worlds, and somehow still missing what everyone else has seen for years. The setup works because the history is really there and you can feel how deep their connection runs before anything romantic even happens.

Ace is an absolute menace once he realizes he’s in love, and I mean that in the best way. The pining is intense, dramatic, and kind of unhinged, and I loved watching him make one bad decision after another because he’s terrified of saying the wrong thing. It’s funny and a bit vulnerable, but it also comes off as very real. Julia’s reactions made sense too. She’s cautious, she’s been burned by his past, and I loved that she doesn’t just forgive everything the second he finally admits how he feels.

This one starts out sweet and familiar, and then suddenly it’s not enough anymore which is where things really started to hurt. That shift was rough but honestly one of my favorite parts of the book. The family chaos, the banter, and all the familiar faces really made it feel like being back with characters we already know and love.

This isn’t a quick or easy romance, and there were definitely times I wanted to yell at my Kindle, but that’s what made it so good in typical Max Monroe style. If you like friends-to-lovers with a ton of history, lots of pining, and an MMC who is completely all in (even when he’s making a mess of things), this one is a really fun ride! I can't wait to see who gets paired up next!

[MN Book Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you thought you needed more Thatch Kelly in your life, why not try his son, Ace?

Ace and Julia have been best friends since they were born, as their parents have been friends forever as well. When they were six, they made a rule that they could only be mad at each other for fifteen minutes before they had to accept the other's apology and move on. Now, as college students, life is a little different. Ace is hit with the realization that he's actually in love with Julia just as she gets a boyfriend. So what's he to do but try to win her over in the most Kelly fashion ever - especially as his parents are known for their over-the-top showing of love. So when Julia finds out all that Ace did to try to win her over, essentially manipulating the situation, the fifteen-minute rule isn't going to cut it. But will they be able to salvage anything of their friendship when they finally do start talking to each other?

Ace and Julia get their happy ending in this standalone book in a series.

Ace reminded me so much of Thatch with just enough of his mom, Cassie, to make him dangerous. Julie was right, though, to be mad at him for the timing of his declaration and for what he all did to try to win her affection without telling her he was in love with her. I do wonder if they ever shared all the unsent emails with each other after they finally got together, or if they both just deleted them and moved on. I will say, this was one of the lighted spiced books by Max Monroe that I've read, which was sort of a surprise, but I don't feel detracted from the overall story.

I received an advance review copy from Hambright PR, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Ace. Dear sweet Ace. Son of Thatcher Kelly. The things people do for love. Ace and Julie have been best friends, pretty much since birth. Their parents are all friends, so they grew up together. Where one went, the other was close behind. When suddenly something snaps and Ace realizes that he is in fact, in LOVE with her, he does some pretty whacky things to get her to love him back. There are so many laughs.. many at Ace's expense as we witness his insanity. Of course Papa Thatch and Mama Cassie are there almost every step of the way. Where do you think he get's it from? lol IYKYK. The first 2/3's of the book is filled with the comedy, while the last portion is all the heartache. (Be prepared.) This can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading 'Tapping the Billionaire' & 'Banking the Billionaire' to learn more about the parents, and 'Learning Curve' where we are introduced to the next generation of whackadoodles, and where some incidents happen that are mentioned in this book. So many fantastic characters. So much fun and hijinks. So much love. This may be a friends to 'lovers' (though there is no action happening,) but it's not like what you may usually see. There isn't all the 'I can't tell them I love them because it will ruin our friendship' vibe. In fact the only time that thought comes up is when things take a drastic turn in the wrong direction. I really just love all these characters, and I'm sure you will too. =) It's hard to put down and the story flows nicely. It alternates POVs.

[Michelle | the_unexpected_reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review: The Fifteen-Minute Rule
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️

Finally - Ace and Julia!! And this one DELIVERED.

Ace’s YEARNING is absolutely unhinged in the best way. He doesn’t just pine for Julia—he’s been in a full-blown, obsession spiral, and I loved every second of it. The man is so down bad he’s making wildly questionable life choices (including almost burning his apartment down… on purpose) just to spend a few extra nights with her. Iconic behavior, honestly.

Friends-to-lovers is already 🙌🏻 but Max Monroe crank it up with years of history, quiet moments, inside jokes, and that painfully tender fear of ruining everything if one wrong move is made. The fifteen-minute rule adds such a fun emotional layer—until it doesn’t feel like enough, and suddenly everything is on the line. The tension? Chef’s 💋

This book is funny, swoony, and genuinely heartwarming. Ace’s POV especially shines—his devotion, his humor, his absolute refusal to give up on Julia made this impossible to put down. I also loved the updates and cameos from characters in earlier books; it made the world feel so lived-in and rewarding as a series reader.

If you love best friends to lovers, long-term pining, college romance, and an MMC who is all in to an almost feral degree—this one’s for you. I’m already counting down to the next installment. 💖📚

Thank you to @authormaxmonroe for sending me an ARC to review!

✨RELEASES 1/30/26!

#thefifteenminuterule #maxmonroe #dicksonuniversity #booksta #bookstagrammer

[Bookstagrambrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fan-fluffing-tastic read! If you've read the Billionaire series, you know that Thatcher Kelly is character with a huge personality. So getting the opportunity to read about his first born son Ace, whose personality is similar, you know it's going to be an epic story. That said, I kind of wish we would've gotten his and Julia's story when they were a bit older. Not that people can't find true love at 18 and 19, especially after being lifelong best friends, but it did kind of bother me. I also would've like it better had they become a couple sooner in the story rather than at the 90% mark. There really wasn't any *spice* in this book, probably because they weren't a couple for most of it, but I was okay with that. It wasn't needed. It probably sounds like I didn't like this book, but I truly did. Ace and Julia captured my heart. The way Ace pined for her and not so patiently tried to win love was really sweet. I love that they had such a strong foundation as friends. This book was really funny (many laugh out loud moments) and the story held my attention and interest for the few hours it took me to read it. I enjoyed all the side characters that made the story complete. I'm especially curious to know if Gunner (Ace's brother) will eventually get a book because I just know he's got a story to tell! I mean, he is the son of Thatch and Cassie and it's clear that he inherited both of their crazy genes from the glimpses we got in this book. I'm completely invested in all the characters in this series and looking forward to reading all their stories.

[Ecem · Rating 3 out of 5]

*****Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy of The Fifteen-Minute Rule by Max Monroe in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book with a lot of excitement. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and the setup seemed promising. Ace and Julia have known each other since childhood. Their families are close, they grew up together, and both come from wealthy and loving households. They are emotionally secure, supported, and generally well-adjusted people. Maybe that is exactly why the story felt dull to me.

From very early on, especially the moment Ace realizes he is in love with Julia, I had a strong feeling that this book would not work for me. I considered stopping there, but I decided to continue anyway. As I kept reading, it became clearer that this story simply was not my kind of romance. The plot felt stretched out far beyond its natural length. I honestly think this could have worked much better as a novella. As a full novel, it dragged, and the emotional development did not feel strong enough to justify the pacing. Julia dating Drew felt like unnecessary drama to me. Instead of adding tension or depth, it only made the story feel more repetitive and predictable. I kept waiting for a turning point that never really came. I had high expectations, and I do think the story had potential. Unfortunately, for me, it ended up being a rather boring love story that never fully delivered on what it promised.

[Bruna ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
2 stars

This was the biggest disappointment of the year for me and the year literally just started.
I loved the male main character in the previous books.
Loved him.
So imagine my shock when he showed up here as the most obnoxious, manipulative man child I have read in a while. Where was the growth? The maturity? The accountability? Nowhere to be found!

He spent the whole book keeping the FMC close, making decisions for both of them, and only acting on his feelings the moment she started seeing someone else. And mind you, that boyfriend was amazing. Sweet, gentle, and actually treated her well. I felt awful for him!

Instead of owning his feelings earlier, the MMC waits months, confesses at the worst possible time, kisses her, and somehow never apologizes. EVER.
And then the narrative tries to make HER feel like she is also at fault? Absolutely not. She was right. He put her on the back burner until he wanted her again and expected her to be available immediately.

He was not romantic. He was controlling, self absorbed, and a terrible friend.
Also… where was the spice? After the previous books? Weird choice.
I am honestly sad about how much I hated this because my expectations were high. This was a huge letdown.

Will I read the next one? Yes!
Do I recommend this one? Absolutely not.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the many books that I have been looking forward to this year and I have to say that the wait was worth it! Ace and Julia's story has been a long time in the making and it brought new meaning to slow burn romance.

Ace and Julia have been friends since they were kids - always at each other's side and none the wiser until Ace woke up and realized that he had feelings for Julia and has had those feelings for a long time. Once he came to turns with his feelings he then planned and schemed to win Julia's heart and he did so in some amazing Ace Kelly ways.

Julia has been by Ace's side through thick and thin and realized that she needed to live for herself and not pine after Ace. She gets a boyfriend and continues living her life non the wiser that Ace is working on winning her heart. As time progresses though she realizes that she has feelings for Ace too but does not want to risk her heart. Can this pair find their HEA?

This was a roller coaster ride of a story for this pair. I loved the antics of the Kelly clan and the return of the characters from the previous series - both first generation and second. The banter between characters was on point and not just with the main characters but the supporting ones too. Ace and Julia's story had me hooked from the start and I was rooting for Ace the entire time!

I loved this book and I love this series. I would recommend this book and series to others.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖 // Today’s book I’m going to review is The Fifteen Minute Rule by Max Monroe, let me first off just say I’m not sure if Max Monroe is one or two authors but the way things are said its two? Either way I am ADDICTED to their writing style and can definitely see myself reading more of their books.

Some things I love 🫶✨
I love how in the beginning we get to see the start of Ace and Julia’s friendship and get to see it develop.

I really enjoyed the way the author(s) wrote this book and I enjoyed every second. I was so worried this wouldn’t be my thing because I haven’t been able to find my favorite trope but this book helped me realize I love friends to lovers so much!

I love their bond and how gentlemanly Ace is 🥺

💙✨💖🩶🖤
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
Some other things 💙✨
I will say it was a bit confusing when they kept referring to their parents by name instead of mom and dad

I DON’T LIKE DREW 😤🤧

I enjoyed the smut but I wish it was a bit longer and less fade to black vibes (unless thats the authors vibe, then I totally respect that!), but I enjoyed the plot so much so I didn’t take off stars, only the spice.

The way i wanted to cry everytime something went wrong or Ace felt remotely bad about something or anything didnt go his way because i love him so much 🥺🥺🥺💔💔


FINAL RATINGS ✨ ₊˚⊹౨ৎ ₊˚⊹
☆ ──꒰ The Fifteen Minute Rule ✉️꒱ ❞
STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
SPICE 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)
ANGST ⛈️⛈️⛈️⛈️ (4/5)
FLUFF 🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬 (5/5)

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fifteen-Minute Rule is the ultimate best friends to lovers story. Almost attached at the hip since they were born because their parents were best friends too. But Ace suddenly has an earth-shattering realization that he is in love with her and comes up with disastrous plans to force even more proximity with Julia and therefore make her fall in love with him, instead of making his feelings known.

I’ve been waiting for this story forever and was worried it would not meet my expectations, but they were surpassed. The range of emotions I felt while reading this book: (1) tenderness in the moments between Ace and Julia in the prologue, (2) crying from laughter at the ridiculousness of the situations where Thatch, Cassie, Gunnar and Ace get into (Chapters 7 & 8!!!!), (3) mad and wanting to smack Ace in the head because he can’t just communicate, (4) scream from frustration that Ace and Julia can’t get their act together!, (5) and elation at how everything turns out in the end.

I loved reading this book so, so much! Honestly, I would have wished to see a little bit more into the future of these characters, but other than that, it was the perfect start to my reading journey this year. And hopefully, we’ll be able to see more from them in future books from the series (*fingers crossed*).

[Kerri Wells Goetzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ace Kelly is the ultimate campus golden boy on the outside, but underneath the confidence is a guy who has been in love with his best friend for far too long. Julia Brooks is his anchor. She's kind, steady, and deeply loyal. Their lifelong friendship is the heart of this story, and you can really feel the history between them in every interaction. The chemistry is obvious, even when neither of them is ready to admit it out loud.

The fifteen-minute rule is a clever and emotional device. It works well to show how close Ace and Julia are, but it also highlights how different things become when real feelings and broken trust are involved. Watching them struggle when the rule no longer works added depth and realism to their relationship.

Ace’s hesitation and poor timing are understandable, but still frustrating at times, and there were moments where things dragged a bit longer than necessary. That said, the payoff is satisfying, and the emotional growth feels earned.

The banter, side characters, and familiar Max Monroe humor shine throughout, especially for readers who enjoy interconnected series and returning characters. The Fifteen-Minute Rule is a sweet, slightly messy, and heartfelt romance about risking everything for the person who’s always been by your side.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

[Reading to Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.75 Stars**

There was a lot that I really enjoyed about this book. I loved Jules and Ace's friendship and how they grew up together and were best friends. I loved the easy nature of their relationship and I admired their fifteen minute rule, though not always realistice in my mind. I loved that Ace fell first in the sense that he had an epiphany and was then going to do anything to make Jules his. I found the book to be really funny at times as well.

Having said all that, I struggled with Ace's over the top attempts to get Jules to see him as more than a friend. It just seemed to be waaayyyyy too much and not realistic at all. I also struggled with the pacing of the book. A lot was spent on the growth of their friendship and then a large portion was spent on Ace's over the top antics and then there was just a small portion to their actual relationship. I would have loved to see more of Jules and Ace as a couple. I also think too much time was spent on Ace's side gig at colle (Double C) and I am not really sure that added anything to the story.

Overall I did enjoy the story and I found it engaging, but the over top parts and the pacing were a but frustrating.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.