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Creating the Rules
An abandoned past.
An uncertain future.
And a dreaded return to the small town she rejected 30 years ago.
Anne Cromwell is a fiercely independent wealthy widow and New York City socialite whose narcissistic tendencies get her what she wants – but she can't control her relationship with her daughter, the stock market, or whether a gunman shows up in a 5k fundraiser in Central Park.
As her carefully curated life falls apart, Anne's only option is to return to the South Carolina town she left in the throes of grief. In Ferris, she'll be out of the spotlight and can claim the trust money that would protect her lifestyle. All she has to do is co-chaperone a youth group camping trip with her first love, Louis, who knows exactly who Annie used to be – and what made her leave Ferris in the first place.
Anne has to put her rekindled romance to the side when old ties call her back to the city. Not only does Anne's best friend relapse, but her daughter found out Anne has been lying – and she doesn't want anything to do with her. After lying to your daughter for a lifetime, what is enough to heal such a betrayal?
Creating the Rules is a story of coming home and second chances. Full of heartache and hope, Anne Cromwell's story is for those who can't help but remember their past and believe love can be found in the ashes of loss.
If you love stories that make you remember your first love, your hometown, and the people who raised you, you'll love Anne Cromwell's story - the third volume of the interconnected standalone trilogy, The Cromwell Rules. Maybe you'll find yourself remembering the man you used to love – and the woman you used to be.
An uncertain future.
And a dreaded return to the small town she rejected 30 years ago.
Anne Cromwell is a fiercely independent wealthy widow and New York City socialite whose narcissistic tendencies get her what she wants – but she can't control her relationship with her daughter, the stock market, or whether a gunman shows up in a 5k fundraiser in Central Park.
As her carefully curated life falls apart, Anne's only option is to return to the South Carolina town she left in the throes of grief. In Ferris, she'll be out of the spotlight and can claim the trust money that would protect her lifestyle. All she has to do is co-chaperone a youth group camping trip with her first love, Louis, who knows exactly who Annie used to be – and what made her leave Ferris in the first place.
Anne has to put her rekindled romance to the side when old ties call her back to the city. Not only does Anne's best friend relapse, but her daughter found out Anne has been lying – and she doesn't want anything to do with her. After lying to your daughter for a lifetime, what is enough to heal such a betrayal?
Creating the Rules is a story of coming home and second chances. Full of heartache and hope, Anne Cromwell's story is for those who can't help but remember their past and believe love can be found in the ashes of loss.
If you love stories that make you remember your first love, your hometown, and the people who raised you, you'll love Anne Cromwell's story - the third volume of the interconnected standalone trilogy, The Cromwell Rules. Maybe you'll find yourself remembering the man you used to love – and the woman you used to be.
412 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2025
2 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Ania Ray
3 books54 followersAnia Ray is a mama, author, and CEO of Quill & Cup, a global community for women writers. She writes women’s fiction where each protagonist must face the worst of herself before becoming the hero of her own story. When she's not working, she's hiking, chasing her toddler through new cities, or cooking for her loved ones. Follow her @theaniassey on Instagram and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 21, 2025
Oh, Anne Cromwell. I have been waiting for your story since I read THE CROMWELL RULES, and it was absolutely worth the wait.
Anne Cromwell is a widowed, wealthy New York socialite who has lived her life by her own rules. But unfortunate circumstances and selfish decisions have shaken up the life to which she's become accustomed: her place in philanthropic society is called into question, her relationship with her daughter is strained, and her finances are in dire straits. In order to get back the life she wants, she begrudgingly reaches for a lifeline: she must return to her hometown in South Carolina to make amends with the family she left behind to access a trust.
What follows is a push-and-pull of old life and new, the reopening of old wounds, and the facing of new realities. Anne's story asks the questions: What if the person you wanted to be comes face-to-face with the person you used to be? What would you do to keep the life you wanted?
What does it mean if what you've wanted for yourself has changed?
In THE CROMWELL RULES, Anne felt like an untouchable, unflappable force to be reckoned with. Now, in her own book, readers are able to peel back those (meticulously-crafted!) layers to see the strong, flawed human hidden beneath. What a journey. What a gift. CREATING THE RULES is an absolute powerhouse of a book, and the perfect ending to Ania Ray's trilogy.
Anne Cromwell is a widowed, wealthy New York socialite who has lived her life by her own rules. But unfortunate circumstances and selfish decisions have shaken up the life to which she's become accustomed: her place in philanthropic society is called into question, her relationship with her daughter is strained, and her finances are in dire straits. In order to get back the life she wants, she begrudgingly reaches for a lifeline: she must return to her hometown in South Carolina to make amends with the family she left behind to access a trust.
What follows is a push-and-pull of old life and new, the reopening of old wounds, and the facing of new realities. Anne's story asks the questions: What if the person you wanted to be comes face-to-face with the person you used to be? What would you do to keep the life you wanted?
What does it mean if what you've wanted for yourself has changed?
In THE CROMWELL RULES, Anne felt like an untouchable, unflappable force to be reckoned with. Now, in her own book, readers are able to peel back those (meticulously-crafted!) layers to see the strong, flawed human hidden beneath. What a journey. What a gift. CREATING THE RULES is an absolute powerhouse of a book, and the perfect ending to Ania Ray's trilogy.
September 30, 2025
Deeply emotional and beautifully written exploration of grief, identity, and second chances. Anne Cromwell, a wealthy New York socialite with a complicated past is forced to confront the life she left behind in Ferris, South Carolina. What unfolds is a story that's equal parts heartache and hope.
Ania masterfully portrays Anne's narcissistic tendencies not as caricature but as a shield for pain and loss. Watching Anne's unravel-and rebuold- is both painful and empowering.
The writing is vivid and introspective, with moments that made me laugh, cry and reflect. Ania's ability to make Anne's both flawed and lovable is a testament to her skill as a storyteller. This book doesn't just tell a story-it makes you feel it.
Ania masterfully portrays Anne's narcissistic tendencies not as caricature but as a shield for pain and loss. Watching Anne's unravel-and rebuold- is both painful and empowering.
The writing is vivid and introspective, with moments that made me laugh, cry and reflect. Ania's ability to make Anne's both flawed and lovable is a testament to her skill as a storyteller. This book doesn't just tell a story-it makes you feel it.
October 1, 2025
We finally get Anne Cromwell story. I always knew there was a reason she is the way she is! I felt for Anne as she struggled to save her relationship with her daughter. Anne also gets a second chance at love with an old flame. I highly recommend this book, and the two that came before it. Do yourself a favor and read the whole series!
September 23, 2025
Creating the Rules finally gives us a deeper glimpse into the mind of Anne Cromwell. Up until now, Anne has come across as cold, detached, and governed by soul-draining “rules.” In this book, we see how those rules were not random, but a form of protection—born from trauma and crafted as a survival mechanism.
What struck me most was the duality: the rules make sense in Anne’s world, yet they eventually become as destructive as the experiences that created them. While Anne can be frustrating—even unbearable—at times, her evolution is both powerful and moving. Watching her slowly transform into a softer, more open woman and mother was one of the most rewarding aspects of the story.
Creating the Rules is a compelling character study that shows how the walls we build to protect ourselves can also keep us from living fully—and how growth comes from daring to take those walls down.
What struck me most was the duality: the rules make sense in Anne’s world, yet they eventually become as destructive as the experiences that created them. While Anne can be frustrating—even unbearable—at times, her evolution is both powerful and moving. Watching her slowly transform into a softer, more open woman and mother was one of the most rewarding aspects of the story.
Creating the Rules is a compelling character study that shows how the walls we build to protect ourselves can also keep us from living fully—and how growth comes from daring to take those walls down.
September 17, 2025
This was the best Cromwell story yet! I loved being along side Anne as she revisits her past and learning about how the rules came to be! The descriptions pulled me in to Anne’s world and made me excited to keep reading to find out what would happen next!
September 28, 2025
What a finish to the Cromwell trilogy by Ania Ray! A dive deep into Anne’s past through the windows of her memories, you really get into her heart and mind and get to see all that makes Anne, Annie. If you loved The Cromwell Rules and Breaking the Rules, you’ll get just as lost in Anne’s world!
October 9, 2025
I have read thousands of books in my life and this series is one of the very best! It would be impossible to rank this trilogy in order of favorites (they would all be #1) but book 3 is just extra special with the focus on Anne's story. The world Ania built, the storyline, the character development....it is just incredible to see her work grow as an author with every book! This trilogy is a MUST ADD to your TBR list!!
September 27, 2025
Ray’s writing has grown so much! I cried, I laughed, and I loved Anne’s story. It was a delightful way to bring everything together in this trilogy!
November 22, 2025
Creating The Rules is the third and final installment in Ania Ray's "Rules" trilogy, focusing on the enigmatic creator of the Rules and general antagonist, Anne Cromwell.
This time, we get to step behind Anne's carefully placed curtain and see just what it is that drives her to act in such unreasonable ways. And then you just want to give her a hug.
New York City socialite and society woman Anne Cromwell decides to return to her long abandoned Southern hometown in hopes of gaining access to a family trust when a series of bad decisions threaten bankruptcy and expulsion from the society her entire identity revolves around.
With her return, all of her beliefs are challenged, along with the narrative of her own story.
Anne comes to life in this book in a way we could never have guessed at in the previous two books, and you'll walk away with a full heart and deeper compassion for those around you and their invisible burdens.
This time, we get to step behind Anne's carefully placed curtain and see just what it is that drives her to act in such unreasonable ways. And then you just want to give her a hug.
New York City socialite and society woman Anne Cromwell decides to return to her long abandoned Southern hometown in hopes of gaining access to a family trust when a series of bad decisions threaten bankruptcy and expulsion from the society her entire identity revolves around.
With her return, all of her beliefs are challenged, along with the narrative of her own story.
Anne comes to life in this book in a way we could never have guessed at in the previous two books, and you'll walk away with a full heart and deeper compassion for those around you and their invisible burdens.
October 27, 2025
Creating the Rules by Ania Ray is one that left me feeling all the feels. 🥹❤️
Anne’s story wrecked me in the best way. After following Lily and Marley, getting to experience Anne’s story unfold felt like closure I didn’t know I needed.
She’s always been the one I wanted to understand most, and this book gave her the redemption and peace she deserved.
It’s emotional, raw, and so beautifully written. Ania has a way of making it impossible not to walk in Anne’s shoes. Seriously, you’re right there with her, heart and all. ❤️
This couldn’t have been a more perfect ending to a trilogy that’s all about growth, forgiveness, grief, navigating complicated mother & daughter relationships, and finding your way back to yourself.
Do yourself a favor and go get this trilogy. Now.
Anne’s story wrecked me in the best way. After following Lily and Marley, getting to experience Anne’s story unfold felt like closure I didn’t know I needed.
She’s always been the one I wanted to understand most, and this book gave her the redemption and peace she deserved.
It’s emotional, raw, and so beautifully written. Ania has a way of making it impossible not to walk in Anne’s shoes. Seriously, you’re right there with her, heart and all. ❤️
This couldn’t have been a more perfect ending to a trilogy that’s all about growth, forgiveness, grief, navigating complicated mother & daughter relationships, and finding your way back to yourself.
Do yourself a favor and go get this trilogy. Now.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews