Deal Breaker: an enemies-to-lovers, billionaire sports romance from the internationally bestselling author of Law Maker

Aristocrats of London #2

by Susie Tate

Everyone loves Poppy. She’s pure sunshine vibes with an infectious snort-laugh, and nobody is immune to her outrageous flirting. Nobody, that is, apart from her much older brother’s best friend, former Scottish rugby star and grumpy fun sponge, Rory Wallace.

The last thing Rory wants is a woman who represents everything he cameras, chaos and constant attention. The irony is that although Lady Poppy Sterling flirts with the world, the man she’s had a crush on since childhood can’t stand her. At least that’s what he tells himself…

It’s only when Rory's betrayal leaves Poppy vulnerable to both paparazzi and predators that he realises too late what he stands to lose. Her celebrity lifestyle might be his dealbreaker, but his failure to protect her? That's hers.

DEAL BREAKER is an enemies-to-lovers, brother’s best friend, age-gap, grumpy/sunshine contemporary romance featuring family secrets, red carpet drama, and a grumpy hero who'll move heaven and earth to protect his sunshine girl—once he realises she's been his all along.

Content discussions of drink spiking and predatory behaviour.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Brothers Best Friend, Sports Romance, Grumpy Sunshine

Audible Audio

Expected publication November 5, 2026

About the author

Susie is a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author who writes addictive, feel-good contemporary romance with heroes who may make you a little ragey, but who always redeem themselves in the end! She’s been a doctor in the NHS for over twenty years and lives in beautiful Dorset with her wonderful husband, three gorgeous boys and an even more wonderful dog.

Reviews

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Sequel Stars!

Admittedly, reading Law Maker (the first book in this series) was a very nice surprise, and it was only inevitable that I would immediately read Deal Breaker. Suffice it to say, I was not disappointed.

This time around involves Rafe’s sister Poppy, who has a contentious history with his best friend, rugby player Rory. She’s light personified, effervescent in her charm and likability, and her status of not only being of noble blood but a popular social media influencer, makes her the best person to help Rory and his charity goals. He doesn’t want her help but unfortunately, desperately needs it for his cause.

When these two are forced to work together, past hurts and misunderstandings come to the fore as well as their still amorous feelings.

So yes, beware 5 years of separation, minimal communication, and plenty of wrong assumptions - things that would normally frustrate many a reader. Rory too, just like Rafe, is kinda an asshole, and he puts his foot in it over and over again. Thankfully, he’s also a man absolutely obsessed with Poppy, and once he gets another taste, he won’t make the mistake of letting her go again.

Obviously for me, there’s just something about Tate’s writing that makes her books unputdownable, and just like the first book, I read this in a short two days. Her MMC’s are imperfect and often infuriating, but they are also top tier dominant and protective. It doesn’t hurt that Rory does some much needed groveling when he finally realizes he’s in the wrong, making up for his ignorant thoughts/behavior in swoony ways.

Overall, amidst some cheeky fun and spice, this layers in several serious topics to up the dramatic and emotional impact to this love story. I impatiently look forward to the next installment as March can’t come soon enough!

Thank you to the author and GP Putnam’s Sons via NetGalley for a copy to review honestly

[Allie | Looking for Likeminded Souls | Addicted to my Kindle 🫀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

To phrase this metaphorically, We all think we love and appreciate the sun - but only when it’s shining on our terms, isn’t it? Once it gets too hot, too bright, doesn’t set fast enough, we forget how much we owe the sun, or how much it burns itself to keep us warm, don’t we?

Well, considering that, Rory and the Sterlings weren’t careless or mean, they were just ignorant, as we all sometimes are.

This book brought the spring to my soul ❤️

Poppy, the little sunshine heroine was the breath of light and fresh air I didn’t even knew I needed. Her empaty, optimism, kindness and care for everyone around her really undid me. It was so heart wrenching to watch her set herself on fire to keep everyone else happy and at ease. And even more so, to witness her being rebuffed and belittled time and time again for her care.

I truly believe Rory’s intentions, that her family dotted on her, but this was a perfect example of how loving someone, but not loving them right, might have devastating consequences. One can only speak up if they feel heard and taken seriously.

Rory really pulled a 180 in this book and maned up through the chapters. His grumpy with-a-feet-in-his-mouth personality really brought a lot of drama and fun to the story. As bad as I felt for Poppy sometimes, I could totally relate why she was into him, cause boooy so am I 😆❤️

I inhaled the whole story in one go, like literally, I couldn’t even leave my kindle behind to get myself some cake, so obsessed I was.

The plot, the twists, the gut punches, everything was perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing. This was absolutely marvelous.

This book is covering a very serious disease, but is much lighter and bubblier than the last one.
If you are a fan of a grumpy sunshine romance with good grovel, growth and depth and a few gut punches, you’re gonna love this ❤️ I certainly did.


Thanks to the universe that this book is already written and Susie for trusting me to be part of her arc team.


Did I went over myself and posted my first review here based solely on the short preview in Law Maker, before actually reading the book? Yes I did!

Was I wrong? - Hell no! 🔥❤️

—————-————————

“I think it was ‘mad prostitute with a penchant for glitter’.”

Sooooo excited for this!! Just finished Law Maker today and the first two chapters of this masterpiece and I am definitely hooked! Soo sad that it first comes in November 😔

[Adri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute 5⭐️ read that almost matched my love for Law Maker! Still so thrilled I scored an ARC for this one. While Rafe and Clara still hold a special place in my heart, Poppy and Rory came remarkably close with a top-tier grumpy x sunshine, age-gap dynamic. Rory definitely starts off as an egocentric, prideful, and ignorant **** in a sea of equally ****ish (please insert chosen expletive at the *) men, but his character development and shift in dynamics as he eventually shows up for Poppy was so satisfying. Poppy might start off quiet, but she doesn't half pack a punch and knows her worth, endlessly trying to support others and bring happiness wherever she can. What truly elevated this book, though, was the portrayal of ALS and chronic illness—it was written from such an insightful, thoughtful angle, showing how impairments can be accommodated and how people navigate difficult, deteriorating diagnoses while still trying their absolute best despite feeling betrayed by their own bodies. Emotional, empowering, and executed brilliantly!

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

4.25🌟 | 3🌶️

ARC Review 📖

A little sunshine, a lot of stubbornness and one very overdue apology made this romance such an interesting read.

Poppy was such a sweetheart, and I really liked how much of herself she put into helping others. She was always looking out for everyone, bringing a bit of happiness wherever she went, even when she wasn't feeling particularly great herself. I did feel for her, especially when the people closest to her constantly underestimated her. There was so much more to her than they gave her credit for!

Rory certainly tested my patience with his stubbornness and his talent for saying the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time. Thankfully, he had some serious grovelling to do, and I was quite happy to watch him work for it! Their history, all those unresolved feelings and the chemistry between them made their relationship really enjoyable to follow. I also liked seeing Rory work through his own insecurities and finally realise that Poppy deserved someone who would actually listen to her and appreciate her for who she was.

I also appreciated the MND storyline and how much care went into portraying such a difficult condition. It added some genuinely emotional moments without taking away from the humour and romance. Between the entertaining family dynamics, the banter and all the swoony moments, I flew through this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with these characters and getting another glimpse into this wonderful series.

~~~~

ALC Review (Audiobook) 🎧

Shane East and Zara Hampton Brown were such a good pairing for this audiobook! I really enjoyed listening to them bring the characters to life, particularly the contrast between Rory's gruff personality and Poppy's much brighter, bubbly nature. Their delivery made the banter fun to listen to, and I thought they did a lovely job with the more romantic moments too. The emotional scenes were another highlight, especially the way they handled the heavier moments without making them feel overdone. I also found the narration easy to settle into, and both voices suited their characters so well. It was one of those audiobooks where I was happy to keep listening just to spend a little more time with the characters. A really enjoyable experience from both narrators!

~~~~

I was so excited to experience this one in both formats. Having the ARC and ALC meant I could fully sink into the story, and honestly, it made the experience that much better.

~~~~

A sincere thank you to Susie Tate and Good Girls PR for the ARC! 🥰📚

I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨

[Laura Black Reads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Aristocrats of London series.

Lady Poppy Sterling is the sister of a Duke and she is such a delight. She’s not academic, but she’s sunshiney and so very big hearted. She’ll stay in the limelight to further her charitable interests, and make fun of herself for a good cause. The trouble is that her family believe her façade and don’t look deeper for the real Poppy.

Rory Wallace has been around the family since they were kids. He’s a professional rugby player, brutish and hiding a bunch of insecurities about the media and being enough. As a brawly rugby player, he has a lot of hangups about his value compared to his aristocratic friends – and Poppy. He’s always had a thing for Poppy, but he’s buried it nice and deep.

Deal Breaker is breezy and fast paced as Poppy does her thing and Rory plays catch up as he underestimates and undervalues her at every opportunity. Unfortunately for Poppy, who has been crushing on Rory forever, he is pretty thoughtless. He is dismissive of her as a form of self-defence and self-protection and while his grovel is lovely – and protracted – I like the recognition that sometimes men do and say stupid things to the women they love. I’m clapping for this snippet of real behaviour inside a lovely ‘Beauty and the Beast’ coded fairytale.

Deal Breaker has banter that’s frantic and it's full of British-isms and insults. The character growth is mostly on Rory as he needs to work through his issues, and his own self-worth. There’s a villain in plain sight who is threatening Poppy, and this shows Rory how much he has misjudged her, even as it tears them apart.

A sub plot involves a fundraising touch rugby game aiming to set a world record for Motor Neurone Disease research and this works well to draw attention to this incurable and debilitating disease.

A perfect read if you enjoy British romcoms, with a gorgeous and vulnerable heroine, and an excellent grovel. For fans of Catherine Walsh and Kristen Bailey.

Thank you so much Susie Tate for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

[Emily (read_embetween) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

Thank you to Susie and NetGalley for this arc. This is my honest review.

What a story! I was feeling all the things.

Lady Poppy Sterling has been in love with Rory Wallace (former Scottish professional rugby player) for years. Him being her brother’s friend, they have spent a lot of time together. She attracts a lot of attention, he prefers to be in the background away from people. He can’t stand her, for reasons revealed in the book, but also can’t stay away. Will he realize too late she’s worth the risk, or lose her?

Susie Tate is notorious for a groveling mmc and boy does Rory need to grovel. We love to see it. He does a number on Poppy’s heart and honestly doesn’t deserve her. However, he’s willing to put in the work and I hope he continues for the rest of his life or I will have some words 😂 He did redeem himself, but so many times I wanted to scream at him to think before speaking and think from all angles. Many times he was very narrow minded. I’m glad he learned his lesson.

Poppy is literally perfect, no notes. She is the kindest, strongest, and most caring woman and everyone should feel so lucky to be in her presence. She has some insecurity and puts herself down because she’s used to others doing it. It breaks my heart. Luckily Rory (eventually) starts putting a stop to that from herself but also other people. He plays the protector role very nicely. These two are really great together, once they truly communicate and are honest with themselves.

I also loved this book because of a subplot surrounding ALS (MND) One of the side characters has it and it becomes a big part of the book. It was very moving to read about and watch the characters throughout stepping up and trying to help. I definitely cried. It was very beautiful and I cried even harder when I learned that Susie Tate’s husband is diagnosed with it. She did the portrayal such justice and I feel like this must be a truly special book for her and her family. It has also become a very special book for me too! Highly recommend!

Tropes:
🗡️ Enemies to Lovers
😏 Brother’s best friend
😮 Age gap
☀️ Grumpy x sunshine
📸 Famous MCs

[CookesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deal Breaker was my first read by Susie Tate and I reached the end as a huge fan. The underlying MND (ALS) representation was beautifully written and broke my heart a little knowing how Connor's story would end and what it would do to his family and friends. Without giving away spoilers, the way he was honored by Rory and Poppy was perfect.
I absolutely adored Poppy and how she unapologetically knew her worth and refused to settle for less despite how long she'd been in love with her brother's best friend, Rory. This man! He almost lost the other half of his heart by being a stubborn man (the nerve!), but alas, he opened his eyes and realized what had been right in front of him for so long. His character growth was remarkable, and it had to be for Poppy to forgive him. The banter and push/pull between Poppy and Rory was as fun as it was endearing. The grovel was top tier and Poppy deserved no less. I will definitely be picking up more books from this author.

Thank you to Susie Tate, Putnam and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Susie Tate’s book but this one wasn’t one of my favorites.

Poppy is a bubbly fun-loving young woman who works as a journalist. Her family tends to see her as ditzy and forgetful, because of how she was as a teenager, they are also constantly putting her down and act like she is incapable of doing anything significant.

Then we have Rory, an ex-rugby player who is friends with Poppy’s older brother. This man is grumpy all the dang time. He also hates the media, mostly because of an event that happened 5 years ago between him and Poppy.

The problem is, Rory can’t seem to forgive Poppy for what happened even though it wasn’t her fault and there is some major miscommunication that is happening because of that one event.

Let me just say Rory is a 37 year old man, Sir you are old enough to communicate. So much conflict could have been avoided if he would have just talked.

Despite this I still enjoyed the book.

[Ellianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️
While the heaviness of Clara’s storyline kept me from enjoying Law Maker, the first in Susie Tate’s new Aristocrats of London series, I *did* love the character of Lady Poppy Sterling, sister to Lord Rafe Sterling, and was eager to learn her and Rory’s story (Tate’s storylines often overlap with the previous book, so we had already witnessed a pivotal scene from Clara’s point of view, while in this book, it was told from Rory’s). I’m a sucker for groveling, and this book was full of it- mostly because Rory could never seem to grasp the fact that he was the almost always the one at fault. We learn pretty quickly that he and Poppy once dated in secret, only to have him ghost her and subsequently hate her for the next five years, but don’t address the reasons *why* for most of the book- until there’s really no other path for this book to take. I’m not a fan of keeping key plot points under wraps for so long, but Tate loves to employ it in her writing. She also never shies away from abuse, particularly abuse towards women, and attempted SA happens not once, but twice in this book, at the hands of a man who should have faced justice long ago, but didn’t, as Poppy never wanted to cause a stir (not victim-blaming here, just pointing out the very real problem of women putting everyone else’s needs before their own, when they should never have been conditioned to think that way).
If I had one grievance with Poppy (who, despite being perilously close to a “Manic Pixie Dream Girl,” blessedly came across as a less-crazy version of Kira from Anything But Easy), it’s that she doesn’t advocate for herself. She will stand up for everyone and every cause around her (such as raising money to help with research for MND, a subject that hit particularly close to home, as I have a family member who has been in a losing battle with ALS for seven years now), but will take hit after hit after hit from the people who supposedly love her the most. Her own family basically treats her like she’s Special Needs, despite her being fully capable in her social and work life for years, all because of her diagnosed-too-late dyslexia and her wild behavior as a teenager- a TEENAGER. Even her own brother, who is fiercely protective of her, thinks the worst of her at a critical moment, believing she would eschew her duties at a fundraiser by getting “shit-faced” and “embarrassing herself,” instead of showing concern that she was doing something so out of character for her (when in fact, she’d been roofied).
I felt very protective of Poppy by the end (as I have with Tate’s previous FMCs, Vicky and Millie), and in all honesty, I was battling with myself through most of the book as to whether I really wanted her to take Rory back at all. He’d mess up, then apologize, then mess up even more egregiously, and then apologize and try to show he’d changed, and by the last blowout, after Tate’s predictable miscommunication trope pops up to cause its more predictable third-act breakup, I was ready to wash my hands of Rory Wallace. But in the end, he came through for her in a way that even her own family didn’t (along with facing his demons about the press), so find myself cautiously optimistic about their future.
And to be fair, he *did* get her to laugh again- a proper Poppy laugh (IYKYK).

I received an advanced copy through the author via Book Funnel.

[yueting ♡ · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This book proves that I am an absolute sucker for a man who grovels.

Deal Breaker follows Poppy, the celebrity influencer sister of Rafe from Law Maker , and Rafe's best friend and rugby legend, Rory. I was so excited to start this after their one scene in the previous book and knowing this was age gap and sports tangent. And I’m glad I enjoyed it more than Law Maker! I was really invested in Poppy and Rory's relationship and connected with Poppy a lot. However, Rory was truly an ass.

Poppy is brilliant and dazzling and absolutely perfect in every way. My heart hurt for the ways that her family and those around her adore her but still subtly put her down. It pained me to see how her bright exuberance hid a lot of her self-doubt. Which was something that Rory should have been able to see. But because of his own insecurities, he ends up doubting Poppy, making assumptions about her, and thinking that he knows best in situations when he really should have just listened to her.

This is also a second chance romance with a misunderstanding that occured five years ago driving them apart. And their miscommunication persists for a significant portion of the story. I love a mean MMC, but there are times where Rory comes dangerously close to crossing the line. But then he will grovel and beg and apologize and promise to do better, and I (and Poppy) will just absolutely melt. I wish Rory would have come to appreciate and accept Poppy a little sooner, but once he does, he really puts in the work to win her back. And I love that Poppy really doesn’t make it easy for him.

From the first book, Susie Tate has shown that she's very thoughtful when it comes to addressing sensitive topics. The MND storyline was heartbreaking—especially in the bonus epilogue. And while Poppy's dyslexia is not as prominent here, there are mentions of it that deeply impact her character. As a trigger warning to potential readers, there is also drink spiking in this book, and I did think the topic was approached in a realistic, careful, and meaningful way.

I would recommend Deal Breaker if you, like me, love a mean MMC and, also like me, love making him crawl on his knees to deserve his woman. But be warned that he really is very, very mean.

﹙ 3.5 ☆ ﹚

— Thank you Putnam for the eARC via NetGalley!

[Tiffany ✨️ Bergamot Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Good Girls PR for the complimentary advanced reader and listener copies. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Susie Tate does it again! This one had my heart aching, and the epilogue had me absolutely sobbing into my kindle. I adore the amount of care put into showing the realistic side of MND/ALS and the personal investment she had in showing how painful and under researched the disease is. I truly hope this book spreads more awareness and investment into finding a cure.

Aside from that beautiful thread, I loved the story between Poppy and Rory. The missed-chance in their past, that turned into multi-years miscommunication, heartbreak and horrible behaviour (on Rory's part) that kept them from finding their love story was everything. I adored that Rory wasn't really a great guy. He messed up, constantly. He refused to believe that Poppy was who she said she is, that she had continuous good intentions and a heart of gold. A man who saw himself as lesser, and was so quick to believe others did as well, simply being the most bare minimum person possible made him such a hard-won lead and I really enjoyed it.

Poppy on the other hand was so self-deprecating despite being such a wonderful human. She championed important causes, brought joy to others, and lead with her heart, and it constantly showed. She never let her dyslexia hold her back, and yet she still would shrink herself and make herself less-than, just to be able to have the one man she'd always wanted. Seeing Rory grasping to have her, while not actually being fully invested made this one hurt, and seeing it finally come to a head, and him having to get it together was so satisfying. I loved that Poppy found her backbone, and Rory got absolutely dragged through the coals to find his way back to her.

All in all, this one was another emotional, fun, and wonderful read, and both Shane East and Zara Hampton Brown were phenomenal at bringing it to life.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Susie Tate has destroyed me multiple times and rebuilt me after. A lot of her books have great groveling and/or character arcs, which is the only way I ever except dumbass decisions by MMCs, and her FMCs are routinely looked down upon or dismissed, before they're shown to be their truly stunning selves.
I'm clearly a big fan of her work, and yet i wasn't aware she released a book in 2026 or had another one coming.

This story starts with the tried and true Tate miscommunication-preconceived notions problem. Rory seems to have forgetten everything he knew about Poppy, and decides to just believe the gossip form the media and the persona she portrays online. Poppy has avoided Rory for years because she has no clue why he ghosted her.

The way they speak is a bit off putting. I know it's called the Aristocrats of London, but I did not enjoy the "accent" and vocabulary associated with it. Especially calling her v*gina her "foofoo". That would have been a hard out for me, and I would have DNF'd the book if this wasn't an ARC.

Susie Tate’s FMCs are treated unfairly and looked down upon, at least the ones I've read from her are, until others inevitably realise who the FMC actually is. Poppy is no different; while her family knows she runs the foundation, takes care of the grandma and has a thriving career, they still see her as a teenager: Clumsy, dumb, struggling with dyslexia, prone to drinking and flights of fancy. Her family loves her, but not in the way she needs and they don't /see/ her. Which is incredibly relatable.
For whatever reason, Poppy is very prone to “retching” and I’ve never read a book that had so much bile and throwing up as reactions in it. Everything involves retching for some reason. It was weird and I saw no point in it.

Rory, Rory, Rory. Such a mess and not an MMC im a fan of TBH. Who he was as a teen seemed very sweet, and I totally understood why Poppy fell for him then. However, it was all downhill from there.
He was a dick for so long which made it difficult to really engage with. He believes all the media BS, despite knowing how wrong they can be, and then realises he was wrong. And that was cute and fun. But the level of which he was rude to her, even at the start before we knew anything put me off of him and I didn't understand why Poppy wanted him back.
Then I'd learn about their past and he'd make a small apology, and I'd warm up to him slightly, just for him to fuck up again. Rory let his insecurities get the better of him repeatedly and suffers from a horrible case of saying things that hit right where it hurts the most when he's upset. And that happens all the time.

I do not understand why Poppy kept going back to adult Rory. Her abysmal sense of self and people pleasing ways, doesn’t explain why she keeps going for him when he’s this bad! He does not support her, he got violent and he calls her names he knows will hurt her! He has no introspection or emotional control. It’s really just hard to see the appeal for a big chunk of this story. He does change though, eventually, sort of, but it doesn't feel healthy after everything.

His apologies came but only ever seemed to be for that one moment, not the history of ghosting and poor behaviour, which made each apology somehow annoy me even more. All of this until their big final confrontation. His final grovelling showed how much he cared and knew about Poppy, setting him apart from her family too, while also putting him outside his normal comfort zone and showing how he was willing to change. But I still think it needed to be longer than two weeks and with a heaping buttload of therapy for him.

Overall, I think Rory was written simply too cruel. The fights could have the same effect but with different words, toned down a little, to not continuously present him this horribly. He is, to me, unintentionally emotionally abusive and he even threw a phone near her. While he is partially redeemed elsewhere, his behaviour when angry or hurt is never addressed, never developed, and is still a weird background danger. But I do understand what I might consider a deal breaker here is personal and other might be totally comfortable reading about MMCs like that.

There are many things that made me frustrated and wanting to stop reading or throw my phone (it’s okay when I do it because nobody is around!) and yet I still needed to see what happened and did enjoy the book at times. Most of that is a pretty typical Susie Tate reading experience for me and I keep coming back for more, but I usually feel a little more positive about it all, than I do this time.

Thank-you NetGalley and X. All opinionsnare my own.

[Abby Rogish Bodin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Susie Tate for giving me an advanced copy of this book!

You guys, I ate this book up in THREE HOURS.

What I love about Susie is she makes her men EARN their happily ever afters. She knows how to make a man GROVEL. They are all so well fleshed out and they aren't perfect. They say really shitty things and immediately regret them. It makes it more fun to read because it's realistic to real life.

Poppy Sterling is not perfect. She's in her twenties trying to figure her life out, and trying not to fawn over her older brother's friend, Rory, who she's been in love with for years. He makes her feel silly, bringing her down and making fun of everything she loves.

There's a miscommunication between what happened between them five years ago, and even with that, they still can't stop thinking about each other.

As someone who has been told repeatedly that I am too much, and that I need to take it down, I resonated with Poppy. I loved reading Poppy coming into her own about it, and it reminded me that I am not too much- I am just enough who I am.

I would HIGHLY recommend any Susie Tate novel, including this. You don't have to read Law Maker first to understand Deal Breaker, but you do get an introduction to Poppy, Rory, and Poppy's family!

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy has always loved the spotlight, soaking up the attention and flirting with anyone. She uses her sunny personality and charm to bolster her family's charities but from the outside, she just looks flighty and irresponsible. A fact that is all too plain every time she sees her biggest crush and her brother's best friend, Rory Wallace. Rory may be a star rugby player, but the grumpy giant is allergic to the camera. Five years ago, Poppy betrayed him on live TV and he refuses to forgive her. When he learns the truth he decides to give them a chance, but is he too late?
Poppy's bubbliness and positivity were a breath of fresh air and a total opposite of Rory's grumpiness and suspicion. He's always believing the worst, and his word vomit is just crushing! After reading about them in the first book, I was excited to learn their story and it didn't disappoint. The pining, the possessiveness, and the grumpy/sunshine vibes had me flying through the pages. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you Putnam for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Ayesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and the author for an eARC.

Poppy’s character was well-written but Rory on the other hand, was so disappointing. He was insecure(which he agreed upon) and was shitty towards her for no reason. He was rude, disrespectful, even blamed her personality for getting assaulted.

All that built-up suspense of the incident that happened 5 years ago was so underwhelming. Like it’s not that big of a deal, get over it. Poppy’s monologue was nice, she put her foot down, I wish she didn’t agree so soon though.

All in all, it was better than the previous book but Rory was disappointing. He somewhat redeemed himself; the bonus epilogue was cute.

[Jess (lucky.bookclub) Hilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m torn over this book. Parts of it were so heartfelt, but when it comes down to it, I don’t think Rory and Poppy are actually good for each other.

Poppy is bright, social, glamorous, outspoken, and completely comfortable taking up space. A huge part of Rory’s journey is learning that loving her means loving ALL of her, without trying to dim that light. I understood the arc, but I definitely loved Poppy long before Rory learned how to.

There is also so much heart in this story. The MND storyline and charity event were beautifully done, and I thought the storyline involving Poppy being drugged, including the confusion and disbelief surrounding what happened, was handled incredibly well.

Reading Susie Tate’s acknowledgments afterward made me understand why those parts felt written with so much care and compassion. ❤️

I just wish I’d fallen in love with Rory and Poppy together as much as I loved Poppy herself. Three and a half stars. ⭐️

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Tasha Thrall · Rating 5 out of 5]

So incredibly good! It takes me a moment to grasp what they're saying since he has a Scottish accent, but I truly enjoyed it!
At first, I wasn't a fan of Rory. He still has his moments, but he really had to do a lot of apologizing after putting his foot in his mouth.
And oh my goodness, Poppy! I adore her bubbly and sunny personality. She would undoubtedly be the best friend anyone could ask for.

Thank you for this amazing opportunity to read the eARC, and I am happy to provide my honest review in return.

[Becka · Rating 1.5 out of 5]

Poppy Sterling is one of those people that everyone seems to love. She's outgoing, flirty, funny and generally just a bit of sunshine. Everyone loves her, apart from Rory Wallace, apparently.

Rory is a former Scottish rugby player, Poppy's much older brother's best friend and the man she's had a crush on for pretty much her entire life. Unfortunately, Rory isn't particularly fond of the attention that comes with Poppy's lifestyle, and he makes that pretty clear. However, when his own actions leave Poppy vulnerable to the paparazzi and some rather unpleasant people, he starts to realise that he might have made a massive mistake.

So, after reading *Law Maker*, I was really excited to read Poppy and Rory's story. You could sense throughout that book that there was going to be more to their tale than met the eye. However, this was one of those times where the reality didn't quite meet expectations.

I usually love Susie Tate. Her writing style, characters and the relationships and stories she creates always hit for me, so I was quite disappointed that this one didn't.

Poppy is basically a fictional Amelia Dimoldenberg, and I loved that. I genuinely couldn't pick a thing wrong with her, except perhaps her taste in men.

On the surface, I loved the sound of Rory. A grumpy former rugby player? Absolutely. A grumpy athlete is a definite yes for me in an MMC. The thing is... he was horrible.

He reminded me of the dickhead ex that all FMCs seem to have. You know, the one who puts her down, belittles her and basically dims her shine. Except in this case, he's supposed to be the man we're rooting for. And the problem is that he stayed that way for MOST of the book.

Yes, we had the grovelling, the realisation that he'd made mistakes and all the usual stuff, but by that point, I was just thinking that Poppy should have thrown the whole man away.

I also can't overlook the fact that there's a ten-year age gap. OK, not too bad in the grand scheme of romance books, and ordinarily I wouldn't have an issue with it. However, the fact that Rory started seeing Poppy as someone he wanted sexually and romantically when she was 17 and he was 27 is just gross to me.

Which also brings me to the fact that Poppy is 27 during the story. Rory, mate, that makes you 37. Can you please grow up?

Don't get me wrong, I'll read Susie Tate again and again because I generally love her books, but this one was a flop for me. I'd love to sugarcoat it, but I think my overall takeaway from this book is pretty simple.

Poppy deserved better.

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Brother's best friend
- Age gap

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, swoon-worthy, with just the right amount of spice. I won't lie, the back-and-forth made me a little batty at times, but I couldn't help but fall head over heels for these characters.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

[Karen Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Susie Tate has done it again, another 5 star book. I suggest you have a box of tissues ready as you will need them for both sad and happy tears.
When we met Lady Poppy Sterling in Law Maker she was a delightful character that reminded me of Kira Barclay from previous books, who happens to be married to the Prime Minister and a friend of Poppy's.
Rory Wallace a Scotland rugby star, is Poppy's brother Rafe's best friend, who she has had a crush since childhood, even though there is an age gap. After an incident at Scotland's World cup celebrations where Rory inebriated rushed to Poppy and gave an interview he didn't know was being recorded live. After some ill advised information he ghosted Poppy and spent the next years avoiding her.
Interviewing at a sports event, Rory is extremely rude to Poppy and his model girlfriend admonishes him as does her friend Josh and interviewer. When an incident with a supposed Sterling family friend, Rory turns into protective mode, Poppy is left shaken but passes it off as nothing, not wanting to cause a scene.
When Rory finds her apparently drunk being supported by the man from the incident, Rory takes charge taking her home, not realising she had fallen and was cut. Rafe and Clara were not happy with Rory, Clara even tearing a strip off him.
When Rory needs to organise a charity event for his rugby best friend Connor who has been diagnosed with MND. Susie treats the horrors of this awful disease with empathy, not sugar-coating it. It must have been hard for her to write this due to her own husbands diagnosis. Poppy is to organise the event. Making friends with all Rory's teammates and Connor's family, Poppy's own family and Rory don't believe she can do it but she shows them. Managing to sweet talk Twickenham officials, the Guinness world record official and witnesses' into allowing the touch-rugby match to be played on the hallow ground.
When she misses a practice, Rory storm over to her house to find her in pain and nauseous from "Women's troubles" he helps her and they end up together on the couch using his body as a heat source. He shows the actions of a sweet boyfriend.
As they become close there are some hilarious moments' especially with Granny Sterling and the WI ladies. She is a strong advocate for her granddaughter and warns Rory about hurting her again.
This is a rollercoaster romance and when the paparazzi-shy Rory refuses to walk the red carpet with her to a Sterling Foundation event, there is an incident where she is pushed over as she has no security. The ex family friend is removed from the red carpet. Prime Minister Barclay gives Rory some advice that he doesn't think he can cope with.
This becomes true when he answers his door to photographer's and turns his fear of the exposure on Poppy saying some truly hurtful things. She calls Rafe's security team and leaves.
So begins a grovelling time, Susie does this so well as does Elodie Hart. Breakfast bags delivered to Granny Sterling and making friends and talking with the photographers on the doorstep. When it's that time of month he brings, painkiller's, heat pad and chocolate.
During the touch-rugby marathon she has celebrity friends do a cheer-leader type routine, when she's exhausted he makes her sleep. It's lovely how the team watches over Connor who was determined to play making alterations to the play as his left arm is not working well.
Unfortunately at the celebrations for the event with raised money for MND research, the troublemaker spikes Poppy's drink, while Rory is being interviewed. Rafe tells Rory that Poppy is drunk but he doesn't believe it, he says she is really careful after the previous incident. They find her being dragged by the entitled ex friend, Rory grabs her as the hear the man spouting ridiculous things about Poppy being promised to him from birth. Rory realises Poppy is not drunk and gets her to hospital. The police arrest the man with drugs in his pocket.
Sticking close to Poppy, Rory realises he can't live without Poppy and to show her how he can manage her world, he kisses her fully in front of the press.
This story deals with some relevant and awful situations. MND need money for research. Rob Burrows lived locally to me and we have watched his tragic story in the news. Spiking drinks is another damaging trend which young people need to be aware of. Thanks Susie for bringing this reality into a wonderful story.
Thanks Susie Tate Netgalley and PanMacmillan for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Addendum: I received the ALC for Dealbreaker and Shane East and his Scottish accent are perfect for Rory and Zara Hampton-Black bring a great performance as the fluffy Poppy.

[Bb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this and only finished it in order to provide a fair ARC review.

I requested this because the glimpses of Poppy and Rory’s grumpy x sunshine dynamic in Law Maker were intriguing. And I went in fully aware that the author’s MMCs tend to start off wholly unlikeable. But Rory’s hot-cold cycle of what amounted to emotional abuse remained too unpredictable to feel safe.

And there was no turning point where I was convinced he could be trusted not to hurt Poppy again. This man talked shit about her behind her back and called her “stupid” to her face. But we’re supposed to forgive him because a couple weeks later he defended her competence to her family. He fucked her and then immediately claimed they couldn’t be a couple because “it’s complicated.” But it’s all good because he believes her period pain is as bad as she claims. The bar is in the part of hell where they keep all the date rapists, people.

Anyway, we learn through flashbacks (which are in past tense and italicized, which felt like a weird choice) that Rory and Poppy first met through Poppy’s brother when she was a teenager.* They almost dated five years ago, but two separate yet consecutive misunderstandings** nipped that in the bud and they’d been mostly estranged since.

Now, I am not a stalwart miscommunication hater. People tend to avoid confrontation, especially when their egos are on the line. But I’d expect some clearing of the air at some point prior to, say, a family lunch which you attend as a couple. Yes, they each held (erroneous) assumptions about what went wrong five years prior. But you’d think they’d maybe want to talk it out instead of letting said false assumptions come to light by happenstance. Which is what happens.

Anyway, these two people who have nothing in common besides mutual lust are forced into proximity because of a rugby fundraiser they’re helping to organize. They get together, but now Rory’s main problem is that he hates media attention, Poppy is a media darling, and their relationship is bringing them discomfiting amounts of publicity.

Which brings me to my second huge issue with this book. The primary conflict is premised upon a paparazzi culture that simply does not exist in 2026. And even in, say, 2004, I’d find it difficult to believe that photographers would be camping outside the home of a socialite/Chicken Shop Date avatar because she’s dating a former rugby player/current rugby coach. Nor would they be outside an event that has a red carpet and its own bevy of solicited photographers.

Speaking of wonky world-building, the story’s backdrop felt one-dimensional at best. For instance, Poppy has an online celebrity interview show and she also seems to work red carpets. But it’s never made clear who she actually works for or how involved she is in her show. We never actually see her working. Nor do we see Rory working, despite him apparently being head coach of the local pro rugby team during rugby season. There are also multiple events that feel nonsensically contrived because the author wanted certain people in a scene together. Most glaring example of this is the epilogue. I had no idea where everyone was nor what event would bring together everyone from both families, all their friends, and also the media.

Anyway, Susie Tate remains very hit or miss for me and this was a definite miss.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and anyone else involved in granting me an ARC. All opinions are my own (obviously).

* Thank goodness, because the fact that Rory is good with kids is shoved down our throats and it would have been creepy if they had known each other since her prepubescence)

** One of which involves a character who apparently is physically unable from stopping the other from talking. This is not the only instance of this medically concerning temporary paralysis in this book.

[Eva · Rating 0.25 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is one of those books that makes me irrationally angry. Why would you give me a sweet pixie happy FMC and pair her with a man that treats her like that?

This man still thinks the worst of her, doubts her and never questioned the words of a random mean spirited man over his knowledge of her character. Let’s hope that my men believed me and not one of his bros…oh wait they weren’t even friends, so he believed a RANDOM MAN HE DISLIKED!

I could have believed his grovel if he didn’t still doubt her at every turn. And why wouldn’t he mention his reasoning for ghosting her? He had so many chances, but after being with her again, he still somehow believed she’d betrayed him five years ago. He never once considered the guy had lied. Rory was a fucking dumbass, an asshole and he didn’t redeem himself at all; he just knew how to fuck and he wasn’t even charming.

Before anyone says “he was insecure and that’s why he did what he did”…he still had a relationship with her brother, never once questioned why Rafe would be his friend so that’s not reasoning enough for me.

Oh and why are we not thinking of safe sex at the big 2026? I understand it’s a book so “suspend rational belief” but fingering someone and fucking someone while covered in mud is not hot. All I could think was how poor Poppy would get a mammoth of a UTI.

Her family was also a disgrace. They put her and her accomplishments down, made her out to being flaky and a dummy. Her brother believed she was a drunk and barely knew she never drank, putting her life at risk…just why? There are enough shitty people in real life, why write a romance book where everyone is shitty towards the FMC? Poppy couldn’t catch a break.

I have more things to say but I’ll leave it right here.

[TReadsWithTea · Rating 4 out of 5]

~3.5 ⭐️

This is the story of Rory and Poppy.

Poppy is a socialite who lives very much in the public eye, while Rory is a 6’4” former rugby player, grumpy man who seems to have made emotional repression an Olympic sport. 😅

And this is where I have very conflicting feelings about this book.

I really enjoyed the story itself. I liked the characters, the emotional depth, the different perspectives, and getting to see Rafe and Clara from a different point of view. Connor was also such a great addition to the story, and there were definitely moments that hit me emotionally.

But—and this is very much just my personal take—I struggled with Rory’s behavior toward Poppy. He is incredibly cruel to her at times, and while he does eventually have a good redemption arc and I could understand why Poppy chose to forgive him, I personally found some of his actions difficult to move past.

I think this is something I’ve noticed in Susie Tate’s books: the male leads can be extremely harsh when they’re struggling to process their own emotions. And while I absolutely understand the whole “I love you so much that I don’t think I’m good enough for you, so I push you away” trope, there’s a point where emotional turmoil doesn’t excuse cruelty.

A sincere apology and redemption arc are important, but they don’t erase the hurt caused along the way. And I think it’s okay as readers to enjoy a story while also questioning some of the behaviors it portrays.

That said, I did enjoy this book! I literally finished it in a day, so clearly something kept me turning those pages. 😂 The story is emotional, the characters are compelling, and if you enjoy a complicated MMC with a strong redemption arc, there’s a good chance Rory will work for you.

So, my advice? Read it—but maybe read it with a little caution if cruel-to-be-redeemed MMCs are a difficult trope for you. This one definitely gave me feelings.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC! 🤍

As always, this is just my personal reading experience and opinion. What worked—or didn’t work—for me may be completely different for another reader.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Putnam for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review 🫶
3.5⭐️
🗓️Publication date: November 2nd, 2026

Susie Tate has consistently been one of my favorite romance authors for a few years now, so to receive an advanced reader copy for a highly anticipated book was so exciting! You can always rely on her for a hard hitting romance, and a book with either a real world moral dilemma or hard topics handled with care.

Deal Breaker was no different.
If you love someone is anything really a deal breaker? Is there anything you wouldn’t sacrifice to make it work with the person you love?
This book tackles this topic very well. Rory is a well known grumpy Scottish rugby player who tries to stay out of the media, and Poppy is the bubbly aristocratic socialite who shines in the spotlight. The only problem and possibly the deal breaker for their relationship is that Rory wants absolutely nothing to do with the spotlight that Poppy’s life brings. While also navigating and mainly avoiding the slight misunderstanding that happened years ago between the two that ultimately made them avoid each other like the plaque haha.

Poppy is what makes this book so special. She is bubbly and full of sunshine, in a real person way, not the childish kind that I feel a lot of romance books rely on. She is smart and funny, and just wants to help others. Her family sometimes infantilizes her, thinking some things are “too hard” for Poppy because of her personality and her disability (dyslexia.) But she proves time and time again that she is more than capable, while also still struggling and believing some of the negative things that are being said about her. It doesn’t stop her from trying, and it doesn’t stop her from succeeding.

Rory on the other hand is not my favorite. I’m all for grumpy, especially if he’s a Scottish rugby player. But he was just plain mean at times. I wanted to reach through the screen and shake him. One minute he’d be sticking up for Poppy to her family and the next saying the same thing about her or worse to her face. That being said it was in the heat of the moment and he definitely wasn’t thinking before speaking. Not my favorite mmc for sure. He had some sweet moments, taking care and being there for Poppy when she was ill, standing up to her family for some of the hurtful things being said to her, etc. But that’s just bare minimum.

Tropes 💌
•Brothers best friend
•Grumpy/ sunshine
•Slight miscommunication

[Finger Pages · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

Susie Tate continues to write the imperfect romances that are relatable and crack your heart with heroines who piece themselves together through grit and determination.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
3 Spicy

Book 2 in the Aristocrats of London series gives us Poppy, Rafe’s little sister, a dyslexic socialite/media influencer, and the kind of woman everyone falls in love with… except the one man she’s loved since she was 17- Rory Wallace.

Poppy is effortlessly charming, self deprecating, and a natural at working a room, raising money, and making everyone feel like her best friend. But beneath all that confidence is someone who’s spent years trying to be what everyone else expects of her. I really connected with that side of her, especially the exhaustion that comes with being everything to everyone-including yourself.
After five years of avoiding each other, Poppy and Rory are forced to work together on a charity event. Rory can’t seem to stop watching her, but his pride, their class differences, and the rumors surrounding Poppy have him saying some truly awful things. And honestly? There were a few moments where “I’m sorry, lass” was NOT enough for me. I really took issued when early in the book he suggests she was incompetent in school but never mentioning her dyslexia to the group he was talking to and then later when he calls her stupid. I can always get behind more groveling with a MMC is that much of an a$$, but here I felt Tate missed the mark- if any man ever called me stupid especially more then once I would drop him like a hot stone and never look back. Rory's inability to filter his mouth and Poppy just taking it and then taking him back is why this wasn't a 5 star read for me. There needed to be something more to bridge that gap. Rory being insecure and jealous wasn't it.

Thankfully, Rory’s character development was strong enough to make him semi- redeemable. He starts as a surly grump who lets his hurt and ego get in the way of what he has with Poppy, but watching him grow and finally recognize what he could lose her was so satisfying. Still I wish this was written slightly different. I think many will view Rory as emotionally abusive.

By the end- If I can ignore my big issues I have with Rory- I did come to love Poppy and Rory together. Poppy’s journey toward embracing exactly who she is, rather than who she thinks everyone wants her to be, made this romance feel surprisingly relatable. And despite Rory making me want to shake him more than once, their chemistry and eventual payoff had me completely invested. 💕

Tropes:
💕Grumpy x sunshine
💕12 Year age gap
💕 Brother's best friend
💕 She falls first
💕Dyslexic FMC
💕 Sports (Rugby) romance

[Claire Ingledew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it review will be posted near release day as it will be read again as it that good

read it again here is the review

Loved it , Poppy and Rory story was a delight to read.

Seeing poppy and Rory in Deal breaker we get to find out why Rory is so bloody grumpy around her.

There characters are both easy to love even if Rory need to get his head from the bloody clouds. Poppy you can’t not love her.

I have to say old lady sterling I loved her character she doesn’t mixes her words and love she has for Poppy💓💓

Great to see a great cause is been recognised throughout this MND is one horrible condition

[BiblioDarling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deal Breaker
Aristocrats of London Book #2
Susie Tate

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Drink Spiking/Date Rape Drug
🚩Terminal/Chronic Illness

Tropes:
💕Dyslexic Heroine
💕MF Romance
💕Brother's Best Friend
💕Sports Romance
💕Forced Proximity
💕Childhood Crush
💕Second Chance Romance
💕Misunderstanding
💕Hate to Love
💕Age Gap
💕Touch Her and Die
💕Part of a Series (Second Book)
💕Grovel to HEA

**********************************************************************
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
THIS BOOK IS PART OF A SERIES. IT IS THE SECOND BOOK IN THE SERIES. FOR A BETTER READING EXPERIENCE PLEASE READ THE BOOKS IN ORDER.

Quote:
"Right, Power Puff. Woman up. Tits out and let's bloody well do this. You are Lady motherfucking Poppy Sterling. Some over-jacked ruggers bugger's not going to make you doubt yourself."

Summary:
FMC has had a crush on the MMC. MMC is her brother's best friend. However, due to a misunderstanding the MMC has distanced himself from the FMC. FMC and MMC are both working on a charity event which forces them to be in each other's presence. It forces them to deal with their relationship. HEA

Review:
Susie Tate always takes me on a beautiful journey. This book was no exception. At first, I really didn't like the MMC. I remember both he and the FMC showed up in Law Breaker (first book of the series).

At its core this book is about self-acceptance no matter what others may think of you. FMC learned to be loud and shine as much as she wanted. MMC learned to smile and laugh more. As with most of Tate's books a serious topic is included. This time we learn about MND and rally around the MMC and his teams as they deal with the pending death of a teammate.

Tate always writes serious topics in such a way that you can't help but be engaged and want to learn more. Kudos to Tate for another beautifully written book.

Grovel to HEA Romance Authors Recommendations:
Groveltohea (Wattpad Author)
Maya Alden
Natasha Anders
Cate C Wells
Christine Michelle

I RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS AN ARC HOWEVER MY REVIEW IS BASED ON MY OPINION OF THE BOOK ITSELF AND NOT INFLUENCED BY THE AUTHOR, ETC.

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[yaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deal Breaker ARC Review:
Firstly I want to say thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for letting me read this book early. I’m a huge Susie Tate fan and it’s an honor to get to review this book.

I got quite emotional reading with this one. Seeing what Connor was going through and how it affected everyone around him, seeing Rory get so emotional over his best friend and watching everyone band together to raise money for MND, it was simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. I can imagine this was an emotional book for Susie to write, with it hitting so close to home, and you can feel those emotions as your reading. It’s also brought awareness to myself about MND and how much it affects people and I’m sure it will have that effect with everyone who reads this book!

Rory was quite a contradictory lad. His back and forth emotions about Poppy were amusing while also being incredibly frustrating to read. But you understand, with the misunderstandings that happened between them, why he was so torn. And it was sad too, because of how strongly he felt for Poppy. His yearning was next level! But yeah I was obsessed with him even though he was a proper idiot half the time. And once he makes a few characters adjustments and emotional revelations, he’s a veryyyy endearing man and the way he takes care of if Poppy is swoon worthy x 1,000,000!!!

Poppy, my sweet Poppy. I loved her. And I basically hate everyone that put her down. She’s just a sweet, lovable ball of sunshine and did not deserve even an ounce of the misgivings she’d had to endure. She had a lot in common with Yaz from Unworthy. And the parallels between that book and this one, with the brother’s best friend and long awaited HEA, were not lost on me. But somehow I liked this book a lot more! I found the couple to have a bit more depth and I had a bit more patience for their back and forth. But over all I just adored Poppy and Rory!

Truly one of my favorite reads this year. I’m extremely grateful I got to arc read this. There’s something about Susie Tate’s writing that warms my heart. I genuinely feel like her books were written just for me🥹 They’ve got everything I appreciate about reading: the emotions, the character developments, the way I’m sucked in and transported to another place entirely, swoon worthy men and lovable charming women, and even my personal favorite trope, age gaps!

Highly, highly recommend picking this up in November. It is all about the characters’ misunderstandings with one another, deep rooted insecurities, found family, community, and a hot rugby lad who would have me on my knees! You will have your heartbroken and you will be pulling your hair in frustration every time Rory fumbles (which is often) but he makes up for it, I promise!!! Out November 3rd!🩷

[Mary Lawrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new book from Susie Tate is something to be savoured, so I’ve waited until I could give it the time it deserves. But …. I’m impatient, so once started I read it quickly as I just couldn’t put it down. So I read it twice, the second time more slowly to savour it, which is what this book really deserves. It’s a brilliant book which doesn’t pull any punches, tackling some difficult issues, whilst telling a great story about Rory & Poppy, their families & friends.

Rory Wallace is a successful international rugby player, a member of the World Cup winning Scottish team. He has a gentle Scottish accent which I adored. At six foot four he’s well built, & battle scarred from years of playing professional rugby. He is also Poppy’s older brother’s best friend. In contrast Lady Poppy Sterling is petite at only five foot two. They’ve loved each other for ever, but neither believes they are worthy or that the other is interested. Both are strong characters & at times it is a battle of wills. I loved them both, but they could be so frustrating as time after time they didn’t listen to each other, & there was so much miscommunication between them. I really felt for Rory, he tried so hard & obviously adores Poppy, but he’s so good at saying the wrong thing! They’re from such different backgrounds you wouldn’t put them together yet they could be a good fit, you can feel their strong connection that literally jumps off the page. A major area where they clash is in dealing with the media, it is Poppy’s job to work with the media, whilst Rory hates them with a passion after a bad experience years ago.

Poppy works her socks off to ensure that everyone else is happy, but at the expense of looking after herself; she finds it hard to let others look after her & pushes people away. But Rory is very persistent & inventive, & did sometimes get it right. Poppy is dyslexic & has a successful career in social media & event organisation using her social skills & connections; unfortunately this has fed a widely held view, including by her family, that she is a bit ditzy, which is far from the truth. The story culminates in a huge charity fundraiser organised by Poppy in aid of MND (motor neurone disease), inspired by Connor, a former teammate of Rory who suffers with this condition.

It’s so well written, & Susie writes sensitively about some difficult issues & situations. There’s some great characters; I particularly loved Granny Sterling, at 92 she’s a straight talker, & stands for no nonsense! And I loved the cameos of characters from Susie’s earlier books, Kira in particular just seems to pop up everywhere! There’s also plenty of humour & lightheartedness along the way.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for an arc of this book, which I have reviewed voluntarily; all opinions are my own.

[Virginia · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Deal Breaker by Susie Tate is the second title in the author's Aristocrats Of London series and I was really looking forward to reading Poppy and Rory's story after having read the first book in the series, Law Maker, recently.
I was hooked right from the outset and it was a thoroughly entertaining read as an enemies-to-lovers, brother’s best friend, age-gap, grumpy/sunshine sports romance, with, for me, an element of second chance as well.

Both MCs were larger than life on the page and it was easy to get swept up in and feel invested in their journey as they attempt to put past misunderstandings to rest and finally take the chance with one another despite the tension and personal insecurities they both carry.

Rory Wallace as the gruff and grumpy Scottish rugby player carries a chip on his shoulder when it comes to the Sterlings and the class they belong to. His sporting talent got him in and through a posh school where he became best friends with Poppy's older brother Rafe.
Poppy, vibrant, sunshiney, gorgeous and capable of being able to pull off outrageous flirting with everyone is also kind, caring and loyal to those in need and worthy of it, but despite her outward determination and confidence, she is still plagued by insecurities when it comes to her academic abilities and this is often reinforced by thoughtless put down comments from her family that she has learned to laugh off.
Having avoided one another for years Rory and Poppy are forced to spend time together working on a charity event spearheaded by Rory's close friend and former teammate as Connor battles MND.
Their time together more than rekindles the attraction and feelings they still have for one another but underlying issues they each carry regularly flare up causing drama to the extent that both suffer heartache and face the possibility that even though they care and love one another, their differences are just too much to prevent them from being truly happy together.
Rory has a stubborn streak that rears its head several times through their story resulting in apologies and grovelling that are swoon worthy but perhaps happen a bit too often.
Red carpet and gala drama, wonderful supporting characters, witty banter and sensitive handling of subjects that may be triggering, combine in a captivating story that had me eagerly turning the pages as Poppy and Rory navigated their relationship journey that was full of tension and unresolved issues before getting their highly satisfying HEA. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to author Susie Tate, the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC opportunity.