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The Dugout #3
The Rulebreaker
I’m the coach’s daughter. Falling for one of my father's players was never the plan.
Especially not Decker Davis.
Chicago Colts third baseman.
Dependable. Steady. The guy everyone trusts.
And the man who’s spent years keeping his distance—especially from me.
We have history. The kind that ten years and a thousand miles can’t touch.
So, this time, I promised myself I'd be smarter.
No getting attached. No blurred lines. And definitely, no falling.
He broke every last one within the first week.
Because Decker doesn’t just show up for me. He shows up for my daughter.
Because he fits into our lives like he was always meant to be there.
Because he looks at me like I was never something he wanted to lose.
And suddenly, the walls I've spent years building don't feel nearly as solid as they used to.
But if I let him in, I’m not just risking my heart—I’m risking hers too… and I already know what losing him costs.
I won’t let my daughter pay that price.
Especially not Decker Davis.
Chicago Colts third baseman.
Dependable. Steady. The guy everyone trusts.
And the man who’s spent years keeping his distance—especially from me.
We have history. The kind that ten years and a thousand miles can’t touch.
So, this time, I promised myself I'd be smarter.
No getting attached. No blurred lines. And definitely, no falling.
He broke every last one within the first week.
Because Decker doesn’t just show up for me. He shows up for my daughter.
Because he fits into our lives like he was always meant to be there.
Because he looks at me like I was never something he wanted to lose.
And suddenly, the walls I've spent years building don't feel nearly as solid as they used to.
But if I let him in, I’m not just risking my heart—I’m risking hers too… and I already know what losing him costs.
I won’t let my daughter pay that price.
372 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2026
About the author
Piper Rayne
184 books7,897 followersPiper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling author duo. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.
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Join our newsletter and get 5 FREE BOOKS!
http://bit.ly/2tsNcpP
Our Books: We do things in 3’s. Three best friends. Three hot heroes. Three HEA’s.
Modern Love:
Single Dads Club:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,230 reviews
May 14, 2026
I’m sorry but I was so bored reading this book. It was a short book, yet it felt like I was making such little progress. I just wanted the story to be over. Penelope and Decker were also really annoying and pathetic and I couldn’t bring myself to root for them at all. So yeah… this book was a complete miss for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨ Rating: 5 ⭐️
🫧 Vibes: loml
🎶 Song: fall - justin bieber
📖 Favourite Quote: "I want every ordinary thing with you. Just you. For the rest of my life."
📚 Would I recommend? YES YESS
💬 tldr thoughts: they knocked it out of the park again!
In the package:
📦 second chance
📦 it's always been you
📦 coach's daughter
📦 brother's ex
Plot: Penelope moves back in town so her daughter can be closer to her grandfather. The problem is he's the coach of the Colts baseball team and Penelope has history with not one but two of the players on the team. And they're brothers. Foster has moved on but Decker has never been able to and their chemistry becomes impossible to ignore the more time they spend together along with her daughter.
Thoughts: My favourite author duo have done it AGAIN. Are we surprised? I'm not 🤭 the tension and angst between Pen and Decker was perfection. I was really curious how they were going to tackle this storyline because it was messy and chaotic to have the FMC be the brother's ex 👀 IT JUST MADE THE LONGING SO MUCH BETTER THOUGH 😩 I always eat up a second chance romance and this was no exception. The relationship progression was perfect and how they worked through their issues along with Decker and Foster working through theirs as well. Some of my favourite scenes were with Decker and Pen's daughter, Hazel. Their relationship was so sweet and his grand gesture at the end made me tear up 🥲 This book might be tied as my fave with The Hotshot!
The way everyone was rooting for them to get together and even had bets going on was hilarious. This friend group is everything to me 🥹 and the extra glimpses we get from all the couples in each book is such a treat! I am so sad this series is coming to an end because I’m so obsessed with all the characters in this series and the found family aspect 🥹
Thank you Hambright PR and Piper Rayne for the eARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: loml
🎶 Song: fall - justin bieber
📖 Favourite Quote: "I want every ordinary thing with you. Just you. For the rest of my life."
📚 Would I recommend? YES YESS
💬 tldr thoughts: they knocked it out of the park again!
In the package:
📦 second chance
📦 it's always been you
📦 coach's daughter
📦 brother's ex
Plot: Penelope moves back in town so her daughter can be closer to her grandfather. The problem is he's the coach of the Colts baseball team and Penelope has history with not one but two of the players on the team. And they're brothers. Foster has moved on but Decker has never been able to and their chemistry becomes impossible to ignore the more time they spend together along with her daughter.
Thoughts: My favourite author duo have done it AGAIN. Are we surprised? I'm not 🤭 the tension and angst between Pen and Decker was perfection. I was really curious how they were going to tackle this storyline because it was messy and chaotic to have the FMC be the brother's ex 👀 IT JUST MADE THE LONGING SO MUCH BETTER THOUGH 😩 I always eat up a second chance romance and this was no exception. The relationship progression was perfect and how they worked through their issues along with Decker and Foster working through theirs as well. Some of my favourite scenes were with Decker and Pen's daughter, Hazel. Their relationship was so sweet and his grand gesture at the end made me tear up 🥲 This book might be tied as my fave with The Hotshot!
The way everyone was rooting for them to get together and even had bets going on was hilarious. This friend group is everything to me 🥹 and the extra glimpses we get from all the couples in each book is such a treat! I am so sad this series is coming to an end because I’m so obsessed with all the characters in this series and the found family aspect 🥹
Thank you Hambright PR and Piper Rayne for the eARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
May 14, 2026
My cheeks genuinely hurt from smiling while I was reading this. Set in Chicago, this is a baseball romance involving a player and the coach’s daughter. She’s a single mom and she thinks her daughter is missing out from having a father figure around.
I enjoyed the banter and the “you were always mine” aspect to the story. It was quick easy read/ listen (I finished it in like 2 days) and it was very easy to get into it. It was also cute to see how the other characters were trying to push them together.
I received an ALC and ARC so I could do an immersive read (Teddy Hamilton is the MMC and that’s a treat in itself)
The Rulebreaker is part of an interconnected series, but it can be read as a standalone. It was the first in this series I’ve read and now I want to check out the others
I enjoyed the banter and the “you were always mine” aspect to the story. It was quick easy read/ listen (I finished it in like 2 days) and it was very easy to get into it. It was also cute to see how the other characters were trying to push them together.
I received an ALC and ARC so I could do an immersive read (Teddy Hamilton is the MMC and that’s a treat in itself)
The Rulebreaker is part of an interconnected series, but it can be read as a standalone. It was the first in this series I’ve read and now I want to check out the others
May 6, 2026
3.5
I really loved book 1 and 2 in this series but this one just sorta fell flat for me. I usually love a second chance romance but the first 60% of the book I felt like no one was communicating and I was just irritated. I did enjoy some parts of the book and I think the thing that I enjoyed the most and I haven’t seen before was the third pov of the therapist which I felt added a lot and kept the story moving along! Did some parts give me the ick? yes. Will I still read the next one in the series? yes.
I really loved book 1 and 2 in this series but this one just sorta fell flat for me. I usually love a second chance romance but the first 60% of the book I felt like no one was communicating and I was just irritated. I did enjoy some parts of the book and I think the thing that I enjoyed the most and I haven’t seen before was the third pov of the therapist which I felt added a lot and kept the story moving along! Did some parts give me the ick? yes. Will I still read the next one in the series? yes.
May 18, 2026
3.5-3.75 but sadly rounded down(at least for now)
This was supposed to be my fav of the series 😭
The writing is good, I even wanted to round it up because I am invested in this whole series and the audiobook IS good, but… there is solid number of things I didn’t like and I just didn’t care for Decker and Penelope. I wasn’t feeling it, you know?
I was way more invested in their story before getting to know it 😔
I’m sorry Piper and Rayne, I DO reccomend this series as a whole, but this book didn’t have the magic previous two had.
My favorite chapters were the therapy ones and I was more invested in every other storyline than Declan and Penelope one. They were so blind! No one had any issues with them getting together, all their friends and family were waiting for it!!! I don’t buy how their relationship was forbidden. I understood Declan’s reasons but I could not get around Penelope’s actions, in the past or present.
Forbidden romance but I couldn’t buy what was forbidden. I stand by Pen being in the wrong when she got together with Foster in college, but in current storyline I felt like both of them (Pen and Dec) just WANTED to pine for each other instead of just going for it. For Declan it made sense, for Pen not so much.
I didn’t care for the part about baby daddy.
But overall this series IS a fun one. I guess I just had too high expectations after reading and loving the first two books and tropes for this one and I’m sorry but it didn’t hit the mark for me.
No notes for the audio performance!
Duration with bonus scene is a bit over 9h
I listened mostly with 2.0x speed
Narrated in duet by Willa Jaymes and Teddy Hamilton with full cast narration.
ALC and ARC provided by Hambright PR
This was supposed to be my fav of the series 😭
The writing is good, I even wanted to round it up because I am invested in this whole series and the audiobook IS good, but… there is solid number of things I didn’t like and I just didn’t care for Decker and Penelope. I wasn’t feeling it, you know?
I was way more invested in their story before getting to know it 😔
I’m sorry Piper and Rayne, I DO reccomend this series as a whole, but this book didn’t have the magic previous two had.
My favorite chapters were the therapy ones and I was more invested in every other storyline than Declan and Penelope one. They were so blind! No one had any issues with them getting together, all their friends and family were waiting for it!!! I don’t buy how their relationship was forbidden. I understood Declan’s reasons but I could not get around Penelope’s actions, in the past or present.
Forbidden romance but I couldn’t buy what was forbidden. I stand by Pen being in the wrong when she got together with Foster in college, but in current storyline I felt like both of them (Pen and Dec) just WANTED to pine for each other instead of just going for it. For Declan it made sense, for Pen not so much.
I didn’t care for the part about baby daddy.
But overall this series IS a fun one. I guess I just had too high expectations after reading and loving the first two books and tropes for this one and I’m sorry but it didn’t hit the mark for me.
No notes for the audio performance!
Duration with bonus scene is a bit over 9h
I listened mostly with 2.0x speed
Narrated in duet by Willa Jaymes and Teddy Hamilton with full cast narration.
ALC and ARC provided by Hambright PR
May 18, 2026
#Review: The Rulebreaker - Piper Rayne - ARC/ALC [18+]
4.8/5✨
2/5🌶️
Decker Davis and Penelope Ripley had a quite complicated history. Even after ten years, everything that happened between them could not be ignored. But being again in close proximity, because he was part of the baseball team Penelope's father was coaching, Chicago Colts, complicated things even more for them. On top of that, Penelope never thought that Decker will also win her daughter's heart, fact which made it even harder to ignore everything that was sizzling in her heart. But could they be together when there was a huge secret lurking that could destroy their happiness?
As expected, I had the bestest time following Decker and Penelope's story! The cast of this book was incredible, Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes portraying Decker and Penelope so, so good!🩵 Of course that I was completely mesmerized by this whole cast, having the most amazing chemistry together, making it so easy for me to get lost in this story. I liked following that slow burn between Decker and Penelope, how they were reluctant to give what they felt a chance because they didn't want anyone to get hurt because of their decisions. Penelope's daughter, Hazel, was such a sweetheart, having a truly wonderful time seeing how she also fell in love with Decker and how she was getting attached to him. She was really witty, already having such a great personality at her fragile age.🤭 It was nice to see that healing process between Decker and his twin brother, Foster, part which brought something different to Piper Rayne's books, which included an extra point of view especially for this particular topic.
The vibes of this series are so amazing, loving all the shenanigans that are always happening between the Chicago Colts teammates🤭. I'm now extremely curious about the next book of this series, which is going to be all about Easton. The last part of this book was super funny and a bit shocking at the same time, but that made me so, so ready to read his story. I literally cannot wait for it!!😍
Super grateful for this e-ARC and ALC offered by the amazing Valentine Pr, Hambright Pr and Piper Rayne. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!🤗
✨Tropes
▫️Single Mom
▫️Brother's Ex
▫️Second Chance Romance
▫️Slow Burn
▫️Coach's Daughter
▫️Forced Proximity
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Baseball Player
4.8/5✨
2/5🌶️
Decker Davis and Penelope Ripley had a quite complicated history. Even after ten years, everything that happened between them could not be ignored. But being again in close proximity, because he was part of the baseball team Penelope's father was coaching, Chicago Colts, complicated things even more for them. On top of that, Penelope never thought that Decker will also win her daughter's heart, fact which made it even harder to ignore everything that was sizzling in her heart. But could they be together when there was a huge secret lurking that could destroy their happiness?
As expected, I had the bestest time following Decker and Penelope's story! The cast of this book was incredible, Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes portraying Decker and Penelope so, so good!🩵 Of course that I was completely mesmerized by this whole cast, having the most amazing chemistry together, making it so easy for me to get lost in this story. I liked following that slow burn between Decker and Penelope, how they were reluctant to give what they felt a chance because they didn't want anyone to get hurt because of their decisions. Penelope's daughter, Hazel, was such a sweetheart, having a truly wonderful time seeing how she also fell in love with Decker and how she was getting attached to him. She was really witty, already having such a great personality at her fragile age.🤭 It was nice to see that healing process between Decker and his twin brother, Foster, part which brought something different to Piper Rayne's books, which included an extra point of view especially for this particular topic.
The vibes of this series are so amazing, loving all the shenanigans that are always happening between the Chicago Colts teammates🤭. I'm now extremely curious about the next book of this series, which is going to be all about Easton. The last part of this book was super funny and a bit shocking at the same time, but that made me so, so ready to read his story. I literally cannot wait for it!!😍
Super grateful for this e-ARC and ALC offered by the amazing Valentine Pr, Hambright Pr and Piper Rayne. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!🤗
✨Tropes
▫️Single Mom
▫️Brother's Ex
▫️Second Chance Romance
▫️Slow Burn
▫️Coach's Daughter
▫️Forced Proximity
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Baseball Player
May 12, 2026
4 ⭐️
It was so great getting to head back and see this crew again because the found family vibes in this series are absolutely top tier. Every interaction just makes you want to be part of their chaos.
Brother’s ex is usually a trope that doesn’t fully work for me, but the author somehow made me absolutely gobble this one up. The chemistry, the tension, and all the history between them kept me completely invested.
One thing I really appreciated was seeing the two brothers in therapy together. Those scenes added so much depth to their relationship and made everything feel more emotional and real.
Also, I was obsessed with the fact that literally everyone around them was trying to push them together while they stayed completely clueless about it. It made for some of my favorite moments in the book.
It was so great getting to head back and see this crew again because the found family vibes in this series are absolutely top tier. Every interaction just makes you want to be part of their chaos.
Brother’s ex is usually a trope that doesn’t fully work for me, but the author somehow made me absolutely gobble this one up. The chemistry, the tension, and all the history between them kept me completely invested.
One thing I really appreciated was seeing the two brothers in therapy together. Those scenes added so much depth to their relationship and made everything feel more emotional and real.
Also, I was obsessed with the fact that literally everyone around them was trying to push them together while they stayed completely clueless about it. It made for some of my favorite moments in the book.
May 10, 2026
The perfect series for baseball season! ⚾️📚
This book had some absolutely top-tier tropes: baseball player, single mom, coach’s daughter, AND let’s throw in brother’s ex. Put all of that together and you get one heck of an emotional, tension-filled story. Add in a double layer of forbidden-ness and we have ourselves a winner!
I also really loved watching the brothers work through their issues. It made the payoff feel that much sweeter when everything finally came together.
And the MMC’s relationship with her little girl? Absolute chef’s kiss. 🥹 That dynamic added so much heart to the story and completely won me over.
Such a fun, swoony read and a perfect one to add to your baseball season lineup!
May 14, 2026
Solidly in my baseball era ⚾️
I am loving this series.
Decker Davis
MLB 3rd baseman
Fosters twin
The quieter more stable controlled brother
Penelope
Single mom
The coach’s daughter
Fosters ex
Second chance!
They have know each other since they were 11/12
They’ve loved each other forever.
There’s a little bit of hesitation and resistance
He helps her daughter out. Hula hooping.
They work together on some events
Some twists and turns.
Slow burn
Arc review ✨
I am loving this series.
Decker Davis
MLB 3rd baseman
Fosters twin
The quieter more stable controlled brother
Penelope
Single mom
The coach’s daughter
Fosters ex
Second chance!
They have know each other since they were 11/12
They’ve loved each other forever.
There’s a little bit of hesitation and resistance
He helps her daughter out. Hula hooping.
They work together on some events
Some twists and turns.
Slow burn
Arc review ✨
Did Not Finish
May 23, 2026DNF @ 76%
I feel like such a quitter 🫣. I was intrigued by their history and the potential angst behind it all, but then once it all was exposed, I was kinda let down. It became a little mushy and then I realized I didn't really feel any type of connection to either or the characters or their connection to each other. I felt like I was told about them having this amazing connection but never really felt it, if that makes sense. I wasn't even that interested in skimming to the end to see what happens. Could very well be my book slump, because this is the second DNF in a row...
I feel like such a quitter 🫣. I was intrigued by their history and the potential angst behind it all, but then once it all was exposed, I was kinda let down. It became a little mushy and then I realized I didn't really feel any type of connection to either or the characters or their connection to each other. I felt like I was told about them having this amazing connection but never really felt it, if that makes sense. I wasn't even that interested in skimming to the end to see what happens. Could very well be my book slump, because this is the second DNF in a row...
May 26, 2026
I love a single mom story and even more love a man that steps up for a single mom he's always loved and her adorable daughter. Throw in the fact that she's also his coach's daughter and his twin brother's college ex (messyyy) and I'm sold! This was also such a cute story line with the hula hoop talent show assist. I was swooning for Decker and rooting for these two to get it together, which of course they finally did. I also genuinely appreciate that the brother's are in therapy working on their own relationship too. It was a unique edition and really added depth to the book and the series. I'm loving this series and the audiobooks are a super enjoyable listen.
May 19, 2026
I loved every book I have read by Piper Rayne, and The Rulebreaker is no exception to the rule.
They have written such a good slow burn, the tension and the feelings are there from the beginning, but the complications are too.
Decker is the third baseman of the Colts, his game is not at the top since Penelope, his coach's daughter, came back into his life. They know each other since they were teens, they were best friends but after college they drifted apart. Now that she is part of his group of friends and it's impossible to ignore her, will they try to fix their friendship?
Penelope and Decker relationship is not easy, it seems it's never the right time for them. They are so selfless, they prefer to stay away from each other rather than hurting their loved ones.
It was hard to see them go back and forth between their emotions and their fears. I wanted to shake them and tell them to finally live their lives for themselves, because their attraction and their love were too obvious. In the end I was so happy to see their growth as persons and as a couple.
I've enjoyed to read the third installment in the The Dugout series, this is a stanalone, but the stories are interconnected, and I highly recommend to read the previous ones too.
I can't wait to read next baseball novel!
Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.
May 19, 2026
Hands Off Deck
While there's so much more to this than just rekindling, or repairing, an old flame, I easily fell in love with Decker (Goldie, Deck) Davis and Penelope (Slugger, Pen) Ripley. Add in shy Hazel and several matchmakers, and I had no choice but to go all in with them. 🤗💜
This is sweet and heartwarming with just the right amount of heat. Fine, I absolutely would've been happy to have more, but I'm not complaining. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, this is simply fantastic.
The sight of my twin brother still hits me sometimes—the strange, quiet miracle that we ended up on the same team, in the same city, as if the universe decided to give us one more shot at getting it right.
-- Decker Davis
There is a third POV that I really like. It adds more depth to a few things.
I love seeing the relationship between Decker and Foster build and strengthen. And the bets that their friend group make are hilarious. All the love and support that is shown throughout.... ❤️
I read along with the audio book. The primary narrators in this cast duet are Willa James and Teddy Hamilton. The supporting cast members are CJ Bloom, Meg Sylvan, Erin Mallon, JF Harding, Austin Stone, Connor Crais, and Sean Masters. I continue to love this cast of voice actors. They are fabulous! 🎧🩷🎧
Story: 4.5 stars
Narration: 5 stars
Listening Speed: 1.8x
H = 34; h = 33
TROPES & TRIGGERS:
⚾️ Single Mom
💜 Childhood friends
⚾️ Adorable seven-year-old
💜 Talk therapy
⚾️ Baseball romance
💜 Spicy chemistry 🌶
⚾️ Updates on earlier series couples
💜 Forbidden romance
May 28, 2026
4 stars✨️
I love this series so much! I've been so excited to read Decker and Pens Story, and it didn't disappoint.
I will say I did enjoy the first two more than this one, but I still loved it!
Also, that ending!! I can't wait for Eastons book🤭
I love this series so much! I've been so excited to read Decker and Pens Story, and it didn't disappoint.
I will say I did enjoy the first two more than this one, but I still loved it!
Also, that ending!! I can't wait for Eastons book🤭
May 26, 2026
May 26th - 4.5 STARS
Life has been so busy but thank god I had two days to sit down and speed through this delightful story! The tension between Decker and Penelope was palpable from her first appearance in the series, the slow burn paid off in the end though. I loved seeing this little family come together, Decker is an amazing dad for Hazel and their scenes were the sweetest, I LOVE when the kids medal, espcially the cameo of Bodhi back at his matchmaking! And every Monroe x Hazel scene had me cracking up, love the sass and determination of young minds. The found family aspect of Piper Rayne books is the cherry on top every time! I can't wait for Easton's book next, but at the same time, what do you mean we're already at the last book in the series!!??!!
APR 19th -
THEIR COVER!! AHHH I'm excited for more of the twins dynamic and hopefully growth in their relationship. Of course give me all the pining and angst between Decker and Penelope too, can't wait to see this man fall in love with his girl but also her kid!
_________________________
FEB 18th -
my guess is Decker and Penelope for book 3.. one that got away, single mum, second chance (seems like he never got over her)!! Please I see the writing on the wall, and we don't get a name drop for just any random character.. 👀
Life has been so busy but thank god I had two days to sit down and speed through this delightful story! The tension between Decker and Penelope was palpable from her first appearance in the series, the slow burn paid off in the end though. I loved seeing this little family come together, Decker is an amazing dad for Hazel and their scenes were the sweetest, I LOVE when the kids medal, espcially the cameo of Bodhi back at his matchmaking! And every Monroe x Hazel scene had me cracking up, love the sass and determination of young minds. The found family aspect of Piper Rayne books is the cherry on top every time! I can't wait for Easton's book next, but at the same time, what do you mean we're already at the last book in the series!!??!!
APR 19th -
THEIR COVER!! AHHH I'm excited for more of the twins dynamic and hopefully growth in their relationship. Of course give me all the pining and angst between Decker and Penelope too, can't wait to see this man fall in love with his girl but also her kid!
_________________________
FEB 18th -
my guess is Decker and Penelope for book 3.. one that got away, single mum, second chance (seems like he never got over her)!! Please I see the writing on the wall, and we don't get a name drop for just any random character.. 👀
May 16, 2026
✨ALC provided by Valentine PR for an honest review✨
I loved the first 2 books in this series and the third book didn’t disappoint! The Rulebreaker had a lot of deep moments, but it was also full of humor and heart ❤️ Chloe is the daughter of the manager of the baseball team and has recently moved to town with her daughter for a fresh start. She’s a single mother doing everything on her own and is fully focused on raising her little girl. She has history though with the Davis brothers and she is not as prepared as she thought she was to see Decker Davis after years apart. After the fallout from the last book The Wild Card, Decker and Foster are trying to rebuild their brotherly relationship after years of misunderstandings and secrets. Decker is fully focused on therapy with his brother and trying to fix his playing stats so he can be resigned with the team. But when Chloe comes back into his life, he can’t fight the old feelings burning him up inside and wants Chloe and her little girl in his life. But will he sacrifice the newly rebuilt relationship with his brother and put his career with the team in jeopardy to finally have a life with the only girl he’s ever loved?
I really loved how the Davis brothers are fully committed to rebuilding their relationship, and even going as far as attending therapy to do so. The internal struggle Decker faced with his attraction to Chloe really made you feel for him. The slow burn in this book was intense and it was driving me crazy! Chloe and Decker were perfect for each other, and it was so heartwarming that Decker wanted to be a father to Chloe’s little girl. Her daughter was missing a father figure, and Decker stepped in and owned it! And of course the bright spot in this book and the others is the brotherly team dynamics. This team is a family, and they will do anything for each other ❤️
The audiobook’s stars were duet narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes along with a multicast of some of the best narrators filling in the gaps for the rest of the team and significant others ❤️ I truly love the multicast narration and how it brings out a realistic feel for the characters! Everyone portrayed their characters perfectly 😁 I love this series and I can’t wait to dive into the next book! ❤️
I loved the first 2 books in this series and the third book didn’t disappoint! The Rulebreaker had a lot of deep moments, but it was also full of humor and heart ❤️ Chloe is the daughter of the manager of the baseball team and has recently moved to town with her daughter for a fresh start. She’s a single mother doing everything on her own and is fully focused on raising her little girl. She has history though with the Davis brothers and she is not as prepared as she thought she was to see Decker Davis after years apart. After the fallout from the last book The Wild Card, Decker and Foster are trying to rebuild their brotherly relationship after years of misunderstandings and secrets. Decker is fully focused on therapy with his brother and trying to fix his playing stats so he can be resigned with the team. But when Chloe comes back into his life, he can’t fight the old feelings burning him up inside and wants Chloe and her little girl in his life. But will he sacrifice the newly rebuilt relationship with his brother and put his career with the team in jeopardy to finally have a life with the only girl he’s ever loved?
I really loved how the Davis brothers are fully committed to rebuilding their relationship, and even going as far as attending therapy to do so. The internal struggle Decker faced with his attraction to Chloe really made you feel for him. The slow burn in this book was intense and it was driving me crazy! Chloe and Decker were perfect for each other, and it was so heartwarming that Decker wanted to be a father to Chloe’s little girl. Her daughter was missing a father figure, and Decker stepped in and owned it! And of course the bright spot in this book and the others is the brotherly team dynamics. This team is a family, and they will do anything for each other ❤️
The audiobook’s stars were duet narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes along with a multicast of some of the best narrators filling in the gaps for the rest of the team and significant others ❤️ I truly love the multicast narration and how it brings out a realistic feel for the characters! Everyone portrayed their characters perfectly 😁 I love this series and I can’t wait to dive into the next book! ❤️
May 11, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
I was so excited to get to Teddy Hamilton & Willa Jaymes narration & it absolutely didn’t let me down! These two together did a fantastic job!!
I swear Piper Rayne just keep making this series better & better!! I absolutely loved this one. Penelope & Decker have my heart. Second chance romance is always a face, but man I loved this so much! Getting glimpses into their past & then alll the tension and yearning they hold! They just made my heart so happy. I loved every second!! Pure chemistry with those two!!
I loved getting to dive deeper into Foster & Decker’s relationship in this one. Truly brought out so many emotions & just made this one so perfect. & The epilogue!!! My mind is reeling!! I cannot wait for more from this series & one of my absolute favorite tropes ever!
If you love baseball romance, coaches daughter, single mom, second chance & child hood friends to lovers, you are going to eat this one up!! An absolute must read series!! 🙌🏻⚾️🧢
Thank you Piper Rayne for the early ALC!
I was so excited to get to Teddy Hamilton & Willa Jaymes narration & it absolutely didn’t let me down! These two together did a fantastic job!!
I swear Piper Rayne just keep making this series better & better!! I absolutely loved this one. Penelope & Decker have my heart. Second chance romance is always a face, but man I loved this so much! Getting glimpses into their past & then alll the tension and yearning they hold! They just made my heart so happy. I loved every second!! Pure chemistry with those two!!
I loved getting to dive deeper into Foster & Decker’s relationship in this one. Truly brought out so many emotions & just made this one so perfect. & The epilogue!!! My mind is reeling!! I cannot wait for more from this series & one of my absolute favorite tropes ever!
If you love baseball romance, coaches daughter, single mom, second chance & child hood friends to lovers, you are going to eat this one up!! An absolute must read series!! 🙌🏻⚾️🧢
Thank you Piper Rayne for the early ALC!
May 18, 2026
Decker & Penelope’s story completely stole my heart. They’ve been friends since they were 11 years old, and watching their relationship evolve into something more was everything. Add in single mom romance + professional baseball player vibes and I was instantly invested. 🥹
Decker is such a golden retriever MMC and I love it. He is the kind of man who always shows up for the people he loves, protects them, and puts everyone before himself.
One of my favorite parts of this book was watching Foster & Decker’s relationship grow and seeing them go to therapy together. Those moments added so much depth and heart to the story. ❤️
And now… I desperately need Easton’s story immediately 😭
🎧 The audiobook was SO good with duet narration by Teddy Hamilton & Willa Jaymes plus a full cast experience.
Thank you Valentine PR for the eARC and Hambright PR for the ALC. ✨
Decker is such a golden retriever MMC and I love it. He is the kind of man who always shows up for the people he loves, protects them, and puts everyone before himself.
One of my favorite parts of this book was watching Foster & Decker’s relationship grow and seeing them go to therapy together. Those moments added so much depth and heart to the story. ❤️
And now… I desperately need Easton’s story immediately 😭
🎧 The audiobook was SO good with duet narration by Teddy Hamilton & Willa Jaymes plus a full cast experience.
Thank you Valentine PR for the eARC and Hambright PR for the ALC. ✨
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2026
hazel on the cover is the cutest ☺️
May 19, 2026
This is a totally swoon worthy read!! I was gasping and "aweing" all throughout. I was almost in tears at one point!
For writing to achieve that, is automatically a 5 star read for me! I would highly recommend any Piper Rayne books!
Penelope and Deckers story was incredible and I loved the sub plot of Decker and Foster(brothers fixing there relationship). Hazel was so cute and sweet. The narrators for this were perfect! A great duet narration who felt like they got the characters so well!
I will be continuing this series!
For writing to achieve that, is automatically a 5 star read for me! I would highly recommend any Piper Rayne books!
Penelope and Deckers story was incredible and I loved the sub plot of Decker and Foster(brothers fixing there relationship). Hazel was so cute and sweet. The narrators for this were perfect! A great duet narration who felt like they got the characters so well!
I will be continuing this series!
May 28, 2026
4.5
I just love this series! Decker and Penelope have so much history, and adding in the coach’s daughter and brother’s ex-girlfriend dynamics made this one even better. I loved the back and forth between the past and present because it gave so much depth to their relationship and everything they had been through together.
You also get a single mom storyline with some added complications, and honestly Hazel completely stole my heart. Kids in books don’t always land for me, but Hazel absolutely did. She was such a gem. One of my favorite moments had to be the rings scene.
I highly recommend the audio for this one, honestly for the whole series. The narrators bring these characters to life so well.
And that epilogue?! That cliffhanger for Easton’s book has me desperate for the next one already.
I just love this series! Decker and Penelope have so much history, and adding in the coach’s daughter and brother’s ex-girlfriend dynamics made this one even better. I loved the back and forth between the past and present because it gave so much depth to their relationship and everything they had been through together.
You also get a single mom storyline with some added complications, and honestly Hazel completely stole my heart. Kids in books don’t always land for me, but Hazel absolutely did. She was such a gem. One of my favorite moments had to be the rings scene.
I highly recommend the audio for this one, honestly for the whole series. The narrators bring these characters to life so well.
And that epilogue?! That cliffhanger for Easton’s book has me desperate for the next one already.
May 23, 2026
4 stars.
I *love* the 'The Dugout' series by Piper Rayne, and "The Rulebreaker" is no exception. It is a coach's daughter, second chance, he falls first, single mom, friends-to-lovers baseball romance between Decker and Penelope. They have been friends since they were kids, when her dad took an interest in Decker's baseball playing. He has loved her forever from afar, but now wants to change all of that... but life keeps getting in the way. Penelope's young daughter loves Decker, though, and he helps her with whatever she needs because of his crush on Penelope. That complicates things because she's nervous about her and her daughter getting attached to Decker without the guarantee of something permanent. Luckily, Decker has always shown up for them. Decker is peak golden retriever energy. It took me a while to warm up to Penelope, especially when certain things were revealed about their past. All in all, though, these books are so much fun. They are full of banter, baseball, excellent spice, lots of pining, and a good dose of yearning. Unfortunately, this specific book is rife with miscommunications! No one talks to each other for the majority of the book! All they had to do was have one honest conversation, and voila, problems solved! I did love the inclusion of the therapy sessions between Decker and his brother, Foster, and we get to find out what happened to drive a wedge between them through these chapters. I thought that was a very unique, interesting touch to include a therapist as a character! It did take a little while for me to get into this story, but once I did, I was all in for the most part. I think these are some of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. What a terrific, lively cast! They all come together to make a spectacular series of narrations. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Thank you to Piper Rayne and VPR Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
I *love* the 'The Dugout' series by Piper Rayne, and "The Rulebreaker" is no exception. It is a coach's daughter, second chance, he falls first, single mom, friends-to-lovers baseball romance between Decker and Penelope. They have been friends since they were kids, when her dad took an interest in Decker's baseball playing. He has loved her forever from afar, but now wants to change all of that... but life keeps getting in the way. Penelope's young daughter loves Decker, though, and he helps her with whatever she needs because of his crush on Penelope. That complicates things because she's nervous about her and her daughter getting attached to Decker without the guarantee of something permanent. Luckily, Decker has always shown up for them. Decker is peak golden retriever energy. It took me a while to warm up to Penelope, especially when certain things were revealed about their past. All in all, though, these books are so much fun. They are full of banter, baseball, excellent spice, lots of pining, and a good dose of yearning. Unfortunately, this specific book is rife with miscommunications! No one talks to each other for the majority of the book! All they had to do was have one honest conversation, and voila, problems solved! I did love the inclusion of the therapy sessions between Decker and his brother, Foster, and we get to find out what happened to drive a wedge between them through these chapters. I thought that was a very unique, interesting touch to include a therapist as a character! It did take a little while for me to get into this story, but once I did, I was all in for the most part. I think these are some of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. What a terrific, lively cast! They all come together to make a spectacular series of narrations. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Thank you to Piper Rayne and VPR Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
May 21, 2026
4🌟, 3🌶️
I had a really lovely time with this baseball romance.
Between the complicated history, the family ties, and the fact that Penelope was completely off-limits in more ways than one, there was so much tension woven into every interaction. Penelope and Decker’s chemistry felt natural from the start, and I loved all the quiet moments and lingering feelings between them. Their friends secretly trying to push them together added just the right amount of humor and charm.
What really stood out to me, though, was the emotional depth woven into the story. Decker working through his relationship with his brother in therapy gave the book a more grounded feel, and his bond with Penelope’s daughter was genuinely sweet. Those softer moments added so much heart to the romance and made the ending feel especially satisfying.
This was such a fun and heartfelt addition to the series, and I loved getting another glimpse into this chaotic, lovable friend group. It balanced the drama, humor, and emotional moments really well while still feeling light and comforting.
Overall, this was a really sweet and satisfying read.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Piper Rayne & Valentine PR for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
I had a really lovely time with this baseball romance.
Between the complicated history, the family ties, and the fact that Penelope was completely off-limits in more ways than one, there was so much tension woven into every interaction. Penelope and Decker’s chemistry felt natural from the start, and I loved all the quiet moments and lingering feelings between them. Their friends secretly trying to push them together added just the right amount of humor and charm.
What really stood out to me, though, was the emotional depth woven into the story. Decker working through his relationship with his brother in therapy gave the book a more grounded feel, and his bond with Penelope’s daughter was genuinely sweet. Those softer moments added so much heart to the romance and made the ending feel especially satisfying.
This was such a fun and heartfelt addition to the series, and I loved getting another glimpse into this chaotic, lovable friend group. It balanced the drama, humor, and emotional moments really well while still feeling light and comforting.
Overall, this was a really sweet and satisfying read.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Piper Rayne & Valentine PR for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
May 9, 2026
audio / 5* / valentine pr
“It feels like we’re a family. But it’s just a fantasy.”
Decker Davis has a lot of baggage, with himself his parents and most notably his brother, Foster. He’s been in love with the same girl since he was 11 and now they are back living in the same city.
Penelope has her own secrets, but her daughter Hazel has her eyes set on a daddy… and that daddy is the best friend Pen grew up with.
I loved how the relationships were worked through. The sessions in therapy where history was revealed. The team dynamics and how much of a role the kids played. I absolutely adored Hazel, and all her innocent/not so innocent ways.
I love this series, and the audio really takes it to another level! The full cast narration, having the MCs from part books voiced by the same people - it is such a great way to experience this work of art!
Thank you to Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for the opportunity to listen to and review this book in advance of its release. Cannot wait for the next book!
“It feels like we’re a family. But it’s just a fantasy.”
Decker Davis has a lot of baggage, with himself his parents and most notably his brother, Foster. He’s been in love with the same girl since he was 11 and now they are back living in the same city.
Penelope has her own secrets, but her daughter Hazel has her eyes set on a daddy… and that daddy is the best friend Pen grew up with.
I loved how the relationships were worked through. The sessions in therapy where history was revealed. The team dynamics and how much of a role the kids played. I absolutely adored Hazel, and all her innocent/not so innocent ways.
I love this series, and the audio really takes it to another level! The full cast narration, having the MCs from part books voiced by the same people - it is such a great way to experience this work of art!
Thank you to Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for the opportunity to listen to and review this book in advance of its release. Cannot wait for the next book!
May 12, 2026
4.5 stars! Second chance will always slap for me and the yearning between these two was literally killing me!! Decker and Penelope have know each other for years, literally since they were kids and I love how they were best friends back then! But their story isn’t all sunshine and roses, but has some painful and heartbreaking moments as well. Despite all of this, I love how they have grown and seeing how much Decker loves Pen’s daughter literally had me swooning so hard. There is no hesitation from him at all with how he just shows up with so much love and support.
The audio for this was full cast duet and is fantastic, I swear Piper Rayne has some of my favorite audios to listen to! Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes were amazing as Decker & Penelope! And the rest of the full cast was perfect as well!
What to expect:
-baseball romance
-coach’s daughter
-single mom
-childhood friends to lovers
-second chance
-close proximity
-brother’s ex
Thank you so much to Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for letting me read/listen to an ARC/ALC of this book!
The audio for this was full cast duet and is fantastic, I swear Piper Rayne has some of my favorite audios to listen to! Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes were amazing as Decker & Penelope! And the rest of the full cast was perfect as well!
What to expect:
-baseball romance
-coach’s daughter
-single mom
-childhood friends to lovers
-second chance
-close proximity
-brother’s ex
Thank you so much to Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for letting me read/listen to an ARC/ALC of this book!
May 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.25 stars)
I was lucky enough to receive both the ARC and the ALC of The Rulebreaker by Piper Rayne, and wow, the audio absolutely elevated this story. The full cast narration brought everything to life in the best way. I love when an audiobook adds another layer to the experience, and this one delivered.
While this is not my favorite in the series, it was still such a strong read.
Decker and Penelope’s story had me hooked from the start. I’m always a sucker for a second chance romance, and this one hit all the right emotional notes. Add in the forbidden element, brother’s ex and coach/manager’s daughter, and the tension was so good.
I also really loved seeing Decker and Foster’s relationship grow. The brotherhood development added so much depth to the story and made those emotional moments hit even harder.
And Hazel? An absolute gem. No notes.
This book really worked for me, especially in the romance and character development. It definitely still pulled on my heartstrings.
Thank you to Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for the ARC and ALC.
I was lucky enough to receive both the ARC and the ALC of The Rulebreaker by Piper Rayne, and wow, the audio absolutely elevated this story. The full cast narration brought everything to life in the best way. I love when an audiobook adds another layer to the experience, and this one delivered.
While this is not my favorite in the series, it was still such a strong read.
Decker and Penelope’s story had me hooked from the start. I’m always a sucker for a second chance romance, and this one hit all the right emotional notes. Add in the forbidden element, brother’s ex and coach/manager’s daughter, and the tension was so good.
I also really loved seeing Decker and Foster’s relationship grow. The brotherhood development added so much depth to the story and made those emotional moments hit even harder.
And Hazel? An absolute gem. No notes.
This book really worked for me, especially in the romance and character development. It definitely still pulled on my heartstrings.
Thank you to Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for the ARC and ALC.
May 26, 2026
This is Book 3 in Piper Rayne's new Dugout Series. Penelope, a single mom, moves to Chicago to be closer to her father, the Colts baseball team’s coach. She unexpectedly reconnects with Decker Davis, her childhood friend and the team’s third baseman. These two share a tangled 20 year history. Decker steps up to help Penelope’s daughter Hazel, & we can’t help but see their undeniable chemistry. Slowly, the protective walls that they created for each other start to break down.
I throughly enjoyed the yearning between these two characters. No matter how many rules, boundaries or barriers these characters put up there was NO denying their feelings for each others. I just kept feeling drawn to how Penelope & Decker constantly connected with each other. Loving this sports series romance!!!
I throughly enjoyed the yearning between these two characters. No matter how many rules, boundaries or barriers these characters put up there was NO denying their feelings for each others. I just kept feeling drawn to how Penelope & Decker constantly connected with each other. Loving this sports series romance!!!
May 14, 2026
Thank you to valentine PR for the chance to read and review The Rulebreaker by Piper Rayne
These are all of my honest thoughts and opinions
Releases today! So if yall adore a baseball romance as much as I do, definitely pick this one up.
Ohh I love a good second chance. Add in the slowest of burns and I’m literally all in.
Penelope and Decker have so much damn tension, I was eating it uppppp.
Just a quick and easy read, had me hooked from the first line. I love Decker so much and his relationship with Penelope’s daughter was so damn cuteeeee! I’ll forever love a single mom trope too.
4.0/5⭐️
These are all of my honest thoughts and opinions
Releases today! So if yall adore a baseball romance as much as I do, definitely pick this one up.
Ohh I love a good second chance. Add in the slowest of burns and I’m literally all in.
Penelope and Decker have so much damn tension, I was eating it uppppp.
Just a quick and easy read, had me hooked from the first line. I love Decker so much and his relationship with Penelope’s daughter was so damn cuteeeee! I’ll forever love a single mom trope too.
4.0/5⭐️
May 18, 2026
Usually I get sucked right into any book Piper Rayne writes. This one took me a little bit but once I was in, I was in. I think I was expecting Decker to be more of a hot head or jerk based on Foster's reaction to him. He was just a broken boy at heart and the way he shows up for Penelope and her daughter...swoon! This was an easy listen and perfect for baseball season. Teddy Hamilton and Willa Jaymes portray the main characters but this is a full cast duet narration which I absolutely love!!!
May 14, 2026
Thank you Piper Rayne and Valentine PR for this ARC.
Decker and Penelope have known each other since they were twelve years old. Years of hidden feelings and missed chances eventually led to them not speaking for almost a decade. Now they’re back in the same town, and resisting each other can only last for so long.
Decker is the star third baseman, while Penelope is the manager’s daughter. Their hesitation and fear of crossing the line begin to take a toll on them both because, honestly, they’ve loved each other forever. But with the past resurfacing, can they finally let go and allow themselves to be happy?
I loved the meddling of the kids in this book. It was fun to see what they all kept doing to get these two together. I LOVED seeing Decker and Foster go through therapy together. It dives deeper into how they became who they were and what caused the split betwen them.
Decker and Penelope have known each other since they were twelve years old. Years of hidden feelings and missed chances eventually led to them not speaking for almost a decade. Now they’re back in the same town, and resisting each other can only last for so long.
Decker is the star third baseman, while Penelope is the manager’s daughter. Their hesitation and fear of crossing the line begin to take a toll on them both because, honestly, they’ve loved each other forever. But with the past resurfacing, can they finally let go and allow themselves to be happy?
I loved the meddling of the kids in this book. It was fun to see what they all kept doing to get these two together. I LOVED seeing Decker and Foster go through therapy together. It dives deeper into how they became who they were and what caused the split betwen them.
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