What do you think?
Rate this book
North Of The Tension Line #3
Robert's Rules (Volume 3)
As the new Chairman of the Town Board, Fiona Campbell finds that life has become a series of petty squabbles, dull meetings, and papers everywhere, all complicated by her guardianship of the as yet unidentified screaming goat. In desperation, she hires an unknown newcomer, the compulsively orderly Oliver Robert, to run her office and keep her organized.
Roger's fame as an idiosyncratic yoga practitioner continues to spread, and he and Elisabeth are looking for a new location to accommodate the growing crowds at their tiny coffee shop. Ferry Captain and poet Pali has an offer to leave the Island, and wonders whether it is time to introduce his son, Ben, to the larger world. Meanwhile, the Fire Chief is threatening to quit, and Fiona finds herself faced with an Island controversy and an unwanted set of new responsibilities.
As Pete Landry prepares to leave for one of his regular journeys, Fiona begins to suspect that his life may be more than it seems. His secrecy raises doubts in her mind about whether he can be trusted, and their breakup plunges her into grief. The reliable Jim, always nearby, is all too ready to offer comfort.
Robert's Rules is Book Three in the award-winning North of the Tension Line series, set on a remote island in the Great Lakes. Called a modern-day Jane Austen, author J.F. Riordan creates wry, engaging tales and vivid characters that celebrate the well-lived life of the ordinary man and woman.
Roger's fame as an idiosyncratic yoga practitioner continues to spread, and he and Elisabeth are looking for a new location to accommodate the growing crowds at their tiny coffee shop. Ferry Captain and poet Pali has an offer to leave the Island, and wonders whether it is time to introduce his son, Ben, to the larger world. Meanwhile, the Fire Chief is threatening to quit, and Fiona finds herself faced with an Island controversy and an unwanted set of new responsibilities.
As Pete Landry prepares to leave for one of his regular journeys, Fiona begins to suspect that his life may be more than it seems. His secrecy raises doubts in her mind about whether he can be trusted, and their breakup plunges her into grief. The reliable Jim, always nearby, is all too ready to offer comfort.
Robert's Rules is Book Three in the award-winning North of the Tension Line series, set on a remote island in the Great Lakes. Called a modern-day Jane Austen, author J.F. Riordan creates wry, engaging tales and vivid characters that celebrate the well-lived life of the ordinary man and woman.
- GenresFiction
400 pages, Hardcover
Published May 23, 2018
53 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
July 12, 2018
First I want to thank netgalley and the author for a an advanced copy of this book for my kindle! Requesting this book I hadn’t realized it was a third book in a series! The characters are so different! It took me a little bit to get the background and figure out whose who! When I did I fell in love with each one differently. I love small towns and stories that revolve around them! My opinion give it time and characters start to grow on you and you will also love each one! It was a slow build but this book has a little love story a little quirkiness and some mystery! Enjoy!
May 9, 2018
J.F. Riordan has become one of my favorite authors. Robert’s Rules is spectacular and compelling. I have read all of her books and this is my favorite. She is a masterful storyteller that has a knack of crafting a gripping storyline tinged with humor. Her now familiar and likable characters continue to add depth as they work their way deeper into your heart. The new character, Oliver Robert, is a quirky delight. Her description of life North Of the Tension Line makes me want to make a road trip. Warning: Set aside time to read, you won’t want to put it down. I didn’t. It is not necessary to have read her other two novels, North of the Tension Line and Audacity of Goats, but after you finish Robert’s Rules you will want to do so. Put me down as first in line for the next Riordan novel.
July 17, 2019
This is now the third novel I've read set on a small island off the Door County, Wisconsin, peninsula, and I must say that the series is a lot of fun. It is the opposite of flashy (this is Wisconsin we're talking about, after all). Normal people, small-town life, minor issues in the grand scheme of things but excellently limned by our author, a one-time infrequent contributor to The Weekly Standard (RIP). One back-cover blurb likens her to Jane Austen, which is a stretch for any author this side of Thomas Hardy or George Eliot, but I guess you could say she's in the zip code (or shire).
Riordan is going strong and the next novel is already anticipated in 2020 (that's pronounced "two thousand twenty," by the way).
Riordan is going strong and the next novel is already anticipated in 2020 (that's pronounced "two thousand twenty," by the way).
August 3, 2022
I loved it! J.F. Riordan just gets better and better at her craft! I read this book after our Door County vacation in order to sustain that vacation-like feeling. In this book, I feel some of the characters deal with larger issues and the story isn't quite as comical but it is still an entertaining read. The author has included a disclaimer in the preface: the issues in the book may or may not be actual issues on Washington Island. I'm sure this was a well-advised decision on her part --otherwise, readers might be wary of visiting the Island. I must say that I enjoyed the author's handling of small town politics, Island parents' musings about how to best prepare their children for the larger world, and young Ben's continued growth into a really admirable pre-teen. Obviously, J.F. Riordan loves animals, domestic and wild, but it is in a way that is completely incomprehensible to me. As is Fiona's pining away for the mysterious and peripatetic Pete, but I do now it is not to us to fathom the romantic yearnings of others!
I may have difficulty but I am going to try to hold back from ordering the 4th book in the series until our next summer vacation in Door County!
I may have difficulty but I am going to try to hold back from ordering the 4th book in the series until our next summer vacation in Door County!
September 26, 2020
This is the last in a series about a small town on an isolated island in northern Wisconsin. By and large, they are pleasant reads with meaningful insights into human nature. The characters and situations are generally believable, even when they are somewhat over the top they are still fun, and the villagers are people you enjoy spending time with. I found the main character, Fiona, a royal pain, however. She is supposed to be a burned-out hard news reporter who moves to the island on a dare. But she comes across as a flighty airhead and is quite annoying. It's also a little too convenient that the major crisis in each book is solved by her mysterious boyfriend who shows up in time to make the right phone calls, contact the right authorities, or take charge of the situation -- then leave again. But this is not meant to be deep literature, so enjoy them as good 'curl up in front of the fireplace reading.'
May 7, 2018
You think you have her pigeon holed. You think you’re a step... two steps ahead.... then it comes. Small town America is well represent by Ms. Riordan.
I wait for her fourth book seated on the stoop as I would the daily post... ripe in anticipation of a letter from a friend.
Well done!
I wait for her fourth book seated on the stoop as I would the daily post... ripe in anticipation of a letter from a friend.
Well done!
May 4, 2018
I just finished Robert’s Rules. Bravo!! I loved it. The best in the award-winning “North of the Tension Line” series, yet. Smart, funny, suspenseful, with a touch of romance and quirkiness. My favorite line was about Stella when she was talking to Emily Martin: “If she had had a tail she would have been swishing it.” And Fiona’s new assistant is fabulous. His wardrobe strategy is hilarious. Not to mention her new pet weasel!! Congratulations, Jan. You hit this one out of the park. Can’t wait for the next one.
September 2, 2018
4.5/5.0
Author Riordan crafts a charming, gentle world of small town life, love, and strife.
Read full review in the 2018 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Author Riordan crafts a charming, gentle world of small town life, love, and strife.
Read full review in the 2018 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.
November 15, 2022
I'm on a lucky streak. I haven't read any duds in the past year. But I have a problem. This was the third in a series, and before I read the last one, I really feel impelled to go back to number one!
Robert's Rules is wordplay on the title of the book of parliamentary procedure. But it has relevance to the character who comes, as though dropped onto the island by magic, to be the town board's administrative assistant and accountant.
Fiona Campbell, in a fit of civic mindedness, ran for chair of the town council of Washington Island, a tiny island at the northern tip of the Door County peninsula in Wisconsin. She was a reporter in Chicago, and although quite successful, the job took its toll on her psyche. She got away from it all, and, as the book opens, seems quite content with her relationship with Pete Landry. The town has a lot of issues with its finances and there is the crux of the plot.
The woman she beat in the election is nursing a grudge and decides that the discovery of a $12 bill due to the state of Wisconsin was enough for her to begin a smear campaign against Fiona. The fire chief insists that if the town cannot fund the fire department properly, he is quitting because he will not be responsible for whatever bad befalls them. The new accountant doesn't seem to have any loyalties, and in the middle of all of this, Fiona discovers the loss of a miscellaneous sock, a treasured pair of earrings and so on are due to a critter in her house.
A boy named Ben is being raised on the island, and must figure out how to deal with an outsider from Winnetka's bullying.
Roger, who took up yoga, suddenly has his coffee shop yoga classes overrun, and needs to figure out what to do, which given his misanthropy, will be a challenge.
The characters of this book are really well drawn and the writing is engaging. I couldn't put the book down. Parts were predictable, but well-handled. Even the unlikeable ones - necessary for the counterpoint and tension - are interesting.
The last character is nature. For a northerly area in Lake Michigan, there are seasons and they are prized by the inhabitants of the island. The natural beauty and the acceptance of the rhythms of life underscore the fierce sense of independence of the people living there, but also enhances the way they come together. They look out for one another, they respect their land, and they are careful in how they live. It's a road map for how most of us would like to live.
Robert's Rules is wordplay on the title of the book of parliamentary procedure. But it has relevance to the character who comes, as though dropped onto the island by magic, to be the town board's administrative assistant and accountant.
Fiona Campbell, in a fit of civic mindedness, ran for chair of the town council of Washington Island, a tiny island at the northern tip of the Door County peninsula in Wisconsin. She was a reporter in Chicago, and although quite successful, the job took its toll on her psyche. She got away from it all, and, as the book opens, seems quite content with her relationship with Pete Landry. The town has a lot of issues with its finances and there is the crux of the plot.
The woman she beat in the election is nursing a grudge and decides that the discovery of a $12 bill due to the state of Wisconsin was enough for her to begin a smear campaign against Fiona. The fire chief insists that if the town cannot fund the fire department properly, he is quitting because he will not be responsible for whatever bad befalls them. The new accountant doesn't seem to have any loyalties, and in the middle of all of this, Fiona discovers the loss of a miscellaneous sock, a treasured pair of earrings and so on are due to a critter in her house.
A boy named Ben is being raised on the island, and must figure out how to deal with an outsider from Winnetka's bullying.
Roger, who took up yoga, suddenly has his coffee shop yoga classes overrun, and needs to figure out what to do, which given his misanthropy, will be a challenge.
The characters of this book are really well drawn and the writing is engaging. I couldn't put the book down. Parts were predictable, but well-handled. Even the unlikeable ones - necessary for the counterpoint and tension - are interesting.
The last character is nature. For a northerly area in Lake Michigan, there are seasons and they are prized by the inhabitants of the island. The natural beauty and the acceptance of the rhythms of life underscore the fierce sense of independence of the people living there, but also enhances the way they come together. They look out for one another, they respect their land, and they are careful in how they live. It's a road map for how most of us would like to live.
September 22, 2022
Book 3 of the North of the Tension Line series finds much turmoil among the residents of Washington Island, Wisconsin. Fiona is feeling the pressures of public office, Pali & Nika are contemplating moving off-island for the sake of their 11-yr old son Ben, Ben is being bullied by a neighbor, the fire chief is threatening to quit, her nemesis Stella is waging a Twitter war against Fiona, Jim still longs for more than friendship from Fiona, and Nancy is concerned for the future of the farm that has been in her family for 5 generations. On the mainland, Roger's yoga following is threatening to overrun his coffee business. On top of all this, Fiona is mourning the absence of Pete Landry, whose enigmatic employment has finally wedged its way between them in a very solid way.
Once again, I laughed (and on more than one occasion cried) as the characters of this book struggle to find their way and confront the problems that living on a small island presents. There are few secrets in this community, and shifting allegiances between the residents occur often enough to keep you guessing how things will resolve. I'm not sure if I have the temperament to live in a place like Washington Island, but I relish the opportunity to visit through the pages of this book series. Can't wait to pick up Book 4 "A Small Earnest Question"!
Once again, I laughed (and on more than one occasion cried) as the characters of this book struggle to find their way and confront the problems that living on a small island presents. There are few secrets in this community, and shifting allegiances between the residents occur often enough to keep you guessing how things will resolve. I'm not sure if I have the temperament to live in a place like Washington Island, but I relish the opportunity to visit through the pages of this book series. Can't wait to pick up Book 4 "A Small Earnest Question"!
November 10, 2019
This is the third book in the quirky NORTH OF THE TENSION LINE series set on Door County's Washington Island, continuing the saga of Fiona Campbell, the newcomer to the island who has been elected town chair woman, beating out her arch nemesis Stella. As Fiona's secretive boyfriend Pete prepares to leave the island again, she demands to know more about his life, something he cannot or will not provide, and the couple parts on shaky terms. All this leaves Fiona wondering if she should have left her Chicago life and whether she can handle the problems that keep creeping up with the island's operating budget (great place to vacation, great place to live, but no money, honey). Although I like most of the characters in this series, such as Ben, the gentle preteen trying to find his place in the world, and all the yoga gang at the coffee shop, I find sometimes the multi-character cast makes for choppy reading. The story again ends on a bit of a cliff hanger, making it necessary to wait for the next book which does not release until next spring. I give this book 5 stars for its awesome Door County setting, 5 stars for its ingenious inclusion of animals in each book, but only 3 for characters in this particular book.
July 5, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed this 3rd book in an absolutely delightful series! I bought the first 3 on my Kindle last year for a couple of bucks each. There's a 4th available. They have Louise Penney's sense of community and a little history, but also have something of Brian Doyle & Madeleine L'Engle. There's something just a little off in several of the characters. I mean that in mostly a good way, but there are exceptions. Something off in the sense that they seem to be existing in the thin places. And there are animals! A goat, and now (spoiler alert) a least weasel. I had to google that one. They have appeared in the mythology of early Greece and also Native American communities. The setting on and around the UP (Michigan) is a place where you can lose yourself, at least for a time.
September 4, 2022
This is #3 in the North of the Tension Line series and I enjoyed it as much as #1. The characters are a delight to follow and I love the setting from my favorite part of the world--the Great Lakes area. Fiona won the election and is now town chairman with all of its headaches. Her special friend, Pete, ends up leaving and she finds it hard to have a positive outlook. She befriends a small weasel who inhabits her aging house and enjoys his company. After a crisis with the local fire department--fire chief resigns and a barn fire occurs--she is certainly thinking positively about an impeachment! The goat named Robert appears again. Life goes on with all of these delightful personages. What a pleasant reading experience this was!
September 19, 2023
I had forgotten about this series after my immersion, to the drowning point, in Nordic Noir series.
I had read the first two and really liked and been sitting on the last two for too long.
This is not a whodunit. This is a cast of interesting, some very interesting, characters living on an island in Lake Michigan - a mile or two off the coast.
Wanders through all sorts of social issues, be kind to animals, to include goats and what I think #4 will center on, romance, silliness, cattiness, meanspirited folks, those who jump up and down to help others, and of course, the distance one must keep from folks settling on the island but not born there.
It's a light easy read, great fun and glad I remembered I'd forgotten it.
I had read the first two and really liked and been sitting on the last two for too long.
This is not a whodunit. This is a cast of interesting, some very interesting, characters living on an island in Lake Michigan - a mile or two off the coast.
Wanders through all sorts of social issues, be kind to animals, to include goats and what I think #4 will center on, romance, silliness, cattiness, meanspirited folks, those who jump up and down to help others, and of course, the distance one must keep from folks settling on the island but not born there.
It's a light easy read, great fun and glad I remembered I'd forgotten it.
April 3, 2024
I haven't read the first 2 books in the series, but was a good stand alone story. Fiona is a strong woman, just a little different. Oliver is a very strange little man that Fiona hires to help as an assistant to her being Washington Islands town official. The island is in a financial crisis, and can't afford to budget any more money into the already poorly funded fire department, and the fire chief is threatening to resign if they can't find any money. Then Wisconsin send a bill to the Washington Island saying they owe 13 dollars and change to the state. All this after Fiona breaks off her relationship with her long time boyfriend (and probably best friend) Pete, because she realizes, she knows little about his job. Then Jim, sees he may have an opening to make Fiona his own.
July 30, 2024
I liked this one more than the previous one, mainly because the of the storyline involving Ben. I think Ben is one of the most well-rounded characters in the series, along with his parents.
To be honest, Fiona annoyed me in this book, her over-reaction to Pete was silly, and then all the moping around for the rest of the book was just irritating.
The thing that never made any sense to me were the bits where it seemed that "someone" was remembering a fire from childhood, or was wanting to start fires, or some nonsense about fires. It was never made clear who that person was (was it Fiona remembering a childhood fire? Someone else on the island?). It was very irritating as it seemed like a plot point that just never went anywhere at all.
To be honest, Fiona annoyed me in this book, her over-reaction to Pete was silly, and then all the moping around for the rest of the book was just irritating.
The thing that never made any sense to me were the bits where it seemed that "someone" was remembering a fire from childhood, or was wanting to start fires, or some nonsense about fires. It was never made clear who that person was (was it Fiona remembering a childhood fire? Someone else on the island?). It was very irritating as it seemed like a plot point that just never went anywhere at all.
May 19, 2018
A big fan of Riordan’s first two books, I was excited to read the third in the series. She doesn’t disappoint. The characters I loved in the first remain just a delightful and quirky. And, the new characters are fantastic additions — even if you want to kick a couple of them off the island. This series is perfect for book clubs of all ages. Grab a glass a wine, settle in and enjoy a great read!
May 26, 2018
I cannot get enought of these amazing characters. They are so relatable and intriguing they keep me guessing! Rarely do I find the need to google something from a novel but weasels are not familiar at all so finding one described so well made me research. Only Fiona would snuggle one in her sweater in a town meeting! Thanks J.F.!!
December 4, 2018
5 again for J.F. Riordan! This series has turned out to be my most pleasant, welcome read in years. This is the third so far, 4 out soon I think, (I had actually missed the publication of this) and following the different characters, people and animals, and comfortable spaces on this tiny island, on a great lake was something I miss the minute I'm finished reading it.
July 19, 2019
This is the 3rd book in the series. I am so involved with all the characters and have to read the 4th book. Between the characters and Robert, the goat this story is irresistible! This story takes place on Washington Island which is a real place. To get there you take a ferry from Door County. This has peaked my interest and want to visit.
Read
July 31, 2020This is the third in this series of books about life on an island in Door County, Wisconsin. I enjoy the variety of characters, the descriptions of life on the island. I like it that there are some more adventurous parts of the book, but they do no create too much anxiety. In this book I enjoyed the new character of the accountant who joins the island community. And, of course, the goat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2020
Fiona and her gang return and the story set in Door County continues. Love the small town politics and various comfortable and quirky characters in this series. Sit down with a cup of tea and get lost in a good book. It really helps if you read the first two in the North of the Tension Line first - #1 NORTH OF THE TENSION LINE and #2 AUDACITY OF GOATS
Highly Recommended!
Highly Recommended!
August 24, 2023
I did not enjoy this book as much as I did North of the Tension Line. The characters are still developed well and the story line seems to be so true of small towns. At times, I had to smile or laugh at the charcters and their adventures. While at others, the story seemed too trite. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
March 6, 2024
Another pleasant read in this series, but a slower starter than some others, with time spent at the beginning on island finances and reviews of events from the first two books. It takes a while for Fiona's friends (Elizabeth, Roger, Terry, Mike) to reenter the picture, and I missed them while they were gone. Oliver Robert makes a nice addition to the island.
May 7, 2024
A blurb compares Riordan to Jane Austen, which is a bit of a stretch; however, this series has become a favorite of mine. Not a lot happens on Washington Island, Wisconsin, but that “not much” happens so beautifully. Riordan is a great writer. I love the story, the quirky, unique characters, Lake Michigan, and the island itself.
April 25, 2018
A delightful read that continues the characters from the first two books. Fiona has a bit of a crisis, and some self doubt. Very realistic. Dialog and characters are very real and believable. A bit of tension, a bit of a mystery, and a satisfying resolution. A must read!
January 7, 2020
Slower than the previous two books and took too long to get to "the good part." Still an enjoyable and gentle read, especially with the addition of Attila. That Stella finally got a bit of comeuppance was delightful. Ready for the next book this summer!
May 28, 2020
Still enthralled with this 3rd book in the series. Love these characters who are true to real life with ups and downs and complications. This book even has the perk of some classic literary quotes in a palatable form. Really looking forward to the 4th book!!!
June 27, 2020
Part 3
I felt like this, the third book in the series, spent too much time rehashing the previous two books in the event readers had not read them. A bit of summation is understandable, but I felt it repetitive and more of a narration than a story.
I felt like this, the third book in the series, spent too much time rehashing the previous two books in the event readers had not read them. A bit of summation is understandable, but I felt it repetitive and more of a narration than a story.
July 10, 2020
Not nearly as good as the 1st 2 books in this series. This was slow going indeed. Nothing really happened until the last 25 pages. I like the characters enough to read the next installment, but I hope the author can get back on track.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews