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The Rules
WHEN HANS BAUER, a college student in New Hampshire, accepts a job as a housekeeper for an older gay couple, he soon learns the reason they've hired someone with no experience is that professional agencies won't work there. Thomas is a successful businessman whose biggest goal in life appears to be giving his husband anything he wants. Boris is a writer who immigrated to this country from Russia, and suffers from depression and PTSD because of the things he endured in his native country.
He also refuses to wear clothes—ever.
While Hans is working alone in the house with Naked Boris all day, things start getting a little weird. Boris gets flirtatious and Hans backs away, not wanting to come between him and his husband. So Boris calls Thomas at work and asks permission.
At that moment, The Rules are born—rules about touching and kissing and pet names that the three men use to keep jealousies at bay, as they explore the possibilities in a new type of relationship....
WARNING: This story deals with themes of sexual assault and past abuse.
He also refuses to wear clothes—ever.
While Hans is working alone in the house with Naked Boris all day, things start getting a little weird. Boris gets flirtatious and Hans backs away, not wanting to come between him and his husband. So Boris calls Thomas at work and asks permission.
At that moment, The Rules are born—rules about touching and kissing and pet names that the three men use to keep jealousies at bay, as they explore the possibilities in a new type of relationship....
WARNING: This story deals with themes of sexual assault and past abuse.
330 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2017
143 people are currently reading
1189 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Fessenden
45 books390 followersJamie Fessenden set out to be a writer in junior high school. He published a couple short pieces in his high school's literary magazine and had another story place in the top 100 in a national contest, but it wasn't until he met his partner, Erich, almost twenty years later, that he began writing again in earnest. With Erich alternately inspiring and goading him, Jamie wrote several screenplays and directed a few of them as micro-budget independent films. He then began writing novels and published his first novella in 2010.
After nine years together, Jamie and Erich married and purchased a house together in the wilds of Raymond, New Hampshire, where there are no street lights, turkeys and deer wander through their yard, and coyotes serenade them on a nightly basis. Jamie recently left his "day job" as a tech support analyst to be a full-time writer.
After nine years together, Jamie and Erich married and purchased a house together in the wilds of Raymond, New Hampshire, where there are no street lights, turkeys and deer wander through their yard, and coyotes serenade them on a nightly basis. Jamie recently left his "day job" as a tech support analyst to be a full-time writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
September 30, 2017
Jamie Fessenden's The Rules is a brilliant exploration of the intricacies of a ménage relationship.
Jealousy. Trust. Insecurity. But also, and most importantly, LOVE.
How many rules do you create when you invite a third person into your marriage, and at what point are the rules meant to be broken?
Thomas and Boris (pronounced the right way, the RUSSIAN way, Boh-REES, never, ever Boris like Doris) have been married for ten years. They live in a large Victorian house but can't keep a housekeeper since Boris is, uh ... ECCENTRIC (code for: he rarely leaves his study and refuses to wear clothes).
Thomas hopes that a college student, particularly a male one, might be less freaked out by Naked Boris, so he hires Hans to clean twice per week.
Hans isn't scared of Naked Boris. He's charmed. And attracted (especially when Boris falls asleep spread eagle on the couch). Hans is a painter, Boris an author; maybe it's the artistic temperament, but they are drawn together immediately.
It begins with sunscreen. That's when Thomas establishes The Rules: looking is okay, but not touching; touching is okay, but only hand jobs, and NO KISSING; kissing is fine, but no fucking.
And, above all, no Russian. That's Boris's rule: speaking Russian is only for him and Thomas.
The Rules are flexible and negotiable. They are based on expectations, fear, and desire. Boris suffers from severe social anxiety and depression, which makes navigating The Rules even trickier.
While the book is filtered through Hans's third-person POV, all three men are fully realized, complex characters with their own quirks, not to mention emotional baggage.
Thomas is the caretaker; he's calm and kind, and spoils his husband something awful. Boris is moody and temperamental, passionate and clever. Hans, the Puppy, is the spark; he's funny and accepting, curious and forgiving.
Hans falls for both Thomas and Boris, but doesn't want to do anything to break up their marriage. He just wants to belong.
This is possibly the best ménage à trois story I've ever read.
There is plenty of steam (gentle and dirty), without the sex ever feeling gratuitous. There are FEELS galore (Boris suffered a traumatic incident in his past, and his anxiety spikes with the impending visit of his parents and older brother from Russia).
While the story is entirely relationship focused, the pacing is spot on and the threesome develops organically. Nothing about the men's relationship felt forced. Forget petty drama, pouting, or miscommunication; you won't find it here. The MCs are willing to talk through their issues.
I adored all the Russian talk (and Russian food!), Boris's amazing Mama, the tenderness between the men (like the pet names Hans comes up with for Boris and Thomas, which sound way better in Russian), and the beautiful HEA.
The Rules is a 5+ star read and one of my favorite books of the year.
Jealousy. Trust. Insecurity. But also, and most importantly, LOVE.
How many rules do you create when you invite a third person into your marriage, and at what point are the rules meant to be broken?
Thomas and Boris (pronounced the right way, the RUSSIAN way, Boh-REES, never, ever Boris like Doris) have been married for ten years. They live in a large Victorian house but can't keep a housekeeper since Boris is, uh ... ECCENTRIC (code for: he rarely leaves his study and refuses to wear clothes).
Thomas hopes that a college student, particularly a male one, might be less freaked out by Naked Boris, so he hires Hans to clean twice per week.
Hans isn't scared of Naked Boris. He's charmed. And attracted (especially when Boris falls asleep spread eagle on the couch). Hans is a painter, Boris an author; maybe it's the artistic temperament, but they are drawn together immediately.
It begins with sunscreen. That's when Thomas establishes The Rules: looking is okay, but not touching; touching is okay, but only hand jobs, and NO KISSING; kissing is fine, but no fucking.
And, above all, no Russian. That's Boris's rule: speaking Russian is only for him and Thomas.
The Rules are flexible and negotiable. They are based on expectations, fear, and desire. Boris suffers from severe social anxiety and depression, which makes navigating The Rules even trickier.
While the book is filtered through Hans's third-person POV, all three men are fully realized, complex characters with their own quirks, not to mention emotional baggage.
Thomas is the caretaker; he's calm and kind, and spoils his husband something awful. Boris is moody and temperamental, passionate and clever. Hans, the Puppy, is the spark; he's funny and accepting, curious and forgiving.
Hans falls for both Thomas and Boris, but doesn't want to do anything to break up their marriage. He just wants to belong.
This is possibly the best ménage à trois story I've ever read.
There is plenty of steam (gentle and dirty), without the sex ever feeling gratuitous. There are FEELS galore (Boris suffered a traumatic incident in his past, and his anxiety spikes with the impending visit of his parents and older brother from Russia).
While the story is entirely relationship focused, the pacing is spot on and the threesome develops organically. Nothing about the men's relationship felt forced. Forget petty drama, pouting, or miscommunication; you won't find it here. The MCs are willing to talk through their issues.
I adored all the Russian talk (and Russian food!), Boris's amazing Mama, the tenderness between the men (like the pet names Hans comes up with for Boris and Thomas, which sound way better in Russian), and the beautiful HEA.
The Rules is a 5+ star read and one of my favorite books of the year.
September 20, 2017
4.25 Stars.
Well,this was more than a pleasant surprise.I haven't read many menage books but this one is extremely well done.
Three men....
Thomas and Boris are happily married when they employ Hans as their cleaner/house keeper.
Hans is gay so has no problem with their relationship but what he wasn't quite prepared for was Boris and his......let's just say,uniqueness...
I absolutely loved Boris.His vulnerability,his eccentricities,his sensuality.Thomas,on the other hand was stoic,reserved but had such a caring nature.
But what happens when rules are set and then get slowly broken down?......You get something quite delicious!
I think a menage relationship is a difficult one to get right but this Author has managed it here and made it totally believable.Nothing felt forced or staged.Things just fit into place perfectly!
The sign of a good book for me,is if I can't put it down and look forward to getting back to it and that's definitely the case here.I really enjoyed this and the Epilogue was just perfect.
Recommended read.
Available on KU.
Well,this was more than a pleasant surprise.I haven't read many menage books but this one is extremely well done.
Three men....
Thomas and Boris are happily married when they employ Hans as their cleaner/house keeper.
Hans is gay so has no problem with their relationship but what he wasn't quite prepared for was Boris and his......let's just say,uniqueness...
I absolutely loved Boris.His vulnerability,his eccentricities,his sensuality.Thomas,on the other hand was stoic,reserved but had such a caring nature.
But what happens when rules are set and then get slowly broken down?......You get something quite delicious!
I think a menage relationship is a difficult one to get right but this Author has managed it here and made it totally believable.Nothing felt forced or staged.Things just fit into place perfectly!
The sign of a good book for me,is if I can't put it down and look forward to getting back to it and that's definitely the case here.I really enjoyed this and the Epilogue was just perfect.
Recommended read.
Available on KU.
February 9, 2025
Jamie Fessenden writes characters so well, it's amazing.
I know I'm being a hypocrite, bitching about how I don't like a couple picking up a third in romance, but damn, it worked so well here. And best of all, it's a psychological journey (even though the sex sure was hot too, do not worry ;-)
And for some reason, even scenes that were not actual sex were incredibly hot here. There was something about that entire scenario that had the hotness factor go through the roof without any porn-worthy sexual acts.
Hans is an art student who is looking for a job during his free time. So a job ad as a house cleaner seems as good a job for him as any.
Showing up at the beautiful mansion that his employer is presenting him during the job interview, Hans quickly realizes that
A) He would be working for a married gay couple
B) One of the husbands, Boris, has a certain mental condition that... for lack of how to describe it in proper medical terms: He is always running around in the nude. Always.
So yeah, this has pretty much scared off every other housekeeper so far and husband Thomas (the one with clothes on) hopes that Hans isn't homophobic and doesn't mind a naked man around the house.
Hans takes in the two (surprisingly gorgeous) men in their mid30s and doesn't even think twice.
Now, you think that this is straightforward from here and will be a string of one sex scene after the other.
Oh no, not with Jamie Fessenden. This book isn't called 'The Rules' for nothing.
What you need to know:
Thomas and Boris are not an open couple. They love each other and Boris' anxiety would not even allow him to go manhunting and find himself lovers (whether for himself or to share with his husband).
However, just like Thomas, Hans quickly adapts to Boris' quirkiness and lets him be himself in his home.
I find this very interesting from a psychological point of view, because it establishes something like a circle of trust between the three men at the very beginning of the story that makes the rest of it very plausible to me.
Things develop very slowly. Hans is a beautiful young man after all, so behind the scenes Boris and Thomas seem to discuss him a lot and since the story is written from Hans' POV, we are always presented with the end result that the couple communicate to Hans.
The hilariously odd turn of events goes a bit like this:
Boris likes Hans and tries to talk him into being nude around the house too, just like him. Hans is horrified, because he finds Boris hot but doesn't want Thomas to fire him if he catches them both hanging around in the nude.
However, to his surprise, Thomas and Boris start to negotiate rules with each other and with Hans which start with: It's okay to jerk off together as long as there is no touching. And so forth.
Of course, every rule gets broken or overridden pretty soon and they dive into the next step.
The really interesting aspect was the dynamic between the three men:
Boris' desperate dependency on Thomas. Thomas' seemingly unconditional love for Boris and quiet attraction for Hans which he does not dare act on because he is scared that Hans would only want Boris because Boris is much more straightforward with what he wants.
Hans however, likes Thomas just as well and finds him attractive but is hesitating to 'flirt' with the guy who signs his paychecks.
It's an incredibly odd situation. And on top of that, Boris' anxiety and depression has recurring episodes where Boris is in a dark mood and lashing out at the people around him. These times are forging the bond between Thomas and Hans with Thomas explaining and Hans realizing that Boris' condition is a medical thing and that he doesn't really mean the things he says during these episodes.
It's an ongoing triangle of understanding, jealousy and need between three men, but it is actually Hans who fascinated me the most.
With a man like him, a ménage relationship like theirs seems to be working. He is understanding, but speaks up for what he wants. He empathizes with the people around him but has a thick enough skin to not let every single misunderstanding shake him in his feelings for the two men.
And most of all, he is patient when most other people would have abandoned them. Because damn, Thomas and Boris trying to protect their two-man relationship while ALSO trying to find common ground for a three-way relationship was anything but smooth sailing.
During the second half of the story, the guys did fall a bit in the same trap as most MMM characters and exaggerated their sexual needs a bit. But we'll graciously accept that, don't we?
But the actual highlight of the story is the visit of Boris' parents and his older brother from Russia who stayed with Thomas and Boris (and now Hans, as we know), but the guys try to hide their three-way relationship from them and Hans acts as the live-in cleaning person for the weeks of their stay.
Needless to say this goes horribly wrong and Boris' dark past from Russia is catching up with him.
It's a captivating read and definitely one of my very favorites with the MMM trope. It will definitely be the one I would recommend if anyone asked me for a good MMM book, because it isn't ridiculously sweet like many I've read and it isn't a two hour porn script either. It's very well designed and the characters are unique and interesting.
Definitely a 5 star favorite!
And please don't let this take away anything from the epic-ness that is this book, but if you liked this one, you might also enjoy KA Merikan's 'The Cattery' which is not really a MMM romance, but has a similar setting with a regular guy being thrown into a deliciously crazy and deeply erotic environment where he is totally out of his depths.
I know I'm being a hypocrite, bitching about how I don't like a couple picking up a third in romance, but damn, it worked so well here. And best of all, it's a psychological journey (even though the sex sure was hot too, do not worry ;-)
And for some reason, even scenes that were not actual sex were incredibly hot here. There was something about that entire scenario that had the hotness factor go through the roof without any porn-worthy sexual acts.
Hans is an art student who is looking for a job during his free time. So a job ad as a house cleaner seems as good a job for him as any.
Showing up at the beautiful mansion that his employer is presenting him during the job interview, Hans quickly realizes that
A) He would be working for a married gay couple
B) One of the husbands, Boris, has a certain mental condition that... for lack of how to describe it in proper medical terms: He is always running around in the nude. Always.
So yeah, this has pretty much scared off every other housekeeper so far and husband Thomas (the one with clothes on) hopes that Hans isn't homophobic and doesn't mind a naked man around the house.
Hans takes in the two (surprisingly gorgeous) men in their mid30s and doesn't even think twice.
Now, you think that this is straightforward from here and will be a string of one sex scene after the other.
Oh no, not with Jamie Fessenden. This book isn't called 'The Rules' for nothing.
What you need to know:
Thomas and Boris are not an open couple. They love each other and Boris' anxiety would not even allow him to go manhunting and find himself lovers (whether for himself or to share with his husband).
However, just like Thomas, Hans quickly adapts to Boris' quirkiness and lets him be himself in his home.
I find this very interesting from a psychological point of view, because it establishes something like a circle of trust between the three men at the very beginning of the story that makes the rest of it very plausible to me.
Things develop very slowly. Hans is a beautiful young man after all, so behind the scenes Boris and Thomas seem to discuss him a lot and since the story is written from Hans' POV, we are always presented with the end result that the couple communicate to Hans.
The hilariously odd turn of events goes a bit like this:
Boris likes Hans and tries to talk him into being nude around the house too, just like him. Hans is horrified, because he finds Boris hot but doesn't want Thomas to fire him if he catches them both hanging around in the nude.
However, to his surprise, Thomas and Boris start to negotiate rules with each other and with Hans which start with: It's okay to jerk off together as long as there is no touching. And so forth.
Of course, every rule gets broken or overridden pretty soon and they dive into the next step.
The really interesting aspect was the dynamic between the three men:
Boris' desperate dependency on Thomas. Thomas' seemingly unconditional love for Boris and quiet attraction for Hans which he does not dare act on because he is scared that Hans would only want Boris because Boris is much more straightforward with what he wants.
Hans however, likes Thomas just as well and finds him attractive but is hesitating to 'flirt' with the guy who signs his paychecks.
It's an incredibly odd situation. And on top of that, Boris' anxiety and depression has recurring episodes where Boris is in a dark mood and lashing out at the people around him. These times are forging the bond between Thomas and Hans with Thomas explaining and Hans realizing that Boris' condition is a medical thing and that he doesn't really mean the things he says during these episodes.
It's an ongoing triangle of understanding, jealousy and need between three men, but it is actually Hans who fascinated me the most.
With a man like him, a ménage relationship like theirs seems to be working. He is understanding, but speaks up for what he wants. He empathizes with the people around him but has a thick enough skin to not let every single misunderstanding shake him in his feelings for the two men.
And most of all, he is patient when most other people would have abandoned them. Because damn, Thomas and Boris trying to protect their two-man relationship while ALSO trying to find common ground for a three-way relationship was anything but smooth sailing.
During the second half of the story, the guys did fall a bit in the same trap as most MMM characters and exaggerated their sexual needs a bit. But we'll graciously accept that, don't we?
But the actual highlight of the story is the visit of Boris' parents and his older brother from Russia who stayed with Thomas and Boris (and now Hans, as we know), but the guys try to hide their three-way relationship from them and Hans acts as the live-in cleaning person for the weeks of their stay.
Needless to say this goes horribly wrong and Boris' dark past from Russia is catching up with him.
It's a captivating read and definitely one of my very favorites with the MMM trope. It will definitely be the one I would recommend if anyone asked me for a good MMM book, because it isn't ridiculously sweet like many I've read and it isn't a two hour porn script either. It's very well designed and the characters are unique and interesting.
Definitely a 5 star favorite!
And please don't let this take away anything from the epic-ness that is this book, but if you liked this one, you might also enjoy KA Merikan's 'The Cattery' which is not really a MMM romance, but has a similar setting with a regular guy being thrown into a deliciously crazy and deeply erotic environment where he is totally out of his depths.
April 16, 2021
4.35 stars
I enjoyed this book so much. One of the best MMM I have ever read. Everything worked. It is hard to do a Poly and make it convincing but this author made it so effortlessly convincing.
The writing is amazing, the story flowed so well and entertaining to follow. No drama llama, just three people loving each other. Gaaaah!! So goood!!
The chemistry and the connection between Thomas, Hans and Boris was so strong and present from the beginning. It was like watching a very well acted and written Gay Indie film.
Boris is a very weird interesting character. I love me that Russian. Thomas is such a caring soul and understanding, I want a Thomas in my life. Hans bless his gentle soul, what a gentle human. These three souls fit together so perfectly. They had some of the best sweet swoon moments.
I loved Boris Mother and Father. Gaaah! it has been a while, lately I have been unlucky in the parental department. Boris brother can go burn in hell.
Overall, it was amazing. Highly recommended to those who can stand a weird eccentric Russian.
I enjoyed this book so much. One of the best MMM I have ever read. Everything worked. It is hard to do a Poly and make it convincing but this author made it so effortlessly convincing.
The writing is amazing, the story flowed so well and entertaining to follow. No drama llama, just three people loving each other. Gaaaah!! So goood!!
The chemistry and the connection between Thomas, Hans and Boris was so strong and present from the beginning. It was like watching a very well acted and written Gay Indie film.
Boris is a very weird interesting character. I love me that Russian. Thomas is such a caring soul and understanding, I want a Thomas in my life. Hans bless his gentle soul, what a gentle human. These three souls fit together so perfectly. They had some of the best sweet swoon moments.
I loved Boris Mother and Father. Gaaah! it has been a while, lately I have been unlucky in the parental department. Boris brother can go burn in hell.
Overall, it was amazing. Highly recommended to those who can stand a weird eccentric Russian.
June 3, 2023
I am a little disappointed. The book has very good assets, but it just didn't fit.
All three characters are very interesting, but I don't feel like I really know them. A lot of it stayed on the surface, a lot of it is just sex oriented at times and I had a hard time perceiving the growth of emotions as genuine.
The concept of rules being set up to not hurt anyone in the poly relationship is a good one. But not well implemented, the constant breaking and expanding of the rules makes it all unbelievable.
I ended up just finishing the book because I wanted to know how it all turned out, but I was emotionally far away.
It would have been so nice to learn more about Boris, he is so interesting, but he is only portrayed here as a hurt, often jealous part that you have to take care of.
I love his Mama.
What totally frustrated me at the end: the book goes from rape to a cheesy Christmas and a wedding ceremony. I think that was a jump that leaves way too much unsaid. And I'm a little angry ...
Overall a well written book, but I think the author was trying to do too much here, or it would have taken a lot more pages to really do the themes of the story justice.
All three characters are very interesting, but I don't feel like I really know them. A lot of it stayed on the surface, a lot of it is just sex oriented at times and I had a hard time perceiving the growth of emotions as genuine.
The concept of rules being set up to not hurt anyone in the poly relationship is a good one. But not well implemented, the constant breaking and expanding of the rules makes it all unbelievable.
I ended up just finishing the book because I wanted to know how it all turned out, but I was emotionally far away.
It would have been so nice to learn more about Boris, he is so interesting, but he is only portrayed here as a hurt, often jealous part that you have to take care of.
I love his Mama.
What totally frustrated me at the end: the book goes from rape to a cheesy Christmas and a wedding ceremony. I think that was a jump that leaves way too much unsaid. And I'm a little angry ...
Overall a well written book, but I think the author was trying to do too much here, or it would have taken a lot more pages to really do the themes of the story justice.
dnf-not-4-me
September 14, 2017I had to stop at 50%. I wasn't able to get over how... weird the whole situation and the men were. You'll have to read the book to understand what I mean. It's super hard to explain.
If you like weird, you will like this!
If you like weird, you will like this!
July 27, 2022
4.5***** stars
I am so very much in love with this book, it might be my favorite MMM yet. Imo it deserves more love and attention. So I hope at least some of you will pick it up and maybe also fall for this beautiful love story.
I’d loved to follow Hans, the young art student, the Russian Boris, who is running around naked all the time and suffers from depression and anxiety as well as his husband Thomas, the wealthy business man with a stick up his ass fall for each other, struggling with uncertainty and jealousy while they getting used to their new situation in life. I loved to see how Boris and Thomas slowly pulled Hans in into their relationship/marriage that would’ve also been and was for a long time whole and wonderful without him.
Even if there was plenty of sex happening on page (and it was nice to read) I had the feeling it was written more for the purpose of showing their relationship progress than to indulge the reader in some hot love making. Pity that, I would’ve loved seeing them in a long, hot and dragged out sex scene, tbh *lol
Their love story is told solely from Hans’s POV and while that bugs me in a lot of books, in this one I didn’t mind at all. It was wonderful and captivating as it was.
*********
So if you like a good poly-romance I hope you’re going to like this one as well. ♡
I am so very much in love with this book, it might be my favorite MMM yet. Imo it deserves more love and attention. So I hope at least some of you will pick it up and maybe also fall for this beautiful love story.
I’d loved to follow Hans, the young art student, the Russian Boris, who is running around naked all the time and suffers from depression and anxiety as well as his husband Thomas, the wealthy business man with a stick up his ass fall for each other, struggling with uncertainty and jealousy while they getting used to their new situation in life. I loved to see how Boris and Thomas slowly pulled Hans in into their relationship/marriage that would’ve also been and was for a long time whole and wonderful without him.
Even if there was plenty of sex happening on page (and it was nice to read) I had the feeling it was written more for the purpose of showing their relationship progress than to indulge the reader in some hot love making. Pity that, I would’ve loved seeing them in a long, hot and dragged out sex scene, tbh *lol
Their love story is told solely from Hans’s POV and while that bugs me in a lot of books, in this one I didn’t mind at all. It was wonderful and captivating as it was.
*********
So if you like a good poly-romance I hope you’re going to like this one as well. ♡
September 19, 2017
Well, whaddya know! I actually liked this. I'm surprised because when I read the blurb I was afraid there would be a pervy old couple that would get naked and chase around the cleaning boy. Not the case.
Some things are still weird, like Boris's need to ditch clothes. But as the story progressed, this weirdness started reading like eccentricities. What I thought would be family drama, actually shed light to a lot of things regarding Boris, and led to the most heart-wrenching scene.
The Rules is about....rules. To an outsider it could look like nitpicking, but for people in poly relationships, this must be very, VERY important; testing boundaries, pushing them, making rules that suit everyone, breaking those rules or making others...This side of the story was brilliant.
The Rules is a quirky, steamy, fascinating story, with very distinct POVs, and the most swoon-worthy epilogue.
*Also posted on Gay Book Reviews.*
Some things are still weird, like Boris's need to ditch clothes. But as the story progressed, this weirdness started reading like eccentricities. What I thought would be family drama, actually shed light to a lot of things regarding Boris, and led to the most heart-wrenching scene.
The Rules is about....rules. To an outsider it could look like nitpicking, but for people in poly relationships, this must be very, VERY important; testing boundaries, pushing them, making rules that suit everyone, breaking those rules or making others...This side of the story was brilliant.
The Rules is a quirky, steamy, fascinating story, with very distinct POVs, and the most swoon-worthy epilogue.
*Also posted on Gay Book Reviews.*
September 14, 2017
Great poly romance not sure about the actual story
3.5*
I'm completely in two minds about this one, the poly side of it I felt was brilliantly handled, how the two expanded to become a three.
But, I'm not sure that I really felt the narrative itself gave enough depth, there's a lot of words that didn't actually say much. Boris and Thomas were clearly in love with each other and their relationship was solid. Hans clearly fancied both of them and their attraction to him grew.
The secondary angle with Boris' family and his historic abuse seemed, however, to come from left field and felt like it was there as a tension causer specifically for the plot rather than reading like an insight into Boris' character and past.
Still, I did believe the three men fell for each other and issues of jealousy and how to interact between each pair and as a threesome was very well done. The sex became a little similar though as the book went on, which again is probably more realistic than lots of hot monkey sexing!
Overall, it was well written but didn't perhaps grab me as much as I'd hoped.
3.5*
I'm completely in two minds about this one, the poly side of it I felt was brilliantly handled, how the two expanded to become a three.
But, I'm not sure that I really felt the narrative itself gave enough depth, there's a lot of words that didn't actually say much. Boris and Thomas were clearly in love with each other and their relationship was solid. Hans clearly fancied both of them and their attraction to him grew.
The secondary angle with Boris' family and his historic abuse seemed, however, to come from left field and felt like it was there as a tension causer specifically for the plot rather than reading like an insight into Boris' character and past.
Still, I did believe the three men fell for each other and issues of jealousy and how to interact between each pair and as a threesome was very well done. The sex became a little similar though as the book went on, which again is probably more realistic than lots of hot monkey sexing!
Overall, it was well written but didn't perhaps grab me as much as I'd hoped.
October 23, 2025
A few random thoughts because I'm not able to get my fingers on what exactly didn't work for me.
-opposite of miscommunication,
-MMM,
-a younger man (Hans) joins a established older couple, Thomas and Boris (age gap),
-single pov (Hans),
-a bit of family drama,
-sex scenes between all three men, and two (in every combination),
-the sex scenes felt clinical,
-although all 3 men were in love with each other at the end, I didn't feel their connection.
...yeah I guess I found my issues after all. Overall it was an ok read, but I had hoped for more emotional connection/development.
-opposite of miscommunication,
-MMM,
-a younger man (Hans) joins a established older couple, Thomas and Boris (age gap),
-single pov (Hans),
-a bit of family drama,
-sex scenes between all three men, and two (in every combination),
-the sex scenes felt clinical,
-although all 3 men were in love with each other at the end, I didn't feel their connection.
...yeah I guess I found my issues after all. Overall it was an ok read, but I had hoped for more emotional connection/development.
September 13, 2017
I loved this!! From the gorgeous cover to the last page.
All three men stole my heart. Even though only Hans’ pov is given, the author did such a great job with the character development of all three men that it didn't feel like I was getting only part of the story.
I loved the progression of their relationship. It was one of the most realistic I've read because everything didn't just happened without some tension, uncertainty and jealousy. They had to work through it. Not only were there rules but lots of communication until eventually their relationship became a thing of beauty.
All three men stole my heart. Even though only Hans’ pov is given, the author did such a great job with the character development of all three men that it didn't feel like I was getting only part of the story.
I loved the progression of their relationship. It was one of the most realistic I've read because everything didn't just happened without some tension, uncertainty and jealousy. They had to work through it. Not only were there rules but lots of communication until eventually their relationship became a thing of beauty.
September 19, 2017
I'm not much of a menage reader. But I know Jamie Fessenden is a thoughtful, realistic writer, and that this book was likely to have some meat to it (rather than be PWP). That's definitely the case. The m/m/m story consists of a happily married couple and their younger housekeeper, who is a university student. The relationship between the three develops slowly and in a mature way, with boundaries being discussed and abided by. I think it was very important to see these boundaries, and the various parties, respected as things progressed. It kept the story from having any feeling of cheating or sordidness. No one wanted to hurt anyone else and there was lots of communication that went on and even some realistic depictions of jealousy and confusion.
I did feel a little sorry for the newcomer, Hans, in the first half of the book, because he starts out as the "third wheel" and doesn't know if he has any solid ground in the dynamic or not. But by the end of the story, this is resolved and the three are all on equal terms.
One of my favorite parts of the story was Boris's Russian mama, who comes for a visit. I was glad to see her wisdom and support for the unusual relationship.
If you're looking for a menage story that's sweet, sexy, but also realistic and thoughtful, you should check out "The Rules".
I did feel a little sorry for the newcomer, Hans, in the first half of the book, because he starts out as the "third wheel" and doesn't know if he has any solid ground in the dynamic or not. But by the end of the story, this is resolved and the three are all on equal terms.
One of my favorite parts of the story was Boris's Russian mama, who comes for a visit. I was glad to see her wisdom and support for the unusual relationship.
If you're looking for a menage story that's sweet, sexy, but also realistic and thoughtful, you should check out "The Rules".
May 21, 2022
This was hands down the best MMM I’ve ever read. It was hot, sexy, funny, sad. There was jealousy, and pain, and some angst and past trauma.
We have an established married couple, consisting of a traditional handsome man, Thomas, and an eccentric naked Russian, Boris. And then we have an adorable young housekeeper who really likes the naked man (and the non naked one too).
There are rules. Lots of rules, as they slowly figure things out and integrate Hans into their lives. But it’s not easy and smooth, and I loved that about it. Hans ends up feeling lonely and rejected at times. I loved that Boris and Thomas were happy before Hans, he wasn’t there to fix them. They just fell for him, and they let it happen, and it was lovely.
We have an established married couple, consisting of a traditional handsome man, Thomas, and an eccentric naked Russian, Boris. And then we have an adorable young housekeeper who really likes the naked man (and the non naked one too).
There are rules. Lots of rules, as they slowly figure things out and integrate Hans into their lives. But it’s not easy and smooth, and I loved that about it. Hans ends up feeling lonely and rejected at times. I loved that Boris and Thomas were happy before Hans, he wasn’t there to fix them. They just fell for him, and they let it happen, and it was lovely.
November 16, 2017
4.5 stars
Wow! This was really good! I loved how the author made these three very different men fall in love. Each MC had his own voice and well developed personalities. Each of them lovable in his own way.
Thomas was my fav.
Recommend
Wow! This was really good! I loved how the author made these three very different men fall in love. Each MC had his own voice and well developed personalities. Each of them lovable in his own way.
Thomas was my fav.
Recommend
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February 17, 2020
Poly romance done right!
I loved this story not only because the trio of men were likable and their story quickly became engaging as it unfolded, but because it made me think about various issues the book addressed as well. As in mulling things over for days! Only the best books does that to a reader.
Hans, a college guy in his early twenties, takes on a job as a house cleaner in order to make extra money. That's how he meets the married couple Thomas and Boris, an eccentric pair to say the least.
The relationship progresses very slowly from complete strangers to ... more, which to me was great. No insta stuff in this book, instead the portray from attraction to eventually deeper feelings felt absolutely real.
I must confess I was drawn by curiosity and a wish to learn more about polyamorous people, probably because I've never been in love with two people at the same time myself. How does it work, and how come I'm not able to? How do they avoid ending up jealous, like I know I would? Well, jealousy is thoroughly addressed in this story, done with much emotion and beautiful scenes I'll remember for a long time to come.
To me, this story is about accidentaly stumbling across your long term partner in life, or partners in this case. Definitely a romance, although there are steamy scenes aplenty. Almost too many for me actually, as I could have culled one or two of them in the middle of the story. Likewise, I appreciated the idea of the epilogue but not the execution, which had too many minute details in it and not enough reflective pauses so it ended up feeling rushed. Regardless of these minor issues for me, I absolutely enjoyed this book.
I loved this story not only because the trio of men were likable and their story quickly became engaging as it unfolded, but because it made me think about various issues the book addressed as well. As in mulling things over for days! Only the best books does that to a reader.
Hans, a college guy in his early twenties, takes on a job as a house cleaner in order to make extra money. That's how he meets the married couple Thomas and Boris, an eccentric pair to say the least.
The relationship progresses very slowly from complete strangers to ... more, which to me was great. No insta stuff in this book, instead the portray from attraction to eventually deeper feelings felt absolutely real.
I must confess I was drawn by curiosity and a wish to learn more about polyamorous people, probably because I've never been in love with two people at the same time myself. How does it work, and how come I'm not able to? How do they avoid ending up jealous, like I know I would? Well, jealousy is thoroughly addressed in this story, done with much emotion and beautiful scenes I'll remember for a long time to come.
To me, this story is about accidentaly stumbling across your long term partner in life, or partners in this case. Definitely a romance, although there are steamy scenes aplenty. Almost too many for me actually, as I could have culled one or two of them in the middle of the story. Likewise, I appreciated the idea of the epilogue but not the execution, which had too many minute details in it and not enough reflective pauses so it ended up feeling rushed. Regardless of these minor issues for me, I absolutely enjoyed this book.
October 23, 2025
A really well done - and might I say realistic? mmm romance
Although -maybe realistic isn’t quite the correct term. After all, it doesn’t happen every day that a (gay) art student is hired by a (gay) couple to clean their house. And one of the married guys is a Russian author named Boris who walks around naked at home. And who suffers from PTSD / depression/ anxiety.
And yet, here we are: they don’t fall head over lust and try to convince Hans, the student, to become their sex partner. On the contrary - when the attraction is too much to deny, they lay out rules. They’re honest with each other, and because of that, there’s no unnecessary relationship drama, just 3 men who - step by step- fall for each other and find a way that works for all of them. Together.
All three of them have very different personalities, and I loved how each of them stayed in character. And even the final drama (no spoilers there, only that there never was an ounce of doubt that they’ll get through it together) was somehow cathartic, and was the much needed catalyst for Boris to open up about what happened to him in the past.
4.5 stars
Although -maybe realistic isn’t quite the correct term. After all, it doesn’t happen every day that a (gay) art student is hired by a (gay) couple to clean their house. And one of the married guys is a Russian author named Boris who walks around naked at home. And who suffers from PTSD / depression/ anxiety.
And yet, here we are: they don’t fall head over lust and try to convince Hans, the student, to become their sex partner. On the contrary - when the attraction is too much to deny, they lay out rules. They’re honest with each other, and because of that, there’s no unnecessary relationship drama, just 3 men who - step by step- fall for each other and find a way that works for all of them. Together.
All three of them have very different personalities, and I loved how each of them stayed in character. And even the final drama (no spoilers there, only that there never was an ounce of doubt that they’ll get through it together) was somehow cathartic, and was the much needed catalyst for Boris to open up about what happened to him in the past.
4.5 stars
October 23, 2025
Reread Oct 2025, Jan 2022
July 2019 - needed a hot MMM and this always works a treat. They did move a lot quicker than I remembered but I'm not complaining :-D
Review
I was looking for a good MMM and this was perfect! I adored everything about this book and this threesome! Great development, great sex, great characters and it even had one of my favourite troupes!
A reread for sure!!!!!!
July 2019 - needed a hot MMM and this always works a treat. They did move a lot quicker than I remembered but I'm not complaining :-D
Review
I was looking for a good MMM and this was perfect! I adored everything about this book and this threesome! Great development, great sex, great characters and it even had one of my favourite troupes!
A reread for sure!!!!!!
September 13, 2017
Okay… Where does one start to review when the book has blown your mind and stolen all your words? No, really, where? I will do my best and hope I do this book justice.
I didn’t know what to expect from The Rules by Jamie Fessenden. I knew I was ultra-picky about ménage books. I’m overly critical of them. Why? Because it’s my favorite trope/sub-genre. It fails when the psychology and mental connection between the triad is nonexistent. Sex cannot sustain any relationship and when I see that happen I start to shut down. The Rules, well, it was the best balance I’ve read in a triad relationship book in a very VERY long time.
This relationship actually starts out as a polyamorous. Thomas and Boris are married. They hire Hans, a college student, to clean their home. Hans needs the money and Thomas and Boris need an open-minded person. Thomas is a great man. Wonderful husband. He spoils Boris and takes care of him. He looks like a 1950’s movie star and has an inner strength that is honorable.
Boris is from Russia, a writer, likes to be naked all the time, has depression, anxiety, and some interesting quirks. He loves Thomas with his whole heart. Then there’s Hans. He steps foot into their home and all their lives change.
So we have Thomas and Boris. Then Boris wants to fool around with Hans. Thomas then fools around and then the three become one. Yes, that’s a super short synopsis but I won’t give away anything and I have to tell you watching this relationship come to fruition was breathtaking.
Boris has a secret that he has never told a soul. It’s not until his past threatens someone he loves he’s forced to confront it and in doing so embrace the fact he’s loved no matter what.
I can’t put into words how this book affected me. The emotions mingle and tangle and get all lumped together. There’s no way you walk away from this book and wish you could forget it so you can experience it all again for the first time.
The Rules is one of the best books of 2017 in my opinion and I very highly recommend it!
I didn’t know what to expect from The Rules by Jamie Fessenden. I knew I was ultra-picky about ménage books. I’m overly critical of them. Why? Because it’s my favorite trope/sub-genre. It fails when the psychology and mental connection between the triad is nonexistent. Sex cannot sustain any relationship and when I see that happen I start to shut down. The Rules, well, it was the best balance I’ve read in a triad relationship book in a very VERY long time.
This relationship actually starts out as a polyamorous. Thomas and Boris are married. They hire Hans, a college student, to clean their home. Hans needs the money and Thomas and Boris need an open-minded person. Thomas is a great man. Wonderful husband. He spoils Boris and takes care of him. He looks like a 1950’s movie star and has an inner strength that is honorable.
Boris is from Russia, a writer, likes to be naked all the time, has depression, anxiety, and some interesting quirks. He loves Thomas with his whole heart. Then there’s Hans. He steps foot into their home and all their lives change.
So we have Thomas and Boris. Then Boris wants to fool around with Hans. Thomas then fools around and then the three become one. Yes, that’s a super short synopsis but I won’t give away anything and I have to tell you watching this relationship come to fruition was breathtaking.
Boris has a secret that he has never told a soul. It’s not until his past threatens someone he loves he’s forced to confront it and in doing so embrace the fact he’s loved no matter what.
I can’t put into words how this book affected me. The emotions mingle and tangle and get all lumped together. There’s no way you walk away from this book and wish you could forget it so you can experience it all again for the first time.
The Rules is one of the best books of 2017 in my opinion and I very highly recommend it!
April 22, 2021
A unique tale of male ménage and more...
Young college student Hans is applying for a cleaning job at a mansion, for $35/hr., there must be a catch.
The married couple he’ll work for are Thomas, business man and author, Boris.
Thomas is a handsome executive
with a model’s looks, steel gray eyes and short blonde hair.
Anxiety ridden Boris, is a Russian,
a successful author with brown hair and a beard, tattooed, plus he’s a nudist. Both men speak fluent Russian.
Young Hans, about 20,
works hard at school, and for the men.
Slowly he becomes taken in by the unique pair, and he joins the nudity. Flirty attitudes and desires moves them forward with the beginning of sexy times, with strict rules.
THE RULES over time become more obsolete after awhile, and are ever changing, while the three men explore.
It’s fun to watch the men form new dynamics and friendships along this journey.
We see Hans with college deadlines, his painting due, and the summer plans. We get deeper understanding of Boris’s moods, and Thomas with his responsibility.
There will be a visit from Boris’s family which turns out badly, but from that, Boris tells his long held secret that causes his anxiety.
The characters are intense, each having their deepest thoughts explained. Their M/M and M/M/M sexy times are explicit and sizzling hot. The story is simply marvelous at grabbing our attention.
Well done.
ENJOY !
=====
Young college student Hans is applying for a cleaning job at a mansion, for $35/hr., there must be a catch.
The married couple he’ll work for are Thomas, business man and author, Boris.
Thomas is a handsome executive
with a model’s looks, steel gray eyes and short blonde hair.
Anxiety ridden Boris, is a Russian,
a successful author with brown hair and a beard, tattooed, plus he’s a nudist. Both men speak fluent Russian.
Young Hans, about 20,
works hard at school, and for the men.
Slowly he becomes taken in by the unique pair, and he joins the nudity. Flirty attitudes and desires moves them forward with the beginning of sexy times, with strict rules.
THE RULES over time become more obsolete after awhile, and are ever changing, while the three men explore.
It’s fun to watch the men form new dynamics and friendships along this journey.
We see Hans with college deadlines, his painting due, and the summer plans. We get deeper understanding of Boris’s moods, and Thomas with his responsibility.
There will be a visit from Boris’s family which turns out badly, but from that, Boris tells his long held secret that causes his anxiety.
The characters are intense, each having their deepest thoughts explained. Their M/M and M/M/M sexy times are explicit and sizzling hot. The story is simply marvelous at grabbing our attention.
Well done.
ENJOY !
=====
September 27, 2017
2.75 stars.
So, yes, the story's weird. The men in it are weird, too, especially Boris. But there wasn't too much weirdness, and I liked the rules, and how everyone in the relationship respected them.
But, the Russian in this book jarred me most times. Fist of all, there's so much of it - traditions, facts, food, endearments, everyday phrases - and it was mostly done right, for which I applaud the author. But when it was done wrong - it was spectacularly so. Like, for example, 'sabakee'. One of the MCs calls Boris 'sabakee'. Like, an endearment. It'ssupposed to mean 'doggie'. Why would you call your bf 'doggie', anyway? It's strange and it's just not done. (btw, there's no puppy play or BDSM in this book). Also, 'doggie' in Russian is 'sabachka'. 'Sabakee' means 'dogs'. And in Russian to call someone a dog is an insult, not an endearment at all.
So, everytime I read Hans call Boris 'sabakee' - it just took me out of the story.
Btw, the endearment for Thomas was 'papashka'. LOL.
So, yes, the story's weird. The men in it are weird, too, especially Boris. But there wasn't too much weirdness, and I liked the rules, and how everyone in the relationship respected them.
But, the Russian in this book jarred me most times. Fist of all, there's so much of it - traditions, facts, food, endearments, everyday phrases - and it was mostly done right, for which I applaud the author. But when it was done wrong - it was spectacularly so. Like, for example, 'sabakee'. One of the MCs calls Boris 'sabakee'. Like, an endearment. It'ssupposed to mean 'doggie'. Why would you call your bf 'doggie', anyway? It's strange and it's just not done. (btw, there's no puppy play or BDSM in this book). Also, 'doggie' in Russian is 'sabachka'. 'Sabakee' means 'dogs'. And in Russian to call someone a dog is an insult, not an endearment at all.
So, everytime I read Hans call Boris 'sabakee' - it just took me out of the story.
Btw, the endearment for Thomas was 'papashka'. LOL.
Want to read
July 4, 2019I'm a big fan of this author, and though this book seems a tiny bit outside my comfort zone, it's on a big price drop to $0.99 at Amazon US today!! 7/3/19
October 4, 2017
A Great Polyamourus Story
My first book from this author and I enjoyed it! Poly stories have to be done in a certain way for me to really enjoy, and this author met all my little requirements. 4 stars
My first book from this author and I enjoyed it! Poly stories have to be done in a certain way for me to really enjoy, and this author met all my little requirements. 4 stars
September 12, 2017
Serious competition for my MMM all-time favorites A Threefold Cord and Misfits. In fact, if you loved those books, do yourself a humongous favor and start reading this book now!
I loved this book so much that I couldn't put it down and stayed up until I was finished reading it. On a Monday night, no less! It was totally worth it though.
If you like your MMM with a good helping of reality, seeing how hard it has to be to develop and maintain this type of relationship, this book is for you. I am not huge on sex scenes but I felt this book had just the right balance of them. Enough to make smutt readers and people like me happy. This book has also a nice helping of family drama that impacted all three guys, but at different levels.
I will surely be re-reading this relationship focused MMM story.
I loved this book so much that I couldn't put it down and stayed up until I was finished reading it. On a Monday night, no less! It was totally worth it though.
If you like your MMM with a good helping of reality, seeing how hard it has to be to develop and maintain this type of relationship, this book is for you. I am not huge on sex scenes but I felt this book had just the right balance of them. Enough to make smutt readers and people like me happy. This book has also a nice helping of family drama that impacted all three guys, but at different levels.
I will surely be re-reading this relationship focused MMM story.
March 25, 2018
*3,5 stars*
And yet another m/m/m romance - maybe I am getting used to the idea? *G*
This is well done on many accounts:
- the MCs are likeable and interesting
- the development of their three-way relationship is written in a believable way - the ups and downs, the jealousy, the attraction ...
- Boris's eccentricity really made me chuckle
What I couldn't buy...
- the Ilya plot line
- in the end everything went very very (too?) smoothly and (too?) simply. Be it their relationship or the Ilya story.
Still - a very enjoyable read all in all!
And yet another m/m/m romance - maybe I am getting used to the idea? *G*
This is well done on many accounts:
- the MCs are likeable and interesting
- the development of their three-way relationship is written in a believable way - the ups and downs, the jealousy, the attraction ...
- Boris's eccentricity really made me chuckle
What I couldn't buy...
- the Ilya plot line
- in the end everything went very very (too?) smoothly and (too?) simply. Be it their relationship or the Ilya story.
Still - a very enjoyable read all in all!
November 8, 2017
This was a good poly book.
It was fairly predictable. Interesting characters, realistic struggle to combine lives and stretch the relationship. I just never quite understood why they ended up including Hans. I understand why Hans wanted in, but they had to really rearrange their marriage to do it and I'm not sure what Thomas and Boris got out of it.
It was fairly predictable. Interesting characters, realistic struggle to combine lives and stretch the relationship. I just never quite understood why they ended up including Hans. I understand why Hans wanted in, but they had to really rearrange their marriage to do it and I'm not sure what Thomas and Boris got out of it.
November 8, 2017
Great
4.5 stars
This was so well written I couldn’t put it down. It was sweet and funny. It was also pretty sexy without being plan ol smut. I loved how this relationship developed. It was slow and strange all at the same time. I loved Boris! Seriously the stuff that came out of his mouth! Ha
4.5 stars
This was so well written I couldn’t put it down. It was sweet and funny. It was also pretty sexy without being plan ol smut. I loved how this relationship developed. It was slow and strange all at the same time. I loved Boris! Seriously the stuff that came out of his mouth! Ha
July 29, 2019
3.5 ⭐️
reread 7/29/2019 I'm not sure I enjoyed this as much as the first time, but I will keep my original rating.
reread 7/29/2019 I'm not sure I enjoyed this as much as the first time, but I will keep my original rating.
Read
January 16, 2018DNF’D at a measly 4%. I thought it was best to throw in the towel early. This author’s writing style and lack of cultural sensitivity had me ranting.
On the plus side: gorgeous cover!
On the plus side: gorgeous cover!
September 11, 2017
One of the Best Polys I've Read
Wow. This is one of the best poly books I've ever read. I love the way the relationships progress between the three characters. It felt natural, authentic, and realistic. Hans is a sweetheart. Thomas is a gallant, stern knight with a wounded, vulnerable heart. Boris is eccentric and flawed, in a way I can completely relate. This book takes the top spot in the mmm books I've read. Well done.
Wow. This is one of the best poly books I've ever read. I love the way the relationships progress between the three characters. It felt natural, authentic, and realistic. Hans is a sweetheart. Thomas is a gallant, stern knight with a wounded, vulnerable heart. Boris is eccentric and flawed, in a way I can completely relate. This book takes the top spot in the mmm books I've read. Well done.
October 7, 2017
4.5 stars
I didn't quite know what to make of the beginning of this book. With Boris the eccentric writer insisting on being naked the whole time you could be forgiven for thinking this was going to be a sex-fest with no plot. I mean, it was a bit odd. Okay, it was really fucking odd.
But ultimately this is a relationship book. A story of how three men come together. With two of them already married it could have been tricky. But 'the rules' are set in place for that very reason.
On the whole I loved this. I never seem to find MMM books where the men are all equals and the relationship comes above the sex. There was angst here and a little drama but the way these men navigated through it was wonderful to read. They each had their own quirks, their own wants and needs. So they talked and tried and made it work for each of them. I thought it was quite realistic.
I was a little disappointed in the ending. Probably the last 20% was a lot of "telling" and wrapping things up. It was still a nice HEA but with so much glossed over it lost a little something.
I didn't quite know what to make of the beginning of this book. With Boris the eccentric writer insisting on being naked the whole time you could be forgiven for thinking this was going to be a sex-fest with no plot. I mean, it was a bit odd. Okay, it was really fucking odd.
But ultimately this is a relationship book. A story of how three men come together. With two of them already married it could have been tricky. But 'the rules' are set in place for that very reason.
On the whole I loved this. I never seem to find MMM books where the men are all equals and the relationship comes above the sex. There was angst here and a little drama but the way these men navigated through it was wonderful to read. They each had their own quirks, their own wants and needs. So they talked and tried and made it work for each of them. I thought it was quite realistic.
I was a little disappointed in the ending. Probably the last 20% was a lot of "telling" and wrapping things up. It was still a nice HEA but with so much glossed over it lost a little something.
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