The Rule

All In Billionaires #1

by Maggie Cole

A whip-smart businesswoman with one rule she’ll never break. A billionaire entrepreneur with a dangerous past.

Olivia “Liv” White is poised to take over eligible bachelor Tom Marko's companies, but he wants something closer than a business relationship. Much closer. It doesn’t hurt that Tom’s handsome, a basketball star with a body to match, and just the right kind of aggressive.

The only problem? Liv doesn't date clients—ever.

When Tom tricks Liv into spending four days with him at his Colorado mountain home, Liv’s rule is tested at every turn. She doesn’t know if she can resist Tom’s advances—or the feel of his hands on her.

Just as the hunger between the two of them reaches a breaking point, Tom’s past comes crashing back. The two are thrust into danger, and Tom and Liv have to decide what they’re willing to sacrifice to be together.

THE RULE is the first installment of the All In series. At 95,000 words, this sizzling novel features a love-at-first sight romance and a guaranteed HEA.

Genres: Romance, Sports, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Amazon, Ebooks

346 pages, ebook

First published November 3, 2019

About the author

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Maggie Cole is committed to bringing her readers alphalicious book boyfriends and fiercely strong heroines.

She’s been called the literary master of steamy romance. Her books are full of raw emotion, suspense, and will always keep you wanting more. She is a masterful storyteller of contemporary romance and loves writing about broken people who rise above the ashes. Her books can often be found hanging out in the top 100, even years after publication.

Maggie lives in Florida with her son. She loves tennis, yoga, paddleboarding, boating, other water activities, and everything naughty.

Her current series were written in the order below:
All In (Stand alones with entwined characters)
It's Complicated (Stand alones with entwined characters)
Together We Stand (Brooks Family Saga - read in order)
Behind Closed Doors (Read in order)
Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars New York
Club Indulgence Duet
Mafia Wars Ireland
Wilted Kingdom Duet
The Underworld
The Cartwright Family (Holiday Romance)

Reviews

[Rachel Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed 97% of this book. I don’t give three stars lightly. It is of my opinion that if you’re going to include attempted rape scenes not once but twice than you should address them and the effects they have on women and the relationship more. The author talked 3 sentences through out the book about how horrible and what an impact the first attempt was and how the Heroine was struggling to deal with it. Then it happened to the heroine again going even further than the first time and it was all swept under the rug and everything was fine and she got over it in 2 sentences.

The story itself I loved and the characters were great but our culture already diminishes rape and it’s victims. To see it brushed off and shown as something that doesn’t matter in the book really let me down.

[QuinnReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story! Tom and Liv each have a rule or two that they're breaking but the reward outweighs the risk. Adding to that, Tom has a secret that puts it on the line. As a couple, they are adorable, hot, and a power couple that is down to earth. This story is steamy and a page turner. The characters are real, passionate, intelligent, feisty, and well-written.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. It may be a little longer than most of the other books I've read recently, it is worth it.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A-MA-ZING BOOK‼️‼️A Must Read!

This is my first Maggie Cole book and I’m completely “All In” with this author. This book should be made into a movie. It’s got it all... Intrigue, Drama, Murder, Secrets, Love and lots of incredibly HOT Sex!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥 The love story between Tom & Olivia is epic. Hot steamy romance right from the start and “The Rule” - Her Rule - must be broken. But this story has so much more. Tom is everything a truly romantic alpha male should be and his generosity knows no bounds. Olivia is an intelligent, beautiful and successful business woman who can’t see her own worth. Together they work through past fears, hurts & insecurities toward a strong relationship that means more than anything ever has. This author really knows how to keep the reader wanting more. Characters are clear, concise and strong. Storyline is riveting & emotional. This is only book #1 in the “All In” 5 book series so I can’t wait to read the entire set. Highly recommended - totally worth your time. Thank you Maggie Cole for a phenomenal first time read‼️‼️‼️

[Gwen Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I have had the chance to read from Maggie. She gained a fan with this one. I will be reading more from her. This one is full of some suspense, hotness, steamy sex, great storyline and amazing characters. Everything you want in a great book. I absolutely loved it from beginning to end. This storyline was not only interesting but at some points intense with where it was going. Liv runs quite the PR firm. She is great at what she does and knows how to please a client. She has one rule and one rule only when it comes to her job. Never sleep with a client. But that rule is about to be questioned when her client is hot, sexy, charming Tom. A sexy basketball player that she would love to get to know better in more ways than one. He takes her to Colorado on a so called business trip to talk about all of his businesses and other things regarding this life that she will be working with. These two instantly hit it off and Liv questions the one rule in her work life. Is she willing to break that rule for the perfect guy? Will Tom's past come back to haunt him and Liv and end up tearing them apart? What a great storyline and amazing characters. I absolutely loved the backstory that Tom has and have he deals with what he is facing and trying to keep Liv safe from his past. Amazing hot off the charts chemistry between these two. I enjoyed reading this one and will be reading more from this series. Maggie has gained a fan with this one.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/26/2020)! 🎁

[Suze Prescot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rules are meant to be broken

Top basketball player, Tom Marko has secrets, one of which is his strong attraction to PR maven, Olivia White.
A passionate and interesting story full of intrigue as the main characters try to overcome past mistakes and accept the importance of their relationship.
Very enjoyable.

[Mia Orozco · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Thumbs up!

Omg, it’s official...I’m a total #FanGirl. Maggie Cole knocked it out of the park with this great read. I strongly recommend this to all my book buddies. An HEA with a great storyline and loved all the characters in this story.

[Jessica M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Standout first novel for Maggie Cole! Tom is everything a great alpha male should be and Liv is a strong, confident leading lady! Their story has it all and will enthrall the reader from the beginning. A must read!

[Fae · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at chapter 5. There’s insta lust and so much of the inner thinking of both hero and heroine is about undressing each other and wondering how it’d be like to go to bed together. When they did have their first sex together, it was in chapter 4, and I kinda lost all interest and respect for the two people.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast moving. What I expected, except that for an X-rated story, it sure felt goody-two-shoes. In every situation, the main characters did the right thing, were totally honest with each other, were respectful, and worked together to solve their problems. TOTALLY unrealistic, but made for a lovely HEA.

[SassypantsReading · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m reading through Maggie Cole’s books now and this is the first one that didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t read any of the reviews prior to reading it, but if I had, I might not have read it. This book needs to have some pretty upfront trigger/content warnings. Rape comes up quite a bit, including two attempted rapes. I think the author does a disservice to real victims by having the victim in the book just nonchalantly move on with her life, like nothing happened. The only reason I’m not giving this one star is because I did enjoy Tom and Liv’s story.

[Marina Mariles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Marko and Olivia White are a match made in heaven. He watched her from afar but knew he had to have her. But how could he bring her into his screwed up world. Tom Marko is sought after by every woman. A star basketball player, most eligible bachelor, Olivia White feels there is no way he would be interested in her. But can she handle the secrets he has. This book had a little bit of everything but a lot of hot, steamy romance. I love Maggie Coles work!

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was just ok for me.

It definitely ticks the billionaire fantasy boxes. Olivia is a fairly strong, independent woman, though there's one scene mid-story where I thought Tom undermined her authority in her own workplace and she ended up being the one to apologize. That really bothered me. I'm not really into the alpha, always controlling, must protect his woman at all costs thing.

I probably won't read more in the series, but I'm glad I read this one.

[Shay · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a DNF for me. There were many editing errors ( he seized her up rather than sized her up, names were spelled wrong), the language wasn’t conversational (my womanhood was used a few times), and what really made me stop reading - an attempted rape that the supposedly strong female lead brushes off because she doesn’t want bad PR for her new boyfriend/client.

[Jo Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just reread this book and am going to continue to reread this series. Took me a while to read as we were in the process of moving house but it was as good as the first time I read it. Filled in a few gaps that I missed the first time around. If you like a power couple who are devoted to each other but have a few hiccups then you’ll lov3 this book.

[Ashley Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t get me wrong, I thought Tom is a really sweet guy and Liv is a self-sufficient fmc. But I dunno, I didn’t feel like I actually got to know them? We saw their work relationship and their romantic relationship, but nothing really in between?

[Booze Boobs Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t say enough great things about this book. It’s hot, romantic and has enough action to grab your attention and hold on tight!

[Rachel Sides · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish the book because I just didn't care about the characters. I read 40 % so I think I gave a fair chance.

[Emma Gallagher · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf. poor writing

Had to stop after first sex scene. Hearing about her womanhood and how every cell in her body was alive. Not sexy or attractive so had to give up then

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia has worked tirelessly to build her marketing/pr firm into what it is today. She has one rule: no sleeping with the clients.
Then she meets Tom.
Tom is a star basketball player/billionaire and what's Olivia to represent him and his enterprise. Only he hasn't told Olivia that he's been watching her from afar, nor that she's already representing some of his businesses...
They meet in the elevator to her office on her way to make a presentation to Tom's team--and Tom wasn't supposed to be there. The sparks fly. Chemistry overload. And all Olivia can think about is taking Tom on the conference room table!
Finally being in Olivia's presence seems to be too much for Tom, and he asks the room to clear out, and asks Olivia to go with him to Colorado for a 4 day weekend to truly get a grasp for everything and to understand him. She reluctantly agrees to go--this is a huge account for her business if she can win it.
In that 4 days, these two strong will/control freaks fall in love. Tom showers her with luxuries, kindness and love, and slowly begins to open up to her about his past and his businesses... Olivia is worried he's just going to turn out to be like all the other guys and leave her heartbroken. But she doesn't realize that Tom is all in, and wants her to be apart of his life.
They have power struggles--she cannot seem to separate his protectiveness from assholeishness and it causes quite a bit of grief for both.
They hash some things out, and he asks her to trust him, that he meant he would never cheat on her, or otherwise act like an asshole.
He opens up to her about his past in foster care--that he had it rough and was saved by one of the social workers; comes clean about basically stalking her and that she's already managing some of his businesses under another name...and all the while holding on to a terrifying secrete that he's sure will send her running for the hills...
That secrete finally catches up to him when his security team alert Tom that Charlie/foster dad was seen outside Olivia's building...so he comes clean, and tells her about the night he thought he killed someone who was trying to hurt his foster brother...and Olivia finally understands his protectiveness and other things he's done, why he's always giving her an "out" because he doesn't want to bring her into the blackmail and fear.
They devise a plan to stop it once and for all, plus to get revenge on a gang banger who tried to hurt Olivia back in Colorado.
Things fall into place and the night arrives when they're gonna take Charlie and Kylo down. But taking Kylo down almost ends in Olivia being raped a second time--but Tom came to the rescue just in the nick of time again. Both are arrested, and Tom finds out that all this time, he didn't kill anyone--the guy walked away, and his foster dad was just bluffing to make his life miserable.
Needless to say, Tom is overjoyed that the fear he's lived with wasn't going to haunt him any longer and he and Olivia were free to just be...

Even though Tom had it rough, he took care of all the important people in his life, and he was begging to be loved...he treated Olivia with care and respect, doted on her, thought of everything to make her comfortable--hello--he had basically duplicated her things at his house right down to her hair products/makeup, outfitted the closet with everything she could possibly need to stay and not have to carry a bag back/forth from her place--he even put a bear skin rug in the closet--they made good use of the one in Colorado! It was hard for Olivia to open herself up to be loved though, and it got between these two more than once...but finally, she relented seeing the writing on the wall--she wasn't going to be able to live without Tom.

Once these two got out of their own way, they came together as one hell of a power couple.

And let me tell ya, Olivia is one lucky woman--Tom sees to her every need, multiple times a day/night *wink!

This was a good read--I felt for both characters right off the bat and rooted for them to get together, for Tom to open up about his past, for Olivia to give in and be loved...they really were made for each other--a team in all ways.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings include:
the death of parents described on page, cancer, foster care system, sexual assault on page, homelessness, child abuse, murder described on page, stalking, discussing plans of rape

I knew instantly Tom was a goner, and it was going to be a problem for him. (Not for me though.) And then Olivia just as sucked in as him?! I loved that her presence made him nervous. Feared on the basketball court and in the boardroom, and yet she could turn his brain to mush. Tom is very open about wanting her, and even more open about respecting her. Because no matter how much he wanted her, nothing was more important than respecting her career, choices, and emotions. He had a heart bigger than his body, and it constantly showed. They were a power couple, a force to be reckoned with. And I’m not even talking about just within a relationship setting either. They just fit side by side perfectly. This reads like two separate books. If you split it directly in half, first you’ll have a full length workplace romance, and then it turns into a very different story. So for as much as I enjoyed that first half, I can’t give it the 4 stars I initially thought it was. I don’t like when a strong female lead becomes a totally different character just to add something to the plot. I feel like we lost Olivia, when she deserved better.

Gorgeous: 19

My Favorite Quotes:
• “I dreamed of your sounds.”
• “You already make me feel good...so good. Keep doing that. Please, keep doing that.”
• “I need to keep you safe.”
• “I need to feel you tremble first.”
• “This is real between us, right?” “It better be because it’ll break my heart if it’s not.”
• “Whatever comes our way, we will work through it.”
• “Where have you been all my life?”
• “Only the best for my girl.”
• “If you want me, you can have me.”
• “You’re beautiful in the morning, especially in my bed.”
• “I need every inch of you.”

8/10 Dirty Birdy
2/10 Sports Romance
9/10 The CEO Type
6/10 Workplace Romance

[Tiffany Copple · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for The Rule by Maggie Cole. This is book 1 in the All In Series. This is my first time reading a book from this author but it for sure will not be my last. I would consider this book a sports, co-workers, contemporary romance. Tom is an all-star basketball player who also has lots of different businesses, he also has lots of secrets. Tom has been watching Olivia/Liv ‘s PR firm and wants to hire her. However, Tom is afraid if he goes neat her he wont be able to stop himself for going for her. Olivia has one rule , do not sleep / get involved with clients, but when she sees Tom she is instantly attracted to him. She realizes she is so attracted to him that she might be willing to break her own rule. Olivia is scared that Tom is just like all the other men she has ever dated – a cheater. Tom seems to be different but can they trust each other.
Tom and Liv are a charming couple and have instant chemistry. I love these two together. Tom is a strong , caring, charming , witty man , that most women would love to have. However, what happens when the secrets Tom is hiding come to the forefront and decides its time to go after him and the ones he cares about.
I loved everything about this story and can not wait to read more from this author.
• Genre- Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, A little Romantic Suspense , Co-worker Romance
• Drama-4/5
• Cover-5/5 the model on this over is hot!!!!
• HEA- 5/5
• Feels-5/5
• Hero-5/5
• Heroine- 5/5
• Steam/Heat – 4/5
• Overall Rating- 5/5
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves romance with a little suspense .

[Deb Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

breaking a rule never sounded so good!

The Rule
Maggie Cole
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First time reader for this author and I gotta say overall I’m a new big fan.

I’d had this story on my kindle for a little while, and I’m a massive billionaire fan, so when I finally jumped in I was more than happy. It was nice to see a strong female character not your normal mousy “I’ll do whatever you say sir”types, Olivia (Liv) was a stand out for me, but with Toms alpha ways it was a match made in heaven.

With a very strong rule in place Olivia White does not date clients, it’s a hard fast strong rule that she’s never wanted to break, until Tom Marko, the basketball superstar who also owns a number of companies desperately wants Olivia’s PR company to work with him. He has a snarky little plan and uses all his sexual chemistry to get her – in business and definitely the bedroom.

Liv is not blinded by his good looks, his energy and his career, she’s pretty impressive herself, but as Liv peels back Tom’s layers she’s sees who he really is. He’s still a scared little boy thrown around the foster system as a child and came out an incredible human. While he might have played a little dirty to win over Liv, his life is all about using his wealth and influence to help others, and his family.

This was quite an emotional journey, written from both Liv and tom’s POV, it was a glimpse into 2 lives that could have turned out so differently, but thankfully made a beautiful new IT couple. Reading a rule never sounded so pleasing!

[Shan ~A~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first book by Maggie Cole. I decided to read her books after seeing her on different reader groups on FB.

The overall story was good. Romance with a bit of intrigue with the things Tom was keeping secret in his carefully crafted life. His intense attraction and insta-love for Olivia.

But... It hit on some of my pet peeves in romance. An author telling me a woman is intelligent, but before I get the chance to experience said intelligence the woman meets the uber sexy man and acts like an idiot and has constant sex on the brain. Also, during sex scenes using vagina and penis. I do not want to see vagina or penis during sex. They may be the actual names, but those names are not sexy.

That being said, I skimmed over the sex scenes to curb my annoyance. With that done, and once Olivia finally started exhibiting some of those smarts, I actually enjoyed the story.

With that I will definitely give this author another go. If I so those pet peeves in the next book, then I will be officially done, because at that point it will be proven that it wasn't just a fluke or misjudgment, but just a part of her writing style. Until then.....

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5: Olivia White owns a PR firm and is hired by basketball superstar Tom Marko to help him with his other businesses.
Olivia has a rule that she never crosses the line with clients. The minute Tom steps into her office, she attracted to him.
Olivia re-thinks her rule and learns a lot about Tom in the process. There is way more than meets the eye.
Olivia struggles with some insecurities because she thinks he can have anyone he wants. He wants her and makes that clear.
Tom has a secret about his past that is weighing him down and he’s scared Olivia won’t want him when she finds out. When a person from his past shows up he needs to figure out what to do.

It was okay for me. I liked it but a few things drove me a little crazy-for example: I’m 83% into the book and the lead female character is a little tipsy. The lead male character keeps making her drink water in-between fooling around. The drinking of the water is detailed in the scene (as he opened the third bottle of water and made me drink...). I’m seriously bracing myself for her to pee all over him or at least pee the bed later. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ So a little too many unnecessary details.

[Lorraine Brattin · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG can this man kiss! Quite the love story.

I loved this story all the way through and it has loads of suspense as well. Tom Markos is a man who always goes after what he wants and he wants Olivia White with a passion. Tom is a professional basketball player who happens to have a large portfolio of businesses and Olivia is a PR manager.

Tom gets Olivia to come to his house in Colorado on the first day they officially meet. But Olivia doesn't mix business with pleasure and Tom knows this. Olivia is torn up with need as Tom tries to seduce her every chance he gets. Which leads to some of the hottest sex ever.

Tom has a shady past and doesn't want to get Olivia involved. When that past comes calling Tom does everything he can to make sure that Olivia stays safe, but is that enough?

Great story. Wanted it to continue because it was so good. Great job Maggie Cole. Now I need to get book 2 of the series.

[Kim Lackey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting story!

Olivia has her own PR firm. And she’s good at what she does. An intelligent, strong business woman that deals with rich, arrogant men. But she’s made a name for herself. And she has one rule - don’t sleep with a client.

Tom has been watching Olivia from a far. He’s a professional basketball player. But also a savvy businessman. He is extremely attracted to her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, honest. She has helped turn around one of his businesses. He wants to hire her to handle all his business. But Olivia doesn’t know that she’s helped one of Tom’s businesses because he has an alias.

Tom has a dark, painful past he’s been running from. He wants to be with Olivia but afraid to put her in harms way. But their attraction when they meet is too powerful.

You need to read this book to find out the shocking details about Tom’s past. You won’t want to put this book down.

[Saramarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rules!!!🥰🥰

Let me just start off with what I expected from The Rule.. I a topical sports romance.... what I got was so much better! Tom’s a basketball player so there is a sport theme but he’s so much more.

This story has everything Drama, Mystery, Crazy Chemistry, and at some points terrifying. An amazing story to start off the All In Series!!

Olivia White is a savvy businesswoman who owns her own PR Firm. When working with the rich and powerful she has a Rule about dating clients. That is until Tom Marko.

Tom is a basketball player who has built an empire from the ground up. When he sees the beautiful Olivia he knows he’ll put out all the stops to make her his.

I adored Tom and Olivia.. I love reading books with strong female characters and Olivia is a shark.

A definite 5 star read!! I can’t wait to read Meg’s story.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Tom Marko, he has everything a man could want, woman, fame, money and looks but something is missing. Olivia White started her PR firm from almost nothing and now business is amazing . But she has one rule, don't get involved with the client and she has never broken it, until. Maggie Cole has brought Tom and Liv to life in a way that I believe no author has done. Will Liv break her rule or keep it? This is NOT a quiet story that is just a nice read. It will blow your mind and you'll never put it down until the end , I know I couldn't. So get ready for your world to be rocked, your imagination will run wild, your heart will pound, and be ready for those wonder surprises. This is a book you MUST READ and keep reading as the series sucks you in. If I could give a 100 star review I would do it because it is worth every single one of them

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom and Liv are ultimate relationship goals!

Tom is a billionaire basketball player/business mogul trying to live a life free of a rough past.
Liv is a smart, headstrong business woman who tries to hide behind her one rule.

The journey of these two characters will have you laughing, crying, and everything in between. When Tom meets Liv he knows she is the one woman for him. He must do anything he can to protect her from secrets of his past. Liv is infatuated with Tom but with him being her newest client she clings to her one rule. Never get involved with a client. As secrets are revealed and dangers come from all sides they must choose to face the obstacles together. They both need to be all in.

If you're looking for romance, comedy, and a little bit of danger this book is definitely one to read!