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Rules of the Game #4
Unwritten Rules
Rule #1: Don't fall in love with your family's sworn enemy
Taylor Hollis brought home gold at the Olympics, then quit competitive skating at the height of his career.
Four years later, he lives a quiet life teaching figuring skating classes and looking for the perfect guy to settle down and build a family with.
When the Evanston River Otters hire Taylor to take part in a feel-good media piece, he’ll have to defy his father and work with the son of the man he detests.
And his one weakness is a hot older guy who’s good with kids.
Rule #2: Choose your loyalties wisely
Last season, Jamie Walsh left the Chicago Windstorm after a nasty divorce and falling out with his linemate.
Now he’s getting settled as a new forward for the Otters.
His biggest priority is his five-year-old daughter, Ava, but he can’t ignore how attractive he finds her skating teacher.
The only man he’s ever been interested in.
The more time they spend together, the harder it is for Jamie to ignore his feelings.
Too bad Taylor’s father has always blamed Jamie’s dad for ruining his hockey career.
Jamie and Taylor are perfect for one another but they’ll have to ignore both of their families’ unwritten rules if they let themselves fall in love with the enemy.
Taylor Hollis brought home gold at the Olympics, then quit competitive skating at the height of his career.
Four years later, he lives a quiet life teaching figuring skating classes and looking for the perfect guy to settle down and build a family with.
When the Evanston River Otters hire Taylor to take part in a feel-good media piece, he’ll have to defy his father and work with the son of the man he detests.
And his one weakness is a hot older guy who’s good with kids.
Rule #2: Choose your loyalties wisely
Last season, Jamie Walsh left the Chicago Windstorm after a nasty divorce and falling out with his linemate.
Now he’s getting settled as a new forward for the Otters.
His biggest priority is his five-year-old daughter, Ava, but he can’t ignore how attractive he finds her skating teacher.
The only man he’s ever been interested in.
The more time they spend together, the harder it is for Jamie to ignore his feelings.
Too bad Taylor’s father has always blamed Jamie’s dad for ruining his hockey career.
Jamie and Taylor are perfect for one another but they’ll have to ignore both of their families’ unwritten rules if they let themselves fall in love with the enemy.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2022
249 people are currently reading
646 people want to read
About the author
Brigham Vaughn
82 books759 followersBrigham Vaughn is on the adventure of a lifetime as a full-time writer. She devours books at an alarming rate and hasn’t let her short arms and long torso stop her from doing yoga. She makes a killer key lime pie, hates green peppers, and loves wine tasting tours. A collector of vintage Nancy Drew books and green glassware, she enjoys poking around in antique shops and refinishing thrift store furniture. An avid photographer, she dreams of traveling the world and she can’t wait to discover everything else life has to offer her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
September 4, 2025
enemies to lovers goodness right here!
icy romeo and jules to arm up your heart.
former olympian figure skater x nhl player
their dads hate each other for some dark (and valid) reasons, they are attracted to each other. one is divorces with a child, the other is gay, good with children but has bad romantic experiences.
they are perfect for each other. but will it work?
icy romeo and jules to arm up your heart.
former olympian figure skater x nhl player
their dads hate each other for some dark (and valid) reasons, they are attracted to each other. one is divorces with a child, the other is gay, good with children but has bad romantic experiences.
they are perfect for each other. but will it work?
December 4, 2024
They say fuck a lot.
When fucking, working, falling
in love. “Fuck! F-ffuck… Fuuuhuck.”
When fucking, working, falling
in love. “Fuck! F-ffuck… Fuuuhuck.”
February 6, 2024
I loved UNWRITTEN RULES so much and this series has quickly become a favorite! I especially liked how much Jamie and Taylor communicated with each other and worked through their concerns and problems. They never let things go unresolved or jumped to conclusions and I always find that so refreshing in romance books. Together they made a fun and sexy couple and I loved Taylor's fire and Jamie's genuineness. Add in an adorable kid, the best hockey team to ever exist, and just a touch of drama surrounding their families, and this was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Content Warning: side character with an eating disorder
Content Warning: side character with an eating disorder
September 25, 2023
Read this to get Charlie’s backstory after enjoying the depiction of his eating disorder in Husband Game. This was pretty flat and underwhelming. The characters were sweet and their arc worked well but the writing just felt rather monotonous. There was definitely some good elements but nothing in this compels me to read the other books of the series.
August 13, 2024
RECENSIONE A CURA DI BARBARA
Delicatamente intimo!
“Regole non scritte” è una storia morbidamente dolce, una storia in cui gli intrecci tra le varie tematiche sono perfettamente calibrati ed equilibrati. Una vicenda in cui le emozioni vengono vissute con naturalezza e un pizzico di ansia, sentimenti così vivi da rendere tutta la narrazione reale con semplicità e immediatezza.
L’autrice ci parla dello stress fisico ed emotivo del mondo dello sport, delle aspettative e di come queste possano alterare l’equilibrio psicofisico di un individuo, un’alterazione spesso troppo difficile da gestire e con risvolti potenzialmente drammatici. Ci narra anche di rivalità e rancori decennali, di famiglia e di come questa possa influire sulle proprie scelte o il coraggio di lottare per ottenere quel per sempre tanto agognato. Affrontiamo il trauma di un tradimento passato e di come questo abbia lasciato dei segni tangibili sulla psiche di Jamie, di come infine capisca che deve trovare il modo di scendere a patti con ciò che è stato per poter vivere appieno ciò che il destino riserva ancora per lui.
Continua sul nostro blog!
Delicatamente intimo!
“Regole non scritte” è una storia morbidamente dolce, una storia in cui gli intrecci tra le varie tematiche sono perfettamente calibrati ed equilibrati. Una vicenda in cui le emozioni vengono vissute con naturalezza e un pizzico di ansia, sentimenti così vivi da rendere tutta la narrazione reale con semplicità e immediatezza.
L’autrice ci parla dello stress fisico ed emotivo del mondo dello sport, delle aspettative e di come queste possano alterare l’equilibrio psicofisico di un individuo, un’alterazione spesso troppo difficile da gestire e con risvolti potenzialmente drammatici. Ci narra anche di rivalità e rancori decennali, di famiglia e di come questa possa influire sulle proprie scelte o il coraggio di lottare per ottenere quel per sempre tanto agognato. Affrontiamo il trauma di un tradimento passato e di come questo abbia lasciato dei segni tangibili sulla psiche di Jamie, di come infine capisca che deve trovare il modo di scendere a patti con ciò che è stato per poter vivere appieno ciò che il destino riserva ancora per lui.
Continua sul nostro blog!
July 17, 2024
Kind and considerate. Romantic, intimate and sexy. Jamie and Taylor are both beautiful people. And sweet little Ava is such a cherry on top. A pretty interesting back story, Romeo and Romeo feels. Again here Brigham Vaughn delves into another mental health issue, this time anorexia (a side character). Again treated with such care. I loved this feel good book and honestly can't get enough of this series. It's exactly what I needed to read.
Read
October 4, 2023DNF 22%. This is feeling like a very standard, been-there-done-that MM romance and I am lacking in interest and attention span to muscle through.
September 12, 2024
This was really cute but it was missing something for me
Read
May 30, 2024DNF 40%. I don’t know what it is but I couldn’t get into this book. I’ve really enjoyed the previous books but this one I just can’t feel the connection between the two MCS and it’s actually a bit boring. I’m still going to continue with the next book as I’m looking forward to Anders story.
January 14, 2023
(2,5 stars) Jamie Walsh, recently acquired Evanston River Otters winger, is slowly adapting to his new life playing on a new team and sharing a custody of his five year old daughter Ava with his ex wife. Taylor Hollis, openly gay retired Olympic figure skater and figure skating teacher, is newly hired by the Otters in order to help the team improve their skating and film a series of entertaining videos while doing it.
Jamie and Taylor's fathers, both former professional hockey players, were rivals on ice and with Jamie's father being involved in an accident that ended Taylor's father's career there is some bad blood between the two families. While the best case scenario for Jamie and Taylor would be to keep professional distance the two can't help the mutual attraction between them. Flirting leads to kissing which leads to a casual no strings arrangement between the two as both are carrying some personal baggage. Taylor is trying to stay afloat financially between a debt and figure skating teacher's income, worrying about his best friend and roommate Charlie, former figure skater recovering from anorexia. Jamie is still struggling with his wife and former linemate/best friend's betrayal, exploring his bisexuality and trying to provide his daughter with a loving and stable environment after a divorce.
I appreciated that both Jamie and Taylor had their own struggles for the most part unrelated to their developing relationship. They were well rounded characters but unfortunately I did not feel particular connection to either of them. Their relationship was described as a relationship between two grown men with a healthy communication and support. Except I found myself bored both with their characters and the romance and could not wait to be done with their story. There were also plenty of sex scenes which made the plot drag even more for me. I was honestly more interested in Charlie and what was going on with him than anything happening on screen between Jamie and Taylor. I also found myself excited about the potential of a future story involving Charlie .
And at this point I have to ask myself why am I so intent on setting myself up for another disappointment? Because I keep following thi(e)s(e) series and putting every subsequent book on my Want to Read list as soon as I'm finished with the latest one but at this point it is safe to say I keep wanting to like thi(e)s(e) series more than I actually do.
After reading Road Rules I was really excited with the possibility of having two new hockey m/m series to follow, then I read Bending the Rules and I wasn't all that impressed with it, still I held out for the possibility of Changing the Rules being more up my speed. I gave that one a shot after it was published and gave up less than half way through. As the book is still on my Want to Read list I ended up completely forgetting I even started reading it before I decided to read Unwritten Rules.
With Zane and Ryan, from Road Rules, being one notable exception I have to admit that for some reason neither characters nor romances in Brigham Vaughn's hockey universe ever actually work for me. Still I keep hoping optimistically that the next pairing will be more to my liking.
Themes: dual POV, instant attraction, age difference, figure skater/hockey player, bi-awakening, casual relationship, children, NHL
Jamie and Taylor's fathers, both former professional hockey players, were rivals on ice and with Jamie's father being involved in an accident that ended Taylor's father's career there is some bad blood between the two families. While the best case scenario for Jamie and Taylor would be to keep professional distance the two can't help the mutual attraction between them. Flirting leads to kissing which leads to a casual no strings arrangement between the two as both are carrying some personal baggage. Taylor is trying to stay afloat financially between a debt and figure skating teacher's income, worrying about his best friend and roommate Charlie, former figure skater recovering from anorexia. Jamie is still struggling with his wife and former linemate/best friend's betrayal, exploring his bisexuality and trying to provide his daughter with a loving and stable environment after a divorce.
I appreciated that both Jamie and Taylor had their own struggles for the most part unrelated to their developing relationship. They were well rounded characters but unfortunately I did not feel particular connection to either of them. Their relationship was described as a relationship between two grown men with a healthy communication and support. Except I found myself bored both with their characters and the romance and could not wait to be done with their story. There were also plenty of sex scenes which made the plot drag even more for me. I was honestly more interested in Charlie and what was going on with him than anything happening on screen between Jamie and Taylor. I also found myself excited about the potential of a future story involving Charlie .
And at this point I have to ask myself why am I so intent on setting myself up for another disappointment? Because I keep following thi(e)s(e) series and putting every subsequent book on my Want to Read list as soon as I'm finished with the latest one but at this point it is safe to say I keep wanting to like thi(e)s(e) series more than I actually do.
After reading Road Rules I was really excited with the possibility of having two new hockey m/m series to follow, then I read Bending the Rules and I wasn't all that impressed with it, still I held out for the possibility of Changing the Rules being more up my speed. I gave that one a shot after it was published and gave up less than half way through. As the book is still on my Want to Read list I ended up completely forgetting I even started reading it before I decided to read Unwritten Rules.
With Zane and Ryan, from Road Rules, being one notable exception I have to admit that for some reason neither characters nor romances in Brigham Vaughn's hockey universe ever actually work for me. Still I keep hoping optimistically that the next pairing will be more to my liking.
Themes: dual POV, instant attraction, age difference, figure skater/hockey player, bi-awakening, casual relationship, children, NHL
May 9, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. Jamie is a wonderful single father and his daughter, Ava, was an adorable scene stealer.
Jamie and Taylor are stuck between a rock and a hard place with their relationship thanks to their fathers’ contentious history and the team already taking hits in the media after Gabriel and Lance’s relationship was outed. Watching Taylor learn to trust Jamie was done well. I would love a story about his bestie too. I know it would be amazingly heartfelt. My favourite of the series so far and by far. This book is just pure sweetness with a dash of angst in the way of a side character dealing with an eating disorder. Please proceed with caution if this is a trigger for you as it is discussed throughout the entire book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.
Jamie and Taylor are stuck between a rock and a hard place with their relationship thanks to their fathers’ contentious history and the team already taking hits in the media after Gabriel and Lance’s relationship was outed. Watching Taylor learn to trust Jamie was done well. I would love a story about his bestie too. I know it would be amazingly heartfelt. My favourite of the series so far and by far. This book is just pure sweetness with a dash of angst in the way of a side character dealing with an eating disorder. Please proceed with caution if this is a trigger for you as it is discussed throughout the entire book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.
December 31, 2022
It's giving me a toothache. It's giving sweet tooth. It's giving sundae with a cherry on the type.
Baby, when I say this book was so fucking sweet, it made my teeth hurt, it was so sweet. Jamie and Taylor are that couples. They are the moment. I instantly fell in love with both as characters and as a couple. They just wanted to find their person and found it in each other. Now I said that Gabriel and Lance were the number two couple for me, but Jamie and Taylor came in and just swept them to number three. This is such a feel-good book, and I just grinned so much throughout.
Baby, when I say this book was so fucking sweet, it made my teeth hurt, it was so sweet. Jamie and Taylor are that couples. They are the moment. I instantly fell in love with both as characters and as a couple. They just wanted to find their person and found it in each other. Now I said that Gabriel and Lance were the number two couple for me, but Jamie and Taylor came in and just swept them to number three. This is such a feel-good book, and I just grinned so much throughout.
May 27, 2024
This series remains a bit idealistic in regards to how accepting the league & team is (even if there are "reservations" from management) but there are other hard issues being addressed so I can mostly let it slide. Especially because it balances out with how fun and warm they tend to be.
And this one was just really warm. Even with the feuding families and the weight of Charlie's disordered eating, the feeling of found family combined with their actual families was really great. I also enjoyed seeing both Taylor and Jamie openly wanting children—totally fine for heroes & heroines that don't want them but it was a nice change from that.
Looking forward to Lindy's book—and Charlie/Dustin(?!) when I get there!
And this one was just really warm. Even with the feuding families and the weight of Charlie's disordered eating, the feeling of found family combined with their actual families was really great. I also enjoyed seeing both Taylor and Jamie openly wanting children—totally fine for heroes & heroines that don't want them but it was a nice change from that.
Looking forward to Lindy's book—and Charlie/Dustin(?!) when I get there!
December 29, 2025
i did not go into this book thinking it would be a 5 star read but there was nothing about this book i didnt like! i loved the relationship between jamie and taylor and how they were able to overcome their fathers’ history/beef. and hello, a single dad? my kryptonite! and i also loved charlie and how his issues were dealt with and how he fit into the dynamics of jamie and taylor’s relationship. there was a moment near the end with jamie and charlie that was so touching. i also thought there was great moments with the team in this one and how (most of them) are there for each other, very excited for the rest of the books (and charlie’s book which starts the next series).
July 13, 2022
I’m sucker for a sports romance and this was between a hockey player and figure skater. I really liked the open communication between Jamie and Taylor. It seemed like from the start they were on the same page which left no room for any hurt feelings or miscommunications. Most of the angst in the story was from secondary characters. All in all, this was a sweet and steamy read with some laughs brought on by Jamie’s adorable 5 year old daughter.
July 14, 2022
Wow. What a great book! I liked this one even better than book 1, which was really good as well.
I love single dad stories, and little Ava steals the show! As with book 1, I love how real life health issues are included and discussed. I'm so in love with the Evanston Otters, and can't wait for the next book.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.
I love single dad stories, and little Ava steals the show! As with book 1, I love how real life health issues are included and discussed. I'm so in love with the Evanston Otters, and can't wait for the next book.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.
July 17, 2022
Another great book by Brigham Vaughan and for the Rules of the Game series. Jamie and Taylor are perfect together. Their book is romantic, sweet, funny, enemies to lovers, with great characters and their sexy times are hot. Ava stole the show for me and she is a real sweetheart. The book had my attention from start to finish and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
July 19, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. I love hockey books and this story is very sweet.
Taylor's father has hated Jamie's father since an accident during a hockey game that ended Taylor's father's career. But that doesn't stop the attraction between Taylor and Jamie from happening.
When the hockey hires Taylor to take part in a feel-good media job, Jamie’ll have to defy his father and work with the son of the man he hates.
For Taylor, a man with an adorable daughter is a magnet.
You can read this as a standalone romance, but I recommend the whole series as cameos are made and you can check up this these guys
I was given an ARC but the words are from the heart
Taylor's father has hated Jamie's father since an accident during a hockey game that ended Taylor's father's career. But that doesn't stop the attraction between Taylor and Jamie from happening.
When the hockey hires Taylor to take part in a feel-good media job, Jamie’ll have to defy his father and work with the son of the man he hates.
For Taylor, a man with an adorable daughter is a magnet.
You can read this as a standalone romance, but I recommend the whole series as cameos are made and you can check up this these guys
I was given an ARC but the words are from the heart
July 14, 2022
When you meet someone who raises your interest only to be thrown for a loop when you find out that your dad and his are sworn enemies. We skip ahead and both guys are trying to find their own balance to make it.
I did receive an Arc for a review.
I did receive an Arc for a review.
September 25, 2022
Jamie is such a good dad and a good partner. He's so considerate and thoughtful and it's super swoony to see how he takes care of the people he cares about. Taylor is the first guy he has ever looked at that way, but that's not the biggest issue. That's the fact their dads have a rivalry. But this wasn't super angsty or anything. I enjoyed every minute of watching these two fall for each other, while Taylor also fell in love with Jamie's little girl, who was adorable.
September 14, 2022
This was really lovely and sweet. Once you just accept that the main reason they "can't be together" is tissue thin.
April 8, 2023
4.5⭐️
Unwritten Rules by Brigham Vaughn is book 4 in the Rules of the Game series.
Another book in this series that I loved. It was so easy to fall in love with Jamie and Taylor. They were both good people who cared deeply about their loved ones and sometimes even at the expense of their own well-being.
Their Romeo and Juliet story, minus all the tragedy, was really interesting to follow. Having fathers who had such a deep-seated conflict was a huge obstacle to their relationship and I loved seeing how they dealt with it. I really appreciate that Brigham Vaughn's characters always have excellent communication. For me it is something really refreshing.
With Jamie being a father, I was wondering if I would appreciate the larger presence of a child in the story. Maybe because I don't have kids myself, I tend not to gravitate towards books with kids in them. Like all the characters in the book, I myself fell under Ava's spell. She was so cute and every scene she was in made me smile.
I think the Evanston River Otters are becoming my favorite team out of all the sports books I've read so far. Every time I dive into another book in the series I am always excited to come back to Zane, Ryan, Gabriel, Anders and all the others. I can't wait to see what Anders and Kelly's story will be like.
Unwritten Rules by Brigham Vaughn is book 4 in the Rules of the Game series.
Another book in this series that I loved. It was so easy to fall in love with Jamie and Taylor. They were both good people who cared deeply about their loved ones and sometimes even at the expense of their own well-being.
Their Romeo and Juliet story, minus all the tragedy, was really interesting to follow. Having fathers who had such a deep-seated conflict was a huge obstacle to their relationship and I loved seeing how they dealt with it. I really appreciate that Brigham Vaughn's characters always have excellent communication. For me it is something really refreshing.
With Jamie being a father, I was wondering if I would appreciate the larger presence of a child in the story. Maybe because I don't have kids myself, I tend not to gravitate towards books with kids in them. Like all the characters in the book, I myself fell under Ava's spell. She was so cute and every scene she was in made me smile.
I think the Evanston River Otters are becoming my favorite team out of all the sports books I've read so far. Every time I dive into another book in the series I am always excited to come back to Zane, Ryan, Gabriel, Anders and all the others. I can't wait to see what Anders and Kelly's story will be like.
May 9, 2023
Taylor and Jamie were such a great couple! I loved everything about their story and they are definitely among my Brigham's favorites! Taylor's personality and prickly edges made me love him from the get go and he was a perfect match for a slightly flailing Jamie and his newfound attraction. The chemistry was visible from the get go and the story kept me hooked from the start. Loved it!
Narration in audio: Great performance. Elevated the story without overshadowing it in any way.
Narration in audio: Great performance. Elevated the story without overshadowing it in any way.
July 8, 2023
excellent romance, now I want the whole series
Rating: 4.5🌈
I backtracked to pick up this book after reading the wonderful new romance, The Husband Game : An M/M Hockey Romance (Relationship Goals Book 1). Those characters got together here first in Unwritten Rules and I needed that scene and first meeting.
But in Unwritten Rules, I got not only that first time sparking between Austin and his kitten, Charlie, (who’s an impactful character here), but the other characters in that novel. The ones that formed the foundation of Charlie’s and Austin’s found family.
And that special romance referred to is the one between former Olympic Gold Medalist figure skater Taylor Hollis and NHL Evanston River Otters hockey player Jamie Walsh. It’s a very heartwarming story, containing plot lines that weave together a multitude of issues . Vaughn’s characters deal, realistically, with late sexual awakening, being a single parent, complex family dynamics, and sports induced trauma.
Here it’s shown in two different aspects of how sports can injure its athletes. The outwardly inflicted injuries, the hits and physical damage taken from playing the game that lingers long after the players have quit. Then there’s the hidden damage, the quiet, yet equally devastating injuries that sometimes manifest itself throughout a lifetime of an athlete’s career. The author uses both Taylor and Charlie to illustrate different aspects of how each man internalized the pain and incredible stress that the international world of competitive figure ice skating puts an athlete through. Taylor chose to make poor relationship choices and let others treat him badly. But Charlie, due to a complicated adolescence and parental issues, developed anorexia, an eating disorder. One so severe he’s been hospitalized in critical condition.
There’s also homophobia in the locker room, broken marriage, and other serious topics. All of which are treated with respect and care by the author within the storylines of Unwritten Rules.
That’s a lot to think about and take in. But these characters, via an excellent narrative and great dialogue, fold them into their journey towards a new relationship and eventual family.
One thing I really appreciate in a romance is having a couple that communicates. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to write a review that says if they had just talked about whatever the issue was, then the book would have been better.
Luckily, that wasn’t the case. Both Taylor and Jamie are adults who talk about potential issues and figure out how they want to handle them together. Are there some moments where they face real challenges? Personal crises? Yes. But it makes for a great story and believable relationship.
We root for them harder.
And it was really interesting to get a different perspective on Charlie here. It’s a younger man we see ,who is still very much grappling with his anorexia, struggling with his therapy. It makes meeting the older man all the more special and satisfying in the other book.
The characters and players from the team are extremely well written and engaging. That goes for that adorable daughter, Asa Bear, too. I so enjoyed reading this book and getting to know all the surrounding cast of characters that I’ll be picking up the rest of the series while I wait for the release of the next Relationship Goals story.
I highly recommend you do the same!
Rules of the Game:
- [ ] Road Rules #1
- [ ] Bending the Rules #2
- [ ] Changing the Rules #3
- [x] Unwritten Rules #4
- [ ] Rules of Engagement #5
- [ ] Breaking the Rules #6
Connected to new series Relationship Goals.
Rating: 4.5🌈
I backtracked to pick up this book after reading the wonderful new romance, The Husband Game : An M/M Hockey Romance (Relationship Goals Book 1). Those characters got together here first in Unwritten Rules and I needed that scene and first meeting.
But in Unwritten Rules, I got not only that first time sparking between Austin and his kitten, Charlie, (who’s an impactful character here), but the other characters in that novel. The ones that formed the foundation of Charlie’s and Austin’s found family.
And that special romance referred to is the one between former Olympic Gold Medalist figure skater Taylor Hollis and NHL Evanston River Otters hockey player Jamie Walsh. It’s a very heartwarming story, containing plot lines that weave together a multitude of issues . Vaughn’s characters deal, realistically, with late sexual awakening, being a single parent, complex family dynamics, and sports induced trauma.
Here it’s shown in two different aspects of how sports can injure its athletes. The outwardly inflicted injuries, the hits and physical damage taken from playing the game that lingers long after the players have quit. Then there’s the hidden damage, the quiet, yet equally devastating injuries that sometimes manifest itself throughout a lifetime of an athlete’s career. The author uses both Taylor and Charlie to illustrate different aspects of how each man internalized the pain and incredible stress that the international world of competitive figure ice skating puts an athlete through. Taylor chose to make poor relationship choices and let others treat him badly. But Charlie, due to a complicated adolescence and parental issues, developed anorexia, an eating disorder. One so severe he’s been hospitalized in critical condition.
There’s also homophobia in the locker room, broken marriage, and other serious topics. All of which are treated with respect and care by the author within the storylines of Unwritten Rules.
That’s a lot to think about and take in. But these characters, via an excellent narrative and great dialogue, fold them into their journey towards a new relationship and eventual family.
One thing I really appreciate in a romance is having a couple that communicates. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to write a review that says if they had just talked about whatever the issue was, then the book would have been better.
Luckily, that wasn’t the case. Both Taylor and Jamie are adults who talk about potential issues and figure out how they want to handle them together. Are there some moments where they face real challenges? Personal crises? Yes. But it makes for a great story and believable relationship.
We root for them harder.
And it was really interesting to get a different perspective on Charlie here. It’s a younger man we see ,who is still very much grappling with his anorexia, struggling with his therapy. It makes meeting the older man all the more special and satisfying in the other book.
The characters and players from the team are extremely well written and engaging. That goes for that adorable daughter, Asa Bear, too. I so enjoyed reading this book and getting to know all the surrounding cast of characters that I’ll be picking up the rest of the series while I wait for the release of the next Relationship Goals story.
I highly recommend you do the same!
Rules of the Game:
- [ ] Road Rules #1
- [ ] Bending the Rules #2
- [ ] Changing the Rules #3
- [x] Unwritten Rules #4
- [ ] Rules of Engagement #5
- [ ] Breaking the Rules #6
Connected to new series Relationship Goals.
June 30, 2024
3.5
This is yet another book in the series where I really enjoyed myself but still found it a little short on its potential. I loved Taylor and Jamie—especially Jamie—and I found there was a big improvement here as far as relationship pacing and the build-up to it. They still broke the sexual tension a little early for my personal taste, but at least there was some conflict to hold them back from fully diving over the line, and that made me grow more attached to their story. They did a great job convincing me these two were meant for each other in a way that I can believe will stick.
Ava was a joy, and so were the other Otter players. I think the team dynamics and the very established side characters are my favorite part of this series; although having all the books set within the same team poses its own issues, I like that it's easy to keep track of everyone else and the dynamics developing.
Speaking of those issues, one of the things that held the book back for me is how tired I'm growing of having the coming out process be such a huge issue in this series. I understand why it would be, but I think the author is starting to back herself into a complicated corner by having all these bisexual guys in the same organization while trying to maintain the realism of the backlash they'd receive for it—it's starting to get a bit repetitive. To be fair, the one book where the guy was already out was so boring I had to DNF it, but that's the thing: Brigham Vaughn keeps using it as the main relationship conflict and it's a pretty flimsy one to begin with. There was maybe something attempted here with the family rivalries, but it wasn't enough to hold back two grown men even in the slightest.
I also had some issues with Charlie. I like the ED representation, as that is a theme I hold very closely to my heart, but I wasn't a fan of how much shit Taylor got for putting himself into debt to help his friend. Sure, I get why lying is a shitty move, but treating it as a stupid decision without truly acknowledging or thanking the sacrifice and the stress Taylor put himself through for Charlie didn't sit well with me. There was also the locker room scene, and that was pure second-hand embarrassment. There is obviously a set-up at the end for Charlie and another hockey player, which I assume is in another series, so we'll see how I feel about it when I get to it.
In the end, some good, some bad, but I think a net positive experience. I'm kind of dreading finishing this series, even if the book I'm anticipating the most is next up.
This is yet another book in the series where I really enjoyed myself but still found it a little short on its potential. I loved Taylor and Jamie—especially Jamie—and I found there was a big improvement here as far as relationship pacing and the build-up to it. They still broke the sexual tension a little early for my personal taste, but at least there was some conflict to hold them back from fully diving over the line, and that made me grow more attached to their story. They did a great job convincing me these two were meant for each other in a way that I can believe will stick.
Ava was a joy, and so were the other Otter players. I think the team dynamics and the very established side characters are my favorite part of this series; although having all the books set within the same team poses its own issues, I like that it's easy to keep track of everyone else and the dynamics developing.
Speaking of those issues, one of the things that held the book back for me is how tired I'm growing of having the coming out process be such a huge issue in this series. I understand why it would be, but I think the author is starting to back herself into a complicated corner by having all these bisexual guys in the same organization while trying to maintain the realism of the backlash they'd receive for it—it's starting to get a bit repetitive. To be fair, the one book where the guy was already out was so boring I had to DNF it, but that's the thing: Brigham Vaughn keeps using it as the main relationship conflict and it's a pretty flimsy one to begin with. There was maybe something attempted here with the family rivalries, but it wasn't enough to hold back two grown men even in the slightest.
I also had some issues with Charlie. I like the ED representation, as that is a theme I hold very closely to my heart, but I wasn't a fan of how much shit Taylor got for putting himself into debt to help his friend. Sure, I get why lying is a shitty move, but treating it as a stupid decision without truly acknowledging or thanking the sacrifice and the stress Taylor put himself through for Charlie didn't sit well with me. There was also the locker room scene, and that was pure second-hand embarrassment. There is obviously a set-up at the end for Charlie and another hockey player, which I assume is in another series, so we'll see how I feel about it when I get to it.
In the end, some good, some bad, but I think a net positive experience. I'm kind of dreading finishing this series, even if the book I'm anticipating the most is next up.
July 13, 2022
Unwritten Rules by Brigham Vaughn is the 3rd book in her Rules of the Game series. It is the story of Jamie and Taylor. Jamie plays professional hockey and has just been traded to the Evanston River Otters. He asked for the trade because his wife cheated on him with another player from his team and he just couldn’t play for them anymore. They had a daughter and luckily he was able to still stay near her when he went to his new team. Taylor was a professional ice skater and had won gold at the Olympics. He then quit competing and worked with students and also performed with traveling shows. They had something in common from the outset. Their fathers hated each other because they had both played professional hockey and had an accident that almost caused Taylor’s father his life, which he blamed on Jamie’s father. They first met at the Olympics and Jamie felt a spark for Taylor but he was still married. The story picks up 4 years later, after his divorce. Taylor has been hired by the River Otters to teach figure skating to the hockey players to help them with their footwork. They are both wary and don’t want to cause any problems for the team so they do well working together. Taylor has always wanted a family and someone who loves him but he has been hurt before. Jamie is wary of a new relationship because of his divorce, his daughter, and that he always thought he was straight. That is until he met Taylor. Their relationship continues from there, first as just getting together, but then as they develop deeper feelings, Jamie realizes he has to prove to Taylor that this is real so he starts coming out to his family and team. There is lots of angst involved as they work through their needs and what is happening, especially with their families and working to bring them together. I have really enjoyed this series. The main characters are very realistic and both are sweet as well as their love scenes are very hot. Jamie’s daughter is wonderful and as well as part of what brings them together. Their friends and what they are going through also added to the story as well as the family drama. I continue to learn about hockey and this one added some details about figure skating which I am more familiar with. All in all it was a great story and I highly recommend it. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series as well as more from Ms. Vaughn.
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