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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
276 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
About the author
Brigham Vaughn
83 books831 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 212 reviews
March 9, 2026
Hockey romance, but with a figure skater MC - once an olympic gold medalist, retired and now teaching figure skating for a social media campaign of a hockey team. Add that the MC fathers were hockey players themselves and have a famous feud over a career ending injury and the hockey player is a single dad to a very precious kid and the figure skater wants kids very badly.
An homophobe hockey player in this book complains that everybody is gay on that team and they do not care about hockey any more, and this being my first of the author's books, well, even that guy has a point. It's like everybody there is a gay couple or will be a gay couple and not a lot of the book is about hockey, or, more sadly for me, about figure skating. And it is all very dull, no chemistry or romance, and the most interesting plotline, about the recovering anorexic figure skating friend of our FS MC had nothing to do with the couple as a couple.
Two things which icked me out a bit and dragged my appreciation into the negative rather than neutral. This is probably judgmental of me, but here goes:
- the role of women is a bit weird in this book. The hockey player is traumatized over his ex-wife cheating on him with his teammate best friend. Bitch right? She is entitled to a speech explaining herself shortly, and instantly her ex understands her a bit better, but all through the book there are women getting called out by being toxic (gossipy friends of hers whose looks are mocked by one of the MC's friends, instagram obsessed girlfriends of hockey players or the "wrong" kind of wives). The ones which are not, are getting praised for being the exception (A wife who is a baker). One of the exceptions the super hypercompetent social media manager is getting badly harassed by a misogynistic asshole and she does not do anything, nor does any of our MCs. It's a bit suffocating. And I had sympathy for the wife, more than the author intended I think, because of the parenting style of the dad.
- the kid, OMG, the kid is oh so precious and twee and unrealistic and oh so there everywhere, doing all the heavylifting plot wise, throwing them together whenever possible, so the figureskater can show off how good he is with her and how good housewife and stepparent material he is. Instant family for the wannabe parent and it is actually there on page, that attraction to the lifestyle (but the girlfriends of other players who want the lifestyle are bad and judged by a "proper" hockey wife elsewhere in the book...). And besides the kid being too cringingly precious and pro-active, I was judging the father's parenting oh so hard. Small things like he allowing her more screen time than her mother wants (even if the kid tantrums when it is cut. Nice cool dad stuff!) or the kid spending a lot of time with his mother (so he never actually took her to figureskating lessons before) rather than him, but big things also like they are making out and having blow jobs with her in the house when she can barge into them because they can not keep their minds off each other (Ok, I get it, plot reasons, the author needs to put sex scenes in the book to show it is lurve and they have chemistry...) even before the child is told about them being a couple. And the hockey player exploits the kid shamelessly to improve his image, taking her to meet the partner's dad who hates his family, and just using her in his social media coming out video with his new partner without getting the OK of the mother first (the mother locks her social media accounts so that instagram hungry thing might not apply and she might want to have an opinion about splashing her kid on the team's social media!), without it being in any way questioned, eurgh... They literally put the kid to soften their image and make them look all couple-y in social media for the coming out announcement with no quibbles or mentioning discussing it with the other parent and this is just fine and dandy with everybody single character here. I am not these people, I just thing it awful and I am judging everybody so hard.
- and mentioning it again, an extra, the whole series-itis thing is just too much. Everybody had or is going to get a gay romance book, it seems.
Writing style, pretty plain and simple, non objectionable but not particularly to my taste either. I will probably not read any more from the author, not even the book about the other figureskater.
An homophobe hockey player in this book complains that everybody is gay on that team and they do not care about hockey any more, and this being my first of the author's books, well, even that guy has a point. It's like everybody there is a gay couple or will be a gay couple and not a lot of the book is about hockey, or, more sadly for me, about figure skating. And it is all very dull, no chemistry or romance, and the most interesting plotline, about the recovering anorexic figure skating friend of our FS MC had nothing to do with the couple as a couple.
Two things which icked me out a bit and dragged my appreciation into the negative rather than neutral. This is probably judgmental of me, but here goes:
- the role of women is a bit weird in this book. The hockey player is traumatized over his ex-wife cheating on him with his teammate best friend. Bitch right? She is entitled to a speech explaining herself shortly, and instantly her ex understands her a bit better, but all through the book there are women getting called out by being toxic (gossipy friends of hers whose looks are mocked by one of the MC's friends, instagram obsessed girlfriends of hockey players or the "wrong" kind of wives). The ones which are not, are getting praised for being the exception (A wife who is a baker). One of the exceptions the super hypercompetent social media manager is getting badly harassed by a misogynistic asshole and she does not do anything, nor does any of our MCs. It's a bit suffocating. And I had sympathy for the wife, more than the author intended I think, because of the parenting style of the dad.
- the kid, OMG, the kid is oh so precious and twee and unrealistic and oh so there everywhere, doing all the heavylifting plot wise, throwing them together whenever possible, so the figureskater can show off how good he is with her and how good housewife and stepparent material he is. Instant family for the wannabe parent and it is actually there on page, that attraction to the lifestyle (but the girlfriends of other players who want the lifestyle are bad and judged by a "proper" hockey wife elsewhere in the book...). And besides the kid being too cringingly precious and pro-active, I was judging the father's parenting oh so hard. Small things like he allowing her more screen time than her mother wants (even if the kid tantrums when it is cut. Nice cool dad stuff!) or the kid spending a lot of time with his mother (so he never actually took her to figureskating lessons before) rather than him, but big things also like they are making out and having blow jobs with her in the house when she can barge into them because they can not keep their minds off each other (Ok, I get it, plot reasons, the author needs to put sex scenes in the book to show it is lurve and they have chemistry...) even before the child is told about them being a couple. And the hockey player exploits the kid shamelessly to improve his image, taking her to meet the partner's dad who hates his family, and just using her in his social media coming out video with his new partner without getting the OK of the mother first (the mother locks her social media accounts so that instagram hungry thing might not apply and she might want to have an opinion about splashing her kid on the team's social media!), without it being in any way questioned, eurgh... They literally put the kid to soften their image and make them look all couple-y in social media for the coming out announcement with no quibbles or mentioning discussing it with the other parent and this is just fine and dandy with everybody single character here. I am not these people, I just thing it awful and I am judging everybody so hard.
- and mentioning it again, an extra, the whole series-itis thing is just too much. Everybody had or is going to get a gay romance book, it seems.
Writing style, pretty plain and simple, non objectionable but not particularly to my taste either. I will probably not read any more from the author, not even the book about the other figureskater.
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?
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.
February 27, 2026
FINALLY something I can work with. This was great!!! The first 3 books in this series felt really one tone to me and I struggled abit to get through. This however was such a good read!! Taylor and Jamie were snarky, sassy and their flirting was top notch from the jump. Enemies to lovers is by far my favourite trope and this knocked it out of the park. They could have stayed enemies SLIGHTLY longer, but they weren’t true enemies because they both wanted each other so much. It was a really fun read with great pacing and the ending was so bittersweet, I love seeing people who’ve struggled with life be happy and get everything they’ve wanted.
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
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
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.
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.
December 11, 2025
Full disclosure, I had bookmarked this book a few years ago so I could read it if/when I finally got Kindle Unlimited. This was the first book in the series I read. I struggled a bit with the ensemble cast at first, figuring how who was called what by whom, why someone named Charlie was calling Taylor "babe" when he's supposed to be falling for Jamie etc... I'm assuming this isn't an issue for fans of the series.
Overall, I enjoyed Jamie's POV. Coming out can be difficult even for people who know they're queer longer than Jamie, so I liked that the story emphasized coming out more than self-acceptance. (Of course I still enjoy stories where characters struggle with self-acceptance—I like having options.)
As an aspiring writer who finds himself reading for pleasure and for craft, I find myself increasingly drawn to character-driven fiction and stories with arcs of change. In this case, both Jamie and Taylor have their genre-typical lessons learned. However, the lesson Taylor learns doesn't really impact with with Jaimie.
Where this story really fell flat for me is with the whole star-crossed lovers shtick. For most of the story, that Taylor's father hates Jamie's father is a static yet permeable barrier. It's a mild source of pathos I suppose, but it rarely materially impacts what the characters choose to do because Jamie and Taylor are always aware of it.
Overall, I think this book is 2.5-2.75 stars for me.
Overall, I enjoyed Jamie's POV. Coming out can be difficult even for people who know they're queer longer than Jamie, so I liked that the story emphasized coming out more than self-acceptance. (Of course I still enjoy stories where characters struggle with self-acceptance—I like having options.)
As an aspiring writer who finds himself reading for pleasure and for craft, I find myself increasingly drawn to character-driven fiction and stories with arcs of change. In this case, both Jamie and Taylor have their genre-typical lessons learned. However, the lesson Taylor learns doesn't really impact with with Jaimie.
Where this story really fell flat for me is with the whole star-crossed lovers shtick. For most of the story, that Taylor's father hates Jamie's father is a static yet permeable barrier. It's a mild source of pathos I suppose, but it rarely materially impacts what the characters choose to do because Jamie and Taylor are always aware of it.
Overall, I think this book is 2.5-2.75 stars for me.
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.
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