REVIEW: 'Rule Breaker' by Lily Morton

Title: Rule Breaker

Author: Lily Morton

Published: August 17, 2017

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow Designs

Genre: Contemporary Romance; Erotic Romance

Length: 302 Pages

Tags: Gay; M/M; Humor; Self-Discovery; Office Romance; Angst: High; HFN; Kink: Sex Toys

About Rule Breaker

Is it really wrong to want to murder your boss? Dylan has worked for Gabe for two years. Two long years of sarcastic comments. Two long years of insults, and having to redo the coffee pot four times in the mornings to meet his exacting standards. Not surprisingly he has devoted a lot of time to increasingly inventive ways to murder Gabe. From stabbing him with a cake fork, to garrotting him with his expensive tie, Dylan has thought of everything. However, a chance encounter opens his eyes to the attraction that has always lain between them, concealed by the layers of antipathy. There are only two problems - Gabe is still a bastard, and he makes wedding planners look like hardened pessimists. But what happens when Dylan starts to see the real Gabe? What happens when he starts to fall in love with the warm, wary man that he sees glimpses of as the days pass? Because Gabe is still the same commitment shy, cold man that he’s always been, or is he? Has Dylan had the same effect on Gabe, and has his solid gold rule of no commitment finally been broken? With his heart taken Dylan desperately needs to know, but will he get hurt trying to find the answers? From the author of ‘The Summer of Us’ comes another scorchingly hot romantic comedy, showing what happens between two men when rules get broken.

4 HEART READ

REVIEW:

Sarcasm, wit, charm, frustration, humor, heartbreak, compassion, angst, love, and hot sex are just a few of the wonderful things you will find in Lily Morton’s, Rule Breaker.

From the blurb, to the first page and the very first sentence I was hooked!

Gabe is a well-mannered, charming man but is less than tactful and makes no pretense for what he thinks or what he says. After a meeting in which Gabe has just taken down an employee, Morton narrates Dylan’s thoughts, “as we stroll down the corridor to the elevators, both of us steadfastly ignoring the two secretaries who had been standing talking, but have now hurled themselves into the stationary cupboard to get out of the way,” and I could not help but make a comparison between Mr. Hart in the 1980 classic movie with Dolly Parton, 9 to 5.

Dylan is quite the opposite, funny and quick witted he would have you believe he can't stand his boss. However there is this flirty ease with which he sarcastically pushes back and doesn’t let Gabe walk on him. In fact in one scene as they are discussing Gabe’s schedule Dylan makes a joke, and Gabe says “’anything else, or have you got your afternoon shift at the comedy club to get to?’” To which Dylan replies “’No sir, that’s tomorrow. I’m going to just settle for taking the minutes while you eviscerate a few more members of staff.’”

It is very apparent before the first chapter has even ended that there is a palpable attraction between these two men, like a highly strung guitar, and it’s not just animosity. Dylan and Gabe’s interactions are riddled with sexual tension.

In fact Dylan sort of respects him as evidenced in his thoughts after someone demeans Gabe, “Gabe might be a complete bastard, but I sort of think of him as my bastard, and I don’t like other people criticizing him.” But these two men couldn’t be more opposite in what they want in a relationship. Dylan wants love and Gabe wants sex.

After two years as his personal assistant Dylan knows Gabe and his philandering ways well. So when an illness results in him taking care of Gabe, at first you wonder why he would want this man. But as a new side of Gabe is slowly revealed you understand why.

Gabe has fought his whole life...and he’s gonna fight love too.

“I knew last night that he’d fight it, but apparently, he’s opted for the simple tact of flight instead,” Dylan thinks.

Lily Morton does a fantastic job with a supporting cast who see these guys for what they are…in love, even as they themselves fight it. Dylan’s mom is totally fantastic! As Dylan ponders Gabe’s capacity to love she says, “’that man needs love like no one I’ve ever met before. It’s like he’s starved himself of any meaningful connection.’” Jude, Dylan’s bestie, is there every step of the way and after seeing them casually interact says “’What was all that?’” to which Dylan replies “’All what?’” “’All that – the tender touches, the snarky conversation. It was almost like foreplay for sick people.’” And even tough Gabe has a compassionate friend in Henry, who sees it. In fact upon seeing them at a work retreat he says to Dylan “’I wondered, and now I know’” to which Dylan has no idea what he’s speaking of.

As things heat up between the two it becomes a goddamn emotional roller coaster as Gabe denies Dylan…over and over.

Just when I would feel his hopefulness and my heart would crest for Dylan, Gabe would crash in like the G-force he is and send my gut plummeting.

When things come to a blow I couldn’t commend Dylan enough for the respect he finally has for himself and I began to love Gabe. God, Gabe! He’s so afraid of loss he can’t let himself love, but when he does...

Angst about kills me and makes me want to throw in the towel but with these two it is totally worth it. As their heat filled barbs that fuel their passion become daggers you just know there’s gonna be an explosive ending. I have to say, don’t give up on any of this book, keep going.

Morton stokes these boys with some fabulous moments of playful sex, revenge sex, making love, angry sex…and making up sex.

I’m not gonna lie, there is a little infidelity in Rule Breaker on Gabe’s part but not with Dylan. I realize for some this is a "rule breaker"…but this was agreed upon with his partner and really is who Gabe is, or was. Plus, we all have a past. Don’t dismiss this book because of that! There is just so much goodness going on here with very well developed leading men that have you rooting for them every step of the way.

Lily Morton uses a quote from Thoreau’s in the rest of the story, titled Scrambled Eggs and Lemsip, which you can find on her website, that sums these two men’s journey up perfectly: ‘any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it’. Gabe had to learn to break his own rules!

A copy of Rule Breaker was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Lily Morton, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.

Amazon/KU

Meet the Author

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family. Facebook; Goodreads; Twitter; Amazon