BOOK REVIEW ~ RULE BY JAY CROWNOVER

Title: Rule (Rule, Book One)

Author: Jay Crownover

Release Date: December 30, 2012

Self-published

Reviewer bought own eBook copy of book for review

Book Blurb (taken from Goodreads)

I had loved Rule Archer since the first moment I ever laid eyes on him. He was everything I shouldn't want and the only person I went out of my way to not try and please. He only saw me as a brat, and an entitled, stuck up princess but worse than that all he saw when he looked at me was his deceased twin's girl. It broke my heart because as much as I had loved Remy Archer there was never anything romantic between us and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that loving Rule was a terrible idea, my poor heart just wouldn't listen. We tolerated each other, barely and had forged an uneasy alliance until one night I had too much to drink and changed the way we were forever. Suddenly life long secrets were no longer hidden and the one thing I always wanted for myself seemed obtainable as long as I was willing to go through hell to hold onto it.

Shaw Landon was a class act and I had no idea what to do with her. She was tied to my family, tied to the person that was my other half so I tolerated her and her haughty attitude when I didn't have any other choice. What I didn't know was that a short skirt and too many cocktails on her birthday was going to change my outlook on her for the rest of my life. Some people thought I hid behind all my tattoos and piercings, that I tried to distance myself from my dead twin, Shaw saw through it all and wasn't scared of what was underneath. We weren't supposed to be together, weren't supposed to be anything but uncomfortable acquaintances but that all changed in the blink of an eye. Now I had to figure out just how a girl like her and a guy like me were supposed to be in love without destroying each other. Add in her custom made ex and two disapproving sets of parents and the whole situation sounded like it was more trouble then it was worth.



Book Review

This is a conflicted review for me to write for a couple of reasons. 
(1.) The editing in this book is bad. There are run-on sentences, words used incorrectly, and punctuation problems. 
(2.) Should a reviewer give a high rating to a book that is poorly edited? That is my main conflict with rating this book. 

I know a lot of readers who will absolutely refuse to read a book where the editing is bad. One or two mistakes can be tolerated, but several where the reader is having to decipher the author's intended words? 
Yes, that can negatively sway the reader to stop reading. 

However, for me, the saving grace for Rule was the story itself. It had me hooked. It was a plot that intrigued me and kept me reading, despite the many, many, errors on the page. I am far from perfect when it comes to grammar or correct punctuation use, but I feel that if you are taking the time to put your book out there, it should be necessary for the writer to take the time to have it edited properly. 

Now that I have said my piece about the editing of Rule, let's talk about the good parts--the story.

Rule Archer is the supreme bad boy. He has tatts covering the majority of his body. Piercings in some very interesting places. And has numerous girls falling into his bed--and then he promptly kicks them out. He lives for the moment, for the pleasures of life alone, and makes no apologies for his behavior. 

Shaw Landon has been a part of the Archer family for years. She and Remy, Rule's twin, have always had  a special bond of friendship. And despite Shaw's adamant protests that the two were never involved, Rule still believes that Shaw was his twin's girlfriend. 

Now Remy is dead and the Archer family foundation is more than shaky; it is crumbling underneath their feet. The mom blames Rule for Remy's car accident that took his life. The father continues to let the mother decimate Rule with her cruel words. Shaw, who still attends the family weekly brunches with Rule, finally puts her foot down. She refuses to attend Sunday brunch until Mrs. Archer seeks help for her inability to deal with Remy's death. Rome, the older Archer brother has just returned from Afghanistan and cannot believe how far his mother has deteriorated in her grief. He wants his family back together and share the closeness they once had. 

Shaw has loved Rule since she was thirteen, but all he sees is the privileged girl who was always around his brother, Remy. But one drunken night changes everything and Rule decides to take a chance with Shaw. 

Can these two people who seem so opposite in almost everything be the very thing that each of them need? 

I loved the raw honesty from Rule as he struggles with his feelings for Shaw and their sexual chemistry is off-the-chart hot! There are family secrets that become revealed that have the strength to blow away any chance for Shaw and Rule to stay together. And a psycho ex-boyfriend who has a dark side that nobody expected. 

There is a great cast of secondary characters that I hope to see in future books. Let's hope that Jay Crownover creates another amazing story the second time around--with a better editor this time. 

If my review truly reflected the the number of errors this book contained, the rating would have been much lower. The saving grace--the plot--gives it a 4 star.