[Book Review] Rules of Entanglement

Title: Rules of Entanglement
Author: Gina L. Maxwell
Date Published: March 31, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Publishing - Brazen
Source: ARC
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick-Lit
Rating: ★★★★★

Links:
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Book Information:

Seven days. And seven rules to break... 

District Attorney Vanessa McGregor firmly believes that structure and order are the stuff that dreams are made of. Happiness can be planned - and it starts with seven rules she's laid out for her future. But as she's organizing her best friend's wedding in Hawaii, all of Vanessa's best-laid plans are about to meet their match in a wickedly hot MMA fighter... 

Jackson "Jax" Maris is focused on surfing, training and fighting. That is, until he opens up his big mouth, and finds himself having to pretend he's engaged to his little sister's best friend, Vanessa. When they're force to share a romantic bungalow, however, their little charade suddenly takes a turn for the seriously sexy. And while Jax is definitely not part of Vanessa's long-term plan, he has seven days - and seven naughty nights - to turn her seven-rule plan upside down.

Review:
The perfect blend of a love-hate relationship, a pseudo-engagement, and a tropical beach setting. Perfect as a summer read!

Vanessa, a prim and proper District Attorney lives her life in keeping with seven strict rules. She made these seven rules to make sure that she stays grounded and that she doesn't get herself hurt. Everything was actually good and under control in her life until she meets Jax, an MMA fighter.

7.Never take your responsibilities lightly

6.Never indulge in the poison of lies

5.Never let a fling last more than three days.

4.Never date a man who chooses fists over words.

3.Never date a man who lacks a stable future.

2.Never relinquish control.

1.Never fall in love.

Story-wise, the plot-device of pretending as a couple has been used multiple times in a number of books and stories, but in this one, it had justification. Also, I like how it was Jax who initiated the whole thing because it was believable.

Character-wise, I actually like Vanessa. She's too guarded because she has gone through so much. I love how her back story gave her a bit of realism. She didn't turn out the way she was without experiencing a multitude of events. That really says a lot about why she holds on to her rules as if they were her lifeline.

Oh, and Vanessa is also the kind of girl who knows what she needs and knows exactly how to get it. This is probably because she's on the logical side and weighs things down through pros and cons. That's why I wasn't surprised at all when she decided to have a fling with Jax, minus the emotional attachments.

As for Jax, he's a little contradiction himself because he lives as though he's this really unreliable guy, when in fact, he's not. Being an MMA fighter and a surfer gave the impression that Jax likes living dangerously. His bare apartment also screams that he has an unstable future, something that is against Vanessa's rules.

In short, Vanessa and Jax were too different that's why they were always at each other's throats. And their first meeting was a clear case of hate-at-first-sight.

Another thing I really liked about this book is the witty banter between Vanessa and Jax. I love witty banters and sarcastic wisecracks. They make my life colorful, that's why I really liked this book. Vanessa and Jax always try to one-up the other through their banter and I really appreciated that.

All in all, this book is perfect as a summer read! It has gorgeous and funny characters, witty wisecracks, and a tropical beach setting. What more could a reader ask for?