Adult Review: Rules of Contact by Jaci Burton

Rules of Contact by Jaci Burton
Publication Date: December 6, 2016
Publisher: Berkley
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Giveaway


Summary (from Amazon):
A defensive end for the San Francisco Sabers, Flynn Cassidy is used to being in the spotlight—he just doesn't enjoy it. But if getting in front of the cameras will help his new restaurant succeed, he's willing. Now if he could just meet a woman who loved him and not his fame...

After her divorce, Amelia Lawrence is thrilled to start over as head chef at Ninety-Two. It's just the opportunity she needs to heat up her career—if only she wasn't wildly attracted to her sexy new boss. Their chemistry might be sizzling hot, but Amelia has no intention of being burned again.

Flynn can't get enough of Amelia, and Amelia loves every second she spends with the tough yet tender Flynn. But trust is a hard-fought battle for both. Breaking the rules of contact and surrendering to their passion was the easy part. Are they willing to risk their hearts to win the game of love?

Review:
Wanting to start over after a rough divorce, Amelia, a professional chef, moves to work at restaurant Ninety-Two. She finally feels free, being able to create the menu for customers. But no matter how hard she tries she's unable to forget about her desire for Flynn, a professional football player, who also happens to be her boss. Flynn has always had a passion for food and decided to open his own restaurant to pursue it. He still plays football but there's something about cooking that allows him to relax, even though being around Amelia is the opposite of relaxing. She's attractive and makes him yearn for something more than a working relationship. But Amelia's been burned in the past, and it will take some work to get past her fears and persuade her to give him a chance.

Jaci Burton is my go-to author when I'm in the mood for a sports romance since she's the master of the genre, with her fun stories and smoking hot characters. So, I definitely had high expectations for Rules of Contact. And while I wasn't completely let down by her newest release, I can't say it's my favorite novel of hers either. Rules of Contact is different than Burton's other romances because the featured sports player Flynn is also a restaurant owner, which added an extra dimension to his character. I liked that not only did we get to see Flynn in his element playing football but we also got to see him in charge of running a successful restaurant because it demonstrated that he had other passions besides football. Amelia, on the other hand, is a typical Burton heroine. She's strong, ambitious, and yearns for someone she can be herself around. And while I eventually came around to liking the romance between Flynn and Amelia, I was a little disappointed I didn't feel the chemistry from the beginning of the story. At first we see Flynn and Amelia in a boss/employee relationship, and because of that, I didn't feel as much spark as I would have liked since they acted professional around each other. I also didn't get the sense that Flynn felt a connection to Amelia right away. Sure, he thought she was pretty, but it was obvious that he was reluctant to start something with her. The fact that he brought several women that he was dating to the restaurant under her nose demonstrated this. But once Flynn got on board and persuaded Amelia to give him a chance, I began to enjoy the two of them together. Flynn was such a caring and considerate guy, especially when it came to Amelia, and I loved seeing Amelia relax outside of the restaurant.

Overall, I would recommend Rules of Contact to anyone looking for a sports romance or to any fans of Jaci Burton.

Rating: