- Title: House Rules
- Author: Ruby Lang
- Series: Uptown, #3 *easily read as a standalone
- Length: approx. 47,000 words
- Genre: Contemporary Romance; Romantic Comedy
- Imprint: Carina Press
- On-Sale: February 10, 2020
- Format & Price: eBook $3.99
- ISBN: 9781488055164
Book Description
ROOMMATE WANTED to share a gorgeous sun-filled apartment in Central Harlem. Must love cats. No ex-husbands or wives need apply.
Seventeen years ago, different dreams pulled Simon Mizrahi and Lana Kai apart. But when Lana takes a position as a chef back in Manhattan, her apartment search puts her right in her ex-husband’s path. Music teacher Simon is also hunting for a new place to live, and when Lana proposes they be platonic roomies, well…it’s not the worst idea he’s ever heard.
A sunny uptown two-bedroom sounds far more appealing than the cramped, noisy space where he’s currently struggling to work. Still, Simon has seen firsthand that Lana’s a flight risk, so he agrees on a trial basis.
Three months. With strict boundaries.
Living together again feels wonderfully nostalgic, but when the ex-couple’s lingering feelings rise to the surface, the rules go out the window.
Of course, chemistry was never their problem. But while Simon’s career feels back on solid footing, Lana is still sorting out what she wants. With their trial period soon coming to an end, they’ll have to decide if their living arrangement was merely a sexy trip down memory lane or a reunion meant to last.
Ruby Lang
My Review of HOUSE RULES by Ruby Lang
House Rules by Ruby Lang is a sweet and steamy ride. This romance is one of the most loving I have ever read. I will not deny that there is heat, and a lot of it for a novella, but honestly, the characters are so sweet that you can’t help but root for them.
Simon and Lana are a perfect match. I am confident that the author meant for more angst between the characters, but there wasn’t much. I could tell from the very first scene that these two people were meant for each other.
Whatever had happened in the past was because they were young, and neither had found themselves yet. Now, Lana and Simon are older and ready for a second chance at the love that got away oh so many years ago.
Watching Lana stand her ground while Simon worked himself out of a rut was mesmerizing and lovely to read. Watching the story unfold all the while knowing that a happily ever after was the most fun I have had in an evening in a long time.
I am pleased to award House Rules 4 out of 5 stars. I took away the one star only because I wanted a bit more angst, but in the word count that made up this novella, I can understand the lack thereof.
Thank you to Carina Press and Ruby Lang for providing me with a copy of House Rules in exchange for an honest review.
HOUSE RULES by Ruby Lang – Excerpt
She kissed him as they traveled uptown, under the too-bright lights of the rattling, rumbling 2 train, her hands stealing up past the thick collar of this coat, to his warm neck, to his hair.
“We’re disgracing ourselves,” Simon murmured, even as he nipped her earlobe and his fingers found the zip of her jacket and pulled it down. “Making out on the train, like teenagers.”
He watched the progress of the zipper avidly, as if it would reveal more than her scarf, her sweater, more layers and layers of clothing, as if he could see down to her skin. Then he tipped his tongue up to catch her again in a lush kiss.
She pushed her breast, or the area of her clothing that covered it, shamelessly into his hand, and he gave a muffled gasp that only made her wilder. The train seat felt too smooth and unsatisfying against her restless thighs.
Every stop on the walk home was marked by where they paused to kiss, where Simon pushed her up against a wall, and she ground her hips against his. A car slowed once and honked while they were pressed on the brick beside a beauty salon. Its headlights illuminated their desperate bodies, causing Lana to bury her head in the front of Simon’s coat. Simon laughed softly, an edge of incredulity in the sound.
“We should get back.”
“Yes.”
They hurried now, swinging around the corner and down the block, through the gate and up, up the stairs, the thumping of their footsteps loud and urgent. Lana couldn’t help blushing at how impatient their running sounded. She and Simon burst in the door and into their dark hallway. Before the door fully closed, they’d fallen on each other, tripping in their haste to kick off shoes and unzip and unbutton each other, to unwind. It was as if they expected someone would stop them, someone wise and mature who’d tell them to think this through. But of course, they were the adults here, they were the ones in charge.
The fact that this was a bad idea only made Lana want it more.
Copyright © 2020 by Mindy Hung
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WN6KWC3
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/house-rules-ruby-lang/1133009437
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/house-rules/id1476929013
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/house-rules-45
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Ruby_Lang_House_Rules?id=3tOpDwAAQBAJ
Author Bio
Ruby Lang is the author of the acclaimed Practice Perfect series. She is pint-sized, prim, and bespectacled. Her alter ego, Mindy Hung, wrote about romance novels (among other things) for The Toast. Her work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Walrus, Bitch, and other fine venues. She enjoys running (slowly), reading (quickly), and ice cream (at any speed). She lives in New York with a small child and a medium-sized husband.
Social Media Links
Website: http://rubylangwrites.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RubeLang
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RubyLangWrites/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruby.lang/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13495728.Ruby_Lang
