Review: Bending the Rules by L.K. Lewis

Bending the Rules is the second book in L.K. Lewis's Breaking the Rules series. This is the continuation of Drake and Morgan's story and is not a standalone. If you haven't read Breaking the Rules yet, you will need to read that book first. I had some mixed feelings after the first book, but I liked Drake and Morgan and was curious to see how things would play out for them. While I did have mixed feelings about this book as well, a lot of the things that I had problems with before were different with this book.

After Breaking the Rules, Drake has been sent to Switzerland by his father for breaking his rules. He wasn't allowed to have any contact with Morgan for the next nine months or even allowed to tell her where he went. Morgan has no idea what happened to make Drake up and disappear, but she promised him that she wouldn't stop fighting for them and has hope that he will return. Morgan quits her job at Baylor because of Drake's dad and gets a job working for Adrian at Thompson Manufacturing. As Morgan struggles to deal with Drake's absence, Adrian uses the opportunity to try to win her back. But when Adrian and Morgan head to Switzerland for New Year's, Drake and Morgan meet back up and decide that they are done being apart for good. With Drake and Morgan reunited they start to make plans for their future, but there are still obstacles that threaten to stand in the way of their relationship.

I like Drake and Morgan. After the first book, I thought that they were great characters and that they really belonged together. That didn't change with this story. However, I felt like Drake should have never done what he did by taking off and not talking to Morgan at all or at least allowing Garrett to fill her in on what was going on. I understand his reasons and that he was trying to provide for Morgan and that he was trying to protect her job. But I still don't really see why he felt like he needed to follow his dad's wishes. He was determined to see it through though and he always kept Morgan and their future as his top priority. But he also expected her to realize that whatever he was doing was for them and their future, and I felt like that was complete unrealistic. I'm sorry but if the love of my life up and left me with no explanation and I didn't hear anything from him, regardless of how well I thought I knew him I would figure that we were over. That just didn't make sense to me at all. I also didn't really understand some of the things Morgan did. She was committed to Drake and fighting for them, and she believed that Drake would be back despite what he had done. But yet she allowed Adrian to take her out on dates and kiss her. I know that she and Drake weren't exactly together, but it felt like cheating to me and I wasn't okay with it.

I did think that the writing was much better in this book than the first, and some of the flow problems and chapter problems that I had with that story were so much better this time around. You could tell that L.K. Lewis's writing has improved and it was very noticeable from the first to the second book. I liked that the chapters weren't so choppy in this story, but that we still got multiple POVs. I will say that we get more than just Morgan and Drake's POVs in this story, and it was a bit much at times. It did allow the reader to see more of the story and what the characters were feeling, but at times it got to be confusing trying to figure out which character's POV it was. I liked the way that things were at the end of this story, but I felt that the ending was a bit abrupt and that there could have been more. Then I found out that there is going to be a third book to the series, so I am hoping that we will get more of Morgan and Drake's story and things will have a satisfying conclusion. I really didn't like Adrian in the first book, and I liked him even less in this. I hope that the third book doesn't focus as much on him. His character also confuses me. He was so calculated and manipulative in the first book and all through the beginning of this book. Then towards the end of this book its as though he flips a switch and is completely different. I didn't really believe that he would give up like that and just change his tune. I do like Morgan and Drake despite the criticisms that I had with these books, and I am interested in seeing how things end for all these characters. I really like Morgan's friend and Drake's friend a lot, and I am glad that they are together. I hope we get more of them in the next book. I think that Drake and Morgan's story is worth reading and I am looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

**Copy provided by Xpresso Book Tours**

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Feature and Giveaway: Bending the Rules by L.K. Lewis

“Drake isn’t just someone I love, he’s the one I love the most in this world. He’s my best friend, my breath, my everything. I realize in this moment that the true reason I’m on this journey to find Drake is not just because I miss him and want him back, I’m also missing a huge part of me. Until we’re together again, my life isn’t complete. Without him I’m not whole.”-Morgan

“… I’m so sorry I couldn’t go to you. It was nearly impossible not to but Morgan we wouldn’t be standing here right now if I had. You found me Baby. When you met me on your first day at Baylor what seems like a lifetime ago you found me. Only this time I’m not letting you go.”-Drake

Struggling to get her life back on track after being left suddenly and inexplicably by (secret) boyfriend –not- boyfriend and boss Drake Baylor Jr., Morgan Lane searches the globe to find Drake knowing that the only way to truly live the life she’s worked so hard for is with him by her side.

Banished to Zurich, Switzerland by his father after being caught Breaking the Rules, Drake has nine months to get the European Division of Baylor Industries back on track. Again, he must obey the rules so that he can hopefully return to his life with Morgan and take the helm of Baylor Industries.

Everything is going according to plan as usual for Adrian Thompson who has just gotten Drake banished to Switzerland as part of his plan to get Morgan (his college sweetheart and hopefully future trophy wife) back in his life for good. With a little help from Lana Lane, Morgan’s mother, Adrian is hoping to have Morgan wearing his ring by New Year’s Eve.

After a few months of being wooed by old flame and now boss Adrian, and without so much as a word from Drake, Morgan hesitantly accepts Adrian’s invitation to join him for New Year’s Eve in St.Moritz Switzerland. Foiling Adrian’s plan, a “chance encounter” finds Morgan back in Drake’s arms.

Will Drake and Morgan be able to overcome the distance and time that is now between them along with a few of the hurdles that life has thrown their way? Morgan and Drake are once again faced with figuring out how to start their new future together- this time not Breaking the Rules, only Bending them.

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Review: Breaking the Rules by L.K. Lewis

Breaking the Rules is the debut novel from L.K. Lewis. I was really looking forward to this one after reading the blurb and I loved the cover! This book was different than I was expecting though, and while there were things that I liked there was a lot that left me with mixed feelings. This book had a lot of potential, and I think it could be really great with some work. It has the makings of a great story, and Morgan and Drake kept me interested enough to keep reading. But the writing style of the author took some getting used to, and wasn't one that I clicked with.

Morgan Lane has just finished grad school and gets a job at Baylor Industries with the help of her father. Her father is golf buddies with the owner and CEO of the company. On Morgan's first day she is surprised to find the son of the owner instead of the CEO at her meeting. Morgan and Drake Baylor Jr. are in instantly drawn to each other and share an intense attraction to the other. But Drake has been given a set of rules by his father in order to work at the company after his past. Drake intends to push Morgan away and keep things to a minimum and only professional. He cleaned up his act and doesn't want anything to interfere with the second chance his father has given him. But the more Drake and Morgan are around each other the harder he finds it to stay away from her. Morgan is interested in Drake, but doesn't understand his hot and cold attitude and can't figure out why he reacts the way he does to her. When Drake finds in impossible to stay away any longer, he comes clean with Morgan and tells her that he is not allowed to date anyone or have a relationship of any type until his father retires and he becomes CEO. Morgan and Drake are willing to fight for each other though, and decide to wait it out by seeing each other secretly. But will they be able to keep things hidden between them when they can't help but be drawn to each other?

I liked Drake and Morgan. They were both smart and hard working. They were both open and honest. I liked that they both weren't afraid to lay everything on the line for their relationship and the fact that they had no problem really telling the other how they were feeling. They were drawn to each other from the beginning and you could tell that they were extremely attracted to each other. That being said though, their relationship was a huge case of insta-love and I had trouble believing that they were as madly in love with each other as they claimed. It was extremely fast, and it was more physical than anything. They didn't know each other at all basically, and yet somehow they just knew that they were meant to be. It felt more like lust than anything to me. But once I got over that, and saw them together more I could tell that they were good together. Their feelings seemed to become more real as the story went on and I really believe that at the end their relationship was more than just physical. I just wish that things wouldn't have been so rushed between them.

I also felt like because of the author's writing style and the way that the chapters were written, this book was really choppy to me. It didn't flow as well as I would have liked, and I felt like the transitions needed work. The chapters were really short and switched back and forth between POVs pretty randomly. I will admit that while I liked getting both Drake and Morgan's POVs, I felt like the way that it was done really drew me out of the story and caused me to lose interest at points. I liked Drake and Morgan though, and I feel like their story is a good one despite the problems I had. I was curious to see how everything would play out and I will be interested to see what happens for them in the next book. There is a second book and things are left up in the air at the end of this story, so it will be interesting to see what happens next. I also hope to see more of Morgan's best friend! I loved her character. While I loved her character, I really hated Drake's dad and Adrian. I know a lot of people will probably really like Adrian, but I have to admit that he rubbed me wrong from the start and he seemed to be up to something. I knew he was still interested in Morgan and I figured he would try to come between her and Drake. He just seemed really shady. Drake's dad was so different than he seems at first, and I honestly don't understand why he is the way he is. His actions at the end of this book really confused me, and I really hope that he gets whats coming to him. I think that this series has promise, and even with my criticisms I would still recommend reading this one. If you not a fan of insta-love though, this one might not be for you. I look forward to reading the next book in this series and can't wait to see where L.K. Lewis takes these characters in the future.

**Copy provided by Xpresso Book Tours**

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Feature and Giveaway: Breaking the Rules by L.K. Lewis

Morgan Lane has just completed grad school, and has accepted a job at Baylor Industries with the help of her father, who just so happens to be golf buddies with Drake Baylor Sr., CEO. Morgan has lived her 24 years of life under her parents thumbs, and is more than eager to start living life and carving successful career for herself.

Drake Baylor Jr. is being groomed to take over as CEO of Baylor Industries upon his father’s retirement. Although he was raised in an affluent household, his formative years were rough, leading to a string of bad decisions, and hard lived years. In order to take over as CEO, his father has given him a set of rules to live by for an indefinite period of time: No drugs, limited alcohol consumption, and absolutely no relationships whatsoever with women-his greatest weakness. If Drake can abstain from those three things, work hard, and gain his father’s trust, he can have the keys to the Kingdome.

Drake meets Morgan on her first day at Baylor Industries, and the phrase “love at first sight” doesn’t even come close to describing what is felt between them. Their instant attraction is a magnetic pull that is stronger than either one of them can handle. Now Drake and Morgan are faced with figuring out how to fight for their future together, hoping not to get caught “Breaking the Rules”.

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