Made the Grade: Rules of the Game by Sandy James

- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Kindle Edition - File Size: 445 KB; Audiobook - Unabridged | Expected Release Date: April 2, 2012 | Publisher: Carina Press | Obtained: NetGalley

"Rules of the Game" by Sandy James

My Book Summary : Madalyn (Maddie) is on a mission ... find a hot, bad, biker guy to bring back to her high school reunion. After a few trial and errors at the first few biker bars she goes into, she finally finds Mr. Perfect, Scott, at a bar in New Jersey. Maddie proposes to him her plans, have him go to her reunion and she'll pay him because she believes he needs the money.

Scott doesn't immediately agree with her preposition, instead, he asks that she help him get his friends and family off his back about setting him up with woman. Therefore, if she can get his friends and family to believe that they're together then he'll agree to go to her reunion with her.

The one thing Maddie never believed would happen though does, when her feelings for him start turning into something more, and Scott changes the rules of the game before the reunion happens .... they won't be a business arrangement anymore instead they start dating.

However, they both have secrets that they have yet to tell each other that might just ruin the relationship they have going between them. Will they want to stay together once their secrets come out in the open or will their secrets be too much for them to deal with?

My Book Review : 3 out of 5 stars. If you’re looking for a light and fluffy romance to read then this is not the book for you. However, this is a romance novel I could almost believe happened in real life because of all of the trials and tribulations Maddie has to deal with throughout this novel. Thankfully, Scott is a strong hero who protects Maddie at every turn, even from herself when there is a need to do so. I really liked Scott and Maddie as a couple. They made a very good pair.

Nevertheless, Maddie is her own worse nightmare and has a very hard time when it comes to letting things go, which for me was a positive and negative in this book. It's a positive because it humanized Maddie and made the story that more believable. However, it's a negative because it makes Maddie a really poor heroine, to an extent that the story drags on a bit since she takes so long to come to any decisions or has others (like Scott) make her choices for her.

Therefore, if you’re looking for a sweet romance novel that is filled with drama and twists then this is the book for you!

Book Teaser(s) :

“I seriously embarrass you so much you don’t want me to talk to your friends?” My anger rose with each passing second. I thought we had a connection. Realizing he was ashamed of me hurt. A lot.
“That’s what you thought?” A heavy sigh slipped from his lips as he pulled his hands from his pockets and rested them on my shoulders. A soft kiss against my forehead eased the hurt. “It wasn’t that. I just...I’m not ready to talk about work yet. I’m...embarrassed.”
I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. I’d been right. Scott didn’t talk about work because he thought I might look down on what he did to earn a living. Perhaps I should have been insulted that he thought I was that shallow, but stereotypes are hard to fight. Just how bad was his job? “Look, are you some mafia hit man?”
“God, no.”
“Do you do anything illegal?”
I loved his lopsided grin. “Not most of the time.”
“Do people need your help?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Do you star in pornos?”
His only answer was a hearty chuckle. ~ within Chapter 5

For more information on this book and/or any other books by Sandy, then please check out her website.