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
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.
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.
Excerpt
“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
What I thought about House Rules
I'm always fascinated by stories of second chance love, true love, and those that examine what it means to be soul mates and for that reason, this title intrigued me.
After leaving her husband seventeen years ago to find herself, Lana finds herself back in New York and looking for a place to live. She runs into her ex-husband while apartment hunting, stirring up all sorts of emotions and memories. When the perfect apartment becomes available, Lana gets the brilliant idea to offer the spare bedroom to her ex-husband. After some soul-searching and construction, he accepts and they begin their cohabitation.
Try as they might to keep their relationship to roommates-only, their proximity to each other is the catalyst for falling into feelings they had for each other in the past, and the return of their physical relationship is inevitable.
But both Lana and Simon need to figure out why their marriage failed seventeen years ago and to not repeat the mistakes of the past.
I did like this story. The characters are diverse and have very interesting careers that could potentially impact their future. And when circumstances change, they will have to make some really important decisions. I liked that about the story.
Overall, a nice sized story with two interesting characters who did not set out to rekindle their marriage, but yet it happens. Definitely a feel-good romance.
A complimentary copy was provided for review.
After leaving her husband seventeen years ago to find herself, Lana finds herself back in New York and looking for a place to live. She runs into her ex-husband while apartment hunting, stirring up all sorts of emotions and memories. When the perfect apartment becomes available, Lana gets the brilliant idea to offer the spare bedroom to her ex-husband. After some soul-searching and construction, he accepts and they begin their cohabitation.
Try as they might to keep their relationship to roommates-only, their proximity to each other is the catalyst for falling into feelings they had for each other in the past, and the return of their physical relationship is inevitable.
But both Lana and Simon need to figure out why their marriage failed seventeen years ago and to not repeat the mistakes of the past.
I did like this story. The characters are diverse and have very interesting careers that could potentially impact their future. And when circumstances change, they will have to make some really important decisions. I liked that about the story.
Overall, a nice sized story with two interesting characters who did not set out to rekindle their marriage, but yet it happens. Definitely a feel-good romance.
A complimentary copy was provided for review.
About the Author
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/
1 comment:
This is a different sort of second chance since it is 17 years later. That's a long time. Most of them are 5-10 years and the couple was pretty young at the split. Wonderful review!
Anne - Books of My Heart
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