RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
EXCEPTION TO THE RULE by Charlotte Symonds is a contemporary romance by a new to me author. This is a well written romance with fun and witty dialogue, a hero that every girl dreams of and a wounded heroine who avoids dealing with her emotional past by avoiding relationships.
Delilah Bennet can write a sex scene so well, she has been hired to be a ghost writer by a well-known romance author. She loves her job because she gets to freely manipulate all of the heroes. She is in total control. In her personal dating life she has rules and keeps the control, always. She must be the one to approach and she uses the men for sex. No relationships.
Delilah lives with her best-friend, Rhen and has always been the shield that Rhen uses to hide his true sexuality from his ultra-conservative family. Rhen is the only person who knows the real Delilah and why she is the way she is with men. When she tells Rhen about the fantastic mystery man she spies on while he exercises through the window of their apartment, he believes this may be the one to get Delilah to give real dating a shot, but she never sees his face.
Jake Hastings is the plus-one to Rhen’s cousin at a family wedding. When he sees Delilah dancing, something seems familiar about her, but he does not know from where. With his blue eyes, hard-body and sultry voice, Delilah cannot resist, even though he came up to her. Jake has trouble keeping Delilah from running away each time they get close, but he also cannot stop thinking about her and wanting more.
Is Jake truly sincere and an honorable man? Will Delilah make an exception to her rules and end up possibly having her heart broken for the first time or believe in Jake?
I am in love with Jake! Here is a romance hero who did not do anything, but be a nice guy. (OK. He is gorgeous and rich, too, which never hurts.) Delilah is the wounded heroine, instead of the wounded hero as in most romances. She proves she is capable of love and friendship with Rhen, but Rhen is safe. Her reasons for her rules are believable and give her a reason for always doing a runner when things get personal with Jake. Ms. Symonds has written realistic, funny and witty dialogue throughout the story. The sex scenes are fun, hot and explicit. The characters in this romance are interesting, entertaining and I feel could walk right off the page.
I highly recommend this romance!
