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Breaking His House Rules: Book one
While artist Molly is painting an eerie, yet beautiful house in the forgotten part of town, the housekeeper offers her a position and accommodation within the grounds. It’s rumoured that the owner of the property is an old lord, and although she’s tempted, she politely declines the offer when she’s told she would have to sign a nondisclosure agreement beforehand.However, due to unfortunate events, Molly accepts the job and moves in, only to discover the house is even more mysterious on the inside than it is from the outside. When the owner, Theodore Ardelean, reveals himself, even more questions arise. Attraction blinds logic when she discovers he’s a vampire. Rules are broken, and the passion between them is too intense to ignore until the final secret is revealed.
250 pages, Paperback
Published December 8, 2023
About the author
Kelly Barker
17 books7 followersKelly Barker was born in Oxford and now lives in Witney with her husband and dog, Lana. She has been a barber for over twenty years, and loves her job. However, reading and writing is her passion—a passion handed down to her by her great grandmother, Isobel O’Leary. Her short stories have featured in magazines and anthologies, and she is the author of The Inner Temple, Even the Gods Fear It, Necromantia and Breaking his House Rules.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 6, 2024
Before Paris
Molly, the protagonist of Breaking His House Rules, goes from selling art supplies in a shop to the threshold of selling her artwork
in Paris, a journey made possible by Theodore, her vampire spouse and by her talent and strength of character. Her independence, curiosity, empathy for and acceptance of others, her will to change, and her will to survive ultimately lead to happiness with Theodore, her soulmate, whose desire for her includes his desire for her artistic fulfillment.
Towards the middle of the novel, and Molly’s journey, there is this sentence.
“The house was fast becoming her haven, and she would not tarnish it with the past.” Over the phone Molly tells Jackie, her former boss at the art supply shop, to be wary of Molly’s ex boyfriend, James. James had come to the shop and been verbally abusive with Jackie, as he inquired of Molly’s whereabouts. This is just after Molly has gotten Hallow, a rescue cat, a gift from her new employer, Theodore, and just after Joan and Bill, who, like Molly, live and work in Theodore’s home, have left for a stay at the hospital, where Bill will have a back operation the next day.
The irony is that the enemy doesn’t have fangs and draw blood, but rather a jealous, possessive streak that heightens into uncontrollable rage, and violence, when Molly returns to her flat and encounters James. Evil takes on a human shape, and good triumphs over evil. Not to tell too much. There are good humans, such as June and Bill, who, like Molly, live in Theodore’s house and good vampires, such as Sylvester who, along with Theodore, saves Molly’s life.
At the heart of the story is Molly and Theodore’s falling in love. Molly changes from human to vampire, but more importantly she changes from being alone to being with her life-partner, time being very different for vampires, for whom, say, a century, is the blink of an eye. Readers get to know Molly and Theodore as one couple, and thus see Molly, half of a whole, very differently than they see her at the story’s beginning.
House is in title and it’s as if the house, that comes to be Molly’s haven, tells the story, a modern gothic story, with flat screens instead of cobwebbed gables, a house in which Theodore, living alone, observed Molly and seemed to fall in love with her even before they met. There’s June, Theodore’s adopted, human daughter, June’s husband Bill, whose tends the flowers Molly paints an her canvases, vampire guests, and Hallow, Molly’s feline gift from Theodore. Hallow will welcome them back
on their return from Paris.
Molly, the protagonist of Breaking His House Rules, goes from selling art supplies in a shop to the threshold of selling her artwork
in Paris, a journey made possible by Theodore, her vampire spouse and by her talent and strength of character. Her independence, curiosity, empathy for and acceptance of others, her will to change, and her will to survive ultimately lead to happiness with Theodore, her soulmate, whose desire for her includes his desire for her artistic fulfillment.
Towards the middle of the novel, and Molly’s journey, there is this sentence.
“The house was fast becoming her haven, and she would not tarnish it with the past.” Over the phone Molly tells Jackie, her former boss at the art supply shop, to be wary of Molly’s ex boyfriend, James. James had come to the shop and been verbally abusive with Jackie, as he inquired of Molly’s whereabouts. This is just after Molly has gotten Hallow, a rescue cat, a gift from her new employer, Theodore, and just after Joan and Bill, who, like Molly, live and work in Theodore’s home, have left for a stay at the hospital, where Bill will have a back operation the next day.
The irony is that the enemy doesn’t have fangs and draw blood, but rather a jealous, possessive streak that heightens into uncontrollable rage, and violence, when Molly returns to her flat and encounters James. Evil takes on a human shape, and good triumphs over evil. Not to tell too much. There are good humans, such as June and Bill, who, like Molly, live in Theodore’s house and good vampires, such as Sylvester who, along with Theodore, saves Molly’s life.
At the heart of the story is Molly and Theodore’s falling in love. Molly changes from human to vampire, but more importantly she changes from being alone to being with her life-partner, time being very different for vampires, for whom, say, a century, is the blink of an eye. Readers get to know Molly and Theodore as one couple, and thus see Molly, half of a whole, very differently than they see her at the story’s beginning.
House is in title and it’s as if the house, that comes to be Molly’s haven, tells the story, a modern gothic story, with flat screens instead of cobwebbed gables, a house in which Theodore, living alone, observed Molly and seemed to fall in love with her even before they met. There’s June, Theodore’s adopted, human daughter, June’s husband Bill, whose tends the flowers Molly paints an her canvases, vampire guests, and Hallow, Molly’s feline gift from Theodore. Hallow will welcome them back
on their return from Paris.
February 6, 2024
Another great novel by Kelly Barker. I have read a few books by this author now and I'm really liking her writing style.
This one isn't usually my genre, but I must say, I really enjoyed it. I love all things supernatural and the romance nestled into the story very well.
This book has good character building and twists and turns to keep you from putting the book down.
Recommend ✔️
This one isn't usually my genre, but I must say, I really enjoyed it. I love all things supernatural and the romance nestled into the story very well.
This book has good character building and twists and turns to keep you from putting the book down.
Recommend ✔️
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews