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Rough Love #7
Break the Rules
Xander Romano strives for harmony in his life. He's a set of contradictions: cruel but kind, famous but private, loving but merciless. He lives on the knife edge, and that's how he likes it.
But he just asked his boyfriend for the one thing he swore he'd never want.
And now Xander's perfect balance is starting to sway...
Ben Ballard is coming into his own. His career is taking off, his talent is being recognized, and he's exploring a whole new power exchange with Xander. He followed the Big Bad Wolf right into the middle of the forest, and he did it willingly. But how much can Ben give to Xander before he starts to lose himself?
And how black can things get before Ben finds the light in Xander's darkness?
Break the Rules is the novel-length seventh part of the Rough Love series. Join Ben and Xander in their continuing odyssey of self-discovery, experimentation, and steamy fun as they work out the kinks together. Never fear: these two will get their HEA. It'll just take them some time to figure out what that happy ending looks like for them...
Rough Love can be rough. Please proceed with caution if you have any triggers.
Rough Love reading order:
Learn the Rules (serial)
1. Bound by Him
2. Taken by Him
3. Dared by Him
4. Marked by Him
5. Loved by Him
6. Obey the Rules (novel)
7. Break the Rules (novel)
8. Flying Free
But he just asked his boyfriend for the one thing he swore he'd never want.
And now Xander's perfect balance is starting to sway...
Ben Ballard is coming into his own. His career is taking off, his talent is being recognized, and he's exploring a whole new power exchange with Xander. He followed the Big Bad Wolf right into the middle of the forest, and he did it willingly. But how much can Ben give to Xander before he starts to lose himself?
And how black can things get before Ben finds the light in Xander's darkness?
Break the Rules is the novel-length seventh part of the Rough Love series. Join Ben and Xander in their continuing odyssey of self-discovery, experimentation, and steamy fun as they work out the kinks together. Never fear: these two will get their HEA. It'll just take them some time to figure out what that happy ending looks like for them...
Rough Love can be rough. Please proceed with caution if you have any triggers.
Rough Love reading order:
Learn the Rules (serial)
1. Bound by Him
2. Taken by Him
3. Dared by Him
4. Marked by Him
5. Loved by Him
6. Obey the Rules (novel)
7. Break the Rules (novel)
8. Flying Free
308 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2019
53 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Leighton Greene
40 books365 followersLeighton Greene has been writing stories since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Her first book was a choose-your-own-adventure style book about deciding what to eat for breakfast. It didn't shake the New York Times bestseller list, but she still has a copy of it.
After spending some time writing in academia, fanfiction and corporate reporting, Leighton decided she should probably do what she actually wanted to do, which was to write commercial fiction. So she did. She writes gay romance and, when the mood strikes, erotica as L.J. Greene.
Leighton lives with her partner and her cockatiel on the east coast of Australia.
(Source: Amazon.com)
After spending some time writing in academia, fanfiction and corporate reporting, Leighton decided she should probably do what she actually wanted to do, which was to write commercial fiction. So she did. She writes gay romance and, when the mood strikes, erotica as L.J. Greene.
Leighton lives with her partner and her cockatiel on the east coast of Australia.
(Source: Amazon.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 26, 2020
This series continues to impress me, and I find myself wondering why the M/M reading community hasn't jumped on it with more fervor. Perhaps it will continue to gain momentum? I'll certainly be recommending it.
The author clearly knows the BDSM community as well as the studies of philosophy and psychology. I, personally, love the discourse that Ben and Xander have with each other. I don't know that I've seen self-exploration handled more thoughtfully in fiction anywhere else. And I love that Ben seeks concrete answers while Xander trends toward the metaphysical side of things, and yet they still manage to find common ground.
Of course, these two irritate the shit out of me when they aren't communicating, but isn't that a perfect portrait of life and relationships?
The author clearly knows the BDSM community as well as the studies of philosophy and psychology. I, personally, love the discourse that Ben and Xander have with each other. I don't know that I've seen self-exploration handled more thoughtfully in fiction anywhere else. And I love that Ben seeks concrete answers while Xander trends toward the metaphysical side of things, and yet they still manage to find common ground.
Of course, these two irritate the shit out of me when they aren't communicating, but isn't that a perfect portrait of life and relationships?
June 29, 2020
My brain hurts after Break the Rules .
I felt like I was on a rollercoaster with no end in sight. One problem culminating into another. One emotional breakthrough leading to another. One guilt exasperating another. And on, and on, and on.
I felt exhausted for Ben and Xander and wanted to scream ' stop taking everything so damn seriously and enjoy yourselves for heavens sakes' .
Overanalyzing has it's own destructive properties and I don't think I've ever seen a better example of that than in Break the Rules . Xander's existential crisis was so extra, though I sympathize with his turmoil and appreciate the maturity of his decision making. Still extra Mr. Actor. So I suppose it is fitting and on par with his characterization.
I should say this book is most definitely an English/psychology majors wet dream. So much psychoanalyzing and quoting of Freud, Jung, Walt Whitman, Shakespeare and so forth.
I'm exhausted from reading Break the rules , but its a good exhaustion. It's a lot to take in, heartbreaking, frustrating, exhilarating... and I enjoyed every second.
This is an incredibly addictive series, and my love for Xander and Ben knows no bounds.
I felt like I was on a rollercoaster with no end in sight. One problem culminating into another. One emotional breakthrough leading to another. One guilt exasperating another. And on, and on, and on.
I felt exhausted for Ben and Xander and wanted to scream ' stop taking everything so damn seriously and enjoy yourselves for heavens sakes' .
Overanalyzing has it's own destructive properties and I don't think I've ever seen a better example of that than in Break the Rules . Xander's existential crisis was so extra, though I sympathize with his turmoil and appreciate the maturity of his decision making. Still extra Mr. Actor. So I suppose it is fitting and on par with his characterization.
I should say this book is most definitely an English/psychology majors wet dream. So much psychoanalyzing and quoting of Freud, Jung, Walt Whitman, Shakespeare and so forth.
I'm exhausted from reading Break the rules , but its a good exhaustion. It's a lot to take in, heartbreaking, frustrating, exhilarating... and I enjoyed every second.
This is an incredibly addictive series, and my love for Xander and Ben knows no bounds.
September 3, 2023
2.5 rounded down
Really didn't love this one.
Really didn't love this one.
July 20, 2024
Possible Triggers: Breath Play, Knife Play & Phycological Breakdown
This was a difficult book to rate. There were parts of it that were certainly 5-star worthy, like the characters and how much they loved one another, how hard they worked to stay together...but there were parts of it that were pretty close to receiving a 2 or even a 1. I understand what BDSM is, what it offers and even why and how it appeals to some, but what these two did and wanted to do, boarded on sometimes cruel and downright dangerous...even though it was 100% consensual, it was things that I would have thought would have made them want to engage a third into their play.
Xander and Ben have tried to find the perfect balance for their life together, while still living their individual lives. Living on different coasts can't possibly be ideal for a relationship of any kind...but they were determined. I admired them for how they did everything in their power to be together and exploring the things in their total power exchange that they both needed and wanted. It was also good that they also did "normal stuff". They had friends, each had a job that they loved...and most importantly they, 150%. really and truly loved one another. There are hardly enough words to adequately describe it but let's just say that some of that love was heavy, dangerous and dark. Not everything in any romance is always sunshine and roses...so when Xander's fears became too much he totally loses control, and everything gets sad and sadder.
The story could be separated in two parts ...the happy first part, and the painful sad and lonely one. I didn't really mind that Leighton Greene did this, she could have just written about the happy things and let them be in love forever, but she chose to show us that no one's life is always sunshine and Xander and Ben had to find their way back to themself before they could reunite with each other. It was painful...not just for the two men but for the reader as well. You want them to be together and be happy forever. Since there is yet another book in this series, I hoped they would be together again before I got into that one. The story is partly sad but manages to still be beautiful at the same time.
This was a difficult book to rate. There were parts of it that were certainly 5-star worthy, like the characters and how much they loved one another, how hard they worked to stay together...but there were parts of it that were pretty close to receiving a 2 or even a 1. I understand what BDSM is, what it offers and even why and how it appeals to some, but what these two did and wanted to do, boarded on sometimes cruel and downright dangerous...even though it was 100% consensual, it was things that I would have thought would have made them want to engage a third into their play.
Xander and Ben have tried to find the perfect balance for their life together, while still living their individual lives. Living on different coasts can't possibly be ideal for a relationship of any kind...but they were determined. I admired them for how they did everything in their power to be together and exploring the things in their total power exchange that they both needed and wanted. It was also good that they also did "normal stuff". They had friends, each had a job that they loved...and most importantly they, 150%. really and truly loved one another. There are hardly enough words to adequately describe it but let's just say that some of that love was heavy, dangerous and dark. Not everything in any romance is always sunshine and roses...so when Xander's fears became too much he totally loses control, and everything gets sad and sadder.
The story could be separated in two parts ...the happy first part, and the painful sad and lonely one. I didn't really mind that Leighton Greene did this, she could have just written about the happy things and let them be in love forever, but she chose to show us that no one's life is always sunshine and Xander and Ben had to find their way back to themself before they could reunite with each other. It was painful...not just for the two men but for the reader as well. You want them to be together and be happy forever. Since there is yet another book in this series, I hoped they would be together again before I got into that one. The story is partly sad but manages to still be beautiful at the same time.
July 4, 2023
Overwhelming kink, long
distance leads to re-
negotiation.
distance leads to re-
negotiation.
January 3, 2020
3 and 1/2 stars. I have such a love hate relationship with these books. Since I haven’t been able to stop reading them one after the other, they certainly have kept my interest. Ben certainly redeemed himself in this book for me.
January 26, 2022
emotional roller coaster
More exploration for Ben and Xander. They try the 24/7 thing with mixed results.
BUT we get Xander’s perspective for a change and it was quite something.
They part and are on separate coasts again. I wish we had Xander’s perspective here. Ben thinks Xander is a bit selfish but who knows what Xander’s true motivations.
When Ben’s play opens and he gets great reviews Xander finally makes the effort to see it. This does not go well. This part of the book really broke me as I read it. Ben goes into a very destructive spiral. Xander does the same. It was very difficult to go through this psychological study of the bdsm relationship with them. I learned WAY too much about Jung.
It meanders through their very difficult separation. VERY difficult. BUT they find their way back to each other. It ends on a high note. We do get a final book. I’m hoping they can stay happy together after all the turmoil.
More exploration for Ben and Xander. They try the 24/7 thing with mixed results.
BUT we get Xander’s perspective for a change and it was quite something.
They part and are on separate coasts again. I wish we had Xander’s perspective here. Ben thinks Xander is a bit selfish but who knows what Xander’s true motivations.
When Ben’s play opens and he gets great reviews Xander finally makes the effort to see it. This does not go well. This part of the book really broke me as I read it. Ben goes into a very destructive spiral. Xander does the same. It was very difficult to go through this psychological study of the bdsm relationship with them. I learned WAY too much about Jung.
It meanders through their very difficult separation. VERY difficult. BUT they find their way back to each other. It ends on a high note. We do get a final book. I’m hoping they can stay happy together after all the turmoil.
August 22, 2023
Inevitable, necessary, painful.
February 1, 2023
“I think I’m going to die of love sometimes, Benjamin. It’s terrifying.”
I think the reason this series and this couple is working so well for me, (especially when I don't usually consume romance series about one couple, especially just a plain old contemporary romance) is because it shows them making mistakes. This is such a perfect exploration of how things can go wrong after you get together, even if you love each other completely. Some of their mistakes are wrapped up in the kinks they're into, but many are not. This continues to be a really wholistic love story.
I'm just so glad we continued to explore Ben's anger issues, the places that leads him, the times he's wrong to be angry and the times he's very right. And what the author did with Xander is so cool. He seems so collected and sure of himself, but he's wracked with insecurities. There were times where he would say certain things are do certain things that were NOT OKAY, (BDSM as payback??) but the story never slowed down to acknowledge that, and I was worried those things would just pass on by? But even though it took a while, we eventually circle back to it, and it's great. Like, the 24/7 experiment was both awful and perfect, for what it made them confront and discuss. I honestly don't need every romance I read to be focused on the couple doing the absolute healthiest thing all the time, but the things this series chooses to focus on, the things they have to work on as a couple, are exactly pitch perfect. There's a break up that needs to happen, and grovelling that hits just right. This is really so satisfying, and I came out of this book loving Xander more and more. They still have some things to work on, and I hope the conclusion to their story can tie it up neatly.
Content warnings:
“So even if I did have no limits, it means…”
“There’s no limit on your capacity to love.”
September 1, 2023
[This review is for the entire series.]
Tags: Contemporary, BDSM, friends to FWB to lovers. Kink and bi-awakening.
OMG, THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! I bought the box set on promo because kinky fun, hell yeah, why not? Little did I know this would be one of the best things I've read in a while. It certainly starts like that: pure fun. Two friends begin a kinky FWB thing, one is an experienced Dom and hardcore sadist, the other is new to everything (kink and bi-awakening). They are both adorable dorks together, and in the beginning there are so many happy and cute vibes and it's such a seemingly healthy dynamic. As the story unfolds and as they get deeper into sadomaquism and D/s, small cracks in the relationship become bigger, and this really becomes a story about the psychological and emotional aspect of kink and about self-awareness. It gets really angsty and dark, especially in book 3. The character growth is so complex and unbelievably good. The journey is really rough and the HEA is hard won, but so worth it. One of my favorite reads of this year. Check CWs.
Tags: Contemporary, BDSM, friends to FWB to lovers. Kink and bi-awakening.
OMG, THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! I bought the box set on promo because kinky fun, hell yeah, why not? Little did I know this would be one of the best things I've read in a while. It certainly starts like that: pure fun. Two friends begin a kinky FWB thing, one is an experienced Dom and hardcore sadist, the other is new to everything (kink and bi-awakening). They are both adorable dorks together, and in the beginning there are so many happy and cute vibes and it's such a seemingly healthy dynamic. As the story unfolds and as they get deeper into sadomaquism and D/s, small cracks in the relationship become bigger, and this really becomes a story about the psychological and emotional aspect of kink and about self-awareness. It gets really angsty and dark, especially in book 3. The character growth is so complex and unbelievably good. The journey is really rough and the HEA is hard won, but so worth it. One of my favorite reads of this year. Check CWs.
July 13, 2024
4.5 stars. I love these two so much. Sometimes they’re such idiots, but I love that about them too.
There’s only two things holding me back from giving this a full 5 stars:
1) It needs more editing. There’s some errors that I feel could have been caught with some editing. There’s missing words, some wrongs words in places. It’s nothing major, but it’s a bit distracting for me.
2) I need more from Xander. He’s so insanely closed off still all these books later AND I’m desperate for his POV. It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted another POV this badly.
I’m super sad that I only have one book left in the series.
There’s only two things holding me back from giving this a full 5 stars:
1) It needs more editing. There’s some errors that I feel could have been caught with some editing. There’s missing words, some wrongs words in places. It’s nothing major, but it’s a bit distracting for me.
2) I need more from Xander. He’s so insanely closed off still all these books later AND I’m desperate for his POV. It’s been a long time since I’ve wanted another POV this badly.
I’m super sad that I only have one book left in the series.
March 15, 2022
Long distance is hard. Competing careers are hard. And trust and communication take a hit, when you can't look in each other's eyes, and you're communicating by phone and text. After Ben's self-focus in the previous book, this story slams up hard against the rocks of Xander's past. Which Ben doesn't know enough about to understand, or to navigate.
They try new things, deeply committed to figuring out how to work together. But the background stress is always there. Ben's agent's demands that he use Xander as a career booster are annoying and frustrating, although minor obstacles because Xander gets it. The papparazzi interest in Xander is a pinprick, but it dogs them, limiting their ability to go out and just have fun. They are exploring something vital and intense, in stolen moments. It's less than ideal.
Ben is the guy who always wants to know how things work. Xander is the guy who wants to delve deep into psychology and know why things feel the way they do. Sometimes those differences tangle them up, Xander feeling like a deeper emotional truth makes superficial factual data unnecessary. Ben's never sure how far to push. Xander is always worried he's pushing Ben too far.
And when Xander's past rears a very ugly head, two men who have been wrapped up in each other so completely, have no one else to turn to for balance.
This was an intense installment, which I really loved, and it does give us a HFN ending, as the guys start figuring out how to climb out of the swamp they've landed in.
They try new things, deeply committed to figuring out how to work together. But the background stress is always there. Ben's agent's demands that he use Xander as a career booster are annoying and frustrating, although minor obstacles because Xander gets it. The papparazzi interest in Xander is a pinprick, but it dogs them, limiting their ability to go out and just have fun. They are exploring something vital and intense, in stolen moments. It's less than ideal.
Ben is the guy who always wants to know how things work. Xander is the guy who wants to delve deep into psychology and know why things feel the way they do. Sometimes those differences tangle them up, Xander feeling like a deeper emotional truth makes superficial factual data unnecessary. Ben's never sure how far to push. Xander is always worried he's pushing Ben too far.
And when Xander's past rears a very ugly head, two men who have been wrapped up in each other so completely, have no one else to turn to for balance.
This was an intense installment, which I really loved, and it does give us a HFN ending, as the guys start figuring out how to climb out of the swamp they've landed in.
April 13, 2020
Finally
They worked their crap out. I cried. Moving onto book 8. Phew! Only took 2 books and around 600 pages.
They worked their crap out. I cried. Moving onto book 8. Phew! Only took 2 books and around 600 pages.
October 28, 2023
I think this could have been a satisfying end for the series, though it was way less of a fun read than the first few in this series. The format of the next book is different than the previous books.
December 21, 2021
Definitivamente este ha sido el más intenso emocionalmente, desde el libro anterior quería un drama más fuerte como por ejemplo que terminaran la relación por algo tonto y después de unos días regresaran; sin embargo, aquí se demuestra que era ilógico de mi parte querer algo más angsty cuando la relación de Xander y Ben, ya por si sola es compleja e interesante.
SPOILERS
Odié la forma en que terminaron🥲, fue doloroso. Ambos me gustan como personajes pero sin dudas mi favorito es Xander, es tan tierno y hermoso; a pesar de ser muy dominante en la cama y bastante serio en algunas cosas, a la vez es tan sensible y vulnerable que te dan ganas de abrazarlo.
En la escena donde va a buscar a Ben meses después de haber terminado la relación, lloré cuando Xander comenzó a llorar porque Ben le dijo que ya no lo amaba, ahí quería golpearlo porque a pesar de que sabia que Ben solo se lo decía para lastimarlo, me dolió mucho todas las cosas que le dijo y también el hecho de que Xander estuviera dispuesto a hacer cualquier cosa, lo que terminó causando mucho daño a ambos por romper el límite que Xander tenía con el breath play (que luego, cambian esa noche traumática para los 2, cuando vuelven a intentarlo con el consentimiento completo de ambas partes y fue intenso por decirlo de una manera 😈🔥).
Otro punto a resaltar de ellos como pareja es que no es necesario que hayan tantas escenas de sexo para sentir la química y deseo que se tienen los dos; tienen uno de los vínculos más fuertes, intensos y emocionales que he leído, me fascina que durante todo este proceso de saber sus limites y lo que les gusta o no en la cama, han llegado a conocer sus miedos e inseguridades tanto juntos como por separado; esa clase de intimidad personal, mental y emocional es muy difícil de encontrar como pareja, y en gran parte, lo que les ayudó a llegar a puntos tan vulnerables fueron las diferentes prácticas que han probado en su dinámica de D/s.
En conclusión, tanto Ben y Xander como pareja y la autora se ha convertido en uno de mis favoritas, me encanta su forma de escribir y que es bastante obvio que uno de sus fuertes como escritora es construir personajes con varias capas que se sienten como personas reales.
SPOILERS
Odié la forma en que terminaron🥲, fue doloroso. Ambos me gustan como personajes pero sin dudas mi favorito es Xander, es tan tierno y hermoso; a pesar de ser muy dominante en la cama y bastante serio en algunas cosas, a la vez es tan sensible y vulnerable que te dan ganas de abrazarlo.
En la escena donde va a buscar a Ben meses después de haber terminado la relación, lloré cuando Xander comenzó a llorar porque Ben le dijo que ya no lo amaba, ahí quería golpearlo porque a pesar de que sabia que Ben solo se lo decía para lastimarlo, me dolió mucho todas las cosas que le dijo y también el hecho de que Xander estuviera dispuesto a hacer cualquier cosa, lo que terminó causando mucho daño a ambos por romper el límite que Xander tenía con el breath play (que luego, cambian esa noche traumática para los 2, cuando vuelven a intentarlo con el consentimiento completo de ambas partes y fue intenso por decirlo de una manera 😈🔥).
Otro punto a resaltar de ellos como pareja es que no es necesario que hayan tantas escenas de sexo para sentir la química y deseo que se tienen los dos; tienen uno de los vínculos más fuertes, intensos y emocionales que he leído, me fascina que durante todo este proceso de saber sus limites y lo que les gusta o no en la cama, han llegado a conocer sus miedos e inseguridades tanto juntos como por separado; esa clase de intimidad personal, mental y emocional es muy difícil de encontrar como pareja, y en gran parte, lo que les ayudó a llegar a puntos tan vulnerables fueron las diferentes prácticas que han probado en su dinámica de D/s.
En conclusión, tanto Ben y Xander como pareja y la autora se ha convertido en uno de mis favoritas, me encanta su forma de escribir y que es bastante obvio que uno de sus fuertes como escritora es construir personajes con varias capas que se sienten como personas reales.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2021
Remember how I said in the previous instalment that I wanted them to break up?
I RETRACT THAT STATEMENT.
It was 2am and I was feeding my daughter and when that breakup scene hit me I nearly threw up I was so upset.
It’s such a testament to Greene’s writing that throughout this series I’ve felt the words sink into my skin and Ben’s rage, frustration, disappointment, devastation and betrayal become my own.
The author is so absolutely beguiling with their writing I forgot I’m not within the story myself.
This novel was an emotionally exhausting journey, and very frequently I wanted to cry. It’s a lot of self acceptance, therapy and taking the steps to fix yourself so you can be a positive influence in your partners life.
It’s a hard won HFN for Ben and Xander but it’s needed after the disaster that was the agreement of a 24/7 BDSM agreement that turned both men inside out.
I RETRACT THAT STATEMENT.
It was 2am and I was feeding my daughter and when that breakup scene hit me I nearly threw up I was so upset.
It’s such a testament to Greene’s writing that throughout this series I’ve felt the words sink into my skin and Ben’s rage, frustration, disappointment, devastation and betrayal become my own.
The author is so absolutely beguiling with their writing I forgot I’m not within the story myself.
This novel was an emotionally exhausting journey, and very frequently I wanted to cry. It’s a lot of self acceptance, therapy and taking the steps to fix yourself so you can be a positive influence in your partners life.
It’s a hard won HFN for Ben and Xander but it’s needed after the disaster that was the agreement of a 24/7 BDSM agreement that turned both men inside out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2021
Wow. This was INTENSE. All these books are intense, but this definitely went to the next level. But, the things that made me squirm in discomfort in the other books were actually dealt with in this one and that not only made it more intense for me, but it also made me more comfortable with it. I had to take a break after the second book and I kind of blocked them out a little bit, but now that I'm back to reading them I am falling in love with them.
There are a lot of things that might be triggers in these books so take the warnings seriously, but if you can read them you really should. I read them from KU but I am going to purchase them.
Xander and Ben break my heart time and again, but they are so lovely together and fit so well that it's worth it.
There are a lot of things that might be triggers in these books so take the warnings seriously, but if you can read them you really should. I read them from KU but I am going to purchase them.
Xander and Ben break my heart time and again, but they are so lovely together and fit so well that it's worth it.
December 16, 2023
This entire Tough Love series had me up late, reading and in parking lots early, reading. It is a beautifully written book, it flows and is especially gentle in its cadence given a jarring narrative and subject matter so many consider taboo.
As an author of a book sometimes considered 'shocking' or 'too brutally honest', I know the heat a writer takes with reviews and star ratings. This series is brilliantly written, and hasn't the peaks and valleys so many 'series' books have. A 100% score, great read, gripping and a fascinating subject.
Thank you for one of my best reads (all of this series) of 2023.
David (Liar, Alleged author)
As an author of a book sometimes considered 'shocking' or 'too brutally honest', I know the heat a writer takes with reviews and star ratings. This series is brilliantly written, and hasn't the peaks and valleys so many 'series' books have. A 100% score, great read, gripping and a fascinating subject.
Thank you for one of my best reads (all of this series) of 2023.
David (Liar, Alleged author)
January 31, 2025
Crazy beautiful!!!😍😍😋
Over and over this excursion into Ben and Xander's world is deeply emotional. Well worth the journey! The evolution of Xander is a mesmerizing transformation. Ben falls prey to feelings that are uncomfortable but entirely necessary if he is to grow as a person as well as a masochist. To be Xander's submissive. It's a beautifully heartbreaking account of the human condition in all its glory. I loved watching them break apart and even with guidance they bumble and fight and can still love!!!😘 Humbling really. Thank you Leighton Greene for a complex and sensual story of life and love!!!
Over and over this excursion into Ben and Xander's world is deeply emotional. Well worth the journey! The evolution of Xander is a mesmerizing transformation. Ben falls prey to feelings that are uncomfortable but entirely necessary if he is to grow as a person as well as a masochist. To be Xander's submissive. It's a beautifully heartbreaking account of the human condition in all its glory. I loved watching them break apart and even with guidance they bumble and fight and can still love!!!😘 Humbling really. Thank you Leighton Greene for a complex and sensual story of life and love!!!
April 21, 2021
I was not expecting a fun, kinky romance to come out of nowhere and hit me with so many feels. Ben and Xander have hit some highs together, so it stands to reason that the lows will also be brutal. Even though this installment doesn't necessarily include as much of the heat as previous books, it's absolutely worth the read for the continuing saga of this amazing couple.
June 28, 2024
Heavier than the previous books, emotionally. The MMCs were quite messy at times but I felt their portrayal was realistic as people are usually messy in breaking up /getting back together. I loved reading about their struggles with their desires, especially Xander's. I hope the next book will be sweeter and lighter, I would just love to conclude the story on a fluffy note
May 4, 2020
Break the Rules: Rough Love 7
Xander and Ben have so many issues it seems like they will never be together.
Yet they love each other deeply.
Should be interesting to see what happens next.
Xander and Ben have so many issues it seems like they will never be together.
Yet they love each other deeply.
Should be interesting to see what happens next.
January 4, 2022
Emotional ride
What an emotion ride! The journey those two took was massive! Ben was a bit annoying at some parts but hey Noone can be perfect. I loved that we saw the raw version of them.
What an emotion ride! The journey those two took was massive! Ben was a bit annoying at some parts but hey Noone can be perfect. I loved that we saw the raw version of them.
Read
April 16, 2024DNF at 37% - no rating.
May try to continue this series at a later date, but honestly I'm growing pretty bored. Haven't opened up the book on my Kindle in probably a month, so I think it's time to admit defeat.
May try to continue this series at a later date, but honestly I'm growing pretty bored. Haven't opened up the book on my Kindle in probably a month, so I think it's time to admit defeat.
March 24, 2020
This series and Xander is like air for me, I can't live without them.
After the happy and darker scenes earlier, this part was a bit painful to read - I mean I hate to see them in that kind of pain that aren't fun. Xander and Ben tried to find the perfect balance for their life together, while living their own life too. I loved how they did everything in their power to be together and doing those s/m stuffs they love.
My love for Xander is limitless - just like Ben's. Loved everything he did, and I just love how real everything is in this book. They did normal stuffs, had friends, worked on their jobs, and most importantly they loved. Loved each other so much, there aren't words for it. Their love making and especially the heavy and darker ones were everything.
But not everything is full of sunshine, and when Xander's fears became too much and he lose control, everything got sad.
This book is can be separated to 2 half - the first the happy one, the second the painful and sad one.
I love that the author did this, she totally could write about all the happy things and let them be happy and in love forever, but no, she did the best for chosing this tactic, because life isn't just sunshine - Xander and Ben had to find their way back to themself and to each other. It was painful, yeah, but it was a needed and good distance for both of them. And while I wanted them to be together and happy, and it hurt to read those parts, it was still good.
The 24/7 power exchange scenes were good and hot, and I really thought they were into it and stay in that life. Xander's total power was so hot to watch, and Ben's total submission was beautiful. They are so perfect together♥
And that scene where Xander begged Ben for forgivness and said he do everything and really everything - it was sad and beautiful at the same time. I couldn't even breath while reading, it was so exciting.
LOVE this series and Xander so much♥
After the happy and darker scenes earlier, this part was a bit painful to read - I mean I hate to see them in that kind of pain that aren't fun. Xander and Ben tried to find the perfect balance for their life together, while living their own life too. I loved how they did everything in their power to be together and doing those s/m stuffs they love.
My love for Xander is limitless - just like Ben's. Loved everything he did, and I just love how real everything is in this book. They did normal stuffs, had friends, worked on their jobs, and most importantly they loved. Loved each other so much, there aren't words for it. Their love making and especially the heavy and darker ones were everything.
But not everything is full of sunshine, and when Xander's fears became too much and he lose control, everything got sad.
This book is can be separated to 2 half - the first the happy one, the second the painful and sad one.
I love that the author did this, she totally could write about all the happy things and let them be happy and in love forever, but no, she did the best for chosing this tactic, because life isn't just sunshine - Xander and Ben had to find their way back to themself and to each other. It was painful, yeah, but it was a needed and good distance for both of them. And while I wanted them to be together and happy, and it hurt to read those parts, it was still good.
The 24/7 power exchange scenes were good and hot, and I really thought they were into it and stay in that life. Xander's total power was so hot to watch, and Ben's total submission was beautiful. They are so perfect together♥
And that scene where Xander begged Ben for forgivness and said he do everything and really everything - it was sad and beautiful at the same time. I couldn't even breath while reading, it was so exciting.
LOVE this series and Xander so much♥
January 31, 2021
3.5 stars
May 12, 2022
At some point I was like I would never ever not in a million years forgive Xande, but then I was like "ok, I can forgive a fictional character" lol. The story is just so good!!!
January 31, 2024
2.5 Stars
May 1, 2024
4.5, not quite a 5…. because I wanted more & less psychoanalysis. Less thinking, more sobbing & drowning in despair.
September 15, 2024
I love this point in the story. There's a huge focus on mental health in this one, after Xander and Ben break up and Ben goes through a self-destructive phase, and the angst really got to me.
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