Bending the Rules

By: Susan Andersen

Narrated by: Carol Monda

Publishers Weekly calls this witty romance by New York Times best-selling author Susan Andersen “a winner.” In Bending the Rules, sparks fly as free-spirited Seattle artist Poppy Calloway faces off against rigid detective Jason de Sanges after a couple of teenagers deface someneighborhood shops. Jason suggests the kids be punished, but instead his bosses take Poppy’s advice and put the teenagers to work painting a mural—and assign Jason to assist Poppy in the project.

©2009 Susan Andersen (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"[A] sexy, feel-good contemporary romance.” ( Publishers Weekly)

Good romance

Another of the sister hood bites the dust. Our free and arty heroine is taken down by a tall dark and handsome cop.

Good Writing, Stupid Hero

While Susan Andersen's seems to be a talented writer, I did not enjoy Bending the Rules because I found the main male character Jason to be oboxious.

As a sexy, hard-working, dedicated copy, Jason (30+) had potential to be interesting. Unfortunately he whined relentlessly about being a victim of "his criminal gene pool" because most of the males in his family were convicted criminals. Yes, he had a difficult childhood but get therapy & get over it already.

Poppy was an endearing character, an artist who wanted to help underprivilegded teens. She was smart, spunky and relentless in her professional life, but was hopelessly immature in her romantic dreams of the ideal man. Poppy allowed Jason to be controlling, dominating, and selfish - not my idea of a romantic hero.

The best part of Bending the Rules there the troubled teen characters, who seemed more loyal and mature than Jason. Poppy had several close friends who were never really introduced or explained, as if this was the 2nd or 3rd book of a series.