Hello book lovers! This one is for all my Jane Austen girlies and/or Christian girlies looking for the perfect new romance.
✔️friends to lovers
✔️slow-burn
✔️regency themed retreat
✔️best friend’s brother
✔️jane austen lovers
✔️christian romance
✔️ diabetes rep
The Rules of Falling For You by Mollie Rushmeyer
I was so excited to read this one — I’m a huge Jane Austen fan myself, so the premise instantly caught my attention!
What is it about?
The perfect match can’t be far–certainly not at a Regency-themed singles retreat–or so podcaster Zoe Dufour believes. After years of creating content for her relationship podcast inspired by Regency etiquette and era-appropriate rules for romance, she knows her listeners have anticipated this retreat. But she also attends with expectations of her finding the ideal modern-day gentleman who can meet every one of the nonnegotiables on her checklist.
Harrison Lundquist, Zoe’s podcast producer and best friend’s brother, reluctantly agrees to attend the retreat to capture footage while seeking a career-advancing promotion. He views the retreat as ridiculous. And Zoe’s methods for finding her real-life Mr. Darcy? Downright absurd! But as he films her whirlwind dates, his growing feelings for her are sidelined by suitors vying for her attention. When Zoe realizes her ideal checklist might be holding her back, she must decide if she’s willing to rewrite her rules and take a chance on the person who has been there all along. (Goodreads)
This book was such an entertaining read — funny, wholesome, and heartwarming. I’m such a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope (which I think is one of the most misunderstood and underrated tropes in the bookish world 🫶🏼). I also really loved how naturally the faith elements were woven into the story — they felt heartfelt and beautifully integrated, never forced.
Zoe was such a fun FMC. I understood her fear of love and relationships, as well as her struggles with faith. I’ll admit she did frustrate me at times with her lists and rigidity, but not enough to take away from how much I enjoyed the story. Her friendship with Eden was one of my favorite parts — so genuine and sweet (and I loved Eden’s little side story too!).
Harrison, our MMC, completely won me over. I wasn’t his biggest fan at first, but he grew on me so much throughout the book — steadfast, kind, and so genuine. By the end, I absolutely adored him.
The Regency-themed singles retreat was such a clever and fun setting — it totally gave Austenland vibes in the best way possible. And the friendships formed there were just so heartwarming.
This was my first book by Mollie Rushmeyer, but it definitely won’t be my last. I’ll be keeping an eye out for whatever she writes next!
Thank you so much to Bethany House Fiction, Baker Publishing Group and Mollie Rushmeyer for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
love, Lin
