Don’t Mess With The Ex
by DJ Jamison
Publisher: Must Love Books LLC
Cover Artist: Morningstar Ashley
Release Date: July 20, 2023
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, small-town romance
Tropes: Secret husband, second chance romance, fake relationship, forced proximity
Themes: Rekindling old love, being true partners, standing together, fighting for love
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 86 000 words
It is book 2 in the Rules We Break series, but it can be read as a standalone.
It does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK
For years, I've lived by one rule: Don't Mess With The Ex.
Blurb
For years, I've lived by one simple rule: Don't Mess With The Ex.
It was an easy rule to follow when Laurence Kensington III was on the other side of the country.
Now that he's shown up out of the blue to tell me we're still married? Not so much.
I followed my heart into a whirlwind romance with him once, and it ended in a heart-breaking annulment. Or at least, I thought it did. I don't know what to think of the news we're still hitched.
I've vowed to never be so impulsive or reckless again. But when he brings me a proposal that will help me achieve my dreams for Granville *and* refuse his entitled family something they want, I'm once more put to the test.
Laurie is as handsome as I remember, and so damn tempting. His sweet gestures, generous spirit, and open heart make it a challenge to stick to my rule.
But then, maybe messing with the ex wouldn't be all bad. Maybe it's time to write new rules.
Is it really so wrong to follow my heart if my heart was right all along?
Don't Mess With The Ex is Book 2 of Rules We Break, set in the small, quirky town of Granville, where nosy residents meddle in one another's lives, great friendships are made, and silly innuendos are a way of life.
Excerpt
When Laurie and I got married the first time, it had been a speedy elopement at a courthouse. I hadn’t cared, beyond a flicker of guilt that my mother would be disappointed. I’d never been one to want a lot of fanfare. But seeing everyone come together for us—everyone believing in us—made my stomach flip with a mix of nerves and excitement.
Laurie and I are just beginning to get to know each other again, I reminded myself. All of this is a performance.
But it didn’t feel that way, especially when my mother stood and raised a plastic glass filled with champagne. “To Tucker and Laurie! I’m so glad you boys have found your way back to each other. I don’t have to tell you to treasure each day together after nearly twenty years apart.”
LeRoy called from the crowd, “Imagine the fun of making up for all that lost time though!”
Everyone laughed, and I turned toward Laurie, a joke poised on my lips. The words evaporated and my heart nearly stopped at the sight of him.
The man’s smile was f*cking magic, his eyes glowing with promise. This wedding reception might be for show, but I hoped we’d be enjoying a hell of a wedding night anyway, because I was done fighting this pull between us.
My mother scolded us playfully. “I know I don’t have to tell you two to never get married in secret again,” she said, wagging a playful finger at us. “You’re just lucky Laurie is such a delight, or I’d really be in a tizzy.”
“She was in a total tizzy,” my dad called out. “Don’t let her fool you! I heard about it for a solid week!”
My mother waved him off, wrapping up the speech with something a little more heartfelt. “I’m so happy to be able to celebrate this night with you, Tucker. And you too, Laurie. I’m so happy to witness this new chapter for the both of you and to see you looking so happy.” She lifted her cup again. “Let’s all drink to the next twenty years that Tucker and Laurie will spend side by side as true partners. I know you two are taking it a day at a time, and that’s good. It’s how all the best marriages work. I have no doubt, seeing you together like this, that you’ve got a very happy life ahead.”
We all dutifully sipped our champagne. The ringing of a bell sounded, followed by the chant of “Kiss kiss kiss.”
Well, hell, I wanted to kiss him anyway. I wanted to kiss him every minute of every day. I always had, since the very first moment I saw him on Hunter’s lawn, but now I could finally give in to the craving.
I leaned in, brushing his lips with mine—and even with the whole room watching—sparks shot through me and I had to fight the desire to deepen the kiss. Laurie caressed my jaw, his touch so loving and sensual I wanted to drag him beneath the table right here.
“Awww,” my sister crooned, rudely interrupting our moment. “Aren’t you two just sickening?”
I pulled away with a little laugh and shot her a mock glare. “Jealous?”
She glanced at Laurie. “Well, to be honest, a little. Laurie is one fine man.”
“Hey!” Her husband, Rusty, wrapped a possessive arm around her waist. “Maybe we’ve been together all fifteen years of our marriage, but don’t even think about trading me in for a flashier model.”
She turned a killer grin on him. “Just making sure you appreciate me.”
“I could help with that.” Wes Potter strolled up, a flirtatious smile on his handsome face. He usually wore grass-stained jeans and faded T-shirts, but he’d cleaned up f*cking nice in a suit that molded to his muscled arms and chest. “Care to dance, Julie?”
His stepbrother, Beckett, was a step behind him, a scowl on his cute, freckled face. “Don’t the grooms get the first dance?”
Wes turned with a sh*t-eating grin. “My bad. Laurie, care to dance?”
Laurie tilted his head, gaze panning up and down Wes’s fine form, while Beckett looked skyward and shook his head, as if he was not the least bit surprised by Wes’s sh*t-stirring.
“Don’t even think about it,” I practically growled as I pushed my chair back and grabbed Laurie’s hand. “He’s dancing with me.”
Laurie chuckled good-naturedly, allowing me to drag him around the table. “I’ll have to send Wes a thank-you card.”
“For inviting you to dance?” I asked in disbelief.
“No,” he said, smiling up at me as we took our position on the dance floor. “For making you jealous enough to go all caveman on me.”
“Sh*t, sorry,” I said, glancing around self-consciously. “I might have let all this go to my head.”
Laurie took hold of my jaw, guiding my gaze back to him. “All of this?”
“The celebrating, the toasts, the congratulations. It feels…”
“Real?”
I nodded.
Laurie leaned in to brush a kiss to my cheek. “For me, it is.”
“Laurie…”
He wrapped his arms around my neck, pressing close, and spoke in my ear. “No, listen. I know we’re starting over and you’re not ready to make any promises. But we didn’t get this the first time, and…maybe we deserve to enjoy it. Just a little? What do you think?”
I gazed into his eyes, full of love for me. Full of understanding too. I was still a little afraid, taking this step, but Laurie knew where I stood. He accepted me and my reservations gracefully, just as he’d accepted my rejection, as flimsy as it was.
Every step of the way, Laurie took me as I was, I realized, and was grateful for whatever I offered.
And it was time I offered honesty. He deserved that much.
“Let’s enjoy it,” I agreed, dipping my head to kiss him. “I want to enjoy every moment we have together from now on.”
“Good, then go f*cking caveman over me anytime you feel the urge,” he said, eyes hot. “Don’t hold back anymore. Please.”
The note of desperation in that plea nearly did me in. The reception was far from over, and all I wanted was to get this man alone and finally relearn the lean, gorgeous body that I’d once known so well.
Carra's Review
I’ll just put it out there right up front—I was very suspect of Laurie when he first rolled into town in his approach to Tucker and explanation of why he was there. Not because I didn’t think he was sincere in his feelings, even after all this time. From the start I thought his emotion was genuine, and their whole backstory immediately sparked that “ultimate second chance romance” feel. Just the thing with his family was the part that had me grumbling just a bit.
But guess what? The author backed up that second chance romance with a solid gets-you-in-the-feels tale, and had me wanting to continually prod Tucker until he would wholeheartedly get on board ASAP. The feelings from both men felt genuine, and for me how Laurie fell for the small town of Granville was just an extra perk.
I’ve got to say, over the course of all of the stories this author has set in Granville, the town has almost become it’s own character, backed by such a great array of residents with so many inappropriate but awesomely funny location names that give so much support to the meaning of double entendre. And for those of you who’ve been following this authors stories set in this town, LeRoy’s evolving situation will put a smile on your face.
As for Laurie and Tucker? Everything about them gives me the happy sighs…and makes me blush. Okay, maybe they didn’t have ME blushing (that’s a tall order), but thing did get pretty spicy with these two, and those scenes were really well written. *fans self*
The peak of the dramatic part with Laurie’s family though? Incredibly satisfying. Pretty much made my grumbles at the beginning worth it.
Don’t Mess with the Ex was a 4.5-star read for me, and is a great story that any M/M romance fan will love. Now I can’t wait to read the third book that is coming in the series, but until then a re-read of this one will definitely be on the schedule.
About the Author
DJ Jamison writes romances about everyday life and extraordinary love featuring a variety of queer characters, from gay to bisexual to asexual. DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family conflicts and, of course, falling in love. DJ spent more than a decade in the newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a lifetime reading before that and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’ books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, one snake, and a sadistic cat named Birdie.
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