Bending the Rules (A Small Town Opposites Attract Romance): Stewart Island Book 10

Tracey Alvarez · Sunset Rose Books

Jan 2018 · Icon Publishing Limited

About this ebook

 The first rule of falling in love is...There are no rules.

Constable Noah Daniels doesn't believe in unicorns or true love, not since his life went to hell six years ago. Emotions are easier to handle when they're out of sight, out of mind. But when script writer Tilly Montgomery crash-lands into his world on Stewart Island for a month, she might just be the one to convince him that unicorns and true love do exist. If they're prepared to bend the rules a little… 

BENDING THE RULES is the tenth story in Tracey Alvarez’s best-selling Stewart Island books set against the stunning backdrop of Aotearoa, New Zealand. If you like heartwarming, sexy and sweet small town romances with a touch of comedy, you’ll love sharing the journey with these authentic men and women struggling to find their special someone. 

Download your copy of Bending The Rules and dive into these sensual romance novels! 
Intended for mature 18+ aged readers who enjoy their feel good romance on the steamier side. 

Praise for the Stewart Island series!

"It’s official…I’m hooked on this series! I want to jump on a plane and fly to this island, because apparently they grow them big and HOT in New Zealand…men that is!!!" ~ Swept Away By Romance 

"Perfection comes in many shapes and forms, and Ms Alvarez delivers in her contemporary voice and quirky character traits that make a distinctive difference between average and stellar storytelling." ~ InD’Tale Magazine

"Just as the must-read series of Donna Kauffman (The Bachelors of Blueberry Cove), Jill Shalvis (Lucky Harbor), Terri Osburn (Anchor Island), Marie Force (The McCarthys of Gansett Island), Sherryl Woods (Chesapeake Shores) have entranced me with their seaside settings and caring communities - so has Tracey Alvarez - and I'm adding her series to my must-read shelf too."~ Fab Fantasy Fiction


Don’t miss any of the Stewart Island books!
Book 1: In Too Deep. Featuring Piper and West.
Book 2: Melting Into You. Featuring Kezia and Ben.
Book 3: Ready To Burn. Featuring Shaye and Del.
Book 4: Christmas With You. Featuring Carly and Kip.
Book 5: My Forever Valentine. Due South Short Stories. 
Book 6: Playing For Fun. Featuring Holly and Ford.
Book 7: Drawing Me In. Featuring Bree and Harley. 
Book 7.5: Kissing The Bride. A Due South Short Story. 
Book 8: Saying I Do. Featuring MacKenna and Joe.
Book 9: Home For Christmas. Stewart Island novella.
Book 10: Bending The Rules. Featuring Tilly and Noah.

Keywords: small town romance, romance series, New Zealand romance, contemporary romance, sexy romance, opposites attract, writer, policeman, cop hero, beach romance, coastal romance, family saga, heart-warming, sensual, escape down under, family relationships, friendship, friends with benefits, affair, heartwarming romance, sweet and sexy romance, sweet with heat, exotic foreign romance, vacation romance, beach reads, summer reads

Ratings and reviews

Another fabulous book by the talented Tracey Alvarez. Noah and Tilly don't appear to have anything in common but they fit together perfectly. Tilly definitely needed to get away from Auckland and re-evaluate her life. She was unhappy with her job and unlucky in love. She needed a new perspective to really figure out what would make her happy. It was wonderful to see Noah, Officer Sexy Britches, finally find love and lay his ghosts to rest. He is definitely a swoon-worthy hero. I loved their meet-cute and how it was reversed at the end of the story. I had never thought about racism occurring in New Zealand. I really enjoyed the sub-plot that dealt with that aspect of New Zealand culture. I hate that love never truly worked out for Mary. It was nice to catch up with old friends and find out what was happening on Stewart Island. I really want to visit New Zealand! I urge you to read Bending The Rules and all the books in the series. You won't be disappointed.

Bending the Rules is a fun and often funny story set on Stewart Island off the southern island of New Zealand. Tracey Alvarez builds a tremendous sense of place, with the reader feeling like they are in New Zealand, experiencing small-town island life. She also has built a fantastic world of compelling and fun characters who inhabit this island. It is great fun for the reader of this series to return to the island and see old "friends," but I believe that it would be just as fun and just as possible to discover the series for the first time through this book. Noah is the sole police officer on Stewart Island and takes his responsibilities there VERY seriously. This is both admirable and pitiable, as the result is that Noah has almost nothing to his life outside of work. Due to past experiences with family, work, and a previous relationship, Noah believes that he should not be in a serious relationship. Then along comes Tilly, a writer in need of a creative breakthrough, who has inherited a bed and breakfast down the street from Noah's house. Tilly doesn't see herself in a serious relationship either, mostly because she doesn't see herself living on Stewart Island: she has come to sell the business and move on. The two of them are drawn to one another and develop first a friendship, and then a physical relationship that turns quite serious before either Tilly or Noah realize it. The conflict in this relationship is well portrayed-- though serious, none of the prose or plot is overwrought. Tracey Alvarez subtly and gently guides the reader through Tilly and Noah's relationship, with the help of some of the citizens of Stewart Island (some of whom are not subtle or gentle about it at all). Bending the Rules is a deeply satisfying trip to New Zealand.

I will never tire of going back to Oban to catch up with all of the friends that Tracey Alvarez has created there. “Bending the Rules” is another installment in humor, masterful dialogue, and good feelings. A heartfelt story where we get to know and come to understand sexy Noah. What a joy to see him find his unicorn. (A symbolism which I greatly appreciate.) Reading one of Tracey’s books is always a fun adventure. I think that New Zealand tourism should put her on their payroll - she’s made me want to go visit and see this country in person! I bet you’ll feel the same.

About the author

 Tracey Alvarez is a USA TODAY BEST-SELLING author living in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand). Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy, she has two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.

Fueled by copious amounts of coffee, she's the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories she writes. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes--Kiwi men, in other words.

When she's not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, Tracey can be found with her nose in her e-reader, nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars, or bribing her kids to take over the housework. 

Follow Tracey on Twitter as @TraceyAlvrezNZ or Facebook as http://www.facebook.com/TraceyAlvarezAuthor 
Her website is http://www.traceyalvarez.com and don't forget to sign up to her newsletter here: http://bit.ly/JR3Asu