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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Rules of Play by Hayden Hall
The Saints of Westmont U #3
Length: 214 pages
Source: Gay Romance Reviews eARC
Publication date: June 17, 2025
5 ⭐
3 🌶
What to expect:
🏒 Virgin MC
🤓 Slow burn
🏒 First times
🤓 Jock x nerd
🏒 Only one bed
🤓 Forced proximity
🏒 Queer awakening
🤓 'Two peas in a pod'
🏒A remote-control plug
Summary
Shane is an undergrad student conducting research for his thesis on how an athlete’s emotional regulation affects them physically and mentally. In this case, he’s studying how Patrick’s quick-fire temper impacts him on and off the ice, how it helps his game or hurts his private life.
Patrick loves the spotlight, so he’s happy to have the nerdy researcher following him around like his shadow. He relishes having Shane’s eyes on him; it makes his breath catch and his heart pound, all of which Shane is recording…for science. But Patrick pretty quickly finds that he likes looking at Shane just as much and that it might not be just the shared staring that gets him going.
It’s more than physical attraction for them, but Shane also has to maintain a degree of impartiality for his project. The question is, can he do it, or is he too tempted by his hockey god to remain neutral, especially when what he really wants is for Patrick to be his first—his only—everything?
Patrick loves the spotlight, so he’s happy to have the nerdy researcher following him around like his shadow. He relishes having Shane’s eyes on him; it makes his breath catch and his heart pound, all of which Shane is recording…for science. But Patrick pretty quickly finds that he likes looking at Shane just as much and that it might not be just the shared staring that gets him going.
It’s more than physical attraction for them, but Shane also has to maintain a degree of impartiality for his project. The question is, can he do it, or is he too tempted by his hockey god to remain neutral, especially when what he really wants is for Patrick to be his first—his only—everything?
My thoughts
At this point, is Hayden Hall just mainlining crack into these books or what?! I mean, I already love his writing, and this series has consistently gotten better as it goes along. Patrick has intrigued me from the minute he hit the page in Edge of Temptation, and I was so excited to finally get his story.
I don’t want to provide too much information here, because I took a ton of notes reading this one. The budding relationship between Patrick and Shane unfolds without a lot of dramatic fanfare, once the jock finally realizes that his behavior is more boyfriend than friend. The sexy times are hot (I mean, it’s Hayden Hall), but they’re also fun and warm and intimate. There’s an ease between the two men that feels legitimate, and it’s romantic without coming off as this perfect, idealized version of a physical relationship.
Both men are also so prideful and scared of being hurt; thankfully—and with the help of a friend—they realize what they have is worth the risk. I will say that this book isn't nearly as dark and/or traumatic as the first two in the Saints series.
I don’t want to provide too much information here, because I took a ton of notes reading this one. The budding relationship between Patrick and Shane unfolds without a lot of dramatic fanfare, once the jock finally realizes that his behavior is more boyfriend than friend. The sexy times are hot (I mean, it’s Hayden Hall), but they’re also fun and warm and intimate. There’s an ease between the two men that feels legitimate, and it’s romantic without coming off as this perfect, idealized version of a physical relationship.
Both men are also so prideful and scared of being hurt; thankfully—and with the help of a friend—they realize what they have is worth the risk. I will say that this book isn't nearly as dark and/or traumatic as the first two in the Saints series.
Books with similar jock/nerd vibes
📕But make him the goalie: Scoring the Keeper by Hayden Hall
📗But make him a complete grump: Until Him by Cora Rose
📘But make him the coach’s son: Line Mates and Study Dates by Eden Finley and Saxon James
Bottom line
Look, if you’ve made it this far, I can’t believe you haven’t stopped to go get this book. Clearly I’m going to recommend it! What are you waiting for?
— A
Thanks to Gay Romance Reviews and Hayden Hall for an eARC of this book. All opinions are mine. Reviews posted regularly on StoryGraph, Instagram, BlueSky, and BookBub.
Shane is your typical nerd and he wants Patrick to be his test study.
We’ve met Patrick throughout the series and he quickly agrees to Shane’s proposal.
When things quickly turn into something either of them expected neither of them know how to deal with their feelings.
We’ve met Patrick throughout the series and he quickly agrees to Shane’s proposal.
When things quickly turn into something either of them expected neither of them know how to deal with their feelings.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is book three of the author’s Saints of Westmont U series and this one features playboy, Patrick, the final member of the trio of friends including Easton and Elio from the first two books in the series. It also includes Shane, a somewhat nerdy guy hoping for Patrick’s cooperation in gathering scientific data for his thesis regarding player’s temperaments in hockey.
There’s no way I could choose a favorite here, I loved both Shane and Patrick. They each had struggles of their own that ultimately helped them see they weren’t alone in their fears—Shane, due to a hockey injury as a teen in which it changed the way he saw himself, felt invisible and unseen, almost unworthy, by everyone around him and Patrick, who felt his only worth was in how well he played hockey. They both broke my heart, I wanted to hug both of ‘em. It kinda made me want to be their own personal cheerleader so they would finally recognize their worth.
This book was a lot lighter than the previous two. Book one, The Edge of Temptation, with Easton, was downright dark (to me); book two, The Cost of Redemption, with Elio, wasn’t a whole lot better but, thank goodness, Rules of Play was much lighter and sweeter, I needed it after the other two. Even though Patrick and Shane stumbled a bit, they were absolutely perfect for each other and made for such a wonderful read. I can totally see myself rereading all three books again now that I know how they ended. The first time, I was so busy waiting for the other shoe to drop that I couldn’t properly enjoy any of them but now I think I’d get a lot more out of them, probably even find some things I missed the first time in my rush to get them together. Which reminds me, this ended in an HFN but I prefer to picture them all loved up in an HEA instead so, with that in mind, 4.5 stars!
I received a copy of this book for free but am voluntarily leaving a review.
There’s no way I could choose a favorite here, I loved both Shane and Patrick. They each had struggles of their own that ultimately helped them see they weren’t alone in their fears—Shane, due to a hockey injury as a teen in which it changed the way he saw himself, felt invisible and unseen, almost unworthy, by everyone around him and Patrick, who felt his only worth was in how well he played hockey. They both broke my heart, I wanted to hug both of ‘em. It kinda made me want to be their own personal cheerleader so they would finally recognize their worth.
This book was a lot lighter than the previous two. Book one, The Edge of Temptation, with Easton, was downright dark (to me); book two, The Cost of Redemption, with Elio, wasn’t a whole lot better but, thank goodness, Rules of Play was much lighter and sweeter, I needed it after the other two. Even though Patrick and Shane stumbled a bit, they were absolutely perfect for each other and made for such a wonderful read. I can totally see myself rereading all three books again now that I know how they ended. The first time, I was so busy waiting for the other shoe to drop that I couldn’t properly enjoy any of them but now I think I’d get a lot more out of them, probably even find some things I missed the first time in my rush to get them together. Which reminds me, this ended in an HFN but I prefer to picture them all loved up in an HEA instead so, with that in mind, 4.5 stars!
I received a copy of this book for free but am voluntarily leaving a review.
Thank you so much GRR for the arc!
This was my first Hayden Hall book, and I'm happy to report that I enjoyed it.
This story follows a very shy, nerd named Shane who is looking for a specimen to study for his thesis on athlete's performances.
He finds Patrick and is instantly obsessed, and pleased to hear that he agrees to be his subject.
I loved the forced prox of all of this, and with the monitoring ??? It was perfection!
Shane fears that his feelings may be one sided, but when he sees spikes in heart rate whenever they're close, it makes him question if there is something more going on.
The characters didn't really seem memorable to me, unfortunately and the plot was kind of thin. I felt like the attraction Patrick felt was just him liking that someone wanted him.
I also wasn't a huge fan of some of the conflict in the book bc it felt forced, but I enjoyed this short read and will look out for more HH books in the future! 💖
This was my first Hayden Hall book, and I'm happy to report that I enjoyed it.
This story follows a very shy, nerd named Shane who is looking for a specimen to study for his thesis on athlete's performances.
He finds Patrick and is instantly obsessed, and pleased to hear that he agrees to be his subject.
I loved the forced prox of all of this, and with the monitoring ??? It was perfection!
Shane fears that his feelings may be one sided, but when he sees spikes in heart rate whenever they're close, it makes him question if there is something more going on.
The characters didn't really seem memorable to me, unfortunately and the plot was kind of thin. I felt like the attraction Patrick felt was just him liking that someone wanted him.
I also wasn't a huge fan of some of the conflict in the book bc it felt forced, but I enjoyed this short read and will look out for more HH books in the future! 💖
Quick read, not bad. I’m not sure either the science or the hockey are entirely accurate but if that doesn’t bother you then give this one a go. Nerd/jock first times with a gay awakening/no gay panic.
I was given an ARC of this book from GRR. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I was given an ARC of this book from GRR. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Props for writing the awkward one awkwardly, the jock is a golden retriever ugh, and there's A LOT of internal dialogue- so I keep getting bored. It's not poorly written i'm just waiting for the spark of wanting to know their story kicks in. Right now I don't care. Also, the awkward one just admitted they are only attracted to unavailable hot jocks. Just straight not interested ones. That's a level of fucked up I expect in college- kudos to the author for writing legit young adults, but also annoying af and why I don't read many YA or college. Good grief- I decide to keep reading and the next scene on their first day doing this awkward. MC1 is caught staring at naked jock. I can't deal with hormone crazed boys. Adult men are hard enough this is just too much. Also-second hand embarrassment!
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Rules of Play was wayyyyyyyyyyyyy more chill than the first two books in the The Saints of Westmont U series and, honestly, i liked the cute low angst vibe this had going on.
The only reason this read didn't climb above a mid-rating was because:
1. i felt like i've read this "shadowing bae for science" plot contrivance recently and this jock x nerd romance needed a touch more pizazz than relying on forced proximity and smartwatch data.
2. As a hockey fan, the way the sports commentary/Shane's perspective of the hockey game between the Titans and the Saints was conveyed came off a bit weird. Especially as an ex-player. I would have expected his interiority/commentary to be more aligned with pro takes/play by play. But that's just me and ymmv.
I thought Shane and Patrick were adorable together and their sexy loving was hot to read! But the romance itself was a bit limp noodle-ish, and then the 3rd act destabilization was pretty extra imo.
It's the 21st century. You're in college. A deep breath and a heartfelt question should dethrone "shout first-feel sorry later" emo flexes.
But also, that was like one sentence of drama and they were back to being in love in like a page lol so it wasn't that devastating...i mean for me. Being young and in love these days seems like a violent sport sometimes, so if this was a real scenario, and emotional regulation wasn't in the room, then i'm sure the situation would feel like the world was ending.
But i digress.
Overall i was surprised at how soft this installment was after the tumultuous first 2 books in this series. But i did like the vibe, and i thought both MCs were really sweet. And even though i thought that their love story would have benefitted from more plot dimension and some higher stakes tension, it was still a nice read.
Depths of Desire is up next and i really hope the levels of pining will make my heart feel like a squishy mess by the time Lennox and Oliver get together! Because straight up i'm VERY ready for some crazy hot intensity after this soft sweet installment in a series that i know can BRING. IT! Can't wait!
Rules of Play was wayyyyyyyyyyyyy more chill than the first two books in the The Saints of Westmont U series and, honestly, i liked the cute low angst vibe this had going on.
The only reason this read didn't climb above a mid-rating was because:
1. i felt like i've read this "shadowing bae for science" plot contrivance recently and this jock x nerd romance needed a touch more pizazz than relying on forced proximity and smartwatch data.
2. As a hockey fan, the way the sports commentary/Shane's perspective of the hockey game between the Titans and the Saints was conveyed came off a bit weird. Especially as an ex-player. I would have expected his interiority/commentary to be more aligned with pro takes/play by play. But that's just me and ymmv.
I thought Shane and Patrick were adorable together and their sexy loving was hot to read! But the romance itself was a bit limp noodle-ish, and then the 3rd act destabilization was pretty extra imo.
It's the 21st century. You're in college. A deep breath and a heartfelt question should dethrone "shout first-feel sorry later" emo flexes.
But also, that was like one sentence of drama and they were back to being in love in like a page lol so it wasn't that devastating...i mean for me. Being young and in love these days seems like a violent sport sometimes, so if this was a real scenario, and emotional regulation wasn't in the room, then i'm sure the situation would feel like the world was ending.
But i digress.
Overall i was surprised at how soft this installment was after the tumultuous first 2 books in this series. But i did like the vibe, and i thought both MCs were really sweet. And even though i thought that their love story would have benefitted from more plot dimension and some higher stakes tension, it was still a nice read.
Depths of Desire is up next and i really hope the levels of pining will make my heart feel like a squishy mess by the time Lennox and Oliver get together! Because straight up i'm VERY ready for some crazy hot intensity after this soft sweet installment in a series that i know can BRING. IT! Can't wait!
emotional
hopeful
RULES OF PLAY is the third installment of The Saints of Westmont series. It follows a shy nerd and a cocky jock in a forced proximity thesis research, gay awakening, and first times. It can be read as a standalone but reads better in the order the author intended.
Shane is doing his thesis and the best way to do his research is on a live subject he can follow and track. Patrick is the perfect subject to use for research. He's exceptional on the ice, he works out consistently, hangs out with other athletes. Shane needs to study his focus, see where his flaws lie, find out if he's faking any of his confidence. But when one surprising result keeps showing itself when Shane least expects he's starting to question what he knows about Patrick.
Patrick knows he's good at hockey. He takes care of his body. He's straight (or so he thinks). So there is no reason not to let Shane follow him around and track his heartrate and other vitals. But when Patrick is alone with Shane there is something that makes him almost nervous. That is something that he isn't used to, he doesn't get nervous. The more they are together Patrick is starting to question what he knows about himself. Unfortunately he's not the only one seeing his reactions to Shane.
I loved the chemistry between Shane and Patrick. They aren't my favorite couple in the series but their story was definitely cute. This book is not as team heavy as the others but they are still an important part of the series. I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes!
I was given a free copy of this book to read and review by the author.
Shane is doing his thesis and the best way to do his research is on a live subject he can follow and track. Patrick is the perfect subject to use for research. He's exceptional on the ice, he works out consistently, hangs out with other athletes. Shane needs to study his focus, see where his flaws lie, find out if he's faking any of his confidence. But when one surprising result keeps showing itself when Shane least expects he's starting to question what he knows about Patrick.
Patrick knows he's good at hockey. He takes care of his body. He's straight (or so he thinks). So there is no reason not to let Shane follow him around and track his heartrate and other vitals. But when Patrick is alone with Shane there is something that makes him almost nervous. That is something that he isn't used to, he doesn't get nervous. The more they are together Patrick is starting to question what he knows about himself. Unfortunately he's not the only one seeing his reactions to Shane.
I loved the chemistry between Shane and Patrick. They aren't my favorite couple in the series but their story was definitely cute. This book is not as team heavy as the others but they are still an important part of the series. I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes!
I was given a free copy of this book to read and review by the author.