A review by amburhostyn
None of the Regular Rules by Erin Soderberg Downing

5.0

None of the Regular Rules was an awesome story. It has romance, friendship, and amazing character growth. :D

Sophie was a wonderful main character. I found her super easy to relate to...and I definitely could put myself in her shoes since I tend to be a bit more cautious just like she was. I loved that she was willing to put herself out there, and once she started taking risks, I was super impressed by her! :D I also loved her friends Ella and Grace, although I must admit when Sophie was annoyed with them, so was I. :P haha And aside from Sophie, my favourite character just had to be Johnny! :D

Along with the fabulous characters, the relationships in None of the Regular Rules were awesome! I loved the friendship between Sophie, Grace, and Ella, and I absolutely adored how Sophie and Johnny's relationship changed throughout the book. I loved that Johnny helped Sophie take more risks, and I loved their whole relationship. They had awesome chemistry, witty and sarcastic banter, and it was fantastic seeing their friendship start and change.

I also loved that friendship was so central to the story. Grace and Ella were integral in Sophie's life and I thought it was awesome seeing friendships that were so strong. The girls definitely fight in the book, but they make up, and while it may not happen immediately, when it really matters they confronted their issues. Most importantly though, when it really matters Grace, Ella, and Sophie were all there for each other, and that is what I found amazing. Too many books ignore have main characters whose friendships almost completely disappear when a guy shows up, and while that does cause issues in this book (for more than one character :P) in the end the girls realize just how important their friendships are and they are there for each other when their friends need them.

The overall story was incredibly easy to relate to since I'm sure everyone at one point or another ponders their future and wonders if they'll be happy with what they choose. Sophie spends a large par of the story struggling with what she wants from her future. Her insecurities and the way she handled them were so realistic and I loved that aspect about her. She is real and I thought that was really refreshing. :)

I absolutely loved None of the Regular Rules and would recommend it to contemporary fans who love main characters that grow into themselves. Sophie isn't crazy outgoing, but throughout the novel she realizes what really matters to her. There is romance, but the story focuses much more on friendship, which also shapes the romantic aspect of the story. I think that if you like realistic main characters, and books with a strong focus on friendship and what it means to really be a friend, you'll enjoy this one. :D