Love Rules
Posted on 24 October 2005 by Freya North
When it comes to love, should you listen to your head, your heart or your best friend?
Thea Luckmore, a composed and dedicated massage therapist believes in love, the magic spark of true, old-fashioned love. She has to fall head over heels, or rather, heart over head.
However, her best friend Alice Heggarty, a spirited and successful magazine publisher, has always been a slave to lust though invariably it ends in tears. Turning 30, as yet another disastrous relationship ends, Alice makes a decision. It’s time to marry and she knows just the man who would make an excellent husband.
For Thea, a chance encounter on Primrose Hill ignites that elusive spark she’s preoccupied with… Saul Mundy promises to be the perfect fit and Thea finds herself falling deeply in love and loving it.
But though newly-wed Alice encourages Thea to settle down, Alice herself finds that she’s not as keen as she thought on playing by the rules. She starts to break them left, right and centre… At the same time, Thea’s world is shaken to core.
Love. Sex. Fidelity. Friendship. What’s it all about?
Tags | Love Rules
December 3rd, 2008 at 8:00 pm
I loved Pillow Talk but this Love Rules was excellant i hope Freya you get on writing that book soon i can’t wait.
January 15th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I have just finished reading Loves Rules and have to say it was excellent. Apart from Pillow Talk (which I will be buying soon), I have read all Freya’s books, which are great, but this was the best. I could not put it down. I look forward to future books.
January 16th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Dear Helen
that’s great to hear! And I’m flattered you’re such a loyal reader. Let me know what you think of PT! F
May 26th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
I love and have read all Freya North books, this one however still plays on my mind! I am a hopeless romantic and can not believe the ending! Why, Freya, why?! I read the last chapter after the first one now to ensure I can rest easy!! Loved Secrets, it’s better when they all live happily ever after!!
May 26th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Hey Voirrey – your sentiments are echoed by many readers when it comes to the outcome of Love Rules. But, as the author, I have to stay true to my characters’ personalities. It just was not possible for Thea to compromise her integrity to give the reader a happy ending with Saul. Hence my gift to her in the form of Joel – he’s lovely, he won’t cheat – and I imagine he restores her faith and her joie de vivre. I hope, some day, to see what happened next to those two…! Sometimes, I truly feel that I’m little more than my characters’ typist. I simply have to tell their tales for them! So glad you loved Secrets… FN
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:36 am
Having ploughed through the first pages of Love Rules, I am totally astounded by the amount of obscenities used. Yes, I am aware that people use bad language the whole time but do I really want this in my own head every few lines?
Having established that the young women concerned are the type who use such language, is it necessary to labour the point?
The dialogue didn’t seem to tells us anything about the story or the characters (apart from the fact that they are foul-mouthed) and there appeared to be no scene or story goals.
Very, very disapppinting as this book and the author had been highly recommended. It was my first attempt at Freya North but it will certainly be my last.
July 25th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
This book went everywhere with me, Bournemouth Beach, New Forest, at Work, at Home, Waiting for my daughter whilst she was having swimming lessons. Kept thinking (having read one of your reader reviews) something may happen between Saul and Alice. I just feel so sad for Saul, and I kept thinking that whilst that may happen in the real world it shouldnt have happened in the book and I did cry ALOT. I am a sucker for a happy very happy ever after with a positive twist. However after respite of a few days I came to terms with it (listen to me!) and you were so right to stay true to Thea.
August 23rd, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I really fell in love with this book, was sad how it ended but if I was Thea I would have done the same and you stayed true to her
I think it would have been untrue for her to forgive and take him back. Maybe in the future you’ll tell the readers what Thea and co are getting upto 
March 26th, 2010 at 8:40 am
After reading this book i just knew i have to get all your other books. now i’m a proud owner of pillow talk and home truth!
April 14th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
I too was somewhat shocked by the coarse language in Love Rules.
However, once used to it, I thought the language added to the story’s brilliant realism.
If it had distracted, I’d understand Lynda Finn’s disappointment.
April 25th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
OMG! I just had finished “Love Rules”… it was a little disappointing that Saul and Thea didn’t save their ralationship… but I understand that Thea is a romantic girl and she diserved more than Saul. Still, it would be great to exist a continuation, where they would be toghether, maybe after few years… However, you’re a great writer!!! I’m from Romania and I look forward to buy Pillow Talk and Secrets…
August 18th, 2010 at 4:17 am
Reading love rules for the fifth time now after finishing it last week and i just can’t get over it. The details in the book has inspired to me visit London again (I’m in Sydney), hopefully before or after the Olympics though. I love your style of writing Freya, and although the ending made me want to yell and cry at the same time, I understand Thea’s decision. Looking forward to more from you! x
March 18th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
I have just finished reading love rules and I have to say it was fantastic!!! I just couldn’t put the book down. It was very ‘saucy’ in parts and made me grap my husband on more than one occasion!!! I also enjoyed home truths and I read secrets a year or so ago. Ready to go buy Pillow Talk next…as I heard it’s fantastic
Well done Freya.
March 19th, 2011 at 10:59 am
Do you know, just this morning I had an email from an irate reader who put Love Rules in the recycling bin after page 25 because of the appearance of the ‘f-word’… Thanks, Trudi – of all my books, Love Rules really had the readers talking about whether they liked the ending or not…! Hope you’ll enjoy Pillow Talk. And I’m excited to tell you that my new novel, Chances, is to be published on 31st March. Thanks for taking the time to contact me – your support is very much appreciated! FN
March 19th, 2011 at 6:56 pm
That’s such a shame she didn’t give the book time as I’m sure she would of enjoyed it. I have to say i was hooked from the start!. I had plenty of view on the story….first I was really excited for Thea when she found love. Saul seemed such a nice bloke and the way they met and got together was so lovely. I really felt for her when she discovers Saul’secret’ and I wasn’t sure which way she would go and I was holding my breath to the end!! I have to agree, I would of done the same as Thea and I really felt for her…..Alice on the other hand, had a wonderful new husband…but lust got hold of her and although she finally came to her senses…would she do it again I asked myself?? possibly…
Again, fantastic book Freya and well done.
March 23rd, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Thanks, Trudi x
June 10th, 2011 at 11:09 pm
I have just finished Love Rules. What a sad story and it’s happening all around us. BUT – I am gobsmacked at the descriptive sex. I can take the F word, but the rest was not an enjoyable read. Yes! I am old and we just aren’t used to this sort of talk. Freya has courage !
June 20th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
I am declaring Love Rules as my favourite! I love the flow in the book and how much reality about love, lust marriage expectation in it. I can’t believe some didn’t read on.. well I was hooked for sure I couldn’t put it down after all the introductory chapters of the characters. I liked that Love Rules is easy to read but difficult to forget.
But I had thought Thea would give this true love a chance but found the ending and appearance of Joel refreshing.
My next read would be Home Truths…
November 4th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
loved this book!! Yes the ending was sad but realistic, they both hurt but it couldn’t be undone. Yes there is bad language but its all relevant. i don’t swear in front of kids nor elderly folks but i do swear as do most people i know!! my favourite so far xx
April 5th, 2012 at 9:44 am
Hi guys, by reading all the reviews above and simply most of you marked this title as favorite just make me can’t wait to get back home and pick this book! Freya, I’ve read your Secrets! That was the first book from you I ever read. Verdict, loved it. and simply lead me to another book of yours. So, next read will be Love Rules followed by Pillow Talk! Just, DON’T stop writing
April 5th, 2012 at 9:53 am
Hi Yvone, I’m from Malaysia (:
April 15th, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Well hullo Yvone from Malaysia!
April 15th, 2012 at 9:39 pm
…and I really hope you enjoyed Love Rules and Pillow Talk. Thanks, Yvone – keep in touch! Freya
April 15th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
Thanks Katie – it was a tough one to write…but, as an author who feels so loyal to her characters, I simply had to go with their decisions. And I’d back Thea all over again… Wonder how she’s doing these days! Freya