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Jamie Fessenden
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The Rules Kindle Edition

by Jamie Fessenden (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 578 ratings
WHEN HANS BAUER, a college student in New Hampshire, accepts a job as a housekeeper for an older gay couple, he soon learns the reason they've hired someone with no experience is that professional agencies won't work there. Thomas is a successful businessman whose biggest goal in life appears to be giving his husband anything he wants. Boris is a writer who immigrated to this country from Russia, and suffers from depression and PTSD because of the things he endured in his native country.

He also refuses to wear clothes—ever.

While Hans is working alone in the house with Naked Boris all day, things start getting a little weird. Boris gets flirtatious and Hans backs away, not wanting to come between him and his husband. So Boris calls Thomas at work and asks permission.

At that moment, The Rules are born—rules about touching and kissing and pet names that the three men use to keep jealousies at bay, as they explore the possibilities in a new type of relationship....

WARNING: This story deals with themes of sexual assault and past abuse.
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  1. Print length
    331 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    September 6, 2017
  5. File size
    2.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B075FPT1VF
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 6, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 331 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 578 ratings

About the author

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Jamie Fessenden

Jamie Fessenden

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Jamie Fessenden set out to be a writer in junior high school. He published a couple short pieces in his high school's literary magazine and had another story place in the top 100 in a national contest, but it wasn't until he met his partner, Erich, almost twenty years later, that he began writing again in earnest. With Erich alternately inspiring and goading him, Jamie wrote several screenplays and directed a few of them as micro-budget independent films. He then began writing novels and published his first novella in 2010.

After nine years together, Jamie and Erich have married and purchased a house together in the wilds of Raymond, New Hampshire, where there are no street lights, turkeys and deer wander through their yard, and coyotes serenade them on a nightly basis. Jamie recently left his “day job” as a tech support analyst to be a full-time writer.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
578 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging, with one noting its unique male ménage narrative and two different climaxes. The book features well-developed characters that readers become invested in, and maintains a healthy balance of angst and emotion. Customers describe the writing as beautifully executed and charming, with one review highlighting its realistic portrayal of poly relationships. The pacing receives positive feedback, with one customer noting the well-earned happy ending, and customers appreciate the book's warmth, with one mentioning it gave them warm fuzzies in their belly.

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11 customers mention "Story quality"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of the book, finding it great with a simple plot, and one customer notes it has two different climaxes.

"...Having Hans learn Russian was a nice aspect of the story, as so many folks in the U.S. don’t bother learning other languages...." Read more

"...This is also a complete stand-alone story, with no dangling loose ends at the end to make it into a series." Read more

"...The story is simply marvelous at grabbing our attention. Well done. ENJOY ! =====" Read more

"...A story that flows so well that it's easy to get lost in and forget the outside world exists...." Read more

10 customers mention "Angst level"10 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the right amount of angst in the book, with one review noting how it feels grounded in life, while another describes how the relationship evolves in a believable manner.

"...But in this novel, the conflicts feel natural and help the plot (and relationships) move along well...." Read more

"...The relationship evolves in a rather believable fashion, including a few very natural bumps in the road...." Read more

"...Thomas is a safe haven, and along comes Hans he’s young, bold, kind hearted. They don’t blink and fall into a perfect triad...." Read more

"This isn't a quickie menage book. There's depth and heart here...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, being very invested in them, with one customer particularly enjoying the relationship between Boris and Thomas.

"...The characters are intense, each having their deepest thoughts explained. Their M/M and M/M/M sexy times are explicit and sizzling hot...." Read more

"...hard to find M/M/M and this one was well written and all the characters very different...." Read more

"...It's just one of those books that give you characters that you love easily, that are both complex and simple...." Read more

"Loved it! The character building is excellent and the communication between them feels real...." Read more

6 customers mention "Sweetness"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book charming and sweet, with one customer noting its amazingly realistic portrayal.

"...Thomas and Hans were just a beautiful addition! And the nicknames and the rules and just well everything...." Read more

"There aren’t very many m/m/m books that are really amazingly realistic, but this is one of them...." Read more

"A romance that just 'works.' It's sweet, tender and fulfilling. The men involved work through issues and emerge stronger. So much love." Read more

"This was the sweetest menage I have ever read. I was very invested in these characters and got a little teary in places...." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as beautifully and very well done.

"Loved this book- very hard to find M/M/M and this one was well written and all the characters very different...." Read more

"...behaviors, Thomas is a safe haven, and along comes Hans he’s young, bold, kind hearted. They don’t blink and fall into a perfect triad...." Read more

"...It was not perfect intsa-love, it was not smooth, but it was very well done." Read more

"...This one is well written, there are struggles to balance the relationship between the three men, but it’s believable and their HEA is well..." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one mentioning the good menage and another noting that the HEA is well earned.

"...between the three men, but it’s believable and their HEA is well earned. Highly recommend!" Read more

"Really good menage. Different." Read more

"Really good!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Warmth"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the warmth of the book, with one mentioning it gave them warm fuzzies in their belly.

"...Their M/M and M/M/M sexy times are explicit and sizzling hot. The story is simply marvelous at grabbing our attention. Well done...." Read more

"...It is relatively low on angst, and it gave me warm fuzzies in my belly and put a smile on my face." Read more

"...So warm and caring. Love it. Amazing story" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Johnny T. Townsend
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars? 4 stars? 4.5 stars? Whatever the score, it's a good book.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I’d read one of Jamie Fessenden’s short stories in “Stitch” and liked it, so I thought I’d try one of his novels. “The Rules” sounded fun, about a polyamorous relationship. Reese Dante’s lovely cover didn’t hurt when I was making my purchase selection.

    I want to give a shout out here to Fessenden for making the book physically pleasurable to read. The font is large enough that I don’t have to strain my eyes, and there is space between the lines. Too often, writers or publishers seem determined to fit as many words on a page as possible, which makes reading far less pleasurable than it should be. We read because we enjoy reading. I’ll happily pay a little more for a book with more pages, if those pages are easier to read. So I was quite satisfied with these aspects of the physical book.

    In so many romance novels, the conflict feels forced or annoyingly stupid, there only because “the formula” demands it. But in this novel, the conflicts feel natural and help the plot (and relationships) move along well.

    I can get a little tired of sex scenes in most romance novels, but they were integral to the story here, and Fessenden struck a nice balance of including enough detail to make the scenes either hot, interesting, or both, without letting them get too detailed or drawn out.

    I enjoyed the Russian aspects of the novel, made more relevant by Russia being in the news daily, and more people becoming aware of the oppression against LGBTQ folks (and others) in that country. I studied one semester of Russian back in 1985. I appreciated the movie suggestion (You I Love [2004]) and ordered that, too.

    Having Hans learn Russian was a nice aspect of the story, as so many folks in the U.S. don’t bother learning other languages. Having studied 10 hours a day for two months in an intensive language training school, I appreciated seeing the character’s efforts.

    There are two different climaxes to the story, one physical and the other emotional, and they both work. It makes sense to have more than one, since we’re dealing with more than one husband.

    So was this “great literature”? I don’t know. I just know I thoroughly enjoyed reading the novel and felt I’d learned a little more about humanity in the process. That’s good enough for me.
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  • Michael Holland
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not Quite What I Expected
    Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    College student Hans answers an ad for a part-time housekeeper for a married gay couple. He's surprised that the seemingly well-to-do Thomas is interested in hiring the inexperienced Hans when they can apparently afford a professional cleaning service. That is, until he meets Thomas' Russian-born and extremely eccentric husband Boris. The most obvious of Boris' eccentricities is his disdain for clothing. But the money is good and naked Boris isn't hard on the eyes. Thomas even seems to be okay with it, as long as Hans looks but doesn't touch. However, as Hans spends more time with the two, and mutual attractions develop, the rules get more complicated.

    “The Rules” is a story of a rather “accidental” menagé. Although told with a healthy dash of humor, it's a path that could easily end in disaster, and very nearly does. The relationship evolves in a rather believable fashion, including a few very natural bumps in the road.

    Hans, Thomas and Boris are three very different people, which may be why they seem to come together in a very natural way. They compliment each other. Boris seems at first to be a bit of a stereotype. A depressed Russian author is something of a cliché, but over the course of the story we get quite a bit of insight into the man's past and what probably shaped a lot of his neuroses.

    The story is told from Hans' point of view. The young and somewhat unworldly college student makes an interesting lens through which to view the long term relationship between Boris and Thomas. His outsider role also helps us to learn about the other two main characters in a very natural way.

    While evolving sexual relations drive many of the main dramatic turns of the plot, the focus is mainly on the emotional impact each of these changes has on the characters. That sets this story a bit apart from most books featuring menagé relationships. This is also a complete stand-alone story, with no dangling loose ends at the end to make it into a series.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • D.Hart, RCIS
    5.0 out of 5 stars A unique tale of male ménage and more...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Young college student Hans is applying for a cleaning job at a mansion, for $35/hr., there must be a catch.
    The married couple he’ll work for are Thomas, business man and author, Boris.
    Thomas is a handsome executive with a model’s looks, steel gray eyes and short blonde hair.
    Anxiety ridden Boris, is a Russian, a successful author with brown hair and a beard, tattooed, plus he’s a nudist. Both men speak fluent Russian.
    Young Hans, about 20, works hard at school, and for the men.
    Slowly he becomes taken in by the unique pair, and he joins the nudity. Flirty attitudes and desires moves them forward with the beginning of sexy times, with strict rules.
    The rules over time become more obsolete after awhile, and are ever changing, while the three men explore.
    It’s fun to watch the men form new dynamics and friendships along this journey.
    We see Hans with college deadlines, his painting due, and the summer plans. We get deeper understanding of Boris’s moods, and Thomas with his responsibility.
    There will be a visit from Boris’s family which turns out badly, but from that, Boris tells his long held secret that causes his anxiety.
    The characters are intense, each having their deepest thoughts explained. Their M/M and M/M/M sexy times are explicit and sizzling hot. The story is simply marvelous at grabbing our attention.
    Well done.
    ENJOY !

    =====
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Client d'Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such a great book!
    Reviewed in France on April 24, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I don't like ménage stories. I really don't. I bought this book only beacause of the great reviews and the fact that I LOVE Jamie Fessenden's writing. But I didn't think I would like it. Except that...
    I actually loved this novel! I never felt like reading a ménage story but a story about creating the familly you need and deserve outside the boundaries of normalcy. Because it's all about love and care and deep feelings. Of course there are bumps on the road, but they are merely obstacles to find a way to make it work for the 3 wondeful characters.
    More than an enjoyable story it really made me rethink some things. Which is the most value a book can have (and a real talent of Fessenden). So if you have to read only one from this author, make it this one!
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  • Gayle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really loved this book
    Reviewed in Australia on October 5, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Really loved this book. Boris, Thomas and Hans are loveable characters and the emotions and insecurities are played out well. Some tears when it comes to Boris and his history, but it's nice to have a happy ending. Recommend this to everyone.
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  • Sue bowdley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It x
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a new author to me and although I have a fair few of his books I've only just got to this one.....I love menage books....This was a bit different in how they started...Boris forever naked and Hans coming to clean.....The Rules is a great read.....Thomas sets rules for when he's at work but the Rules change all the time....It is an easy read and I loved all three MC's.....I thought Boris was a bit much at times but still likeable....Hans could be whiny especially when things concerned just Boris and Thomas.....Thomas I thought was a bit stuffy....but he relaxed as time went on......When he thought that Boris didn't love him anymore and that he loved Hans was heartbreaking......I love how the book was written...easy to follow and although I liked Boris' mama I had an inkling that something was off with his brother.....A great read and probably one I will re-read x
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  • Maureen Crothall
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Read
    Reviewed in Canada on April 23, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is completely and deliciously filthy, I freaking loved it! It was so involved and personal I felt like a peeping tom at times, looking in on their fetish fantasy, the amount of sex these three can get through in a day is stunningly mind blowing, I was both impressed and humbled. An amazing story with three very intense men, I have read several throuple books but this was by far the best, a great piece of work.
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  • Anky
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
    Reviewed in India on November 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book was absolutely perfect. I adored Thomas, Boris and Han's characters and their story was extremely unputdownable. Boris' past broke my heart but the three were so good together.
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