Rating: 
Summary: Passable, but not very engaging
Review: Caskie has an engaging, sparkling voice that can keep a reader reading over the most cliched, mundane, flat characters and plot. But that's about it. As other reviewers have stated, this plot is overdone and has been done by much more talented authors. As a debut book, it's simple enough to attract the interest of readers who like this sort of plot, but for a debut author, the amount of patience it took for me to read this book was monstrously disappointing and tedious. I am a bit sorry to say that I am relieved that I didn't pay full price for this book. The premise of two aunt's thrusting their charges out onto the ton with a book they mistake for a rule book on getting engaged was humorous for at least the first two chapters. After that, it began to grow flat. Eliza and Magnus were on the brink of becoming cliched card-board cut-outs; only Eliza's semi-valid reason for not wanting to wed saved them. The sexual tension between the two was cringe inducing and written very heavy handedly for such light-hearted and "asexual" protagonists(The main problem I have with humorous/light historicals: the focus on the humor is so much, the sensualness comes across as odd). After the first few chapters, the "conflict" between Magnus and Eliza began to pall and quickly became irritating considering the fact that the conflict between them wasn't as pressing nor as anxiety inducing as the characters saw it as. Place on top of that, Magnus' irritating brogue--I was under the assumption that educated Scottish noblepeople were normally educated in England, or at least with English tutors/governesses, therefore eliminating their Scottish accents--and the constant intrusion of Eliza's pushy aunts, her sister and the man who couldn't make up his mind(or the author couldn't make up her mind) over whether he wanted Eliza or Grace, and you have the passable, sometimes boring Rules of Engagement. I would try another Caskie because I would like to see her improve with each successive book, but if I had to choose between an author who has yet to prove themself to write wonderful reads and an auto-buy author, I'd choose the proven and tried author.
Rating:
Summary: Didnt like it.
Review: I bought this book because of the reviews it got, but man. I almost had to break my own arm to finish reading it. See, here's the thing. There are some really good moments with the plot. Some of it was engaging and humerous. Thats it. I did not like the characters, their personalities, what little of their lives you see beyond the story. They were not alive enough. Grace grated a nerve, Magnus or whatever was a jerk half the time and Eliza was a ninny. I finished it so that I could see if it got any better at all, but although it was a very promising story, it flatlined in my book. I would not recommend this book to anyone. If curiosity wins out, got to the library. Dont waste money.
Rating:
Summary: Unengaged.
Review: I bought this book mostly because of the quantity of good reviews I read here (you'd think I'd have learned by now) and elsewhere. Let's just say I was greatly disappointed.Eliza Merriweather is a Regency English artist whose only dream is to go to Italy and study with the masters there. Hampered by the fact that she was born into a fairly good family and has two younger sisters along with two matchmaking great-aunts who are her guardians, Eliza is forced to endure one Season before she can run off to follow her dream. Though they know of her plans, her aunts, armed with their father's military strategy guide, are convinced they can find husbands for both Eliza and her debutante sister Grace. Magnus MacKinnon, the Earl of Somerton, younger son of a dissolute Scottish lord has just inherited the family title after the death of his equally dissolute elder brother. Magnus, having been in the military prior to becoming the earl, is unprepared to deal with the enormous financial burdens he inherited and, having made what looks to be a very poor investment with his remaining funds, is faced with marrying money or losing everything. He meets the decidedly penniless Eliza shortly after she's committed a huge faux pas during her presentation. This book is yet another unoriginal attempt to cash in on the appeal of humorous Historical Regency romances. From the first few pages with the dotty, matchmaking aunts and the too precocious heroine I could see disaster looming. This could have been a great story, if told the right way. There could have been believable problems with better portrayals of the protagonists. "Rules of Engagement" just doesn't doesn't deliver on its possibilities. Eliza is an artist. Or so it seems. Sure, she says she's an artist, and we see her painting, but I never really believe it. Judging by her attitude and outlook, painting seems more like a hobby to her. I've known some artists in my time and know that they come in all shapes, sizes, creeds, and personalities, but there's one thing that tends to unify them, no matter their style or medium, and that is that their art is not just a 9 to 5 job, it's who they are and deeply affects nearly every aspect of their lives. I don't see Eliza looking at the world from what are believably an artist's eyes; she seems just like every other ninny of a Regency debutante in the romance world. Her conflict over her wish to study in Italy would have been brilliant if it would have been something I could buy into, but it wasn't. On top of the fact that I'm not sold on her commitment to her art, she's also incredibly selfish. Her sister Grace is made to seem like a self-centered brat toward the end, but I really think that depiction should belong to Eliza. She does some things that truly could compromise both of her sister's future prospects and doesn't even have the intelligence to realize it--and when they're pointed out to her, she's slightly contrite, but then commits the same mistakes again. I found her almost wholly unlikable when she could have been such a wonderful heroine and that's a shame. Magnus barely exists for me. He's Scottish, but other than his brogue-ridden speech and a couple of statements, I would never guess. Apparently he was in the military too, but other than a few pat references, you would never know it. I feel the same way about Magnus's military career that I do about Eliza's being an artist. Also, Magnus makes some really dumb and selfish decisions. He makes an investment that is, as other characters point out, a horrible decision. He pursues Eliza, knowing he most likely cannot marry her, which seems really inconsiderate to me; at the least some cogency could have been added to a character who is mostly an enigma if he'd had to spend some real time pining after what he couldn't have instead of knowing he couldn't have it and trying to take it anyway. This character just didn't work for me at all. Filled with matchmaking schemes, "cute" elderly relatives, wallpaper motivations, unpleasant characters and too-trite-to-stomach moments "Rules of Engagement" gets a two star rating from me. Why do I even give it two stars? Well, I will say that there are glimpses of promise in this book that elevate it above a total disaster; I really believe with better execution, it could have been excellent. The prose is very good, and it is at times very readable, it's only when the author tries too hard to be funny or cute that it doesn't work for me. I'd even say that I'd give this author another try if someone I trusted said her next work was worth the bother--I can see that there is some real potential here. All in all, though, I'd not recommend this book to anyone. You've seen it before, and you've seen it done better.
Rating: 
Summary: I found a new author who makes me laugh!
Review: I like to try new authors out once in a while and this time my gamble really paid off! I loved the book! I bought this book and there it sat in my reading pile for months. Finally it reached the top on a rainy day and I spent the whole day reading it.
This is light romantic comedy with a setting in London, England. If you don't happen to like fun books, then don't read this one and start complaining. I happen to LOVE books that make me laugh until I have to wipe my eyes. I love couples who don't do what you expect them to to do. Eliza and Magnus were just this sort of couple. I also read the chapter in the back and made a note to myself to buy this author's next book as well. This book goes on my to keep shelf.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious! A Must Read Romance
Review: I loved this book! I read this book in 6 hours on a flight. People kept looking at me because I kept laughing as I turned the pages. This story is really delightful and so funny. I especially loved the two old ladies, the Feathertons. I always knew when they showed up, something hilarious was about to happen. I can't wait for the next book by this author. There is a chapter in the back of this book about it and it looks even funnier.
Rating:
Summary: Funny and entertaining
Review: I loved this debut romance and so did most of my friends! The characters of the aunts are hilarious, I loved the premise that they thought the war manual was actually a handbook on how to get married, and I thought the hero was an absolute hunk. I'm a bit baffled by some of the negative reviews I've been reading here--if you want a genuinely funny, page-turning romance with some real moments of tenderness, passion and love, this is the book for you. I can't wait for the next one by this author!
Rating:
Summary: I must be only person who didn't like this book
Review: I must be the only person in the world who didn't like this book. I eagerly read new authors, especially those who have won RWA's Golden Heart. I was happy to pick this on off the shelves; I love historicals. But, sorry, I didn't like it. I don't think I laughed at all. I love Julia Quinn and laugh at her books. But not this one. It didn't speak to me. The plot of the aunts was different, but the love story was typical. She wanted him, but couldn't marry him. He wanted her but couldn't marry her. blah... There was absolutely no internal reason that Magnus could not marry Eliza. He needed to marry a heiress, but that's an external reason. The last half of the book was Magnus' pursuit of Eliza. It got tedious.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful and captivating
Review: I thought "Rules of Engagement" was a delightful story! I found it captivating and could not put it down. Eliza and Magnus were wonderful characters and Eliza's two aunt's were just hilarious. I am an avid reader of historical fiction set in the Regency Era and found this a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what Ms. Caskie writes next !!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not worth precious time
Review: IF you have very few time to actually sit down and read a good book, then skip this one. It was good, but not great. I agree with the comments listed. If you love this author then you may love this book, as it seems to be on level with the only other one I've read. However, if you are looking for a great regency book to fix your craving try something else like Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn or Jacqui D'Alessandro.
Rating:
Summary: Sexy, Fun, and Heartwarming
Review: In Rules of Engagement, Kathryn Caskie weaves a wonderful tale of romance as Magnus and Eliza fall in love against their better judgement and against thier very futures. Set in Regency England, the couple makes new rules for witty fun and delicious love as they try and out-manuever two determined aunts who are using military strategy to bring them together. An Engaging read you don't want to miss!
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