Overruled

The Legal Briefs #1

by Emma Chase

Emma Chase, New York Times bestselling author of the Tangled Series, returns with the first installment of the Legal Briefs Series.

As a DC defense attorney, Stanton Shaw keeps his head cool, his questions sharp, and his arguments irrefutable. They don’t call him the Jury Charmer for nothing – with his southern drawl, disarming smile and captivating green eyes – he’s a hard man to say no to. Men want to be him and women want to be thoroughly cross examined by him.

Stanton’s a man with a plan. And for a while, life was going according to that plan.

Until the day he receives an invitation to the wedding of his high school sweetheart and mother of his beloved ten-year old daughter. Jenny is getting married — to someone who isn’t him.

That's definitely not part of the plan.
***

Sofia Santos is a city raised, no-nonsense litigator who plans to become the most revered criminal defense attorney in the country. She doesn’t have time for relationships or distractions.

But when Stanton, her "friend with mind-blowing benefits" begs for help, she finds herself out of her element, out of her depth, and obviously out of her mind. Because she agrees to go with him – to The-Middle-Of-Nowhere, Mississippi – to do all she can to help Stanton win back the woman he loves.

Her head tells her she's crazy...and her heart says something else entirely.
***

What happens when you mix a one stop-light town, two professional arguers, a homecoming queen, four big brothers, some Jimmy Dean sausage and a gun-toting Nana?

The Bourbon flows, passions rise and even the best laid plans get overruled by the desires of the heart.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Friends To Lovers, Adult, New Adult

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 28, 2015

About the author

Emma Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romance filled with humor, heat and heart. Her books have been published in over 20 languages and the film adaptation of Tangled, Emma's iconic enemies-to-lovers rom-com, was recently released by Passionflix.
Emma lives happily-ever-after in New Jersey with her husband, two children, and two adorable, misbehaving dogs.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was what I wanted to do every time Stanton opened his idiot mouth...



Don't get me wrong, I normally love a snarky jackass (married one!), but this guy was not endearing in any way to me. He was horrible. HORRIBLE. I can't even...horrible!
And maybe he didn't mean to be such a douchebag, but if that was the case then he's got to be one of the stupidest people on the face of the earth...and I still want to slap the shit out of him.



So the gist is that when Stanton was in his senior year of high school he got his girlfriend, Jenny, pregnant. He loved her and was willing to stay in Mississippi and get married, but she sent him off to college to go after his dreams - while she raised their daughter. Now, it was her idea that they have an open relationship, but at the same time they decided that their hearts would always belong to each other, he would visit as often as he could, and they would eventually get married.



Fast forward 10 years and Stanton is an attorney in DC, living the life of a wild bachelor and enjoying a steamy Friends With Benefits relationship with his hot co-worker, Sofia.



But everyone, including Sofia, knows that Jenny is the love of his life. So when he learns that Jenny is planning to get married he hops in a car (with Sofia in tow as his advisor) and rushes off to stop the wedding.
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!
Ok. Ok.
Maybe that sounds like a man who is just confused by life or something, but it grated on my nerves that this fucktard thought Jenny was just going to forever be content to wait for him to get done with whatever he felt he needed to do! Are you fucking kidding me with this shit?!
And Sofia was just as bad! Sweet baby Jesus, she was actually helping the man she loved try to win over the woman (he thought) he loved while...wait for it, wait for it...still sucking his dick!
Ahhhhhhh!



If he thought he loved Jenny then he would have immediately stopped trying to fuck Sofia.
The End.
There was honestly no justification for their sexcapades after he decided to go home and win his first love back. NONE. I could have forgiven him for all the screwing around he did before because they had agreed on that sort of relationship. But after?
Go fuck yourself, you prick!

Emma Chase is a fantastic romance writer, and this was (while annoying) an easy book to fly through because of that incredible talent. Because of that I can't bring myself to one star this book.
I'd say Chase's real forte is creating selfish/narcissistic a-holes that I can't help but fall in love with.
Except Stanton.
I hate Stanton.
Oh. My. God. I hate Stanton!

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars!



Overruled is book one in Emma Chase’s new Legal Briefs series. Funny, witty, sexy, this one had it all. I loved how the story started out in the past and moved forward with the main character. I also loved that it was written in dual p.o.v., because Emma Chase writes the male perspective perfectly. Stanton’s p.o.v. was flawless. And I loved Sofia’s as well.

The story starts out with two high school sweethearts. Stanton and Jenny. They are close to graduation and Stanton has big plans. He’s getting out of Mississippi and going to an Ivy League school. He’s going to be an attorney. Jenny was always part of the plan. He loves her.

She’s more than just my first kiss- my first everything. Jenny’s my best friend. And I’m hers.

Then she gets pregnant and everything changes. But lots still stays the same. Stanton still loves Jenny. At her insistence, he leaves Jenny and baby behind and goes to law school. They have an open relationship of sorts (once again, at Jenny’s insistence). Ten years later, and Stanton is in DC as an attorney and Jenny and Presley (their daughter) are still in Mississippi. Stanton sees them when he can, he’s a great dad. He keeps in constant contact with his daughter. He’s also an amazing attorney and all around good man.



Sofia Santos is an attorney where Stanton works. She is his ‘friend with benefits’. It works for them both. Sofia is career driven and not looking for a relationship. Stanton’s heart is unavailable, but his needs still need to be met. It’s a win-win for them both. They are a great team and have amazing chemistry. Then Stanton gets a piece of mail he never expected getting. Jenny- his Jenny- is marrying someone else.

Stanton is on a mission to go to Mississippi and get his girl back. But his head isn’t on straight. He needs someone with him that will keep him in check. There is where Sofia comes in. She agrees to go with him to get the woman he loves back. And in the process, releases that she may have more feelings for Stanton than she thought…



I liked this book so much. So why not 5 stars for me? Well this guy brings his friend/hook up to win back the woman he loves…. And I’m supposed to be okay with this? Surprisingly, for the most part I was. And I think most readers will be as well. I do wish that It wouldn’t have taken over 75% of the book for him to really realize that he had feelings for Sofia and the love he felt for Jenny wasn’t an ‘in love’ thing.. Overall, it wasn’t a deal breaker and didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the book as a whole. It just didn’t give me those 5 star feels that I love so much. Still, this was a highly entertaining solid 3-3.5 star read for me.

I loved both Stanton and Sofia’s characters. I loved how driven Sofia is, how funny Stanton is, and how even though there is a third party, she’s not the enemy. There really was no ‘bad guy’ in this story and it was refreshing.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you swoon, laugh out loud, and make your panties melt, this is one you should pick up asap! I can’t wait to read the next 2 books in this series! I love the other men that Emma has introduced!

“You’re my heart, so wherever you are, I’m home.”

[Geri Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 last love stars!

Just based on the blurb, I know this book would be for me. Yes, yes. I am one of those readers that like the sort unrequited love, slow-burning, hero is emotionally unavailable trope.
And I am not even so sorry because this book ticks every single one of those things for me.

Young love is strong. First love is powerful. But what you don't know when you're young—what you can't know—is how long life actually is. And the only dependable thing about it, besides death and taxes, is change.

Stanton Shaw is an ambitious, up-and-coming DC lawyer who has been in love (or so he thinks) with his high school sweetheart forever. They have a daughter together but they don't live together and they didn't even get married. What they had was a convenient arrangement and shared parenting responsibilities.
Sofia Santos is also an ambitious, up-and-coming DC lawyer who works with Stanton and has a FWB (friends with benefits) arrangement with him. Their chemistry is explosive. Plus, they like each other as friends and respect each other as colleagues. There were no spoken rules to their arrangement. Both of them know exactly what those benefits are and they make no apologies for it.

Then Stanton finds out that his high school sweetheart is getting married and worst of all, she's not getting married to him but to another guy. So Stanton sets out to "storm the castle" and win back his lady with the help of none other than Sofia. It's kinda hard to explain it but their mutual respect and friendship made Sofia the most viable choice as wingman for Stanton but it also brought a lot of complication.

Characters
Stanton is the quintessential Chase hero. Good-looking, confident, arrogant and honest to a fault. And oh, stubborn. Really stubborn. I've always loved the way this author writes his heroes because they don't always behave themselves. And some of the things they say are just—face-palm worthy it always comes from an honest place.

Stanton, I liked very much but it was Sofia whom I loved. I was glad Emma Chase gave us her POV because it allowed readers to get inside her head, making us privy to her thoughts and motivations. But yes, I love her take-no-prisoner attitude, her vulnerability and loyalty not just to Stanton but to her friends as well.

He turns to me with open arms—expecting a hug of course.
Because I have a vagina.
And like so many, he functions under the belief that penesis shake hands, vaginas hug.

Kudos to Emma Chase for writing a career driven woman without making her into a caricature. She owned her ambitions and her sexuality. If this had been any other book, Sofia could easily well be the other woman whose sole purpose was to make the life of the heroine a living hell. I've met a lot of Sofia's in my years of reading romance; they're the girls/women that the hero distracts himself with, while waiting for his twu luv. And I just love how Emma Chase succeeded in subverting that trope. Sofia could have easily been the villainous OW in this story but she's not.

Not to say that Jenny (Stanton's HS sweetheart) was because she definitely was not the villain either. She had layers to her and I understood why she made those choices. All of them have some irritating qualities, but it's those qualities that made them all the more endearing to me. I wanted to hate Jenny. Not gonna lie. It would have been too easy to paint her as a shrew who lets go of Stanton because it was convenient but I can't. Again, Emma Chase steered clear of those conventions and found a way to make them, if not likable, relatable.

That said…
I truly understand why this book might not be for all romance readers out there. There are parts that weren't easy to read, parts that truly broke my heart. Parts that almost drove me to hit Stanton upside in the head. It definitely won't be comfortable because most of us operate on an ideal that our hero is supposed to fall at the heroine's feet in worship the moment he meets her and he'll immediately be sure of his feelings. First loves trumps all but this book subverts that very idea. And I loved it. It's a less than ideal and complicated love story but no less romantic, IMO. So I'm going to put myself out there and recommend this one.

My only minor hiccup was that I really, really want more of Sofia and Stanton all loved up. That ending felt rushed to me even with the long-ass epilogue. I simply wanted more, not because I wasn't convince of their HEA but simply because I want to read about Stanton getting googly eyed at Sofia. Maybe some bonus scenes for them, Ms. Chase?

ARC provided by the Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review!

New Emma Chase book?

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



Judging from the blurb, this sounds very different from Tangled.



Can't wait!

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****FIVE STARS*****


There comes a time in every man's life when he takes a good, long look at himself and admits he's been an asshole. A self-centered prick.
This is my asshole moment. Forsaken by the woman I love. The infuriatingly beautiful girl I have no intention of living without.








I absolutely fell madly in love with this story. This is definitely not for everyone. Some might consider it to be a story with cheating involved, but I didn't see it that way, and neither did Drew Evans!! It was fun getting to spend a little extra time with Drew. He's only in the book for a short while but he actually is the one who sets our Hero on a different path. A path that takes him away from his hometown of Sunshine, Mississippi.



Stanton Shaw, during his senior year of high school, knocks up his childhood best friend and sweetheart, Jenny Monroe. He's prepared to change his plans of going off to NYC to attend Columbia University to stay home and marry his girl. Jenny refuses to be the one to hold him back. She convinces him to go off and get the better education so that he'll be able to provide for his little family. So she stays home where she has the help of her family and Stanton's and he goes off to New York City.



Here's where we get some more of Drew Evans. Drew ends up being Stanton's Fraternity Brother at Columbia University. He's also like the little devil on Stanton's shoulder. Even though Stanton and Jenny agree to have an open relationship while they are apart, he hasn't made any moves on other women. Till Drew convinces him to sow his oats. He does go back home during holidays and breaks. Stanton and Jenny are able to keep their relationship going that way but the college years end after a few chapters and then we are brought TEN YEARS into the future!!! Guess what? Stanton is now living in D.C. and Jenny & Presley are still living back in Mississippi!! My heart just about dropped!! I nearly started to cry! I had hoped that Stanton was reunited with Jenny and his little girl.




Ten years later, Stanton is a very successful Defense attorney and he's working at a huge law firm. He's also got a beautiful co-worker that he has a friends with benefits relationship with!! As soon as Sofia is introduced into the story, I immediately despised her. This woman was interfering with the HEA I was hoping for between Stanton and his first love, who also is the mother of his child.




As I read on, I started to really like Sofia. She's an amazing character! My heart was going out to her. I could see that even though she holds firm to her beliefs that what they have is purely physical and that their friendship is what really matters, deep down she's falling for him. But Stanton always claims Jenny is his girl. He sounds like a douche right? I mean he is. I can't deny it, but I could see that he mainly was a DUMB ASS!! He has not a fucking clue of what he really wants or what is going on right in front of his face.



I loved Stanton. I know, I'm a sucker and I admit it. Most women will find it hard not to hate him. I just knew that in his delusional mind he didn't see that what he was doing was wrong. Believe it or not, his heart was in the right place. This story had my stomach twisting with all the angst. At first I wanted him with Jenny and then I was rooting 100% for Sofia!! How amazing is Emma Chase that she could get us readers to actually love who would be considered the other woman. Technically she wasn't but some could construe her that way.




Yesterday I was dying to get back to this book and I just couldn't stop reading till I got to the very end!! This story had me so consumed and many times I was yelling at Stanton but in the end everything turns out the way it was meant to and I couldn't be any happier!! I think Ms Chase has another hit series on her hands here!!

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

LIVE-> http://amzn.to/1Cr5owQ

Emma Chase has the intriguing ability to portray the male psyche. In her last series ‘Tangled’ she gave us the very amusing Drew Evans pov. In this new series ‘The Legal Briefs’ her first book is about Stanton. I was amused by Stanton’s thought process too.

Beyond the fun of having the pov of Stanton I loved all the movie and song references. At one point I thought, “I should be keeping track of how many I noticed.” It was almost like a treasure hunt trying to see how many I could figure out. Some were obvious because they told you which movie it was from but others were subtle. Like this one, “I’m Holding Out for a Hero” song comes on right before a big race takes place in the book. Well, duh...that’s from the movie “Footloose” (circa 1984). If you were a child of the ‘80s you'll know all the music and scenes from the movies. ♥



Stanton’s story starts in a small one street light Southern town. Everyone knows your business and has no qualms about giving you their advice. The hometown can't hold Stanton because he's destined for greatness. Even though, he leaves it behind he does have a very strong tie to it. His heart is there.

After college Stanton gets a job in a New York City firm as a criminal defense attorney aka a professional arguer. He has a casual friends with benefits type relationship with his co-worker, Sofia . The author does a great job with Sofia’s pov. She's a strong female character that is good at putting Stanton in his place. A meek mouse she is not but instead a level-headed, supportive counterpart for Stanton.



I really enjoyed this sexy book. And can't wait for the upcoming books. Ms. Chase has the market on writing the male's pov.

✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
RELEASE DATE: April 24, 2015
pre-order | order: http://amzn.to/1Cr5owQ

SERIES:


GIVEAWAY: Paperback copy.
Find info here-> http://wp.me/p4uAPW-1fZ

**Complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

[Nina Bocci · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD! WAIT UNTIL YOU MEET STANTON! If you thought Drew Evans was a sexy beast of an Alpha. Stanton is going to knock you on your ass, flip you over and drive the Alpha home.

Is that dirty?

I'm lucky. I admit it. I get to read AMAZING books before a lot of people and then torture you with details. This will be another one of those posts.

Great googly moogly, this book! Just when I think Emma can't get any better, she slaps me in the ass and proves me wrong.

A+ Emma.

[Emma Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginning a new series has been both thrilling and terrifying. Thrilling because there are new characters to fall in love with, new places to explore, new storylines to lose myself in. Terrifying because...well...one word - new. It's something different, a change. A quieting of the character I already love and know so well.
As the first pages of Overruled turned into chapters, I came to know the characters of the Legal Briefs Series - their voices, their quirks, humor, sexy banter and strengths. And now I can say, without a doubt, that I love them just as much as the Tangled gang.
I hope it will be the same for all of you. That this story will make you smile, provide a happy escape and give you that special thrill we all crave when reading - that the path of love is rocky and hilarious - but always worth it in the end.
All my best,
Emma
xoxo

[S.M. West · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "omne trium perfectum" STARS

DAMN that was GOOD!!



I loved every single word and moment of this read!!


This story is about criminal defense attorney, Stanton Shaw and his colleague/“friend with benefits,” Sofia Santos.



Ms. Chase says it best in setting up this tale:

“What happens when you mix a one-stop-light town, two professional arguers, a homecoming queen, four big brothers, some Jimmy Dean sausage, and a gun-Nana?



Yes, it’s all that hilarity and more!! At the core, this is a tale of love...

“Young love is strong. First love is powerful.”


It’s hard to fight nostalgia and some of your most memorable and gratifying firsts. Moments in your life that have shaped you and what you believe, want and what drives you. This book takes you on that journey and explores many facets of love’s bounty and how without our conscious knowledge, relationships can morph in and out of love and also into different kinds of love.





I’d like to interrupt this regularly scheduled review to thank Ms. Chase for the few cameo appearances and references to Drew Evans... “is like no one I’ve ever known. It’s as if there’s a spotlight on him that never dims…”
Emma...


There’s a connection between Drew and Stanton (which I won’t spoil) that also explains why Stanton has some of Drew’s traits (or really, any man’s traits). For instance,as much as I loved Stanton, there were moments where I seriously wanted to…


This tale could have gotten real ugly and gone down some predictable paths filled with rage, jealousy and angst but it didn’t. Thank you, Emma! And while there were laughs and levity, there was also a maturity about it even with how whacked the situation was. And yes, there were some sad and bittersweet moments but overall, a fun, sexy and sassy read.



I’d highly recommend this book. For those first time readers of Ms. Chase, this will give you a flavour for how witty, entertaining and gifted this writer is with her original stories, so hot, sexy and memorable heros and take-no-prisoner heroines. And to all you Drew Evans lovers out there, you MUST READ THIS BOOK!



Thank you, Emma. MUAH!


Guest reviewer for SlutSistas Book Blog. For more reviews and blog posts.

[KathyAnne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm really disappointed that I didn't like this... :(
I don't know... I just didn't like any of these characters...

Stanton - Man-boy womanizer who uses the women in his life he cares about for personal booty calls! Maybe he convinced himself he wasn't cheating but that's exactly what he was doing.
Sofia - doormat
Jenny - doormat

Y'all know I can't tolerate a doormat or a cheater! :)

The part that bugged me the most:

Stanton and Jenny have an agreement that whatever he does in D.C. never gets talked about and when he is at home with her in Mississippi for visits they only belong to each other. So, yeah... he is a major womanizer in D.C. and justifies his actions because she said it was okay. This goes on for 10 years... really?? Why?? She finally decides to get married to a more stable man and he runs back home to make her change her mind because she belongs to "him". Arrogant much Stanton?? He brings his "friends with benefits" girlfriend Sofia with him! When they get there he runs over to Jenny to try to talk her out of marrying this guy and then goes home and promptly beds Sofia. I'm sorry but this pissed me off pretty badly. I do applaud Jenny for moving on... FINALLY... but, I just couldn't understand what was so great about this guy that two women would allow themselves to be his personal doormat. I was done after that scene...

I did like the small town Mississippi setting and humor and I loved Grannie... she was the smartest one in the bunch because she saw Stanton for what he was and called him the Devil. **smirk**

I was looking forward to this new series but based on how it's started I'm pretty sure I'll be passing on future installments.

Oh well... moving on...

ARC was provided by the publisher via netgalley

[Catarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Unsure Stars.

Stanton and Sofia are work colleagues and friends-with-benefits. Everything works perfectly fine between them as it is. Until Stanton ex-girlfriend and mother of his daughter, Jenny, tells him she is getting married, and Stanton with the idea that one day they would get together again, decides it’s time to go to the South and get her back. He asks Sofia to accompany him. What he doesn’t know is that Sofia is in love with him, and what he isn’t able to see is that sometimes feelings change, and people change, life keeps going and some things are best in the past because they wouldn’t work in the present. If only he could realize that in time…



This another book I’m giving a 3,5 stars rating because I loved the end. (They seem to be a lot of them, these days.) The last 20 % were amazing and made me really enjoy the story. If the issues that led to those 20% were resolved a little sooner, this would be an amazing reading. Unfortunately, for a long part of the book I just felt frustrated and without understand of why the hero didn’t see what were right on front of him. Luckily for him, he did good groveling, otherwise this rating would be certainly lower.
This is an angsty, emotional and sweet story that show us the strange power first love has over us. This also show us that despite being a love we’ll remember forever, it isn’t the most important one, at least not important as the last. Even frustrated with the heroes and sometimes with the direction of the story, I could relate with some aspects of the story, the most important being that we never have all the answers, and we sometimes can’t see what’s best for us. Even when we’re adults and we supposed to know all the answers. Kudos for Emma for creating an involving story, where either the protagonists could be the bad guy or the good person… and neither of them was. They were just adults trying to do what they think it was best. Will I read the next books? Well, obviously.




Rating: 3,5 Stars.
Characters Development: I have to congratulate Emma in her ability to create a man’s POV. Nobody does it better than her. Stanton was frustrating, was childish at times… but damn if we wasn’t completely honest and always did what he think it was correct. Only for that it was impossible not to like him. I loved Sofia, she was hurt because she was willingly in that situation, but she was so selfless and supportive that I loved her either way. Jenny, damn I really wanted to hate her. But I couldn’t. She was a sweet girl that moved on with life and ended up in a situation she didn’t ask for.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects: No.
Love Triangle: Despite the hero believing that we wants his ex-girlfriend, there isn’t really a love triangle.
Cheating: No.
HEA: Yes.

[Pearl Angeli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars!

Emma Chase once again managed to crack me up with her hilarious, sexy, and witty characters and her delicious writing style. Buuuut I wasn't fully invested for most of the story. Maybe because Stanton was too much of a jerk and insensitive all throughout the book?

So the story is all about two lawyers Stanton Shaw and Sofia Santos. Stanton is a man from a town in Mississippi called Sunshine so basically we can expect some sexy Southern drawl going on. He's the High School golden boy. A football star, honor student, and a guy girls wanted to have and boys wanted to be. His life changed when his childhood sweetheart, Jenny, got pregnant of his child. They raised their baby together but when he got to College to study law, they both agreed to have an open relationship. Ten years later, he's already a successful lawyer with a glorious career and a fantastic fuck buddy named Sofia who's also a lawyer. Everything was going well and smooth, until he was notified that Jenny is going to get married to someone else.

This book was light but there was also enough angst to keep the story emotionally-driven. I especially loved Sofia's character. She's a nice person. No dramas and no annoying traits. We could be friends! I just didn't like Stanton that much. Alright, I initially swooned over him because he's too hot and who doesn't love hot and smart guys? But I just hated how he handled some situations here. He was supposed to let Jenny go because aren't they already wasting so much time fooling themselves and believing that they could create a future together when basically, they're on the opposite sides in all aspects in life? And to think that Stanton was having so much fun fooling around women while Jenny was waiting for him to propose? Ugh.

Anyways, this was still an enjoyable read thanks to the author's engaging writing that was filled with humor. I loved the law concept and how the story also focused on the life of the rural area. I also loved the family aspect. It was nice getting to know the people around Sunshine. I've heard that the next book (Jake's story) is so much better, so I'm going to read it next! :) Wish me luck!

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I absolutely loved this read. When I started Overruled I had just told my bestie I was looking for a certain type of book, but couldn’t even describe it. I love Emma Chase and decided to jump in. I am so glad I did. This story was absolute perfection.

The story begins with us meeting a young Stanton and Jenny. They have just learned they are having a child unexpectedly. While they are very in love and plan to spend the rest of their lives together the timing is completely off as they are still in high school. Stanton is supposed to leave for Columbia and Jenny has plans to become a nurse. Despite all their obstacles they decide to stick it out and try a long distance relationship. As time goes on the distance becomes too much and they decide to have an open relationship.

The story then picks up ten years later. Stanton is working at a high profile law firm in Washington, D.C. His life is right on track, he is happy. Jenny and Stanton are together when comes into town and they raise their daughter together, but they both have relationships outside each other. Stanton never looking for anything serious has been sleeping with his coworker Sophia. This friends with benefits relationship fits their lives perfectly, but how long until it all falls apart.

We all know what happens when we play with matches-but I will not get burned. I’m like…the hand that passes through the flame of the candle without getting burned. I’m fireproof.

Things unravel rather quickly when Stanton learns Jenny is getting married. This isn’t a part of the plan and he is a planner. He is used to getting his way and refuses to go down without a fight. With his plan in place he decides to go back to Mississippi, he only needs one thing: Sophia to accompany him.



Sophia is a smart girl, she the only girl amongst her brothers and she understands what men want. She knows their relationship is strictly physical, but that doesn’t stop her heart from falling for Stanton. Now he wants her to go help him fight for “his girl.” Torn about what to do, she decides to be his friend first and decides to go help.

Sex with Stanton is exhilarating; working beside him is a privilege. But loving him…that just hurts.

Oh boy, I loved where things went from here. I won’t lie I was a nervous freaking wreck, but from here things really took off. I love the time they spent together and the discoveries made about each other. These two weren’t planning on falling in love, it was just physical, but their respect for each other and their friendship helped things progress into more.



This story is a super quick read and honestly left me wanting more. Not because it is incomplete, but because I was craving more of Emma’s writing style. She writes a flawless love story, with the perfect amount of comedy, sexiness and angst. The characters were developed perfectly and I could feel their emotions.

Because I want him to fight for me. More than anything. For him to want me – not just as a friend or a lover. But as his forever.

If you haven’t read Emma’s writing before you are missing out. Saying I recommend her books and especially this story is a HUGE understatement. I have recommended Overruled to anyone who will listen. I even went and purchased the paperback early. Emma’s writing makes reading fun. She provides comic relief without going overboard. I will read anything she writes and cannot wait for more in the Legal Briefs Series.



Overruled is a standalone. The other stories in the series will focus on other characters.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Overruled
Series: Legal Briefs, #1
Author: Emma Chase
Release date: 28th April, 2015
Rating: 4 "darlin" stars
Cliffhanger: No
HEA: Yes





How I do love a male POV from Emma Chase. On this occasion we are treated to the Stanton Shaw experience. Stanton is a Washington, DC, defense attorney; ambitious and hella sexy country boy at heart. But don't think Stanton steals the show, oh no. We have Sofia flying the flag for the females. Sofia is Stanton's fellow colleague; plain talking litigator with high ambitions and respected friend, with added benefits.



Their dynamic and chemistry were off the charts and this would be a straight forward set up, say oh; if not for the fact that Stanton hadn't just received word his high school sweetheart and mother of his ten year old daughter, Jenny is getting married. Enlisting the help of level headed Sofia, they head to Mississippi on a mission to win Jenny back.



At face value it's a bizarre situation to say the least. Why would Sofia continue on with their arrangement given Stanton's intentions? Why the heck couldn't Stanton see Sofia's feelings were more than platonic? Luckily my frustrations quickly melted away and it was so easy to fall into the wonderful mess of it all.



Overruled was a great reading experience. It was funny, sweet and steamy! Let's talk about the steam people! This was HOT! This country come city boy has skills. We are also treated to a cameo from Drew, which is always a good thing but Emma Chase does such a great job with building Stanton's character that it's an added bonus rather than a distraction.

My interest in this series is far from brief and I'm more than looking forward to my next court date.



FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

[Katerina · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The whole world is a court case… and we're all... defendants.”

I will keep this review short because my sister is standing next to me demanding my attention and singing with her awful voice Christmas songs,so you will excuse me but self-preservation prevails.



The Defense
-Emma Chase's writing.I had a blast reading Overruled!An easy and light read with lots of laughter and steam that makes your panties spontaneously combust,hot characters and an interesting storyline that helps you forget that you'll die alone with your 72 cats that will eat your corpse!In the end,you'll be needing to wipe your mouth and a cold shower to bring you back to reality,aka a Saturday night you spent living vicariously through others and watching Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus.

-The secondary characters.I loved the defense attorneys' squad (next book's about Jake and man he's so hot and uptight that I know I'll have a great time reading about him!) and the community of Middle-of-Nowhere,Mississippi,the family members and their interactions with Stanton and Sofia!And Presley was an adorable girl!Each and everyone of them added to the story and made it more interesting and compelling!
-Boom!You've been lawyered.Jury,verdicts and some badass closing arguments that caused me an adrenaline rush and an urge to put on fancy clothes and be awesome,but then I remembered that I haven't passed my bar examinations yet and this is my life

So unfair.

The Prosecution
-I couldn't connect with the characters.I laughed,I blushed,I swooned but I didn't feel.While I liked Sofia and Stanton as a couple,I wasn't affected by their story the way I usually do (meaning I didn't fall in love and believe me when I say,when it comes to books it is not that difficult).I enjoyed their story,but I stopped thinking about it as soon as I finished the book.

-Stanton's stupidity.I don't know what else to call it.Because no one can be that ignorant.Who wants to sabotage his first love's marriage and takes with him his friend/co-worker/fuck buddy without even thinking that there's a possibility he'll hurt her?

It's true that I like jerks in NA romances,but they usually choose to be jerks for a variety of reasons,whereas Stanton was a jerk without realising it.And the way he treated Jenny,stating that's she's making a mistake and insisting to cancel the wedding?Who the hell do you think you are man?Just a self-centered possessive asshole!A hot asshole,who could be really sweet,but an asshole nonetheless.

Well it wasn't a short review after all.

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

LIVE - http://amzn.to/18H1pDI

4 Hello Mr. Stanton Stars

Overruled is a standalone novel and is the first book in The Legal Briefs series.

YAY! It’s an Emma Chase novel! **Jumps for joy**. I love Emma!

Things I loved:

- Short and sweet Check

- Lawyer theme Check

- Steamy Check

- No Flashbacks! Check

Stanton isn’t your typical hero. He’s not lovable and he has major character flaws. Doesn’t that spark your interest? I know it does.

Overruled starts in the beginning, when Stanton is in high school. Stanton and his girlfriend, Jenny, get pregnant. Stanton has a full-ride in law school across the country. He wants to give it all up to help Jenny raise the baby. Jenny refuses to let Stanton give up his hopes and dreams and forces him to go and make something of himself.

Stanton tries to be in his daughter’s life as much as possible, with visits and phone calls. But Jenny and Stanton decide to have an open relationship.

Ten years later Stanton is still in New York.

The beginning totally blew me away. I kept on asking myself if Jenny was going to have a huge role in the novel. I’m always cautious reading where an ex-girlfriend is involved, especially one with major history with the Hero. This one will make you nervous, but you will be okay. I promise. I was.

Sofia is the sexy co-worker. She is the yin to Stanton’s yang. Stanton and Sofia work great together and after a few late nights they decide to start a fling. Both are keeping it light. For one Stanton has ties to his past and Sofia isn’t going to be the silly girl that falls head over heels over a guy.

I love love love Sofia. She is so strong, successful and I completely felt for her. She is also sassy and confident. Sofia has no plans in messing up whatever Stanton has going on with jenny.

Stanton gets an invite to go back home and begs Sofia to come back home with him. < --- sounds fishy? Right? Well, it kind of is. I told you Stanton isn’t your perfect Hero, but somehow it makes me crave him more.

Sofia is there to be strong and help support Stanton. She’s more a crutch and I totally felt Sofia’s inner monologues. She struggles with her feelings with Stanton, but she also respects the situation. She’s in a hard place and I was on edge reading it.

So, you have the ex, the anit-Hero and the side-fling, it makes for one drama-angst-tension filled read. It’s a complete Emma Chase novel.

The thing that really worked for me is the pace. Overruled read fast and easy. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I also was on edge a few times, never knowing how Stanton would act and never knowing how Sofia would react.

Oh and don’t worry, there’s Drew in there a few times. I enjoyed those parts very much.

If you are an Emma Chase fan, then you will not be disappointed!



AN ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review

AMAZON

[Nikki]

DNF @ 33%

Oh boy, I gotta bail. Let's say..


Stanton and Jenny are high school sweethearts and she finds out she is pregnant right before they are headed off to college. She wants Stanton to go onto college while she stays home to raise their kid so of course he goes. She also suggests they have an "open" relationship while they are apart but you know she probably really doesn't want that right? So of course he goes and turns into an STD waiting to happen.

I just can't wrap my arms around that, I can't let it go and just enjoy the book for what it is. We all have read plenty of stories where the guy doesn't know he has a kid, whores out, and then comes back for the heroine. This dude doesn't even do that cause the story jumps ahead 10 years and nothing has changed, except now he is a hot shot lawyer.

Personally, I can't swoon over a dude that is gone for 10 years living it up while his baby mamma is at home raising their kid. I gleamed when he comes home to visit, what like every year, he screws his baby mamma then goes back to the city to bone the hoes. Yeah, not swoon-worthy for me.

When you fast fwd the 10 years, you meet Sofia and this is his regular booty call, who of course, you can tell probably really likes him. Why I have no clue?

But then Stanton gets a wedding invitation in the mail, a wedding invitation for Jenny. And he is really upset...that's when I called it. My 1st thought was, how would he not know that Jenny was seeing someone if he had any sort of relationship with his kid? Maybe I am off base, maybe there is more to it, but I just know this ain't my cuppa. Especially cause the dude wants to win her back. If he wanted her back so bad, why wait 10 years?


Cuz ya...



Fini :-(

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★ 4.5 Stars ★★★★

Now LIVE!
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1QE2YEF
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1GrXe8V



Emma Chase does it again! I loved this book and I am already gagging for the next 2 in this series which focuses on 3 defence attorneys, Stanton, Jake & Brent. Overruled is Stanton's story.

Stanton Shaw is a southern boy from Sunshine, Mississippi who is working in DC as a lawyer to make a good life for his girls, high school sweetheart Jenny and his daughter, Presley.

At Jenny's insistence, Stanton left them behind to pursue his career goals, and for 10 years they have had an arrangement that allows them to see other people, but when they are together they revert back to the friends and lovers that they always have been.

When Jenny drops the bombshell that she is getting married, Stanton is thrown off course and when his insists on going back home to claim his girl, he takes his co-worker, friend and current lover, Sofia with him.

"That girl's as stubborn as a whole pack of mules. You can help keep me calm - focused - just like we do in court."

Sofia is a striking Brazilian beauty, who Stanton is in awe of both inside and outside the courtroom and when she agrees to help him she is obviously deluding herself if she thinks that she isn't going to get hurt in the process. She is a tough and independent woman, but even the strongest of women can't keep the walls up for long when a sexy southern charmer infiltrates her defences.



When Stanton and Sofia come together, they are a scorching inferno of lust and longing and holy shit, it was HOT!
_ _ _ _

I am a massive fan of the slow burn, where the hero is blind to the fact that he is in love. I adore watching it unfold, and if I'm honest this one hurt a bit, it was painful to see him blind for his love for Sofia and continue to try and win back the woman who he grew up with and with whom he shares a child with.

So many times, I wanted to punch him in the nuts. But saying that, all three of the characters were very likeable, even Jenny who you want to dislike but can't.

Emma Chase writes the male POV really well, and adds just the right amount of wit to balance out the angst. My only complaint was the ending! It felt rushed and maybe I'm being greedy but I wanted a bit more of Stanton & Sofia as a couple. Overall though, it was a solid read and I enjoyed every minute.

This is a standalone read, told in dual POV.
The series continues with Jake's story in Sustained and Brent's story in Appealed.

ARC gratefully received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Vintage · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sustained was a pretty good read. I liked the secondary characters so decided to give this a try.

Cussing ensues!

Are you fucking kidding me? The hero, a term that could be used loosely, is sex on wheels. Yes, he is. Emma Chase writes exciting, seductive heroes and Stanton definitely falls in this category. Too bad he is an amoral asshole who wants his cake and fuck it too. Sorry. I am angry.

He gets his high school sweetheart pregnant, is there for her, but they decide not to get married as he has to go get his law degree in New York. The girlfriend says they should keep things open, and boy does he. Ten years later Stanton is in a friends with benefit aka fuck-buddy relationship with Sofia, another attorney at his firm, but still keeps things open with the mother of his daughter.

He finds out that his ex is planning on getting married so he takes Sofia (she of the fuck-buddy relationship) and goes back to get his ex back. Sofia actually goes. Stanton and Sofia have sex as much as possible while he tries to manipulate Jenny back into his life.

I am done.
Is this supposed to be charming? Who does this kind of crap?

[XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I liked how Stanton and Sofia, our MCs, were together and they were scorching hot indeed, the story was almost entirely about Stanton's pursuit of another woman. He and Jenny, his high school sweetheart and baby momma, were on and off again. She is getting married and Stanton is not ok with that. So he goes to Mississippi to get her back. But he brings along his current friend with benefits, Sofia. I think for me, it's this that pushes it into dislike territory for me. If they had been something before, I think I could've been ok but when she is your CURRENT FB, you're being a complete douche to both her AND the woman you hope to win by bringing her. Stanton is very much a guy who wants his cake and to eat it too. I get it. What sucks is that when he's in this Sophia/Stanton bubble, he's charming, sexy, caring, fun. Did I mention sexy? Needless to say, there are lots of VERY exciting **ahem** love scenes between these two. So I'm firmly in the middle because I hate him in some ways but I love him in others. Damn men. Lol The story has its funny parts. Jenny's grandma is a hoot. I love Stanton's daughter and JD's integrity. It was a good story if it wasn't for that invisible line drawn in my sand. It is probably ok for a lot of folks as the popularity of the book suggests, but I just couldn't quite fully accept it. Safety: h is the OW technically speaking as Stanton and Jenny never officially broke it off and just seemed to change the dynamics. If you want to switch up logic then Jenny is the OW and Stanton is pursuing her while in an arrangement with Sophia. Either way you slice it, there is an OW. No OM. No sharing. Neither are Vs. No rape/abuse.

[ily · Rating 2 out of 5]

There comes a time in every man’s life when he takes a good, long look at himself and admits he’s been an asshole. A self-centered prick.

You, dear friend, you've been a total jerk.

Mine. I want to shout, write it on the wall—tattoo it on Jenny’s forehead in all capital letters.

Plus, the way I see it, Sofia has nothing to do with Jenny—they’re like two completely different rooms. Buildings, even. Like a barn and a house. Both important but unconnected, serving totally separate purposes.

Because there's nothing sexier than comparing women to buildings, duh.


Ways you can talk your high school sweetheart out of marrying someone who isn't you:

a) Take your friend-with-benefits with you to advice you on "women stuff".

b) Continue on having sex with such friend because you haven't convinced the love of your life to marry you instead, so why not have a little fun then? It's not like you're trying to show you're ready to settle down or something.

c) Kiss the soon bride-to-be, causing the rupture of her engagement.

d) Be an asshole.

Another letdown for me.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[warhawke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overruled is now LIVE!!

Amazon:http://amzn.com/B00MK394JI
B&N: http://goo.gl/nVR5hB
iBooks: http://goo.gl/CLKdj2



Type: Standalone book 1 of The Legal Briefs series
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.




Stanton Shaw was a hot shot criminal defense lawyer in DC. He had his whole life in line with professional life until an unexpected wedding invitation from his high school sweetheart who happened to be his 10 years old daughter baby mama landed on his doorstep.

Feeling like he’s losing his grip in getting back his sweetheart, he recruited his colleague and fuck buddy Sofia Santos to help keep him straight. Sofia, a city girl, was the exact copy of Stanton – ambitious, determined and always had her eyes on the prize. That was until she realized tagging alone with Stanton to a small town in Mississippi might not be the only mistake she made.



I have to say, Drew Evans from Tangle series is my favorite “light” hero ever. So when the series ended I was quite sad. But thank goodness Stanton Shaw is here to fill that void.



Stanton was no Drew (I mean really, I don’t think anyone else could even match Drew’s legendary status!) but he’d do just fine. He learned to charm from a certain someone after all. And his southern adorableness helped a lot too.

“I thought you said you couldn’t cook.”
I gestured to the pots and pans. “This? This isn’t cookin’. This is grillin’. Totally different.”

I felt like pinchin’ his cheeks everytime he spoke with that southern drawl! He’s confident, but not too much of being too cocky. And he’s sweet in his own way.



Sofia could also hold on her own. She’s smart, sassy and could go head to head with Stanton both on and off the courtroom. But I also the love her awkwardness when it comes to something she wasn’t used to.

What we have – what he and I do together – is fun. Physical and convenient. And above all else, was supposed to be simple

Her relationship with Stanton was purely physical until she saw something that she never thought she wanted and realized there could be more. I do love the chemistry between Stanton and Sofia. It didn’t feel like it was shove down reader’s throat. It developed organically.

“I’m thinking of growing a beard. Might save me from getting hit on by high school girls” – Brant

I also love pretty much all of the other supporting characters. Jake and Brant, their co-workers especially – which is good because they’re going to get their own books.

I even love Jenny and JD who were Stanton’s baby mama and her fiancée. One of the best scenes in the book was the BBQ event with the pepper scene. I laughed out loud on that one! I also love the drunk truck race scene. I love Stanton’s siblings too especially Carter, his hippy “medicinal herb” grower brother.

Emma Chase is definitely one of the best male POV writer and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series.


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[~Kristin~]

DNF ~ NO RATING
This was a really hard decision for me, but I am going to have to walk away from this one. Here's why, we start this book with life long sweethearts finding out they are having a baby as their senior year of high school is beginning. Never an easy thing to deal with, especially with Stanton poised to go to Columbia in the fall. Jenny convinces Stanton that the best thing for their future would be for him to go ahead with his plans to go away and make something of himself, which in the long run will benefit their family. This is where the story starts to veer off for me, once away they agree to see other people and have an "open relationship" and I've got to say it just felt like cheating to me. From here Stanton turns into a slimy douche who is whoring around, and I've got to say that just ruins the story for me. I always try to be open minded, I mean isn't that one of the best parts about reading, seeing all different walks of life and their experiences? I normally say yes, but I was just so not enjoying this book and that is when I call uncle and decide to move on. I love Emma Chase and her style of writing, I love her sarcastic sense of humor but this one just isn't for me!

[Mo]

DNF. Not going to rate. Total disappointment. I knew there was a reason I did not pick this up when it was released. Loved the second book, will probably try the third book but this one, sorry. We are supposed to like HIM. Fucking asshole of the highest order .... and I usually like assholes. Not for me!!

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series has been on my TBR for what feels like forever and I kept skipping it even though I was hearing amazing things about it. So clearly I'm crazy and someone needs to put me in the looney bin.

I really enjoyed reading about Stanton and Sofia, and I liked the sexual tension that was present throughout the majority of the book. It was a little bit like a friends-to-lovers story and I loved that about these two characters. That they stayed friends through the whole book and there wasn't much drama to go with their relationship.

As mush as I liked seeing them be friends, though, I really wanted to see more of them being together as more. I'm not a fan of when it takes the main characters more than half the book to figure their shit out and get together and the fact that it took so long lost me. On top of that while they weren't together Stanton was trying to get back with his ex and had the thought that they were "meant to be together" even though they hadn't been for years. It was just an odd situation that threw me off and made this book less enjoyable for me.

Overall, I did like Stanton and Sofia and the times that they were together. I wish there was more of that to see but it didn't make the book a total loss for me that there wasn't. I would definitely still recommend this book.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emma Chase is one of my favorite authors, I loved her Tangled series and it will forever be one of my favs. I believe that she writes the best male povs and that all of her books are hilarious, sexy and sweet.

Unfortunately, I didn't get the same good vibes from this one.

In all of my reviews, I always point out that my opinion could be different from yours. There are some things that didn't let me enjoy this book, but there are really good reviews and ratings out there,so don't let my opinion prevent you from reading it.

Stanton and Sofia are two lawyers working for the same firm. They are not just collegues; they're friends who love to have sex together.
Stanton doesn't want a relationship, he knows who his heart belongs to. Even though he's not with her at the moment, he knows that no matter what, it belongs to Jenny, his first love and the mother of his beautiful daughter. That's why, when he learns that Jenny is getting married, he's shocked and he wants to do anything to win her back.

When he leaves for his hometown, he begs Sofia to go with him, because she is his right wing at work and he needs her with him. Will they really be able to pretend that what they have between them doesn't exist? Will they be able to hide the attraction they feel for each other?

Was Sofia really the main female character in the story?? Seriously?? I really liked Sofia, don't get me wrong, I could easily say that she was the character I liked the most, but I think that she was just a shadow in the story. She acted behind the curtains and Jenny and Stanton were the two main protagonists in the story.

What about Stanton...well..If you ask my friend Karez, she will tell you that I tried to apologize and understand him at the beginning of the story. Unfortunately, after a while it was too much. When he finally realizes that things with Jenny had changed and that he has feelings for Sofia instead, the book was almost over and it was too late for me to change my mind about him.

There were too many random things in the story and trust me when I say that it was hard to read this book. Firstly, because I was disappointed that the story wasn't gripping me like I expected it to, secondly, because Stanton was constantly pissing me off.

I liked some scenes and the author is Emma Chase, so yes I didn't enjoy it too much, but I didn't even hate the book. It was an okay read..but like I said, I believe that this is the case 'it's me, not the book'.
.
If I had read the blurb before starting it( I read it months ago and my memory sucks and I obviously forgot about it), I may have been prepared for it. The setting of the story kind of threw me off. I need to read about how the MCs met, how they get together, even if it's just for an hook up. When the book starts, Stanton and Sofia had been having sex for 6 months so far, and it kind of threw me off guard.

With that being said, I love this author and I will be anxiously awaiting for all of her new books.

BR with my dear friend Karéz !! <3
Before reading the book:

April 2015?? I CAN'T WAIT. I need this book NOW !!

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stanton comes from a very small town in Mississippi...a town he has been dying to get out of. Everything's been going as planned until...it doesn't but that doesn't slow him down unbelievably.

The story starts with filling us in on Stanton's history and then we're moved on to the present, ten years later, and a very grown up Stanton. A Stanton that has his cake and eats it too...and wants it to stay that way. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees.

I quite enjoyed Stanton but it was hard to reconcile the younger with the older. I think it helped when they went back to his home town and we got to learn more about him.

Because of Stanton's past, I had a hard time liking Sofia. I just couldn't really see them staying together. I guess my eyes got opened when everyone else's did.



The "eye opening" was hard too. My heart went out to Sofia to have to see that and go through it. I wish we had gotten more from Stanton...before. I think it would have felt more genuine.

We do get a few Drew scenes...they were interesting. He sure hadn't changed! However, Stanton is no Drew. And while Stanton is his own man, even his "tone" is not the same as Drew's. Plus we do get Sofia's POV so there's a more softer side.

If you can go into this not expecting the same set up as Tangled, you will have a better chance of liking it. It's a sweet romance with some hot scenes and some enjoyable characters.

There's also a few other hot lawyers that get introduced and that I'm sure we'll be getting their stories. I'm especially interested in Brent's called Appealed coming out November 17, 2015.


The Good Stuff:

Dual Pov's? Yes.

Steam Factor? (Scale 1 - 5) About a 4. There were some good scenes!

Angst? (Scale 1 - 5) About a 2-3.

Next book? Jake's book is next, Sustained, coming out August 25, 2015.




Favorite quotes:

♥ “I look at you and I see a thousand summer days. The best moments of my life.”

♥ “Charming the panties off of jurors, saving injured puppies, and now—grillin’. Is there anything you can’t do well?”

♥ “I believe Tuesday is the most neglected day of the week. Everybody complains about Monday, Wednesday is the hump day, Thursday’s almost Friday, and Friday is the favorite. Nobody remembers Tuesday—it’s the black sheep.”

♥ “The perfect murder. Triggering an allergic reaction.” She folds her arms, proud of herself.

“Really?” I ask with a straight face. “My life is fallin’ apart, and you’re still playin’ the perfect murder game?”

♥ “I’d like to make it clear that I’m totally open to sex on the first date.”

I chuckle. “I was really, really, hopin’ you’d say that.”

[Maria✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm about a year late to the party... but I'm going to review it anyways :)

This is a story about two lawyers, who work together... and fuck together. We get to read about their relationship progress from friends with benefits to lovers.

Stanton is a southern charmer and possesses a fine physique with a bedroom voice. Unfortunately, he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer (if you know what I mean) when it comes to reading females. Or having a lot of common sense in regards to how relationships work. Or life, for that matter.
To add to that he also has a whole lot of baggage hauling behind him. As in a kid and a woman who he thinks he's in love with.


Sofia is a very career focused lawyer, who believes she has no time for complicated relationships. She is happy to "assist" Stanton in the bedroom... as well with other ridiculous stuff. (you would have to read the book to know what it is)

Best part of the book was the angst. Normally I am not a fan of drama and angst, but it worked for this book. I felt it for the heroine and I was rooting for her.

The worst part of the book, for me, was (as you probably already figured out) the hero. He has a career in one state and his family in a different state. And he won't commit to the woman that he thinks he loves. He also has no problem having fun on the side. *eye roll* But he did make me laugh at times, so that's a plus.

I really enjoyed the series and this book was nowhere close to the same level of banter and heat. Perhaps also worth mentioning that this book has a very slow start to it. I had to go back and read the blurb just to make sure I got the right audio book. lol

Would I recommend this book? Sure, if you are looking for a typical contemporary romance kind of read. Nothing wrong with it, I liked it... It just didn't wow me.

[Violina N · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "Cowboy lawyer" stars



I love when a book feels like a movie! This one definitely felt like one of these movies who got your full attention till the end! 'Sweet home Alabama' mashed up with 'Suits' vibe, and I looove these movies! I didn't expect to like this book or even the series but as I was introduced to the other characters I become more and more impatient to see of all their stories.

“Most stories finish at the end. But not this one. This one finishes with a whole new beginning.”

Stanon.. you sonofabitch! I wanted to slap you or shake the hell of out you maybe throughout most of the book BUT I fell for you too! Sexy lawyer, demanding, cocky and funny! He was charming on and off the court. He didn't want to have serious relationship. Believed that one day he would marry his high-school love but meeting Sofia, working with her and having friends with benefits kind of relationship with her turned the tables.

“He turns to me with open arms—expecting a hug of course. Because I have a vagina.. penises shake hands, vaginas hug. Not this one, buddy.”

I loved Sofia! She was smart, witty, sweet and she knew what she wanted. Working hard had never been issue for her. She thought that work was the most important thing for her but once she acknowledge the feelings she really has, everything changed. Working your way in this circle of men who think that they are the best at what they do is a hars thing to do. She proved herself that she is good - exellent even - in what she does and how she does it and earn a spot among them. But breaking down the walls and seeing that maybe you want more of life, not just your work was the hardest part for her.

“You’re so stubborn – you’re so stuck on what you think is supposed to be there, that you’re missin’ what’s right in front of you.”

The story was really funny, really sexy and veeeery interesting! I loved how Emma Chase connected everything. Despite being angry with Stanon, i really enjoyed spending my day reading this book! Also very true facts were highlighted at some way and that for me was amazing!

Ready for Jake and Brent!!!

[Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "Tangled" Stars



Audio Review- It's gonna be short and sweet........

I LOVED IT. Here's the skinny- Emma Chase writes beautifully and does a male POV like no other. Listening to this book while driving home from Mississippi made for a delightful drive home. The story involves a group of successful lawyers in DC. Overruled is about Stanton Shaw, friends with Drew Evans, and Sophia Santos. The story starts in DC but it takes place mostly in Mississippi so it was just very fitting for my drive back home. I laughed, I cried, I smiled and I yelled. The narrators were spot on and just made the whole Audio experience perfect in my opinion. The story is a takeoff of friends to lovers with a whole lot of complications. Every character in the book adds just the right amount of sparkle and the southern small town portrayal was perfect!!!

I will say that Stanton did infuriate me and make me sad because of his "use" of Sophia and his not recognizing that she really was "the one". While Sophia allowed his behavior, there were times when it really was painful to hear. But the story did have a marvelous ending and I must say that Emma Chase weaves a story is truly wonderful. So if you want a read or a listen that will let all your emotions run wild with an added side of sass and sex- look no further, Overruled delivers on all accounts!!!