When Justice Burns

by L.M. Soto

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

L.M. Soto is a New York–based writer and mother of three who has always dreamed of becoming an author. After years of writing, dreaming, and filling pages with stories, she finally published her debut novel, When Justice Burns.

Reviews

[Jennifer W]

Thanks L.M Soto and Rattle the Stars PR for this arc ✨

I’d say this was a 3.5 ⭐️ for me!

I was intrigued in the beginning but I had some difficulty keeping track of who was ”leading” the story. There are no POV’s when it comes to the main characters and sometimes it was difficult to track whose thoughts you got as it shifted throughout the chapters, which made it a bit confusing for me. I also would have loved to get more feelings and/or maybe some more backstory about our characters so I could have connected to them better ✨

the story has potential and I’m very curious to see how the story will unfold and what will happen in book two!! 😍 the book really took off towards the end and it felt like the story found it’s footing! You have also had time to get to know and get a feel for the characters by this point which I really enjoyed!

I was really into the micro tropes (won’t write them here in case some of you don’t want to know). I was however, a bit irked by the insta love, if you can call it that? I’m not sure if it was intentional or not but how they went from interest and seeing each other 2 times to basically being in love was a bit weird for me personally.

All in all, a good romance thriller debut and I’m curious how the story will continue in book two ❤️

[Billi]

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️

When Justice Burns by L.M. Soto

Dark romantic thriller, forbidden workplace romance, touch her and die, and a truly devoted MMC!! Yes, please sign me up!

Thank you so much to L.M. Soto and Rattle the Stars PR for the eARC of this book.

This was such a quick read. I was really pulled into the dark romance and the thriller vibes. Ethan was ahhh *chefs kiss*. So devoted, possessive, and really doing all of the things to keep her safe. I will say that since this is so fast paced the romance was a little “insta-love”. Which the characters actually address in the book and I found that to be really nice to see them recognizing their time together has happened so quickly.

Definitely a plot driven story with a lot of twists and turns. Characters trying to do the right thing and helping those who need it. I liked how the author was not afraid to discuss heavy topics and how scary this world can be but in a way that felt well researched and sensitive.

Cannot wait to see how the story continues in book two!

[Danielle]

This was such a fun read and a really great debut!!! I enjoyed the writing and the forced proximity definitely makes Claire and Ethan’s connection happen pretty quickly, so it can feel a little insta-lovey at times, but I didn’t really see it as them falling in love right away. It felt more like an instant connection and attraction that slowly starts turning into something more.

And honestly… who doesn’t love a hot, protective, ridiculously rich guy who has his own way of serving justice? Ethan was such an interesting character, especially getting to see the reasons behind why he does what he does. Getting both of their backstories and being inside Claire and Ethan’s heads added so much to their characters and helped explain what drives them.

I also really liked the whole idea of justice in this book. Just because something goes to court or someone is trying to get justice doesn’t mean it always works out that way. Sometimes the system fails, and it definitely makes you wonder what you would do when the law doesn’t feel like justice.

There are definitely some things I’m still curious about, especially when it comes to Ethan and his past, but that honestly just makes me more excited for book two. There’s only so much backstory you can fit into a fast-paced thriller without slowing everything down and making it feel draggy, so I’m looking forward to getting more answers and seeing where everything goes next.

Definitely a fun mix of romance, suspense, crime, and a morally gray antihero BUT this books does deal with some dark themes that I can see not being for everyone (though it wouldn’t hurt to get more awareness out there) just know if you do pick this up to read the content and trigger warnings.

Tropes: Forced Proximity • Billionaire MMC • Protective MMC • Morally Gray Antihero • Forbidden Romance • Courtroom Drama • Vigilante Justice • Touch Her and Die • Spice + Plot

[Sara]

Thank you to L.M. Soto and Rattle the Stars PR for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

TL;DR - Two people disillusioned by the justice system, one unlikely partnership and a whole lot of "maybe completely fucking reckless is the answer"

Full Review:

This is book 1 and is the epitome of "follow your gut" and was so fast-paced it was easy to really get into the story.

Claire is a court reporter who wants to believe in the justice system but has seen firsthand that following the letter of the law doesn't always mean justice is actually served. Ethan is a billionaire vigilante who has seen the same failures but has decided to take a slightly more... hands-on approach. 🤣.

Claire and Ethan felt like two people who were meant to find each other. Both have experiences with the legal system that left a sour taste in their mouths, and both have a drive to balance the scales. There is definitely some insta-chemistry happening, but their shared experiences made the connection work for me.

I really enjoyed how this book captured the weight of working within the legal system and the frustraitions of watching it fail the very people its supposed to protect. I also love the little detail about Claire's nose ring. The courtroom /legal representatives are typically associated with clean cut, polished, not a hair out of place - while this tiny act of rebellion, this minor "imperfection, felt like a reminder that the system isn't perfect either.

"So what's it going to be, Claire? Safe and boring, or completely fucking reckless?"

Reckless. Obviously.

[Megan Moser]

First I want to thank the author and Rattle The Stars PR for this arc!

I have mixed feelings on this story and that’s not a bad thing especially for a debut novel. I’ll start with what brought the rating down for me… the writing style and the fact that it was in third person just was not for me. It also took a few chapters for me to get into the story. It felt a little slow and I struggled to connect with the story and the characters.

The positives were that this story was a bit challenging for me in that it’s no secret I think the justice system is completely flawed and good people get screwed more often than not while those who deserve to be punished get a slap on the wrist. This story also goes into some really heavy topics that are heart breaking and terrifying, especially as a parent to very trusting and social children. The world is a scary place and this story really highlighted that very well. I really loved the tropes and the overall concept of the story. As time went on I felt the chemistry between the characters began to really come together and the story started to kick it up a few notches giving you all the feels.

Ethan was a great MMC and really made the story as our bad boy vigilante who may do questionable things but we love him anyway.

Overall the story is full of emotion and hard hitting truths that will have your mind reeling!

[Kathrine]

Thank you so much for the ARC copy of When Justice Burns!

This was such a fast-paced read with a little bit of everything romance, suspense, courtroom drama, secrets, and twists. I really liked getting both Claire and Ethan’s POVs and seeing how differently they view justice.

Claire was such an interesting FMC to follow. She’s spent years keeping her head down and staying in the background, so watching her get pulled into everything happening around her was one of my favorite parts. And Ethan… definitely a swoon-worthy MMC.

What really stuck with me was the bigger question the book raises about justice and the system itself. What happens when the people who are supposed to deliver justice are the same people failing the people who need it? Can justice still exist within a broken system, or does it sometimes have to come from somewhere else?

I can see how some of these themes might be uncomfortable for some readers, but I actually liked that the story made me think about them instead of giving easy answers. It definitely left me thinking about what justice really means and how far someone should go to achieve it.

And that ending, I’m really curious to see where Claire’s story goes from here and how everything she’s been through changes her in the next book.

[Lauren]

Kindly received an ARC from Rattle the Stars PR and author L.M Soto in exchange for an honest review.

When Justice Burns by L.M. Soto

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

💜 Morally Grey Billionaire Vigilante
🖤 Forbidden Courtroom Romance
💜 Touch Her and D**
🖤 Anti-Hero X Mutual Defiance
💜 Us against the world
🖤 corruption & conspiracies
💜 The quiet observer

"She's iconic, I'd have coffee with her."

This was my first courtroom romance and it will surely not be my last! I read this book in one day as I could not put it down, L.M. Soto I need a part two ASAP!!

I enjoyed getting to read about the forbidden love between Claire Walker a professional court reporter who quickly learns there is more to meet the eye about Ethan Cade. She sees things that she cannot unsee and has to decide which side of the courtroom is worth fighting for. Where does she actually feel safe? Read to find out!

I highly recommend this steamy and captivating romance for all the morally grey MMC lovers out there! Each chapter was so captivating and I was addicted to their love story!

Thank you again L.M. Soto, I cant wait to read more of your books!

[b_reads27]

Ethan and Claire
This is a touch her and d!e, forced proximity, resilient and strong FMC, morally grey anti hero vigilante billionaire MMC, instant attraction with a slower burn, forbidden (workplace) romance, secret relationship, good vs evil, hidden identity, “us against the (corrupt) world”, dark romance.
First and foremost, I sincerely appreciate what this book is centered around; the very real evil in this world and how it is so in our face and how vital it is to acknowledge and fight against it. The character development in Claire is my amazing. To her bones she wants desperately to reveal the truth in the everyday horrors she witnessed as a court stenographer but doesn’t have the means to realistically fight it… until Ethan. This book was very plot driven, which I love, and their love story is based on their mutual desire for justice. This book deals with very real and horrific topics that are unfortunately are in our world, without going into graphic details that would most definitely cause for series trigger warnings. I love that it is an “us against the world” drive in their story. I would definitely recommend this book, I was engaged and hooked from start to finish.

[Shaleese]

Thank you to the Author and Rattle the Stars PR for this ARC

"People think monsters look different from everyone else. Most of the time, though, they dont. They go to work. They come home. They smile at their neighbors. And nobody thinks twice about them"

"There was something fatal in the way he carried himself, relaxed but coiled, like.he could go still or strike in the same breath"

#Now you see what the world looks like when you stop pretending the world plays fair"

This story hit the ground running, and didnt stop. I loved that our main characters each had their own back story and why, for the decisions they were making! It is terrifying to think about the parallels to the actual world and the injustice of people with power and money assuming the rules dont apply to them! What a scary world, and an almost impossible fight! Our villain is absolutely despicable, leading you to wonder who you can take at face value or who is hiding their true horrible self. When Justice Burns kept me on my toes the whole way through.

[AK]

4.5/ rounded to 5⭐️

Let me start off with. The writing is really well done for a debut author. The story was great, the plot was great.

Some things I loved:
- the background for our FMC and why she went into the field she did
- having a possessive MMC who doesn’t try and hold back our FMC, he encourages her to fight back against the system
- a protective MMC (duh we love this)

Some things that I wish went a little differently:
- more time invested into Claire and Ethan’s relationship, I loved them but wanted more growth!
- a longer novel to really dive deeper into the story. This was super quick paced which I loved, but could easily see myself reading this book if it was twice as long 🤣
- umm this is going to have a part 2 right?? We NEED to have this ending and justice served.

Romantic courtroom thriller with a vengeful FMC who wants to correct the injustices of the world? Say no more, great read!!

[Angelina’s reads]

Thanks you L.M Soto and rattle the stars PR for letting me read this advance copy!

When Justice Burns is a story I have never thought of before. The uniqueness of it is what drew me in! It follows Claire a court reporter who has stepped into a world that changes her life… and she finds a hot morally grey billionaire..who’s on trial. But is he guilty?

Claire is a baddy. She is strong woman who makes decisions not based on love but on who she wants to be. She different than most fmc I have read(I LOVE IT!) she fights not only for herself and what she needs as a person but also for what right. She’s confident and I really connected to that!

This story is fast paced! The character development was steady through the story. It is an instant drawn to each other kind of book if that is your trope! It does have dark themes in it! Is there smut? Yes! Is it over powering the story? No! But man is that yearning fiiireeee! Enjoy!

[Carla]

Arc Review ✨

What to expect:
⭐️Morally Grey Billionaire Vigilante
⭐️Forbidden Courtroom Romance
⭐️Touch Her And Die
⭐️The Quiet Observer
⭐️Us Against The World

This book had me captivated from the start.
It was fast paced and flowed well together.

Claire is a court reporter who believes she's on the side of good.

Ethan is a billionaire who is on trial and ends up in Claire's courtroom.

Claire gets entangled in this whole other side of the law along with Ethan and leaves Claire wondering if she was helping the wrong side. She discovers the corruptness of the world around her.

It was an instant connection between the two that had a pull from the very beginning.

Ends on a cliffhanger.

[Kerri]

This book had me hooked from chapter one and was addictive and fast paced throughout the whole book, I didn’t want to participate in life till I’d finished it! The way it ends though…. I need the next book, like yesterday!
I loved the court and law setting of this book, it was giving Lincoln Lawyer vibes.
If you love a strong FMC who seeks justice and fairness after wrong doings and a protective MMC who is a natural at taking control and writing others wrongs then I highly recommend you immerse yourself in this book, I guarantee you won’t want to put it down. This book will definitely be a top read for 2026 for me and I’ll be stalking the authors socials for an announcement for future books!
Solid 5 ⭐️

[JP]

I really enjoyed this one! It’s a fast-paced romantic thriller with a really thought out plot, and I loved the character development throughout.

This is NOT a slow-burn romance, and honestly, that worked for me. Claire and Ethan are thrown together in a dangerous situation, the tension is there, and when the attraction hits it’s on fire. They don’t exactly have time to spend 50 pages waiting for a hand hold and another 30 pages before someone finally admits they like each other 😂😂😂😂 don’t get me wrong I love a good slow burn, but that’s just not reality when your in certain situations.

If you’re a hardcore slow burn reader, this probably isn’t that kind of romance. But if you like your romance with danger, suspense, forced proximity, and a little heat while the plot keeps moving, definitely give this one a try!

I also really appreciated the themes throughout the book and the way it explored justice, right and wrong, and what happens when the system fails people. I’d definitely read part two because I’m curious to see how Claire and Ethan continue to develop and where their story goes from here.

[Shawna]

“There are evils that survive because they learn how to look ordinary. They sit on boards. Hide behind badges. Raise families in quiet neighborhoods and shake hands at charity galas.”

Current events being what they are this feels particularly poignant.

I really enjoyed this read it was fast paced and action packed from the very first page. It read more like a thriller than a romance to me although there very clearly is romance and a little bit of spice between Ethan and Claire. I love that Claire doesn’t back down and she’s ready to take down all the evil with Ethan.

I’m really looking forward to the next book and finding out who is at the top of the circle of evil.

Thank you so much to the author and RTSPR for the eARC!

[Alicia Gronowski]

✨ARC Review✨

When Justice Burns is a courtroom romance featuring Claire, a court stenographer and Ethan a defendant on trial for money laundering. The characters have an immediate draw to each other and wind up in the same courtroom which allows the proximity and the case bring them closer together.

I enjoyed the layers to this novel and the secrets layered with secrets. It kept me interested because there was always more to uncover. The characters were likable and showed some growth during the story. I feel like the story wrapped very quickly and I was expecting a little more for the ending. I look forward to seeing what Soto does next.

[emma beresford]

This story was tension packed and honestly was so full of suspense that in some parts I was scared to turn the page.

Claire is a woman on a mission to document the worst people in society.
But omg Ethan, she can see something is wrong and follows her heart on it... it was tense.

A crime romance that is full of plot twists and taking a chance to do the right thing and put everything on the line.

It's brilliant, fast paced and plot focused.
The author pulls you into a world of deceit and fighting for what's right.

Highly recommend this crime romance.

My views and opinions are my own.

[Alyssa]

4.5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dual POV fast paced dark romance thriller.
Overall premise was interesting and I enjoyed the main characters Ethan and Claire.

I enjoyed how anti damsel distress Claire’s personality was.
The relationship between the main two progressed rather quickly, I would liked to have seen that developed a bit slower, felt a little instant love, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Ethan’s so protective and possessive of Claire❤️‍🔥

Defiantly looking forward to see what happens in the next installment after an ending like that 🫠

[Tricia G]

Thank you to the author and Rattle the Stars PR for an ARC copy in return for my honest review.

Phew, now I can take a breath! This book was fast-paced and quite a whirlwind. I read it in one day because I couldn't put it down. Ethan Cade is a dangerous but likeable man. Claire is a strong female character. The first few chapters were a bit slow but then, hold on! The spice was spicy and the heat was HOT!

Releases October 13, 2026. You can find it on Amazon.

[Kathleen Lacoursiere]

Taut, suspenseful, sexy, When Justice Burns was my first dip into courtroom romance and definitely not my last. With a tightly paced plot that handles its darker subject matter with a careful hand, and a scorching romance featuring the devastingly sexy Ethan "would burn the world for her without blinking" Cade, this was an *excellent* debut offering that kept me turning pages well past my bedtime.

[Jorinde Pels]

Loved this novel! Such a great modern day crime romance. It combines everything I love about reading crime novels, romance and the righteous antihero.
Are you choosing to stick by the law or to do what’s right? There is some spice, but this book is 95% plot driven. I highly recommend diving in!

I received a copy of this book from the author and this review is my freely given opinion after reading it.

[Mary Marion]

I am so lucky to have received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book! I loved it! I loved how empowered Claire became and chose to leave her comfort zone. Ethan's aura and protective attitude is very attractive and I understand the pull Clair felt for him. I do wish we got a little more emotion or back story for him as I wanted to connect with him more. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a morally grey MMC and empowered FMC!

[Amanda Noreault]

This book was soooo good!! I couldn’t put it down and truly loved every bit of it. I enjoyed the story line, the characters, and how the author had it all play out. 10 out of 10, highly recommend!!!!

[Jeanette Marie]

Thank you to Rattle the Stars PR and Author L.M. Soto for an eARC of this book! Full review to come while I gather my thoughts.

[Ashleigh]

Thank you to the author for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!

I was not expecting to stay up til 2am but here we are. Claire is giving repressed workaholic energy and Ethan is giving billionaire-with-a-body-count and somehow it just WORKS. This book does not slow down for one second, it’s action from basically page one and I was here for it

Also can we talk about the villain for a sec bc I was LIVID. Hate him. Makes you think about the people in your everyday life.

The ending left me rooting so hard for these two, and now I’m just sitting here wondering when part 2 is coming out because it does leave you on a cliffhanger. There is also a bit of spice.