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Bourbonland #1

Sharp Practice

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For years, attorney Nina Cain thought she’d end up with Judge Garner Robson, the well-to-do and politically connected great-grandson of a former governor. But Nina’s vision of her future was shattered after a bitter breakup, followed by Garner’s quick marriage to another woman and fatherhood.

Then tragedy strikes. And Garner returns to her a chastened, lonely man.
As she wrestles with her feelings for her former suitor, Nina also is handling the biggest case of her career. A prosecution in which one of Garner’s oldest, most powerful, and craftiest family friends is her opposing counsel, representing a well-known state senator.

Personal and professional worlds collide. Will the sharpest or most sympathetic survive?

Sharp Practice is the first book in the Bourbonland series.

325 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2017

638 people are currently reading
238 people want to read

About the author

Jennifer Bramseth

37 books172 followers
Jennifer Bramseth is the author of the Bourbon Springs Series and Bourbonland Series of contemporary romances, and the Devil Springs Cozy Mysteries. She is a Kentucky native and lifelong resident who lives next to a horse farm and within minutes of several bourbon distilleries.

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5 stars
127 (44%)
4 stars
85 (29%)
3 stars
52 (18%)
2 stars
19 (6%)
1 star
4 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
Profile Image for Bewaji.
1,569 reviews5 followers
March 13, 2019
Laborious....

The story was long, boring, laborious, with legal proceedings narrated in lengthy and minute details. The heroine was weak, without any inner strength to at least stay away from a man who broke her heart. The man who within two months of breaking her heart, not wanting her pregnant, she lost that baby, started dating another woman. This guy married said woman, they had a child all within a year. The guy became a widower in under two years and you sought him out, and he kissed you there and then and you gave him another chance??? Really? Stupid....
Profile Image for Cathy Geha.
4,302 reviews116 followers
March 16, 2017
Sharp Practice by Jennifer Bramseth
Bourbanland #1

Garner Robson and Nina Cain were lovers for years until something tore their relationship apart. Nina’s dream of a happily ever after was further shattered when Garner married someone rather quickly and started a family with her. Dealing with being a widower and single parent Garner realizes that his love for Nina never died and he wants her back in his life but with all that happened between them is there any way for him to win her back? Add into this second-chance-at-love love story a huge legal case pitting Nina against the King of Sharp Practice, their families, potential characters for future books in the series, a mention or more of couples in the previous series, wonderful scenery, great food – often made with bourbon, and…more…and you have a story that is complex and a delicious read.

What I liked:
* Garner’s love for his daughter and his willingness to try again
* Nina’s willingness to give Garner a second chance even though she had been hurt and still had hurt feelings
* Ruby – a cute baby well loved by all
* Supporting characters that I believe will have their own books: Corrie and Leo come to mind
* The legal stuff including the trial and appointment of a new judge
* The interactions between Nina and Garner – hot or not
* Hoping for the HEA but not being 100% sure the two would make it.

What I didn’t like?
* Can’t think of anything ;)

So, if you are looking for a legal romance that offers a heart wrenching second chance at love that is well written, perfectly plotted, and at times intense then I recommend this book to you. I always learn more about the law while enjoying the romances when reading this author’s novels. This book provided a couple that had to learn from mistakes, grow as individuals, determine who and what they wanted in their futures AND then find the strength to reach out and grab it.

Thank you to the author for the ARC. This is my honest review.

5 Stars
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews116 followers
Want to read
April 1, 2020
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/5/2019)! 🎁
1,347 reviews5 followers
March 15, 2019
5+ Star's

Wow I would recommend this book to adults that love reading stories that are funny, steamy, suspenseful, and romantic, with strong characters both male and female. Well done.
Profile Image for Karen Kramer.
2 reviews
March 23, 2017
Another hit for me by Jennifer Bramseth. I found her as a new-to-me author last month and since then I've devoured everything she has written. Loved her Bourbon Springs series. Definitely addictive. I've added Jennifer to my list of authors to read everything she publishes without even reading a description.

Now I've read Sharp Practice, her first in the Bourbonland series. "Sharp practice" is a pejorative phrase to describe sneaky or cunning behavior that is technically within the rules of the law but borders on being unethical. This series is based on lawyers, the law and their human sides, both good and bad, with characters from Bourbon Springs intermixed. Although it's a legal-based book, I never felt it was over my head. I easily was able to follow her rhetoric.

It's a new series but you feel you've returned home to a continuation of your old friends and already know the main actors. A plethora of tragedies hit star-crossed lovers and childhood friends Nina and Garner but yet the book is not a downer; it's a story of real hope, patience and that adversities can be overcome by true love. I loved how in each book, this one especially, Jennifer brings out the depth of emotion in her male characters... that they can love deeply, be hurt and show great emotion and vulnerability. That's something you don't see often in female dominated romances.

I can't wait for the next in the series to come out!

I've received an ARC copy from the author and I am doing this review voluntarily.
91 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2017
I have had the pleasure of reading all of Ms Bramseth's books. Read all of the Boubon Springs books and now starting the the Bourbonland series. Honestly, I didn't know if she would be able to top the Boubon Springs series (they are a must read). And as usual Jennifer did not disappoint! The story line has been told before, past lovers getting a second chance, but the characters are so well written they seem to be real. The dynamics between Nina Cain and Garner are real life, then add Garner's baby, and there is so much strife, worry, politics (both literally and figuratively), and love. Boubonland series has a lot of the same characters from the Boubon Springs making appearances. The one thing I really liked about this book-Nina Cain is prosecutes attorneys. Garner is a judge. There is a lot of legalese and could have the ability to be over the head of someone not in the legal field. Ms. Bramseth has the rare ability to write so one can navigate and understand what is going on in the legal world without getting lost and confused but at the same time manage to still be a love story. This is not only a must read book, but is also a must read series.

I received an ARC of Sharp Practice and voluntarily offered my review.
1,040 reviews10 followers
March 16, 2017
I received an ARC of this book from the author and voluntarily offer my review.

For years attorney Nina Cain thought she would end up with judge Garner Robson until a shocking event ended everything. To make matters worse, just months later Garner married someone else and became a father. When tragedy strikes Garner finds himself once again seeking the woman that always had his heart. Garner knows he doesn't deserve another chance but he's willing to do whatever it takes to earn her trust back.

Nina has her hands full prosecuting the biggest case of her career while wading through feelings for the man she never stopped loving but isn't sure she can trust with her heart again. Before the case is over more than their love will be tested.

Ms. Bramseth's knowledge of the law allows us an opportunity to be not only entertained through her writing but to be schooled on the judicial system in the process. It was especially encouraging to learn that lawyers are monitored by a disciplinary system that holds them accountable. Thank you for writing a dramatic and entertaining book that also allows us to grow and learn.
1,934 reviews9 followers
March 14, 2019
Nina doesn't know if she is making a mistake by going to see Garner, he broke her heart and took away their future. She knows that he is hurting as he has just lost his wife and has a young daughter Ruby that he is taking care of. Garner cant believe that Nina is standing on his doorstep and he knows that he has to do whatever it takes to win her back. He knows that he handled everything badly and when she needed him most he was a coward and ran. Can Nina take a chance on love again, she knows that she couldn't survive if he broke her again? Garner knows that he will need to work hard to gain her trust back again. But he knows that they belong together and that they can be a happy family together. But not everything goes to plan and they will need to believe in each other or else it will all be for nothing. A great read in the incredible series.
462 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2019
The Cover is the best thing about this novel. I love court room story lines, and the going ons played out within the court room. Makes it exciting. Unfortunately, theres where the joy ended for me.... the actual romance was soooooooo laborious, like wading through treacle. Written like an instruction manual. No emotion at all. A bit like the court room banter, straight to the point, keep it simple and emotionless. This was the very first time I have read this authors work, and I can't say I will be following it up. I did read the short story in the back first, as it leads onto the longer story Sharp Practice. I think the only character that I would want to follow is Leo. Sorry just a 3* from me, and thats only because I think anyone that actually sits down to pen a novel deserves acknowledgement.
352 reviews
August 15, 2020
I find it a little bit boring. I just keep on flipping the pages until the page on trial caught my interest and the truth came out that the wife who Garner said he loved as his wife turned out cheating on him and then tun around and blamed it on Nina. How can he not even suspect that his wife was cheating on him since he was so smart!! and no mention of how Penny died?? Didn't he even doubt that Ruby is not his own? although she's so adorable. What happened to the high almighty family of Garner especially the mother after finding out from the trial that their son's deceased wife was a cheater (that's what they get for not accepting Nina because their son deserved more than her. I guess this is not my cup of tea for a three times chances!
Profile Image for Jane Elizabeth .
4,342 reviews5 followers
March 12, 2019
I skipped ahead and read SINGLE BARREL first...

I loved the amazing story and the charismatic characters. I am not sure if I loved the ending 😪, but have hopes that might change with the next book!

SHARP PRACTICE is so much more than I ever imagined. It is so well written and has so much intrigue, turmoil, and deception woven into it. The complexities you will find throughout make it impossible to put down!
I still need to find out what happens to Coraleigh and Clay from SINGLE BARREL!
Profile Image for Kate Sokley.
246 reviews1 follower
July 28, 2024
There was a lot wrong with this. They were together, broke up for a month and he was already engaged to another girl, that girl dies and then they get back together a few weeks later? Sus. Introducing the concept of childhood cancer on his daughter and then never talking about it again? Also Sus. But the worst is how many times she mentioned a hot brown sandwich.

2 stars for being a book about two lawyers in a small town doing small town things and getting my mind off the world
Profile Image for Patty.
210 reviews
March 10, 2019
Nope, Nope, Nope

I did not like this book at all. I couldn’t even finish it. I found the male character superficial and selfish. The “pain” he claimed he experienced, in my opinion wasn’t worthy.
514 reviews2 followers
March 12, 2019
Sharp Practice

There are a few too many details about their sex life for me, but I do still enjoy Ms. Bramseth's books. This one kept me reading, although maybe Garner needs some anger management classes.
82 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2020
Very Sharp

Smart and strong main characters. Like how seeing how they relate to each other and how they navigate the issues they struggle with. In telling the story the author makes me feel like I'm there seeing every event unfold.
Profile Image for Nerissa Golden.
Author 23 books12 followers
May 9, 2018
This series features some of the men and women we meet in the Bourbon Springs series. Glad these two got their happy ending although he's a lucky guy for getting a second chance.
308 reviews4 followers
August 8, 2018
I am loving this series. Each book gets better! Wonderful book of second chances.
338 reviews4 followers
March 4, 2019
Second chances, not wasting the opportunity to try again! We'd all be lucky!
1,110 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2019
I did not enjoy this book. Not a fan of all the legal stuff. Thought main characters were wishy washy.
10 reviews2 followers
March 15, 2019
Great read

Interesting context and environment. Complex characters and family stories. Intertwined couples’ lives and heartbreak as well as joys makes for a good read
13 reviews
March 24, 2019
Addicting read.

I found this novel an addicting treat. It is well written and has a story line that draws you in.


Profile Image for Wendy Ballard.
652 reviews1 follower
March 26, 2019
Nina fell in love with Garner and something happened and broke them up and Garner married someone else and had a little girl and then things starts to happen Read this book to find out
4,374 reviews28 followers
March 27, 2019
Good

This book is all about how families in Kentucky have history from first political familes.the women in this book is not old money.
Author 6 books17 followers
March 27, 2019
I was bored with the story. It lagged and I just didn’t like it very much.
Profile Image for Jocelyn.
1,398 reviews4 followers
May 30, 2021
First time reading a book by Jennifer Bramseth & I must say I really enjoyed it:)
Nina & Garner's story was very good!!:)
Profile Image for Becky Burciaga.
1,527 reviews18 followers
March 12, 2017
As with each book I've read by this author in the Bourbon Springs series, I was drawn in from the onset, burying myself in this new Bourbonland series. Having Walker and CiCi (from Bourbon Springs) make an appearance here was a nice segue into a whole new cast of characters to fall in love with. Having been introduced to Nina during the Bourbon Springs' story Distiller's Choice was like welcoming her home the new series. Having gotten a glimpse of hers and Garner's story in the previous series left me anxiously waiting for more of them...Ms Bramseth did not disappoint!

As expected for Ms Bramseth's books, the dialog was whip smart (the lessons on the law are never dry, but entertaining and enriching), easily carrying you through, with smattering humor to break up the seriousness of some of the story...just enough to provide the reader with a total experience. The dynamics of these characters was spot on, you could almost feel them, as if you were there experiencing their joys and sorrows. Now that my appetite for Bourbonland has been whet, I can't wait for Leo's story to continue...I just know he'll steal my heart as well.

This book was provided by the author, I'm voluntarily providing my honest review.
Profile Image for Janet Overstreet.
188 reviews
March 30, 2017
Tragedy and heartbreak tore them apart and it's tragedy and heartbreak that brings them back together. Nina and Garner's second chance is fragile and often on shaky ground. It's going to take patience, tolerance and lots of love to persevere and find worth in a lasting relationship. This is a great first book in the new Bourbonland series. And I like the connections to the Bourbon Springs series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews

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