Literary Yours

Southern Soil #1

by L.A. Boruff

Every young girl dreams of being a princess. In the midst of a legal battle for control of her family’s publishing company, Ellie has been dubbed “The Publishing Princess,” but she only wants to get through school and run her company. She has her best friend, but needs a Prince Charming to save her from her step family’s evil clutches. What if more than one Prince Charming is prepared for the job? Can Ellie save her company and choose between three suitors, each more alluring than the next? Or will Ellie have to choose at all?

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Why Choose, Slow Burn

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 9, 2018

About the author

L.A. Boruff lives in East Tennessee with her husband, three children, and an ever growing number of cats. She loves reading, watching TV, and procrastinating by browsing Facebook. L.A.’s passions include vampires, food, and listening to heavy metal music. She once won a Harry Potter trivia contest based on the books, and lost one based on the movies. She has two bands on her bucket list that she still hasn’t seen: AC/DC and Alice Cooper. Feel free to send tickets.

Reviews

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too Sweet

What a great contemporary RH novel. We get to meet Ellie as she is battling her evil stepmother for control of the family publishing company. She meets three hot guys and they quickly become friends. Th e problem is that they all have feelings for her and she feels for all of them as well. They try being just friends burned all know how that goes. All of this combined to create an incredibly sweet romance novel that I really enjoyed even without any steamy scenes. If you are a fan of the genre then I really recommend that you give it a shot. I really enjoyed it so I give it 4/5 stars.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/23/2021)! 🎁

[Kell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has a Cinderella vibe. Ellie has just lost her father, and her stepmother is trying to take everything away from her. However, despite not having an easy life, she is a kind person who always looks for the best in others. When her neighbor invites her to a party, sparks fly between Ellie, Arch, Wes, and Gray. They become the heroes she never expected but desperately needed. This story has a happy ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of the Southern Soil series and the main character is Ellie Asche and the story takes place about six months after her father’s death. She lost her mother at age eight and five years later her father remarried to a woman, Raquel, who was horrible to her, as were her son Mitch and daughter Michelle. He was a wealthy man and head of the Asche Publishing Company, which he had left to her. She was raised learning all about the company, but her life changed completely once her father remarried. Raquel never showed her hatred of her in front of her father, but she put her down at every opportunity, as did her children. Now they want to take the only thing that matters to her, now her father is gone. Ellie still has two years of her degree course to go and wants to appoint an interim CEO, to run the company until she can take over. But her stepmother wants to take it all away from her, saying Ellie isn’t at all capable and that she herself is an Asche and perfectly capable of running the company, having worked there, except that was a made up position to keep her happy by her father!
Now they are in court to see who win control of the company, with Ellie knowing her stepmother only wants it for the money she can get from it, not for it to be any sort of legacy carried forward! Her counsel has to recuse himself as he knows the judge very well, and recommends a few other law companies that could represent her and that he trusts. This leads her to the company of Beaumont, Mprales and Lawson. Before she has a meeting with them, her attractive neighbour invites her to a party he is having with some friends. She calls her best friend Todd, who lives a couple of floors down with his husband Rick, and tells him she got them invited as well. He comes up immediately to help select what she should wear, always making her feel good in what he chooses, even though she won’t let him put too much make up on her or change her hair colour! She knows her neighbour Arch has two good friends who visit all the time, but she is too embarrassed to normally talk to him in the hallway. Todd pulls out of going to the party, saying he is going on a date with his husband, leaving her to go by herself. There she meets both of Arch’s friends, who he describes as his brothers, Wes and Gray.
She soon finds out that the company she is due to see, is in fact their company, but there is no conflict of interest so long as they don’t talk about her case, because they are criminal lawyers, and it will be their civil lawyers who will deal with her case. They had seen bits about her in the society pages, where they have labelled her the Publishing Princess! She does a lot of volunteering as well as her college work, following something her mother had always shown her was worthwhile to do. The three men also have a royal sort of connection through their names, Arch (Archibald) Duke Beaumont, Wes (Wesley) Earl Lawson, and Gray Baron Morales. One of the three men asks her out to dinner, then another asks her out for coffee. Then another for a theatre date. She likes each of them and doesn’t know any of them well enough to want to choose between them. When she finds out about their family set up, it makes it easier not to have to rush to choose, not that they had considered such an arrangement for themselves, but they find it easy to go along with.
Arch, Wes and Gray are a great help when she finds out what her stepmother and her children are up to, standing by her whenever any of them try to confront her. Arch comes to her defence when she is attacked in her flat, and also when her stepmother turns up unannounced and without permission to even get into her building! I loved that the annual Christmas party gave her the perfect ammunition to put an end to the horrific treatment her stepmother and her spawn did to her, from the very day they entered her life. The three men finally reveal information about their families and their unusual upbringings, but that just makes it easier for them to offer her a similar relationship. She can win her company and has already won the hearts of all three men. Now they can confirm exactly where her stepmother and her two children will end up, with the evidence from the party! Her men are there for her and will hold their own ceremony with personal vows of love in a HEA ending and a steamy additional end to the story. A cute polyamorous love story with a shy young female, fighting for her father’s legacy and the three slightly older men who offer her an arm to lean upon in her time of need and romance. It may start with her court case, but the main part is the romance between the four and how it evolves. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[OneDayI'll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cinderella of the modern age

Ellie wasn't made to clean up after step siblings. She wasn't made to wear hand me downs or rags. And she didn't have a Disney cadre of animals to assist in chores and follow her about in aomg lol. What Ellie did have was a conniving step mom, a narcissistic step sister and a creepy step brother with more grabbers than a mutated octopus and delusions of connubial bliss with her unwilling self. Add in a court battle over the company her father left her, college courses, a destructive cat named Satan and 3 gorgeous guys vying for her attention and things are hardly dull in the kingdom of... I'm not sure if the author actually mentions the city's name lol. Court case aside, though, the guys seem nervous about something. When she realizes it isn't their names (that was a cute touch there) that makes them nervous but something about their families it piques her curiosity. But what could make them clam up like that? And what is up with all the security breaches at her apartment building?

This was a sweet, fluffy romance. There's an HEA but no steam if that's what you're looking for. What there is is an enduring friendship, lots of love, butt ton of sappy sweetness and a lot of humor. I got a kick out of their names, both hers and theirs. The dancing, while not at a ball did occurr in a ballroom. Disney may growl over the cat but the alternative, even if similar, name should gloss that over. There's enough to reinforce the Cinderella story but not so much as to just regurgitate the same story ad nauseum. It was fun. It was silly. But it was sweet and held true to the (non Grimm) romance.

I'm only giving 3 stars because there were some inconsistencies. The guys made it sound like their parents gave them the boot at one point but that doesn't seem to be the case at the end of the story. I never got to read about the wall flip! Todd took the place of the fairy godmother but was more than a bit pushy about changing her up- makeup, hair, clothes- instead of letting her be herself. But I guess that was the "magical make over" part? Also, the guys seemed jealous but after certain revelations made (no spoilers) did a 160. One guy goes from southern accent to Hispanic and back and a few physical descriptions fluctuate throughout the book. Those issues and a handful of grammatical/punctuation ones are the reason I didn't give 4 stars. It's rare I hand out 5, but otherwise I did enjoy the book and will definitely grab the 2nd.

[Kimberlea Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Her Happily Ever After ✨

A contemporary retelling of Cinderella, but with 3 Prince Charmings, not 1 😝 Our FMC, Ellie, lost her father, and is now fighting to get control of the family company from her stepmother. She spent years dealing with mental & verbal abuse from the woman & her children. Thankfully, around the same time that her legal battle is coming up, 3 men come into her life, and they all start a friendship with her, while also casually dating her. I loved the little similarities to the fairytale that popped up here & there, especially the cat named Satan 😂 I also loved the relationship she had with her long time best friend Todd, AKA her “fairy godmother” 😉 Oh, and the 3 “royal” names for the guys were very nice touches 👑 Are 3 supportive & protective men, who balance her so perfectly, an amazing best friend, and a stellar legal team enough to overcome the manipulation & deviousness of her stepmother though? Throw in a dash of drama, as well as plenty of swoon worthy moments full of chemistry, and you get a very sweet, entertaining & engaging romance. Cinderella would be proud 😉😝💖 ✨Also, just for those who enjoy more spice in their books (or for anyone who may want to skip it), Ellie had plenty of chemistry with her guys, but other than kissing, the only spicy scenes happened in the bonus scene at the end of the book 🫣😉✨

I received an ARC of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of the Southern Soil series. It is a reverse harem but without the heat and steamy bedroom scenes you get with most reverse harems. So, if you want an entertaining story without the graphic bedroom scenes then this may be a book you'll enjoy. I generally like my books on the spicier side but if the story is entertaining, I'm fine if it isn't there. Now that being said the author included a spicy, graphic bedroom scene as a bonus at the end. So, if you want to try a reverse harem novel but don’t like graphic open door bedroom scenes then you'll enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed Ellie and her best friend Todd. Their banter had me laughing. The interactions and dates between Ellie, Wes, Grey and Arch were entertaining. Ellie is shy and does not have many friends. She lost her father 6 months ago and is currently battling her stepmother for control of her father’s company. Arch lives down the hall from her and has been trying to talk to her for some time. She finally goes to this place for a party and that when she meets Wes and Grey. What starts friendship between the four of them soon turns into more. Can the make a relationship between them all work?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this contemporary, non-paranormal reverse harem book in the Falling For Them Volume 2 anthology.
Despite that the main character is a millionaire, this story had an almost real-life feel to me, though, don't get me wrong, it isn't MY real world, and there are subtle fairy-tale homages woven throughout. The writing is good, with lots of details that contribute to that real-life feel, and though it is a sweet story I felt it was just a little lacking in excitement. The three heroes are all well and good, and there are a lot more "scenes" between them and the heroine individually than in a lot of of RH stories nowadays - with interactions and settings I enjoyed - but somehow I actually liked the heroine's relationship with her best friend most of all. For my tastes, the heroine is a little bit too good, for lack of a better description, but this was a minor thing for me. I didn't know this was going to be a series when I started it, and I am glad it is going to continue as there are things I want to find out. I hope the author continues to write with as much detail as she did in this book, and about some of the things I am hoping to see next.
3.5 Stars

[literaryobsessed_ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet story

So this story starts with a woman who is trying to fight for her father's company and needs to hire a new lawyer. Not once do we see the meetings with the new lawyers or are they hinted to, once we leave the court room in the first scene we never revisit it but this is a major driving point.
It mentions that the 3 male leads are the best lawyers in town for the job, however they're relatively new to the scene and they do criminal law so shes not working with them but other lawyers who work in the office.
Throughout the novel it's relatively slow burn until the last 10 or so pages and that's when everything with the court case is 'resolved' even though the evidence is never given to the police or her lawyer and she agrees to try a polyamorous relationship with them on the last page. Jump to the epilogue and they're getting married! No mention of how much time has passed or what it took for them to get here.
Overall I liked the story of Todd and Ellie the 2 best friends more than any romance in this story or the actual plot.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pacing Slow

I've been reading a lot of this author's paranormal women's fiction lately, but this is the first book of hers I've read that is more straight-up contemporary romance. While I liked the female main character and the three male characters, the book’s pacing simply felt too slow. Aside from a few dramatic scenes in the first 30%, not much really happens except for us seeing the heroine with her flamboyant bestie and her getting to know the potential members of her reverse harem. The villain in this book, along with her children, is drawn so black as to feel unrealistic. Even the villain of a story should have a few decent aspects, shades to their character, to make them believable. Even the car accident felt kind of ho-hum, even as I imagined it potentially causing difficulties for the heroine further down the line. After feeling a bit bored for too long, I DNFed the book, needing more interesting literary pastures to explore.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

[Kathleen Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

When i first read this in the Falling for Them anthology I absolutely loved it. I adore Fairy Tales redone in a new way. And this is a redo of Cinderella but with a publishing empire and instead of one prince there's three! And don't get me started on Todd the best friend. Best. Fairy Godmother ever!

It was a well written and enjoyable read and Ellie was a very likeable and still a strong character. Who also loved animals and helping out at the shelters. All this without being a Mary Sue. From someone who came from money she had the ethics to work hard, obviously learned from her late father. And despite her stepmother being cruel she became a good strong person, with a little help from her best friend Todd aka Fairy Godmother!

And the Three Prince Charmings were different from each other and had their own voice. I enjoyed it so much i wish there was more as their relationship had just begun!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinderella with a RH contemporary spin, and it worked! Good job! I liked all the characters and had a fairly strong mental image of what most everyone looked like. I liked the storytelling and was drawn into the story from the start. Some of the flirting dialog didn't work for me, but that could be just me. I found the guys interesting and appealing and Ellie was clever and sweet, maybe a bit too perfect. I enjoyed the slow burn, where I usually don't. I particularly like Satan and the whole shelter thread. I loved Todd, I want more Todd! I've read a few RH books and this one doesn't follow the same "formula" that many of them fall into, big credit to Boruff. I'm a lover of big books with complex storylines, so I wish that there were a lot more scenes with the guys and a stronger conclusion to Ellie's troubles with the step-monster family and her company.

I would recommend this quick read. 3 1/2 stars

[Aimee Bower · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie is dealing with fighting to keep her father's company after his death. Ellie has never had a great relationship with her step-mother and her children. Ellie meets her neighbor after coming home, he invites her to her party. Ellie agrees to go if she is able to bring her friend Todd. Ellie is unable to make it. Ellie meets Arch's other friends, Wes and Gray. Ellie really enjoys hanging out with them.
Ellie and the guys grow closer to each other. Ellie is drawn to each of them. They have some ups and downs. Ellie has dates with each of them, but still doesn't help. Things with her step-mother get worse. Ellie has so much on her plate, but can she chose one of these men that mean so much to her.

This was a good read. You will see Ellie come out of her shell as the book goes on. She will also have to find a way to keep her father's company. Ellie will have to determine just where the friendship is going. She will also learn so stunning information about these men.

[Anna M_82 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this sweet romance about an heiress fighting her for father’s company and the three men fighting for her heart. After Ellie’s father passed away, her stepmother tried to take everything. Ellie won’t give it up without a fight. She meets Arch, Wes, and Gray when Arch invites her to a party at his apartment next to hers. They also end up owning the law firm that she hires to represent her case. The three men are taken with her and work to win over her heart. I loved these three. They were sweet, funny, and so caring. I loved the scene where they are convincing her that they aren’t to cool for her since she considers herself to be a bit of an uncool bookworm. I also loved her best friend Todd. He’s hilarious and total friendship goals!! This was a sweet story with a wonderful ending. Some steam was added as a bonus at the end and it was worth the read!

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! Ellie is battling her wicked stepmother, just 6 months after the passing of her father. Todd is her bestie, and their banter? it's everything a best friendship should be. Ellie is shy and usually keeps to herself, but one day she goes to a party at Arch's, and meets Wes & Grey. The three of them are friends, and It was a great way to talk to Ellie since Arch lives on the only other apartment on her floor.

Ellie tries to just be friends with the guys, but we kind of know where this is headed right? This creates some cute, and sweet moments between Ellie and her guys. I really enjoyed this book, it's a cute romance, and I love the little twist with Ellie and her family dramatics. It makes the story a little less "fairytale like", as other romance books. It's still a fantasy but we can all relate to family dramatics in some way.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of times reverse harem books have a lot of mature content, but this one didn't and was actually very sweet because it primarily focuses on the three guys trying to help Ellie gain control over her deceased father's publishing company.
I did think that it was a little strange that being the heir of a publishing company led to her being treated like a celebrity and having to deal with the media and everything because that's not something that I have heard of before.
The step family made me want to punch them in the face so I guess you could say they were very well written and excellent at their job of being slimy icky people.
All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more from this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Booklass Garrahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abrupt end but good

I actually liked this Cinderella-esque story. The main characters are well written and likeable. All three of the heroes have distinct characters, and none were stereotypes of a certain type of character (I.e. the bad boy, the businessman, the athlete and the sensitive soul) like some RH stories. Their characters were a little more nuanced and believable. However, I was disappointed in the rather abrupt ending of the story. I wanted Ella to have her day in court, and I wanted a little more between her and the guys. I don't need nitty gritty details, but I felt it just ended too suddenly and too early in the relationship. The epilogue is good, but not quite enough. I liked the book well enough to get the next in the series.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this work greatly. The number of men in her harem weren’t too many so it was easy to keep them all straight. The plot was awesome and flowed along smoothly. The story ended with a few unanswered questions but those were answered right away in the sequel to this work. I loved the character growth of this work, the female really blossomed under the care of the men and it was great to see her become her own person. Her friend has to be one of my favorite characters in the work and I was happy to see him make an appearance in the sequel.

Overall I give this a five out of five stars. The plot was well thought out and the characters were fantastic.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Great story!

Not sure how i missed this book by LA Boruff, but i loved the story. Heiress to a publishing company in Texas, Ellie is fighting to keep ahold of her father's company after he tragically died. Her evil stepmother is trying to take it away from her.

Her next door neighbor, Arch, and his best friends just happen to be partners in a law firm and their firm takes her case - but thankfully not those 3!! Since she starts dating each of them...Arch, Gray and Wes. Each of them offers her something different and she can't choose between them. Even though they can't help her with the case, they help her in other ways.

They are all so sweet together and i literary (lol) fell in love with this book!

I received an ARC for my honest review!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinderella is my second favorite fairy tale. It is right behind Alice in wonderland. This story by LA Boruff was such a great take on a modern day cinderella. EVIL stepmonther check, fairy godmother (DOUBLE CHECK) and not just one prince but three. Woooooooooooooo
Who would have ever thought to make the fariy godmother into a fairy godTodd. And he was just perfect in this role of godmother. It made me laugh. I really enjoyed the men of the story. I just wish it was a bit longer but that is not a bad thing at all. The only issue was that it felt a bit abrupt on the end and I would love to see what happens next. I do hope there is another book coming.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Literary Yours was a sweet reverse harem with a Cinderella theme.
After Ellie's father dies, she and her stepmother are caught in a legal battle for control of his publishing company. During this time Ellie meets and grows close to three lawyers who own the law firm she hired.
The characters in this story were sweet, and Ellie's step-family was suitably villainous. Overall the story was a cute and simple read with a good resolution in the end. It wasn't overly amazing compared to some other RH and contemporary fairytale romances that I've read, but it was a pleasant read with a nice little happy ending.

[Margaux Espinosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sweet i got a toothache

This was the sweetest contemporary RH I've read in a really long time. The underlying story/conflict was a great centerpiece to the romance that builds slowly and sweetly. These men are sexy, sweet southern boys, with charm, money and incredible personalities. I loved reading this and sympathized with Ellie's past and family issues, by the end of the book I felt completely invested in the characters lives and love and was so happy that they get their HEA. This was a wonderful story and L.A. Boruff did a fabulous job, I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a sweet contemporary with a happy ending.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was Cinderella in a way I never thought to imagine it. My heart hurt for Ellie at how deeply she had internalized her step-family’s criticisms, but that crisis of self-confidence made her even easier for me to relate to. I adored the little family that she built around herself. Best friend/miracle worker Todd was probably my favorite character in the book, though Arch, Wes, and Gray make for excellent romantic heroes. It’s a sweet, funny story with a slower burn romance. However, the bonus scene is everything spicy you could ask for.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Nathalie DeSousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a retell of Cinderella for adults. Ellie is a girl lacking self confidence and deals with issues about it - like an evial stepmother-. Then she meets her neighbor, Todd and he brings the heart of the story that leads her to her lawyers: Arch, Wes, and Gray. The trio start to make her feel safe and bring this store all together. THe book has a well written plot that takes you through the up and downs of her life before being rescued by her "princes'. You will laugh, swoon, and even find spice!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally read this in the Falling For Them Anthology, but I found the story cute and different. I liked the MC's friendship with Todd, it is nice to see a story where it isn't the usual female best friends. The guys are fun and interesting and I loved that they didn't come from your traditional family dynamic. It gives a nice inside to what that might be like for others. The story of the publishing company battle is good, I would like to see more about the MC's background with her step family as well. Overall it was a good read!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

funnily enough, I just chose this book and the companion book because they were written by a favorite author, LA Boruff.

I did not even take the time to read the blurb.

The first few chapters make a fairytale retelling of some kind obvious. These characters have such chemistry, I thought right away hmmm....

If you enjoy a good battle for the underdog, and you like an occasional romance that is a little different, this is a fast paced, hot, dramatic read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who will get the publishing company?

Ellie was to be the heiress of a publishing company. But her stepmother contested her for the company. Enter Arch, Gray, Wes her neighbor from next door and his two best friends .

It seems that they are attorneys. Are they going to help her hold on to her publishing company? Are they even able to help her hold on to the company?

A spell binding story which you won't want to put down! Remember that this is a reverse harem.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Booklvr89 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a reverse harem, so multiple guys to one girl... What's not to love there.

It's a sweet, gentle, easy read, where I tend to read more on the darker side but it was nice to shake it up. Three men who care so much about their leading lady that she becomes their whole world... Where do I sign up?

If you're looking for a book where good men fall in love with their leading lady (vanilla style) this will be a good read for you!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vanessa Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 1 of Southern Soil and a cute story of Ellie who is Sueing her stepmother for control of her father's company. Ellie meets her neighbor Arch, his friends Gray and Wes. Feelings grow as her court case goes on. I liked how the author told the story, making the characters come to life. I could feel Ellie's pain when remembering her deceased father. This story does include subjects of dating more than one-person, attempted rape, romance and a happy ending.

I received a free copy of this book via Book Sprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittany Devlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved everything about this story except the abrupt ending. . I love Todd, I wish I had a bestfriend like him. And I love Arch, Wes, and Gray's background stories. I really hope the story continues soon because I need to see their relationship happen and I need to know about the court case. I really didn't like how it just stopped. It didn't feel like an ending. I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment!