What do you think?
Rate this book
You’ve Been Served
It’s the Magic 8 Ball’s fault. All of it. One teeny little question, and suddenly Simone Alexander is chucking her whole life out the window. So long, being a chef in California–it’s time for law school. In Michigan. Where there’s actual winter. And law school’s nothing like the romantic comedies said it was.
Simone is tragically underprepared. Hell, she’s already behind before classes have even begun, and her hard-as-nails Contracts professor is giving her no mercy. Then there’s Silas Whitman, her tall and annoyingly cute neighbor. Off campus, Silas is incredible. Kissable, even. In class, he is one thousand percent the obnoxious kiss-ass.
But Simone’s given up everything to be a lawyer. The competition is fierce and she has a hateful professor gunning for her to fail, but she’s not about to let little things like sleep, or love, stop her from kicking law school ass…
Simone is tragically underprepared. Hell, she’s already behind before classes have even begun, and her hard-as-nails Contracts professor is giving her no mercy. Then there’s Silas Whitman, her tall and annoyingly cute neighbor. Off campus, Silas is incredible. Kissable, even. In class, he is one thousand percent the obnoxious kiss-ass.
But Simone’s given up everything to be a lawyer. The competition is fierce and she has a hateful professor gunning for her to fail, but she’s not about to let little things like sleep, or love, stop her from kicking law school ass…
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2023
47 people are currently reading
4620 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
August 23, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up
After quitting her job as a chef, Simone goes to law school after consulting a magic 8 ball for her future. Once at law school, she's out of her depth not knowing the way things work. She makes friends with Silas, who she really likes but who is a teacher's pet and undermines her in class. Is Silas or law school the right choice for her?
So I gave this a 2.5-3 stars because for the most part, I liked it. It read a lot like fan fiction that hadn't been edited though, and there were lots of small conflicts introduced that were resolved within the next few pages. I don't understand why a grown woman doesn't check her email? Or expects to show up to law school with no prep and just be fine? But overall I enjoyed the book and made it to the end via audiobook.
After quitting her job as a chef, Simone goes to law school after consulting a magic 8 ball for her future. Once at law school, she's out of her depth not knowing the way things work. She makes friends with Silas, who she really likes but who is a teacher's pet and undermines her in class. Is Silas or law school the right choice for her?
So I gave this a 2.5-3 stars because for the most part, I liked it. It read a lot like fan fiction that hadn't been edited though, and there were lots of small conflicts introduced that were resolved within the next few pages. I don't understand why a grown woman doesn't check her email? Or expects to show up to law school with no prep and just be fine? But overall I enjoyed the book and made it to the end via audiobook.
dnf
June 16, 2023DNF @30%
The synopsis sounded fun and lighthearted, but the execution is missing the mark. This book honestly feels like a bunch of random thoughts jumbled together. Also, really tired of the “you don’t look Black, so you must be mixed”’assumption when someone meets a person who is light skinned. Yes, this is called out and addressed, but it’s still annoying.
The synopsis sounded fun and lighthearted, but the execution is missing the mark. This book honestly feels like a bunch of random thoughts jumbled together. Also, really tired of the “you don’t look Black, so you must be mixed”’assumption when someone meets a person who is light skinned. Yes, this is called out and addressed, but it’s still annoying.
July 11, 2023
1.5⭐️
Thanks NetGalley & RB Media for this Audiobook., Unfortunately it just wasn't for me. I couldn’t connect with the story at all, at the end I was asking myself, what's the point of this story.
Thanks NetGalley & RB Media for this Audiobook., Unfortunately it just wasn't for me. I couldn’t connect with the story at all, at the end I was asking myself, what's the point of this story.
![Profile Image for Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1642113904i%2F116166019._UY200_CR2%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 17, 2023
2.5 ⭐ I'm finally done with this book!
It's taken me so long to finish this. I'm usually done with my books within 1 to 2 days, but this one... This one was taking my will to live with it.
It's a closed door romance who focuses on Simone, a 26 year-old Cali girl that moves to the middle on nowhere US to go to Law School, and the friends she makes along the way. One of her besties/ wannabe-more-but-we-refuse-to-talk-about-it is Silas, this guy that under every definition (including the mc's), is cute and tall, but mid. So why are they together, you ask? Great question!
I don't know. I don't get why these two get together. They like each other fine, I guess, but why? They behave as friends for over half of the book, with no romantic entanglement. They single POV made this odd too, because she's always going back and forth on her thoughts and feelings about literally everything: law school, her friends, moving away and leaving her job, Silas... Also, I don't know who the dude on the cover is, but it's definitely not Silas. He's described as light-skinned to the point of almost white-passing, and he's always in funky T-shirts. His way of 'dressing up' were jeans lol. So yeah, the guy in the cover is someone else. Maybe Keith (?)
I'm giving this 2.5 stars: one for the all-black characters, and one for promoting POC women in stressful, successful, difficult career paths. And that half one because I thought Silas family drama was entertaining and interesting. But that's it. Half of the things that happen in this book are very Legally Blonde-but-not-really, and most of the tension between the mc and the romantic interest hinges on miscommunication and bad timing.
⭐⭐.5 / 5
0.5 / 5 🌶️
Thank you so much Net Galley for providing me with an eARC to review!
It's taken me so long to finish this. I'm usually done with my books within 1 to 2 days, but this one... This one was taking my will to live with it.
It's a closed door romance who focuses on Simone, a 26 year-old Cali girl that moves to the middle on nowhere US to go to Law School, and the friends she makes along the way. One of her besties/ wannabe-more-but-we-refuse-to-talk-about-it is Silas, this guy that under every definition (including the mc's), is cute and tall, but mid. So why are they together, you ask? Great question!
I don't know. I don't get why these two get together. They like each other fine, I guess, but why? They behave as friends for over half of the book, with no romantic entanglement. They single POV made this odd too, because she's always going back and forth on her thoughts and feelings about literally everything: law school, her friends, moving away and leaving her job, Silas... Also, I don't know who the dude on the cover is, but it's definitely not Silas. He's described as light-skinned to the point of almost white-passing, and he's always in funky T-shirts. His way of 'dressing up' were jeans lol. So yeah, the guy in the cover is someone else. Maybe Keith (?)
I'm giving this 2.5 stars: one for the all-black characters, and one for promoting POC women in stressful, successful, difficult career paths. And that half one because I thought Silas family drama was entertaining and interesting. But that's it. Half of the things that happen in this book are very Legally Blonde-but-not-really, and most of the tension between the mc and the romantic interest hinges on miscommunication and bad timing.
⭐⭐.5 / 5
0.5 / 5 🌶️
Thank you so much Net Galley for providing me with an eARC to review!
July 9, 2023
Classmates falling in love? Classic. Classmates falling in love but one is still “out performing” the other? Even better. I liked the classmate dynamic but I also like how she thought he was an ass for how he behaved in class. It gave it a fun guy vs. girl spin.
🌀Synopsis
Simone has no idea what she’s doing. Well, she does but it seems very…off-path? After a magic 8 ball encounter she’s decided to go back to school for law. Now all moved in, she’s already nervous about her choice. One of her professors is known to be difficult too, even worse!
It doesn’t take long for the professor to live up to expectation and Simone struggles. What made it worse is her classmate, Silas, who keeps showing her up in class.
When the two meet outside of class, as neighbors, Silas isn’t bad. In fact, he’s downright steamy. Simone can’t resist him but she also can’t quite focus on everything she needs to do while he’s around either.
After another round of him showing her up, she’s had enough. Simone realizes it’s time to get serious and focus more on herself than their relationship. She spends the rest of the semester getting to know the professor better and pulling her grade up. She realizes, along the way, that maybe it was Silas’ fault…
🌀Synopsis
Simone has no idea what she’s doing. Well, she does but it seems very…off-path? After a magic 8 ball encounter she’s decided to go back to school for law. Now all moved in, she’s already nervous about her choice. One of her professors is known to be difficult too, even worse!
It doesn’t take long for the professor to live up to expectation and Simone struggles. What made it worse is her classmate, Silas, who keeps showing her up in class.
When the two meet outside of class, as neighbors, Silas isn’t bad. In fact, he’s downright steamy. Simone can’t resist him but she also can’t quite focus on everything she needs to do while he’s around either.
After another round of him showing her up, she’s had enough. Simone realizes it’s time to get serious and focus more on herself than their relationship. She spends the rest of the semester getting to know the professor better and pulling her grade up. She realizes, along the way, that maybe it was Silas’ fault…
July 21, 2023
After the slow burn of it all, it was fade to black intimacy. Whew.
This was just okay lack of spice not withstanding. It was lighthearted and easy going no gut wrenching drama, which is nice sometimes.
This was just okay lack of spice not withstanding. It was lighthearted and easy going no gut wrenching drama, which is nice sometimes.
June 22, 2023
A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher RB Media for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
I really wanted to love this one but it just fell flat for me.
The issue with this book is that there are no stakes. This is just a novel following Simone through her first year of law school as she falls in love with Silas. There isn’t much of a will-they-won’t-they, and any inkling of a rivals-to-lovers set up is stamped out pretty quickly after it’s introduced.
Silas is also pretty transparently firm in his desire to pursue her, so there is never any threat that he could change course and go after someone else, even when Simone herself begins to doubt his intentions. Because of this, the narrative lacks tension, especially in the romance department.
There are also a lot of allusions to Legally Blonde in this book and here’s what I’ll say about that: Legally Blonde works because there is a central conflict surrounding the homicide case Elle Woods and her fellow students are consulting on with their professor. This case provides tension and stakes which allows the narrative in the film to function properly and be compelling.
There is no such similarity in this novel. The closest thing to a central conflict is Simone struggling in her contracts class. Even that doesn’t feel convincing because, although she threatens to leave school after the first semester, you know she won’t since there’s still another 50% of the book left to go.
The last issue I had with this was the writing style. It felt underdeveloped and could have benefited from additional rounds of editing to add polish. Here’s an example of a line that feels emblematic of the writing as a whole: “The more I spent time with Silas, the more I wanted to spend time with him and learn what made him tick.” The repetition of the “spend time with” verbiage makes the sentence clunky and ruins the fluidity of the writing. This lack of fluidity kept occurring and I couldn’t help but think that more editing could have easily fixed the issue.
In the end, I really wanted to love this one but ultimately couldn’t feel invested in the story due to the problems outlined above, particularly the lack of stakes and tension.
On the note of the audiobook, the narrator’s performance was inconsistent. Her voice for Simone was well done, but her voices for Silas and some of the other background characters were flat and not very emotive.
Spice Rating: 2/5 🌶️🌶️ - Explicit Undressing, Fade to Black
Overall Rating: 1 star
I really wanted to love this one but it just fell flat for me.
The issue with this book is that there are no stakes. This is just a novel following Simone through her first year of law school as she falls in love with Silas. There isn’t much of a will-they-won’t-they, and any inkling of a rivals-to-lovers set up is stamped out pretty quickly after it’s introduced.
Silas is also pretty transparently firm in his desire to pursue her, so there is never any threat that he could change course and go after someone else, even when Simone herself begins to doubt his intentions. Because of this, the narrative lacks tension, especially in the romance department.
There are also a lot of allusions to Legally Blonde in this book and here’s what I’ll say about that: Legally Blonde works because there is a central conflict surrounding the homicide case Elle Woods and her fellow students are consulting on with their professor. This case provides tension and stakes which allows the narrative in the film to function properly and be compelling.
There is no such similarity in this novel. The closest thing to a central conflict is Simone struggling in her contracts class. Even that doesn’t feel convincing because, although she threatens to leave school after the first semester, you know she won’t since there’s still another 50% of the book left to go.
The last issue I had with this was the writing style. It felt underdeveloped and could have benefited from additional rounds of editing to add polish. Here’s an example of a line that feels emblematic of the writing as a whole: “The more I spent time with Silas, the more I wanted to spend time with him and learn what made him tick.” The repetition of the “spend time with” verbiage makes the sentence clunky and ruins the fluidity of the writing. This lack of fluidity kept occurring and I couldn’t help but think that more editing could have easily fixed the issue.
In the end, I really wanted to love this one but ultimately couldn’t feel invested in the story due to the problems outlined above, particularly the lack of stakes and tension.
On the note of the audiobook, the narrator’s performance was inconsistent. Her voice for Simone was well done, but her voices for Silas and some of the other background characters were flat and not very emotive.
Spice Rating: 2/5 🌶️🌶️ - Explicit Undressing, Fade to Black
Overall Rating: 1 star
April 8, 2023
What a great romance book. It is a quick read, with loveable and witty characters. I read this book in a day and didn’t even realize I was reading so quickly! The author did such a great job giving each character a distinct voice with great personalities. There weren’t any extra unnecessary characters or details that didn’t push the story along. There was a reason for every word in this book and that makes me appreciate it even more. The romance didn’t feel rushed, and I could genuinely feel the attraction between the two characters. Above all, what I loved about this book even more was the fact that it is SO relatable. I know that not everyone will relate to it the way that I did, but I too left my home state and went to law school in a different state. I left NY to go to law school in California. Everything that the author wrote about law school was spot on; how tough it is, the types of professors you’ll find, the gunners in the class, and especially feeling inadequate. It brought back so many good (and not so good) memories for me! I was so excited to read this book, and enjoyed it so much, that I am sort of sad it has now ended. I would love to continue the journey of the characters in this book, with a follow up book!
April 11, 2023
A huge thanks to Entangled Amara for my complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
This is a huge recommendation for fans of Legally Blonde. It follows Simone who is a chef but quits her supposed dream job when something happens at the restaurant . She goes home and with the aid of the Magic 8 ball she heads to law school. While there she struggles to adjust like any human that has a change in career. I loved the female friendships that were brought up in the book between Simone , River and Tiffany. The author created a handsome hero who is lovable, funny and respectful.. This is a perfect read for a lazy day ,
This is a huge recommendation for fans of Legally Blonde. It follows Simone who is a chef but quits her supposed dream job when something happens at the restaurant . She goes home and with the aid of the Magic 8 ball she heads to law school. While there she struggles to adjust like any human that has a change in career. I loved the female friendships that were brought up in the book between Simone , River and Tiffany. The author created a handsome hero who is lovable, funny and respectful.. This is a perfect read for a lazy day ,
May 19, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Enchanted Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to love this book. Girl quitting her job and starting over, but I was not a fan of the main character whatsoever. She somehow didn’t realise how hard law school was going to be because she only studied for 3 weeks before taking the LSATs? It just felt unrealistic to me that she would be so clueless all of the time which was super frustrating!
I didn’t end up finishing book, and got to 50% before I had to put it down after the FMC got upset at the MMC for something that happened in class when it wasn’t his fault.
There was no chemistry between them and I struggled to get through it.
I wanted to love this book. Girl quitting her job and starting over, but I was not a fan of the main character whatsoever. She somehow didn’t realise how hard law school was going to be because she only studied for 3 weeks before taking the LSATs? It just felt unrealistic to me that she would be so clueless all of the time which was super frustrating!
I didn’t end up finishing book, and got to 50% before I had to put it down after the FMC got upset at the MMC for something that happened in class when it wasn’t his fault.
There was no chemistry between them and I struggled to get through it.
June 29, 2023
Thank you to the author, Kristen Alicia, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on June 27, 2023.
Unfortunately, I DNF’d @ 24%. There was too much inner dialogue to my liking, especially since it’s the beginning of the book. I just prefer more actual dialogue because I get bored if there’s not and start skimming.
This also felt more of a slice of life rather than a romance, which I don’t mind that type of book. I was just expecting at least a decent amount of romance since I was a quarter through the book.
Unfortunately, I DNF’d @ 24%. There was too much inner dialogue to my liking, especially since it’s the beginning of the book. I just prefer more actual dialogue because I get bored if there’s not and start skimming.
This also felt more of a slice of life rather than a romance, which I don’t mind that type of book. I was just expecting at least a decent amount of romance since I was a quarter through the book.
June 29, 2023
DNF at 10%
Setting aside my annoyance that the author knows virtually nothing about law school and gets it so very wrong (more on that below) the MC is annoying AF and the writing is painful it's that terrible. It's also all over the place, like a stream of consciousness more than a story. The MC points out no less than 10 times in a few pages she's in East Lansing Michigan. She also spends an inordinate amount of time describing and judging every person and their outfit around her but no actual plot is happening. You can loosely realize she's gone to her first day of law school in between all her thoughts about peoples outfits and racial comments.
Here's an example: "ugh the girl I'm next to is wearing XXX. The professor came in and is wearing XXX. She looks unfriendly. When I'm a professor some day (girl what are you talking about) I won't look like that. Oh he's cute wearing XXX and his eyes XXX oh the professor called on me and I didn't know what a socratic method is. Now we're at the library and the line is long and I hope I can afford this and the cute guy just said black people don't surf and I had to tell him I do and whoops I didn't realize he's black bc he's so light and turns out he knows my friends friend..."
SUMMARY: MC is working at a restaurant; cooking is all she's ever wanted to do. Later we learn she went to Berkeley, so it's confusing (and not explained) why she 1) didn't go to culinary school and 2) why she went to B at all? and how did she end up in food service? ANYWAY, after getting into a snappy disagreement with a customer who turns out to be a critic, she quits, goes home and asks the magic 8 ball if she should go to law school.
What the actual F. Firstly, you can't just decide to go to law school and be there in 3 weeks. You have to apply, you have to get in (it's very hard to get in to all law schools) and you have to take the LSAT long before applying. Anyone who watched Legally Blonde knows this much. Whatever, maybe the author forgot to add in the backstory ??
Now she's there and like a dumb dumb shows up in a suit. The first day is only a few pages and it is her mostly talking about other peoples clothes or what they look like; there isn't much discussion about law school except the prof says everyone gets graded on a B curve or something ROFLMAO this would not happen in law school. 50% flunk out for a reason. Next MC embarrassed Elle Woods -style (she's called on and doesn't know the answer), someone else (shock! her neighbor that's cute!) answers correctly) and then we are out of class to go to the library.
What about her other classes that day!?
I cannot.
Thanks netgalley for my ARC ALC
Setting aside my annoyance that the author knows virtually nothing about law school and gets it so very wrong (more on that below) the MC is annoying AF and the writing is painful it's that terrible. It's also all over the place, like a stream of consciousness more than a story. The MC points out no less than 10 times in a few pages she's in East Lansing Michigan. She also spends an inordinate amount of time describing and judging every person and their outfit around her but no actual plot is happening. You can loosely realize she's gone to her first day of law school in between all her thoughts about peoples outfits and racial comments.
Here's an example: "ugh the girl I'm next to is wearing XXX. The professor came in and is wearing XXX. She looks unfriendly. When I'm a professor some day (girl what are you talking about) I won't look like that. Oh he's cute wearing XXX and his eyes XXX oh the professor called on me and I didn't know what a socratic method is. Now we're at the library and the line is long and I hope I can afford this and the cute guy just said black people don't surf and I had to tell him I do and whoops I didn't realize he's black bc he's so light and turns out he knows my friends friend..."
SUMMARY: MC is working at a restaurant; cooking is all she's ever wanted to do. Later we learn she went to Berkeley, so it's confusing (and not explained) why she 1) didn't go to culinary school and 2) why she went to B at all? and how did she end up in food service? ANYWAY, after getting into a snappy disagreement with a customer who turns out to be a critic, she quits, goes home and asks the magic 8 ball if she should go to law school.
What the actual F. Firstly, you can't just decide to go to law school and be there in 3 weeks. You have to apply, you have to get in (it's very hard to get in to all law schools) and you have to take the LSAT long before applying. Anyone who watched Legally Blonde knows this much. Whatever, maybe the author forgot to add in the backstory ??
Now she's there and like a dumb dumb shows up in a suit. The first day is only a few pages and it is her mostly talking about other peoples clothes or what they look like; there isn't much discussion about law school except the prof says everyone gets graded on a B curve or something ROFLMAO this would not happen in law school. 50% flunk out for a reason. Next MC embarrassed Elle Woods -style (she's called on and doesn't know the answer), someone else (shock! her neighbor that's cute!) answers correctly) and then we are out of class to go to the library.
What about her other classes that day!?
I cannot.
Thanks netgalley for my ARC ALC
April 7, 2023
Us midwest girlies gotta represent ( also go green ;) )
This is a quick, loveable, and witty read, and I would 100% recommend it to any romance reader looking for a fast but enjoyable read.
The main character, Simone, on the whim of a magic 8 ball decides to start law school after quitting her job as a chef. There she meets an amazing array of people, goes through the ups and downs of law school, figures out her life, and finds some neighbors and classmates with an intriguing guy.
I devoured this book in less than two days, and absolutely just fell in love with Simone and how she carried herself in this book. The rest of the characters in this book were well-written, diverse, hilarious, and overall just perfect additions to this story. The love interest was the perfect mixture of Midwest charm, steaminess, and humor. This was just such an enjoyable book to read and paced itself to the point of perfection.
This book also had a ton of perfect little similarities to me that I clicked with. One is that the setting is at the college I attend, which honestly made this such a fun read. I loved all the places that it mentioned and made me go, "Oh I know that place!" Secondly, it involves laws and lawyers, which I have been surrounded by my whole life. And while I may not be pursuing to be a lawyer, I still was raised on discussions of laws and court cases. So once again I felt like there were a ton of easter eggs that I found hiding in bushes throughout this book.
Overall a perfect romantic and confident debut that brings in the perfect mixture of romance and plot.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for a chance to read this book!
This is a quick, loveable, and witty read, and I would 100% recommend it to any romance reader looking for a fast but enjoyable read.
The main character, Simone, on the whim of a magic 8 ball decides to start law school after quitting her job as a chef. There she meets an amazing array of people, goes through the ups and downs of law school, figures out her life, and finds some neighbors and classmates with an intriguing guy.
I devoured this book in less than two days, and absolutely just fell in love with Simone and how she carried herself in this book. The rest of the characters in this book were well-written, diverse, hilarious, and overall just perfect additions to this story. The love interest was the perfect mixture of Midwest charm, steaminess, and humor. This was just such an enjoyable book to read and paced itself to the point of perfection.
This book also had a ton of perfect little similarities to me that I clicked with. One is that the setting is at the college I attend, which honestly made this such a fun read. I loved all the places that it mentioned and made me go, "Oh I know that place!" Secondly, it involves laws and lawyers, which I have been surrounded by my whole life. And while I may not be pursuing to be a lawyer, I still was raised on discussions of laws and court cases. So once again I felt like there were a ton of easter eggs that I found hiding in bushes throughout this book.
Overall a perfect romantic and confident debut that brings in the perfect mixture of romance and plot.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for a chance to read this book!
June 19, 2024
tbh i feel like there was no real point to this story. it felt like one of those filler stories where nothing important happens and you’re left wondering what the point was. the story wasn’t bad by any means but it was just alright.
June 6, 2023
After quitting her job as a chef Simone Alexander decides to ask her Magic 8 ball for a sign. Next thing you know she is starting as a first year law student in Michigan. This book starts off as Simone being a fish out of water. She didn’t read emails to get a head start on purchasing books or preparing for her first day of class. She also opts to not bring her car as she is use to public transportation to get her around in Oakland. (I’m sorry, I rolled my eye at this because Californians definitely know you need cars to get around.) Her neighbor is Silas Whitman who like her has worked a few years before returning to law school. But he is a gunner and very prepared for every class. I’m not sure how much time first year law students have time to date but the two manage a kiss or two before backing back to friendship. I honestly didn’t get why they were attracted to each other than they were both cute and nice. I liked that she buckles down and focuses on being prepared for class but the romance didn’t leave me breathless.
This is a nice contemporary closed door romance. The cover is cute but the male on the front does not match the description of Silas. Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.
This is a nice contemporary closed door romance. The cover is cute but the male on the front does not match the description of Silas. Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.
January 21, 2024
tysm to netgalley for this audio arc !!
being a big romance lover and law student myself, i jumped on this the moment i saw it and im so glad to say i was not disappointed
seeing a book all about the struggles of first year law, i was simultaneously loving the representation and reeling from the ptsd of having just finished my own first year. it was interesting to see how simone, the mc, dealt wt the classes in contrast to how i had. her contract law class was the one she struggled wt most whereas it had been my best class. then she breezed through criminal law while i was legitimately traumatized lmao.
all in all i think this was such a fast and great romcom. the main couple was loveable, the side characters fun, the banter great.
i will say tho my one qualm wt this book was that simone was often made out to be clueless and weak for the sole purpose of driving the plot forward. i found it rlly unrealistic that someone who was a chef in such a fancy restaurant wt a terrible boss for 5yrs would then go on to get emotional and leave campus after being called out by a professor.
regardless, i definitely recommend checking this out when it’s published <3
being a big romance lover and law student myself, i jumped on this the moment i saw it and im so glad to say i was not disappointed
seeing a book all about the struggles of first year law, i was simultaneously loving the representation and reeling from the ptsd of having just finished my own first year. it was interesting to see how simone, the mc, dealt wt the classes in contrast to how i had. her contract law class was the one she struggled wt most whereas it had been my best class. then she breezed through criminal law while i was legitimately traumatized lmao.
all in all i think this was such a fast and great romcom. the main couple was loveable, the side characters fun, the banter great.
i will say tho my one qualm wt this book was that simone was often made out to be clueless and weak for the sole purpose of driving the plot forward. i found it rlly unrealistic that someone who was a chef in such a fancy restaurant wt a terrible boss for 5yrs would then go on to get emotional and leave campus after being called out by a professor.
regardless, i definitely recommend checking this out when it’s published <3
April 8, 2023
This book was very realistic and cute at the same time. The main character Simone is a broke 26-year-old that goes through a major career change and starts law school after being unsatisfied with her career as a chef. She meets one of her classmates, Silas, who she thinks is her competition, during their first class, and they develop a friendship. Both mc's like each other but don't get together until a lot later in the book.
The book has a lot about law school and legal stuff, which activated my fight and flight response when I remembered doing international law for my undergrad. Both the characters and the plot were relatable and realistic. I liked how the author portrayed the main characters and their relationship development even though, at times, they acted immature. Overall a fun diverse read with a sweet romance and likable main and side characters.
Thank you, Entangled Publishing and NetGalley, for this arc for an honest review.
The book has a lot about law school and legal stuff, which activated my fight and flight response when I remembered doing international law for my undergrad. Both the characters and the plot were relatable and realistic. I liked how the author portrayed the main characters and their relationship development even though, at times, they acted immature. Overall a fun diverse read with a sweet romance and likable main and side characters.
Thank you, Entangled Publishing and NetGalley, for this arc for an honest review.
June 21, 2023
You’ve Been Served was a whimsical and entertaining quality that keeps readers engaged.
The entire plot revolves around the protagonist relying on a magic 8 ball to shape and dictate her future. It's undeniably unrealistic and filled with random occurrences.
This book wins on the fluffy light side of reading. The sheer entertainment value of the book was its redeeming quality.
All in all, as a debut novel, this book offers a welcome escape from reality and delivers an enjoyable reading experience for me. I think the nature of a rom com can make it hard to see deep character growth. I did encounter some instances where I had to backtrack a few pages, feeling like I may have missed something due to inconsistencies in the narrative. Additionally, the ending felt abrupt, leaving me longing for more details and closure. I would read this simply for the whimsy and the fun of the story.
The entire plot revolves around the protagonist relying on a magic 8 ball to shape and dictate her future. It's undeniably unrealistic and filled with random occurrences.
This book wins on the fluffy light side of reading. The sheer entertainment value of the book was its redeeming quality.
All in all, as a debut novel, this book offers a welcome escape from reality and delivers an enjoyable reading experience for me. I think the nature of a rom com can make it hard to see deep character growth. I did encounter some instances where I had to backtrack a few pages, feeling like I may have missed something due to inconsistencies in the narrative. Additionally, the ending felt abrupt, leaving me longing for more details and closure. I would read this simply for the whimsy and the fun of the story.
February 14, 2024
⭐️⭐️After consulting a magic 8 ball for advice, Simone leaves her career as a chefs applies to law school and uproots her entire life. I love a non-traditional career path and an academic setting so I had high hopes for this one!
Sadly, it fell pretty flat for me. I was expecting banter and a sweet romance but this felt much more like a "finding yourself" storyline. I didn’t feel the connection between the characters and it felt like they were both settling. This could have been such a fun story but it felt disjointed and there was nothing truly special about the plot.
I read romance for the magic and the swoon and the entertainment. Unfortunately, You’ve Been Served was lacking in all three.
A quick read but not one I necessarily recommend!
Sadly, it fell pretty flat for me. I was expecting banter and a sweet romance but this felt much more like a "finding yourself" storyline. I didn’t feel the connection between the characters and it felt like they were both settling. This could have been such a fun story but it felt disjointed and there was nothing truly special about the plot.
I read romance for the magic and the swoon and the entertainment. Unfortunately, You’ve Been Served was lacking in all three.
A quick read but not one I necessarily recommend!
April 26, 2023
2.5 stars
the first word i would to describe this book is random. its random, quirky, and entertaining.
the whole plot was based on the mc using a magic 8 ball to pave and determine her future. if that isn’t unrealistic and random, i don’t know what it. i didn’t particularly connect with either of the main characters or the plot, and the most enjoyable thing about this book was just that it was so entertaining. even though i dont like the characters, i thought they were so hilarious and in the most unironic way.
so in all, as a debut novel, this book is a good break from reality and an enjoyable reading experience to me.
thank you netgallery & entangled publishing for this e-arc!!
the first word i would to describe this book is random. its random, quirky, and entertaining.
the whole plot was based on the mc using a magic 8 ball to pave and determine her future. if that isn’t unrealistic and random, i don’t know what it. i didn’t particularly connect with either of the main characters or the plot, and the most enjoyable thing about this book was just that it was so entertaining. even though i dont like the characters, i thought they were so hilarious and in the most unironic way.
so in all, as a debut novel, this book is a good break from reality and an enjoyable reading experience to me.
thank you netgallery & entangled publishing for this e-arc!!
April 12, 2023
ARC review — 3.5 stars! This was a cute story but I feel like the main character needed more character development. You find yourself loving the secondary characters more and wanting to know more about them like Rivy and Tiffany! I also would have loved to hear Silas POV. I love dual POVs but this was just the FMC POV. A slow burn for sure, they don’t officially get together until almost the end of the book. The ending was sweet but I would’ve wanted to know a little more, more resolution since it ended up quite abruptly.
July 18, 2023
This was cute and easily ready. I loved how these two met and the journey and friendship existed before things got serious.
Simone Alexander has made a big life change and needs to prepare for all its trials. She made some new friends that will help guide her through that process. Silas is one of those friends and neighbours.
It was beautiful to be a part of these two figuring it out together and apart. A great later in life coming of age story
I truly enjoyed the supporting characters. They helped make Simone and Silas figure things out.
Simone Alexander has made a big life change and needs to prepare for all its trials. She made some new friends that will help guide her through that process. Silas is one of those friends and neighbours.
It was beautiful to be a part of these two figuring it out together and apart. A great later in life coming of age story
I truly enjoyed the supporting characters. They helped make Simone and Silas figure things out.
June 21, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
This was a fun, light-hearted enemies to friends to lovers slow burn romance between two first year law students. I loved both of the love interests, the diverse characters, the swoony male lead and ALL the How to get away with murder (without any actual murders) vibes! Good on audio and definitely worth picking up. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: kissing only
This was a fun, light-hearted enemies to friends to lovers slow burn romance between two first year law students. I loved both of the love interests, the diverse characters, the swoony male lead and ALL the How to get away with murder (without any actual murders) vibes! Good on audio and definitely worth picking up. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: kissing only
August 29, 2023
You've Been Served by Kristen Alicia
7h 11m narrated by Jasmin Walker, 352 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy, African-American Fiction
Featuring: Chef, Law School, California, Michigan, College Campus, Apartment Complex, Magic 8 Ball, Mixed Signals Trope, Sex - Off-Camera, Girlfriends
Rating as a movie: R for adult content including language and sexual content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Ms. Jackson" by OutKast, "I Get Around" by Tupac Shakur, "Heartbreaker" by Mariah Carey featuring Jay-Z, "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyoncé, "Pony" by Ginuwine, "Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Raitt, "Kiss" by Prince and The Revolution
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ ⚖️
My thoughts:📱36% 2:34:33 Ch. 10 - This took a minute to heat up but it's not bad once you get to know the characters.
This book has a slow start but it's fun. I could have done without all of the Legally Blonde references, once was more than enough. Overall I enjoyed this story and will read the sophomore novel.
Recommend to others: Yes. This is a fun romantic comedy set around a college campus with older students.
7h 11m narrated by Jasmin Walker, 352 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy, African-American Fiction
Featuring: Chef, Law School, California, Michigan, College Campus, Apartment Complex, Magic 8 Ball, Mixed Signals Trope, Sex - Off-Camera, Girlfriends
Rating as a movie: R for adult content including language and sexual content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Ms. Jackson" by OutKast, "I Get Around" by Tupac Shakur, "Heartbreaker" by Mariah Carey featuring Jay-Z, "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyoncé, "Pony" by Ginuwine, "Something to Talk About" by Bonnie Raitt, "Kiss" by Prince and The Revolution
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½ ⚖️
My thoughts:📱36% 2:34:33 Ch. 10 - This took a minute to heat up but it's not bad once you get to know the characters.
This book has a slow start but it's fun. I could have done without all of the Legally Blonde references, once was more than enough. Overall I enjoyed this story and will read the sophomore novel.
Recommend to others: Yes. This is a fun romantic comedy set around a college campus with older students.
November 29, 2023
it was fun and cute!
August 1, 2023
2.5 stars.
"You've Been Served" by Kristen Alicia is a drawn-out character sketch about Simone, a chef who is sick of the long hours and terrible pay in the restaurant industry. To shake up her life, she literally shakes a Magic 8 Ball and asks it whether or not she should go to law school. When it answers in the affirmative, Simone moves from California to Michigan and enrolls in law school, not realizing how underprepared she is for this massive life switch. Between learning new Midwest vernacular, meeting new friends, studying way more than she anticipated, and trying to stave off her rude, crotchety law professor (who is gunning for her to fail), Simone has her work cut out for her. Simone soon meets Silas, her attractive, friendly, adorable neighbor to whom she is wildly attracted, when he's not being a huge brown-noser in Professor Patton's class.
If you can get over the absolutely bonkers and wholly unrealistic premise, you may enjoy something about "You've Been Served." Just in case you needed to hear this: please DO NOT take life advice from a Magic 8 Ball. I personally enjoyed the premise despite how silly it may seem. It felt fresh and interesting. Unfortunately, the author does very little to capitalize on this fact. I found this book as a whole to be rather boring and uneventful. It simultaneously feels like so much random stuff happens in this book, yet absolutely nothing of consequence happens. At times, I liked Simone and Silas as individual characters, and they do have some good banter with one another, but they lacked the necessary chemistry to keep me invested in the story and in their romantic journey. They are almost like enemies to lovers because of the way Silas tries to always jump in and save her in their class, but the connection between them didn't sustain me. Maybe it's because they are both exceedingly juvenile and underwritten. I could have used a lot more character development and a lot less discussion about what Simone should bring on a date, or what kind of food they should make, stuff that doesn't matter. There are no stakes between them, so my mind wandered frequently. I cannot attest to how accurate the law jargon and plot points are, but I felt like it dragged the book down some.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Alicia, and Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Amara for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
Merged review:
2.5 stars.
"You've Been Served" by Kristen Alicia is a drawn-out character sketch about Simone, a chef who is sick of the long hours and terrible pay in the restaurant industry. To shake up her life, she literally shakes a Magic 8 Ball and asks it whether or not she should go to law school. When it answers in the affirmative, Simone moves from California to Michigan and enrolls in law school, not realizing how underprepared she is for this massive life switch. Between learning new Midwest vernacular, meeting new friends, studying way more than she anticipated, and trying to stave off her rude, crotchety law professor (who is gunning for her to fail), Simone has her work cut out for her. Simone soon meets Silas, her attractive, friendly, adorable neighbor to whom she is wildly attracted, when he's not being a huge brown-noser in Professor Patton's class.
If you can get over the absolutely bonkers and wholly unrealistic premise, you may enjoy something about "You've Been Served." Just in case you needed to hear this: please DO NOT take life advice from a Magic 8 Ball. I personally enjoyed the premise despite how silly it may seem. It felt fresh and interesting. Unfortunately, the author does very little to capitalize on this fact. I found this book as a whole to be rather boring and uneventful. It simultaneously feels like so much random stuff happens in this book, yet absolutely nothing of consequence happens. At times, I liked Simone and Silas as individual characters, and they do have some good banter with one another, but they lacked the necessary chemistry to keep me invested in the story and in their romantic journey. They are almost like enemies to lovers because of the way Silas tries to always jump in and save her in their class, but the connection between them didn't sustain me. Maybe it's because they are both exceedingly juvenile and underwritten. I could have used a lot more character development and a lot less discussion about what Simone should bring on a date, or what kind of food they should make, stuff that doesn't matter. There are no stakes between them, so my mind wandered frequently. I cannot attest to how accurate the law jargon and plot points are, but I felt like it dragged the book down some.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Alicia, and Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Amara for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
"You've Been Served" by Kristen Alicia is a drawn-out character sketch about Simone, a chef who is sick of the long hours and terrible pay in the restaurant industry. To shake up her life, she literally shakes a Magic 8 Ball and asks it whether or not she should go to law school. When it answers in the affirmative, Simone moves from California to Michigan and enrolls in law school, not realizing how underprepared she is for this massive life switch. Between learning new Midwest vernacular, meeting new friends, studying way more than she anticipated, and trying to stave off her rude, crotchety law professor (who is gunning for her to fail), Simone has her work cut out for her. Simone soon meets Silas, her attractive, friendly, adorable neighbor to whom she is wildly attracted, when he's not being a huge brown-noser in Professor Patton's class.
If you can get over the absolutely bonkers and wholly unrealistic premise, you may enjoy something about "You've Been Served." Just in case you needed to hear this: please DO NOT take life advice from a Magic 8 Ball. I personally enjoyed the premise despite how silly it may seem. It felt fresh and interesting. Unfortunately, the author does very little to capitalize on this fact. I found this book as a whole to be rather boring and uneventful. It simultaneously feels like so much random stuff happens in this book, yet absolutely nothing of consequence happens. At times, I liked Simone and Silas as individual characters, and they do have some good banter with one another, but they lacked the necessary chemistry to keep me invested in the story and in their romantic journey. They are almost like enemies to lovers because of the way Silas tries to always jump in and save her in their class, but the connection between them didn't sustain me. Maybe it's because they are both exceedingly juvenile and underwritten. I could have used a lot more character development and a lot less discussion about what Simone should bring on a date, or what kind of food they should make, stuff that doesn't matter. There are no stakes between them, so my mind wandered frequently. I cannot attest to how accurate the law jargon and plot points are, but I felt like it dragged the book down some.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Alicia, and Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Amara for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
Merged review:
2.5 stars.
"You've Been Served" by Kristen Alicia is a drawn-out character sketch about Simone, a chef who is sick of the long hours and terrible pay in the restaurant industry. To shake up her life, she literally shakes a Magic 8 Ball and asks it whether or not she should go to law school. When it answers in the affirmative, Simone moves from California to Michigan and enrolls in law school, not realizing how underprepared she is for this massive life switch. Between learning new Midwest vernacular, meeting new friends, studying way more than she anticipated, and trying to stave off her rude, crotchety law professor (who is gunning for her to fail), Simone has her work cut out for her. Simone soon meets Silas, her attractive, friendly, adorable neighbor to whom she is wildly attracted, when he's not being a huge brown-noser in Professor Patton's class.
If you can get over the absolutely bonkers and wholly unrealistic premise, you may enjoy something about "You've Been Served." Just in case you needed to hear this: please DO NOT take life advice from a Magic 8 Ball. I personally enjoyed the premise despite how silly it may seem. It felt fresh and interesting. Unfortunately, the author does very little to capitalize on this fact. I found this book as a whole to be rather boring and uneventful. It simultaneously feels like so much random stuff happens in this book, yet absolutely nothing of consequence happens. At times, I liked Simone and Silas as individual characters, and they do have some good banter with one another, but they lacked the necessary chemistry to keep me invested in the story and in their romantic journey. They are almost like enemies to lovers because of the way Silas tries to always jump in and save her in their class, but the connection between them didn't sustain me. Maybe it's because they are both exceedingly juvenile and underwritten. I could have used a lot more character development and a lot less discussion about what Simone should bring on a date, or what kind of food they should make, stuff that doesn't matter. There are no stakes between them, so my mind wandered frequently. I cannot attest to how accurate the law jargon and plot points are, but I felt like it dragged the book down some.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Alicia, and Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Amara for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.
February 12, 2025
This was an easy 5 star read for me.
Simone, who has been a chef in California for many years, is navigating making a change in her life and decides to ask a magic eight ball if she should go to college for law. When the ball reads yes she packs her bags with out question and enrolls for law school in Michigan.To her surprise she makes good friends with a cute neighbor as she finds herself not able to stop thinking about him. Little does she know that the feelings are mutual and he wants no one but her.
I love a good cat and mouse game. This story is a bit of a slow burn, yet it is very fast-paced. I loved all the whitty banter and the second chance romance. There was a little bit of a love triangle, and I was here for it as it for sure added the element of drama yet in the best way. I don't always go for books with a happy ever after, but this was done so right.
I was rooting for Simone's happiness. If you get a chance to listen to the audio book, the experience, in my opinion, is even better. I loved these characters, especially the MMC. It's such a cozy read and a great fit for any romance or romcom lover.
Simone, who has been a chef in California for many years, is navigating making a change in her life and decides to ask a magic eight ball if she should go to college for law. When the ball reads yes she packs her bags with out question and enrolls for law school in Michigan.To her surprise she makes good friends with a cute neighbor as she finds herself not able to stop thinking about him. Little does she know that the feelings are mutual and he wants no one but her.
I love a good cat and mouse game. This story is a bit of a slow burn, yet it is very fast-paced. I loved all the whitty banter and the second chance romance. There was a little bit of a love triangle, and I was here for it as it for sure added the element of drama yet in the best way. I don't always go for books with a happy ever after, but this was done so right.
I was rooting for Simone's happiness. If you get a chance to listen to the audio book, the experience, in my opinion, is even better. I loved these characters, especially the MMC. It's such a cozy read and a great fit for any romance or romcom lover.
June 28, 2023
4.5 stars easy!
I loved this book! It reminded me of Legally Blonde but add some melanin and I totally was obsessed! It was cool that the setting was in Michigan and the FMC, Simone impulsively decides to attend MSU’s graduate law school program! I loved the college aspect and not only the relationships that formed 😏but also the character development that Simone showed especially in the classroom! I loved Silas and Simone’s relationship through and through! I also really liked how it had all the sizzle but wasn’t like super spicy & very much open door!! It was a pretty quick read for sure I read it in like a day. And it left me wanting more for sure! When I got to the epilogue I legit dropped the book and was like “that’s it????? I need more!!!!” 🤞🏽there’s like a sequel or something I need more of Simone and Silas!!
Thank you entangled publishing for a gifted ARC!
I loved this book! It reminded me of Legally Blonde but add some melanin and I totally was obsessed! It was cool that the setting was in Michigan and the FMC, Simone impulsively decides to attend MSU’s graduate law school program! I loved the college aspect and not only the relationships that formed 😏but also the character development that Simone showed especially in the classroom! I loved Silas and Simone’s relationship through and through! I also really liked how it had all the sizzle but wasn’t like super spicy & very much open door!! It was a pretty quick read for sure I read it in like a day. And it left me wanting more for sure! When I got to the epilogue I legit dropped the book and was like “that’s it????? I need more!!!!” 🤞🏽there’s like a sequel or something I need more of Simone and Silas!!
Thank you entangled publishing for a gifted ARC!
June 11, 2023
2.5 ⭐️
Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m in a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book. I really liked the premise of the book. Simone, at 26 years old went from being a chef at a Michelin star restaurant in California to jumping into Law School in a small town in Michigan. The story follows Simone as she takes the leap into Law School and overcoming one of her biggest obstacles…self doubt. I enjoyed the overall message this book had. The ending was lovely. I really enjoyed how it wrapped up. A beautiful reminder that you can do anything you put your mind to. If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.
I also really loved Silas. I thought he was such a sweetheart. I loved how much he cared for Simone. Silas was never afraid to go above and beyond. However, I found the miscommunication between Silas and Simone drove me nuts. One second they were a thing, the next they were friends, the next Simone was mad about something, then it’d get cleared up and Simone would want more but then not really. It felt like it was all over the place. They acted like a couple 99% of the time but Simone would state they were just friends. It felt like a never ending loop that I was stuck in and it drove me a bit crazy.
I did not think that Simone was a very strong character. I felt like I knew so much about Silas and barely anything about Simone. The character development was not there for me unfortunately. I found myself getting somewhat attached to Silas and then everyone else was just kinda there.
Last critique… I really felt that the book was a bit unrealistic. The Main character quits her job on the spot and then with little money or research somehow gets accepted to Law School within weeks. Doesn’t prepare and thinks that law school will be a walk in the park. It just didn’t make much sense to me.
Overall, I would like to state that I really enjoyed the sweet moments that filled this book between Simone and Silas. I loved the underlying message and I really, really adored the epilogue!
I’d recommend this book if you like:
-Small Town Mid West Romance
-Law School/ Legally Blonde vibes
-magic 8 ball decisions
-sudden change of careers
-overcoming self doubt
Thank you NetGalley, Kristen Alicia and Entangle Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m in a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book. I really liked the premise of the book. Simone, at 26 years old went from being a chef at a Michelin star restaurant in California to jumping into Law School in a small town in Michigan. The story follows Simone as she takes the leap into Law School and overcoming one of her biggest obstacles…self doubt. I enjoyed the overall message this book had. The ending was lovely. I really enjoyed how it wrapped up. A beautiful reminder that you can do anything you put your mind to. If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.
I also really loved Silas. I thought he was such a sweetheart. I loved how much he cared for Simone. Silas was never afraid to go above and beyond. However, I found the miscommunication between Silas and Simone drove me nuts. One second they were a thing, the next they were friends, the next Simone was mad about something, then it’d get cleared up and Simone would want more but then not really. It felt like it was all over the place. They acted like a couple 99% of the time but Simone would state they were just friends. It felt like a never ending loop that I was stuck in and it drove me a bit crazy.
I did not think that Simone was a very strong character. I felt like I knew so much about Silas and barely anything about Simone. The character development was not there for me unfortunately. I found myself getting somewhat attached to Silas and then everyone else was just kinda there.
Last critique… I really felt that the book was a bit unrealistic. The Main character quits her job on the spot and then with little money or research somehow gets accepted to Law School within weeks. Doesn’t prepare and thinks that law school will be a walk in the park. It just didn’t make much sense to me.
Overall, I would like to state that I really enjoyed the sweet moments that filled this book between Simone and Silas. I loved the underlying message and I really, really adored the epilogue!
I’d recommend this book if you like:
-Small Town Mid West Romance
-Law School/ Legally Blonde vibes
-magic 8 ball decisions
-sudden change of careers
-overcoming self doubt
Thank you NetGalley, Kristen Alicia and Entangle Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 22, 2023
This book started off pretty strong. I liked the writing and the humour, so I thought I was going to love this. But frankly, it ended up being too boring.
In the book we follow Simone. In her frustration about her current carreer and just having quit her job at a fancy restaurant as a cook, she takes matters into the hands of a magic 8-ball. She asks this ball: "should I go to law school?" and when the magic 8-ball answers in the affirmative, on Simone goes to law school. (Yeah, I don't know why either.) We follow Simone in her first year of law school where she meets a bunch of friends, including Silas. He's a hot, but a bit scruffy looking dude, who's not really her type. But they quickly become friends and maybe more. (It's a romance book, so of course it's the latter.)
Like I said, pretty much nothing really happened in this book. It gets compared to Legally Blonde, but besides the actual references to that film and the fact that our MC goes to law school, there aren't any similarities. We follow Simone through her first year as a law student, but that's about it. There's nothing really exciting about it all. With Legally Blonde, we see Elle taking on an exciting case with her fellow students, but there's nothing of the sort within this book. I feel like this book needed something like this, a bit of plot in order to keep me entertained.
The characters also fell a bit flat to me. There was a lot of telling, not showing, which irritated me to no end. I have yet to see Simone be the strong, smart and capable woman other characters in the book describe her to be. The same was the case with Silas. He had about two personality traits, and oh yeah, he was hot. That's it. That's the character. He was just overall very below average and didn't really have a lot going for him, in my eyes.
Overall, the author wasn't really able to convince me that these characters where a) real, b) likeable and c) in love with each other. I just didn't buy it, unfortunately.
I did love seeing a talented Black woman (multiple POCs btw) thriving within higher education though. And I feel like this story will make a lot of (law) students feel seen, because that representation was very accurate I think: the work load, the self doubt, the insane study sessions, etc.
I feel like this author has potential to write some great contemporary romances. Unfortunately I feel like this story needed a bit more time and thought.
Thanks to NetGalley, RB Media and Entangled for giving me this (audio) ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In the book we follow Simone. In her frustration about her current carreer and just having quit her job at a fancy restaurant as a cook, she takes matters into the hands of a magic 8-ball. She asks this ball: "should I go to law school?" and when the magic 8-ball answers in the affirmative, on Simone goes to law school. (Yeah, I don't know why either.) We follow Simone in her first year of law school where she meets a bunch of friends, including Silas. He's a hot, but a bit scruffy looking dude, who's not really her type. But they quickly become friends and maybe more. (It's a romance book, so of course it's the latter.)
Like I said, pretty much nothing really happened in this book. It gets compared to Legally Blonde, but besides the actual references to that film and the fact that our MC goes to law school, there aren't any similarities. We follow Simone through her first year as a law student, but that's about it. There's nothing really exciting about it all. With Legally Blonde, we see Elle taking on an exciting case with her fellow students, but there's nothing of the sort within this book. I feel like this book needed something like this, a bit of plot in order to keep me entertained.
The characters also fell a bit flat to me. There was a lot of telling, not showing, which irritated me to no end. I have yet to see Simone be the strong, smart and capable woman other characters in the book describe her to be. The same was the case with Silas. He had about two personality traits, and oh yeah, he was hot. That's it. That's the character. He was just overall very below average and didn't really have a lot going for him, in my eyes.
Overall, the author wasn't really able to convince me that these characters where a) real, b) likeable and c) in love with each other. I just didn't buy it, unfortunately.
I did love seeing a talented Black woman (multiple POCs btw) thriving within higher education though. And I feel like this story will make a lot of (law) students feel seen, because that representation was very accurate I think: the work load, the self doubt, the insane study sessions, etc.
I feel like this author has potential to write some great contemporary romances. Unfortunately I feel like this story needed a bit more time and thought.
Thanks to NetGalley, RB Media and Entangled for giving me this (audio) ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews