Series Review: The Legal Briefs by Emma Chase

Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:

Synopsis for Overruled (from Goodreads):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Must Read Authors
Series: The Legal Briefs
Author: Emma Chase
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order)

There is a novella: #3.5 Sidebarred

Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: hot
Point of View: First Person, Alternating (#1); Single (#2-#3.5)
Publication Dates: April 2015 – January 2016
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

After I read and loved Tangled by Emma, I wanted to read her next series. But when I read the synopsis for Overruled, I wasn’t interested in reading it at all. The allusions to the love triangle just turned me off and so I marked it as a pass. Fast forward a few years later and the book hangover that was the Royally Series and I needed more Emma Chase in my life so I decided to give this series a chance.

The Plot:

These books were surprisingly heavy albeit light. It’s really hard to describe. I’ve never really read a series that had a tone like this one did. Maybe I just needed to manage my expectations?

I finished Overruled (#1) with a lot of mixed emotions. The premise is a hard one to get behind in some ways because it just seems to have this gravity to it. I thought the true romance failed to shine through and that was a disappointment because I really loved our heroine.

The rest of the series didn’t seem to have the same heaviness to it though they stories were complex and had some serious consequences. There is a dash of humour and sexy times that keeps things lighter when needed.

The Characters:

I think it shows Emma Chase’s talent that she can write such real characters that can pull on your heartstrings and feel every range of emotions. With all our males leads, they were likeable albeit frustrating at the same time.

It was interesting to only get the Male hero’s POV in these books. All the guys are assholes to some degree so it was nice to get them put into place. I prefer alternating POVs in my romances but it worked here to only have the one POV because these stories just felt like the boys’ and they had a lot of growing to do.

The Romance:

I thought all the couples had great chemistry but in some ways I was disappointed with them. I just thought some of the stories struggled to highlight the interactions between the couples (especially in Overruled). But I understood the connections and draws.

My Audiobook Experience:

I really enjoyed the audiobooks! They were such an easy listen. Honestly, I probably would have DNF’d Overruled if I was reading the book instead of listening to it because the emotions helped me to understand the dilemma Stanton was in.

When to Read the Novella #3.5 Sidebarred:

While the novella follows the lead from Book #2 Sustained, you really should read it after you finish Appealed (#3) because it helps you link the extended epilogue of that book together. And that way you don’t spoil the ending of Appealed either.

Series Rating: 4/5

Overruled 3/5 | Sustained 4/5 | Appealed 4/5 | [Sidebarred 5/5]

If you want a different type of contemporary romance series (one that isn’t so light but isn’t that dark either), this is a great one for you to pick up!

Read if You Like: contemporary romances, lawyers
Avoid if You: want light and fluffy romance