You may have noticed that we haven’t been very active on Kindles & Wine recently. Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere! We’ve just been busy with that thing that gets in the way of our reading time—you know, life. But never fear, friends … Next week we will be back with a vengeance with one of our most popular features on the blog: Thriller Week. (I can’t wait!)
But before we get to that, I want to quick sneak in a review of a contemporary romance that I crazy loved. You’re all okay with this, yes? Read on for why I am soooooo glad I gave Sustained by Emma Chase a chance after nearly DNFing the first book in the series…
Series: The Legal Briefs, Book 2 Publisher: Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) Source & Format: Review copy provided by publisher via NetGalley; digital
Official Summary A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight. When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand. Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will get you off. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be. Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy & Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and am knee deep in a damn compost pit. Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, and defend her…and the kids. And that—that, I know how to do.
Kindle Gal‘s Review
Sometimes a good story will sneak up and surprise me. You might remember that I’d read and reviewed the first book in this series, Overruled, as part of my last “Hit or Miss” roundup, and it was a big miss. I was hesitant to give this book a try, but the hero intrigued me as a secondary character in Book 1, and I felt like this author’s voice was strong enough to warrant another chance. Boy, am I glad I didn’t give up on this series.
I. Loved. This. Book!
Told entirely from the hero’s point of view, Sustained is my kind of romance. It’s hero-centric (obvs!), is laugh-out-loud funny, has secondary characters who add so much to the story they very nearly steal each scene they’re in, and the romance is as sweet as it is sexy. Jake Becker, the hero, is a criminal defense attorney. He’s wicked-good at his job, he knows it, and he’s aiming for the very top. Jake has no plans to let anything slow him down from his climb up the ladder, especially not something as messy as a relationship. So when Chelsea McQuaid and her six—yes, SIX!—orphaned nieces and nephews enter his life, well, let’s just say things don’t stay neat and tidy.
Holy cow, Jake is such a swoon-worthy hero! Sure, he can be callous at times, and yes, he maybe isn’t typical “perfect boyfriend” material. But I dare anyone to dislike him by the end of the story. He actually won me over pretty early. (I’ll share an excerpt with y’all that will show exactly when and why in just a sec.)
I really loved Chelsea too. She’s young but doesn’t act like it. I liked her spunk and strength and was so glad that she didn’t shy away from Jake. She’s able to hold her own with him, be flirty and fun, and it isn’t difficult to see why Jake is enamored with her.
Then there are the kids … Ohmigod, I loved them all like crazy! And even though all six names starts with R, they were such distinct, memorable characters, I could easily tell you who every single one of them is without referencing the book. They were an integral part of this story and the romance without being annoying, which is so hard to do, but Chase somehow pulled it off.
If I’m being super picky (and we all know that I am), my only complaint about the story is that it was a little too … orderly. The conflicts felt a little forced toward the end and things didn’t get as messy as they should’ve, given the circumstances.
That said, I truly enjoyed this read from beginning to end. I have high hopes for Book 3!
Bottom LineI got all the feels while reading Sustained and loved every moment of it! If you are an alpha ‘ho like me and want to read an authentic-sounding male narrative, look no further. This family-man story, told exclusively from the hero’s POV, is one of my favorite romance reads of the year!
Rating: A- (4½ stars)
Wine/Beverage Pairing: A glass of Waltz Vineyards Cherry Tree Merlot in honor of the street where Chelsea once lived with her brother and sister-in-law, whose kids she is now the guardian of, and the varietal Jake and Chelsea drink by firelight one night.
Buy Digital: Kindle | Nook Buy Print: Amazon | B&N
Excerpt from Sustained
I mentioned in my review there was a moment when Jake won me over. This is it, when he picks up fourteen-year-old Riley after a party she’s at gets busted up.
“Jägermeister.” She groans, bringing the bag closer.
And I laugh out loud. “Hope you enjoyed it—chances are you’ll never drink it again.”
When it comes to mild alcohol poisoning, the body may forgive but the stomach never, ever forgets.
She holds her own against the urge to vomit, breathing slow and deep. “Is this when you lecture me about the dangers of underage drinking?”
I roll to a stop at a red light. “Nope. You already know you were stupid—you don’t need me to tell you that. I am curious though—what brought on the sudden binge?”
Her words are slow and careful, like she’s afraid if she talks to loud it will offset the delicate balance that’s keeping her from retching. “Matthew Applegate threw the party. He told me about it in school today. He’s a senior. He’s gorgeous and perfect and he seemed interested in me.”
Anger sparks, like the flick of a match—because I have no doubt the little prick was interested in some part of her.
“But when I got to the party,” she whispers, “he was all over Samantha Frey.”
“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say Samantha has a reputation for putting out? Big boobs, nice face—probably a cheerleader?”
Riley nods. “She was the homecoming queen.”
Oh man.
“And that’s when you made friends with the Jäger?”
She wipes at her cheeks. “It made me feel happy. I didn’t care about Matthew or my . . . I didn’t care about anything.”
I blow out a long breath and decide to hand out some advice. “Riley, boys your age . . . are really not worth your time. They’re selfish and stupid. It’s not your fault; they’re just programmed that way—but they’re still a lost cause. I think you should stay away from all of them until you’re at least . . . twenty-five. Or . . . have you considered being a lesbian?”
She looks at me blankly. “That’s so offensive.”
I raise one hand. “Just trying to be helpful.”
Riley turns to stare out the window. After a few minutes her chin quivers and her shoulders tremble.
Here’s the thing—I don’t have a lot of experience with crying females. I’ve made a concentrated effort to avoid any situation that involves me, women, and tears. In case you haven’t noticed, empathy isn’t my strong point. And crying teenagers? This feels kind of like a bigfoot encounter—I’ve heard about it on TV, read about it in the papers . . . but this is the first time I’ve actually seen one close up.
She wipes her face on the sleeve of her sweater. “I miss my parents.”
And my chest feels weighted. Heavy. For her.
“I know you do.”
“I wish they were here.” She sniffles.
“What would you say to them if they were?” I pull up the McQuaid driveaway and put the car in park.
Riley thinks about my question and then the corner of her mouth tugs. “I would ask them how come Matthew doesn’t like me. They were always really honest with us, you know? They would tell me the truth.”
I look at her face. She’s a pretty girl, even tired and grieving. But there’s a fire in her, a fierceness, that will serve her well when she’s grown. I’ve seen it in women I’ve worked with—women like Sofia. One day, Riley McQuaid will be a force to be reckoned with.
“I can tell you the truth about that,” I say with a shrug.
She turns to me.
Gently, I wipe a tear from her cheek. “It’s because Matthew is an idiot.”
I rest my case.
Sustained Giveaway
The kind folks at Gallery Books have generously offered to give away a print copy of Sustained to ONE lucky Kindles & Wine reader (U.S. residents only).
To enter for your chance to win, you must:
- Be a follower of our blog (click HERE to subscribe), AND…
- I never would’ve read this fantastic story if I’d given up on Emma Chase or this series after disliking Book 1. Hit the comments and tell me: When do you give up on an author or series? If you dislike one story, will you try another, or are you a one-and-done kind of reader? What will make you give an author/series a second chance?
Please note: All entrants must review and adhere to our official giveaway policy. This contest will close on Monday, September 28, 2015 at 11:59 PM (CDT) and the winner will be notified via email on Tuesday, September 29.