Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Book Review: Leading the Witness

You might recognize this book as being one of the ones I received in April in my book boxes.. and you'd be right. This one came in my April PageHabit box, and it's short, so I figured I could squeeze it in between review books!

Leading the Witness - Chantal Fernando

New York Times bestselling author Chantal Fernando “turns up the heat” (RT Book Reviews) in this steamy standalone novel when a divorce lawyer finds himself stuck between his client and the woman he desires—and soon he’ll be forced to choose sides.

Hunter Brayze doesn’t always like his clients but as the divorce attorney for Bentley & Channing Law, he doesn’t have to. So when he meets his latest client, even though he can’t stand the guy, let alone understand how any woman would ever marry him, he is still determined to win his case. But he never expects taking this client would turn his entire world upside down.

When he comes face to face with his client’s soon-to-be ex, he’s shocked to see Riley McMahon, owner of his local pub and the woman he’s wanted ever since he first laid eyes on her. He didn’t even know she was getting a divorce, and now he’s stuck defending the man who wants to screw Riley out of everything. Feeling like he’s betraying her, Hunter vows to settle this case as quickly as he can by any means possible. Because after months of flirting with Riley at the pub, and now knowing that she’ll soon be free, Hunter is determined to make her his.

But as the proceedings get messier and secrets are revealed, Hunter’s running out of tricks to keep both parties happy. And when someone sets Riley’s pub on fire, he can’t help but suspect his own client. Torn between his professional code of ethics and his intense connection with Riley, Hunter finds himself at a crossroads wondering whose interests he’ll ultimately protect.


So this book wasn't exactly as I was expecting but it was entertaining enough. Plus it really was a fast read so if you only like books you can get through quickly, this would be one of them. In this book we have stubborn beyond belief Riley, who isn't very smart in the total scheme of things, almost naive to a fault and we have Hunter, lawyer extraordinaire, who visits Riley's pub daily for lunch. Over time their attraction grows and when Riley finds herself getting a divorce, her horizon opens up.

Except Hunter is her ex's lawyer, and things get complicated.

This book wins in their dating area because Hunter is a pretty great character. He's a playboy turned good guy who knows what he wants and that's Riley. The book has a LOT of proposed drama, and I say proposed because it never fully gets off the ground. Sure, the divorce is a biggie but that's over before you know it. Then we have Hunter's sister and her maybe drug problem (which concludes but feels like a VERY unrealistic reaction from Hunter and rushed ending for the sister), we have old characters (from other books in the series I think) come in, new ones being introduced, and then a fire. It's a lot of plot in a short 260 pages.

My copy is from my PageHabit box so it came with annotations from the author throughout and those were kind of lame? In month's past we've had a LOT of annotations so you really knew why the author was doing what they were doing, a lot of additional information, and this one.. not so much. So that was kind of disappointing from a box standpoint. It almost makes the book feel like not much thought went into it and maybe that's affecting my rating of 3 stars. Maybe.

It would make a good summer read to throw in your beach bag.
   

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