Isn't It Romantic?: The Chicago Edition

It was a such a pleasure reading these two books back to back, because they made me laugh so much and smile incessantly, but it was also fun spending so much time in Chicago. My daughter is now a resident of that city, and I keep hoping some of the places featured in these books are real, because I really want to visit them.

Ilegally Yours
Kate Meader
Series: Laws of Attraction, #2
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Loveswept
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Rule #1: Never fall for your client.
Rule #2: Never fall for your client’s fiercely protective, smoking hot sister-in-law.

I’m the kind of guy who believes that everyone deserves the best legal representation money can buy—which just so happens to be me, Lucas Wright. Give me your henpecked, your cuckolded, your irreconcilable differences yearning to break free! And if you’re the bad guy in your marriage, that’s cool too. Your green is as good as anyone’s.

Tell that to Trinity Jones. It’s my job to destroy her sister—the soon-to-be ex-wife of my a-hole of a client—and Trinity’s “big sis” instincts are dialed up to the max. I admire that. I admire her. But she won’t stop me from representing my client to the best of my ability.

Not even if my chemistry with Trinity is undeniable. Not even if we can’t keep our hands off each other. Not even if she injects life into a heart assumed to be long dead.

Because when faced with a choice between love and duty, the job will always win—or at least that’s what I thought before I met Trinity . . . and suddenly conflict of interest never felt so right.

This is my fifth Meader book, and I think it's my favorite.

Who?

• Trinity - The fiercely independent whiskey sommelier, who played caretaker for everyone except herself. 
• Lucas - The life of the party, all around fun guy, and the shark, who represented Trinity's ex-brother-in-law in her sister's divorce. 

What?

Because of Lucas' professional association with Trinity's ex-brother-in-law, it would have been unethical for him to pursue a relationship with Trinity. However, circumstances kept bringing them into each other's orbits, and the more they got to know each other, the harder it was for them to resist the attraction.

Why?

I have enjoyed all of Meader's books, but there was just something that put this book on the next level for me. It was a perfect combination of fun, drama, and romance, which had me flipping the pages.

First of all, I fully embraced and loved both Trinity and Lucas. They seemed so confident and ready to take on the world, but they were both victims of poor parenting, rejection, and in Lucas' case, some serious guilt and grief. They slowly shared these pieces of themselves with each other, and us, and each little bit made me see Trinity and Lucas clearer, and made me love them even more.

But, it wasn't all heartache and pain, in fact, there were a ton a rom-com and heartwarming moments that had me laughing and smiling my face off. Lucas was pretty hilarious. He was witty and snarky and don't worry, Trinity was able to rise to his level, which resulted in some phenomenal banter. There was no absence of some kind of feels any time these two were on page together. And there were antics! Some really fun antics actually, which had me giggling, and there were also some sweet and swoony moments too.

It was the characters, that really drove this story, and really made me want to keep reading. Seeing these two people shed their armor, and reveal hidden pieces of themselves or seeing them show some vulnerability to each other was a beautiful thing. Lucas hid behind his fun guy persona, while Trinity wore her strong woman mask, but both had depth and needs, and it warmed my heart to see them find comfort in each other.

I also love the circle of friends Meader has put together. We got to know them a little in book 1, and we get to know them even more in this book. They are a fantastic group! I love their dynamic and the way they care about each other.

Overall: An utterly delightful and heartwarming romance, which made me laugh a lot, and smile often.

Game On
Kelly Jamieson
Series: Aces Hockey, #8
Age/Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Loveswept
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

When the stakes are this high, it’s game on. . . .

Cam Brickley and his pro hockey teammates bet on everything: who can win five faceoffs in a row, who can do forty pushups in less than a minute, who can eat a ghost pepper without puking. But when his buddies bet him he can’t date the same woman—like, say, the hot blonde over at the bar—for two months and not fall in love, he’ll take that bet all day. Then he’ll laugh all the way to the hockey arena, where they’ll be washing his jock straps for the rest of the season, because Cam’s never giving up his bachelor lifestyle.

Olivia Lockwood, heiress to the Lockwood Industries fortune, is used to people using her for her money and family connections. When Cam Brickley hits on her in a club, Olivia’s first instinct is to brush him off. But he couldn’t be using her for her money, since he has more than enough of his own. Cam’s gorgeous and built, and it would be no hardship to go out with him . . . besides, he’d be the perfect spokesperson for the children’s charity she works with. Maybe it’s time for her to start using people.

Cam and Olivia are both in it for something. What they don’t know yet is that they’re playing for keeps.

This was a bittersweet read for me, because I love the Aces so much. I actually just discovered them last year, and then binged the rest of the series in 2018. I am really happy I did, because I enjoyed getting to know this team, and also, being a part of the the final chapter with them.

It's sort of fitting, that Jamieson chose Cam as her last Aces hero. Being a commitment-phobe, he was the last player we expected to see becoming a one-woman-man. He didn't do commitment. He didn't like taking chances on things he wasn't sure he could ace, but once he opened the door to Olivia, it was game on. And, all it took was a bet.

I wasn't sure about Cam, after having met him in previous books, but with him the central focus in Game On, I got to see that there was a lot more to Cam than met the eye. I saw his sweet and considerate side, his dedication to his family, and his big heart. There were all these little things he did, that made me, as well as Olivia, love him more and more.

Olivia was great too. Growing up the daughter of a very powerful family, she had been used and misled one too many times, and was now hesitant to trust her heart. That coupled with some self-confidence issues created by her past and the way her family treated her, made watching the evolution of her relationship with Cam very satisfying.

The combination of Olivia and Cam was fabulous. There was the attraction and heat, that I always like to see crackling between my hero and heroine, but I also loved how fun Jamieson made their interactions. Their first few dates bordered on rom-com, and I absolutely loved it! But, I also adored seeing them get beneath the surface and expose so much to each other.

It was not just the romance, which won my heart in the book, it was the wonderful farewell Jamieson gave to this group of guys. It was a fond farewell to all the couples we saw get their HEAs. Everyone was in attendance, and the finish was big and very, very satisfying.

I will miss the Aces, but look forward to what Jamieson has in store for us next.

Overall: Another fabulous Aces book, that was about taking chances, and the rewards you can gain when you open yourself and your heart.

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

Have you ever been to Chicago?

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