Sidebarred by Emma Chase

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Join Jake & Chelsea, Stanton & Sofia, Brent & Kennedy as they navigate the hilarious and heartwarming hurdles of love, life and the law in this final addition to the Legal Briefs Series.

There was a time when Jake Becker had it all together. He was controlled, driven, ruthless—in and out of the courtroom.

Then, six irresistible orphans and their heartbreakingly beautiful aunt crashed into his perfectly ordered life. They changed everything. They changed him. Now he’s a husband, an upstanding member of society, a father figure—a family man.
And he’s pretty damn good at it.

Sure, he has to referee sibling smackdowns, re-learn algebra, ensure his clients stay of jail, and keep his wife happy—but it finally feels like he’s got it together again....
So, of course something has to screw it all up.

It’s huge. Life-changing. Kind of terrifying.

And it will be the most amazing, perfect thing he’ll ever do. 

To say I was excited when I learned we were getting a novella about Jake Becker would be an understatement. I was ecstatic. Over the moon jumping for joy. I love all the characters from the Legal Briefs series but Jake is my favorite. He is the perfect book boyfriend. 

Emma Chase hit it out of the park again with Sidebarred. It is the best novella I have read to date. I didn't feel like it was rushed, or ended too abruptly. It flowed well and gave you everything you could want in a book. Chase as always, nailed the male POV. 

We catch back up with the Becker/McQuaid bunch and their household is still just as crazy as ever. All the kids are involved in different activities and trying to wrangle them and get them where they need to go is a handful. Jake never misses a beat though. I loved that we got the same Jake in Sidebarred that everyone fell in love with in Sustained. He is still just as sexy as ever and that mouth on him will turn anyone on. 

Sidebarred includes the entire gang. I enjoy getting a peak back into the lives of Stanton and Sofia, along with Brent and Kennedy.   This novella was like a long epilogue that lets you get closure with everyone you love. 

Chase does a great job of wrapping up everyone's stories; not just Jake and Chelsea. I am not going to lie, I cried. I cried not only because I knew this was actually the end of this series but also because of the way Chase ended the book. It was so heartfelt and touching. 

Sidebarred will make you laugh, cry, and swoon. If you thought you loved all the characters before, just wait until you read this. This was a quick read and is absolutely a must read. I can't wait to see what Emma Chase has for us next. She has cemented herself into a must click author. She never disappoints. 

Emma Chase is brilliant. Each time she hits publish, I am entranced by her story lines. I swoon over her characters. I am mesmerized by her writing. Sidebarred is the final piece in her Legal Briefs Series puzzle and it's the perfect ending to a fantastic series.

 

Jake Becker. That man won me over long ago and is possibly my favorite male written by Emma Chase (sorry other Chase men!). There was something about him -- beyond his looks and witty mouth -- that lured me in. I was giddy when I found out he'd be getting a novella to end the series. When I cracked open the ARC, nothing could have prepared me for the feels I experienced while reading Sidebarred.

 

The word perfection doesn't come close to describing this novella. The male POV by Chase was masterfully written (as all of her male POVs are). The story albeit a novella was something I savored and slowly perused. I didn't want the series to end, but I couldn't have dreamed up a better way for these characters to say goodbye to the readers who have fallen in love with them. Each character's happily ever after contributes to this novella so the readers aren't left wondering what happened to the couples outside of Jake and Chelsea. 

 

I can't pretend like I'm not bummed about the series ending. No reader wants to let go of a world and characters they've lost themselves in. While my sadness will linger, I know that a reread is always an option until I find out what amazingness Emma Chase will release next. If you haven't read the Legal Briefs Series, no more excuses!

 

 

Emma Chase lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two misbehaving (but really cute) dogs. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.  

 

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Blog Tour & Review: Sustained by Emma Chase

Title: Sustained (The Legal Briefs, Book 2)

Author: Emma Chase

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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 turn you on. 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 arguing cases in the principal's office.
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, defend her…and the kids.
And that — that, I know how to do.

I have been absolutely giddy about the release of the second book in Emma Chase's Legal Briefs Series. I enjoyed the first novel, Overruled, and couldn't wait to get my hands on Sustained. This is Jake Becker's story, and while I have loved all of Chase's fictional men, Becker is officially my favorite.

If you haven't had the pleasure of reading a novel by Emma Chase -- shame on you! In all my years of reading I have discovered female authors often struggle trying to write the male point-of-view. Men are fickle creatures and hard it's hard to fully capture exactly what must be going on inside their complex minds. With that being said, no one writes the perspective of a man better than Emma Chase. She brings these heroes to life and does it with humor, sexuality, and a smidge of humility and tenderness. Each of her gentlemen are so unique from one another, no two characters are the same and nothing about their inner workings is repetitive (except maybe their sexual appetites). Jake Becker is sharp and driven. He exudes confidence in both the courtroom and bedroom, but stumbles through the idea of long-term commitment. 

I loved every part of Sustained from cover to cover. Chelsea McQuaid has been dealt a crummy life after an unexpected accident. She and her baggage are thrust into the forefront of Jake's life and he must navigate the obstacles and opportunities Chelsea's presence in his life presents him. The banter and playfulness of Chelsea and Jake's connection is something every woman will swoon over. I couldn't put Sustained down and fell deeper in love with Jake after every chapter. As with every Emma Chase novel, there is plenty of laughter, an abundance of sexual chemistry, and plot twists that will leave you reeling and hungry to find out what happens next.

I cannot recommend this novel enough for fans of Chase's previous work or to readers who haven't yet experienced this author's fantastic writing. This was by far my favorite book from Emma Chase. Sustained is the second in a series but can be read as a stand alone (if you don't mind finding out spoilers from Overruled while reading). 

I was SO excited for this book! Emma Chase always knocks it out of the park with her words and Sustained was no different. This book was everything I expected and more. It had the humor that Emma Chase is well known for, as well as the perfect amount of angst and emotion.

If you haven't read the first book in the series, you are seriously missing out. While technically Sustained is a stand alone, I highly recommend reading Overruled first. Otherwise you will find out spoilers from the first book and that is never fun.

Sustained in the story of Jake Becker and Chelsea McQuaid. Jake is a no nonsense defence attorney. He is sexy as sin with a mouth that is full of sass. You can't help but love this man, and the more you read in the book the more you fall in love with him. He may come across as a hard ass but he really is a sweetheart. Emma did another great job of writing a male perspective. Sometimes it's really hard to connect with a book that is told from mainly the male POV but that is not the case with Sustained, or any of Emma's books.

Chelsea McQuaid is a sweet, funny, and caring woman. She is thrust into a position that anyone would take but not the way she had to take it.  It's heartbreaking to hear her story. Even through all the heartbreak she is a strong woman who loves with all she has. I loved getting to know her throughout the book and she is easily one of my favorite female characters.

Even though the children are not main characters in this book, they definitely were a huge part. Each child has it's own distinct personality and at times it was quite hilarious reading what each one of them was up to. 

I highly recommend reading this series. It will not disappoint. Once you start the book you won't be able to put it down. I read Sustained in one sitting and enjoyed every single page of it. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother of two who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she is a keyboard crusader, toiling away the hours to bring her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true. 

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Blog Tour: Beautifully Awaken Series by Riley MacKenzie

Diagnosis: Sleep-running

Treatment: Truth 

Prognosis: Beautifully Awake

Lili Porter hates the rain. Bad things happen in the rain. As a small town social worker dedicated to protecting children, she is forced to start over to escape her rural disaster. Determined to follow her father’s advice—head up and chin high—Lili finds herself in a new city, taking on a new system, this time healthcare. In doing so, she gets something she never expected, an intimate behind-the-scenes look at life in the hospital.

 Lili learns that a surgeon’s hands have the power to heal more than physical wounds. And a prescription for truth can cure three years of sleep running and leave you beautifully awake  

Wow! What a wonderful debut novel from two gals who call themselves Riley MacKenzie.  I absolutely loved not only this story, but the actual writing itself.

This story is about to broken people, Lili and Chase. Lili is running from something in her past. She has built up walls and does not let men get close to her heart. Lili is a little different than other damaged characters we read about. A lot of times, these types of characters do not let people in. Period. In Lili’s case, though, she lets people in as friends, even the guys. However, these guys do not have a prayer of making it past the “friend zone.” Chase, a neurosurgeon, is her new boss at the hospital where she works as a case manager. Just like Lili, he is damaged. But, he does not let people in. He keeps everyone at arm’s length and maintains only a professional relationship with people. The only person he really has is his best friend, Asher.

Without meaning to, the pair break through each other’s defenses and they form a seemingly unbreakable bond. The chemistry between Chase and Lili is explosive. Prepare yourself for some smokin’ hot scenes. Chemistry aside, they lack communication when it comes to their pasts. When those demons rise to the surface, they are left more than just a little shaken. They take turns being the rock the other needs and I absolutely loved this about them. While Chase is usually the dominant one in the relationship, there are times when Lili needs to take charge. The two find their balance and dive head first into their future together.

The authors did a wonderful job creating realistic characters. I loved Lili’s pregnant best friend, Sierra. She is spunky, out spoken, fiercely protective, and has a heart of gold. Chase’s best friend, Asher, is equally as awesome. I can’t wait to get my hand on his book. I also wouldn’t turn down a story from Guy. (Just sayin’ girls.)

This book was on its way to a solid 5 stars, but towards the end, it got a little redundant. Chase and Lili’s need for “truth” was repeated a little too much for me. There was also the use of nicknames a little too often, and not just between Chase and Lili. However, I am fully aware that the nickname thing is a personal thing. I also felt there was a tad too much drama. The two just get hit after hit, and I kept thinking that something had to give. Obviously it does, because Riley MacKenzie delivered a beautiful HEA.

Overall, I think this is a fabulous book that everyone should read. Riley MacKenzie is definitely a pair that you should watch out for. I know I am looking forward to more awesome works by them!

I washed up and had just enough time to tug on a clean tank and thong and then climbed back into bed. I heard his footsteps. Excitement and relief washed through me. A small part of me feared he might have changed his mind, but my insecurity vanished the second his chiseled face appeared from the darkness.

His shirt hung open. He folded his arms across his chest and casually leaned against the wall, studying me like the MRI images he methodically memorized before each surgery.

“You moved?” His lips parted into a half grin, and he shook his head disapprovingly.

“You took too long.”

“You put clothes on.”

“You might need some new clothes.” I smiled.

“You’re fucking beautiful.”

            Speechless.

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Diagnosis: Borrowed time 

Treatment: Trust 

Prognosis: Beautifully Done

Asher Craig drives fast, flies high, and screws hard. But make no mistake, he’s a gentleman. He learned way too young that we’re all on borrowed time. Fair or unfair, you only get one ride.

He vows to live for the moment because it’s the only time he owns. The past is beyond his control and the future may not exist. With his only loyalties being his family, he thrives for that edge where plunging over is always in the realm of possibility.

When a beautiful familiar face tilts his axis, he re-examines everything and realizes that second chances are overrated and a lifetime of firsts are irreplaceable. In the end, it’s not her medical degree but his trust that needs to prove that the ride together is worth it ... until it’s Beautifully Done.

 ***Author's note*** Contains spoilers from Beautifully Awake. We highly recommend reading Chase and Lili's story first. For readers 18+  

This is a great follow up to Beautifully Awake. Asher is Chase's best friend. He is a guy that liked to live in the moment and he doesn't do commitment. Let just say he gets around, but he is always honest with the women. He lets them know right off what they are getting into, which is no strings sex. Regardless of his commitment issues, he is a big sweetheart. He is fiercely protective, loyal, and really loved his family and friends.
Talia grew up with Chase and Asher; she was actually Kimi, Chase's sister's best friend. So she was best friends with the boys also. In the first book, we learned that they had a band when they were kids. Talia was the lead singer. After Kimi's accident, she disappeared.
Asher runs in to Talia at a bar. He is determined to not let her disappear again. They keep in touch and starts long distance relationship. I really enjoyed how they got to know each other again. I felt that they had a great dynamic.
Again, Riley  McKenzie delivers a solid storyline. The characters were great; the writing style easy to get into. All in all, just a great story!

We sat silent while he fetched my bottle. “So what about you?” She sounded a tad more relaxed.

“What about me?”

Her iPhone whistled with a new text. She tapped the power button, quickly blackening the screen, before she even had a chance to read the message. Clearly, I was not invited to eavesdrop. Thoughts of someone else’s sexting was a definite mood killer anyway. She dropped the phone in her bag and nailed me with her big cinnamon eyes.

“Sorry. Work.” Yeah right.

“No hidden ink? You all tatted up under this muscley situation you have going on?” She waved her hands up and down the length of my body. Somehow the tension from moments ago vanished and now the conversation was about me. Shit. How a woman could so brilliantly avoid a topic and complete a one-eighty boggled my mind. But I didn’t mind her acknowledging my body. That had to be a good sign, right?

“I pegged you for some completely over-the-top ink to your chicks all hot and bothered?”  

I shook my head for more than one reason. “I don’t need any help from a tat for that.” I loved that she blushed and tried to play it off hiding behind her clear glass.

“Whatever.”

“Don’t blush, all you have to do is ask and you are more than welcome to check out,” I copied her hand motion down my front, “my situation.” I smirked and took a pull from my beer. Her attempt at a repulsed expression was hilarious. Hey, she started it.

“Hate you.”

“No you don’t.”  

“True.” She smiled. It was just like old times. 

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Yep. That's an “s.” There are two of us!

We’re East coast girls separated by Long Island Sound who met in Physician Assistant School and have been besties ever since. We can safely say that thirteen miles of water does not get in the way because we talk or text, no exaggeration, at least 150 times a day. No, really, we do—about everything and nothing. Shockingly, we never (we mean never) run out of things to say. Umm, ever. We definitely laugh A LOT and we’re a tad sarcastic. And if we’re being totally honest, one or two people might have, on occasion, used our names and ‘dramatic’ in the same sentence. But it’s hard to trust the sources since they married us.

It only took twelve years, two husbands, five kids, two dogs, and a two-week vacation in Cape Cod later to decide the romance world needed a splash of medicine. Write what you know.

So you can easily find us at 4 o'clock on Bank Street beach with a glass of cold Prosecco brainstorming. And guaranteed if we bump into you, literally, it’s only because our iPhones are glued to our hands (totally out of our control) either writing or editing our next novel (and yes, it is possible to do from your iPhone, we mastered it … damn those straight quotations).

When we are not working on our book or reading the latest angsty romance on our kindles, you basically name it and we have it going on. Soccer, lacrosse, golf, swimming, dance, gymnastics, football, chess, baseball, basketball, skiing, ice skating, school, homework, and more school. Oh yeah, did we forget to mention our careers in medicine?

Needless to say, we realized fast that something had to go, so we opted for sleep. It’s completely overrated (yet so AMAZING) and delirium makes everything funnier. Good thing we share a brain and can pretty much complete each other’s sentences (definitely weird, we know), otherwise it might have taken us two years to write Beautifully Awake rather than one.

 So that’s our story, who we are … just add AUTHORS to the list!   

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