Sustained
(The Legal Briefs #2)
By: Emma Chase
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: Aug. 25, 2015
Genre: Romance
Rating:
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.
My thoughts…
Jake is your typical bachelor. He’s all about one-night stands and doesn’t see himself ever settling down. Why should he tie himself to one chick when he can go home with a different girl every night? However, that all changes when a 9 yr old boy picks his pocket, lifts his wallet, and takes him on a chase through downtown. Pretty soon he finds himself slowly engulfed in not only a relationship with one woman, but also being the head male figure in six kids lives. Yeah, there is a lot of changes going on for Jake in these 267 pages and trust me, you don’t want to miss it!
“I never realized that the downside of getting to know a woman before I screw her is the possibility that I might not want to screw her after I know her. That a personality could have such a devastating effect on desirability. It’s depressing. My whole worldview is blown to bits.”
I’m so freaking happy I was talked into giving this author a shot. My roommates at RT told me that she writes some really funny and sexy stuff and that I had to give her a chance. So, when the opportunity presented itself for me to stand in a really long line at one of the events to get a book signed by her, I went straight to her line. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am to my roommates right now. I wasn’t even halfway through with the book and I was already itching to start the book over again so I could keep it going. I loved everything about this book.
Okay, maybe that’s going a bit too far. I mean, Jake is kind of a nincompoop. I mean, he’s your typical bachelor who doesn’t want to settle down. Heck, he even has the typical abusive past that makes him not want to be in a committed relationship. Basically, there was nothing overly special about Jake. Don’t get me wrong, he definitely had his moments, like when he takes it upon himself to care for Chelsea and all the kids when they all come down with this stomach flu, but I wish he wasn’t so anti-relationship because it just didn’t make sense… at all. However, the best part about Jake and what really made this story great (even though I wasn’t a massive Jake fan) was his perspective on life with kids. He went from being an unattached bachelor to changing diapers, taking the baby to Mommy-&-Me tummy time sessions, and kind of becoming Mister Mom. Watching the children through his eyes was by far the best part.
“I can’t make out what they’re saying; it sounds like: hiss, blah, she hiss, squeak. But the aunt appears to speak the native language.”
Chelsea was a great character. I mean, her brother and sister-in-law were involved in a fatal car accident two months ago which pulled her out of college and forced her to fly across the country to take care of all of her nieces and nephews ranging from infant to teen. Not only is this 26 year old out of her element, she’s way over her head. The kids are all over the place and acting up, which is how she meets Jake… when her nephew jacks his wallet. Then the same kid gets arrested for stealing a car. Mind you, he’s nine! That poor woman was having a hell of a time just keeping her wits about her while she chased around six kids who were all angry with the world and acting out in different ways.
“That won’t give me my lipstick back, you little brat!” “I couldn’t help myself!” she pleads. And I unconsciously nod. That’s it, kid—go with insanity. It’s all you’ve got left.”
If we are being honest here, and I am nothing but honest with you guys. The ones who stole the show were… the KIDS! Imagine my surprise when I was literally losing my cool, laughing out loud, slapping my hand over my mouth, in hysterics over the antics of these kids. I mean, I am not a kid person. I am basically a female version of Jake when it comes to kids. I don’t care for them, I don’t understand them, and I’m uncomfortable around them. So, the fact that I loved those kids means a lot… because I just don’t like kids. There are so many little scraps of paper throughout the book to bookmark sections that I loved and it all had to do with the kids. Usually I hate kids in romance because it’s a little sketchy. I mean, you can’t really be getting it on while your 4 year old is playing video games in the next room, it’s just not mood inducing. I mean, obviously parents manage because otherwise they’d have kids that were like 18 years apart but still, it’s just not something I want in my romance. Kids ruin romance for me. (I did warn you that I wasn’t a kid person) However, I gladly eat my words and bow down to Emma Chase because she knows how to write romance and mix a rag-tag group of kids into it without missing a beat. I kind of wish she was able to just stretch this book out to about 600 pages so that I had more time with them because they were just that entertaining.
“The racket reverberates down the second staircase and spills out into the kitchen, and the two screeching, running kids who are making it do laps around the island like a fucked-up Hunger Games version of ring-around-the-rosy.”
I just, I can’t right now. Have you ever loved a book so much that you just can’t formulate words to express the feels from it all? I mean, I’m sitting here trying with all my might to write a review that’s coherent and portrays the awesomeness of Sustained, and yet all I want to do is close out the computer and re-read this bad-boy. Gah! I just loved it. This had your romance, and let me tell you that Chase can write some pretty steamy scenes, heartwarming story, friendship, and humor. So. Much. Freaking. Humor. Those kids, man. I tell ya. You have got to read this book for the sole purpose of meeting these kids because they will have you on the floor laughing.
Favorite part…
The first time Jake meets Chelsea and the kids.
“An immense silver pot bubbles on the stove and the air smells of heat and broth.
‘Hi!’
I turn to my right, where a toddle—this one is definitely a girl, with golden wispy hair and a stained pink T-shirt—sits on the floor, surrounded by books and blocks.
‘Hi,’ I answer, straight-faced.
She gets louder. ‘Hi!’
I nod back. ‘Hey.”
Her face scrunches, her voice drops lower, and she leans forward like she’s about to tell me something serious. But all that comes out is, ‘Hiiii.’
‘Is there something wrong with her?’ I ask.
‘No,’ Chelsea answers, sounding slightly affronted. ‘There’s nothing wrong with Regan. She’s two.’
And Regan is back to smiling at me. ‘Hi.’
‘Doesn’t she know any other words?’
‘No. She’s only two.’
‘Hi, hi, hi, hi!’
I give up and walk away.”
Oh my gosh! This is it. I really need to try this book, as in now! Btw, is this somewhat related to the first book? Because if so, I’ll get it too hehe
I know the first book is about a different couple but I didn’t read it. I read this one as a standalone and it was absolutely awesome. Although, I do plan to get the other books in the series to read.
Ooh I really like the sound of this one. I love the sound of these kids. I’m a big fan of books where one half of the couple is stuck raising their siblings, or nieces and nephews in the case of this book! It just makes it really interesting.
I agree, the kids steal the show. I loved this book so much. Your review is spot on.
Oh yay! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I was all about Jake so bummed you didn’t love him more but yay for having a great time with it overall 😀