REVIEW: Sustained by Emma Chase

In Sustained (The Legal Briefs #2)by Emma Chase, Defense attorney Jake Becker has made an art out of winning cases and having one-night-stands. Relationships are too complicated and require too much time and effort given that he’s on the fast track to making partner in his law firm. But that all changes when a nine-year-old named Rory McQuaid decides to steal Jake’s wallet. Because that’s when he meets Rory’s aunt and legal guardian, Chelsea.

‘…I try to figure out a way for the chaos that is Chelsea and her gaggle of kids to fit into my organized life. I have goals, priorities. I didn’t get where I am today by getting distracted by a piece of ass–no matter how spectacular the ass may be.’

Chelsea is the first woman to make Jake even think about something serious. And honestly that scares the living hell out of him. But he’s somehow sucked into her crazy life, helping care for her brood of six nieces and nephews. And while Jake may find them hilarious and even a bit wonderful, when they’re not spoiling his advances on their aunt, he has no idea how to be a role model. Leaving them all to their own devices may be best for them, but Jake isn’t sure that’s an option any longer.

“Is that what you want?” she asks quietly. “Do you want me?”
I lose myself in those clear blue eyes. Endless and cerulean, like tropical seas. And my voice is barely a whisper. “All the time. I can’t remember not wanting you anymore.”

The Legal Briefs series continues to get hotter and more enticing with each story. Sustained left me with a smile on my face and a little piece of my heart missing, having given it to Jake, Chelsea and six precocious children.

‘I’ve been arrested–spent time in lockup with genuinely dangerous guys. I’ve been in street fights without rules where no one was coming to break it up–and I’ve won. …It’s a diaper. How hard could it be?’

I am a huge fan of writers who can make me laugh as well as get swept away with an epic romance. That, in a nutshell, describes Sustained. Actually, that’s every single book I have read so far by Emma Chase. She has this way of creating characters that are believable, and even when you don’t want to like them–ahem, Jake–you can’t help but give in. I mean, somehow an arrogant defense attorney who was a one-night-stand champion became the ultimate family man. And it totally worked.

Our ‘narrator’ here was none other than Jake, with this being told strictly from his cynical, yet hilarious POV. I love that he told us like it is. He made no bones about the fact that he was a bachelor who was only interested in his career. Don’t get me wrong. Jake made comments that had me wanting to smack him, but it was easy to see underneath it all that he was truly a good person. Proof for me was the passage where he takes care of them all when they have the flu. It had some humor to it, but ultimately it showed how nice of a guy he really was. *dreamy sigh*

Chelsea and her six nieces and nephews, ranging from six months to fourteen-years-old, were such a wonderful group. She was a lovely person who cared very deeply for her family and did a fantastic job holding it all together. I liked how she was thankful for Jake’s help but she wasn’t fooled into thinking he wasn’t pursuing her. There was a lot of heat to their romance when the six little devils, I mean, kids weren’t interfering. And just the way Ms. Chase detailed those scenes, along with the dialogue, made it easy to picture the chaos (and love!) in the McQuaid house.

I don’t think I could have enjoyed this more, watching Jake Becker’s life getting steamrolled by the six rambunctious McQuaid kids and their kind and intelligent aunt. It was like a twofer: a steamy romance together with a tender family story. Highly recommended!

Book Info:

Published August 25th 2015 | by Gallery Books | The Legal Briefs #2

Emma Chase, New York Times bestselling author of the Tangled series, returns with the second installment of the Legal Briefs series!

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.