Caught in a FAB Romance (@TheLoveJunkee)

PJV Quickie:You guys, I love this trilogy! Starting with Overruled, then Sustained, and finishing with Appealed, I have really enjoyed this group of characters and the world they live in.

Review:

Kennedy Randolph has been in love with Brett since they were kids. After she gave her heart to him and got burned, twice, she decided to never get hurt again.  Now, she's back in DC and wants to prove she's over him and his obnoxious-teenage-jerk self.

Brett Mason works hard in the courtroom and plays hard in the bedroom.  The loss of his leg in a childhood accident has never slowed him down.  When the new prosecutor he's facing off against turns out to be a childhood friend, he thinks it's going to be a quick, easy case - he couldn't be more wrong.

When Kennedy and Brett are forced to work together and get along in the courtroom, Brett is surprised at all the hurt Kennedy is still carrying from their teenage years. He learns what a hard time Kennedy had at the hands of his so-called friends, and he knows he's got a lot to make up for. Kennedy doesn't know if she can forgive the past, but Brett is determined to prove they have a future together.

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Ohhhh, this book pulled at all kinds of my heartstrings. Kennedy and Brett were great together, but they had to do some real work to get there.  Ms. Chase has written an engaging story, threading the past and present together to create a realistic tale that shows the after affects of teen bullying and how it affects decisions made as an adult.  I like that Brett doesn't get off easy because of his money and charm, that Kennedy's pain is real and not brushed off as insignificant. Brett's sessions with his therapist (hello positive mental health care portrayal!) and his young butler are an entertaining glimpse into his psyche.  Appealed has the steamy sexy scenes we expect from Emma Chase, which I enjoy, but it's the relationships and humorous writing that I look forward to.  She writes this series from the hero's point of view, which I also find refreshing.

There is a sub-plot involving Brett's client, a 17-year-old computer hacker - really a bored and lonely kid, that moved the story along and kept things interesting when the reader needs a break from Brett and Kennedy's intensity.

There were some issues for me, including Kennedy's treatment of said hacker, and Kennedy and Brett's mothers behavior was more than a little off-putting, but overall I really enjoyed Appealed - it's a solid ending to this trilogy.

Recommendation:
Fans of second chance love, friends to enemies tropes, or legal settings will love Appealed.  Fans of Julie James or N.M. Silber will probably enjoy Appealed.  This book can be read as a standalone, although the characters from previous books do have parts in the story.