Tasty Review Tour: Lover in Law by Jo Kessel

Lover in Law

By: Jo Kessel

Blurb

Harbouring an unmentionable secret is not an obvious route to maternal bliss..........or is it?

Ali Kirk's had a bad year. An ambitious London lawyer, her courtroom performances have started to slide and her obsession with having a baby is undermining her relationship with boyfriend Adam. Come January 1st she resolves that in the next twelve months her life has to turn around.

Life, however, is about to get worse. Busy juggling fertility tests with a high-profile criminal trial at the Old Bailey, Ali starts burning the midnight oil with powerfully handsome colleague Anthony de Klerk. On a night that she's slipped on some sexy underwear to boost her flagging self-esteem, Ali and Anthony finally end up in bed together. And then she falls pregnant. Ali becomes the ultimate woman sleuth - who is the father, Adam or Anthony?

En route from pregnancy to having a baby there's romance and rows, mystery and denials, suspense and comedy. And the ultimate, uncomfortable realization that only one thing will set Ali free: the truth.

Buy Links:

US: http://amzn.to/17osZ58

UK: http://amzn.to/I2YrwD

Excerpt:

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“Don’t go,” he says, trying to catch my arm as I roll over to get up.
“I’ve got to,” I say.
It doesn’t feel right to stay the night, even if Adam is away. Anthony offered to drive me home, but I opted for a cab, which is on its way. I get dressed, item by item, as he lies there, watching.
“You have got the most beautiful body. You know that, sexy lady?”
He must be talking about somebody else.
“You’re not bad yourself.”
I turn my head. I shouldn’t be here, having this conversation. Accepting and paying compliments this way.
“What is it?” he asks.
He can’t see my face, but the way I’m holding my body, so very, very still, probably gives away how I’m feeling. Tense, confused, excited and yes, the first soupcon of guilt is seeping in. I’ve never done anything like this before, never even been tempted.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I know you’re attached. I should have left well alone. It’s just there’s something about you,” he peters out.
I don’t want to ruin the beauty of what we’ve just shared and it’s not about attributing blame anyway.
“Don’t apologise,” I say. “It takes two to tango.”
“I know, but I want you to know that I don’t make a habit of this,” he carries on. “Seducing women who are attached isn’t really my style.”
The buzzer rings.
“Right then,” I say, picking my jacket up off the floor. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Anthony pulls the sheet round his waist, gets out of bed and follows me to the front door.
There’s an awkward moment. I’m not quite sure what to say. I turn the latch.
“Right then. See ya.”
“See ya,” he replies.
He bends down, kisses me on the mouth, I open the door, kiss my finger, place it to his lips and leave.
—————

My Review:  

★★★★☆

To be honest, this is not my usual type of read. I prefer more magical, mysterious, or plain fantastical stories. I like to be swept up in a book that is so far from realistic that there isn't a chance that anything will make me think of myself or someone I know that may have been in a similar situation. In other words, reading is my escape from reality, so I tend to stay away from books that read like it could really happen to me or someone I know.

That being said, I enjoyed this book. It is pretty realistic in how everything is dealt with. The characters were complex and believable. I found myself torn about what I though would and should happen to the main characters Anthony and Ali. I don't approve of cheating, so was disappointed in their behavior. At the same time, I enjoyed reading about the progression of their relationship from colleagues to friends to lovers. I felt sorry for Adam, living and loving Ali all the while unaware that she had a thing going with someone else.

I don't want to go into what ends up happening, how things turn out, or anything that might ruin the story for anyone. I do want to say that I enjoyed that the book focused on her case at work as well as her personal life. Too many books tend to focus just one the personal occurrences between the characters and forgets to put in some of the more interesting bits about their jobs and such. I liked reading about her interactions with her client, how she felt about him, and her work trying to gather information to win her case. It kept me reading the story to find out what might happen, other than the obvious who would she end up with, will there be a baby and if so, who will be the father plot lines.

So all in all, I enjoyed this book and would definitely read more from this author. I admire how tastefully she handled the intimate scenes, and the topic of infidelity. I recommend this book to anyone that likes a good story with characters that are believable and feel easy to relate to.

Link to Follow Tour:

http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2013/12/now-booking-tasty-review-tour-for-lover.html

Author Info

Jo Kessel is a journalist, working for the BBC and reporting and presenting for ITV on holiday, consumer and current affairs programs. She writes for several national newspapers in the UK including the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, the Guardian and the Express and was the anonymous author of the Independent’s hit column: Diary of a Primary School Mum.

When Jo was ten years old she wrote a short story about losing a loved one. Her mother and big sister were so moved by the tale that it made them cry. Having reduced them to tears she vowed that the next time she wrote a story it would make them smile instead. Happily she succeeded and with this success grew an addiction for wanting to reach out and touch people with words. Jo lives in London with her husband and three children. She loves traveling and since becoming a mother anything even remotely sad makes her cry. She’s a sucker for a good romance and tearjerker movies are the worst. She’s that woman in the cinema, struggling to muffle audible wails as everyone else turns round to stare.

Author Links

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18195781-weak-at-the-knees

Website: http://www.jokessel.com/

Blog: http://www.jokessel.blogspot.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kesseljo

@jo_kessel

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