Review: ‘Barristers and Bones’ by J. L. Brannick
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Barristers & Bones
by J. L. BrannickSeries: Las Vegas House of Spades #1
Published by Smart Mouth Publishing LLC on October 15, 2024
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance
Format: eArc
Pages: 349
Source: Booksprout
Audience: 18+/Adult
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A hot, morally gray mentor who loathes me. A sprawling funeral home. Torture, mayhem, and a hazy Las Vegas wedding I can't remember.
Luna needs to finish an internship to graduate, but staying alive suddenly takes precedence when she's paired with the cold, starkly handsome attorney straight from Hell. Roman Fowler is an infamous partner at the most notorious law firm in Las Vegas, and he’s harboring deadly secrets and looking for retribution. When he forces Luna’s hand, their chemistry explodes, and revenge becomes obsession.
But Luna isn’t a helpless, scared child anymore. The House of Spades is a powerful, violent, oddly close-knit family who adopted her, and they have a hands-on, DIY approach to taking care of “life's little problems.” They're still deciding if Roman is a problem when Luna's past threatens her.
Can they fight the danger and their past demons together? Or will the monsters win for good this time?
-Dark Comedy-Forced Proximity-Billionaire-Dark Romance
Barristers & Bones is a book I will always remember because of its captivating storyline, unforgettable characters, and unique setting. It was the first book I ever read featuring a funeral home and mortuary, and I’ll never forget what the main character, Luna, and her foster sister, Sylvie, did there to take revenge on a man who was threatening Luna. Reading it felt like watching an episode of “Dexter,” which is one of my favorite shows right now. Be prepared: if you start reading this book, you may never look at a funeral home or mortuary the same way again.
This was my first book by author J. L. Brannick, and it certainly won’t be my last. J. L. Brannick hooked me from the very beginning, and I found myself engaged throughout, often laughing out loud. Yes, this book is marketed as a Dark Romance, but it also has Dark Comedy to it. Readers will absolutely love the heroine, especially for the way she skillfully handles the dominant, alpha-hole hero, Roman Fowler. She has definitely earned a spot as one of my favorite heroines of all time.
Luna just wants to finish law school and complete her internship with the attorney that she was hoping to intern with, but unfortunately, her advisor has other plans for her, and she ends up interning with another lawyer who is about to make her life difficult. What Luna doesn’t know is that Roman has a secret agenda of wanting her as his intern, and it all stems down to his and his law partners’ past.
I’ve mentioned earlier how much I loved the heroine, but I also adored the hero. Roman starts off as a dominating alpha-type (he’ll remain that way, too) who seeks revenge, along with his law partners/friends, but ultimately becomes very protective of Luna, willing to take drastic measures to ensure her safety. He may not be everyone’s favorite character, but for me, he’s definitely mine.
Both characters have pasts that damaged them and both are going to realize how they can heal from their pasts by being with another. I loved the banter between Luna and Roman and how they went from Enemies to Lovers, eventually. =)
This book is not only full of humor, but it’s full of twists and turns. It’s also got a great cast of secondary characters that will intrigue you and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I need the second book as of yesterday; that’s how much I enjoyed this book and every single character that was introduced.
Overall, this book gets 4.5 stars, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I’m really glad I read this book because I definitely want to check out J. L. Brannick’s other works.
Single/Dual POV: Dual POV.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s the first book in the law Vegas House of Spades Series.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you’re seeking a dark romance with a full cast of characters that is not only twisted but also filled with humor, then check out this book.
Quotes: His calling me a good, sweet girl made me want to punch him in the face and crawl up his beautiful body all at once.
“I want to fuck you against this wall, then in our bed, and after we eat and sleep for a few hours, take you again on the kitchen table. Then we can talk.” “And I’d like to get paid to drink margaritas and read all day. We don’t always get what we want.”
“Fuck, your slick little pussy always takes my cock so well. Like you were made for me.”
What to Expect:
🖤Dark Romance
💜Enemies to Lovers
🖤Billionaire Romance
💜Forced Proximity
🖤Morally Grey Hero
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale. It will help sponsor future giveaways but costs you nothing extra. You can read the full disclosure underneath the Privacy Policy.
About J. L. Brannick
J. L. Brannick lives in the desert with her family and fur babies. She works as an attorney, and detoxes by taking long hikes and exploring old Western ghost towns while plotting her novels. She graduated from law school in Las Vegas, Nevada where she quickly realized that truth can be stranger than fiction.
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