For the Defense

This is the second book the Raising the Bar Brief series. It can be read and enjoyed as a standalone but it is connected to the first book An Absence of Motive. It's well written with a storyline that kept me turning the pages. Nice suspense with some romance, it's a clean story. The series takes place in Pine Bluff, GA a small town located in Masters County. This is Lori and Simon's story. Lori is a Masters County sheriff's deputy, for her everything is black and white; right or wrong. Simon is in town to take over his granddad’s law firm and let the dust settle on a scandal he got embroiled in. Simon's soon up to his neck in problems with his new client and Lori the woman he has a thing for is looking at him with disgust in her eyes. Is it possible for a sheriff's deputy and a defense attorney to see eye to eye on things? Will Simon reconsider staying in Pine Bluff?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Booksprout and I am voluntarily reviewing it.

While this is a part of a series, you don't have to read the prior one to enjoy and understand what is going on. I haven't read the first one but I will now.

The characters here were very interesting and the plot was a solid one. I was burning through the pages to get to the end. I couldn't figure out how the author was going to tie everything together but it was done superbly.

Simon Wingate is forced into taking over his grandfather's law practice as some things in Atlanta got a little out of hand. Simon has political ambition like both his father and his grandfather. He can't wait to leave. Life is just a little too slow for him and he only has one big monied client. A pretty slimy one at that. He is intrigued with Sheriff Deputy Lori Cabrera. Lori is a strong woman. She has to be working in the typically man's world of law-enforcement in the remote Georgia town. The two are attracted to each other (you could really see it on Simon's side!) On Lori's side was a little more subdued given the fact that Simon represents Samuel Coulter.

This story was written in my favorite dual POV format. Getting that glimpse into the characters' thought really help me to better understand them. This story was also a clean romance with tons of intrigue. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Maggie has provided us with a fun new criminal suspense. Her books do seem to fit really well in the harlequin series and I find them quite captivating. With a good blend of intrigue and romance, it’s a book that had me flipping towards the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.