A charming romance between two driven people, who take a leap to fall in love. I really loved that they were both from Nebraska ;)

I love the premise such as this one, although their meet-cute as implied in the blurb didn't turn out as cute as I expected. It's always the unexpected that ends up catching your heart before you realize it--kind of like these two unlikely MCs and how they ended up falling in love. Modern-day Cinderella.

Legally Charming wasn't a bad book, but the tropes it used really weren't my favorite. This was a classic "virgin and the player" story that featured a sweet heroine who has no idea how attractive she is who meets cute with a successful, hard-driving Chicago lawyer.

While we are told that Felicity is smart (she's a grad student in art history) she was also WAY too "damsel in distress" for my taste. She faints in large crowds and gets so tired at parties that she has to take a nap. That's how she meets Jared, an ambitious real estate lawyer who has no time for romance (especially because his boss has decreed that if Jared doesn't marry his daughter, he won't make partner. That's so contrived that I won't even pick it apart, but at least the poor daughter in question seems like a nice person who will probably get her own book). In any case, the somewhat narcoleptic Felicity is napping in Jared's bed (very Goldilocks!) and he's so tired from all that big city lawyering that he just climbs on in with her. The rest is history.

I could have warmed up to these very familiar characters if they'd had a little more depth and individuality. Jared falls instantly in lust with Felicity but keeps reminding himself that has no time for love, just enough time for steamy shower sex. Then there's the issue of that pesky partnership blackmail. Jared doesn't have much personality besides being a textbook successful alpha guy love interest: fab apartment, cool job, good abs, just controlling enough to be sexy, not creepy. Felicity's main thought throughout the book is that falling in love with Jared will tank her career... but she's mostly worried because she claims that the only job market for art curators is in Los Angeles. Hmmm. As far as I can see, there seem to be both law firms and art museums in all major cities. If Felicity had been an Egyptologist, her fears might have seemed more credible.

What I did like: the art elements. Shana. And Layla. And even Thad, who has the worst name ever but turned out to be a good guy. Maybe he and Shana could work something out?

tl;tr If you love the ever-popular player and the virgin trope, this one's for you!

This book was great! Loved the hero! Sexy and cocky and fun to read! Some parts were a slow but they didn't last for long. The story is compelling and kept you interested. So glad I got to read this and look forward to more!

Felicity Hart has one goal: Completing her masters in art. Falling in love isn’t part of the plan. She reluctantly agrees to attend a Halloween party at Tanner’s apartment her best friend Layla’s boyfriend. She’s not a party animal so sneaks away from the party and goes to sleep in Tanner’s brother Jared’s unoccupied room, Jared a lawyer isn’t expected back, however she wakes to the sexiest pair of eyes she’s ever seen. Eyes that belong to the one man who could turn her well organized world upside down. When he flashes that wicked, panty-melting smile at her the vow to not fall in love seems impossible
Jared Redmond used to be the ultimate bad boy. But he’s now thirty & his legal career is taking off and the partners of his firm are trusting him with high-dollar real estate transactions. Jared’s just closed a large deal & wants nothing more than to go home & sleep but when he arrives home on Halloween to find a princess sleeping in his bed, his all work and no play attitude goes out the window.
I love the author’s regency romances & loved this too, a well paced story that had me reading until the early hours.
Jared is definitely an alpha male who ‘could give Jamie Dornan a run for his money’ so quite attractive! He’s everything you could want in a hero, gorgeous, intelligent, hardworking, sensitive & caring WOW. Felicity had me wanting to shake her at times, she had low self esteem & was so naïve at times whilst at other times was fun & caring. The attraction between the pair sizzled & I’m not surprised steam was rising from the hot tub. A modern take on some fairy tales, the secondary characters were also well portrayed, I loved Layla & look forward to Thad & Angelos’ stories

Being the first book by this author I've read, I'm duly impressed with the depth of her characters and the emotions the story evoked. I'm conflicted though, Felicity's pull/push mentally was frustrating at times. She'd push Jared away, while at the same time wanting him to come after her, fight for her. Though she'd justify her actions with the excuse that she was doing it for Jared's sake, it just seemed very childish, and in a way selfish. I did enjoy the man Jared was, caring and considerate of all Felicity's needs, so that made it that much more difficult to comprehend her pushing him away.

Other than my conflict over Felicity's behavior, I found the story to be well written, with an intelligent plot and dialog. The characters were engaging and drew me into the story, with their personalities and very real emotions. It was easy to develop an attachment to Jared, what woman wouldn't love to have his undivided attention and focus.

This book was provided by the Publisher and Netgalley, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

This is my first contemporary from the wonderfully talented Lauren Smith. She has several contemporaries but I have only read her historical novels which I highly recommend (start with His Wicked Designs). This book would be my 5th book from her that I have read and let me tell you, she did not disappoint.

We have Jared, a lawyer heading towards becoming partner at his firm and Felicity who is very close to earning her graduate degree before moving away to her dream job. They both have worked so very hard to get where they are and certainly never expected for either of them to meet and fall in love. Jared doesn't really have the same insecurities Felicity has. However, Jared has more money and position so him having less insecurities makes total sense to me. Felicity has her insecurities about herself and their relationship. I think all of her worries are very legitimate. She is worried if she is not good enough for him, or how they could really be together if she plans to move across the country for her dream job. She has many doubts, all reasonable and not overly dramatic in any way. This made their relationship very realistic. They had doubts, problems to overcome and it seemed like they fought for their happiness in the end. Yes, there were moments when Felicity could have used a pinching to snap her out of her insecurities but that is what her best friend was for. (I love Layla!)

I could easily relate to Felicity. She is someone I saw a lot of myself but I could also admire how hard she has worked to go to school and support herself. Jared is a complete dreamboat with a heart of gold and naughty side I quite enjoyed.

For me this book was about discovery, decisions and first times. Like falling in love and trying something new and unexpected. It was about making the choice of staying or going, giving up or fighting until the end. I cried a lot towards the end because I could feel their struggles but the ending makes it all worth it.

This book was so much to read that I really didn't want to put it down. It was fun, adorable, sweet but also super sexy and a bit naughty as well. The story worked well and I really enjoyed it overall. I can't wait to see what is next for Lauren Smith.

Princess, I just loved the nickname he gave her and how it just stuck throughout the whole book, it was really sweet!! I love the characters in this book and the strong sense of friendship throughout. I was so captivated by the writing and just drawn to keep reading and turning the pages to see what would happen next. I love that he included her when he went to Colorado to visit his family and then went to meet her family too. It really brought a serious vibe to the relationship and not that it was just a fling. Lovely book and I really hope there will be a book for Thad and Angelo.

A sweet low drama romance about a virgin art grad student Felicity and a up and coming lawyer Jared. They met when Jared finds her in his bed when he returns home unexpectedly while his roommate brother is having an Halloween party. He is too tired to kick her out so he just climbs in bed and they both go to sleep. Their chemistry is great but they come from different worlds and are heading in different directions in their lives. Can love conquer all? Be sure and read this delightful book to see how they reached their HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book provided by Barclay Publicity & NetGalley.

I found the title and description appealing and requested it blind. I had no idea what to expect. What I received was a well plotted book that had dynamics that made it unique to a storyline that could have been read before. I found that I became attached to "Princess" aka Felicity right from the first few pages. I wanted to know more about her, there was just something the drew me to her. And Jared, wow what a total alpha male. Could make you need to use the pages as a fan a few times.

Each character, even the supporting characters, had charisma, passion and genuine qualities that will appeal to most readers. They are well developed and jump off the pages as if they are right there in your reading space.

The twist the hits the book a little past the middle is well thought and if you weren't paying attention you may not have seen the signals. But the remedy to the delimna is passionate and well thought out. NOT RUSHED. I loved this book for that.

It is a solid read about two people who are on the path to success in different fields. But when their lives collides it was written in the stars, and we learn that Love is more important than work. That sometimes feeling ignite that you weren't expecting at the most inconvenient times.

This book was an good read for me. I found it a little slow at times but the characters were very likable and I enjoyed them a lot. However, I would have enjoyed a little more depth with the main characters. Don't get me wrong, both characters were sweet but the story was just missing a little something for me. I did enjoy the "history & art" within the story and it was a good romantic read. If readers are looking for a light read this is a good story to try.

I really liked this book

3 stars
A modern day soon on a Cinderella story..


Jared and Felicity have a strange meeting . She sleeps in his bed at a party. He comes home early to find her there. He is the bad boy who likes to sleep around. But now he has met Felicity Ans everything has changed. Now he wants more.

It was a pretty light story. No major drama.

So love a good romance and Ms. Smith doesn't disappoint. an excellent story

Wow, what a phenomenal and entertaining novel! Legally Charming by new to me author Lauren Smith, is chock-full of romance, heat, drama, and true love. It is a fast-paced read with two main characters that are instantly fascinating, likable, and have a ton of off the charts chemistry. This is the first book from Ms. Smith's brand new series, Ever After, and it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Felicity Hart is a smart young woman that meets every goal she has set for herself. She is in the process of finishing her graduate degree in art, while supporting herself by working part-time for a local arty gallery. Her tiny apartment is located in a crummy section of Chicago, but it is all she can afford. Felicity has been a bookworm since grade school, and as a result, she is on the cusp of landing a job at a top Los Angeles museum upon graduation. Keeping her nose to the grindstone is all she has ever known, that is until she meets Jared Redmond, a very good looking and distinguished attorney.

For many years, Jared's life has been all about work, work, and more work. He used to be a little more carefree, until he made his career a top priority. Spending a very platonic night with Felicity causes his long-lost need for companionship to kick in. Felicity becomes his world and he cannot get enough of her.

I truly enjoyed this book and the emotional plot is both sweet and sexy. Ms. Smith writes with a lot of passion, and as a result, I felt Felicity and Jared's emotional discoveries deep within my soul. I loved Jared especially, because he was caring, gentle, and a dominant force in the bedroom. This story temporarily took over my stressful world and left me completed sated.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

At first I thought that the book might be dragging a little too much at first. Then as I got about 1/3 of the way in I started appreciating the info from earlier as it helped to clear up some things. So I guess, what I'm saying is give it a chance if these are your feeling about the first 1/4 of the book. Jared and Felicity come from different backgrounds. Jared is upper class whereas Felicity is more middle class. So not too bad there, however Felicity sees this as a problem that they need to overcome. Jared is so sweet, he not only tells her but shows her how special she is to him. Everything's going along picture perfect for Felicity and Jared and then bam, one accident changes it all. What it does is showed me that Jared is an even better man. Not sure what's better than perfect, but that's Jared in the ending.

This is a wonderful romance. Two very different people get together and fall in love. He made her believe that she was worth everything. A must read.