You know I knew there was a reason why it took me so long to read and review this book. I found a little slower than I normally like. I did not like the heroine (Riley) I liked strong heroines not bitches. Then there was Hunter again with a manwhore. I read, put down, picked up, put down again the only reason I finished was I kind of hoping it would get better it didn't..There was too too much drama with OW..

Leading the Witness is the fourth novel in Chantal’s Conflict of Interest series and it does not disappoint. We all know who Hunter is because he is featured in the first three novels, but Riley was introduced in the second novel. When they first meet Hunter and Riley are intensely attracted to one another but there is something in the way of them acting on their attraction. Hunter is funny, honest, sexy, and has dirty mouth that would put you into a lust induced haze. When he meets Riley though there is something about her that brings out his sweet, alpha side that begs to be nurtured. When Riley meets the crew from the law firm she is in the middle of a divorce and getting her new pub off the ground. When her divorce starts becoming to messy to handle and her soon to be ex-husband gets a new lawyer the situation starts to fall apart for parties involved. The new lawyer is Hunter and when he finds out that Riley is the other party involved he is so angry at her for not coming to him for help. Hunter does not let the ex-husband issue stop him from trying to help Riley. When Riley finally becomes a free woman, Hunter is there working in charms to get what he wants most and that is Riley. They take us on a world wind journey of their intense relationship. Riley still has her past to work through before she can have a future with Hunter.

This novel is about getting a second chance at having love and giving your heart to the right person. You will find a group of friends that will help you in your times of need and be there for all your ups and downs. I love that there is not a lot of drama controlling the book and it flows from each scene with ease. The characters are full of life and love that will turn anyone to mush. I love that I got to see another side to Hunter and that he isn’t who I thought he was from previous books. Chantal did an excellent job on Hunter and Riley’s story and it shows me why I am such a big fan of hers.

I've been anticipating Hunter's book since this series began.  Something about this character just called to me and it wasn't just the numerous tattoos and glorious beard.  He is this kick butt lawyer that should be jaded by all the family law cases he takes on but, somehow has retained his ideals.  He's still fun, open minded, and believes in romance.  All those things wrapped up in a very sexy packages makes for one hell of a character.

Riley was a character I instantly fell in love with.  She was this perfect blend of independent but, also soft and open.  I was never really sure how she would react to any given situation which made for a really great read.

With two amazing lead characters I wasn't sure how the supporting characters would stack up but, I shouldn't have.  They added depth and a whole lot of humor to the story without overshadowing the original storyline.  They really rounded out the book and made it that much better.

This is by far my favorite in this series  and my only complaint is I wish there was a little more drama.  Everything ran so smoothly I was just waiting for something to spring up and take everyone off guard and while complications arose they were settled so quickly that it detracted from the overall feel of the story for me.  I'm use to major drama from this author and it just wasn't there.

Releases APRIL 17 2018!
Okay you guys, Netgalley and the Publishers have been so amazing and has let me review all the books in this series so far. I receive them through Netgalley in exchange for and honest review.
So If you haven't read my other posts for the books in this series let me share them with you now before you continue on with this one.
Breaching the Contract
Seducing the Defendant
Alright so now that you are caught up let's get on with this one.
Leading The Witness follows Hunter Blaze who is a one of the most talented Lawyers at his firm. His latest client just happens to be the "soon-to-be-ex " of the girl he has fallen for. He never even knew she was having a troubled marriage and feels like his whole world is about to be flipped upside down. Secrets are revealed and now Hunter is having a hard time keeping his client happy as well as his "friend". So does Hunter do right by his client or his friend? You will find out in this steamy read.
What else can I say? I loved it!
I mean is there a way to take out the jerky, egotistical, narcissistic, and spiteful ex-husband out of the book? I mean that would make this so much better. I suppose his character is important for Riley's character building, but hey a reader can wish right?
Other than that I loved the two characters Hunter and Riley. I thought they were great and the buildup for them was right too.
One thing that kind of threw me off for a bit was the fact that this whole book kind of existed because Hunter was the divorce attorney for Riley's Ex. Therefore He and Riley shouldn't have contact with each other, etc. It just seemed like this did not last long at all. It felt like their time apart was very brief therefore the buildup and suspense was lacking for these two characters.
So yeah, Again I think Chantal has hit another series out of the park.

~WRITING - PLOT - PACE~
This one was just OK for me. There wasn't anything wrong with it per se, but it just left me a bit "meh." All the OW stuff (women he slept with...women flirting with him) got tiresome after a while. Plus, I couldn't stand Riley. I do enjoy this author's writing, so that aspect was very good. The pace was a bit slow for me. The plot was OK. I found myself losing interest halfway through. I think the combination of finding Riley annoying. How slow the relationship was moving, and the constant OW stuff just left me less than impressed with the book overall.


~HERO~
HUNTER...Honestly? Hunter was the star of this book. I loved his character. He was sweet. A good friend. A manwhore, but very recently he had toned it down. He had an endless supply of patience with Riley. Pretty much ALL my three stars are thanks to Hunter.


~HEROINE~
RILEY...Riley was another big reason this one didn't work for me. I couldn't STAND her character AT ALL. First, I hate heroines that let pride get in the way of being smart. She has an entire group of lawyer friends yet she doesn't ONCE ask a single one of them for help or advice about her divorce?? Second, she was as a bitch (IMO) and her flip-flopping about Hunter drove me nuts. Pretty much everything about her drove me up the wall. Hunter deserved WAY better in my opinion.


~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
Another positive point for the book was it had a fantastic cast of secondary characters. Couples and characters from previous books. Friends and coworkers of Riley's. All of them added a nice extra layer to the story.


~FAVORITE QUOTE~
"I’m pregnant,” she says, sniffing . “And I broke my chair. Probably because I’m pregnant and fat, and my chair knew I was about to get fatter, so it committed suicide because it didn’t want to have to support my fat ass any longer."


~HEAT LEVEL~
LOW. This book was WAY slow burn with no sexy times until 66% (oral) and 71%(intercourse) in. Unfortunately, because of some of the issues I already mentioned, I never felt this couple had any on page chemistry.


~ANGST LEVEL - SEXUAL HISTORIES~
LOW. This one wasn't very angsty. There are a few bumps in the road, but nothing major. Neither were virgins. Riley hadn't had sex in over a year. I have no clue about Hunter. But I got the feeling he continued to have sex with OW right until he knew Riley was getting divorced. There was quite a lot of OW stuff in this one (blah). I wouldn't say drama, but Hunter hires Annabelle a woman he slept with in the past to represent Riley. Personally, I have NO idea why the author needed to have Hunter and Annabelle be past f-ck buddies. Thye could have easily just been good friends and it would have worked just as well. It was an icky situation IMO. We are also reminded A LOT that Hunter was a manwhore. Riley constantly thinks he is sleeping with everyone around him. Plus every single woman that runs across him flirts with him (rolling my eyes). There was a bit of OM drama in the form of Riley's ex-husband.


~IN THE END~
Eh...like I said, it was OK. There were quite a few issues that kept me from rating this one higher. But I also thought it was a well written book, and I loved Hunter and a lot of the secondary characters. So a bit of a mixed bag for me. That said, I don't think I will be carrying on with anymore books in this series since both books I have read have been just been OK. It is what it is. Therefore yours truly is going to give this one a single solid thumbs up.

Hands down, the concept alone was beyond epic. I loved the whole idea of divorce lawyer falling in love with the clients ex! Hunter has always had a spot in my heart when I first see him in this series. And this story is by far my fave out of all of them. The sass of Riley is epic as well. I was swooning and giggling the whole time reading this one! I really love how this whole story played out! Once again a brilliant read from Fernando! This series is one of my faves!

I really liked these characters and how their relationship developed. I appreciated that Hunter really liked Riley, but that he never acted on those feelings because he thought she was married. Imagine Hunter’s shock when everything he thought he knew about Riley changes.

Riley, I really liked Riley. I liked how she wanted to make her own way and didn’t want to ask her friends for help. Soon, everyone knows what’s going on with Riley and they are all there to support her, even Hunter.

This was the first book that I have read in this series and I didn’t feel lost at all. I will be going back and reading the other books in this series.

Book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Leading the Witness was my first book by Chantal Fernado. I have not read the other books in the series but this book worked as a stand-alone.

The hero, Hunter, is a divorce attorney. He has spent the better part of a year crushing on Riley, the owner of a bar, where he hangs out. They have developed a friendship and yet there are parts of themselves that they keep from each other. Hunter is shocked when he takes on a new client and discovers that Riley is his new client’s estranged wife. Suddenly he is put in the uncomfortable situation where he cannot lookout for Riley’s best interests.

In general, I thought the writing was really good. There was great character development and I thought the plot was compelling. My only concern was that the problem that was keeping Hunter and Riley apart wrapped up really quickly—about halfway through the book. I felt like the book dragged after that and there were some odd plot developments to try and keep the momentum going (like details that came out of nowhere and didn’t seem to fit.)

First, let us look at the cover…okay, now onto the book. I have read three of the four books in this series (skipped booked three) and this book is by far the best of the series. Of course it is, it has Hunter and Riley. I loved both of these characters. Most of the time I end up loving the male character and the female character could be likeable or not. Hunter is almost perfect – he is kind (works pro bono cases helping women), a family man (even though he does not think of himself that way), a hard worker, kind, flirty, sexy, yummy and well the list could go on. Riley is also kind, a great friend and flirty. So why not five instead of four stars? The lack of conflict in the book. The conflict (like in the second book) ends pretty quickly and then about fifty percent of the book is their day to day life. Now, I know why that had to happen in this book. It would be wrong for it not to be that way but I still like a bit more conflict. That is just me. But the day to day life is so sweet and romantic. I think it is a perfect end to the series.

Another fantastic book in this series. i loved this one and actually felt like I could be there with them. I love the way this author writes, she makes you feel all of the emotions. This was such a great book, many decisions were made that were wrong, but i the end it all works out. You will have to read to find out the story. This is a really good read.

"Only the strong can forgive."

I'm really enjoying this series. I've become really attached to the Conflict of Interest characters and look forward to catching up with them as each new book in the series is released. They are a tight-knit group who have each other's backs, but they also have a sense of humor and give each other a hard time. Their witty banter is highly entertaining. And I must say, they're as talented in the bedroom as they are in the courtroom which makes for a very sexy read.

Hunter...sigh. ❤️ Let's just say that he looks very sexy in a suit, and even better out of it. Riley might be married, but she's not blind. Any woman would admit that, "He's the type of man songs are written about. Books are dedicated to. Movies are made with fucking Jason Mamoa playing him." He caught her attention the first time he walked into her Pub and he's kept it ever since. What? She can't help seeing him when he comes in with his co-workers to have lunch a few times a week for the last year, right? That group of lawyers has become loyal customers and good friends. She trusts them, but that doesn't mean she takes advantage of their friendship by asking for favors. Nope, they have no clue she's in the process of getting a divorce, at least not until her future ex-husband is already Hunter's client.

What a dilemma that ends up being for Hunter. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that the woman he's lusted over for the past year was married to that jerk? No wonder she wants to divorce him! But, he's already committed to representing him. Why didn't Riley talk to him and ask for help? He'd much rather have been her lawyer and would have enjoyed crushing the idiot she was divorcing. But his hands were tied. He couldn't discuss the case with her and he couldn't warn her about what her asshole husband was planning. The only good thing to come out of the situation was that at the end she would be divorced, and he planned to make her his.

This story got me riled up and her ex-asshole had me glad that #KindleThrowing wasn't a crime or I'd have been serving time. But you can bet I'd be hiring #HotHunter to defend me if it was. I'd like to get a good look at those tatted arms when he rolls up the sleeves of his white shirt...more sighing.

There are so many awesome support characters in Leading the Witness that I can't imagine the author not continuing this series and allowing us to spend some more time with them. Are you with me? The line forms here...

Wow! Great read!! It's actually my first book I've read from Chantal Fernando and it definitely won't be my last!! This is a series but like I said i haven't read any of them and I definitely don't feel like I missed anything but I'll be going back to read the others!! It was that good! This book is Hunter and Rileys story, Hunter is a divorce attorney and owes one of his buddies a favor and gets stuck with a jerk of a guy with his divorce, Hunter and his buddies hang out at this local New pub. That's where Riley comes in she's the owner of the bar! So hunters hot for her and doesn't realize until it's to late that now he's stuck defending her idiot ex!! Of course a whole bunch of other good stuff goes down and it makes for a terrific story line!! Definitely don't miss out on this book it's well worth the read!! A huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for sharing this book with me!! And thank you Chantal Fernando for writing an amazing read!! I loved your words!! #NetGalley #Simon&Schuster #leadingthewitness

One name should say it all....HUNTER!

From the beginning I have been intrigued by Hunter...the hottie who hides his tattoos behind his crisp business suits. The man who hits on anything in a skirt. But as you turn the pages in Leading The Witness you will soon find that Hunter is much more than what his playboy exterior shows. He's so much more than I could have even imagined!

And then we have Riley, the bad ass bar owner with a fiery spirit and a whole lot of sass! Riley has always been a character on my mind since I started the Conflict of Interest series. Just by the tiny glimpses of her and Hunter's banter I knew she was going to be my favorite heroine in this series. But what I wasn't expecting was for Riley to have such a crazy story attached to the spitfire persona that makes up her personality.

Riley is on the brink of finally getting what she has wanted for the past year...a divorce from her douche canoe of an ex....and trust me when I say...this man is a serious ass with a capital A!

Hunter has had his sights set on Riley since the first moment he walked into Riley's bar and saw her. Their relationship has been and endless amount of sexual tension and endless flirtations but through it all Hunter never overstepped the line knowing Riley was married. Now all bets are off the table and Riley is fair game....Until he is hired to be said ex-husbands lawyer.

I absolutely loved the twist of Hunter representing the ex douche in the divorce. No matter how much he didn't want to. This showed a type of dedication to Hunter's character and his career. And even though these scenes between Hunter and Jeremy made me uncomfortable at times and literally had me wanting to punch Jeremy for being as I stated above, A HUGE DOUCHE CANOE, This face made me see Hunter in a brighter and newer light.

Riley is put through hell, what with her pending divorce and the aftereffects of said divorce. My heart legit broke for her. One thing about Riley though, she always faced the obstacles that were thrown her way head on. This one is a stubborn independent individual.

Overall, I can honestly now say, Leading The Witness is my favorite book in this entire series! I expected this to be the outcome because...hello...HUNTER, but I never imagined I would love this book as much as I loved it!

Hunter Brayze - Divorce attorney for Bentley & Channing Law. Hunter is known as the tatted up, playboy lawyer of the firm. He's easy going and the ladies love him. Riley caught his eye a year ago when she opened up her new Pub however she's married and off limits.

Riley McMahon - Owner of local pub called Riley's. She's got a pin up girl vibe to her. She's sweet but sassy. Married but soon to be divorced and she has a thing for Hunter. She see's the playboy in him and knows that's the last thing she needs right after a divorce.

Riley is a total sweetheart. She and her soon-to-be ex have grown apart and want different things. She just wants a quiet divorce and only wants her dog and her pub even though she is entitled to half of everything. The ex is being petty and wants to take everything away from her. Unbeknownst to Riley and Hunter, the ex hires Hunter as his divorce attorney.

I really enjoy it when an author takes a playboy and turns him into a loyal, protective boyfriend. He's been attracted to Riley for a year but knew she was off limits. The minute he finds out his new client is her husband, he's ticked that she didn't tell him but also elated to know that she will soon be free to date. He's in an impossible situation but handles it all very well.

This one is my favorite out of the series. Hunter is an easy guy to crush on and Riley was a very like-able heroine. Plus there is a great cast of side-characters in this series and the author added even more with the employees of the pub. A lot of possible future books! ARC provided by NetGalley.

3ish stars.. This one did not do it for me the way the last few have. I like these stories because they usually involve a little drama and good chemistry with the characters. I fee like this story lacked a little of both. It had it's good moments, but overall I was bored. I enjoyed the last one so much, this one had more to live up to. It felt rushed, not because it was a short read, but because it was just fast, but something was missing. I need more drama, more conflict.

Title and author: Leading the Witness by Chantal Fernando
Series: Conflict of Interest - Book 4
Publisher: Gallery Books
Releases: April 17, 2018
Purchase: https://tinyurl.com/ycxlycds
Genre: Contemporary
Author website: http://www.authorchantalfernando.com/
Rating: 4.5 Stars

The series is named Conflict of Interest, and choices made in this compelling story frequently clash with what is actually desired. Two individuals have been trading sharp-witted banter for a year, but the bar owner and lawyer assume nothing more will ever happen between them. Yet when circumstances change and the probability of Riley McMahon and Hunter Brayze becoming more than friends increases, both feel taking things slow is for the best. But their control is tested because of the mounting sexual tension whenever they are near each other. Chantal Fernando makes LEADING THE WITNESS entertaining with candid comments and always realistic events.

When Riley McMahon and Hunter Brayze met for the first time, he was a customer in her recently opened pub. Although she thinks the tattooed lawyer is exceedingly handsome and his flirting affects her, she is certainly not going to act on it since she is married, A year later, her business is doing well, and the divorce lawyer plus his coworkers at Bentley and Channing Law come in several times a week for a meal or drinks. What is not so great in her life is her impending divorce.

After Hunter finds out the man whom he will be representing in a divorce case is the husband of Riley, he knows she will lose much if he follows the wishes of his client. He also realizes winning should be most important to him, yet he secretly wants to make her vindictive husband pay her instead. As the demands of each are declared Hunter tries to keep his emotions out of the equation, because what he feels for Riley is not at all professional.

LEADING THE WITNESS has a romantic couple who will long be remembered. Hunter has been a favorite character in this series, as he is charming and always seems to have a good-natured comeback ready. In his own story, I got to know this likable man even better, and every fact learned just made him more appealing. While he has dated lots of women, his feelings for Riley are like nothing he has felt before. When she becomes available, his actions prove what a truly admirable person he is at all times. What Riley had to go through is very real, as divorces are often messy and future ex-husbands can be spiteful. I liked that she did not back down, and her determination showed she can stand up for herself. The scenes where Hunter is in lawyer mode were fascinating, and I was anxious to see how the proceedings would go. Chantal Fernando had me believing every incident could actually happen, and I was thankful for getting the views of both main characters.

There are numerous occasions where colleagues of Riley and Hunter make an appearance, and conversations are regularly amusing and caused much laughter. Yet there are also some discussions where sincere feelings are mixed in, and these moments had me sensing the truth behind the words. LEADING THE WITNESS is another engaging story in the Conflict of Interest series.

I voluntarily reviewed the book from the publisher via NetGalley, and all comments are my honest opinion

I really enjoyed the romance between Hunter and Riley. Hunter was my favorite in how patient and thoughtful he was with Riley. I also liked how independent Riley was and how she takes a chance on Hunter. The mystery behind who burned down her bar took an interesting twist, which I liked. This was a read I'd recommend!.

Riley is dealing with her horrible marriage and is happy to spend most of her time running her own business, a pub. Hunter, a local lawyer, has been attracted to Riley since he first met her at the pub but knows she's married so he keeps some distance. When Hunter ends up representing Riley's soon to be ex in their divorce proceedings things get really complicated. I really enjoyed this second chance at love story!

Thankfully a completely standalone novel - but I will have to go back and read about the other couples from previous books :)

A fun and funny story with a bit of well done drama, not a ton of angst, and sexy humor abound.

Riley McMahon has put her blood, sweat and tears into making her pub/bar a success. Riley attributes a good part of that success to her many regular customers, regulars that include all of the employees at Bentley & Channing Law. Riley and her crew quickly befriend the lawyers from that firm, but when Riley herself is in need of a lawyer after it became clear she couldn’t salvage her marriage, she was too embarrassed to ask anyone from Bentley & Channing.

Hunter Brayze at first sight took an immediate interest in Riley, but knowing she was married, he kept his distance. Randomly he agrees to represent a guy in a divorce case as a favor to a fellow lawyer. The client ends up being a real jerk, but he gave his word to his friend and he intends to follow through. Low and behold the guy he’s representing is Riley’s husband...in his divorce from Riley! From that point, I was glued to my kindle to see what Chantal Fernando had planned! Wowzer!

I always look forward to diving into Chantal Fernando’s novels, and Leading the Witness is the perfect example of why! I have read all of the prior installments in The Conflict of Interest series and I was thrilled to get Hunter and Riley’s story. The synopsis had my interest peeked and I am so happy to say that this 4.5 star read lived up to all of my expectations! I thought the storyline was fast paced and original. I found both Hunter and Riley endearing and it was also great to catch up with past favorites. If you haven’t started this series yet I highly recommend it!