Great read by a great author! I have read her work before and always enjoy her books! I would definitely recommend this author and the book!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This is my fifth Meader book, and I think it's my favorite.

Who?
Trinity - The fiercely independent whiskey sommelier, who plays caretaker for everyone except herself.
Lucas - The life of the party, all around fun guy, and the shark representing Trinity's ex-brother-in-law in her sister's divorce.

What?

Because of Lucas' professional association with Trinity's ex-brother-in-law, it would be unethical for him to pursue a relationship with Trinity. However, circumstances kept bringing them into each other's orbits, and the more they got to know each other, the harder it was for them to resist the attraction.

Why?

I have enjoyed all of Meader's books, but there was just something that put this book on the next level for me. It was a perfect combination of fun, drama, and romance, which had me flipping the pages.

First of all, I fully embraced and loved both Trinity and Lucas. They seemed so confident and ready to take on the world, but they were both victims of poor parenting, rejection, and in Lucas' case, some serious guilt and grief. They slowly shared these pieces of themselves with each other, and us, and each little bit made me see Trinity and Lucas clearer, and made me love them even more.

But, it wasn't all heartache and pain, in fact, there were a ton a rom-com and heartwarming moments that had me laughing and smiling my face off. Lucas was pretty hilarious. He was witty and snarky and don't worry, Trinity was able to rise to his level, which resulted in some phenomenal banter. There was no absence of some kind of feels any time these two were on page together. And there were antics! Some really fun antics actually, which had me giggling, as well as some sweet and swoony moments too.

It's the characters, that really drive this story, and what really made me want to keep reading. Seeing these two people shed their armor, and reveal hidden pieces of themselves or seeing them show some vulnerability to each other was a beautiful thing. Lucas hid behind his fun guy persona, while Trinity wore her strong woman mask, but they had depth and needs, and it warmed my heart to see them find comfort in each other.

I also love the circle of friends Meader has put together. We got to know them a little in book 1, and we get to know them even more in this book. They are a fantastic group! I love their dynamic and the way they care about each other.

Overall: An utterly delightful and heartwarming romance, which made me laugh a lot, smile often.

I loved the first book in this series and was quite excited to read about Lucas, the sexy Brit, and he did not disappoint. This can be read as a standalone, but I think it's much more enjoyable getting to know these friends and how they became friends by reading them in order, but that's just my opinion! This was a fun, flirty, steamy, but emotional (very emotional) journey. As with the first book, the secondary characters really make the whole plot more engaging and enjoyable for me. Can't wait to finally read the back story of Grant and Aubrey! Excellent 5-star series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this.

The basic conflict is about the heroine, Trinity, who is super protective of her sister Emily. Emily is going through a very contentious divorce with her husband Brian. Lucas is Brian's lawyer. Lucas and Trinity are madly attracted to each other but them getting together would be a conflict of interest for Lucas.

So a nice little obstacle there. But that isn't where the story really sings, that is just the framework. No, it is the writing for the characters that really makes this work for me.

First is the hero, Lucas. Lucas has some angsty stuff he is dealing with -- some really heavy stuff and some past hurts, but I can't think of the last time I read a hero who instead of being all broody or dark about it, instead uses humor and a bit of an over-the-top personality to deal with it. As he puts it:

"We each have our roles and mine is to entertain”

Lucas is British and very funny. Not only that, Lucas is fun! As one character puts it:

"He has a boundless energy about the most ridiculous things"
and
"The air around him thrums even as he sits still, like a Broadway musical might break out at any moment"

Lucas is a bit of a jester and like a jester many of his observations carry a bite. But he is just so damned charming and on all the time you miss it til seconds later.

The other thing I really liked about Lucas was his regard toward Trinity. He was just absolutely delighted with her. In lust with her, yes, but truly, ridiculously in her corner-delighted by and for her. He loves watching her work because he says he is competence porn addict and she is excellent at her job.

So yeah, Lucas was a winner for me.

Trinity was also very well drawn. She is more the straight man to Lucas' jester. Trinity is African American and a Whiskey Sommelier. What I liked about what the author did for Trinity is that she made that an aspect of Trinity's character. Trinity is one a very few AA women in that profession which is predominantly white male. She has to deal with a lot of microaggressions, including people not taking her seriously. Or if she does whiskey tastings for bachelor parties, being hit upon, treated like a piece of exotic entertainment. This isn't something that is harped upon by any means, but we get to see these pieces of her job because we see Trinity doing her job on quite a few occasions in the book. We also get to see that she puts up with it because she is good at it and she loves it.

Also, I appreciated that the author showed Trinity does not only get this from men, but also from women. In one really illustrative scene Trinity shows up to do a tasting for a group of high powered professional women and Lucas tags along as her helper. They immediately assume he is the sommelier even as he is introducing Trinity. Afterwards Lucas asks:

"Those women who thought I was the sommelier - you get that a lot?"
"It's not the first time."
"Because you're a woman or because you're black?"
I love that he sees all the angles "Both, I suppose. Boobs and skin color have a habit of re-framing people's constructs because they've already decided how a particular situation should present itself. Preconceptions are very powerful. Anything different is a violation of the norm."

I really enjoyed that little conversation about intersectionality there and that Lucas immediately recognized it.

My one frustration with Trinity is the same as Lucas' frustration with her. She constantly "Strong Black Womans" herself. This isn't just a character issue with Trinity but becomes another source of their romantic conflict. Trinity is forever taking care of people to the detriment of herself and keeping her own pains and hurts to herself. She also has some esteem issues because she sometimes does not feel seen. Lucas is pissed because she refuses to put herself first even as he wants to help shoulder some of her burdens. There is finally a reckoning and they end on a great HEA.

In addition to how much I liked how Lucas and Trinity were written all of the supporting characters were also richly drawn. I thought the author drew some interesting dark corners around Trinity's relationship with her sister. And some even darker corners around Trinity and her brother-i-law. I also enjoyed Trinity's joking-but-not-really assertion that her niece was a demon in a child's body. And there were the gaggle of soccer moms (Lucas was a weekend "footie" coach) who liked to bring their boxed wine and stare at his ass.

All in all a really good read with snappy writing, very funny in places and a lot of meat to chew over.

I actually loved this book! What a surprise. Not that I didn't think the story would be a good one, but, I could not imagine how the author was going to bring about the sister meeting the attorney for "the other guy".

The story was sexy, and the characters were very engaging. There were definitely a lot of laughs as well.
What I really liked, and I hope you will also, is that the characters were smart; there was no portrayal of a susceptible woman falling into a trap. The characters had heart and integrity, for the most part.

The book is not what you'd expect, but, is an interesting read. If for no other reason, you just have to find out how all of the characters meet and the relationships intertwine in and around each other. Well done, if not a bit cheesy. :-)

You'll love this book!

The best part of this book is that race, although you know about it, has nothing to do with the story line at all!

Illegally Yours is a seductivily funny and all around enjoyable read.
Personally, I've never read a Kate Meader book but after this gem I'll be adding her books to my shelf.

I love a good interracial couple love story. Kate managed to let us know the racial difference without making it the constant focal point. Amazing!
Lukas and Trinity have very different but similar upbringings that has shaped them both differently and the way they handle life and each other is amazingly real and totally relatable.

They're so adorable together and I was routing for them the whole time! The witty banter is everything you'd want in a romance.
I honestly couldn't put the book down until it was done and even when I finished it I wanted more.
I MUST read Max's story now and I CANNOT wait for the next one.

What happens when a divorce lawyer is attracted to his clients soon to be ex sister-in-law? Well, it may not be 100% ethical, but there is no denying the kindle melting chemistry between the Hottie Brit, Lucas, and the whiskey sommelier, Trinity.
I am loving the Laws of Attraction series, because it is all about the forbidden romances. Lucas and Trinity both had a tough time growing up, they both had to grow up too fast, this two are truly perfect for each other. The slow burn at the start of their relationship led to some hilarious banter and sexual tension you could cut with a knife.
I enjoyed this story and couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait for the third book in the series to see what is next for this crew.

I honestly wanted to shoot myself in the foot about 10 pages in. I DNF'd this book at around 15% and at the moment I am kicking myself that I wasted that much time on something I knew I was already hating. From the beginning, I could not for the life of me connect with any of the characters; and I really wanted what happened at the end of Avengers Infinity War to happen to our Hero, Lucas. Every time he opened his mouth, I wanted to shove a sock in it so I wouldn't have to hear him speak. The writing style didn't fit the story nor my taste and it was an uphill climb just to make it to 15%. Maybe this is a case of good book, wrong reader--not sure. But I will most likely not be reading anything else from this author.

It took me a long time just to read half of the book because the cover was so different than the characters. The cover was changed while I was reading, it still bothered me. That wasn't the only issue I had with the book. The descriptions of the two main characters were a bit off. Lucas is described as this hot stud of a man but has no idea how to dress. Trinity's description was extremely mixed especially with her physical descriptions--she has caramel skin but has blonde and red curls?? The curls are not described as a mixed race woman. Those minor issues made it difficult for me to finish the book. The storyline is sweet with a mix of naughty forbidden love.

I received this ARC free of charge from NetGalley in return for an honest review
I started reading this ARC and immediately could not put it down. I was sucked into the story from the beginning. It is a sexy, fun read with some drama thrown in. A conflicted hero and heroine in this one. The plot is one that feels real, with real life issues. The main characters get their HEA but it definitely isn’t a story where everything is all sunshine and daisies and love, the characters have real life issues and problems that the reader can relate to.

Great fun with a glimpse at the legal aspects of divorce, with a caveat...don't get involved with the lawyer who is defending your sister's ex.

Absolutely enjoyed Illegally Yours. I was a little skeptical reading about a divorce lawyer falling for his oppositions sister, but this totally worked for me. There was lots of banter between Lucas and Trinity and I felt that their romance played in out in an appropriate time frame. I found both Trinity's sister and her soon to be ex to be annoying in their self-centric ways (the kid suffered the most here). I found Lucas' friend group to be intriguing and I definitely plan on reading both the prior book and the upcoming book in this series.

This was another great book by Kate Meader. I have read both of the books in this series, but this can stand alone if you haven't. The series follows 3 friends who are partners in a law firm specializing in divorce, and who are hesitant about love as a result.

Lucas and Trinity were fantastic, well-developed characters. Lucas brings a lot of humor to the story, but as you read you learn the true reasons he has for acting that way. Trinity is much more serious, but tends to put everyone above herself. As they begin developing from animosity to friendship to lovers, you see how much their backgrounds have similarities and have shaped who they have become. Through sharing with each other, they help provide healing for each other and fall in love in the process. The development of the romance felt realistic, not rushed, and makes you become invested in seeing them to figure out a way to be together.

I highly recommend this book. I am very excited to read Grant's story next.

Lucas wasn’t looking for a relationship when he met Trinity. Immediately taken with her, he decided that he would charm her into going on a date with him. But that was easier said than done. Lucas is a divorce attorney who is representing Trinity’s soon to be ex-brother in law. If he started a relationship with Trinity, it would be a violation of the ethics oath that he took. The only way around that is if his client agrees to let Lucas date her. Will that happen?

Trinity was working as a whiskey sommelier. She was also happy taking care of her niece and nephew while her sister is going through a bitter divorce. She wasn’t expecting the hot British man that she is lusting after to be her soon to be ex-brother in law’s attorney. A conflict of interest arises for her. If she dates Lucas, she will risk hurting her sister. If she doesn’t date Lucas, she could miss out. What will she do?

I was wondering who was going to be the next book in the Law of Attraction series. I had it between Grant/Aubrey or Lucas. So when I saw that it was Lucas’s story, I was interested. Lucas had caught my attention in Down with Love. I needed to read it.

I was a little disappointed with Illegally Yours. Why was I disappointed? It didn’t deliver on the blurb. When I read the blurb, I got the sense that this was going to be a fun book. A book where the characters find themselves in situations that would make me laugh. Not the case here. The majority of the book was spent with the both of them stressed out over being together. Not to mention that individually, they each had major stress.

I did like Lucas and Trinity together as a couple, though. They were cute together. Together, they made me laugh. Their personalities meshed. They made me smile. I rooted for them too. Everything was balanced against them. I was hoping that their story would end up a happy one. I was worried at one point (after that scene with Brian).

They also had insane chemistry together. Sparks flew when they were together. I had an inner bet going with myself about when those sparks would combust. When they did combust, it made for some pretty awesome sex.

I liked Trinity. She put up with a lot throughout her life. Because she was biracial, she dealt with that crap (from family and general public). She dealt with crap from being a woman sommelier. She had issues with her brother in law. The depth of those issues stunned me. I wasn’t expecting it to be that, which in turn made me want to smack her sister into next Tuesday. I liked her humor with the age range. She wasn’t exactly a cougar….lol.

I thought Lucas at the beginning and middle of the book was immature. Every scene that he was in, he grated on my nerves. He had to be the center of attention. I have to keep this Amazon PC but I would call him an “Attention W***e”. Just saying. I did feel bad for him when it was revealed what happened to Lizzie and how his childhood was. I wouldn’t go as far to say that he matured towards the end of the book but he did get better. His restraint at the end of the book made me laugh.

There were dropped storylines. Also, important elements of the storyline not talked about until almost the end of the book. Take for instance Trinity’s attacker. It affected her to the point where she had nightmares about it (years after the event). Lucas took notice when he stayed over when she was sick. Then there was no mention of it after that, even though it was mentioned a few times in the first half of the book.

The end of Illegally Yours was bittersweet. I am glad that Lucas and Trinity got their HEA but I wished things could have been different with Lizzie. That broke my heart. The epilogue was awesome. I loved it. I also liked how the author set up for the next book!!

I gave Illegally Yours a 3-star rating. This was not my favorite book by Kate Meader. It didn’t deliver on the blurb. There were dropped plotlines. I also thought Lucas was immature. There were things I liked about the book. I liked Lucas and Trinity together as a couple. The sex scenes were hot. The ending was bittersweet. The epilogue was awesome!!

I would give Illegally Yours an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be divorce, cheating, neglect of a child and parental alienation. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Illegally Yours. I am also on the fence if I would reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Illegally Yours.

All opinions stated in this review of Illegally Yours are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

meader is my go to author these days. her stories are so full of humor and heart. i adored lucas and trinity individually and even moreso together. they weren't cookie cutter and that was very refreshing to read about. i admired the ethical debate at the beginning and how it wasn't even a question to compromise it. and his love of her competence porn was completely adorable. i can't wait to continue reading more of this series and even more by this author.

4.5 Charming Stars!

Ladies, get ready for some British charm headed your way with Lucas Wright. This man can charm the pants off a man-hater. The way he talked was just as pleasurable as the story itself. I can't wait for the audiobook! He's going to be liked by a lot of readers. He was a good mix of charming, alpha, protective and even had a sensitive side. That's not an easy mix to create but Kate Meader did it!

I enjoyed Trinity Jones as well. She had a unique job as a sommelier, her specialty in Whiskey. She was first described doing her job in a leather cat suit and that set the tone of her personality for me. She came off very strong, independent, in control as well as care giver. I think some people relate a strong female as bitchy, but not Trinity. In fact, I think she was too nice sometimes. Being strong and too nice can actually happen.

The banter between Lucas and Trinity was fun. We do get some very serious moments. Both have experienced trauma in their life and that comes out in their story. Overall, I really enjoyed getting to know these two as they got to know each other.

Next book, Grant and Aubrey. After getting small doses of those two in books 1 and 2, I'm anxious for their story. I want them back together!

Lucas is a loud braggart with a certain swagger that sometimes comes across as charm. Trinity is a beautiful whiskey enthusiast who moonlights as her spoiled sister's doormat. Together they form Lunity, a cocktail that starts out boring but has a heady sweet finish.

What appealed: the character development (Lunity definitely gets more likable as the book progresses), Lunity's frank communication style, and most importantly the happy ending.

This novel is titled quite appropriately. Lucas and his friends are in a bar when he instantly becomes attracted to the Sommelier.( A fancy word for an individual who does whiskey tasting for a living). Lucas and Trinity have an instant attraction. Trinity has a rule not getting involved with customers that visits the bar she works in but Lucas makes it hard not to. Later we find out why this title of the book says its all. Trinity sister Emily is getting a divorce and Lucas represents her Brother inlaw. So becomes the legal dilema of what happens when they both realize there is an attraction amongst them but cannot take it any further because of the legal ratifications. In this novel we not only get a love story but we find out why Lucas is driven to be the best divorce lawyer he can be and we find out why Trinity allows Emily to take advantage of their sisterly relationship. Full disclosure this book is a part of a series. This novel is the second in it. We meet the previous couple from the first book(Down with Love). I love the camadarie between the love interest their connection with their co-workers and we get to meet the next couple in the next book. Sweet read I love when the heroine is older than the hero and sweet to see an interracial couple without becoming to preachy about their skin differences and upbringing.

A great addition to the Laws of Attraction series by KM. This is the second release. It can be read as a stand-alone however we do get to see the characters from book one, Down with Love.
This has Lucas, the sexy Brit lawyer as our hero and Trinity , our whiskey expert from book one as our heroine. There’s instant attraction between the two and the story is a slow burn till they can’t fight it any longer. I loved them both and their baggage. They were perfect for each other. Not a lot of unnecessary drama which I love and appreciate in my author. Just a great love story of two people falling in love. I can’t wait for the next one. I’m really hoping it’s Grant and Aubrey and they find the way back to each other.
I love Kate Meader and her writing always pulls me in. Strong characters that you love and stories you can’t stop reading till the end. Illegally Yours is highly recommended.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet, sexy romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!