I was super stoked to get this as an ARC as I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first in series, and thankfully it did not disappoint. I loved getting back into the world of Bharat and exploring Ajay and Raj's relationship. Raj showed up in Book 1 so I already had a sense of her character but it was explored so much more here. I find it quite sexy when there are unapologetic strong and competent women in books and Raj was just that. I also adore a hero who makes up his mind fairly quickly and then goes after what he wants without being an asshole. And the chemistry was just so good.

I can't wait to read Zain's book!

Thanks so much NetGalley for the ARC.

P.S. Can I say how Happy I am that this was not an animated cover? LOL

What. delight this book was! I loved both Raj and Ajay. They are two powerful characters whose chemistry sizzles on page. it is a standalone but it will be good to read The Takeover Effect to get the most of the story.

I am interviewing Nisha Sharma this week and I am excited to chat about the book, her writing process and a round of book recommendations.

Definitely read The Takeover Effect first. The Singh brothers trilogy has a major plot line that apparently runs through all three books (fighting a hostile takeover of their family’s company).

The Legal Effect moves fast. The romance moves fast - there’s no question whether Raj and Ajay are into one another - the plot moves fast - interspersed between angst and sex scenes are major developments of corporate espionage - and overall it’s a whirlwind of a book. Which is clearly Sharma’s style; The Takeover Effect reads the same way.

I love that this is a story about two high powered Punjabis. Raj isn’t even divorced (she’s separated), and both Raj and Ajay are aggressive in business and love. I love that Nisha Sharma doesn’t translate or exposite the Punjabi words she uses. I love that Raj is never slut shamed by Ajay. I love the additional glimpses we get of the Singh family.

Nisha Sharma’s books aren’t for everyone. They aren’t long drawn out love stories with lots of character build up. You’re kinda thrown in the middle of the story and even if you read The Takeover Effect, there are times where it’s a little confusing. But this book (along with the first one in the series) are fun. They’re a window into a world I’ve only seen in Sharma’s books. They’re unlike other romances I’ve read before.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

This was an amazing, sexy, and sweet story about a boss lady and an equally amazing guy. Raj is the kind of lady that does not take any shit and has worked hard to get to the top and she won't let anyone undermine her, and I love that in a protagonist. She's had a hard life and was cut off from her family when she was young, and now is facing a divorce against her husband who not only stole her info but betrayed her company and trust. Ajay is a strong yet very sweet romance interest, he is protective of his family and legacy, he was charming and fought hard to get Raj's trust. These two characters complimented each other so well and watching them fall in love with each other while navigating a complicated business partnership was so much fun. The plot was interesting and filled with many sweet and caring moments between these two. I had such a fun time reading this book and would definitely recommend it for romance readers!
* Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

<b>What did you think?</b>

Do you know that moment when you walk into your kitchen to grab something to drink, and once you start drinking you deplete the entire glass and think, <i>"damn, I had no idea I was </i>that<i> thirsty."</i>
<b>That</b> is what I thought of this book.
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This book was the first read of [author:Nisha Sharma|3003728] and I am glad my eyes have finally gotten a chance to be acquainted with her words. I <b>absolutely adored</b> the authenticity this story had. I really felt that I was getting <i>all the deets </i>from someone who truly understood the context and nuances, & well yeah ofc this author did.
<img src="https://media2.giphy.com/media/l44Qj2yTA8RjF6NJm/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47ca290c5c28812c3e8515b2564a5c59ff08c0dc6d&rid=giphy.gif" width="480" height="270" alt="description"/>

This story is about two very successful and intelligent business people meeting at the wrong and right time.

We have Rajneet "<b>Raj</b>" Hothi who is towards the end of her divorce proceedings and looking forward to restarting her life in more ways than one now that she is free from the dead weight she's been carrying. Who then meets and has an instant attraction to <b>Ajay Singh</b> who is right on the precipice of taking over his father's mantle of CEO of their family empire. Thing is her ex husband kinda screwed them both over and in the midst of all this business war fare they have their own thing going on. The story line takes off from there.

What I really liked about this book:
-the culture. I mean, again when I say I felt wholly present and aware that our mains were proud South Asian in the details, the smells, and tastes, I mean it. I just loved having <b>Brown Billionaires.</b> Stories like this I feel I don't see enough.

-Raj being a bad ass independent woman who owns her shit. While also showing that she is still a woman with a vulnerable side she only shows to a few. I really felt connected to her even if I wanted her to do better at times. However, she pulls through and my trust in her was paid back.
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" width="480" height="270" alt="description"/>

-Ajay being just a genuine soul. He wasn't a push over in the slightest and he made mistakes but he was in it the whole time. He was thoughtful and caring, and protective but without all the caveman bits.
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" width="480" height="360" alt="description"/>

<b>
TL;DR: I inhaled this story and have no regrets about it. I'm also really hungry for some masala sauce right now. </b>

<i> I received this ARC from HarperCollins Publishers via Netgalley. Thank you! All opinions are my own. </i>

Overall - 4
Heat - 4

The Legal Affair is the second in Nisha Sharma’s Singh Family series. Personally, I would advise anyone to pick up the first book The Takeover Effect first before reading this one because there are some continuing plot threads. That being said this book is very enjoyable and if you’re not easily bothered by missing out on previous books this was a very enjoyable read.

Rajneet Hothi is a self-made woman, she’s proud to be the one responsible for all the blood sweat and tears that made her empire what it is. Unfortunately, she was married to a horrible man that’s ruined her reputation in the business world and especially with Ajay Singh. Ajay is the CEO of Bharat, Inc. and Raj needs him to take her company to the next level. So she’s determined to prove to Ajay that her company and herself had nothing to do with her ex’s previous bad dealings.

Ajay is tempted by the beautiful and intelligent Raj, and after a short amount of time he’s able to see that she’s someone he wants in the boardroom and in the bedroom. Their chemistry leapt off the page and I was excited to see Ajay meet his match in Raj, they were the perfect compliments to each other. I liked that we didn’t spend too much time with Ajay doubting Raj before he was ready to help her “clean house” and snuff out the leak.

I love that these two are both passionate, stubborn, intelligent people and they felt like they were on equal footing instead of one holding all the cards. I also like that it’s Ajay that has to do a lot of the emotional work of pursuing Raj and helping her get over her ex’s betrayal. But don’t be fooled Ajay isn’t some super sweet cinnamon roll. This man is on fire and their passion together was so sexy. This book is for sure a 4 or 5 start on my steam scale!

I’ve read the previous book in this series on a recommendation from a few podcasts and authors I follow. I love the Singh family and getting to know each one through these stories is great. I’m a huge fan of family dynasty style books from the early 80’s and this felt a lot like that. However, it also felt subversive since Ajay was okay with Raj taking so much of the power in the business scenes while he stood by and supported her.

My only minor quibble was that I felt a lot of time was spent on the corporate intrigue and as someone that works in corporate America it was a little to close to my every day life. I think Nisha did a good job of balancing the love story and the corporate intrigue and most people won’t be bothered by it, this is totally on me. Fans of Alisha Rai’s Forbidden Hearts series or Kennedy Ryan’s Queen Move will love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a great book if you are looking for a steamy and hot love affair! This book by Nisha Sharma takes us on the journey of Raj and Ajay who have instantaneous chemistry from the beginning of the novel. Raj is going through a divorce (which was mostly in name only) while Ajay is trying to steady and build his family's company. There is definitely a bit of workplace drama as Ajay initially dismisses Raj because of her ex-husbands sneaky ways but eventually they decide to join forces to find out who is causing trouble in the company. These two have every reason to distrust each other which makes for some heated confrontations (with underlying sexual tension of course). The steaminess factor is definitely high in this one as there are quite a few hot to handle scenes. One of my favorite parts of the book was when Raj finally lowered her guard and allowed herself to be vulnerable with Ajay. I think that was a major turning point for them as a couple. Overall- I enjoyed the romantic relationship between the two of them as the highlight of the book (could have done without so much of the spy story line but understood how that impacted the narrative).

Love is a Tricky Business
I recommend reading the first book, The Takeover Effect, before reading The Legal Affair. Raj and Ajay meet where the last book left off, with the security scandal caused by WTA. Ajay is rightly captivated by the classy, beautiful, savvy business security expert Raj. Raj made a mistake in trusting her husband, and is not willing to jump into a relationship with the modern Punjab business heir, even if she owes him. The only thing hotter than their romance is the food! This is a contemporary romance, and Raj and Ajay have a lot of modern baggage to work through before becoming comfortable in their relationship. At some parts it seems Ajay is asking too much for Raj to be vulnerable, when he has less to lose. This is definitely a high stakes romance when family, tradition, business, and past wounds try to keep them apart. The Legal Affair does a wonderful job showing the complexities of navigating a modern romance in the business world.

Raj is a successful business woman who trusts very few people. When her marriage of convenience husband jeopardizes her business and reputation, she divorces him. Raj’s company worked for Ajay and due to her ex’s betrayal, people have lost faith in Ajay’s capability to lead. Raj has a business proposal for Ajay that will benefit them both, but their undeniable chemistry makes their precarious relationship that much more complicated.

Nisha Sharma is one of the best contemporary romance authors publishing - do NOT sleep on her! Raj is a boss bitch and is the energy we should all be carrying in our everyday lives! She is unapologetic about her success and more importantly, how she got there. Ajay is the perfect partner for Raj, because he is not intimidated by her personality, or her success. From the very beginning Raj and Ajays business relationship is pure foreplay and it is spectacular. This book sizzles from the beginning and never stops! I loved the first book in this series and I will continue to be incredibly excited for anything Nisha Sharma writes.

Nisha Sharma’s The Legal Affair is so much fun. After reading a series of really fantastic books that dealt a lot with grief, Sharma’s Raj and Ajay were a much needed break. I stayed up until 2 am finishing the book. This is the second book in a trilogy, and you should read the first book, The Takeover Effect, first. I did not and there are things I know I missed as a result.

In the aftermath of the thwarted hostile takeover of Bharat, Inc., Rajneet “Raj” Hothi is divorcing her husband and cleaning up the mess he helped create. Raj is the head of her own security company. Ajay Singh is getting ready to step into his father’s place as the CEO of Bharat. The attraction is instant when they meet, but Ajay assumes Raj must have been complicit in her husband’s actions, and Raj thinks Ajay will be domineering like other Punjabi men.

The Legal Affair is two alpha characters coming together and learning to be soft with each other. Raj wants to keep Ajay at arms length because she does not want to be expected to become a traditional wife. Once Ajay trusts Raj, he wants them to be partners for as long as their romance lasts. It was nice to read a romance between business people where no one had to insist they be allowed to work long hours. Ajay and Raj respect each other. When Ajay is demanding, he is demanding that Raj share herself with him, not that she prioritize him over work.

I enjoyed this enormously and look forward to getting a copy of The Takeover Effect.

I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers and Nisha Sharma for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Sexy, intense, and unapologetically powerful this book was a total surprise. Let’s be honest, most romances are alpha white male with a damsel in distress white woman. I loved to see an author embracing a female who was so strong. I loved Ajay’s energy in the boardroom. Raj did too. Their chemistry was full blast steam throughout. I’m such a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance.
After a few bland romances, The Legal Affair checked all my boxes!

I started this a few days ago but ended up putting it down again. I picked it back up and I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed the antagonism in the beginning between Raj and Ajay. They are both strong characters with strong personalities so naturally them together wouldn’t be smooth sailing. Their chemistry is awesome.

Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

Five enthusiastic stars! These books by Nisha Sharma are beautiful and steamy and completely engrossing!

There’s definitely something about powerful couples in boardrooms and offices, dominating corporations and work-life, that is smoking hot. And Sharma totally delivers in her Singh Family trilogy. THE LEGAL AFFAIR’s fast pace (regarding both romance and events) will keep readers’ attention as it follows the Singh family’s company, Bharat, Inc, as the middle brother Ajay steps up to take the mantle of CEO. Not all things are that simple, however, and Sharma promises a story full of corporate intrigue, betrayals, and revelations as the Singh family and their loved ones must team up to save their company and legacies.

"Raj: Never attend an event, business or pleasure, unless you're aware of all the major players in the room. You'll put yourself at a serious disadvantage.
Ajay: And you're one of those major players?
Raj: I'm one of the more dangerous ones you have to worry about.”

Right off from the bat, we get MAJOR “power woman” energy from Rajneet, or Raj, who is CEO of her own security firm. You can tell how guarded she is from her painful past full of betrayals, starting from the moment she stepped off the plane and landed in the US to start college. Her own marriage was only a business transaction, and her rigid discretions make her come off as an ice queen. However, Ajay was the perfect character to step up to the challenge of loosening her guards and opening her up to warmth and love. Considered the “stable” Singh brother, Ajay has his own insecurities when it comes to stepping up as CEO of Bharat, Inc, since their company is going through intense inner turmoil. I loved how their interactions/semi-rivalry was fraught with sexual tension and also the need to do the best they can in their respective jobs. While the characters were attracted to each other from their first meeting, their relationship developed as they worked to save Bharat, Inc and find out who was leaking information to their rival company.

The thing about the fast pace is that it leaves a little to be desired with the relationship development. I felt like the transition from lovers-to-more happened pretty quickly, but honestly, everything in the book happened at the speed of light. I guess it helped that the characters are always working/active? (Seriously, Ajay wakes up at 4 AM in the morning.) Looking back, Sharma really fit a LOT of things into this book, including: family dynamics (for Ajay’s side, his brothers and parents, and for Raj’s side, her brother and parents), corporate intrigue, Raj’s current divorce, her plan to sell her company to take up philanthropy, Bharat’s information breach, tension with Ajay taking up the CEO helm, sexy times between the two leads, and MUCH more. So I guess it made sense the pace felt lightning-fast at times. Also, I do have to mention I would have liked a bit more exploration with Raj’s mysterious family back in India. At the end of the day, it didn’t affect my reading experience too much, but looking back the non-stop action going on felt a bit jarring.

"'Raj, be with me. Stay with me. Stand by my side while I stand by yours. We'll get through anything that comes at us. As long as we're partners instead of adversaries.'"

If you’re looking for an office romance with a super resilient heroine and a partner that will meet her on equal footing, THE LEGAL AFFAIR is for you! I love how respectful Ajay was towards Raj and her own strength when it came to dealing with (usually older white) men in the corporate environment. They’re both forces to be reckoned with, and together, they’re unstoppable. I’ve been heavily enjoying this series, and am really excited for the last book!

Trigger/Content Warnings: mention of drug trafficking, parent with cancer

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the review copy!

The first book in this series was so amazingly good, and somehow this one is even better. Raj and Ajay are a lustful enemies to lovers story at it’s finest. This story is powerful, romantic, sexy, and just so good. The mystery from book one continues, and I can’t wait for the next story and couple to finish it!

I was not prepared for how absolutely delicious this book was. The intrigue, the chemistry, the intensity and strength of the protagonists, everything about this book kept me on the edge of my seat, anxiously anticipating the unfolding of the next moment.

First, this cover is definitely worthy of mentioning.. Sexy brown protagonists in a passionate embrace, living their best, sexy lives will always be a draw for me. The cover also depicts the tone of the book perfectly: corporate intrigue, enemies to lovers, breathtakingly sexy from the first page to the last.

The Legal Affair demolishes the docile South Asian stereotype from beginning to end. The heroine & the hero are both bosses who pull no punches. They have a steady game of one-upmanship going that only raises the stakes throughout the story. It's foreplay and it’s so damn hot!

The story also subverts the idea that a man willing to take direction from a woman is weak. We also see that a powerful woman is SEXY! The hero is out of his depth in a business matter & the heroine instructs him how to play to win. Her knowledge is part of his attraction to her. It heightens his desire for her and makes him even more determined to have her.

Lastly, the book is just hot, & the heroine is unapologetic about her sexual appetites. She tells the hero if he can't satisfy her the way she wants she has no use for him. Here's the best part, he doesn't see that as a slight. To him, it's a challenge he’s determined to exceed.

My verdict: go pre-order/buy this book today. Here's why:

✅ There are happy, affluent, smart, & sexy brown people living their best lives.

✅ The familial & cultural bond is perfect and drives the heart of the story

✅ The corporate intrigue is exciting

✅ THE SEX IS HOT AS HELL!