I’m DNFing much earlier than I usually would, based on the strength of having checked multiple review sites and having seen MANY others DNFing at between 30-80 percent and a lot of people who finished and wished they’d DNFed.

I was pretty instantly annoyed with the main character, and the author alike.

First of all, the character talks about how the rich but cheap patrons are the reason she’s not making enough money as a chef. In the United States, where servers rely on tips to make up our income, I’ve NEVER ever encountered any back of the house (cooks, chefs, dishwashers) staff that relied on tips from patrons to pay their wage. Those positions are hourly or salaried. They don’t make or rely on tips. If the author didn’t know that, the editor should’ve caught it.

The MC bitches out a restaurant critic, gets (reasonably) chewed out for it, and quits on the spot. And I’m supposed to be HER side/find her likeable or root for her?

Also what chef needs three years to perfect one sauce? Where is the research or even basic knowledge here?

Speaking of….

The same lack of research applies to having the MC take her LSTAT and pass it on the first try and do well enough to get into law school based on having seen Legally Blonde and Suits. Seriously ? Unless she’s a savant, that’s NOT realistic.

Then she has the audacity to be sitting in her first class saying (about her law professor) “If she thought I knew anything about the law, she was about to be sorely disappointed” - You’re in LAW SCHOOL. It’s not unreasonable for the professor to think you might have some basic law concepts down pat and that you’d know you had reading assigned prior to classes starting.

Also obnoxious: to repeatedly point out that the professor has a cane with her, but isn’t actively using it. Disabled people have mobility aids, we don’t have to use them 100% of the time to perform our disabilities for you. Some mobility aids are used on a as needed basis, and it’s nobody’s business, but that of the disabled person.

Seriously, if the author is unaware and unwilling to do research, where are the editors here?

Moving on to other books and tapping out of this frustration.

I ended up reading the ebook, so here's my opinion:
Simone goes to law school after quitting her job as a chef. Obviously, she doesn't know how things work and she ends up making friends with Silas, who's the teacher pet. Will this be the right choice for her?
Classmates falling in love will always do it for me, and classmates where one is out performing the other falling in love? Even better.

I liked the plot of this book a lot, although the writing did feel a lot like a fanfic.
It was a quick and enjoyable read with loveable and whitty characters.

Overall i rate it a 3/5 stars

2⭐️

Simone has decided to ditch her job as a chef in California to go to law school in Michigan, because her Magic 8 Ball told her too. Simone did not know what she was getting herself into and law school has barely begun and she’s already falling behind in her classes. Then there’s her attractive neighbour, Silas, who also appears to be her annoying know-it-all classmate. Simone gave everything up to become a lawyer, will she sub-come to the pressure or will she survive?

To be COMPLETELY honest I really disliked this book. It took me forever to finish. Simone does not know what she wants, she literally let a magic 8 ball decide for her. Her constant back and forth thoughts about EVERYTHING was annoying. This could have been seriously edited down. The inner dialogue was doing a little to much telling and not enough showing. Also who in their right mind doesn’t prepare AT ALL for LAW SCHOOL?! And who doesn’t check their email?! Silas was supposed to be this amazing guy but I couldn’t stand him, there was nothing redeeming about him. Theres nothing I dislike more than someone that acts like two separate people to get what they want. He’s a kiss ass in class to get the professors to like him and he’s cute and caring too Simone when he wants on her good side. Also is the guy on the cover supposed to be Silas… cause thats not how the author described him.

I received an audiobook version and the narration fell a little flat for me at times. While Jasmin Walker’s narration of Simone was good, the narration for Silas and other characters was not great. Some people should just not try male voices.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an advanced audio copy for an honest review.

I’m genuinely shocked more people don’t love this??

I guess this is a big “don’t judge the book by it’s rating” because I LOVED it???

this book absolutely gives legally blonde and I love it so much for that

I freaking love Silas, weirdly this was very much insta-love on his side, but also HE FALLS FIRST!!! Silas was such a cinnamon roll I adored him! + the fact that he’s loyal >>>

I found Simone’s quirks really cool, the magic 8 ball is wild but I love that sorta weirdness. and I could relate to that “omg no clue what do with life” and the “I dunno I put minimal effort and *things just happen*”

also also strict teachers who become the bestest teachers >>> I RELATE SO MUCH! honestly I remember absolutely sobbing over how strict some of my teachers were, but like, give it a couple months and they’re secretly the kindest human beings ever? and end up being my favourite teachers??

this was such a fun read! I think if you go into thinking it’s a romance, you’d be disappointed, but if you’re like me and like some substance with a romance subplot, this is the book for you!

thanks so much netgalley for the e-audio-arc!

YESSSS this gave me exactly what I wanted! I loved the banter and plot. the characters were ok but not my favorites. highly recommend.

2.5 stars.

"You've Been Served" by Kristen Alicia is a drawn-out character sketch about Simone, a chef who is sick of the long hours and terrible pay in the restaurant industry. To shake up her life, she literally shakes a Magic 8 Ball and asks it whether or not she should go to law school. When it answers in the affirmative, Simone moves from California to Michigan and enrolls in law school, not realizing how underprepared she is for this massive life switch. Between learning new Midwest vernacular, meeting new friends, studying way more than she anticipated, and trying to stave off her rude, crotchety law professor (who is gunning for her to fail), Simone has her work cut out for her. Simone soon meets Silas, her attractive, friendly, adorable neighbor to whom she is wildly attracted, when he's not being a huge brown-noser in Professor Patton's class.

If you can get over the absolutely bonkers and wholly unrealistic premise, you may enjoy something about "You've Been Served." Just in case you needed to hear this: please DO NOT take life advice from a Magic 8 Ball. I personally enjoyed the premise despite how silly it may seem. It felt fresh and interesting. Unfortunately, the author does very little to capitalize on this fact. I found this book as a whole to be rather boring and uneventful. It simultaneously feels like so much random stuff happens in this book, yet absolutely nothing of consequence happens. At times, I liked Simone and Silas as individual characters, and they do have some good banter with one another, but they lacked the necessary chemistry to keep me invested in the story and in their romantic journey. They are almost like enemies to lovers because of the way Silas tries to always jump in and save her in their class, but the connection between them didn't sustain me. Maybe it's because they are both exceedingly juvenile and underwritten. I could have used a lot more character development and a lot less discussion about what Simone should bring on a date, or what kind of food they should make, stuff that doesn't matter. There are no stakes between them, so my mind wandered frequently. I cannot attest to how accurate the law jargon and plot points are, but I felt like it dragged the book down some. I enjoyed Jasmin Walker's narration, but some of the audio sounded way off and much louder and more bassy than most of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Alicia, and RB Media/Recorded Books for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

Love it!!


Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

this was okay, but read very juvenile and i didn't feel connected to the characters or what happens to them at all. i can see other reader enjoying this a lot tho!

— thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the free digital ARC.

Narrated by Jasmin Walker ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
You've Been Served by Kristen Alicia ⭐⭐⭐

This is a very slow burn two friends falling inlove story. The characters were both very likeable, and the story was pleasant, however even though it is a relatively smaller book is really did move painfully slow for me.

I would recommend this book to people looking for a good holiday by the pool type of read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entagled: Amara for this ARC!

- I really struggled with this read for so many reasons! It had too much that took me out of the story, and I would’ve dnfed if it wasn’t an ARC.
- the MC decides to go to law school because a magic 8 ball tells her, and starts classes without realizing things that feel like stuff you would learn in undergrad (some classes have readings before the first day, you need to check your email, and office hours can help). I kept trying to suspend my belief, and I think it would’ve been more believable if this was her first time in college instead of in a graduate program.
- the MC often does things that she acknowledges aren’t nice to her friends and then she goes “whoops guess I’ll be nicer next time” over and over to multiple different friends. It was hard to cheer for an mc who is making the same mistake.
- there’s a half hearted attempt at a love triangle that did not work!
- the conflict at the end fell really flat.

I listened to the audio of this book and had to step away in multiple instances. I thought I’d keep giving it a chance because the potential of the FMC realizing one job isn’t for her really got my attention and I was excited to follow her along. I think it’s a universal thing to have the dream of starting over and wanting to stick to a plan to make sure nothing gets in your way. That’s what I expected.

I really wanted to finish it but I expected something else when starting the book. It was great but there was room for a lot more to make the main character stand out like she did at the start.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet as this probably should have been a DNF for me. Both main charaacters were in their late twenties/early thirties, however they behaved like 18/19 year olds. I struggled with some other aspects and quite frankly this wasn't the book for me. I had no issues with the writing or the audio.

Don't let that dissuade you though, just because it wasn't for me doesn't mean it's not for you!

It’s better if I don’t say what I’m thinking…
I wanted to DNF earlier and again at 80% but I kept hoping it would get better and it didn’t…I…Yeah I’ll keep my mouth shut

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.


2.5/5 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️Not bad, but not memorable.⭐️⭐️⭐️

So, the only rivaling love interest isn’t much of a solid option. If you were looking for a love triangle, you won’t find it here. Like, at all. Which isn’t bad, except I expected more from Keith hitting on her. Wouldn’t have minded Silas showing more of his jealous/protective self.

Loved the “California” nickname. Liked Simone’s persistence to study for her degree. Enjoyed the female friendships. Liked the narrator. Glad her cooking talents weren’t forgotten. Cute ending, cute ship.

Avoided idiotic conflicts, were minor and one off lines that were cleared up fairly quickly.

Silas’s family drama was interesting, but really only 100% present for one scene.

Question. Why does Simone keep questioning how ppl are POC. It happens twice. It’s not a huge negative, but it felt a little awkward when she questioned how they were POC and stuff. She was corrected for it tho, so good.

Also, why the Legally Blonde references if she learned nothing abt being prepared ahead of time, scary teachers, and the Socratic method. Literally had a word for word start at law school just like Elle did, yet was surprised and hurt that her experience was like the way Elle had to deal with the change in settings. But she remembered enough to follow in Elle’s fashion sense.

Felt like it lacked substance.

No laugh out loud moments I thought would have came with the fact that she goes to law school due to a magic 8 ball.

0.5/5 🌶️ (It’s fade to black. Not a negative, but could have added.)

I had fun reading this book. I was surprised with how thoroughly the law portion of the book was researched. Simone and Silas were extremely cute and surprisingly funny. If you want a book with a light romance that will keep you entertained then, this is the book for you. Full Review is up on my instagram (@ontaylorshelf)

Thanks NetGalley & RB Media for this Audiobook., Unfortunately it just wasn't for me. I just didn’t connect with the story at all, at the end I was asking myself, what's the point of this story.

1.5⭐️

Classmates falling in love? Classic. Classmates falling in love but one is still “out performing” the other? Even better. I liked the classmate dynamic but I also like how she thought he was an ass for how he behaved in class. It gave it a fun guy vs. girl spin.

🌀Synopsis
Simone has no idea what she’s doing. Well, she does but it seems very…off-path? After a magic 8 ball encounter she’s decided to go back to school for law. Now all moved in, she’s already nervous about her choice. One of her professors is known to be difficult too, even worse!
It doesn’t take long for the professor to live up to expectation and Simone struggles. What made it worse is her classmate, Silas, who keeps showing her up in class.
When the two meet outside of class, as neighbors, Silas isn’t bad. In fact, he’s downright steamy. Simone can’t resist him but she also can’t quite focus on everything she needs to do while he’s around either.
After another round of him showing her up, she’s had enough. Simone realizes it’s time to get serious and focus more on herself than their relationship. She spends the rest of the semester getting to know the professor better and pulling her grade up. She realizes, along the way, that maybe it was Silas’ fault…

I liked the narrator, who had an easy to listen to reading style. There was some humour in the story too, which I enjoyed. There was a sweet love story, but personally I would have like a little more drama!
Overall an easy listening audiobook.

After an incident in the restaurant, Simone decides to turn back to her trusty 8 ball and change careers. Leaving the kitchen to go to court, Simone faces the challenges of law school and falling in love. This was a good story but the build up made me feel as if the spice level was going to be much much higher and it just never happened. The narration was great and I enjoyed listening to them.

I wanted to like this book so badly. It had a fun premise, but it just dragged for me. I just didn’t connect with the story or the characters. I thought the humor was good. I had to DNF at around 50%. It thought the audiobook narrator did a good job. Huge thanks to the Netgalley and the audiobook publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.