This was my first Layla Reyne novel, and it won't be my last. The story and characters were both well done. The legal jargon was a bit much at times, but it fit.

<i>I received this title as an ARC on Net-galley in exchange for a honest review. Thank you publisher for the copy!</i>

<b>The Good</b>
Al and CC had a lot of chemistry which made up for me not being that into the actual plot. I loved their frank conversations about their pasts and identities. They opened up to each other so much and it was easy to understand why they cared for each other outside of their attraction. I loved seeing older and more mature women in sapphic romances, and romance in general.

<b>The Bad</b>
There were some cons, one being - too many side characters. There were so many people it was hard to remember who was who and their relationship to the main character especially when they're all introduced back to back. I'm assuming they were from the previous books in the series which I hadn't read so caring about them was hard for me. While it works as a standalone, if you want readers to be able to enjoy them as such I suggest a few less cameos.

<b>Tropes:</b>
— Older women
— Lawyer x Lawyer
— Sapphic Romance

<b>Horn Level:</b> 4/5🌶️
<b>Format:</b> Ebook

<b>The Rating</b>
I give this book a <b>3/5🌟 rating.</b> I realized reading this that I am not into lawyer romances and litigation but love older ladies!

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I have never encounter a book that uses so much legal jargon and contact negotiation while adding romance into the plot. The opening of the novel was a solid meet cute in an airport and some intense plane flirting. Then we were thrown into the world of corporate acquisitions over historical New Orlenans landmarks. Which I didn’t expect. Thankfully there were character developments woven between these scenes otherwise I would not have been able to finish the book. The spice, when it did happen, was rather unique.

Over a Barrel revolves around Al and her romance with CC. When they meet, sparks fly but their connection is initially hindered by their conflicting roles in a business deal. This adds an interesting dynamic to their relationship throughout the novella and Reyne's writing builds their chemistry really well.

However, I will admit that the large cast of side characters was at times overwhelming. I think this is due to not reading the previous two books in the series. Additionally, the business deal's complex legal aspects sometimes mudded the plot.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Al and CC's romance and particularly liked that it was set during the festive season, as the story also carried a charming holiday vibe.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Valentine PR & Literary Management for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This series is a bit of a departure from other Layla Reyne series. If you liked the steam of the Whiskey-verse and the tight family of Fog City, but wanted a bit less suspense and imminent threat of death, this is perfect.

CC and Al meet in an airport bar, end up as seatmates on a plane, and then on opposite sides of the negotiating table as the both work to navigate their attraction and their client's best interests in a business and real estate deal.

Things I loved: older protagonists, competent professional woman just getting it done, people surrounded by and loving their complicated families, and people finding matching (consent heavy) kinks.

While this book is described as a Stand Alone, the cast of characters from the other books play more of an ensemble role than background or supporting cast role, so be prepared to just not be able to keep up with who all the extra family members are and the significance of their backstories. Or just read the other books too. that also works.

3.5 stars. A short f/f multi-faith holiday novella with two extremely competent women and a bit of an age gap. There was a lot of lawyer talk related to their major conflict, but it got too technical for a festive novella. I also think I would have enjoyed this more had I read the previous books in the series--there were a lot of characters that were new to me and it was hard to follow who was connected to whom and how. That said, I loved Al's big boisterous family and the foodie vibes. The somewhat slow (for a novella) burn really ups the tension, and there's a ton of heat between Al and CC throughout.

Thanks to Layla Reyne and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a free copy from the author directly and through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Over a Barrel is the third story in the table for Two series and I like this series so far with great romances and a focus on food. I do recommend reading this series in order and read Table for Two if possible as there are lot of cameo's from characters of previous books. Over A Barrel is Al's story, we met her already in the previous book as she's Ezra's ex and they are still good friends and family. I liked reading more about her and how she found romance with CC.

I thought the romance between Al and CC was well written. I like Layla Reyne's writing style and easily got into the book. Al and CC have an instant attraction and while they sort of act on it when they first meet, it doesn't go further than that when they realize they are on opposing sides of a deal. They both agree to not start anything until after the deal and I liked how this gave them time to get to know each other and build up some trust between them.

I liked both Al and CC, they each had their own personality, connections and troubles. CC has been hurt in the past and has to deal with that. While Al has this huge family and is still close to her ex which she knows can be a lot for some. Then their is the trust they need to build so they can have the romantic and sexual relationship they both want. I liked their banter and flirting and how it build up till the end. I thought the steamy scene was well written as well as fresh compared to what I usually read and I liked that. It fit the characters well and I liked how there are glimpses of their dynamic and preferences already before they actually reach the steamy part at the end.

Two things I struggled a bit with in this book was the huge cast of side characters and the legal details of the deal. Both of these caused me moments where I felt a bit lost and overwhelmed as I felt that I didn't know or remember everything to fully enjoy those scenes. There are a lots of side characters in this book, most cameo's from previous books, but I didn't easily remember al the details of who was who and how they relate to each other as it has been a while since I read some of those. So there was a lot of trying to remember who everyone was and their connections. This just costs more effort than I wanted as there are just a lot of side characters and quite the complicated web of connections between them.

Then there is the deal CC and Al work on, I felt like the author had enough knowledge about this process, but I don't. Which caused me to feel like I was missing what exactly was going on with the deal and the complications. I sort of had the gist, but felt like I lacked the in depth understanding. It just caused me to enjoy the plot surrounding the deal less.

I want to end on a high note. Another thing I enjoy about this series is the focus on food. It's fun to read about the dishes they eat and there's quite a bit of drinks they drink as well. And CC's sister is a pastry chef so there are some delicious sounding pastries to read about too. This book also has a bit of a holiday vibe, spanning most of late November and most of December and included mentions of all the celebrations in that time span. Which gave this book a bit of a festive holiday vibe as well.

To summarize: I enjoy this series and happily read this latest installment. This book follows Al and CC, they have an instant attraction when they first meet, but decide to wait to start anything as they realize they are on opposing sides of a deal. I liked reading about Al and CC, the way their romance developed was well done with lots of banter and flirting leading up to more only once the deal is finished. The steamy scenes felt fresh and fit the characters, which I liked. I did struggle a bit with two things, first the huge cast of side characters which made it hard to remember who was who and how they all relate. Those scenes could be a bit confusing and overwhelming at times. And secondly the legal details of the deal, I felt like the author knew enough about it to write it well, but I didn't. So those scenes left me feeling a bit lost as I couldn't fully follow everything that happened. I like how this series focuses on food, there are some delicious sounding pastries especially in this one. This book also had some festive holiday vibe as it spans from late November to most of December. I can definitely recommend this series if you like queer romances and food.

2.5 stars

This pains me because i love Layla's writing, but I didn't like this.
I feel like I wasn't expecting something different, but the chemistry felt forced, especially in the beginning with their first encounter.
Maybe this just wasn't the book for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

FF Holiday Kinky Romance following two fierce mature women who like to show off in the bedroom square off in the boardroom and dine together during Hanukkah.

5/5 stars: Reyne's newest novella in the Table for Two series takes place in New Orleans during the Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations and features two mature women who connect over food, whiskey and shared desires. Reyne's a long-time favorite author and their writing and character work makes for an addictive read. Al and CC are complex and engaging. Reyne also has a way of blending the humorous & heartfelt effortlessly. Oh... and the OPS scenes are hot as all get out... phew. Additionally, Reyne really tempts the pallet with all her great food and drink descriptions and brings the holiday cheer! And I have to say I LOVED getting guest appearances from the other characters in this Culinary-themed series. While this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. But if you want to read more from this foodie-verse, which are all novellas, check out The Last Drop, book one.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Valentine PR & Literary Management in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Once again with this series, I’m left wanting more. The whole thing is one big, long foreplay session. It ended just as it was getting good quite honestly. And I don’t have enough memory from the prior books to appreciate all the secondary characters and how they all fit together. But what I didn’t appreciate are the strong female characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved this book! It’s a great, quick read that’s full of love and life. I loved the flirting from the get go between CC and Al, and it was even hotter when they promised to wait until they weren’t on the same case anymore. It’s a great story with a found family, and when the spice hits, pheeew! The kink sprinkled in there made it even better!

Interesting story with two strong women who are equally matched in contract negotiations, but take different (though confident) roles when they are off the clock. I'm not a lawyer, but I was convinced by the details of the real estate deal as it progressed. Though I'm not exactly sure how they got that rail easement in New Orleans fixed that quickly without bribes.

It is described as "steamy", and it is, but the romance is so good that stopping at the end of chapter 21 would almost have been a stronger ending. Chapter 22 is the scene we've been promised since the opening, but still, I love the close of Ch. 21.

A few nits, though. I grew up on the Gulf Coast (Baton Rouge) and it feels off to me when something is set in New Orleans but people aren't sweating or dodging heavy rain. No raincoats or umbrellas in this book. Also, Al's nickname for CC is "Red" and in the last chapter, Al gives her safe words as "green, yellow, red", then a few pages later says "That's it, Red." That was jarring and really should have been caught by a copyeditor.

Small complaints though, and they might not bother you.

It was an okay read? The blurb seemed intriguing and I was ready for a quick and fun read, but instead it turned out lukewarm, like an itch that can't be scratched.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this novella

its short and sweet and though i didnt get all the references to what the business end meant the overall storyline was easy to follow

two attorneys meet at an airport bar and know they are attracted to each other but what they didnt know their harmless flirting would mean when they next meet up in the board room opposite each other in a deal

lots of sexual innuendoes with hints on where it was all going, not a bad read for a short book

If you crave a sizzling blend of holiday and spice, this book is your perfect match! This story had me hooked from page one. It is a steamy yet heartwarming story that combines the magic of multi-faith holiday traditions with a generous sprinkling of sensuality, making it an irresistible read.

What stood out for me were the two strong and intellectual female leads both lawyers. Al, in particular, exudes an alluring and sexy aura that is hard to resist. The authors' portrayal of these characters is a refreshing departure from the norm, as they know precisely what they want in a relationship and aren't afraid to express their desires. I was thrilled to see them communicate openly, checking in with each other and respecting each other's boundaries and needs, which added depth and authenticity to their connection.

The supporting characters in this story, the chosen family and actual family, are like the cherry on top of an already delicious sundae. They bring humor, wit, and charm, seamlessly integrating into the storyline. Even though this book is part of a series, it stands alone brilliantly, allowing readers to enjoy it without needing prior knowledge of the characters' backgrounds, there’s a lot but easily worked out.

The chemistry between Al and CC is off the charts, and their journey is a chaotic rollercoaster of emotions. Over a Barrel offers the perfect blend of holiday cheer and sizzling attraction, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy a mix of sweet and spicy in their romance novels.

I was thoroughly entertained by this book, and I couldn't put it down. If you're in the mood for a story that's not only steamy but also celebrates strong, independent women who know what they want, This is the book for you. It's a page-turner that'll keep you warm on those cold winter nights, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating and satisfying read.