I loved this book so much!
At first I thought this would be a cutesy, reconnected friends, courtroom romance but it was SO MUCH MORE.
I was obsessed with the case, Margot and trying to figure out if she was or wasn't guilty. The last chapters when the jury finally goes into deliberation had also had me thinking of what side I would've chosen had I been another member on the jury. AND THE ENDING, gurllll, why would you do that to me?!?!
(Also loved Stanley and all the side characters, it was so random but added something to the general vibe of a courtroom jury setting, it really did feel like the show Jury Duty)

On the romance sideee, the tension was everything. The random touches during court, the looks, nightly escapades. THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT when I saw I miss books with a slowburn. It made it believable when they finally got together because we saw it slowly play out in front of us.

Overall, I think this book was such a good read. My one con was the length of some of Sydney's monologues but there were so much positive that more than made up for it.

This book was so fun and so intriguing! I truly had such a fun time reading this while learning about Sydney, Damon, and their history, the actual case they were jury members for, and Sydney’s complicated family relationship. I did have to suspend my belief a little for the actual courtroom proceedings but it wasn’t too bad because I was immersed in the drama and parasocial relationships. I loved the sneaking around and the little intimacy moments Sydney and Damon go while being jurors. The side characters were so amazing too and the friend group they made amongst the jurors was so sweet to see. This was such a good read and I’m so glad I got the chance for an ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Perennial, and the author for an ARC :) This book is expected to be published on May 20, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC. I really enjoyed this book. I was so invested in the romance AND the case. I loved how well the two were balanced. I felt like Sydney and Damon were fully developed characters while also being able to focus on all of the details of the case. I found the case so interesting. I still don’t know if she did it and I reallyyy want to know. I was coming to my own conclusions and making guesses as to what happened. On the romance side, Sydney and Damon were so cute together. I love a good estranged childhood best friend trope. The way they overcame the difficulties surrounding their relationship and came together in the end was so beautiful. 5 stars!

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

I overall liked this book, but as someone who has a background working in a court system, the court process and differences from reality were tough for me at times. People without that background probably won’t be bothered by it. I liked the couple for each other but had moments where their love felt far fetched since the last time they saw each other was at age 16. All things considered though, I enjoyed this read.

First book I read by Neely! Her writing is interesting and unique. I love how funny her characters are and I think it definitely gave me the emotions and energy I was expecting.

4.5/5 stars
I appreciate when authors have fresh takes to the same romance lifecycle we know and love. This one especially checked some unexpected boxes for me as it blends my love of Bravo and reality tv with my other love for true crime.

You see, for many of us, being called to jury duty is a nightmare - not for our FMC, Sarah, though! As an arbitrator for large corporations, she's not only looking forward to her career vacation, but also having a first-row seat to the trial of the century. The infamous reality tv star of her favorite show has been accused of murdering her husband, and nothing can deter her excitement to perform her civic duty. Well, maybe not anything... There's just one problem - her childhood bff, Damon, who had disappeared from her life ten years ago has also been selected for the sequestered jury. And just like that, all of the emotions Sarah so carefully buried are finding their way to the surface.

Let me tell you - the second chance, childhood bff romcom is my top tier troupe, and goodness, was the forced proximity tension laid on THICK. There were so many times where I questioned exactly how this story - both in the trial and between Sarah and Damon - would end. Neely Tubati Alexander was so clever in weaving the story of what ultimately tore their friendship apart with the indirect context of the trial proceedings. I did not expect the complex issues and the emotional depth we saw from both of the main characters, but I most certainly enjoyed the ride.

Many thanks to HarperCollins Publishers, NetGalley, and Neely Tubati Alexander for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’m absolutely obsessed with everything Neely Tubati Alexander writes! There is something about her unique style and character development that I love! She consistently writes relatable and funny characters. So, when I learned her new book was centered around jury duty and courtroom drama, I knew I had to be among the first to get my hands on an early copy!

In her book description, it promises an exciting blend of "Legally Blonde and Jury Duty meet The Real Housewives in this high-stakes courtroom love story!"

Courtroom Drama follows Sydney Parks, a devoted fan of the reality TV show "Authentic Moms." She and her best friend have a weekly standing date to watch the show together, especially drawn in by the news that one of the cast members, Margot Kitsch, has been arrested following the death of her husband, Joe.

Imagine Sydney’s surprise when she discovers a jury summons and prays it could possibly be for the highly publicized trial of Margot Kitsch! The thought of participating in such a high-profile case, possibly as a sequestered juror, excites her. Luckily, she is selected as a juror, and on the first day in court, to her surprise, she sees her childhood best friend, Damon, whom she hasn't seen in like 10 years!

So, without giving away too much of the story, all I'm going to say is this book truly delivers all the emotions and energy I was wanting! It's fast-paced and keeps you wanting more!

If you love second-chance romances, childhood friends to lovers, drama, mystery, humor, and heartwarming moments, then this is the perfect read for you. A big thank you to Neely and NetGalley for sharing this gem! It’s bound to be a hit!

60›
M
• ••
Sydney and her best friend Mel met in a very unusual way. The found each other in a Reddit thread for reality tv show, Authentic Moms of Malibu. They were instant online friends chatting online during the shows and then they became roommates within the year, Sydney hasn't had a best friend like that in 10 years, not since Damon. The two have faithfully watched (and rewatched) every season of the show together and are enthralled with the scandal when one of the OG cast members is arrested for murder. Sydney is selected for jury duty and pieces together that she is going to be part of the jury for Margot Kitsch,
"the Malibu Menace". Because of the popularity and media frenzy, she and the other jurors will be sequestered for the duration of the trial. Sydney is excited to be part of such a high profile trial and can't wait for the trial to begin. That is until Damon walks off the elevator and joins her as a juror. This book was an absolute delight! It drew me in just like a celebrity trial, and it gave that peek behind the scenes we all want in that situation. It was as captivating as watching reality tv while still being a story of second chances and redemption. It was easy to lose myself in the story, feeling like part of the jury myself, while being fully invested in everything that was happening with Sydney and Damon. Neely has written an uniquely compelling story that any pop culture reill love!

Everybody wins when I find a second chance romance that I actually root for!

This was such an interesting and fun read from start to finish, I genuinely enjoyed the legal/mystery aspect a lot, especially towards to the end and I thought the other jurors were fun side characters. Sydney and Damon were lovely and had such a well-written and dynamic which was a great change of pace from the usual endless rolling of my eyes throughout reading a second chance romance

I will say there was some obvious suspension of disbelief needed at parts of the story but IMO all the moments worked well in tandem to really give Courtroom Drama so I didn’t mind things like the implications of a superfan on a jury or the way I was genuinely routing for them to cause a mistrial at certain points but hey I had a blast!

Another thing I thought was a little funny was that despite the very contemporary topics, I did find some of the pop-culture parallels and references to be a little unnecessary or flat like the sugar gummy bear Amazon thing? Idk it was fine bc it kinda makes sense for the characters, I just personally cant not cringe sometimes at those

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Perennial for a copy of this ARC to review!

Tldr: forced proximity at its finest. A little reality TV drama, a little legally blonde, a whole lot of fun!

Sydney Parks is a reality show super-fan who is given the opportunity to serve Jury Duty on the most high profile case in years! Her excitement dwindles, however, when her childhood ex-best friend, Damon, steps onto the jury as well. Will they keep it civil or will they cause a mistrial?

Is this book technically perfect? No. But is this book perfect vibe wise? Absolutely! The few things that I might take issue with are over shadowed by all the things I’m obsessed with. I love Sydney as a character. She is a whole person! I know her, I feel her, I get her. She has faults and then realizes those faults. She has regrets and fears and ambitions and then she doesn’t get those ambitions sometimes. She is a realistic person and I can’t get over her. Damon is good too, although less dynamic, but we’re not in his head so it’s fine. The trial takes after the title of the book. DRAMA! The tension is palpable between the love interests and in the trial and everywhere. This book is a page turner that I couldn’t help but stay up too late to read.

Also spoilers, but she definitely did it right? Like she killed her husband? Neely please confirm. Also the disappearance at sixteen? Please I need to know!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC! So excited for release day for this one ☺️

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I had previously read this author’s debut, Love Buzz, and really enjoyed it. So when I saw the blurb for this book I was intrigued. This book dealt with some weighty issues including parental neglect, infidelity, death of a child, and murder so it wasn’t a fluff read for sure. This was a second chance, friends to lovers book which are two tropes I am drawn to. I have to say that I haven’t read a book quite like this before. The premise that our MCs reconnect as sequestered jurors in a high profile murder trial was not one that I have ever read. I felt like it was a great device for moving the plot along and making you want to keep reading to find out what would happen in the case as well as with our main characters. This was an emotional story considering the traumatic experiences they had experienced both together and apart. And it really wasn’t completely clear what would happen due to the baggage of their shared history and how it would affect any attempt at a relationship. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Courtroom Drama is a fun story for fans of courtroom drama procedurals, reality TV, or romance novels. I really emotional story with a kind of silly backdrop of a court case. I didn't think I would enjoy this one as much as I did, but I found myself very involved in the story. I thought the balance of court itself with the rest of the story was good, I think it would have been challenging to read if there was only a focus on one more than the other. Overall, I just really enjoyed this one, I laughed I cried and I felt like I wanted to have jury duty myself.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It's giving Jury Duty, and I adored every page. What a fascinating concept for a romance novel. Sheer joy.

Rating ⭐️ : 4.75 /5
Spice 🌶️: 1.5/5
Release Date: May 20, 2025

One of my favorite books I’ve read this year so far!!!

Sydney is selected to be a juror for a high profile case. It just so happens to be for someone she is a huge fan of ( but that’s a secret since she will do anything to remain part of the case). When she arrives to jury duty, the last person she expected to see walks in… her childhood best friend. It's been a decade since they last crossed paths. Now, they're not only forced to reconnect but also to make a decision that could determine the fate of a potentially innocent ( or guilty) woman.

Second Chance Romance ✅
Childhood Friends to Lovers ✅
Great Characters (all of them!) ✅
Heartwarming ✅
Funny ✅
Mystery ✅
Perfect ending ✅
Fast pace ✅

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for giving an advanced e-copy of this book!! Let me just say, this was a fun read that provided me with that touch of escapism I so desperately look for in books. Working in the legal field, I often find myself nitpicking on any exaggerations or inaccuracies in anything related to law. But this one had me more invested in the people and their stories, the dynamic. It was such a fun plot that absolutely did have moments that wrenched my gut. That nostalgia you feel for someone who was formative to your young years and is etched so vividly into your everyday life was depicted so well I honestly was taken by surprise. At times, I found myself thinking it was weird for her to be so hung up on someone from 10 years ago, but then I think about who I was at 16, and those very moments and interactions can really stay with you. Anyways this book is NOT a sign to text the person who was formative to your young high school self. Or to your undergrad self. This is fiction. And it’s fun. 4.24/5 stay strong 🫡

Honestly? This author's "Love Buzz" was 100 percent not my vibe, so I was wary about picking up this galley. But once I saw the comps were "Legally Blonde" meets Amazon's "Jury Duty," I was, like, SOLD. Instantly. And I'm glad I did. It was a fun read that I could polish off quickly because that's how much I wanted to know what would happen next. It's an interesting concept, written with compelling and witty language. It's more than just a romance during juror sequestration, but also a mystery as readers get to follow the trial too. It's like the perfect juxtaposition of the two genres, which made this novel stand out even more.

The premise of this sounded so fun! And while it was definitely easy to keep flipping pages, I found it mostly frustrating. It seemed like there was too much unnecessary details about the reality show and the other jurors that I just couldn’t find it in me to care about. Sydney annoyed me at times with her opinions on Margot and how she acted towards Damon during the deliberations. I wasn’t totally invested in Syd and Damon’s relationship, either. Plus I didn’t really like the ending of this?? The twist with Damon at the end felt weird and a stupid third act breakup (boo) left me feeling even more annoyed. Also I’m not usually one to mind pop culture references but holy crap, this had wayyy too many.

Spicy Chapters: 39, 50

Tropes
-Childhood Friends Reunited
-Forced Proximity
-Forbidden Romance
-Juror x Juror

After reading the description of this book, I truly wanted to like it. Legally Blonde? One of my favorite movies! Second-chance romance featuring two jurors on a high-profile case? Count me in! Unfortunately, while the concept was amazing, the execution left a lot to be desired for me.


As opposed to showing significant past events, the writing style instead tells us in the form of info-dumping the backstory. This caused me to be less emotionally invested in the story. There were also numerous instances where what could have been emotionally impactful scenes were interrupted with obscure references (sugar-free gummy bear reviews) and wrong lyrics (it's kind of their thing). I did however like the court-relevant definitions at the beginning of each chapter. It was a great way to introduce the events of that specific chapter.

While I did somewhat enjoy the twists and turns of the court case, the central romantic plot felt extremely low-stakes for what the author aimed to do with the forbidden romance. The twist ending though SHOOK ME TO MY CORE. I was absolutely not expecting it.

The characters were inconsistent in how they were written. For example, the FMC was painted as an overly cautious safe person, while she also takes many unnecessary risks that don't fit the character established prior.

The romance felt generally unhealthy. We have two characters who hold resentment for one another due to past circumstances, even recognizing that they would be toxic together, and yet they decide to jump into a relationship. It feels a little too far-fetched to believe that they are ready for a long-term relationship, given they both are still processing their trauma.

I would suggest this book to fans of the Colleen Hoover writing style, as it is fairly beginner-reader friendly.

Thank you for the ARC!

This was a fun read with a new trope I didn’t know I needed in my life: we’re in a sequestered jury together.

Sydney is obsessed with reality tv and gets to serve in the jury for one of her shows. Because of the high profile nature of the case, the jury gets sequestered and who else but her old childhood friend and crush she hadn’t seen in a decade walks in as a fellow jury member.

Honestly, the romance between Sydney and Damon was the best part of the book even though I am not the biggest fan of childhood friends to lovers trope. Their conversations felt real. The case itself had some interesting moments but I also felt like skipping through some of it.

If you are into reality tv and the lives of jury members and a lovely romance, I’d definitely recommend this!

ARC review • pub date 05.20.25

This was a super fun read! A little bit legal / mystery suspense / and romance all wrapped up into one.

Sydney is called to jury duty for a high profile case which is of a reality tv star convicted of killing her husband. Sydney is obsessed with the show so she’s happy to be part of the trial.
On the first day, she realizes her childhood best friend Damon is also on the jury- and they haven’t seen each other in 10 years. They did not end on great terms.

This was a super fast paced read and a good palate cleanser, as you basically get the entire courtroom transcript in between chapters of Sydney and Damon reconnecting. I thought it was laid out really well and would definitely recommend giving it a read!

4⭐️

Thanks so much to NetGalley + Harper Perennial for my ARC!