This book wasn't for me. I don't feel comfortable giving it a star rating, because I'm just not the audience for this book. More on that in a minute...

Sydney Parks is obsessed with a reality show, Authentic Moms of of Malibu. One of the show's stars, Margot Kitsch, is on trial for murdering her husband. And somehow Sydney has been seated on the jury. Another member of the jury is her childhood neighbor and friend who she hasn't seen in 10 years. They reconnect while serving on the jury.

Why this book wasn't for me? I don't do reality tv. No judgement for those that do, but it's just not something I enjoy. But the bigger reason is that IRL I'm a lawyer. And while I'm really good at suspending disbelief for most things in my reading, I'm apparently not able to do it for a legal romcom. And that's on me. I should have realized these things before requesting the ARC.

Sydney has been selected as one of twelve jurors for a court case involving her reality tv heroine Margot, who has been accused of murdering her husband. To her surprise, Syd’s estranged childhood best friend Damon is a fellow juror. Spending following two weeks sequestered together for the trial, the two dig through their old baggage while working to determine if Margot will be convicted or walk free.

Honestly, the promo paragraph for this book set me up for failure. I LOVED the show Jury Duty and thought it was hilarious. Thus, I walked into this book thinking it would be a rom-com. Funny and light-hearted, it was not. Poignant and interesting, it was. However, because I was expecting funny, the whole book kind of felt like, “Wait… where are the hilarious fellow jurors? Why is this court case so serious? Why are the lawyers so intense?”

Now, in spite of the misleading promo blurb, I thought this was a very unique romance novel. The premise was engaging - I stuck with the story all the way through the court case verdict. The epilogue had its own little burst of excitement, too. Generally, the main characters were likable (although again, this story was much more emotional than I anticipated). Though Sydney’s obsession with Damon’s horse smell (seriously, why) about drove me nuts, his “better on paper” personality was super cute.

I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in the dynamics of the court room, like a very mild sense of mystery/drama, like childhood friend romances. Overall, not a bad book! Good writing, but it was more focused on the court proceedings than the romance. A nice change up from all the sports/billionaire/highlander romances out there.

2.5 rounded down. The premise of this really drew me in, but unfortunately, I found this to be far too long and very slow. The stakes in this just did not feel high enough and way the case is described just did not feel intriguing enough. It felt very redundant and there was little to no bombshell to the case. I also didn’t love the definitions that started every chapter as they felt unnecessary. The stakes of the romance also didn’t feel compelling to me as we knew nothing about their relationship until Damon just appears on the trial. It’s not that I needed more background upfront per se, but the way it was framed just didn’t get me invested.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was intrigued by this book's premise, which combines my 2 favorite genres (Romance + mystery/courtroom drama = YES!)

On the surface, it seems light and fun under the disguise of being connected to reality TV, but there's actually a lot more emotional depth to the characters (even the reality TV characters) and their backstory involving infidelity, divorce, abandonment, and family issues. It was interesting to see how the themes of the murder trial also intersected with Sydney's life, which brings back up unresolved feelings that are complicated by the reappearance and presence of Damon, her ex- best friend/maybe something more, who had suddenly abandoned her so many years ago.

Due to the nature of the trial, it sets up the perfect trope of forced close proximity between Syd and Damon. With their unresolved feelings and history between them, their re-relationship starts out softly and cautiously. I thought this set up worked really well - there was non-stop action throughout the book: in between trial, we get tender and intense moments between Syd and Damon as they get to know each other again, and we as readers are able to know more about them and their shared history. Their relationship slowly builds up as the murder trial also reaches its climax. Syd and Damon both have emotional baggage and even though the chemistry between them is there, they actually had great communication and understanding with each other and were open about their own limitations and misgivings about being in a relationship.

I loved the headings - I thought they were very clever and funny. And the ending was shocking! I liked how there was still kind of question at the end of the trial (seemed kind of unresolved) and now I kind of want a sequel.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the ARC!

This novel is a pressure cooker and I am a forlorn hunger spell, bound within by matters of the heart.

I am entirely unapologetic about reviewing this book before I have finished it. I cannot restrain myself from reacting in real time.

I know, as women do, when I am certain about something; this book exceeds ratings. Yet, as we are both subject to this mortal plane, I shall acquiesce to the scale of stars.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Syd & Damon embody an unspeakable magic—that of youth, friendship, and ever longing. Thoughts unspoken, communicated through an emphatic language between two intimately acquainted souls; both caught in a rhizomatic web birthed of the limitations placed upon us by familial trauma. To me, the depths are endless. In fact, one could write a few healthy theses on some of the topics enmeshed within the pages of this book. I am almost tempted to do so.

There is SO MUCH here to love, to digest, and to comprehend. There is also much foreshadowing, but perhaps it is best to allow yourself to be surprised. I think I have learned my lesson with attempting to intuit what comes next in a good story.

This is not a sexy romance—but it is so achingly intimate, so fragile, it is almost unnerving at times. I have to take time away, to allow my feelings to rejoin my physicality.

Note: I have finished the book and have nothing more to say. It is flawless.

thank you netgalley for the arc!
while this made me finish it because of morbid curiosity about the case, the relationship was eh and the dialogue and writing was slightly cringe. i really hated the song lyric thing i felt like it ruined the vibe every time?

This is definitely a storyline I hadn’t encountered before so I was intrigued. While it was an ok read,I never really connected with the characters. I also struggled with how unrealistic the plot was. No lawyer would ever put a super fan on a jury. This question would not have gone unasked.

I absolutely loved this book! As soon as I saw “bravoholics” in the dedication, I knew. I knew this book was going to be great and it really was. It reminded me alot of the Amazon show Jury Duty because it was very funny. I would’ve liked the other jurors to have been fleshed out more but besides that, the book was great!

If you are a Bravo fan, this book is filled with little nods and Easter eggs about the Housewives and I loved every single one I caught. I also really enjoyed how every chapter began with a definition and how it related to the trial and the characters. It was such a fun and interesting part of the book.

Fans of Legally Blonde will enjoy Courtroom Drama by Neely Tubati Alexander. It was an entertaining read.

This was a fun and cute read! I blew through it and had a lot of fun. The characters and dynamics were so sweet!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Courtroom Drama had such an interesting premise I wanted to read for myself how it would go. I am fascinated by reality TV, and who doesn’t love a sensational court case with promises of legally blonde like tones? Well I certainly got the former though less of the latter, and I loved the unique spin on a romance.

Sydney is pretty reserved and a massive fan of a Real Housewives of OC like show so when she’s selected for jury duty for a case around the murder of a husband by his wife, a woman she has always felt a connection to on the television, she’s ecstatic. She’s certain her profession as a mediator and her strategies to get close to the other jurors will help her be elected as foreman, and in turn help her get Margot Kitsch, the defendant, acquitted. That plan is shot from pretty much the moment the trial kicks off when she finds out her childhood friend and love interest Damon is also on the jury, and the history there is unsettled and very fraught. We spend a lot of time understanding why Sydney is who she is as an adult as a result of her childhood and how she still struggles with what is nature vs nurture, parts of her struggle brought on by her memories with Damon and others through the witness testimonies about Margot. This is a romance and has some fun characters in the form of other jurors and witnesses, but make no mistake that this is also a reflective novel very focused on Sydney’s own personal journey.

Ultimately I wouldn’t necessarily call this light nor would I say it gives you much insight about the reality world. The story does teach you quite a bit about trials though in this case the trial is more a facilitator of memories and musings than it is the main focus. It read more seriously but as a result went a lot deeper in the thoughts it left with me with, and I think would be a great book to pick up if you’re in the mood for a read that’s easy but more substantive than the rom com it initially seems like it may be.

This book is the perfect blend of drama, heart, and humor. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the slow burn of their reconnection gives this book the perfect mix of sweetness and heat. I loved watching their past unfold through the lens of their current relationship, making their interactions all the more complex. It’s like a real-life “will they/won’t they” combined with courtroom intrigue. Plus, the writing is witty and full of charm. If you enjoy books where the romance simmers while the characters work through real baggage; plus, a bit of courtroom drama to spice things up, this is a must-read!