I'm not sure it's possible for a book to fail the Bechdel test when there are no actual conversations in the first 50 pages, but this one seems to fail the intent, anyway. This re-imagining of the Persephone myth has an interesting premise and (what I read of it) is well-written. But our main character is wholly defined by (and obsesses over) her relationships to people with penises, with a token "best friend" with whom she exchanges three sentences, outside of hellos and goodbyes. 

I just am not the target audience for this kind of book. DNF at page 50.

Hardcover, signed by the author, who seemed like a very engaging person at her book tour. 

I was reading this for the Booklikes-opoly 2020 game, for the lot Stay-cation 8: Read a book that was published during the months of May, June or July, or that contains an item that would be used as a school supply or an article of clothing or an accessory pictured on the cover. This book has a girl in a dress on the cover. With half her head cut off, in true YA cover fashion. Since I DNF'd early, I don't earn any $$ for it. 

Yes, I'm using the coronavirus for my marker. Sorry. 

I have relatively low expectations for this book. YA romance really is not my thing, but I met the author at the book tour and brought home a signed copy and some promotional swag, so it's been sitting on my bookshelf for 8 years, unread, staring accusingly at me every time I pass it over for another book. I guess it's time. 

I am such a fan of this series, but I have to admit even the best of fans can have off days. I jumped at the chance to read this book and part way into it I found myself saying “When did they get married? I don’t remember Colin and Josh getting married, what the hell?” and today my mystery got solved when I realized that I’d somehow managed to miss a book…seriously I missed reading a whole book here and it was the one wherein Colin and Josh got married…have no fear it’s on my e-reader and I will be remedying this unfortunate event at my earliest opportunity.

Now you’re probably thinking what the hell, Karen? Seriously who cares if you missed a book. That’s your problem and has nothing to do with me or this book. Well you’re right but it does concern the accuracy of what I’m about to say which is that while you can read “Love’s Lawyer” without having read the previous books and probably without an over abundance of confusion…I strongly recommend at least reading books 2 & 3 in the authors series ‘Revolutionary Heart’ although to be honest reading all of the stories in this series is no hardship. I realize I’m biased because as I said earlier…I am such a fan of this series.

I’m going to go out on a bit of a limb here and say that while “Love’s Lawyer” is listed as the first book in what is a spin-off series to ‘Revolutionary Heart’ it could also easily be considered the next book in the series ‘Revolutionary Heart’ because I’m fairly sure that things pick-up for Colin and Josh if not where they leave off in ‘Love’s Glory’ very shortly after that point, since there doesn’t seem to be a huge time gap between where one story ends and the next one begins.

Events that started in ‘Love’s Trials’ and carried through ‘Love’s Glory’ as well as the fallout from them continue here in ‘Love’s Lawyer’. Colin and Josh have survived everything that’s happened so far and Colin’s strong and determined and pretty damned fearless…but neither of them are truly prepared for the demands of law school and the Colin’s unrealistic expectations that he places upon himself and in spite of all of his own training, knowledge and experience as a psychologist Josh’s belief in Colin’s strength blinds him to what’s happening right in front of his eyes.

I’m honestly not even sure where to begin with this story. Colin and Josh are a relationship that we don’t get to see in a lot of stories. They have their ups and downs, they fight, they make up sometimes…even though we all know it’s one of the worst things a couple can do…they even go to bed angry with each other in other words they feel real, their relationship feels real.  

These things happen, I can personally attest to this as someone who’s been married for 31 years to the same person. Sometimes, pride and frustration and just the heat of the moment keeps people from thinking clearly and seeing what’s truly important but at the end of the day they also remember how important their marriage and their love for each other is and that nothing really matters more.

It’s not just their relationship that gives me such a strong feeling of connection to these two men.  The situation that they’re in with Colin returning to schools for me is also a very relatable situation, since I found myself similar circumstances when I returned to school following an accident that like what happened to Colin, forced me to re-evaluate my career goals. Thankfully unlike Colin law school was not a career goal for me, so my foray into the world of academia while demanding was no where near as intense as Colin’s.

Sometimes it’s nice to read books that aren’t all sunshine and lollipops and sometimes being able to read a book with characters that I could so easily imagine being neighbors or even friends with makes the connection that I’m looking for.

Without fail no matter what my mood these Ms Jarrell’s characters and their stories find their way into my heart to share their story with me and leave me feeling like I’ve just spent time with some dear friends and I’m left looking forward to their next visit.

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An ARC of “Love’s Lawyer” was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a chapter past "Mr Wegg looks after himself", and damn if now that I look back at that chapter title I don't giggle at how doubly appropriate it is. And on it's own is quite the short tale of the absurd.

So far I find the Boffins a bit naive but lovely, as is Lizzie (on that note, I want a whole volume of episodes starring Miss Abbey, the taproom owner), Bella somewhat shallow and YOUNG, but also (from a cynic point of view) right, and the whole things around the Veneerings as Dickens at his best (name and all).

OK, full disclosure. I love Ann Patchett, and I say this with the authority of someone who has read a decent number of her books and has even visited her bookstore, where the people who ring up your purchase compliment you on your choices and tell you interesting facts about them that you won't find in the normal book blurb. So yes, I'm a super fan—skeptics take this with a grain of salt, but really, you should read it anyway. This is not a perfect book, but honestly, it is about as close as I've come in a while. The characters are all flawed, and ugly and remarkable, just the way I like them. I've seen reviews that cast the narrator in a bad light, but he bared his soul in the telling, and was willing to admit he did not always do the right thing. Also, the narrator of the audio book is Tom Hanks, so you literally forgive him everything. Definitely recommend the audio-book on this one, especially if you are quarantined and eager to hear a new voice in your house.