I enjoyed reading this book but I felt mislead by the description. It was not a Legal Thriller but a Romance with a Legal background. Liana is a burned out attorney who defends convicted criminals during their appeals. Her boyfriend works for a high powered corporate firm. The book explores their relationship while they deal with their career choices. The legal background was interesting and I liked the characters but I kept waiting for the mystery. Overall it was an enjoyable read.

Having recently finished “Unreasonable Doubts” by Reyna Marder Gentin, I am happy to have had the chance; thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press !

This was a quickly read story about a lawyer who was adrift in her personal and professional life. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to warm up to Liana, or care about her story and choices.

I so enjoyed this legal thriller debut novel by the author. The writing is so well crafted and fast paced i look forward to further books by the author . The author writes of charcters with such depth that I was drawn into each person in the story. Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review.

Liana is a Public Defender in NYC so its not wonder after several years on her job she has lost her interest in the criminals she deals with on a repeat basis. She is contemplating a life change when a new case crosses her desk and subsequently changes her ideals and her life. She connects with the defendant and takes on his case with a vengeance to prove his innocence. She soon discovers that mistakes may have occurred at his first trial and she proceeds determined to prove his innocence.

In the meantime her boyfriend is a high powered attorney on the fast track to partner . Their differing ideals take them on different paths. He does not respect her values or ideals and his friends ridicule her choice of legal work. At the same time she is struggling with her self over the possible decision to leave her job or continue as she considers leaving her relationship . She connects with a Rabbi for advice who is a wonderful addition to the story. I loved learning more about the Jewish religion and how important it is to Liana.
This was a extraordinary book as a debut for the author. Its very well written and heartfelt. I so appreciate the opportunity to read this book.

Liana, the protagonist, started her professional career path as an idealist. Sounds like a difficult stance in the Public Defender’s Office writing briefs for the appeal of convictions. This seems even more problematic when these briefs are for defendants who have been found guilty of horrible, perhaps heinous crimes. It is Liana’s job to find the courtroom error, the loophole, the miscue, the misrepresentation or lack of competent counsel which would entitle these convicted defendants to a new trial. But Liana is no longer drinking the “Kool-Aid” preached by her boss and has lost her compassion and quite possibly her interest in her job.

Along comes a spider, his name is Danny Shea. His case has been assigned to Deb, her friend and colleague, who is so behind on her caseload that she has had his file for over seven months and not been able to get to it. Deb challenges Liana to take his case as a test for Liana’s “all business, no empathy methodology.” This is where things get very sticky. Liana is about to make the biggest mistake of her legal career, her personal life and just about everything else. Got your attention?

There is much to like about this book. The love aspect and relationship between Liana and her boyfriend Jakob reads true. The legal arguments are strong and interesting. The exploration of underpaid morally committed public defenders vis-à-vis corporate lawyers and the rigors of being a part of the world of billable hours are given a hard look and compared. The references to religious rituals, traditions and sense of community pushed the envelope just a bit but it did allow the author to insert an interesting and sympathetic character who I would love to know and have in my life.

From her bio Gentin obviously writes from first-hand experience. This is a strong debut and I look forward to her future writing. Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for an ARC.

This author's debut book had me hooked from the beginning. This is so much more that a legal novel. It has mystery, romance, friendships, office politics and terminal illness plus other life events that will touch many. I really enjoyed learning about the Jewish culture along the way as Liana tries to figure out her life. She and her boyfriend, Jakob are immersed in their own legal fields while trying to plan a future. Liana as a public defender is reaching burnout as she struggles with her career decision when a case is handed to her that can maybe change her jaded view. Looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommended!

This novel had me from the first chapter and kept my attention throughout. Well written and engaging. I would read other books by this author!