Great Start to a Great New Series!

Justified is the first full length book in Jay Crownover’s new Loveless, Texas series and it hits all the right buttons for me!

Grumpy hero✔️
Old high school crush that never quite went away✔️
First heroine✔️
Just the right amount of action/mystery/suspense ✔️
Steamy sexy times ✔️

Case and Aspen have known each other since high school but for the last nine years they’ve been civil enemies but now she needs his help and whether he realizes it or not he needs the help she been giving him all along.

I really liked that Case was tough but fair and quickly realized just how wrong he had been, nothing bothers me more than a long drawn out “you wronged me so I’m not going to forgive you” plot. I also adored the whole Lawton family and can’t wait for more!

A beautiful story.

Case and Aspen Had an incredible enemies-to-lovers romance. It may have been misguided but it added an extra layer for the characters to get through it and find their place.

Case Lawton’s no nonsense personality made an appearance in Unbroken, the prequel novella that tells Crew Lawton’s (Case’s younger brother) story. He was described as a hard person but it wasn’t until Justified that it becomes clear why. He’s had to take a lot on since he was younger and all that “life experience” has really worn him down and jaded his edges.

Unfortunately Aspen happened to get caught in the middle of some of those experiences and had to bear the brunt of the anger and resentment that Case held on to. But she was a strong enough person to take it and not let it change her. No matter what, she stuck to her guns about who she wanted to be. But now, that realization has put her in danger and Case is forced to put aside his negative feelings for Aspen and protect her. But that all just brings out his other side. The side his siblings already know about. The side that shows he’s not the jerk he made himself out to be. Which only makes things between them complicated...or easy. Depending on how you look at it.

Justin’s was a beautiful story about second chances and misconceptions. Aspen and Case were characters that were easy to relate to and once I was hooked I couldn’t help but root for them the whole time.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
This is an excellent enemies-to-lovers romance. The feelings of animosity Case feels are completely understandable. Aspen was the lawyer representing Case's ex-wife in their divorce and custody case that saw Case lose access to his son. Fast forward 10 years to the present day – Case is Sheriff and it is now is job to protect Aspen because someone is trying to kill her, which has them spending more time together than Case would like.

I have to say there was way more action and danger in this story than I was expecting and I loved it. The story moves at a really good pace. When there is action and danger, I felt like things were moving quickly but when Case and Aspen are dealing with their confusing and changing emotions, things slowed down a little to allow us to really feel what Case and Aspen are going through.

At our very first introduction to her, I thought I was going to hate Aspen but I changed my tune very quickly. It doesn't take long to realise she is a good woman and a very strong woman too. Case, on the other hand, is more complicated. A bitter divorce and an abusive father who was also a corrupt cop has left Case with plenty of issues that at times made him a frustrating hero. I still loved him though. There is something satisfying about stories with imperfect heroes, they feel more real.

The action, the difficult road to romance, and the drama all combine well to make Justified a fabulous story. I loved reading it. This is the first series I've read by this author but I'm going to have to make the time to check out more of her work because it is really good.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
It took me forever to get into this book. The characters were good and the storyline plausible, but it just didn't click for me.

Aspen and Case were friends in high school but later faced each other across the courtroom when Aspen represented Case's ex in divorce and custody proceedings. Case blamed Aspen for everything that happened and has never let her forget it.

Now, as sheriff, Case is tasked with keeping Aspen safe from an unknown person trying to kill her. What he doesn't realize is that it’s going to make both him and Aspen acknowledge the spark between them.

The rock on Case's shoulder is as big as a boulder and the guilt weighing on Aspen's heart is just as big. There was little to no interaction between Case and his son or Aspen and Case's son but what there was proved interesting.

The end was a twist that I didn't see coming.

I am quite possibly going to go nuts waiting for more installments to this series. This may be one of the best romantic suspense novels I’ve read ever.

Initially I was kind of bugged by the narration going on between the two main characters, it just sort of bugged me as I like to be part of the story not being told the story. But it didn’t stay like that and was mostly only when it was just a bunch of internal thoughts of the characters and it ended up working out great. So if this is a hang up for any other readers just push through I promise it will be worth it.

The romance plot line is nice, it doesn’t feel forced or cheesy and its been developed over significant time and is basically a second chance romance for both characters. It was believable and thoroughly enjoyable.

As for the suspense part, wow. So few can pull off romantic suspense like this, it often falls heavily one way or the other this is a perfect blend. It really keeps you hanging on the edge of your seat and holding your breath to find out what happens next. I sat here and read the whole book in one sitting because no way was I going to bed not knowing.

So often as an avid reader things come predictable, you know what is going to happen next, this is so far from the case with this book. I literally gasped out loud at a major plot twist that I never saw coming.

Overall an excellent read, I will definitely be recommending this to friends and I absolutely cannot wait for future books in this series.

This is my first review of any work by Jay Crownover and I took my time reading it! I am excited to see how the series continues to progress considering the book concluded on a cliff hanger! Crownover definitely bought suspense and mystery to the romance genre with this book. It was complex and compelling. There was never a dull moment.

In the commencement of the book, I was a bit concerned about the initial dynamics between Case and Aspen. The whole enemies to lovers idea has been played to death in the genre lately. And if it had simply been this as the plot, the book would have been boring. But with the added layers of the mystery and suspense and the addition of complex characters, the book never ceased to keep my captivated.

I won't go into much details about the plot as I don't want to give any spoilers for those who are interested in reading it. But the ending was amazing and heart breaking at the same time. I am looking forward to the rest of the series and I would highly recommend this read to any of the passionate readers of the romance genre!

Thanks Net Galley for bringing this jewel to the forefront of my reading list!

***5 Stars***

I really enjoyed Unbreakable (Loveless, Texas #0.5), and it most certainly had me wanting the next book in the series ASAP, but I LOVED Justified. I mean seriously LOVED it. I was hooked from the first page and between the intense chemistry between Case and Aspen and trying figure who was after Aspen, I couldn’t put it down and wasn’t all that happy to say good bye for now when there were no more words to read.

Ok, so I adored Case. I did. He’s a really good man, father and person. He has a big heart and honor is etched on his soul...BUT...even though I totally empathized with what happened to him in regards to his son, he has the asshattery thing down pat. The man could get vicious and, as horrible as this is to say, I LOVED it when that lightbulb moment hit him and how it affected him. Aspen was amazing. She has a huge heart and regardless of the situation she finds herself in, she finds a way to pick herself up and make it work. I loved her strength and how, even when her insecurities came out to mess with her head, she didn’t let them overtake her for long.

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Aspen get under Case’s skin. He does get under hers, but watching Case struggle to maintain his distance from Aspen was a lot of fun. Their snipping and bantering had me chuckling and the chemistry between them was undeniable. The situation they found themselves in with someone going after Aspen kept the angstyness between them low ~ or at least as low as it could ~ but I loved watching them fall and where they were at when the book ended.

While I haven’t read all of the books the author has written, I have dived into a hand full and I have to say this one is my favorite by far. The writing was engaging, the pacing good and the dual first person POV was done well. The whole mystery/suspense aspect was well thought out and executed ~ I didn’t figure it out until it was revealed. And then there are the supporting cast of characters. It was fun catching up a bit with Crew and Della, but I adored Hayes, Kody and Hill and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, because if it’s who I think it’ll be about...then it promises to be quite intense!

~ Copy provided by the publisher & voluntarily reviewed ~

A small quiet town, devastated by gunshots, vandalism, high speed chases, and fire. Aspen is the target and the killer doesn't care about collateral damage. Who's out to get her? Why do they so desperately want her dead? And why is it the only person she can turn to, the only one she can trust, is the man who hates her guts?

At one point, Aspen was the new girl in town. She was from the city and she was different and ended up being an outcase. Case was the only person who saw her and went out of his way to include her. It was easy for her to fall a bit in love with him and treat him with hero worship. But life goes on and they grew apart. Nine years ago, Case's marriage disintegrated and he lost the one person who meant the most to him - his son. Unfortunately for Aspen, she was his ex-wife's attorney, robbing Case of time with his son. Right then, right there, she became his nemesis and he treated her to his anger from that day forth. When Aspen's office is vandalized, she calls the Sheriff, who happens to be Case. Forced circumstances and close quarters lead these two to unravelling the tension between them, discovering what they could mean to each other, and finding love in the most unlikely of places.

It's been awhile since I've read a Crownover novel and it was like slipping into comfy clothes. The plot was intense, fast-moving, and entertaining. The characters were endearing and even the side characters were a delight. How can I resist loving a story with a whodunit plot and charming people? If you like your romance suspenseful, your characters to work hard for their happy ending, and brilliant writing that will have you enchanted right to the end, you won't want to miss out on this one!

Justified is awesome!
I absolutely loved everything about this book. Case and Aspen first met in high school. Aspen had a crush on Case for many years...but their lives went different ways and they both ended up married to different people. When they both end up back in Loveless years later can they find their way back to each other? Pick up this book and find out. Once you start reading you won’t be able to stop. I highly recommend it.

Justified by Jay Crownover
I had a hard time connecting with these characters and the story dragged for me. Too many cliches and a contrived story line.made it difficult to finish. However, I am intrigued by some of the other characters that appear in this novel..

4.5 stars!

A lawyer who's the target of deadly attacks. A sheriff who loathes her but is determined to do his job. These two will be forced to work together to catch the culprit hell bent on killing Aspen. Case is about to realize the hate he's been harboring for years might be entirely misplaced.

This is such an exciting new series, my heart is still pumping.

Aspen is my most fave Jay Crownover heroine. She is good to her core and she knows when to give a person a piece of her mind. Whenever she talked (bantered) with Case, I was just whooping and screaming for her because y'all she is THAT GOOD. I need her to be my bff!

Case is the ultimate grump and I love his surly self. I also adore how sweet he can be and how he did a 180 when he realized where he'd gone wrong. We all need a man who'll throw himself in the path of a bullet just to save you. CASE IS THAT MAN!!!

I love small town romances and Jay has always been the best at creating swoony heroes and strong heroines. This series has such amazing promise. I can't wait for more stories that'll follow.

Jay Crownover has been on my TBR list for a very long time, and I finally took the plunge with "Justified".

When the latest victim of a crime is his sworn enemy, Aspen Barlow, Sheriff Case Lawton must put aside his prejudices to see justice served. However, his heart decides to speak up, and he's not the only one surprised when things turn out crazier than expected.

I really enjoyed this book. It was warm, sweet and action-packed - a real page-turner for me. I was all-in from page 1. The cast of characters was awesome. I loved the way Jay Crownover whetted my appetite for book 2 at the end. Cannot. Wait.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book, which I received via NetGalley.

I LOVED this book! I was already in love with the Lawton brothers from the first book, and getting to know Case a little more was perfection!

He is the older one, the responsible one, who had to deal with dear old dad the most. He has been on a race fighting against becoming anything like his father, and it is harder than anyone could understand. The town wants to see him fall and he is on the verge of losing everything.

Little did he know he’s had a guardian Angel looking out for him all along.
Aspen is back in town, and her life looks nothing like she thought it would. Her only friend and biggest crush hates her now and her marriage is not making her happy. But when her life is falling apart Case is the one there to save her, once more he has become her hero and this time she is not a teenage girl.

She knows what she wants and she is not taking no for an answer.

Case has always felt different about Aspen, first it was friendship, and she always seemed so strong she fascinated him. Then there was the hate, and like always, when you have strong feelings for someone and those feelings turn south it’s not just a little hate, it’s a crazy storm.

He blamed her for everything wrong that happened in his life. Last but not least, this new feeling he couldn’t define. Seeing her get hurt switched something in him and now there was no turning back.

He had to save her, keep her close and safe; and after that he might let her go, unless he could make her stay.

Letting go of your past seems to be the theme in this book, she needs to let go of her fear of being different and embrace this new side of herself. And Case needs to let go of the hate he once felt, and really listen to her, because he might be surprised what he finds out.

Hating someone only destroys you little by little, stealing precious energy you could be using for better things.

Justified is the first book in the Loveless, Texas series. Unbroken was a novella that takes place before and you should definitely read that if you haven't. You don't need to have read it to completely enjoy Justified, but you will want to! I’m a very big fan of Jay Crownover and I used to read a lot of cowboy romances years ago, so I was intrigued to read one written by Jay. She's a fantastic writer and I always know when I pick up one of her books I'm going to be entertained by the characters and the story. If you've read Jay's other series' you should recognize Case Lawton. The broody sheriff who's trying to clean up and protect his entire town. He has a history with Aspen and although it started out good, she was new in town and there was something about her that drew her to him, now, years later he hates her something fierce. He blames her for losing custody of his kid years ago. Now she's in trouble and he doesn't want to protect her, but she's part of his town and that's just what he does. When things escalate and they realize she is in more danger than they thought, they end up spending more time together than either one of them likes. Aspen always had a crush on Case. He was only person to talk to her when she was new in town. Those feelings never really went away, but when she was the lawyer for his wife and he lost his son he hated her immediately. He didn't know the sacrifices she made for him. The secret she's kept all these years to protect him. What will Case think when he hears the truth? Will he be able to protect Aspen and realize there's more than just hate between them? I really loved this story. Case has so many things weighing on his shoulders. He's a good, law abiding man, but his father was not. The town doesn’t want him changing the way things were done. But he needs to change his family's reputation. He also feels responsible for his brother, sister, his son and the entire town. Aspen was the blacksheep when she was younger, but now she's a successful lawyer and everyone in town loves her. She did everything she could to help Case see his son, but it didn't matter to him. There is a lot of history between them and it's not all bad. He just needed to be reminded of what there was and what there could be between them. They just needed to talk and really share their feelings. Their chemistry was off the charts and their feelings real. It moved a little faster than I thought it would, but it didn't deter me from loving the story. Overall, I laughed, teared up, got very angry and felt hopeful! I'm hoping there's more in the series! I need Kody's story!

ustified was a captivating enemies to lovers romance.
Loveless, Texas may be small but it sees its fair share of drama! Way back in high school Case befriended Aspen when she moved to town. She came from the city and didn't exactly fit in here in Loveless. Then life happened and their lives went in very separate directions. But it all led back to Loveless! Now, the two don't have a civil word to say to one another... but you know that is going to have to change as someone comes after Aspen. The sheriff (Case) can't just turn his head. Now that the two are thrown together they are going to have to overcome their pasts and learn to trust each other.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Case and Aspen together they had so much chemistry. I also enjoyed watching Aspen come out of her shell -- she was always a strong woman but not always comfortable in her own shoes. I just love when we really see characters grow in a story!
I couldn't put this book down, especially because of the suspense. I needed to know who was after Aspen! Spoiler... I had no idea until the very end!
I can't wait to read more books in Loveless!

Justified is the first book in the new series by Jay Crownover. You all know she is one of my favorite authors. I am always intrigued when she starts a new series. While I'm sad to leave old characters behind, I look forward to seeing who she wants us to meet in her new series. This one takes place Loveless, Texas. The first book is Case Lawton's story. There is a novella (Unbroken) that comes before this one about his younger brother. But it wasn't necessary to read that before diving into this one.

I am so excited about this series. I thoroughly enjoyed Case and Aspen's story. It's a great enemies to lovers story. Their hate for each other is known throughout the town, but when Aspen's life is threatened a few times, Case decides to put aside that animosity and help her out. I loved these two together. Because of their long history, their fall into love was so natural. There is a nice mystery as to who wants Aspen dead. I definitely didn't call that one! I'm not going to give away any more of the book. Just go read it. I highly recommend it!

Justified by Jay Crownover is the first book in her brand new series, Loveless, Texas.
Case Lawton is the Sheriff of Loveless, TX. He comes from a family of criminals and does everything to be on the straight and narrow road. He holds a major crutch to Aspen Barlow.
Aspen is a successful lawyer and Case faults her for losing custody of his son to his ex. Phew, deep breath. And now someone is after Aspen and she needs the Sheriff's help.
Both are outsider in town, loner - the weird girl and the man from bad stock, hard headed and bitter.
I started reading and fell in insta-love with the characters. The writing is excellent and I greatly enjoyed the crazy chemistry between the characters. I recommend Justified, 5 Stars.

The plot is quite classical and full of action. Yet, the author has a very real talent to make us languish. Her slow-burn romances make us devour the pages quickly and don’t make me start about her touch that hooks us invariably. I loved seeing the heroes in their new life while they learn to tame each other. We’re touched because Aspen tries really hard to show a good face in spite of everything she lives but when she melts down, we feel for her so much! We fall in love with Case’s quiet strength. He tries to hide himself from his own feelings, to escape from the truths that are so obvious, from the thoughts that invade him but when he surrenders, we only want one thing, to be in Aspen’s place. Because he has that somthing in him that charms us. He’s magnetic. As for the story, I deduced quickly some twists, related to Aspen, but I must confess that I was completely stunned by the last one. It was so huge that nothing could make me imagine it. It is so unlikely to happen in real life that I was very awed.The end of this book is quite settled but I’m ok with it. Justified could be a one-shot with it alone and at the same time, it’s a perfect opening to others stories. It’s perfect.

I fully understand that lawyers are often not the most popular people, but trying to kill Aspen is really taking things too far. Now when the first suspect that comes to mind is the sheriff, things get real interesting real fast.

While I fully understand Case’s anger at Aspen, I was quite surprised how strongly he held onto it. Hating is wasting, is what I think. Though still his animosity towards her doesn’t stop him from doing his job. When things escalate, and the only safe place is Case’s house, now you know you are in for a treat.

Forced in close quarters, Case and Aspen finally have a chance to talk. Resolving their past issues, working together, that old attraction creeps back in, and things heat up. The dynamic is pretty interesting because Aspen has always been on Case’s side, so it was mostly him needing to come to his senses, and do some groveling.

I feel my review isn’t quite doing justice to this book. The plot twists keep you guessing about the bad guy, and it’s definitely more complicated than I was expecting, which kept it interesting. Justified is well written, and like true Jay Crownover-fashion has a complicated H with a wonderful redeeming story arc, and an amazing strong h who’ll you root for from the beginning.

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

Hello Loveless, Texas! It’s so nice to be back in familiar territory but with a brand new series. But what I really want to know is how does Jay Crownover master writing all these different characters?! Tattooed bad boys, convicts, cops, cowboys, boy geniuses…she just effortlessly flows from one to the next with the blink of an eye. And I fall for every single one of them!

So let’s talk about Case and Aspen, who have the whole enemies to lovers thing going on. The animosity between these two is thick. The tension sizzles in the air, and if I am honest, these tension carries the story. There is obviously a bunch of bat-sh*t crazy things happening, but here I am dying as hatred morphs into confusion which turns into sexual tension and wow did it just get hot in here, or is it just me?!

Case is delicious, I have been dying to know all the details about the Lawton siblings since the Getaway Series. Case is driven, focused, and his commitment to raising his son had me swooning. Aspen has not been dealt an easy hand and watching her navigate all the crap thrown her way was mesmerizing. I aspire to be as resilient and strong as Aspen. Hayes, Case’s son, is adorable and captured my heart; I hope he gets at least a novella or full-story down the road.

The secondary characters make the story, especially Kody. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers but I will say no one writes plot twists like Jay Crownover. When you think all the dust has settled and things are going to resume, be prepared to have the ground swept out from under you. The ending, while not a cliff hanger left me with a million questions and now the only thing left that I could say is…I WANT MORE!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of the publisher** (late doing review)
I absolutely loved everything about this book except the ending I hope that means there will be a new book or follow up in another characters story. It grabbed my attention as soon as I started reading and I needed to find out who was behind all that was happening to Aspen and Case not to mention the tension, both emotional and physical, that the author managed to build between Case and Aspen. I am glad Case redeemed himself because at first I did not like him that much.

Aspen Barlow and Case Lawton have an old history. In high school she was the kid everyone bullied and he was the football superstar that protected her from the bullies. They both wanted out of Loveless, Texas. She went on to become a successful divorce lawyer. He lost his football scholarship and ended up going into the military after he was trapped into an unwanted marriage because of pregnancy.

They meet again in court when Aspen represents his ex-wife in bitter divorce/custody battle. While Aspen regrets using her job skills against Case but that’s part of her job. She tries to protect Case's reputation unknowingly to him so she takes Case's wrath through out the years.
Now Aspen is in danger of not only her life but her heart when Case (now the sheriff) has to protect and find out who wants to harm her.