JUSTIFIED by Jay Crownover grabs you from page one and doesn't let go. I really hope the next story in this series is about Jody and that HOT Texas Ranger! This one was about Case, the town sheriff and Aspen the lawyer. This story is full of town secrets, shoot outs and evil plans. Definitely a five 🌟read!

3.5 Stars!

One of my favorite tropes is enemies to lovers. I love a good fight scene and a good grovel. Throw in angst, and a good mystery, I'm giddy with excitement!

When Aspen Barlow moved from Chicago to small-town Loveless, Texas, Case Lawton was the first to befriend her. When other high school kids teased her about her appearance and called her weird, Case stood by her and protected her. They both had dreams about life after high school, he was going off to college on a football scholarship, and she was going to save the world.

Aspen went on to study law. When she came back to Loveless, she not only got a job one of the most prestigious law firms in the city, but she married one of the richest boys in Loveless.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans for Case. With the death of his mother, his broken leg, and his girlfriend getting pregnant, his plans of leaving Loveless were sidelined. Instead of heading to college on a football scholarship, he joined the military and married the girl who shackled him to the town he hated.

When Aspen returned with her law degree, it wasn't long before her reputation as a great lawyer got out to everyone, everyone that is except the one person who needed her help the most. Case didn't give much thought to the girl he'd known in high school, in fact, he didn't care much about Aspen at all. That is not until Aspen was hired to defend his soon-to-be-ex-wife in their bitter divorce and custody battle.

Years after later, Aspen finds herself needing Case to protect her again. The problem though is getting Case to release the anger and resentment he's carried toward her for years.

I had a few issues with the story 1) I felt like Aspen forgave Case too quickly, I wanted him to grovel, to earn his place in her life. Which leads me to 2) While I understood Aspen's desires toward Case (a little anyway), I had issues with how quickly Case made an about turn and suddenly wanted to have a life with Aspen. 3) The mystery. Or should I say the who-done-it? Because it was who done it that had me side eyeing my kindle.

The good? I have never read this author before, and I really enjoyed her voice. The way she told the story was entertaining and held my interest despite the issues I had. I will definitely read more from her and CANNOT wait for one Texas Ranger to get his story!

The adversarial cowboy can be found in Jay Crownover’s JUSTIFIED. We’ve met attorney Aspen Barlow and Sheriff Case Lawton before but by this point in the Loveless series, they’re at each other’s throats, despite their being friendly as teenager. Case blames Aspen for losing custody of his son and is just a complete dick. Aspen’s had a tumultuous adulthood, as well, and being forced to represent Case’s ex-wife didn’t help. Fortunately, he’s able to get past his grudge when it becomes obvious someone’s gunning for Aspen. This is an emotional, dramatic roller-coaster of a story, with a nice suspense and satisfying enemies-to-lovers twist. It’s also refreshing to read about two characters who aren’t twenty-somethings.

Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/mamas-dont-let-your-babies-grow-up-to-be-cowboys/

So far I am absolutely loving Loveless, Texas. Since I am a sucker for a sheriff hero and feisty lawyer romance, this book really hit the spot with me. As usual, this author can take an alpha protective, rough around the edges good guy and bring him to his knees and senses by matching him up with a feisty, leading lady love interest. Throw in the enemies to lovers element and we are given one hot, complicated relationship.

Though a damsel in distress, I loved how Aspen tried to always stay true to herself. When she realized she had let her guard down and allowed others to derail her from her life’s purpose, she took action and matters into her own hands. She was tough and fragile all at the same time, and also very forgiving when it was called for. She seemed to be living proof you can’t keep a good woman down, folks.

Case had a serious case of family issues and baggage he’s been carrying around his whole life. You’ll have to shrug off his at first hateful, mean demeanor towards Aspen. This author did a good job of laying all the cards on the table, so we ultimately do get a clear picture of what he’s been dealing with.

Oh, I so want another shot at seeing Shot Caldwell, a good guy/bad boy biker sub-character that popped up in this storyline. Add Hill Gamble, a hot, handsome Texas Ranger to the list while you’re at it. My, oh, my! Those two alone are reasons I can’t wait for a return trip to this relationship angst riddled town where true love seems to keep finding a home!

Here’s to hoping Kody, the hero’s bar owner baby sis, is next in line to square off with her obvious love interest. That guy had better be careful though. This girl’s proved she’s got game, packs a gun, and knows how to use it.

Overall, just know I really enjoyed this book and did not want to put it down. Here’s to hoping you’ll feel the same.

Title: Justified, Series: Loveless, Texas (Book 1), Author: Jay Crownover, Pages: 384, stand-alone but part of series, divorced sheriff hero, damsel in distress feisty lawyer heroine, enemies to lovers, great sub-characters, perilous situations, relationship angst.

Book .5 - Unbroken (Crew & Della), 5/14/19, Pages: 160
Book 1 - Justified (Case & Aspen), 6/25/19, Pages: 384

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley)

I really liked learning more about Loveless (where my fave girl, Salem is from) and this a good book. Didn't really connect with the main characters. But I was a surprised about how this book did end up. Can't wait for Kody, Hill, Shot's books.

This was a new author for me and you can bet I'll be reading more of her work. It has romance, suspense and a bit of a mystery wrapped in the first book in a new series. I can't wait to read other books in the series and hope Kody's story is next.

Someone's targeting Aspen, an attorney in Loveless, TX. The sheriff is there to help her out, but their past gets in the way until they both learn that things aren't always as they appear.

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest review.

Justified is SO AMAZING. It feels very much like a Jay romance. What do I mean? Well, Case is kind of a butthead, but I also love him. Also, this has suspense and mystery to it. And once you overcome one problem or think you have it figured out, she makes you question everything! And Aspen, man she has been in a tight spot for years, and these small towns sure do like to hate on people. When these two fight, Case definitely is good at sticking his foot in his mouth. Though nobody can top either of their exes.

This might sound crazy, but I might end up loving this series more than all her others, and I've read them ALL. It was just that good.

***I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Forever and Jay Crownover.***

I requested Justified from NetGalley because I’ve seen Jay Crownover’s name in my timeline on Goodreads dozens of times but never read one of her books. I was impressed. Case and Aspen have a history that dates back to high school, but they’ve become enemies over the years. Now, Aspen’s life is being threatened and as the sheriff of Loveless, it’s Case’s job to make sure she’s safe. They have to learn to trust one another, to set aside old prejudices and be honest with one another to catch who’s after her, and it leads to something neither ever expected.

I liked Aspen very much. I liked her independent streak, her kind heart, her strength and her good intentions. Case was a jerk with a mean streak (at least towards Aspen and her ex-husband) in the beginning, but once we got to the heart of him, it was hard not to fall for him. He cares deeply for his town and his family, and he tries to do the right thing for everyone.

I thought the writing was good but wished the plot had been more character-driven than event-driven. I didn’t love the resolution of storyline behind the attacks on Aspen. I liked the bits of Case’s brother and sister, Crew and Kody, that we got, as well as his son Hayes. I was interested in the chemistry between Ranger Hill and Kody, as well as Hayes and his potential girl. I’ll definitely look into more of Crownover’s books.

Justified was not love, but it was not hate. I would venture to say I enjoyed it for the most part, but some parts just lacked for me. First, I felt like it lacked a Western feel. It could have been almost any small town in the USA my opinion. This doesn’t bother me as I could do with or without the Western part, but others may be let down. I did enjoy many of the characters and the balance Crownover creates between alpha males and spunky females. She has definitely honed that skill and their dynamic was utter perfection. The suspense/mystery proponent of the story was 95% tight and felt right/justified (no pun intended), but the last twist kind of threw me out of the story which was very disappointing. It felt rushed and a bit flighty plot wise.

Case Lawton is how every alpha type should be. Attentive, strong, and stubborn, but never suffocating and always wanting what is best for his people. Aspen was different from the beginning and she was seemingly unapologetic about it. I love her heart despite being a shark of a lawyer for her clients.

I am curious to see who else gets a book in the series, but I also know that Case has been in other books and another secondary character already has a whole book with another secondary character. Call me picky, but I picked up this series to be able to start fresh on a Crownover series and I feel a bit let down that many characters are not new.

"He'd always been a bit of a heartbreaker, but now he was something beyond that. A heart destroyer, or maybe even a heart annihilator."

I fell in love with the author's Marked Men series years ago so I knew before I started reading Justified that she was gonna bring some #Love to Loveless, Texas and I didn't want to miss out. Um...did I mention there's a #SexySheriff? Even his name is sexy...Case...sigh. ❤️

Well, all that was before I met Case. I have to confess he did not make a good first impression with me. He was an #AlphaAsshole and did not treat my girl Aspen so good, at least not when they saw each other again as adults. But, being inside her head during her teenage crush over said asshole kinda gave him some brownie points for being nice to the new girl at school. When everyone else was being mean, he was kind. Which I'm sure is the only reason his later deplorable behavior didn't totally ruin her #CaseCrush. However, I had some colorful words for the rude asshole and was determined to make him earn my favor.

The more time I spent with Aspen the more I liked her. She's a tiny spitfire who is a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. Too bad Case didn't hire her to represent him, because going against her did not bode well for his case. And once she proved that to him, she became his enemy, which did not bode well for her crush. Their animosity went on for years and they avoided each other as much as possible. Until he had to respond to a break-in and act his age. He was very professional as he handled the crime scene, his skill showing, with a side of asshole. His grudge against her was evident, but it was his job to protect her, right?

Yeah, that's when I stop to grab some popcorn and wine. He can't avoid her now. While I'm waiting for the sparks to fly between them, in anger and chemistry, the suspense is building too. That's when I stop to turn my fan up to a higher setting. Did I mention that she's keeping a secret? So, not only am I waiting for them to fall in love, I'm trying to figure out who the bad guy(s) is, and I'm worried about the secret that I know...and he doesn't. Whew! I'm exhausted now.

I really enjoyed Justified and I'm so excited to go back to Loveless, Texas. There are some very colorful and sexy characters that need more of my attention and I can't wait to give it to them! The line forms here...

So much emotion with this one, in the best way possible. A true enemies to lovers romance, Justified tells the story of Case and Aspen, two people who have known each other since high school, and have gone from friends to strangers to enemies over the years. When Aspen moved to a new school as a teenager, Case was the only one to make her feel accepted and normal. But life didn’t work out the way Case would’ve hoped, and years later he finds himself fighting for custody of his son while going through a nasty divorce. Unfortunately, Aspen is the lawyer who represented his ex-wife and effectively took his son away from him. Aspen had her reasons for doing so, but it damaged their relationship beyond repair. Years later, as Aspen’s own life begins to fall apart, she must rely on Case - the sheriff of their small town - to help her figure out who is threatening her. Thrown together with plenty of unresolved feelings between them, Case and Aspen have to decide what they really are to each other.

It took a little while for me to get into the story, but once I did there was no stopping me from flying through the pages. Case and Aspen have such complicated feelings for each other, they really had to scratch beneath the surface to see the love beneath it all. They’re both likeable characters who have experienced a lot of struggle in their lives, coming together at a time that is not ideal for either one of them. The elements of suspense in this book were also great, moving the story along and forcing our couple to spend time together despite their wishes. And once I got invested in both the romance and the suspenseful storyline, I really started to love the book. It’s a slow burn romance done just right, with plenty of heat once our couple finds their way to each other. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved reading about the small town of Loveless and look forward to the next book in the series.

Amazing! I just loved this book and the enemies to lovers story between Case and Aspen. These two had so much animosity between them it was hard to see them interact with each other. But once the gloves were off and they quit fighting their feelings it was awesome. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Absolutely a Must Read!!

This book was full of love, action, and most of all it was simply a great story. I enjoyed reading about these two characters and I look forward to the next book in this series. I definitely recommend this author, this book, and this series.

I very much so enjoyed Justified! It was emotional, surprising, and interesting. I liked how Loveless is connected to other books of Jay's and how she includes little mentions of them. Case is an interesting character. He can be hard headed and rude, but he can also be very protective and caring. He carries a lot on his shoulders and thinks about everyone else before him. He's a good guy at heart he just sometimes makes some poor decisions and gets caught up in other things. He opens up more as the book goes on and we get to see the good, real side of him. Aspen has a really rough time throughout this book; she can't catch a break. She's a good person who doesn't get enough credit for what she does and definitely doesn't deserve the type of treatment she receives. She's one tough cookie to survive everything and be willing to go toe to toe with Case. Their relationship has many ups and downs, so it was interesting being in both their heads and understanding where they were coming from and their feelings for each other. I liked seeing how their relationship developed more over time. Hayes is another great character. He's a great kid with a good head on his shoulders and clearly takes after his dad. Loveless seems like an interesting town and I can't wait for more!

3.75 enemies to lovers stars. A good read with a suspense element that lay seeds for the next book in the series.

Ahhhh! Even though I think this story is considered a slow burn, the story is extremely interesting enough to keep me page turning. I also loved how it kept me guessing. I loved the authors note at the end about the characters that have crossed over from her other series. Even though I haven't read all of them but it was still cool to see. Needless to say I need to move more if Jay's books up my tbr. She has a way with words.

I also hope Kady gets her story bc that one sounds seriously interesting!

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I voluntarily received a copy of this book for an honest review!

First I’m going to tell you that Jay Crownover has been a favorite of mine for a long time. So to be able to receive this advance was awesome. But I’m a judgmental hoochie. To be honest the bugging was slow for me, but when it picked up it went with a bang and I can forgive anything once it picks up its pace. I immediately loved Hayes. He is a sweetheart and give his honest unfailing opinion. Smart boy! Case sounds amazingly hot but stubborn and maybe biased but he does his job very well. And the. We have Aspen, although she comes off to everyone as weird and yet hardcore, she actually is a great person and lawyer. Her life wasn’t easy but she made the most of it.

In a turn of events we have shoot outs, loony parents, burned out homes and losers with edge...sounds like where I come from.

Jay’s characters are strongly written and described I love this new series and really can’t wait to read more.....can there be another out tomorrow just I can keep from the suspense.

Rated 3.5 Stars

I liked the premise of Justified and certain aspects of the story, that it was enemies to lovers, the characters both main and secondary were interesting, the sex scenes were steamy among other things. However there were parts that felt off to me almost forced that took away from my overall enjoyment of the story, like the suspense, some of the things Case did didn't ring true as someone in law enforcement and there was a scene where Aspen acted totally out of character. That said I'm still looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Jay Crownover returns to Loveless, Texas with “Justified,” a suspenseful and drama filled romance between Case Lawton, the sheriff of Loveless and his sworn enemy Aspen Barlow, the attorney who cost him custody of his son.

When Aspen moved from Chicago to Texas, she was the weird high school girl who didn’t fit in and the only person who made her feel like she belonged was golden boy Case Lawton. She had a crush on him, but his life was set on a different course. Years later when they crossed paths again, Case’s life was falling apart and Aspen had a hand in the destruction when she represented his soon to be ex-wife and took away custody of his son.

Almost a decade later, Case’s life had turned around. He had his son back and was actively working to correct the wrongs the former sheriff – his prejudiced, corrupt and abusive father – had done to the town of Loveless. He’s reluctant to help Aspen when he’s called to investigate a felony at her office, but as the town’s by-the-book sheriff he’s compelled to protect her from the threats she’s facing.

As the two are forced to work together to find her would be assassin, Case is forced to reassess his resentment towards her in the face of her strength and resilience especially after she reveals distressing past secrets. While houses are set on fire and bullets are flying, they both learn to trust each other and explore the new feelings that bloom between them.

I’ve been a longtime Jay Crownover fan. She expertly writes stories with the perfect blend of drama and romance with complex characters and a suspenseful, well-paced plot. Justified was no exception. I was instantly hooked when I read the prologue. I couldn’t fathom how two people who hated each other could find love together. I loved how their story developed and transformed into what had seemed like an impossible happy ever after.

Even though he was a bit of a douche canoe in the beginning, Case was a good father and a good man and Aspen came into his life to fill the cracks with happiness they both deserved. I loved reading about Crew and Della from the past book, and getting to know Kody Lawton – Case’s younger sister – who will hopefully be in the next installment of this series.

Justified is book #1 of the Loveless, Texas series by Jay Crownover. It’s a standalone, cowboy romance, told from both points of view with a happy ending.

Jay Crownover has done it again! I’m normally not one for second chance romances or enemies to lovers, but I took a chance on this one because I love Jay Crownover. Plus, the boom is set in Texas and I love anything to do with Texas. I also love a good romantic suspense. I loved Case and Aspen together. They were able to overcome their past together and develop a loving relationship. From the description of this book I was expecting something totally different that what I read. I will say the ending felt a little rushed, but I can’t wait to read more in this series.