This book has such a gripping story it was hard to put down. Brit Ryder sure knows how to write a story with two interesting characters with a unique plot. Both leads are the type who don’t want attachment or complications. Claire is a newly seated judge who is very discreet in her personal life. Emory is a fire investigator. They meet by chance in an art gallery and after flirty banter end up in a desolate part of the museum and have wild, hot, and amazing sex. Imagine the surprise at seeing each other in court. Both women were affected by their first encounter and even more so in court. Both would love to see each other again but are afraid to make a move. What ensures is an unexpected but gripping story.. Hang on for a terrific ride.
This story is billed as an erotica novel, I did not read it as such, rather it is a beautiful story with two strong women who are not afraid to ask for what they want sexually. That is an aspect of the book I really loved.
This is a great book, don’t be afraid, but hang on for a brilliant ride.

I really adore Kris Bryant and her writing as Brit is amazing. Ooh lord the steam and spice in this book was intense. Loved the political subplot and the scenes with Jenn. Highly recommend this steam-filled book.

OMG! Reading this was just one hot, sexy ride! Loved, loved, loved it! Read it within a day, couldn't put it down, my work suffered as a result...oops!
Kris Bryant your work is brilliant!
5 stars!

Yummyness

I really liked this book!!! It was sexy and engaging, intriguing and delightful. This is a companion book to Brit Ryder’s Shameless as it has parts of that book in it but it is shown from Claire’s POV and it goes much further. Claire is a brand new judge and very worried about her relationship with Emery causing problems with seeming impropriety. As much as she tries to stay away, she just can’t. However she wants no strings while Emery is looking for more. While they are figuring things out, many sexy times ensue, much to my delight!!!! There is also a bit of a mystery thrown in to keep things even more enthralling. Since this is a Brit Ryder production, it is flawlessly written with no mistakes that I could see and it not only flowed well and was technically sound, it was really, really good! I loved everything about this story. The heat, the emotions, the suspense and drama…there is so much to adore! This book can be read even if you didn’t read Shameless, but if you haven’t, I strongly suggest you go read that too because it is every bit as delicious!

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Not Guilty".

This was a great read! A wonderful story with lots of oohs, aahs and etcetera’s, the chemistry between the main characters leaps off the page. Their encounters are fiery, feisty and all consuming. It's a multi-layered page turner of a read. and an engrossing storyline full of twists and turns.

But the author has her deft hands on the plot. At the heart of it are two intelligent attractive women who have an instant sexual chemistry and compatibility. Both struggle to manage the ramifications of their mutual attractiveness and the need to be true to themselves whilst balancing their work responsibilities and work ethics. They have their own demons to deal with in order to overcome the obstacles Brit Ryder casts in their way.

Secondary characters are well-defined and are used to further the different threads and add additional layers to the storyline and the main characters. Everyone needs a friend like Jenn! A really enjoyable read. 5*

This was a deliciously sexy book by Kris Bryant writing under the pen name Brit Ryder. Before I read this book I wish I had been aware of Shameless, where I now understand that these characters were introduced. I may still have go to back and read Shameless even though it will be out of order.

This book was a combination of pure erotica at the beginning, a crime drama toward the middle, followed by romance. The erotica/sex was sizzling but not salacious since it fit with the nature of Claire and Emery’s passionate personalities. The scenes at the museum were scorchingly naughty.

But in the end the relationship between the two women boils down to feelings and Claire has to decide whether to accept them or not. I’d recommend that others give this book a read, but not in public ☺️ 4.5 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ryder has written a phenomenal page turner filled with suspense, corruption and mind blowing sex. The main characters Claire and Emery are well developed, strong and has great chemistry.
I definitely recommend you grab a copy. 5 Stars.

I received an ARC copy from the publisher Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for my honest review.

For those who did not get enough of Claire and Emery in Shameless, here’s your fix.

Not guilty is told from the point of view of Claire Weaver, who found Emery Pearson in her courtroom; after their scorching afternoon in the museum.

Nobody has successfully shifted Claire from being physical to emotions, sex is just a way to vent and express her mind and body. When she cannot get enough of Emery, she stumbles into unchartered territory. The plot thickens when Claire is caught up in a web of politics and bribery while battling her body and heart with Emery who wants more.

5 stars. I love how Brit Ryder delivered a woman who knows and owns her desires. God, Claire Weaver is impressive. She is unabashedly open with how she works her body, knows what she wants in the bedroom and is not afraid to get it. Before you switch off and think this is plain erotica, read, you’ll love it.

I just reviewed Not Guilty by Brit Ryder. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

An interesting book, as it’s kind of three books in one. It starts as erotica, then begins to morph into a romance, then turns into a thriller until it ends up firmly back in the romance camp. I’m not entirely sure this works, as I found it a bit disconcerting at times. Having said that, it’s a real testament to the author’s writing skills that this book hangs together, because I think it’s a good story, and it’s just my preferences being challenged that I found disconcerting. Definitely a book that you should read for yourself as it might be the start of a new genre.

At first I thought that this book was going to be just an erotica book but I should have known better! I mean it’s a Kris Bryant book and I have never been disappointed before. Yes the love scenes are hot but there is also corruption and some suspense in the book which was a great surprise. Kept me turning the pages. The writing is superb, the dialogue is always realistic and the characters are well developed. 5 stars!

Back tracking to read Shameless now that I know why I feel like I should already know Emery.

Okay, I'm done reading both.

Initially, I thought backtracking to read Shameless was a bad idea due to the line-for-line dialogue that was abundantly apparent upon picking this back up. With that said, that feeling quickly passed. This story is so much more, so very much more and told from a different perspective.

On that front, I feel this book can be read as a standalone, or back to back with Shameless But if you haven't read Shameless, you're going to want to after reading Not Guilty.

The plot is great, the characters likeable, the sex off-the-charts. And everyone needs a best friend like Claire's bestie, Jenn. God, I loved her.

The ending had me scratching my head. I thought the book might loose a star because of it. I was screaming "I don't care about 'them,' I want to know about them." Then that happened with an awesome colour-me-surprised twist. Brilliant, I say. Sheer brillance.

4.5 stars. After reading Shameless, I just had to immediately continue with ”Not Guilty” and I’m happy to say that it packs the same punch in terms of steaminess as Shameless did, but it also delivers so much more.

It’s not necessary to read Shameless first, but I really enjoyed the combo, so I do recommend to read them both. This book is written from the POV of Claire in the first person. During her first case as a judge Claire is confronted with the sight of Emery, who she had a one-night stand with the day before. As their sexual appetites matched perfectly they decide to continue meeting, but their jobs and emotions soon get in the way of their no-strings-attached arrangement.

The start of the book is fully in the erotica genre. To give an idea, let’s just say that fans of strap-on sex will not be disappointed in this butch/femme sex arrangement. Brit Ryder aka Kris Bryant sure has a knack for writing sizzling hot sex scenes and I hope we can expect more books under the pseudonym Brit Ryder. In the acknowledgements Brit/Kris describes her struggles with writing sex scenes that are detached from romantic feelings and as the book progresses you do get some glimpses of the romance and emotions that Kris Bryant is so well known for. I was very happy with that, it gives the book and the characters the depth that makes me care about them, for me this was an excellent combination of erotica and romance.

In Shameless you get to know Emery (as it is written from her POV) and while you do not get to see things from her POV in this book there is an apparent change in her personality, showing a sweet side of her besides her passionate side and I liked her all the more for it. I wish Emery’s POV was also addressed, not because it is necessary for the story, but because you get to know her in Shameless and I wanted to know what was going on in her head, how she handles the changing feelings. Claire obviously had most difficulties of the two in acknowledging her growing feelings and it was frustrating to read at times, but very understandable at the same time.
Besides all this, there was also an interesting side story that I would like to mention. It’s about the case that Claire is working on and this little mystery gives just the right entertainment without it being distracting or taking over the storyline.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a spicy romance.

I have been waiting for this full length novel for what feels like forever! When I first read "Shameless" and it ended, I was super disappointed and wished it was longer. Well finally, I got my wish!

The full length version was good, but it wasn't great. I think my biggest gripe was that I wasn't that big of a fan of Claire. While "Shameless" was all told from Emery's POV, this one switches off, and I think it actually hurt the story. Claire was way too selfish for my liking, so it was hard to like her. Others may feel differently, but she wasn't my cup of tea.

I also felt like the next chapter jumped ahead in time too much, because on some occasions it paced Clair's feelings for Emery quicker than I thought she was feeling things. For instance, she could go from having sex with someone else to 2 weeks fast forward, and she's pining for Emery like a love struck teenager. It felt like whiplash. Even the epilogue (which I always love an epilogue!) felt strange in how quickly the event that took place happened. I don't want to give away spoilers but again I was left saying "huh"...

Having said all that, Brit Ryder aka Kris Bryant is an excellent writer and man, those sex scenes were hot! So I still enjoyed reading the book for the most part, I'm just not going to give it 5 stars.

Newly appointed Judge Claire Weaver has a random, but very gratifying sexual encounter in a museum. Imagine her surprise when, presiding over her very first case, she recognizes the mystery woman as one of the witnesses, Fire Investigator Emery Pearson. Balancing her commitment to her new career and her no relationship rule, Claire struggles to understand her evolving emotions towards Emery while getting partially caught in a political scandal.

I always battle some with erotica. I do not like to read about sex if not within the context of chemistry or romance if that makes any sense. Many of these stories are short, which makes it even harder for me to connect with the characters and what the author is trying to convey. Well, not Ms Ryder’s novel! ‘Not Guilty’ is the sequel to ‘Shameless’, a novella about the museum encounter told from Emery’s POV. This one is a full length novel told from Claire’s POV. One does not need to read ‘Shameless’ in order to follow this one, but why wouldn’t you?

The chemistry between the mains is undeniable, even from that anonymous first encounter. Ms Ryder wrote several steamy scenes, while also advancing the relationship and making the mains’ need for each other credible. It was so good this could have been a romance in itself. The pause in the relationship while they collaborated in the case was brilliant, and fanned both the romance and the erotica sides alike.

This was an excellent erotica novel that will not disappoint fans and new readers alike. Easy 5 stars.

ARC generously provided to me by BSB via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read the novella when it came out and I really enjoyed it. It was hot. So I was positively surprised when I found out this one is about the same characters. And it was not disappointing at all. The opposite actually. I really enjoyed it that it was from Claire's point of view and it was really hot! It's erotic but not overtly so it's getting annoying. There is still a plot there and i really enjoyed the way the author managed to make more of their relationship than just sex. So really well done and thanks for this one!

Delicious! Better than ice cream 😁

For me, this was the perfect romantic book, in a political set up, with unbelievably steamy scenes! This is a book with a romantic storyline at the core.

I really believe Kris Bryant is simply an exceptional author, but now I welcome Brit Ryder in my life (as a reviewer obviously) 😁

While this is a standalone, I definitely recommend reading Shameless. It not only sets you up for this book, but also, very enjoyable.

Three quarters into this book, I thought to myself, I really don’t want this to end! Thank god I got very busy with work so I took my time reading this! There’s twists in the storyline, there’s a bit of crime and 2 very sexy MCs. Why would I ever want this to end ? :)

My rating is a solid 5.

I received an ARC for an honest review.

Kris Bryant is an amazing romance author, but when she is writing as Brit Ryder, the heat factor is so high the pages of the book almost curl up from the heat. I found that out when I read her novella Shameless, and I believe this even more after reading Not Guilty, the sequel to the novella.

In Shameless we meet Emery Pearson and Claire Weaver as the two accidentally meet and have an intense and hot sexual encounter in a museum. We see this story in first person through Emery’s eyes. In the book Not Guilty, we are looking at the tale from Claire’s point of view. Claire is at the museum for a possible one-time-only hookup before she begins her new job as a circuit court judge. She has no time for relationships, and has to be discreet because of her public image as a judge. She never bargained on seeing her one time sexual partner the very next day as a witness in her courtroom. Neither Emery nor Claire seem to want a relationship, but the desire, and yes, lust they share won’t be denied. They decide to try a “discreet sex-only arrangement”, but will that be enough?

Once I started reading this novel, it was hard for me to put it down. I had already met the two main characters in the novella. I connected with Emery then, so it’s good that the novel is told through Claire’s eyes. I will admit to being occasionally frustrated by her refusal to see what she really feels about Emery. It fits her character though, and makes the story more interesting. The secondary characters are equally well-developed and play an important role in the overall story.

This is a tale that starts with lust and gradually morphs into love, though Claire especially fights it tooth and nail. Add in a bit of criminal intrigue, and you have a story that grabs your interest and keeps you reading until the end. The author has done an amazing job weaving together the intricate details of a tale filled with eroticism, romance, and mystery.

Not Guilty could be read as a standalone novel, but I honestly believe you should read the novella first. I think it gives you a better chance of getting to know and connect with these two people, especially Emery. I recommend you read both stories in order.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review of Not Guilty. I bought Shameless.

𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗥𝘆𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆.

I knew this was going to be a hit before I even started because of how hot I thought Shameless was. That short erotica was pure seduction and the chemistry was electrifying. I was intrigued.

Not Guilty is not only a re-write of the museum tryst in a different POV, it develops into a full romance. We learn more about the characters besides their names and work titles. They become more than just Emery, the sexy butch fire investigator and Claire, the newly minted hot judge. Switching the POV to Claire was clever because she was a mystery before this, so it was gratifying to be able to get into her head this time.

Emery wants more and Claire does not and I understand where Claire is coming from. I enjoyed what they had originally and the shift from Emery felt sudden. Relationships are new grounds for Claire, so her initial confusion and urge to deny her feelings are understandable even though her resistence becomes less endearing after some time because of how outstanding their chemistry is.

Emery is my favourite person and I enjoyed watching her personality unfold from a sexually confident person to somebody who is also incredibly sweet. And there are gaps such as Emery’s dating life that I wish didn't go unexplained, but it did.

This one is not only sexy, it has the full package and I loved it so much. So thanks to Brit Ryder aka Kris Bryant, who has a knack for writing erotica and erotic romance, I had a wonderful Saturday.

I couldn’t wait for this book for come out. I read Shameless and loved it. I wasn’t predicting the story line at all, which is always a nice surprise. There was romance, action, mystery, etc. I hands down loved the characters. They were so different but so well rounded. While Shameless was from the point of view of Emery, Not Guilty is from the point of view of Clair. Clair is a newly appointed judge dealing with a trial that has blown up into a much larger, dangerous drama. I loved reading the enteral struggles she goes through with such strength. I do wish I had a little more insight into what Emery was thinking, but that doesn’t take away anything from the story.

Hot, great erotica writing, and on top of everything, great character development, not neglected and shallow like in most erotica novelas. Considering who the author is, I didn't expect anything less.
5 stars.