You've Been Served by Kristen Alicia is seemingly a midlife crisis love story. She quits her job on a whim as a result of a magic 8 ball. (spoiler: they never are true). Then she decides to start law school because, apparently, in this fantasy world, it is easy to get into law school with no prep. For the most part, I liked it, but it was just severely unbelievable.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There’s something so satisfying about a romance novel that delivers everything you want—banter, tension, and a love story that feels real—without tripping over its own shoelaces with unnecessary drama or, worse, an avalanche of awkward euphemisms for body parts. You’ve Been Served by Kristen Alicia does exactly that, and I absolutely devoured it.

First off, Simone is such a refreshingly human protagonist. She’s a woman who changes her whole life on a whim (blame the Magic 8 Ball) and then has to deal with the consequences of that impulsive decision. As someone who enjoys characters that are deeply flawed but still lovable, I found her struggle through law school both entertaining and stressful. She’s out of her depth, exhausted, and constantly questioning herself, yet she never loses that spark that makes you root for her. And then there’s Silas—the tall, infuriating, heart-eyes-inducing neighbour/classmate who somehow manages to be both her safe haven and her biggest academic rival. Their dynamic? Utterly addictive.

What I loved most about their romance was the build-up. Kristen Alicia plays the long game, making every look, every brush of the hand, every little moment mean something. It’s the kind of slow burn that makes you feel like you’re about to combust but in the best way possible. And when things do heat up? It stays deliciously steamy without venturing into the land of bizarre metaphors for male anatomy. Seriously, thank you.

Another huge win? The third-act conflict. You know how sometimes a romance novel takes a nosedive right before the finish line, throwing in an overblown misunderstanding that could be solved with a 30-second conversation? Not here. The conflict in You’ve Been Served is refreshingly drama-free, and the resolution feels so clean—no ridiculous overreactions, no frustrating miscommunications, just two adults handling their issues like, well… adults. Imagine that!

The supporting cast is also fantastic—diverse, interesting, and full of potential for spin-offs (please tell me Kristen Alicia is planning spin-offs). There was one side character whose entire existence felt like a forced conflict point, but if they ever get a redemption arc in another book, I’m open to it.

Overall, You’ve Been Served is the kind of romance that hits all the right beats: fun, flirty, smart, and just angsty enough to keep you hooked. If you love academic rivals-to-lovers, slow-burn tension, and a female lead who actually struggles with her new career path instead of miraculously excelling at everything, this is the book for you.

Kristen Alicia’s *You’ve Been Served* takes readers on a witty and often relatable journey of ambition, self-discovery, and romantic missteps. Simone Alexander is a protagonist many will root for—impulsive, passionate, and hilariously overwhelmed as she trades her chef's hat for casebooks, navigating the rigors of law school while dealing with a maddeningly attractive neighbor.

Simone’s decision to drop everything and move to Michigan for law school on a whim (thanks to a Magic 8 Ball) sets the stage for plenty of comedic and dramatic moments. The grueling academic environment is portrayed authentically, complete with the stress-inducing, hard-nosed professor trope. This backdrop highlights Simone’s tenacity and her struggles to adapt, making her moments of triumph all the more satisfying.

Silas Whitman, Simone’s infuriatingly charming neighbor and classmate, adds a splash of romantic tension. Their dynamic oscillates between sweet and exasperating, with sparks flying both in and out of the classroom. However, the "annoying kiss-ass in class" trope feels slightly overdone, and their romance occasionally takes a backseat to Simone’s personal growth and academic challenges.

The novel’s humor and Simone’s inner monologue keep the tone light, even as she grapples with self-doubt and a demanding professor intent on seeing her fail. But while Simone’s perseverance is inspiring, her journey occasionally feels overshadowed by predictable plot beats and a lack of deeper character exploration.

*You’ve Been Served* is an enjoyable read for fans of romantic comedies and stories about women reinventing themselves. It shines most in its depiction of Simone’s grit and the realistic, if sometimes chaotic, portrayal of law school life. While it doesn’t break new ground, it’s a fun, quick read for those looking for laughs, romance, and a relatable protagonist stumbling her way toward success. Fans of *Legally Blonde* or *The Love Hypothesis* might find it a cozy, albeit lighter, addition to their TBR list.

So I gave this a 2.5-3 stars because for the most part, I liked it. It read a lot like fan fiction that hadn't been edited though,

I really struggled with this book and after trying again I simply think I am not a fan of law themed books. I felt a bit bored and found myself skipping through pages.

This one is an interesting mix of things I really liked as well as things that didn't work as well for me. Ultimately I landed middle of the road with my rating - it was fine, but probably not a book I'll go back to again or that sticks out for me.

Read this one if you enjoy:
> Found family/friendship
> College setting (law school)
> Friends to Lovers
> Closed door romance

I really enjoyed the setting of this book - MSU is my alma mater and East Lansing is a very recognizable setting for me to connect with a book (the misspelling of Meier vs Meijer was disappointing!). The midwest/Michigan vs west/CA references was fun at times - there are definitely differences between the two areas. I enjoyed the friend group and the community that they provided throughout the story.

I found myself getting bored at times - I'm not sure exactly why, but parts of the story felt like they dragged. The chemistry between the two MCs was kind of off for me - there were glimpses of it, but then it would go away. A lot of the story felt surface level to me. But overall, it was a cute story to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC for me to read.

💼 BOOK REVIEW 💼

Synopsis: Simone Alexander didn't mean to end up back in school. She's a chef, and a pretty good one at that but when she finds herself without a job or money, she asks a Magic 8 Ball if she should go to law school. Much to her chagrin, it says yes. When Simone cruises onto campus, she assumes she won't have to work too hard to do well. She never has before. But law school is not what she expected: the professors are intimidating, the classes gruelling, and the other students seem to have their lives all mapped out.
After a few weeks, Simone isn't sure leaving her life as a chef was the right decision. She needs help and fast. Simone’s only option: the insufferable Silas Whitman. When Simone bumps into Silas before school, she expects him to be a temporary nuisance. He's a little brash, a little blunt, and a total gunner but he's Simone's best hope of surviving. Plus, he's pretty cute when he's not being difficult.As they spend more time together, Silas charms Simone and quite literally sings his way into her heart. With her life and love up in the air, Simone must decide what she wants and where her heart ultimately lies.

Review:
Starting off strong, this book was instantly quirky and relatabke. It has a fast paced writing style with a lot of inner dialogue and plot. I initially thought this was going to be a rom com, but the lack of meet cute kept my mind open for an alternative kind of rom com novel, but by 70% there wasn’t much happening. I realised this story was more about choosing your own destiny and chasing your dreams. Lighthearted and funny, with a side of dating. But I enjoyed that it wasn’t a stereotypical rom com layout. It was refreshing to just read something different and I binged this in a day. Highly recommend if you’re seeking a book with characters in law school, or a lighthearted palate cleanser.

4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story sounded promising but unfortunately I did not enjoy it. It was hard for me to connect to the story and the characters and in the end I was just bored. I'm sorry :-(

This book just lacked EVERYTHING a romance book needs: it lacked chemistry between the two supposed love-interest, it lacked plot, it lacked stakes, it lacked good writing, and I'll stop here because I just didn't care about this book. 1 star

After a career as a Chef Simone has had enough of her terrible boss and the industry and seeks advice from her magic 8 ball to decide if she should go to law school or not. Well, results are in and off she goes! Balancing a new field of education, friends help make or break coping and so does getting her eyes set on a handsome fellow student…

This has all the right markings for me, Black FMC seeking a new career, romance but I just found transition scenes sometimes lacking within the same chapter and it didn’t seem like a clear break between scenes in the same chapter and the romantic feelings weren’t always obviously built up to. But overall it’s a cute story!

Enjoyable Read
This is the time that I am reading a book by Kristen Alicia and I enjoyed reading You’ve Been Served. Simone ups and quits her job as a chef in warm California to move to wintery Michigan to attend and pursue a degree to become a lawyer. Simone soon learns that her road to becoming a lawyer will not be an easy one; but she does not let her stop her. Along the way Simone meets her sexy annoying neighbor Silas. As the two are attending school together Silas is a totally different person and quite obnoxious. Simone’s contract professor is not making things easy for her. Yet again Simone is very determined and not letting anything or anyone stand in her way to get her law degree. Simone and Silas are so cute together. I would love to see is Simone got her degree and went on to law school.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Simone goes to law school after quitting her job as a chef. Obviously, she doesn't know how things work and she ends up making friends with Silas, who's the teacher pet. Will this be the right choice for her?
Classmates falling in love will always do it for me, and classmates where one is out performing the other falling in love? Even better.

I liked the plot of this book a lot, although the writing did feel a lot like a fanfic.
It was a quick and enjoyable read with loveable and whitty characters.

Overall i rate it a 3/5 stars

I was enticed by the idea of an "older" young adult going to law school after making a career change. This is not a premise I have seen before. For me, it made the characters seem more relatable.

This book had good bones, but fell flat. The characters had so much potential and I'm sad it didn't amount to its full potential. Their relationship also felt underdeveloped. Overall, I just wasn't invested.

"You've Been Served" by Kristen Alicia is an engaging legal drama that delves into the complexities of the courtroom. Alicia's storytelling is compelling, with well-developed characters and a plot full of twists and turns. A thrilling read for those who enjoy legal thrillers.

Lighthearted and easy going classmates story that was a nice change in pace from my usual reads.
Each character has a distinct voice throughout the whole story. The writing flowed well, easy to read.
Would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book was fun and I am really happy I had the chance to read it. I graduated from law school in December of 2019 and this book was an enjoyable way for me to get to experience the stress and anxiety of law school again without actually having to live it. My poor partner had to go through law school with me, and so I was able to share this book with him when it was something he would understand/appreciate – law school inside jokes are a real thing, you have to live it to get it at times. I don’t know if I will pick up this book to reread again any time soon, but it was a nice escape, which is what I tend to read for. I hope people who are in law school can take a break (ha!) and read this because I am sure it would have been even more fun if I read it while I was still in school. I’d be interested in reading more things by Kristen Alicia for sure.

Loved this book from the title, the cover and the characters and plot! I enjoyed that it was an easy read and would definitely recommend to my friends and family

*Closed door romance
*POC characters
*Family Drama
*Slow Burn

This was a cutesy and lighthearted story.

This was a fun read for the legally blonde generation who are currently binging suits on netflix (guilty!!) but I'm stuck wavering between 2.5 and 3 🌟. For most of the book it seemed like Simone was out of touch with reality, there was a lot of woe is me, nothing to do let's ask the magic 8 ball about going to law school, and I'm sorry she was completely unprepared (what's the deal with her not checking email?!?!) This wasn't a story to get lost in, it was more like a year in her life. But Silas. What a cinnamon roll!!!! 🥰 while his wooing of Simone felt realistic for the story line, the chemistry was lacking a bit and the third act conflict didn't really make sense for their relationship (although, the romantic gesture to rectify said issue was pretty top notch).

All in all, a quick one sitting read to remind you why legally blonde is probably *still* one of your favorite movies (I know it's still one of mine!) 😊 🤩 😊



Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for the ARC in exchange for my review!