Honestly? This author's "Love Buzz" was 100 percent not my vibe, so I was wary about picking up this galley. But once I saw the comps were "Legally Blonde" meets Amazon's "Jury Duty," I was, like, SOLD. Instantly. And I'm glad I did. It was a fun read that I could polish off quickly because that's how much I wanted to know what would happen next. It's an interesting concept, written with compelling and witty language. It's more than just a romance during juror sequestration, but also a mystery as readers get to follow the trial too. It's like the perfect juxtaposition of the two genres, which made this novel stand out even more.

The premise of this sounded so fun! And while it was definitely easy to keep flipping pages, I found it mostly frustrating. It seemed like there was too much unnecessary details about the reality show and the other jurors that I just couldn’t find it in me to care about. Sydney annoyed me at times with her opinions on Margot and how she acted towards Damon during the deliberations. I wasn’t totally invested in Syd and Damon’s relationship, either. Plus I didn’t really like the ending of this?? The twist with Damon at the end felt weird and a stupid third act breakup (boo) left me feeling even more annoyed. Also I’m not usually one to mind pop culture references but holy crap, this had wayyy too many.

Spicy Chapters: 39, 50

Tropes
-Childhood Friends Reunited
-Forced Proximity
-Forbidden Romance
-Juror x Juror

After reading the description of this book, I truly wanted to like it. Legally Blonde? One of my favorite movies! Second-chance romance featuring two jurors on a high-profile case? Count me in! Unfortunately, while the concept was amazing, the execution left a lot to be desired for me.


As opposed to showing significant past events, the writing style instead tells us in the form of info-dumping the backstory. This caused me to be less emotionally invested in the story. There were also numerous instances where what could have been emotionally impactful scenes were interrupted with obscure references (sugar-free gummy bear reviews) and wrong lyrics (it's kind of their thing). I did however like the court-relevant definitions at the beginning of each chapter. It was a great way to introduce the events of that specific chapter.

While I did somewhat enjoy the twists and turns of the court case, the central romantic plot felt extremely low-stakes for what the author aimed to do with the forbidden romance. The twist ending though SHOOK ME TO MY CORE. I was absolutely not expecting it.

The characters were inconsistent in how they were written. For example, the FMC was painted as an overly cautious safe person, while she also takes many unnecessary risks that don't fit the character established prior.

The romance felt generally unhealthy. We have two characters who hold resentment for one another due to past circumstances, even recognizing that they would be toxic together, and yet they decide to jump into a relationship. It feels a little too far-fetched to believe that they are ready for a long-term relationship, given they both are still processing their trauma.

I would suggest this book to fans of the Colleen Hoover writing style, as it is fairly beginner-reader friendly.

Thank you for the ARC!

This was a fun read with a new trope I didn’t know I needed in my life: we’re in a sequestered jury together.

Sydney is obsessed with reality tv and gets to serve in the jury for one of her shows. Because of the high profile nature of the case, the jury gets sequestered and who else but her old childhood friend and crush she hadn’t seen in a decade walks in as a fellow jury member.

Honestly, the romance between Sydney and Damon was the best part of the book even though I am not the biggest fan of childhood friends to lovers trope. Their conversations felt real. The case itself had some interesting moments but I also felt like skipping through some of it.

If you are into reality tv and the lives of jury members and a lovely romance, I’d definitely recommend this!

ARC review • pub date 05.20.25

This was a super fun read! A little bit legal / mystery suspense / and romance all wrapped up into one.

Sydney is called to jury duty for a high profile case which is of a reality tv star convicted of killing her husband. Sydney is obsessed with the show so she’s happy to be part of the trial.
On the first day, she realizes her childhood best friend Damon is also on the jury- and they haven’t seen each other in 10 years. They did not end on great terms.

This was a super fast paced read and a good palate cleanser, as you basically get the entire courtroom transcript in between chapters of Sydney and Damon reconnecting. I thought it was laid out really well and would definitely recommend giving it a read!

4⭐️

Thanks so much to NetGalley + Harper Perennial for my ARC!

Another massive hit for Neely Tubati Alexander.

This book had me hooked from the start and I had a hard time putting it down to go to sleep. I loved that there was a story inside the story, meaning the story from the court case and then the story of Sydney and Damon. The details that she put into this book on the court case made you feel so invested on learning what the outcome was going to be. And then the tension and drama with Sydney and Damon just took the angst over the top.

Neely is so good at slow burns but in this book, you get a little more spice quicker with the jury being sequestered. The friendship ad history between Sydney and Damon is intense and they sometimes seem like they have a hard time hiding how close they really are from the other jurors.

I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

The plot is very fun - two former childhood best friends find themselves on a sequestered jury (forced proximity, friends to lovers!) where they rebuild their relationship.

The scenes in the courtroom were enjoyable and it was sweet to witness Sydney and Damon reconnect. However, some of their dialogue was awkward and I didn’t always believe in their chemistry (I also think there was a missed opportunity for Sydney to write Damon an apology / love letter in the form of a gummy bear review?!).

Readers who enjoy Real Housewives-esque reality shows and are looking for a creative take on a rom-com featuring two people in their mid-20s may enjoy this.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

I've never read a jury duty romance before and when I saw this uploaded to Netgalley I knew I needed to read this. I found it to be an excellent mix between a murder mystery and romance novel. I loved how what was going on in the trial reflected what was going on between Sydney and Damon. I also enjoyed how you could see the connection/tension between Sydney and Damon while at court. They might not have been able to speak to one another but you could still feel them growing closer. I love that so much of the novel was taking place during the trial; the author really had me invested in the outcome of the trial. Once I started Courtroom Drama I could not put it down, I finished it in one sitting. The end was such a fun twist that did not see coming.
I will for sure be recommending this to my friends once it's out!

⚖️ You’ve done it again, Neely! This book isn’t out until May but once it hit my NetGalley shelf I couldn’t wait. Thanks to @harpercollins for the early look.

⚖️ So, I’m going to let you all in on a little secret. Neely Tubati-Alexander is a contemporary fiction author hiding behind a romance author persona! Do her books bring the romance? For sure— but there’d always something more there too.

⚖️ In ‘Love Buzz’- it was a journey to loving yourself. ‘In A Not So Perfect World’ had so much to say about women in the workplace. And here, we’ve got a trial that will keep you on the edge of your seat just as much as the will they- won’t they of the love story. Not to mention, the characters’ rich backstories— giving them depth as well.

⚖️ This is a second chance romance about two childhood friends (and almost more) torn apart by circumstances out of their control. Usually, these scenarios don’t work for me, but Neely doesn’t try to make her readers believe they’ve been pining for only each other since they parted. The way she writes it is very believable and I bought in!

⚖️ So to recap what you can expect:
- second chance romance
- depth beyond the love story
- courtroom drama that will have you feeling like you’re in the middle of Legally Blonde
- a reality star in the hot seat
- a jaw-dropping ending

⚖️ There are a couple open-door spicy scenes if that’s important to you one way or another.

Y'all. COURTROOM DRAMA swept.me.off.my.FEET!
Emotional depth--check.
Brilliant storytelling--check.
Syd and Damon's achingly intimate relationship leaving me fragile and wanting more? Check check.
With a shocking ending to add this crisply beautiful novel, it's an absolute must-read.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for an ARC.

My top favorite read of 2025 thus far!

A mixture of murder mystery and second chance romance, this novel is PURE PERFECTION. Both genres have been weaved together so seamlessly by the author!

The premise felt so interesting, refreshing and unique. I felt like I was vicariously living my dream of being on jury duty through Damon and Sydney.

This book grabbed my attention from the very first page and the cliff hanger ending left me contemplating theories about the murder mystery! Keeping fingers crossed for a sequel 🤞🏻

Can’t recommend this book enough!

4.5/5 Stars

This book was such a fun ride with a slow burn! Courtroom Drama blends Bravo/Real Housewives chaos, a high-profile trial, and a second-chance romance into a fast-paced, addictive read. Sydney is sharp and relatable, and her chemistry with Damon is full of tension and nostalgia. The jury-duty setting adds a unique twist, making the drama both inside and outside the courtroom impossible to put down. A perfect mix of wit, heart, and entertainment!

I knocked off .5 stars for the author’s odd, spicy nods throughout the book but the rest was fabulous!

4.25 stars.

Thank you to Harper Perennial & NetGalley for the e-ARC.

The cover and title of this novel does not do the book justice - it is so much for than a silly little book about courtroom drama. It’s also a bit misleading; I was expecting a book about lawyers but it’s actually about jury duty during a high profile case of a D-List celebrity who is accused of murdering her husband. The fmc is a super fan of the celebrity (think Bravo’s housewives) and gets selected for jury duty where they will be sequestered for approximately two weeks during the trial. The mmc is an old childhood friend who also ends up on the jury. This is very much a kind of second chance friends-to-lovers situation, and I was here for every minute of it.

Neely Tubati Alexander’s writing reminds me a lot of one of my favorite authors: Sarah Dessen. She expertly intertwines the present and the past together to create one cohesive story. The story is in the present day, but the reader must understand what happened in the past between the mmc and the fmc to appreciate the current situation. I much prefer this type of storytelling compared to entire chapters that are in the past - I tend to prefer one timeline to the other in books written that way, and I’m always waiting to get back to my preferred. The writing style keeps you guessing but moves the story along well with great pacing.

The jury duty part of this was very juicy and full of drama. It brought me into the story in a unique way that I haven’t read before. The case was intriguing to me and I felt like it was handled really well - coming from someone whose knowledge of the law is from television shows.

Really enjoyed this one overall! I’ve now read two out of the three novels the author has written. I’m definitely going to need to read the third soon. She’s quickly because a must - read author for me!

Totally hooked on this book! I am so into true crime and romance so this book really hit all of my favorite things I had extremely high expectations for this story and the author met every single one!

This was so good! Read this book front to back in no time. Absolutely loved the incorporation of the classic film 12 angry men and with a modern twist and romance.

I loved everything about this! It combined so many of my favorite topics: a murder trial of reality TV star plus a romance within the sequestered jury…A+!! I was hooked from the very beginning. Experiencing the trial and courtroom drama alongside the jury was fascinating and I felt like was trying to determine if the defendant was innocent or guilty the whole trial too. The slow burn of the second chance romance was also done really well.

This was an enjoyable courtroom romance-mystery-drama novel! I thought the blend of genres was really interesting, and the plot was very attention-grabbing. When I started reading, this book was very difficult to put down! I found the mystery/drama aspects to be much better than the romance aspects, however, as I didn't feel like there was much chemistry between the love interests. Despite this, I enjoyed the book and overall had a good time with it! :)

This book was really good. I finished it in two days. Sydney and Damon's back story was really well written and I liked how the author sprinkled in bits and pieces of it throughout the book to add to the plot. I'm not normally into courtroom type books but this one was really good.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced readers copy.

This was such a unique book concept! I loved reading about the courtroom drama. I also really enjoyed the romance and that back story. I loveeeee a forced proximity and realistic second chance. So if those tropes are your favorites, this is a good one!!

Having never watched a single reality tv show featuring “housewives,” it was perhaps a misjudgment on my part to request this book. I found the drama superficial despite this being a trial to determine if the deceased was poisoned by his widow or died of natural causes. Additionally, the cliched portrayals of the attorneys and many of the witnesses coupled with a tedious pace describing the protagonist’s unexpected reunion with an estranged boyfriend made it a struggle to finish the book.

I am sure there is an audience for this book, it just was not a match for me.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.