ARC Review: Overruled by Lana Ferguson
Pub Date: July 1, 2025

Thank you @berkleyromance for the #gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

HOLY HEAT batman!!! Lana always knows how to bring the spice but this book is just on a whole new level and boy did I eat it up like popcorn. I am obsessed with everything here - Ezra's smirks, Dani's prickliness, Purrgood Marshall, the chemistry...just AH! It was so so good! The chemistry just leapt off of the page - I already can't wait to reread/listen because I just know it's going to be fire.

I was really worried about one particular plot line and actually paused the book for a few days because I didn't know if I could handle it - but I returned to it and was actually very pleasantly surprised with how it was handled in a way that was actually really lovely. The external plots that happen throughout the book really allow for some great depth for both characters and get you in both of their corners.

Read for:
- He falls first (and hard)
- Black Cat FMC
- Rivals to Lovers
- So much Chemistry
- Desk Sex
- Rival Divorce Attorneys
- Nicknames

I wanted to like this book, since I have liked the author's other books, but it just felt like a slog. And I hate a breakup in the 3rd act. I thought she handled the parental trauma well but the twist felt so foreshadowed that I spent most of the book waiting for the other shoe to drop. I liked that the FMC was the one with the grumpy vibes this time. I think the audiobook would likely elevate it.

Ezra and Dani are both lawyers who are competing against each other in a divorce case, while also having benefits on the side. As they continue their case and explore their relationship with each other, feelings begin to grow.
I really enjoyed this book because it discussed difficulties that many people go through, for example, divorced parents and overbearing parents. Ezra has a very overbearing father and we dive very deep into this. Dani has parents who divorced when she was 17, and we dive into how their divorce has affected her. Adding these plot lines really added depth to the characters. Lana Ferguson did an amazing job at showing the characters flaws as well, as we are not all perfect.
Dani and Ezra are so adorable, and I love that he fell first so much. He treats her so well, even when she is scared to admit feelings.

I enjoyed this romcom from Lana Ferguson! It was a nice enemies to lovers romance with witty banter and a very intriguing backstory of family and drama. I’ll recommend this to all my friends for a nice summer read. Thanks to netgalley for the arc!

I adore Lana Ferguson, and this book was just as amazing as all her others! I absolutely adored both the characters and loved watching Character growth as well which I find rare in a rom com.

I continue to be impressed with Lana Ferguson's range in terms of genres - she's done contemporary, paranormal, hockey, and now a workplace enemies to lovers story about two successful divorce attorneys. I think it might actually be more like an enemies *and* lovers story since there's quite a lot of hooking up while the two main characters - Dani and Ezra - continue to be enemies both in and out of the courtroom. I liked the fact that both Dani and Ezra have marriage-related baggage from their parents' relationships (though in very different ways) and that it clearly impacts the way they approach their divorce cases. Throughout most of the book, they're opposing counsel on a case that's supposed to make Dani's career by giving her a chance to make partner, but Ezra is getting all kinds of pressure to succeed by his dad (a truly horrible person, wow). It probably wasn't my favorite ever workplace romance, but I love a grumpy/acerbic female lead, and I definitely felt like Dani deserved that description. Also, there was a pretty awesome cat. Content warning for emotional abuse from a parent, and past suicidal ideation/self harm (described on page).

Lana I bow to you. No one writes more broadly in romance and just switches up sub-genre so much and I eat up every single one. I loved every second of this one. And it was spicyyyyy. I love an enemies-to-lovers, hate sex, all the things. And of course, it only works if he never really hated her at all. Thank you Lana, can't wait for the next one!

Overruled by Lana Ferguson was fun and flirty, I always enjoy reading Lana's stories. This was a lighthearted read to get you out of any reading slump. overall would recommend, thank you net galley for the ARC!

Overruled by Lana Ferguson is a sweet, funny romance with the classic "enemies to lovers" dynamic. The protagonist is relatable, the leading man is endearing and the plot is delightful. Definitely would recommend!

Thank you to Lana and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
This was such a cute and fun read. I loved the enemies to lovers trope in this one, and seeing the chemistry blossom between our two lawyers was so fun. The banter was on point.
I think my favourite character in this was Bianca though.
As a secondary character I felt the most for her, and her emotional strife. Yet she was as she put it "a powerful woman" and carried through.
I think if you love enemies to lovers and when a book makes you chuckle throughout, you will love Overruled. Not to say that it doesn't have its sad and angry moments but overall it's a good and happy read.

The chemistry in this book was unreal. I have never been so into legal proceedings. Thus makes up for her making me read monster smut last year

Also my cat felt very seen with the mmc having a lovable fat cat. Queso thanks you for the representation

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC!

Lana Ferguson has done it again! Whenever I see one of her books pop up here I immediately have to try to snag a copy. I can always count on her to write a funny and deliciously charged romance. I’ve yet to read a romance set in the lawyer industry and holy smokes was it a fun time.

Two divorce lawyers who share only beds not feelings (for now) find themselves battling it out on opposing sides of a high profile divorce case and that some rules deserved to be broken…

Not going to lie, I’ve previously preferred this author’s paranormal books to her romcoms, but this one delivers!

A bit of a slow start/burn, but once this one gets going, it’s good! Great tension. MCs you want to root for. Solid plot. And a divorce case that’s just enough drama to keep you going!

Great characters. Dual POVs really allow us to get to know Dani and Ezra. We not only get a romance between them that’s hard won and fun, but also they both have complicated family histories and outlooks on love that add layers to the romance that feel authentic. I wanted to hug Dani (and recommend her a good therapist) so bad! I loved their ending.

Fun side characters as well whether they’re Dani’s light hearted friends and family or Ezra’s more complicated ones; gives the MCs balance and sounding boards.

And one thing this author is going to do? It’s deliver the spice! whether it’s paranormal or regular old human relations, i’m here for every second of it!

Romance lovers need to pick this one up!

READ FOR
Work Place Romance
Rivals to Lovers
He Falls First
Divorce Lawyers Falling In Love
Complicated Family Dynamics

Thank you to the publisher for my advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review

Lana Ferguson does so well at banter and tension, so a rivals/workplace/enemies to lovers sounded perfect, and Overruled didn’t disappoint. Danica Pierce’s passion is work and she’s one major case from making junior partner, but her major break has one thing in its way: her opposing council Ezra Hart, the man she’s been sleeping with. Ezra is all charm, but he can’t seem to win over Danica, but he’ll do whatever it takes to show her he’s in this for real, if only this case would stop getting in their way. I really enjoyed this. Both characters have a lot of family trauma they carry, and they’re so driven and they want so much out of their lives. The tension and banter is so good too. There was something missing from this book I really couldn’t put my finger on though. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it; I was a bad book away from falling into a book slump and this book got me excited to read every night. I think I needed a little more communication from them about things that weren’t their family or feelings because some of it felt repetitive—I would’ve loved to see them on a date or something to add to the romantic connection because the chemistry and steam was all there. I was also hooked on the subplot of the case and what was going to happen next. It’s a great romance and I just love Lana Ferguson’s writing so much!

So ooooobviously this is 🌶️ but it’s also very tender??? Both Danica and Ezra are SO fiercely protective of their own hearts for opposite reasons. But Ezra is determined to win hers over at any cost and we LOVE A BOY WHO IS DOWN BAD.

Watching both of them figure themselves out on their own but with the background support of the other (because neither would openly admit [at least not at first] that they wanted that support) was so genuine and I was so proud of both of them. Dani speaking to her parents afraid they’ll be disappointed in her for what she’s become to protect herself. Ezra not speaking to his because he knows words mean nothing if the actions don’t match them. And both of them being fiercely protective of the other, even while they’re constantly bickering.

And they’re both SUCH ruthless lawyers in different ways! So well matched and so mad about it. So mad about everything, really. Excellent

Danica Pierce is determined that *this* time will be the last time with rival divorce attorney Ezra Hart. The problem is, she’s said that before and it’s never the last time. Danica can’t deny that she’s attracted to Ezra, but she hates everything else about him. Or at least she’s convinced herself that she does. When they square off in the biggest case of both of their careers, Dani and Ezra have to confront the fact that maybe they’ve been wrong about each other.

This book starts off with a bang, literally. Lana Ferguson really went all in on the benefits part of this rivals with benefits arrangement and it worked for me. The banter between Dani and Ezra was top notch, and I loved the secretly soft underbelly on Ezra.

I did not love the secondary story about Bianca and Lorenzo’s divorce. I just don’t love reading about cheating. However, in this case, I did appreciate that it was never excused away and the cheater was not redeemed. I also hated Alexander and his role in all of it, but that did make him a good villain and made his comeuppance quite satisfying.

I love everything Lana Ferguson writes and this was ultimately a win for me. I’ll keep racing to read everything she writes.

Thank you to Berkley for this early copy! I really enjoyed reading this fun, lawyer romance. I loved the dynamic between Dani and Ezra. Love that he was so down bad for her the entire novel!! I also loved the revelations that were made throughout the case that were related to him and his life (not so much the actual case). I think some of the law scenes were a little boring (except when it was foreplay lol) but they were necessary for the plot. Overall, I had lots of fun!!
VERY SMUTTY from the start!!

i am ever so slightly conflicted on this one, so i am going to try and list out the things i liked vs. disliked as i feel that'll be the easiest way to get my feelings across!!

things i liked:
- lana's writing, i always love her writing style and how easy it is to digest her books, and this one is no exception
- i find the spice in lana's books to always be written very well
- loved the chemistry between the characters, felt very believable and their 'banter' was fun
- the sub plot of the legal proceedings in this one was SUPER interesting to me
- the sprinkling of a lil romance between the side characters was so fun (although i will say i almost wanted to hear their story more than the main characters one haha)

things i didn't like as much:
- i feel like the romantic connection as slightly lacking - the chemistry was definitely there but i didn't feel that overwhelming romantic connection between them
- part of me feels like the MMC in this kinda deserved better....which isn't something i say often about men lol
- the FMC was kinda mean!!!!!!!!

overall, a very easily digestible and fun book, and the legal side of this was super interesting. the MMC was a cutie pie and i adored him, but again, the FMC felt a tad too mean and i felt like the 'i hate you' side of the hate-to-love aspect was a tad forced and quite repetitive. i would recommend if you want a quick and easy spicy romance with an interesting sub-plot, and a super cute and obsessed MMC!

A Lana Ferguson book NEVER fails to be an amazingly fun time! This one is no different. I personally tend to love her paranormal romcom books (the fake mate and Under Locke and key) but this was on par (if not slightly better) than her other normal rom com books. I will read any and every book Lana decides to write and I cannot wait to support this release closer to release date!!!

This steamy rivals-to-lovers romance featuring divorce attorneys opposing one another in the courtroom is sure to please readers who enjoy spicy workplace romances! The banter between the MCs is excellent, and there were several secondary characters that added depth to the story - Bianca especially. I did feel that some of Dani's internal dialogue was repetitive at times and could have been edited down. Both main characters have back stories that support their reservations about the blooming relationship, which makes it more believable. Overall this was another hit for Ferguson.