Thanks to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the free published copy and e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the review copy of this audiobook!

🔥🥵🔥🥵🔥🥵🔥🥵🔥

Seriously. This one is SPICY! Like from page one! The barely reigned in passion and sniping leads to explosive s€x scenes. Not sure anyone in the legal profession would be okay with this one. I’m sure there were lots of ethical violations with opposing counsels sleeping with each other. But it made for a very satisfying story.

Both main characters were excellent. Their relationship started physical and slowly turned emotional, at least for her. It’s definitely a he falls first situation with golden retriever/black cat vibes. And I loved the side characters. The family dynamics and baggage really furthered the plot. I wanted a bit more time with both their moms.

Duet narration is always the best kind, and it was a great job with the recording. However, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Connor Crais could have been a bit more sultry. His lines interspersed in Samantha Summers just didn’t carry the spice as well as when he narrates.

Overall, a very satisfying plot. The legal case they were arguing had so many twists. And so did their personal lives. It’s definitely a great addition to the romance genre.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Lana Ferguson for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Danica Pierce and Ezra Hart are top divorce lawyers in Austin, TX and in an "enemies with benefits" type relationship. Ezra has always had a thing for Danica, but she cannot stand him and wants nothing more than hookups. Since meeting, she has always thought he is pretentious and a playboy, hating the fact her body is so attracted to him. It doesn't help that they've been opposing counsel in plenty of cases, and he tends to win more.

When the biggest case Danica has taken comes in with the promise of making partner at her firm if she wins, Danica is freaking out a little. To make matters harder, Ezra is opposing counsel once again. Danica immediately loves her client Bianca Casiraghi, and vows to do everything in her power to win the case for Bianca. Ezra, who obviously also wants to win, does not make this easy whatsoever. As lines are blurred, feelings develop, and secrets are revealed, things get hard to handle quickly.

This is hands down my favorite book of Lana's so far. Ezra initially comes off as being this arrogant lawyer, when in actuality he is much more complex than that. Danica is very relatable for readers, especially women, with the trust/personal issues she battles and coming to terms with the feelings she has. These characters and this story is written beautifully. I giggled, cried multiple times, and wanted to run Alexander over with a bus. Plus the spice was S P I C I N.

Overruled
By: Lana Ferguson
4.75 stars

Thank you @prhaudio for this gem! I LOVE Lana so much & I was so eager to read this one! I listened to it over the course of my vacation and truly had such a fun time! Who would think a book about two divorce lawyers would be such a powerhouse?!

Starting us off with a steamy scene between Danica and Ezra- who “hate” each other- really got me excited to see their story unfold! Danica and Ezra have been opposing council for months now and know how to push each others buttons in court, and occasionally in the bedroom despite Danica always insisting that “this is the last time” for their enemies with benefits arrangement. Their banter is riddled with legal jargon but witty while the chemistry is off the charts. Despite being absolute sharks in court, both of them have deep emotional wounds from their families that they keep buried deep.

Assigned again as opposing council for a huge divorce, Danica and Ezra do what they do best, play to win. While this case gets deeper into the trenches, Danica and Ezra begin to peel back their layers and expose themselves more emotionally rather than their normal physical interactions. Danica quickly learns there’s more to Ezra Hart than the persona he’s cultivated and this only helps to break down her walls against relationships and love that have been wrecked in the past.

The drama of the court case mixed with the romantic subplot had me wanting more! I truly felt like each aspect of written so well and felt totally believable. I loved the side characters Vera & Nate (please give them their own book!!!) and Dani’s client who was a fierce woman despite her heartbreak. My only hang up that caused this to not be a 5 star read was the “resolution” of Dani with her parents.

I really enjoyed this! I haven’t found a Lana Ferguson book so far that I haven’t liked, and I love how she branches out and does so many different tropes and whatnot! Each of her books are unique from each other!

This book definitely gives spice! While different for me, I love how we jump into the two main characters relationship already being established. It was fun to come into the book fully aware of how stubborn they were about becoming more (one more than the other). Eli’s family dynamic was rough and his character problems made sense to me. I did have a hard time relating to Dani’s family issues being that her parents had parted at least a decade ago and it felt strange for her to hold on so long and have that impact her own relationships. What helped was her also mentioning her issues with her past relationship. Overall I love a stubborn FMC and I love how they soften to each other as the book moves forward. It was a quick and fun read. 3.7

Thanks to Berkley for my advanced copy of Overruled by Lana Ferguson.

I enjoyed this steamy romance between two opposing divorce lawyers. The tension between Dani and Ezra was perfect with their enemies-to-lovers, though, is it really enemies when they were already sleeping with each other but hated each other in public?

I like how we saw them become vulnerable with each other, and why they each went into law, especially divorces. This book was full of chemistry and such a fun read with great characters.

I enjoy Lana Ferguson's style, her books are always an easy distraction with quickly introduced characters and a simple dynamic. In this book, our two MCs are rival divorce lawyers.... who also have some benefits on the side. Quickly dropping us into their intimate moments, the banter and chemistry between these two is undeniable.

I would have liked a little more development to the side plot, but it came together in an interesting way that drew in the main characters and solved several dangling plot lines. I think the only unresolved/weaker plot line involves the FMC's issues with her parents and their divorce, which just kind of fell flat for me with a 30-something still holding a grudge against her parents for their divorce.

Sparks fly between rival divorce lawyers both in the courtroom and between the sheets in Lana Ferguson’s new spicy romance novel, Overruled.

Danica “Dani” Pierce has no interest in love, as experience has shown it to be nothing but a source of heartache. She is solely focused on her career, specifically on making partner at her law firm. She can’t believe her luck when she lands a career-making case, only to learn her nemesis, Ezra Hart, will be her opposing counsel on the case. Not only will he make it hard for her to win the case, but she’s also secretly sleeping with him, which makes things even more awkward. Ezra may have a winning record in the courtroom, but his charm has never worked on Dani. He wishes she would see him as more than the playboy she seems to think he is.

I had such a good time with this book! Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, and I loved the twist of Dani and Ezra having this secret “enemies with benefits” arrangement. Lana Ferguson always delivers when it comes to writing spicy scenes so Dani and Ezra’s arrangement was pure fun. Their chemistry was off the charts and their banter was hilarious, especially the nicknames they had for each other. Dani had black cat energy and I cackled every time Ezra called her Sour Patch!

Aside from being fun and spicy, this story also had some nice depth to it. I really enjoyed watching Dani and Ezra gradually grow closer. Dani is so fiercely independent and afraid of letting herself be vulnerable with another person. I was rooting hard for her to get past that because it was easy to tell that Ezra could be worth the risk and that he was not the playboy she thought he was.

4 1/2 STARS

Overruled is a rivals with benefits romance following Dani, a young divorce lawyer up for junior partner at her firm, and Ezra, the opposing counsel on the case that will make or break her promotion. This was such an exciting and messy romance! I loved how Ezra and Dani were so enamored with each other and how that came through with their banter and fighting. The constant will they or won't they was so fun and invigorating, the two just had so much apparent chemistry and connection. I also loved getting to explore the legal system a little and diving straight into the divorce case; it added the perfect touch of drama and mystery to the plot. Overall, this romance gave me everything I could want and more: relatable characters, swoony romance, family drama, and so much steam. Do yourself a favor and go read it!

Read if you like:
⚖Enemies with Benefits⚖
⚖He Falls First⚖
⚖Rivals to Lovers⚖
⚖Dual POV⚖
⚖Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine⚖
⚖Workplace Romance⚖

ezra and danica were positively FANTASTIC. I loved their story, I loved the tension, I loved ezra’s obsession with her and he was a cat dad??? this book was perfection.

Funny, flirty, deep, and beautiful.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun, lighthearted, spicy romance. I thought the two main characters were cute, and I liked how they couldn’t deny their attraction to each other. I enjoyed seeing them in the courtroom because I invested in the court case they were working on throughout the book. I would recommend this book.

Copy received via Netgalley for an honest review

This was a fun enough, albeit predictable story

Rival lawyers, fighing in court during the day, effing at night.

I liked a lot of the story and goings on, but then our FMC Danica was, to me, quite annoying. She frustrated the heck out of me.

I liked Ezra from the start, but I just didn't feel the romantic attachment between the pair. Lust, oh yeah that leaps off the page, but even at the end I just didn't feel anthing deeper between them.

I did like the way that they both dealt with what was happening in their personal lives, and that they shared it with each other. There really was a very strong friendship between them - evenutally

I could also tell how the story was going to end, right from the beginning. Not a bad thing, it is what it is.

Overall it was an enjoyable, fluffy read, good for a lazy day on the couch or easy beach read.

Two divorce lawyers, a rivals with benefits kind of relationship, and a new court case that might finally be the case that lets them take their relationship to the next level. Danica Pierce is determined to make partner at her firm... her only secret: she's sleeping with the opposing counsel and despite saying it's going to be the last time she can't help but come back for more. Ezra Hart is known for being handsome and charming and for winning so many of his cases, but the only thing he can't seem to win is Danica's heart. He's willing to go to any step, wait any length, to finally get her to see that he's serious and that he wants more with her... and thankfully he's great at winning cases because he's going to object any of her objections and give her clear evidence, he's the one for her. Yet while they keep playing this game of cat and mouse, they are both being put on a huge case... a case that will either make or break their future. Dani needs to win this case to make partner and Ezra needs to win because his father is threatening his mother and holding her against him if he loses.... with so much on the line including their hearts... who is going to win? Oh I absolutely devoured this book. I've been a huge fan of Lana's books for so long and absolutely adored this one. I love the back and forth banter between the characters and the growth that they go through with each other was so well written. I can't get over this book. I just had so much fun reading this!!

Release Date: July 1, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

me 🤝 anything written by Lana Ferguson

this was the perfect palate cleanser and I enjoyed every minute of it. Dani was a stubborn badass and Ezra was just happy to be near her. AND THE EPILOGUE 😭😭😭

thank you NetGalley & Berkley for the ARC, luv u guys🫶

I had so much fun reading Overruled! It’s a steamy, smart, and surprisingly emotional romance that had me hooked from the first page. The story follows Danica Pierce, a fiercely driven divorce lawyer who’s laser-focused on making partner at her firm. She’s sworn off love—until she finds herself in a no-strings-attached arrangement with Ezra Hart, her charming rival in the courtroom and, inconveniently, her biggest competition on a high-profile case.

Danica is sharp, ambitious, and refreshingly complex, and Ezra? Total cinnamon roll with just the right amount of swagger. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the banter is fast, flirty, and full of tension. What surprised me, though, was the emotional depth—both characters are dealing with family baggage that adds layers to their relationship and makes their growth feel earned.

If you love enemies-to-lovers with heart, heat, and a dash of courtroom drama, Overruled is the kind of romance that makes you laugh, swoon, and root for love to win even when the odds are stacked.

4.5 stars - So much more than I expected!

The story follows two divorce lawyers, locked in a courtroom battle over the same high-stakes case, each driven by deeply personal motives. Outside of court, they're fighting something even more complicated: their undeniable chemistry.

I'm absolutely adding this one to my bookshelf. It was an engaging, steamy journey filled with sharp wit, emotional depth, and tension that practically crackled off the page. My favorite character? Purrgood Marshall, cuz I'm a sucker for a lovable pet, especially when their human is the MMC.

The tension between the leads was so well done, especially with the rumors she's heard about him adding fuel to the fire. I loved that Ezra defied every expectation, showing he's a giant teddy bear just trying to earn the love of a father who can't seem to give it, thanks to buried secrets.

I really loved the premise of this book - two divorce attorneys in a frenemies with benefits situation, often finding themselves as opposing counsel. Dani and Ezra are both strong, independent, lovable characters. Ezra is unabashedly flirtatious with Dani, and it’s the cutest thing! The battle of wits between them kept me entertained the whole way through. Their story is a little heavier than I expected, and I enjoyed the depth it added. But there is still a lot of humor, too!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the ARC!

Two competing divorce lawyers seems like a recipe for a very banter-y romance, and Lana Ferguson delivers. It's as steamy as you expect from the author, and also has excellent characters.

LANAAAAAAA this one was eveything i needed and more! THE TENSION!? THE BURRRRN!? My soul is so in love

When Danica finds herself once again opposite Ezra on the biggest case of her career, she's determined to beat him at all costs. She basically hates Ezra, so it's really too bad that they have insanely good sex. Over the course of the case, Dani starts to learn more about Ezra, and she learns that he isn't the smarmy, slimy jerk she thought he was.

I'm not a huge fan of the tropes in the book, so I'm going to have to admit that I did not finish the entire book. I've read and enjoyed other books by Lana Ferguson, so I wanted to give this one a try. While it was not my cup of tea, I could appreciate the banter, the rivals-to-lovers plot, and the spice. My library has purchased a copy and I would recommend this book to those seeking romance novels with some of these tropes.