This book was steamy and filled with such great banter! I really loved Ezra and Dani right from the get go. You could definitely tell that Ezra's feelings went much deeper than Dani's in the beginning but I loved how she slowly melted for him. ⁣
⁣
There were some great side characters and I really loved the added intrigue of having our two MCs as opposing counsels on a divorce case. It added so much tension to an already tense courtroom and I just love that!⁣
⁣
Overall this was a great courtroom romance!

This unfortunately wasn’t for me and that’s okay you win some you lose them! I like other books by this author and will for sure continue to read her! I just didn’t find the FMC very likable and found their connection to be kind of bland. I actually liked Bianca more than I liked the main character. Also I love smut don’t get me wrong but this one just felt so repetitive I found myself skimming over half of the spice. I would still recommend if you like the tropes and everything in this book, the overall plot and concept was great I love the rival lawyer vibes I think I just didn’t like that this book literally starts with them hooking up. I personally am a slow burn/tension girly and think with them being rivals would have made the slow burn so delish!

A highly nuanced, emotionally complicated romance with tons of character depth and growth! I liked it, but I felt there was a little bit too much going on to call this a romance, maybe would be better categorized as Gen fic!

ARC Review: Overruled by Lana Ferguson

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

"She’s become everything. And I’m completely, irrevocably in love with her."

Thank you to Berkley for the ARC of Overruled. As a huge The Fake Mate fan, I was so excited to dive into Lana Ferguson’s latest release and it did not disappoint.

If you're looking for a smutty, light romcom with a well developed plot, Overruled is the perfect pick. It’s fresh, fast paced, and a ton of fun.

Our FMC, Dani, is a classic black cat type; sharp, driven, and married to her job as a divorce lawyer. But she's also secretly hooking up with her professional rival, Ezra. Things take a turn when Dani takes on a case that puts her directly up against him in court.

Ezra gives major golden retriever energy in the best way possible. He’s sweet, soft, and clearly head over heels for Dani. The man is yearning hard, and I was here for every second of it.

This book was flirty, spicy, and just the right amount of emotional. A perfect summer read!

Tropes:
💼 Rival lawyers
🔥 Enemies with benefits
🐾 Black cat x golden retriever dynamic
💘 MMC yearning
❤️ Hate to lovers

This was my first Lana Ferguson novel, and I can see why so many people love her books. The MMC was down bad, the banter was fun, and the spice was top notch.

While I think a lot of people will like this one, it was sadly not for me. I think that a big part of why I struggled with this one is that both of my parent are lawyers, and the premise was too unrealistic for me to get into.

What did I like? I really enjoyed both main character. Our FMC Dani was fierce, and I thought her backstory and character development were very well crafted. The MMC Ezra was such a flirt and I really liked him and his relationship with his mother. Vera, Nate, and Bianca were all side character who added humor and depth to the story. I also love a dual POV, and really liked watching Ezra fall first and hard.

What I struggled with? For a book about lawyer, there was a lot of morally grey behavior all around that I personally couldn’t look past. I also thought there was almost so much backstory with both MCs families that all the conflict meddled together. The sexual chemistry was great, but the actual romance fell a bit flat. The pacing made it hard to get into, but I flew through the last 100 pages.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had a fantastic time reading this. I binged it in one sitting even. I loved that they were rival lawyers. The plot revolved around one case they are on opposing sides for. It added tension and an extra piece of plot.

The “friends” with benefits arrangement was already established prior to the start of the book which jump started the relationship. I liked having that already set up and then seeing the development from the physical attraction to the emotional attraction. It was definitely a he falls first situation, he was in awe of her and content with whatever she’d give him. The banter between them was so good which was very fitting since they’re lawyers.

📄 they’re both lawyers
🤭 “friends” with benefits
🐈‍⬛ includes a cat
🤍 he falls first
😠 one sided (her) dislike to lovers

dual POV
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
3/5 spice level 🌶️

Overruled brings the spice, literally from page one, but don’t let that fool you. Beneath the heat, these characters are layered, vulnerable, and refreshingly complex!

Danica is whip-smart, driven, but also emotionally guarded. Ezra is her perfect match: a little cocky but not careless, playful but never cruel. Their dynamic is electric, filled with biting wit and explosive chemistry!

The courtroom drama is compelling, but it’s the emotional stakes that give this book real depth. Dani’s family dysfunction and Ezra’s own guarded heart provide real insight into why these two are the way they are. Watching them slowly chip away at each other’s defenses is SO satisfying!

Bonus points go to the supporting cast—particularly Nate and Vera, whose flirtatious tension is so good. (please give them their own book!) The humor is sharp, the spice is SPICY, and the pay off? Totally worth the wait!

Should I just apply to law school now or..?

Honestly this book would have done more to make me choose that more lucrative career path than anything else if I’d read it way back when 🤪 but being a librarian has it’s perks -- namely getting to read this one before it comes out in July!

I absolutely loved this one(: Lana’s writing is just so easy to get sucked into and find yourself binging a whole book in one sitting. I also went back and listened to the audio (thank you PRH audio!) and it's so good!! The narrators Samantha Summers & Connor Crais are addicting to listen to and make the audio truly fly by. They are perfect for Danica and Ezra! The pacing is great, the words are clear and they're super engaging; you can really feel the characters' emotions from them.

Rival lawyers? Hot. Enemies with benefits to lovers? Fantastic. Spice? Tasteful. I just love all the things to be honest. I will say that there are a lot of spicy scenes for any of the closed door romance girlies, this one is not for you. But if you've read Lana's other books you know what to expect and need no warning! Dani and Ezra are often opposing counsel and things regularly get tense but for the majority of this book they're on opposite sides of a huge case which really amps up the tension -- of all kinds(; Lana knows how to write chemistry for her characters, because it was so obviously there from start to finish for Dani and Ezra, but also for Dani's coworkers/besties who have their own little romance brewing on the side. The plot is super interesting and while it's a romance Lana does not slack on the other elements of the story. I was so invested in the divorce case and making sure Dani got her client EVERYTHING. The MCs are super intelligent, clever, and have fantastic banter, ensuring I was invested in them and their development. I loved both of them and while I've seen many reviews that think Ezra deserves better, I think both MCs had specific and different traumas to work through and had to grow as people to each be deserving of the other and that's all I'm gonna say on that! Full of humor, spice, and emotional depth, this one has a little bit of everything sprinkled in to make it a top tier romance.

You need to read this book if you love romcoms, court dramas, Lana's other books, spice, and/or you are a living breathing person who enjoys happiness(:

*he falls first
*rivals to lovers
*fantastic multi-dimensional characters
*court drama
*family drama
*forbidden romance
*workplace romance
*some miscommunication

Thank you Berkley for the drc via NetGalley and PRH Audio for the alc! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Officially out tomorrow July 1st so don't forget to check it out!

Overruled pits two divorce lawyers against each other in all areas of their life. They have a strictly physical arrangement, but then they are on opposite sides of the courtroom for a case. Dani and Ezra are both brilliant and the legal aspect really shows that. I was a little annoyed with how immature Dani seemed at times though. I mean, she went to undergrad and law school, but she let some things affect her disproportionately. She was kind of a bitch to Ezra too. Like, I get they are "enemies", but she was just mean.

The story is well paced with appropriate balance between the courtroom and their lives outside of it. They obviously have chemistry, but building anything beyond that took time and the story allowed that. Dani has issues with her family that impact her life, and both Dani and Ezra were really competitive. Good chemistry and banter!

My problems with the story were in the communication (lack of) and 3rd act break up. Again, these are educated lawyers. We can safely assume they are in their mid twenties at least, but they didn't have any meaningful conversation as two people in a romance would. Like all their drama could have been avoided if they just told each other what was going on. To have two educated people have such immature communication (especially when their job is about communication) was frustrating.

Lana Ferguson kinda went crazy with this one I'm not going to lie. The romance is spicy and felt real to me with plenty of banter and very real stakes in Dani and Ezra's "rivalry". I also love messy family drama and this book has plenty of that. And I'm no lawologist but Ferguson did consult a lawyer and it shows and it really brought me into the story.

On a technical note it is a first person perspective and dual pov which is hit or miss for some people but it worked well for me, but I also don't tend to care too much about those things so do with that what you will.

If you like a Professional Lady main character who does Professional Lady things and is annoyed at the male main character because if she isn't annoyed she'll fall in love with him with a bit of character development paired with the high stakes plot development I think you'll like this.

Danica and Ezra are opposing divorce lawyers who are often on opposite sides of the courtroom. Twist: they're also sleeping together. Both are determined to not get attached - their relationship is just for fun.

I didn't love the FMC in this book. She doesn't act like a thirty-year-old professional, especially with regards to her parents and her personal life. I lost patience with her very quickly, and that really made this book hard for me to get through.

This book follows rival lawyers Danica and Ezra who work at opposing law firms and have a history of going against each other in court. Oh, and they also happen to be in an enemies with benefits relationship. You can imagine how tense things get when they’re both assigned as opposing counsel in a massive divorce case. Danica’s promised a partner role with a win and the only thing in the way is Ezra, who’s sharp wit and charm have led him to win almost every case they’ve worked against each other on. They’ve both experienced traumas that affect them in different ways. Ezra is being forced to work at the family business and navigate a messy relationship with his father. Danica has so many walls she’s had to build up from childhood and past relationship issues that have closed her off and made it impossible for her to let anyone close enough to break them down. I loved Ezra’s character so much, probably one of my favorite MMCs I’ve read in a while. Lana has the ability to wield relatable stories with characters you feel so close to, as well as throwing in some of the BEST spice I’ve ever read. I found not only the relationship and how it develops throughout the book to be SO good, but sprinkle in a drama-filled, mystery of a court case on top of it? Absolute perfection. As someone who loves a good rom-com as well as court TV, this book was like a dream come true for me. If you love a grumpy/sunshine book filled with incredible tension and banter, this is the one for you. I highly recommend checking this out, as well as all of Lana’s work because she never fails. Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Lana Ferguson for this gifted ARC!

I was so happy to get this ARC!!!! As a lawyer myself, it felt fated 🥰

I loved this story! it’s fast paced but not rushed, perfect quick-read because it just captured me right from the start. I really loved the characters and setting! the frenemies with benefits already established made this so fun to watch their romantic relationship bloom. I loved Dani’s perspective as she opens up to the possibility of a happily ever after, it’s so special to read her accept that she deserves such a thing. and I love how Ezra falls first and makes his romantic interest in her such a focal point in their developing relationship.

being opposing sides of the same case is so fun to read too because it really helps them both explore all the areas their relationship needs some tender love and care…I also really loved all the legal aspects of the story I found that so fun 🥰

and the Lana Ferguson signature spice is on point throughout this story, it’s such a sizzling, tender, loving story!!!

thank you for the ARC!!!

Lana Ferguson is an auto-read author for me. Her books are like catnip! Overruled had an interesting plot, but the execution didn’t work for me. I really liked Ezra as a main character and wanted more chapters from him. Danica comes across as immature and childish even though she’s in her early 30s. The chemistry between her and Ezra never came through. Her reason for “hating” him didn’t make much sense and their relationship seemed shallow and superficial. Ezra’s complicated family history added a strong layer to the story and his growth stood out. Danica, on the other hand, shows no growth and remains selfish and whiny throughout. I enjoyed the side characters especially Bianca and Ezra’s mother. The banter was entertaining, and the spice level matches the author’s earlier books.

i binged OVERRULED in two sittings 🫣🤭 (reading slump who???) i enjoyed THE NANNY by Lana Ferguson but haven’t dived into any of her other work so i was cautiously optimistic with this book and it delivered!

even though you have to suspend belief a little bit here (sometimes all i could think about were the many ethics violations being committed) i had a lot of fun with this book! dani and ezra have chemistry (literally from page one), the best banter, and underneath it all have some some emotional hurdles in their personal life that made for some surprisingly tender moments between the two of them. between the high stakes of dani and ezra being opposing council, the family drama, and everything in between, i COULD NOT put this book down.

3.5 stars

This was a quick and spicy workplace rivals to lovers read, with a bit of a different slant since Dani and Ezra are already in the throes of their relationship when the story starts. After starting off with quite literally a bang, we learn that the pair are slated to be opposing counsel on a messy divorce case, with Dani representing the wife and Ezra the husband. Dani's been traumatized by her own parents divorce, childhood best friends who stayed together only to give her a two parent household than any love between the two, and that's definitely done a number on the way she handles her relationships. She took black cat FMC a little too far for me though, and at times was just downright mean to Ezra, and lacked the maturity to realize her parents didn't do anything wrong. The spicy scenes served, but I had a hard time believing that Dani went from such intense dislike of Ezra to realizing her love, and this is coming from someone who also uses barbed comebacks as a defense mechanism and to show I actually like you. I found Ezra to be the more likeable character, but sometimes his cockiness came on too strong for me too. While I didn't love love this one, I can appreciate it for being an easily digestible palate cleanser type read that doesn't take too much effort.

Lana can do no wrong in my eyes & this story was proof of that. As someone influenced by Elle Woods at too young an age this story was perfect to me! The spice was everything & I couldn’t stop turning the page! It was the best kind of romcom happy ending.

"She's allowed to hate him and enjoy his dick. Those two aren't mutually exclusive."

I’m just a simple romance reader. All I want is Lana Ferguson to write us MMC’s like Ezra Hart and have him be a simp for his woman, in this case, Danica Pierce. Overruled is the brand-new romance that will win over anyone who doesn’t think a healthy debate isn’t a valid form of foreplay. I present this entire novel as evidence.


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Overruled isn’t just a romance between two cutthroat divorce lawyers, it’s also a story of how two people who respect the other enough to listen when it’s truly important. Not only are both Ezra and Dani insanely likeable, but they remained likeable throughout all the drama that unfolds during Overruled. I also enjoyed the not-so-subtle nods to breaking the bonds of misogyny for women throughout both Dani’s part of the story as well as Ezra’s.

"Unfortunately, you keep getting more tolerable by the minute."

While I won’t get into details, I will say that despite the complete opposite childhoods of both Dani and Ezra, both characters end up being practically perfect for the other. I cannot even begin to tell you all how much I adored Dani’s friends and co-workers as side characters who injected so much lightheartedness during the divorce trial that Dani and Ezra inevitably get involved in—representing the opposing soon to be ex-husband and ex-wife of course.


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Lana Ferguson’s flair for tugging on your heartstrings while bringing out your inner horndog seems to be a sweet spot for her, and I truly wouldn’t expect anything less. While I may want to binge “Suits” now (yet again), I am totally content knowing that Ezra and Dani are living their best and horniest lives betwixt the pages of Overruled.

"There's no one I want to purposefully infuriate more than you, Dani."

You’re also going to be living your best and horniest life while reading Overruled. Out everywhere, you best get yourself your very own copy because every romance girly needs to meet Ezra. Remember girls: you’re a Danica. Embrace your inner powerful woman. Oh, and yes, I got everything I wanted from Lana Ferguson. Overruled is perfect.

Overruled was SUCH a fun time!

Lana Ferguson has been a bit of a marmite author for me - I’ve loved some of her books and not vibed with others. THIS is a win, pun slightly intended.

Dani and Ezra gave each other just the right amount of shit, and I loved their connection! Everything about their relationship was so fun to read about, and I had the best time watching them warm up to each other.

Read this book if you love
🩵 this is the “last time” (hint: it’s the prologue)
🩶 black cat/golden retriever
🩵 good arguments
🩶 family ~drama~
🩵 mutual respect

Lana, this was so fun. I’m sorry I doubted you. 4 stars!

Thank you to Berkeley Romance for the free finished copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overruled by Lana Ferguson

Ezra and Dani are divorce lawyers who find themselves in court against each other often. Dani is a workaholic with no personal life. She has built up walls to protect herself due to past family secrets and an ex who broke her heart. Ezra has a bit of a reputation, both as a lawyer and as a man. He's harboring some pretty big family secrets of his own. These two find themselves in a situationship. Their chemistry is so 🥵, and the banter in and out of the courtroom is 🔥! We watch them fall in love while tackling the biggest case of their professional and personal lives. I knew that the 3rd act break-up was going to wreck me, but I kept reading anyway. I had a feeling the HEA would more than make up for it, and it did. ❤️ There were several side characters with their own stories, and I think they made the main story even better. I really hope Ezra's brother gets his own book. He deserves a redemption story!

I received an ARC of this book, but these opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author, Lana Ferguson, Berkley Publishing, and Net Galley for allowing me the privilege of reading her work. ❤️