Saturdays at the Café

Saturdays at the Café is a weekly feature hosted here to talk about and discuss the books I’ve discovered during the past week, added to my shelf and am excited about reading. They may be new/scheduled releases I’ve seen on NetGalley, at the library, or from publishers or they may be older titles my friends have reviewed and shared on Goodreads or blogs.

Jessie Black is a rising star at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. But all of her abilities will be put to the test when Frank Ramsey, a brutal serial murderer and rapist she successfully prosecuted over a year ago, petitions the court for a new trial.

Public defender Jack Ackerman represented Ramsey at his first trial. Beating him had not been easy. That was before his spectacular public breakdown, which saw him singing and dancing in open court and resulted in his commitment to a mental institution mere weeks after Ramsey’s guilty verdict.

Now, Ramsey may have a chance at a new trial based on an ineffective assistance of counsel claim. To stop Ramsey, Jessie will need to defend a defense attorney she never liked, and prove that he’s not crazy–a fact she’s far from sure of. A new trial would devastate Kristen Dillard, the teenage girl whose life Ramsey shattered and the only witness to his horrific crimes. And to make matters worse, powerful forces are hellbent on putting Ramsey back on the street for their own mysterious purposes, and won’t let anyone–including a prosecutor–stand in their way.

Will one lawyer’s nervous breakdown set a killer free? For Jessie, this fight will be the toughest of her career, and one she’s not willing to lose.

Thanks to Anne @ Books of My Heart for her great review of this first book in this legal thriller series. I used a Libro.fm credit for the audiobook.

At a sumptuous family wedding, two former friends rediscover their own love story and the lies that tore them apart in a chaotic and swoony second-chance romance by the author of Yours for the Season.

Toronto attorney Dina Haq is looking forward to her influencer sister’s lavish South Asian wedding. She wouldn’t dream of overshadowing the event of the season by revealing her carefully guarded Her own marriage has gone bust. She just needs to make sure her odious ex keeps his mouth shut, too. Complications arise once she discovers that the groom’s best man is none other than Luqman “Lucky” Latif, a law school crush who ghosted her six years ago.

Forced to abandon his lawyerly ambitions to help his struggling family in Chicago, Lucky rebuilt his life, and a successful contracting business, and has moved on from past hurts…or so he thinks. Then he sees Dina again, the woman who not only rejected him but also had the nerve to marry his best friend instead. He’s not sure his heart can survive another encounter.

As the wedding festivities unfold, Dina and Lucky rediscover their connection and begin to unravel the part her manipulative ex-husband played in their almost-love story. The past isn’t quite what they thought, but is it too late to imagine a new future together?

I accepted this for audio review.

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In #1 New York Times bestseller J.R. Ward’s newest Black Dagger Brotherhood installment, star-crossed lovers face the battles of their lives…in the midst of war with the Lessening Society.

A Hidden Past

Allhan, a computer genius who works for the Brotherhood, has a deadly secret. Torn between what he must do, and his increasing attachment to Vishous, he’s not looking for any more complications in his life. He’s not going to survive the one he has.

A Royal Future

Princess Dennesha, heir to the throne of the Shadows, is a live and let die kind of female. At least until she finds herself tangling in the destiny of a human—even though it goes against every instinct of hers and all common sense.

A Terrible Choice

When Allhan and Denne meet by chance, their passion is undeniable. But a rare astrological event triggers a crossroads for the Princess. Either mate a male she doesn’t love and assume the throne, or stay true to her heart and condemn the Territory to destruction. With Allhan fighting his conscience—and a lesser who’s after Wrath and the Brothers—can the two find a way out of their fates? Or are they doomed to grieve a love that could never be for eternity…

I accepted this for audio review.

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She’s spent her life taking care of everyone else. He’s determined to be the one to take care of her.

Elizabeth is sick of always having to be the reliable one―for her dad, for her disabled sister, for her best friend. Just once, she’d love to be able to lean on someone else, to do something for herself instead of worrying about everyone else.

Mike Maddox has a lot of amends to make. His past has cost him his best friend, and now his job could be on the line. His coworker Elizabeth can’t stand him, and he doesn’t even blame her. But Mike has always had a thing for Elizabeth. And if he can convince her he’s changed, maybe there’s hope. Showing up for her is easy. Doing things for her sister, remembering the special occasions everyone around her forgets. Gaining Elizabeth’s trust heals something in him he didn’t think could be fixed.

Bit by bit, day by day, Elizabeth begins to realize that maybe there’s more to Mike than she thought possible. Falling for him is the easy part, but trusting herself when everyone else says she’s wrong might be the hardest thing she’s ever done.

I learned of this from the author’s newsletter. Scheduled for release in April, it’s a library audiobook hopeful.

In this gritty police procedural from New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan, a detective plays a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with a charismatic lawyer who’s more than he seems.

Detective Skye Truman’s investigation into a series of sexual assaults has led her to the culprit: Trent Calderon, the most charming, affable lawyer in the governor’s office. The man who has an answer for everything. Skye’s obsession grows with every victim, every escalation, every encounter with Calderon, and every moral compromise she makes to catch him. Because if she doesn’t, she risks losing more than just her badge.

Allison Brennan’s Takedown is part of Pursuit, a gripping collection of short stories that explore what it means to be predator and prey … and what it takes to gain the upper hand. Read or listen to each pulse-pounding story in a single sitting—and an intense adrenaline rush.

I readily accepted this short story for audio review.

What books did YOU add to your shelves this week?