A review by readfrenzy
Sidebarred by Emma Chase

5.0

If Romantic Comedy were a land of monarchy, Emma Chase would be firmly seated on the throne. I fell in love with her Tangled series, and Drew Evans became my ultimate book boyfriend. Then along came The Legal Brief series. The entire series is charming, but I crowned [b:Sustained|22926485|Sustained (The Legal Briefs, #2)|Emma Chase|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435809134s/22926485.jpg|42495691] my Favorite Romantic Comedy of All-Time and—almost impossibly—Drew had to step aside because he proved to be no competition for Jake Becker. Jake, Chelsea, and the six McQuaid nieces and nephews completely stole my heart. Basically, what I’m getting at is if you haven’t read this series, you’re seriously missing out.

Anywho… [b:Sustained|22926485|Sustained (The Legal Briefs, #2)|Emma Chase|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435809134s/22926485.jpg|42495691] is a standalone within the series, and it wouldn’t be a Rom Com if it didn’t have a happy ever after ending. End of. Fortunately for readers, Emma Chase decided that Jake Becker had a bit more story to tell from his point of view, and thus we’ve been gifted with this follow-up novella. I’m happy to say that Sidebarred did not disappoint.

Jake and Chelsea have been married for two years, and Jake has adapted to his role as the patriarch of the McQuaid brood exactly as I expected—with patience, keen intuition, a whole lot of love, and an abundance of humor. He is still that tattooed reformed bad boy who can win a fist fight, make your toes curl in bed, take down a criminal in a court of law, and braid hair like a boss. It was so enjoyable to see the many ways the kids have grown up and changed, while maintaining their distinct, wonderful personalities. Jake and Chelsea are stronger than ever—even if they have to carefully orchestrate alone time to keep their love life alive.

I’m so glad Stanton, Sophia, Brent, and Kennedy make a return as well because the story wouldn’t have felt complete without catching up on their lives. The entire book is a delight from beginning to end, and I felt emotional reading it. I had tears in my eyes throughout—if not from laughing, then from the many heartfelt moments. As a surprise bonus, a deleted scene from [b:Appealed|22926494|Appealed (The Legal Briefs, #3)|Emma Chase|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1427782707s/22926494.jpg|42495698] is included.

Thanks, Ms. Chase, for the journey. These characters will stay with me for a long time.

Recommended for fans of:
Romantic Comedy
Male POV stories
The Legal Briefs series
Alice Clayton

* NOTE: Sidebarred is not a standalone and should not be read without at least reading Sustained first.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**

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