Courtroom Drama
Neely Tubati Alexander. Harper Perennial, $17.99 trade paper (352p) ISBN 978-0-06-342828-7
Taking the forced proximity trope to the limit, Tubati Alexander (In a Not So Perfect World) delivers a wildly entertaining romance between two members of a sequestered jury. On trial is Margot Kitsch, one of the stars of Real Housewives–esque reality TV show Authentic Moms of Malibu, who stands accused of killing her husband. Jury member and reality TV superfan Sydney Parks is thrilled to be there—especially when she finds herself seated next to her childhood best friend, Damon Bradburn, in the jury box. The pair fell out of touch after discovering their parents’ affair when they were high school sophomores, causing a rift between the two families. Now, 10 years later, unresolved feelings rise to the surface. To their frustration, there’s not much opportunity for them to clear the air during court as they listen to housekeepers, other reality TV stars, and family members offer increasingly alarming testimony about a woman Sydney held on a pedestal. Instead they pass notes and steal moments at their dingy hotel. Though the setting occasionally feels claustrophobic, Tubati Alexander impressively drives forward both the murder trial and the romance, conjuring real chemistry between her leads and soapy, salacious intrigue in the courtroom. This is pure popcorn. (May)
Details
Reviewed on: 03/03/2025
Genre: Romance/Erotica
Hardcover - 352 pages - 978-0-06-344209-2
Other - 352 pages - 978-0-06-342829-4
Audio book sample courtesy of HarperAudio