Two attorneys, one partnership slot, and a manipulative boss who claims they will make a decision after a high-profile case. Landon and Carly both want the promotion, both know they deserve it, but desperately don’t want to work together in some forced test to see who is best. A romance with a court-room drama, full or suspense and the hint of a thriller as well, this is an excellent new story from Carsen Taite.

Well written, cleverly plotted, with a great balance between the slow change from dislike to attraction to love in the romance department while the high profile case works through its phases. The merging of the two plots is subtle and well-crafted seamlessly moving us forward on both fronts.

The characters are likeable, flawed but growing, and coming to realise that they complement each other as they evolve both at work and develop their personal relationship. Their growth adds to the depth of the story, and we can see how well suited they are as the plot unfolds and their strengths shine through.

The high profile murder is well played, as always with Ms Taites courtroom drama’s and I liked the way it became a real life thriller as well as a legal case. Overall an excellent read, one of my favourites from this author. Only one complaint – its short at 234 pages and I would definitely have liked more.

I would like to thank netgalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Boring.

Carsten Taite always delivers a good read, and this is another one. A tight legal drama that is both entertaining and somewhat educational to those of us not privy to the workings of the US legal system. Oh, and there are the hot, successful women in their power suits. Phew!

Enjoyable enough legal drama about two lawyers who are vying for the one spot as a partner in their law firm. They have to work together on a high profile murder case to prove themselves to their boss and along the way they fall in love which causes heartache for them both. Ms Carsen writes well and knows all the intricacies of the legal world which always makes interesting reading. I liked the two women and thought their romance was touching. However I thought the book was far too short for the plot. Because it was a relatively short book, both the love story and the mystery seemed rushed and under-developed. I would have liked more time centred on the buildup of the relationship of the two women. The mystery was the weakest part of the novel and the guilty person easy to pick. To sum up—I did enjoy the romance but I came away disappointed.

Love’s Verdict was so gripping I finished it in one day. Carly and Landon had fantastic chemistry, the romantic storyline was well paced and well written, and the secondary storyline about the murder case was equally gripping. Another hit from Carsten Taite.

An honest review thanks to NetGalley. This was a great read by Taite, and I was surprised at how fast the legal drama pulled me into the story. Add in the characters of Landon and Carly, and I devoured this book. The legalities, the drama, and the chemistry between the two characters will make this a book that you will not regret picking up!

I had a hardish time getting into this, but once I did, I enjoyed the book. Lots of legal talk, lots of banter.

Carly stays kind of bland all through the book. Towards the end it really picked up speed. The resolution of the plot points are obvious and the end itself is on the cheesy side. But overall I enjoyed.

I‘m not okay with apparently now having to be okay with ‘didn’t used to‘.

Stevie‘s review of Love’s Verdict by Carsen Taite
Contemporary Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 14 Aug 18

Carsen Taite’s legal romances generally have at least a hint of mystery and danger to them as well as lots of case detail, which is what mainly appeals to me about them. This latest book is no exception, even though the blurb gives little clue as to the excitement to come. Carly Pachett and Landon Holt work for two different offices of the same law firm, in Dallas and Austin respectively. Carly prefers to stay behind the scenes doing essential research on the cases she’s involved with, whereas Landon is more upfront and people orientated. When a big-name client is accused of murder right after Carly’s background work has won him a case against the football team he plays for, who suspended him after rumours about his off-field conduct, the firm’s partners ask Carly to take a more prominent role on his defence team, with the promise of a partnership in the firm if she handles things properly. The only catch is that they want her to work with Landon on the case, and when it later transpires that only one of them will be given a partnership, the initial rivalry between the two escalates exponentially.


Landon isn’t happy to be back in Dallas: it’s where most of her family live, including her influential father, who would prefer her to be working in corporate law on his behalf, rather than defending her current clients in the criminal courts. He’s already broken up her one serious relationship – back when she was a law student – and now she doesn’t trust either him or any potential partners she might meet. That’s not to say that Landon isn’t ambitious: she wants the partnership every bit as much as Carly and to show how much she can achieve on her own merit, away from her father’s pulling of every string he can reach. While the two women are rivals for the ultimate prize, winning the case is going to take all Carly’s research skills as well as Landon’s skills in the courtroom, since the initial evidence is very much pointing to their client’s guilt, no matter how much he protests his innocence.

Not all the evidence Carly uncovers adds up, though, and the pair begin to suspect that someone else is behind the initial crime and other incidents that later emerge through their and the prosecution’s work.

I had a pretty good intuition as to the truth of the crime from early on, although I could understand why neither heroine had the same suspicions until much later. I enjoyed the interplay between the two and the attraction they felt towards each other was very believable, as was Carly’s heartbreak when things seemed to be going wrong. I was thrilled by the dramatic climax and the way the pair had to use all their resources if they were both to get out of what was a very dangerous situation for at least one of them. Just for once, though, I’d love to see a romance in this oeuvre where at least one heroine isn’t quite so glamorous.

Grade: B

As with most of Ms. Taite’s books, the legal arena is used as the setting for “Love’s Verdict”. The two main characters, Landon Holt and Carly Pachett, work for the same law firm. Each character has her own strengths. Landon is very charismatic and excels when arguing cases to a judge or jury. Carly is skillful in legal research and loves to dig into legal documents and put the case’s puzzle together so that it can then be presented in the court.

Landon and Carly have worked for the firm for many years and are setting themselves up for a partnership in the company. Jane, their employer, decides to have Landon and Carly work together on a case involving a football star who allegedly killed his girlfriend. The lawyer who exhibits the best “partnership” characteristics will be awarded a partnership in the firm. There is only one opening for this year and the competition is going to be fierce.

The plot is well developed. Ms. Taite is a lawyer herself and this is a great vehicle for her to demonstrate her legal proficiency. Ms. Taite uses language that the layperson can understand. As a result, the story moves along smoothly and has many twists and turns. The characters are very believable and engaging. I enjoyed the rivalry between Carly and Landon and how they tease and flirt with one another.

The one negative I had with this book was the unpredictability of the plot. I would, however, recommend this book with a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

I was given this ARC in return for a fair and honest review.

I am a massive fan of all Carsen Taite's works, and yet again she has delivered an excellent book. Whereas a lot of authors will concentrate on the girl meets girl CT has the exceptional skill of delivering a good story with the added bonus of romance.
Love's Verdict is one of her best, you have tension between Landon and Carly with the thrill of a legal story.

This book is a real page turner, one that I couldn't put down as I was on edge to find out the ending
Recommend 100%

I am a Carsen Taite fan, this was not my favorite. I enjoyed it but I do not think it ranks on the top of my list. It was, however, easy to read in one sitting.

Not my usual read but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very well written and held my interest throughout. Two leading attorneys, Landon and Carley, going head-to-head for a partnership in a law firm. I liked the twists and turns of their romance and I also enjoyed the legal side of the story as well. A romance and a murder which had a really interesting twist at the end. Altogether a wonderful read. I shall read other titles from Carsen Taite.

Well written legal mystery with a little romance thrown in to spice it up. The legal part was very interesting but I didn't find the budding romance believable. Sex scene, singular, was very mild. The ending was predictable but complete. Its a quick but enjoyable read.

Love’s Verdict is an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers romance with a legal thriller backdrop. It is a well-written, well-plotted story with two high-profile and driven lawyers as the stars. They have different backgrounds, motivations, and personalities but their spark of attraction gradually grows despite the adversarial work relationship.

Carsen Taite is a master in this area, and this book shows it. The romance was well-done. I learnt a bit more about law, and a bit more about Texas. I still have no interest in studying law or visiting Texas, but the story is good! The villain wasn’t difficult to work out, but the mystery was well-handled. I think the outcome of their test assignment was the obvious but perfectly correct one.
Definitely recommended.

Very well-written, good story and multi-layered characters. Over all, very well done. Not I book I couldn’t put down but an interesting read nevertheless. Nice read.

This was an educational legal thriller with an intriguing plot. Pretty much every time I read a story by this author, I learn something about the law. Which in my opinion, is a good thing. To some extent the story was predictable which was okay because the characters were fascinating with their back and forth and self-talk. Carly Pachett is focused, talented, yet she lacks gumption. Landon Holt is laid back, down to earth, yet she struggles with her wealthy family. When they meet it is a back and forth struggle of attraction. Not one of the better reads for me by this author but it was good enough for me to keep reading books by Carsen Taite.

​This is the first Carson Taite book I have read. I couldn't wait, because I​'​d heard so many good things about her work.

Which means of course, I ran the risk of setting myself up for disappointment. Luckily, I did not. This is a wonderful book, and I could find no flaws in it.

The characters, of course, are another story. But even with their flaws, they were worth getting to know.

Jane, even as she was flawed in her manipulation of ​Landon and Carly​, their response to it helped make them better lawyers, and there's something to be said for that.

I would have been satisfied with the classic "two women meet and fall in love despite themselves" story, if this had been one of those. Those are satisfying stories when done well. The fact that this was so much more than that - especially, but not only, the two twists near the end of the book (one of them involving Jane's manipulation) - made it that much more enjoyable. I almost laughed when I realized what was going on - the second twist is really one that should not have been a surprise if I had been paying better attention to the clues. But that's really okay - I don't mind being surprised when it's done so well.

This will definitely not be the last Carson Taite book I read. And this will not be the last time I read this particular book.

Love’s Verdict is a nice easy law story with a compelling lead couple. Carsen Taite is the master of this genre and I always enjoy the Texas flavor she adds. This is an enemies-to-lovers/opposites attract story, and it really worked for me. Landon had a fantastic backstory, but I would’ve liked to more about Carly. Very nice conclusion to the who-makes-partner side story. A very worthwhile read. Side note: the cover didn't do it for me. I generally don't like photos because they never look like I envision them while reading.

Characters are believable and well developed.

Plot builds steadily and is easy to follow.

The mystery and relationships build, pulling you in until you figure out whodunit.

Carsen Taite has done it again. She has given us a book that once I got started I hated to put down. We have defense attorneys Carly Pachett who had to work hard to get where she is. She’s smart but likes to stay in the background doing the research necessary to give her clients the best chance at winning their case. Landon Holt has is all, or so it seems. Even though she comes from money she has worked hard to get out from under her controlling father who believes he’s alway right. He wants Landon back in Dallas where he feels she belongs. When they are both given the chance to advance their careers they are pitted against each other but at the same time are expected to work together defending a sports celebrity who has been charged with murder. Ms Tailte has again wrote a book with many twists and turns, making it simply another great read. Very, very enjoyable. .
eARC via NetGalley