Rule of Law by Randy Singer | Re:View

Riveting and relevant, Rule of Law asks questions we need the answers to today in an engaging, fictional way.

***

This book was good, but it was also hard to read at times. I have long enjoyed fiction that incorporates a military thread or characters and this did just that in such a poignant way (see slight spoiler at bottom of post if you are sensitive to this). I'll admit to having shed many tears as I read this.

Despite the ensuing tears, I really enjoyed Randy's plot, his characters, and his no-nonsense writing voice. It's written in a straightforward way that invites you into the action without too much of the characters emotions clouding the issues. The style is very clean-cut but yet it still digs deep and pulls out reader feelings and creates sympathies for the characters.

I really liked Paige Chambers as a character. She is good at what she does but not an expert. She was vulnerable but not predictable. She was real without being overly emotional. Are you seeing a theme here? More than liking Paige though, I liked how she grew as a character. I won't say much here for fear of saying too much, but I can almost guarantee that you'll be rooting for her as you read through this.

From @createexploreread

As for the plot, it is a little complicated. There are a lot of moving pieces and it's written in a way that doesn't give you all of the answers until the end - something I enjoy. I also feel like it is very relevant. We may not be going through this with our government today, but it feels very feasible for the future. What would happen if...? How will the courts react when...? It's questions like that that made me enjoy this even more because you get to see one persons perspective of what could happen.

I definitely recommend this if you enjoy legal thrillers! Randy is an engaging storyteller and will definitely pull at your emotions while keeping you entertained.

My rating: 5*
Purchase: Rule of Law


Book Description
(from Amazon)

What did the president know? And when did she know it?

For the members of SEAL Team Six, it was a rare mission ordered by the president, monitored in real time from the Situation Room. The Houthi rebels in Yemen had captured an American journalist and a member of the Saudi royal family. Their executions were scheduled for Easter Sunday. The SEAL team would break them out.

But when the mission results in spectacular failure, the finger-pointing goes all the way to the top.

Did the president play political games with the lives of U.S. service members?

Paige Chambers, a determined young lawyer, has a very personal reason for wanting to know the answer. The case she files will polarize the nation and test the resiliency of the Constitution. The stakes are huge, the alliances shaky, and she will be left to wonder if the saying on the Supreme Court building still holds true.

Equal justice under law.

It makes a nice motto. But will it work when one of the most powerful people on the planet is also a defendant?

*Light Spoiler*
For those who are sensitive to reading about loss of life, especially military service members, parts of this may be difficult to read. 

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I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.  

Beyond Justice by Cara Putman | Re:View

Beyond Justice takes me back to the beauty of Washington, D.C. while sending me on a thrilling mission for justice fraught with twists, turns, and duplicity.

*** 

Not only have I had the pleasure of getting to know Cara Putman through her work with ACFW, but I've also had the chance to do her headshots. Let me tell you - she is the sweetest! When I heard about this book I was sooo excited to read it and let me tell you, it delivered.

Hayden McCarthy is a character that I instantly fell in love with. I could easily picture her walking the streets of Arlington after a long day at work just as I could see her seeking out the truth through the justice system. Alternatively, I loved Andrew Wesley's character. He was multi-faceted and I appreciated his perspective juxtaposed with Hayden's.

@CreateExploreRead

The stakes of the book are obvious from the beginning and I liked how Cara was able to tie Andrew's work in with Hayden's case. I also appreciated the difference this book represents for the romantic suspense genre. I really enjoyed the fact that neither of their professions are 'typical' for a current romantic suspense. I feel like it was a fresh take on this genre and drew me in immediately.

I would point out that (at times) I felt a little ignorant of our justice system *cringes* and couldn't follow along on all parts. Cara did a great job explaining, but maybe I'm just too far gone to grasp some of the legal ideas and the court system. Still, wherever possible, I felt like she slipped in explanations that were not far fetched in the context of the conversation and made the "technical side" easily readable.

Lastly, the setting. OMG I miss D.C. so much and this book was like taking a walk along the Tidal Basin or seeing the Washington Monument in the sky line. It was beautifully portrayed and I felt like I was back there as I read this.

I'd definitely recommend this to those who like legal and suspense reads. It's not "high octane" action, but there's enough suspense to really grip you. The romance is wonderfully done as well and will really hold you to the end.

My rating: 4.5*
Purchase: Beyond Jusice

Book Description 
(from Amazon)

Hayden is on track to become the youngest partner in her prestigious DC law firm . . .

If the case she’s just been handed doesn’t destroy her first.

Hayden McCarthy knows firsthand the pain that follows when justice is not served. It’s why she became an attorney and why she’s so driven in her career. When she’s assigned a wrongful death case against the government, she isn’t sure if it’s the lucky break she needs to secure a partnership—or an attempt to make sure she never gets there.

Further complicating matters is Andrew Wesley, her roommate’s distractingly attractive cousin. But Andrew’s father is a congressman, and Hayden’s currently taking on the government. Could the timing be any worse?

The longer she keeps the case active, the higher the stakes become. Unknown enemies seem determined to kill the case—or her. Logic and self-preservation indicate she should close the case. But how can she, when justice is still just beyond her reach?

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I received this book for free but was under no obligation to post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.