SUSTAINED - Emma Chase

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.

Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will turn you on. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.

Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy and Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and arguing cases in the principal’s office.

Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, defend her…and the kids.

And that—that, I know how to do.

 

Kricket's Review

 

5 Chirps

 

I am not sure what I loved more about this book - the gaggle of orphans, their young and somewhat naive caretaker, or the complex playboy destined to fall for the messy life he's consciously avoided so far.   Emma Chase weaves the hilarity and distress of every day life of parenting with the fantasy of fairy tale romance to create what can only be considered a 5 Stare must-read.

Jake Becker starts the story as a lonely defense attorney, a playboy spending his mornings doling out a well-rehearsed brush off speech.  His future quite literally slams into him on the street - in the form of Rory McQuaid.  When the young boy attempts to pickpocket him, Jake decides to go easy on the little guy and instead of turn him over to the cops, drives him home to speak with his parents.  Turns out, that won't be possible as his parents recently died in a horrific car accident.  He and his five siblings are now in the care of their 26 year old aunt, Chelsea McQuaid.

Chelsea is the type of woman who will take a man's breath away, but have him laughing the moment it returns.  She's young, beautiful, witty, and strong-willed.  She's carrying the weight of six worlds on her shoulders, and for the most part she's going it with grace.  Jake can't help but be in awe of her.  He decides she is the woman that he wants to learn more about, and in that effort, he also becomes quite attached to the children.

And then the inevitable happens...right about the time they settle into a domestic routine, the world crumbles around them.  Jake is forced to put his legal abilities to use, and when he does, he is also reminded that a life with Chelsea and the kids isn't what he saw for himself.  Finding their way back to each other doesn't seem easy, it doesn't seem possible.   But eventually  they do, as with all the greats, and the ending is a perfect example of less is more.  I have been waiting what seems like forever for a man like Jake Becker and this book.