BOOK REVIEW: Legally Yours, Violet Lopez

 

LEGALLY YOURS, VIOLET LOPEZ
by Elba Luz
Available October 20

Violet Lopez dreams of going to Harvard law school and becoming a successful lawyer, and she's pushed herself into overdrive to do just that. So she's not at all eager to help laid-back basketball player Theo at his mock trial, where he stands accused of vandalism. Unfortunately, Violet gets cornered into representing him from two corners. Theo blackmails her into serving as his defense after discovering her attempts to find her father a girlfriend, and Theo's jealous ex bribes her to throw the trial and get Theo kicked off the basketball team.

The decision is relatively simple: Violet needs the money, and she doesn't care much about Theo. Until she does start to care about him. When she works herself to exhaustion, he's there to pick her up and force her to rest. And the two have a lot more in common than she first believed. Now she's crushing on him hard; but if she doesn't do as she's told, she could lose the future she's worked so hard for.

I conditionally enjoyed Build-a-Girlfriend, also by Elba Luz, but found that it stuck way too closely to the "on rails" teen romance plot formula. While some of that is still present in Legally Yours, Violet Lopez—the betrayal locked and loaded to go off pretty much when you expect it will—what comes between flows a lot more organically. It's also a great insight into what it's like to be a perfectionist, and how "the grind" can actually be physically and mentally detrimental.

What stands out most, though, is the final trial. That's what we're all here for, and it's worth it. I got big Ace Attorney vibes from it, and that's a compliment.

While anyone who's read a teen romcom in recent years can accurately predict the trajectory of the plot, the actual practice of reading Legally Yours, Violet Lopez is a lot of fun, and the characters are very much worth spending time with.

DRINK PAIRING: Elixir of Hydration
After reading about the absolutely heinous energy drink Violet concocts for herself, I figured she could use something a little sweeter. This is a pink lemonade electrolyte blend that has a magic sparkle to it and is formulated for daily use. Use my code KARA15 for a discount on this and other elixirs from Velvet Hammer!

FEATURED CANDLE: Pemberley Gardens
A seasonal candle inspired by Jane Eyre, this fits both for the enemies-to-lovers aspect and for Violet's floral-inspired name. Click the link for more book-inspired candles from Frostbeard!