Wranglers: Discovery

Title: Wranglers: Discovery
Author: Vivien Dean
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (17k words)
Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

A Guest Review by Aunt Lynn

THE BLURB

Derek Rossi is used to being one of the best young lawyers in San Francisco…until he loses a case to his legal rival, the sexy and irrepressible Sam Kimball. The passionate, two-month-long court battle has left Derek frustrated, angry, and ready to take it out on Sam. But when Sam surprises him with a kiss, Derek has absolutely no idea what to do. All he knows is his preoccupation with the other lawyer now includes more than wrangling in the courtroom with him.

The only problem is, Sam honors Derek’s request to leave him alone. Derek thought that was what he wanted.

But now, with memories of the kiss consuming him, Derek doesn’t know what he wants at all anymore…

THE REVIEW

Wranglers: Discovery is the first book in a new series by one of my favorite authors, Vivien Dean. For the short length of the well-written story, she packs a lot in a small space: smexual tension, a smattering of angst, good characterizations, a realistic plot, and even pacing. I was immediate immersed and stayed that way until the end.

Told from Derek’s POV, it packs a punch — literally — from the beginning. It opens to us finding Derek in a pretty vicious boxing match with a “little shit” with a “pretty little face,” only to find he is actually in his office using his Wii, taking out his frustration over something that obviously had happened that day. He is interrupted when his assistant lets him know that Sam Kimball, opposing counsel to whom he just lost a two-month-long case that day — and his imaginary opponent of a few moments before — is there to see him. Surprised by the visit, and even more surprised by — and wary of — an offer for a drink and maybe friendship, he cautiously says yes. Surprises are not over for the evening, from Sam’s choice of bar to his age to the kiss he lays on Derek at the end.

The rest was lost in the clamp of a hand at the back of his neck and the seal of Sam’s mouth over his when he yanked Derek down. The thrust of his slightly bitter tongue past Derek’s lips demanded an equal response. The only problem was, Derek had none. To say he was taken aback was an understatement. He never would have considered Sam Kimball interested in anything but pissing him off as much as he possibly could. He’d excelled at it, after all. And he’d certainly never entertained the notion of bending Sam over the conference table and fucking him senseless so the courtroom might be a more congenial environment.

Angered by the kiss and the nerve and his own reaction, he demands that Sam leave him alone. All that does, however, is make Derek think about Sam and that kiss until he has a reason to contact him again. Could they work something out?

I liked both protags very much and I think they’ll be very good for one another as the series progresses. Thankfully neither is a caricature of the cut-throat lawyer, though they both are smart, highly competitive, confident, focused and determined. But Derek is out of his element with Sam, on unsure and dangerous ground. First losing in court to the “runt,” then thrown by what he considers “rancid oil” from the olive branch Sam is offering (that first drink), then that blasted kiss, then a dinner that is not a date, yet not a work meeting, then some fabulous smexxin, he doesn’t know how to handle himself or Sam. But he also can’t deny that he’s watched Sam closely for several months while on this case, first as an adversary and now in a new light, and he’s surprised he wants to find a way to make it work. I loved that he had to grapple with the decision, that he was willing to take that chance,  and that he’s willing to discover some common ground, like the love of video games.

I really liked Sam. A pretty boy Texan with light accent, an easy smile and dancing blue eyes, he’s short for a man, which is unusual in these stories where the six-foot-plus hero is almost the norm. Without the lifts Derek was certain he put in those overpriced Italian shoes, he was only five-six, maybe five-seven if someone stuck an umbrella up his ass and opened it up. Derek had taken it as an advantage when they’d met the first time over the conference table. He had seven solid inches on the other lawyer. My guess is that he is used to people underestimating him as a result of his height and his accent, and I liked watching him take Derek down a peg or two when that happened.  I also liked that he took Derek on, was able to respect Derek’s wishes, and knew when to push.

There are few secondary characters that we meet, mostly in Derek’s office, and the plot is centered on these two. As usual, Vivien pens some pretty mean chemistry, attraction and steamy smexxin, but not so much smex that it overwhelms the story.

Oh, and that restaurant they go to in San Francisco’s Mission district? Luna Park? It’s a real establishment and I’m so now wanting to go for the popular warm goat cheese fondue app and their famous mac & cheese. Yum. Now I’m hungry. Maybe I’ll go during the week; I don’t spend nearly enough time in the City…

With the ending left as it was, I foresee plenty of opportunity for inter-office and in the courtroom drama that will undoubtedly challenge our heroes’ budding relationship, so now I am waiting on the next installment, Wranglers: Voir Dire, available next month…

OVERALL

I highly recommend this great little gem that I hope will begin a wonderful series by a talented author. If you’re in the mood for a short-ish read with good characters and a dash of hawt smexxin, this might be just the thing.