A sexy and suspenseful new contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake where love and law entwine for a conviction of the heart.To high-end defense attorney Henry Garrison, Win Hughes is a woman he met during one of the most trying times of his life. She’s soft and warm, and he finds solace in their brief relationship. But Win has a secret. She’s actually Taylor … She’s actually Taylor Winston-Hughes–born to one of the wealthiest families in the country, orphaned as a child by a tragic accident. Win moves in the wealthiest circles, but her lavish lifestyle hides her pain.
When her best friend is murdered in the midst of a glittering New York gala, Win’s charged with the crime, and the only person in the world she wants to see is Henry.
Henry is shocked at the true identity of his lover, but he can’t reject the case. This trial could take his new firm into the stratosphere. Still, he’s not getting burned by Win again. And yet every turn brings them closer together.
As the case takes a wild turn and Win’s entire life is upended, she must look to the people she’s closest to in order to find a killer. And Henry must decide between making his case and saving the woman he loves…
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If you have read any of Lexi Blake’s books you know you’re in for a treat, not only does she give you likable characters with a great story line and the sexy times really can melt your kindle, she gives you great secondary characters that keeps you interested in wanting more and more from the series. Well, that is exactly what she has done with her new series Courting Justice, with this first book Order of Protection.
Win and Henry are each trying to overcome the damage they have done to their lives and they find solace in one another, but then something goes terribly wrong and Win is arrested for the murder of her best friend. As if that isn’t bad enough, the secret that Win has been keeping from Henry comes out and wow does he take it bad….and that’s putting it mildly.
This story held my interest from the first page right until the last, there was not skimming or skipping at any point. I cannot wait to see what happens next in the series when David, a former football star turned lawyer, gets his HEA. If you enjoy Lexi Blake I am sure you will enjoy this book, and if you haven’t read any of her work before this is a great place to start. Happy Reading!
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book**
4 Is He Really the Monster of Manahattan Stars!!!
The minute I heard about this book, this first one in a new series by Ms. Wilde I knew I HAD to read this book. Ms. Wilde is so brilliant at weaving a story with a complexity of details that are spot on and engage her readers from the very beginning of the book.
Order of Protection is no different our H/h Henry and Win. There’s a connection between these two even they don’t want to admit it because it’ll draw away from their “deal” of having a no-strings attached two weeks of bliss. But all that changes when Win is accused of a horrible crime and Henry is the man she runs to not only for comfort but also for her defense as he’s the best lawyer in the city.
There’s so many things I loved about this book. Both of these two have secrets they’re hiding and their damaged in their own ways too, so, so damaged. But watching them work their way through all the revelations as Henry continues to build a case that will reveal who the real killer is! Along the way, Win has to come to terms that not everyone she thought was her friend isn’t and that alone given the loneliness of her childhood is another blow to her heart. But that doesn’t take away from her sassy, intelligent woman that I loved!!!
Oh and when we find out the who’s and why’s of this crime I was shocked!!! I want to give kudos to Ms. Blake because I certainly didn’t see it coming! If you’re a lover of romantic suspense, this is a must read for you!!
*4.5 stars*
Whew….
Once I started this story, I didn’t come up for air until the very end. A slow burn, this was an intense romance and a whole lot more…
Win and Henry were both recovering when they ‘ran’ into each other on the heels of a storm. Win was beautiful, interesting and throughout it all, carried herself with class. Henry was smart, accomplished but haunted by his fall from grace. Even when secrets tore their fledgling relationship apart, when tragedy struck, there was no one Win would trust more…
This offshoot of the Lawless series (I see you Noah!) was mystery, suspense and, of course, schmexy love. This author knows how to write a story that gives and gives from page one and this one was no exception. I loved all the characters as they played their given roles to perfection. The twists, the betrayals (oh my word – the betrayals!) fed a storyline that nudged but never quite went over the top. I loved every drama-filled moment and can’t wait for more!
*Reviewed for 1-Click Addict Support Group
**Thank you to NetGalley
Henry and Win fell together when they were both starting a new phase of their life. She was hopeful, he was not. That is the trend of their relationship, she keeps hoping for more and he keeps shutting her down. It takes the whole book from him to come to his senses and stop pushing her away. Now, he holds he close almost the whole book, so you really want to up slap him at those few moments he decides to be what he thinks is noble. Win doesn’t give up, on anything. People, relationships, dreams, but she is also a realist. When two people with addiction issues meet, one optimist, the other pessimist, they are going to be disagreements. These two work through them all, it just takes the pessimist a little longer to get onboard
I would also like to point out that my tween years reading, and re-reading, Trixie Belding mysteries had me figuring out the mystery in the book before the others! Also, the narration was wonderful with all the characters dialogue and distinct personalities. It was awesome to see where Noah Lawless ended up, and to see Michael Malone outside of the M&M world
I haven’t read many books by this author and I want to go back and read all of her books. This was a great start to a new series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Henry also known, as the Monster of Manhattan is a ruthless lawyer you want on your side. It doesn’t matter to him if the client is guilty, that is what makes him so good.
Win is a reality star and the only survivor of an accident that took her parents from her. Both of these characters have demons they are fighting. They have an instant connection and you can’t help but like them. So much happens between these two. I don’t want to ruin anything for you. I will say this is a must read and I can not wait for the next book in the series.
Loved it! The story had so many twists all the way to the end. This will not disappoint.
Order of Protection is the first book in Lexi Blake’s new Courting Justice series and has connections to both her Masters and Mercenaries (Yay! McKay-Taggart) series and Lawless series (an equally yummy series).
I have read almost every Lexi Blake book that there is and one thing I have definitely come to learn is that there is no doubt that the shoe will drop.
Always. Always the other shoe drops.
This first book features Henry, a lawyer known as the Monster of Manhattan, a hard, cold lawyer with ice in his veins – only that’s not the man Win meets.
When Win, the Million Dollar Baby, a former reality star, first meets Henry – he’s warm, sexy, playful and protective.
After a brief interlude, the pair go their separate ways and what did I tell you? The other shoe always drops!
I loved this book and immediately fell head over heels for both Henry and Win.
I can’t wait to read the next installment in what I think will be another fantastic series by one of my favorite authors
Definitely recommended!
As with all of Lexi Blake books the storyline is original with both entertaining and gripping. I always just inhale her books then down load the audible books to listen again.
3.5 stars
Nothing says trouble like a reality tv star being arrested for murder. Nothing spells ratings like the lawyer representing her being a past lover. Nothing spells trouble like holes in an alibi and lack of proof…
But that isn’t stopping the DA and it’s only going to get worse.
Order of Protection is a new start to new series but don’t fret too much, there are plenty of “visits” from familiar faces in the Lexi Blake universe.
Enjoy the muscled men of McKay- Taggert and their appearances. But don’t think this legal office is lacking in the looks department either!I look forward to future installments.
Ok grab some tissues. What an emotional ride. Twists and turns and mystery, murder and mayhem all wrapped up in a hot sexy love story. New series from a favorite author. Guess appearances from her other series rounds this out as spectacular!
I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review, I was not required to. This is a beginning of a wonderful story of how ideas about a group of people can change .Each character in the story are strong and the writing is wonderful. Win was the Million Dollar Baby who was going spending a little time at Martha’s Vineyard before she left for grad school at Duke, Henry is attorney is settling with the decision he is having to sell his family home because of his divorce and downfall from his marriage. He is a attorney in NYC and needing to start over. They meet on the beach behind his house and things just continue from there.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Mary Jo –
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
Win Hughes has it all, or so it seems. She’s the poster child for the poor little rich girl. Orphaned at a young age when her parents’ boat sunk during a storm, she was the sole survivor and the heir to their fortune. Taken in by her uncle and raised by a nanny, Win’s childhood wasn’t terrible. She didn’t haven’t the typical two parent household, but she knew she was loved.
A mistake in her 20s and a turn on reality TV led to a stay at a state of the art rehab facility in Sweden to help her combat anorexia. Being back in the states, her friends are pressuring her to return the reality TV world and she knows if she goes back down that path, her health will suffer.
Henry Garrison had it all. He was an outstanding attorney who prided himself on being the best. Until he married an actress and lost everything, including his pride and his sobriety. Now, struggling with his sobriety, he’s on Martha’s Vineyard to pack up his grandparents’ home and make a fresh start in New York with two new law partners.
A chance meeting with Win and there’s something about her that pulls to him. Henry doesn’t know about her past and she’s happy to keep it that way. She knows that if she tells him who she is, he will walk away from her because he doesn’t want anything to do with Hollywood life, even if the connection is tangible. Their brief affair over, they part ways.
A horrible crime is committed, and Win is accused of murder. The only person who can save her is Henry but once he finds out that Win lied to him, he wants no part of representing her.
I enjoyed this book, but I think the relationship between Henry and his partners could have been fleshed out a little more to set up the next book in the series.
Sarah –
This is beguiling romantic suspense full of secrets and unpredictable twists. An affair between a disgraced New York lawyer and a society queen in hiding becomes something more when he is hired to defend her against a murder charge.
Part Gossip Girl and part Suits, this is a story of high society family alliances, complicated legal wranglings, and far too many long-held secrets. To clear Win, Henry and his legal team must find the actual murderer. The mystery aspect of this story is genuinely frightening at times. I loved the dropped clues and there are a few brilliant action scenes at the end.
While the murder investigation was exciting and well plotted, I didn’t love the romance in the story. There were too many implausible moments where Win was willing to compromise the investigation because of a crush. And for a lawyer trying to reestablish his reputation, Henry’s feelings for Win completely jeopardise his professional standing.
I usually love Lexi Blake’s women, but Win is easily the least interesting heroine I’ve read by this author. The former reality TV star is nice but she’s also too passive and too helpless for my liking. Henry feels like a compilation of several alpha male tropes and he is far too young for half of his life story to be believable.
I’m a longtime fan of Lexi Blake’s urban fantasy books but this is my first contemporary romantic thriller. And honestly, I prefer Blake’s urban fantasy. While I enjoyed the murder mystery/thriller aspects of this book, I struggled with some of the contemporary romance tropes. Win is a much more vulnerable and needy character than Zoey in the Thieves books or Kelsey in the Hunter stories. I get that the character development across a single novel was never going to be as effective as it is with characters developed across a series. And I get that urban fantasy allows for powerful female characters who can be so much more than typical contemporary romance heroines. So, my reaction is just preference. This is an exciting and well-crafted romantic suspense story but it lacks the depth I love in Blake’s urban fantasy.
Ruthie –
Anyone who has read a Lexi Blake book before will be delighted to know that this is the start of another great series! With a few nods to previous series, which I think keep us loyal followers happy and secures the novel in a time and place, we are straight into the drama from page one.
I loved the two leads and their issues, which ensure we see them as humans first and as what they own and have done second. Their addictions may be very different, but they somehow make them perfect for each other… but I get ahead of myself, this is not an easily tied up romance. This is gritty, difficult, and intense. There is danger, intrigue, and a real legal mystery to solve, let alone the consequences following on from omitting the small issue of one’s identity. Not as complicated as the Masters and Mercenaries series – crime more than espionage – but definitely a page turner with lots of indications of new storylines being in our future – I cannot wait.
Blake has a wonderfully flowing and enticing writing style, nearly as smooth as her leading men, and as intense as her strong, leading women. There are a number of great side characters here, which I am looking forward to meeting again.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Order of Protection (Courting Justice #1) by Lexi Blake to read and review.
Another steamy and romantic read, with great characters, from Lexi Blake!
I have to admit I kind of though Henry was a bit of a jerk at first, then I loved him, then I thought he was a jerk again but when Taylor (Win) is accused of murder he steps up and made me fall in love with him. This story has everything we want in romance and it has lots of twist that will make you fly through those pages. I loved this story and since it’s book on of the series I am excited to read more about these characters.
Just coming off of a rotten divorce, high end defense attorney Henry Garrison is spending a few weeks at his childhood beach home in Martha’s Vineyard. He’s packing up in order to sell off the property to help fund his law practice that’s been dragged through the mud, along with his name, by his ex-wife. Seeking an escape from the bottle of scotch tempting him, Henry instead rescues a young woman he finds to be beautiful, genuine and innocent from the storm about to ravage the beach.
Win Hughes is making a new start. Having battled anorexia, she no longer wants to be known as Taylor Winston Hughes, reality tv star and the Billion-Dollar Baby – sole survivor of the tragic accident that killed her parents. She simply wants to go to graduate school, stay healthy and run the foundation started by her parents that supports underprivileged hospitals and patients. She wasn’t expecting Henry and knew they had a few short weeks at best, but couldn’t seem to stay away. She also didn’t tell him about her past . . . only who she is and wants to be.
When Henry receives a call that the girl he fell for on Martha’s Vineyard has been arrested for the murder of her best friend, he doesn’t know what to think. He’s devastated she lied, but also can’t refuse the case as it may finally bring his law firm back from his ruined reputation.
As Henry and his team are pulled deeper into the case, it’s up to Henry to find the real killer and keep Win safe. Can he do it without losing his heart to her? And, can Win convince Henry that she is the girl from the beach and done with the celebrity life forever? Both Henry and Win are in the fights of their lives . . . but will Henry realize the prize he has before he walks away for good or will Win’s determination blow his defenses out of the water?
To say I was thrilled that Lexi Blake was releasing a new series may be the understatement of the year.
First, I truly fell in love with Win. She is an extraordinarily strong woman who really tries to see the best in everyone, even when she shouldn’t. I love how she knows what she needs to do to make herself healthy and happy and goes for it. She rolls with the punches and deals with everything life has thrown at her. Most people would be crying in a corner, but Win pulls herself together and overcomes.
Henry’s character was also complex. That man has more demons than a haunted house, yet can’t seem to fight his attraction to Win even when he wants to. He’s a bulldog when chasing a case and even when he’s struggling to trust in who she is, I never doubted he would do everything he could to save Win from the murder charge thrown at her. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him grow emotionally throughout this book.
As always, Lexi has also provided readers with an amazing cast of side characters . . . my favorites being Noah Lawless (fans of the Lawless series can rejoice) and Henry’s ex-wife Alicia. Along with the phenomenal cast of characters the plot has more twists and turns than an entire amusement park. It’s a wonderful “who done it” and I found myself constantly searching the clues and evidence as Henry’s team dug it up to discover who the real killer was along with their motive. And, I’m not ashamed to admit that I didn’t figure it out until Lexi did her reveal, which made for a completely thrilling and engrossing plot!
5 Stars for Order of Protection. This series started off with a bang and I can’t wait to see what Lexi Blake has in store next for readers!
In typical Lexi Blake fashion, Order of Protection takes you on a rollercoaster of both action and feels. Just when you think you have things and people figured out, something happens to make you realize that you were only seeing what Lexi wanted you to see at that time. I love that about her books.
Henry and Win meet and form a connection while both pretending to be someone else. It’s not a blatant lie on either part – Win is a former reality TV star who’s bad girl persona and unhealthy environment contributed to a very painful downfall. Now, she’s just trying to be normal, and to do that, she doesn’t exactly tell Henry any of that, or that she’s ridiculously rich.
Henry is a recovering alcoholic whose ex-wife all but destroyed his career as a criminal lawyer. He’s taking some time away from his high-stress life to settle the affairs of his late grandfather and to pretend his career isn’t almost in the toilet. When Win stumbles onto his stretch of beach on Martha’s Vineyard, he’s not The Monster of Manhattan, but just plain Henry – a neighbor who thinks she’s fun and pretty.
But, then Win needs Henry’s legal expertise and their true identities come to the surface. This was where the first surprise hit me. The Henry I loved in the first part of the book was nowhere to be found. The man in his place – the one who didn’t appreciate being lied to, no matter what the reason – was horrible to Win. And I sort of hated him for a bit.
Lexi Blake is a master at tying her various series together in plausible ways. It was delightful to see characters from both her Lawless series and her Masters & Mercenaries series showing up in this book. McKay Taggart supplies bodyguards for Win when it becomes clear that her safety was in jeopardy. Henry’s law firm partner is one Noah Lawless who is not the young teen as we last saw him. He’s now a cocky, brilliant lawyer who is not afraid to use his family connections when it can provide helpful.
Lexi Blake excels at suspense, mystery and intrigue. The murder of Win’s childhood best friend is only the tip of the iceberg as it appears that perhaps Win’s life is also in danger. People who were once friends look to be enemies and people who were enemies become allies. It’s a crazy awesome journey with plenty of heat on the side (after Win puts Henry in his place and he gets over his hang-ups like a grown-up). I’m looking forward to David, and especially Noah’s, stories coming up in this awesome new series.
A plot that kept me engaged and guessing until the end
Book 1 of the new Courting Justice series, this is a great place to start if you’re new to the author. There’s still some tie-in to the McKay-Taggert world which should please long term fans, but not so much as to overwhelm any newbies with tons of characters and background references that you tend to get in an established series.
I always like when authors build some parallels into their main characters’ lives as I feel it gives them a great place to build a connection, and adds realism to the relationship. The author made great use of that tactic here as both Henry and Win are in recovery from different yet very similar diseases, giving them each a wonderful understanding into the kind of struggles the other person continues to deal with. So while there was plenty of chemistry between the two, and there were plenty of things each found to like in the the other (I particularly enjoyed the touches of humor along the way), those struggles they had in common helped ground their relationship, especially when they went through the inevitable rough patches.
Of course, there were some great secondary characters (I can’t wait to get David and Noah’s stories!) as well as plenty of tension and suspense. I was engaged in the plot from the very beginning with the smaller mysteries that were sprinkled in, one after the other. And that tension just kept right on building, and the larger mysteries pretty much kept me guessing right up until the end.
Wonderful characters and a wonderful story made for a wonderful start to this series. 5 stars
B2B Kelly
“I don’t want to let you go.”
I was SO DAMN EXCITED to dive into ORDER OF PROTECTION by Lexi Blake! It’s a first in a brand spankin’ new series aptly titled ‘Courting Justice’. I LOVE this because she is giving her die-hard fans some familiar faces, and she is giving the newbies a great starting off point to her brand of talent! Sexy, suspenseful, emotional, and ridiculously entertaining and witty, ORDER OF PROTECTION had me at “hello” so to speak. I adored all the characters, old AND new, and I just had an all-around great time reading it. Lexi Blake NEVER disappoints, so I knew from the get-go that I was going to fall HARD for the start of this series. Ms. Blake has woven her usual magic and now I’m completely addicted to a brand new series.
Henry and Win were so beautiful, so adorable, and so feisty with each other. This instant connection was so great to experience right alongside these characters and you couldn’t help but to root for these two. I adored how protective Henry was over Win (typical for a Lexi Blake gorgeous alpha) and I loved the pace that their story went and the over all happily ever after was simply beautiful and hard-fought. Lexi Blake ALWAYS rights directly from her heart and you can tell with each turn of the page.
I believe David’s story is up next, and I couldn’t be more excited! This series is going to turn out like the rest of her series and become another favorite of mine, I just know it!
Just when I was sure I knew exactly what to expect from a Lexi Blake book, she released Order of Protection and completely blew all my assumptions to pieces. The one thing that didn’t change at all was how addictive this story was, I was completely pulled in and couldn’t stop thinking about what was coming next for Win and Henry any time I had to put Order of Protection down.
Win was a force, she battled so much, been through so much, had so few people in her corner, but she never let any of that dim her light. I admired her strength to fight to get her life back, to make Henry see they were more than he wanted to admit, to be more than what the world had labeled her as. Henry was harder to love, he made it a battle for me to find his silver lining, but when I did, when I understood why he was so callous, my heart ached for him, and I wanted nothing more than for him to allow himself to find happiness.
My favorite part of this book was how Win and Henry understood each other. It came from such a painful place and could have easily destroyed them alone, but they allowed their struggles to strengthen them and their bond. I loved how, even when they were angry with one another, they did everything they could to ensure the demons that haunted them didn’t pull them under.
Order of Protection was quite a ride. From Win and Henry’s meet-cute to the final nitty-gritty reveals in the end, I couldn’t get enough of this book. There were so many different kinds of conflict in this novel, so many pitfalls the characters were trying to navigate; there seemed never to be a second where thing settled enough for me to find a comfortable place to rest. Lexi Blake kept her characters – and her readers – on their toes throughout this novel. It was a high-octane crime thriller with a beautiful love story mixed in.
My only wish for this book, and it’s a selfish one at that, would have been to have seen those first two weeks Win and Henry spent together. The story wasn’t lacking for not having it, but I loved these two together so much I would have loved to have seen more of the initial stages of their relationship.
Order of Protection is the first book in Lexi Blake’s Courting Justice series. This was a complete story and can be read as a standalone. There are connections to a few of Ms. Blake’s other series, though reading them is completely unnecessary to enjoy and understand this book. Order of Protection is written in third-person limited perspective, alternating between Win and Henry’s perspective.
Lexi Blake continues to impress me with her storytelling. As much as I love her usual fair of the world of BDSM, it was nice to have this departure from that and lean more toward vanilla. She did an excellent job of showing her versatility as an author by taking this foray into something her readers aren’t used to seeing from her, while still leaving her distinct voice in the pages and on the characters.
2 broken souls, hiding out in Massachusetts, find solace in each other briefly. Then, their realities collide and the solace is totally destroyed!
I struggled with Henry. He is sympathetic to a point: he is recovering from his addiction to alcohol, he just ended a very public marriage in a very messy divorce. During his first meeting with Win, I adored him. After that though, I was finding it harder and harder to like the guy. When he becomes Win’s lawyer he is a major douchebag. Win, however, is a delight! She is recovering from an eating disorder and attempting to get her life on track. She is set to attend Duke University before her life is derailed by the death of a friend. Even though Henry is treating her like she is dirt on the bottom of his shoe, she never just lays down and takes it. She is smart and not willing to let anyone walk all over her.
Win’s story really resonated with me because I know many teens who develop eating disorders because they are desperate for some modicum of control over their own life. My heart hurt for her because her story is, in many ways, all too common (except for the filthy rich part!).
Characters aside, Blake gives you an excellent mystery! This is a classic whodunit type of plot and I really just loved it. Bottom line: if you like the May/December romance trope, secrets, murder, and broken characters, Order of Protection is a great pick. I am excited to see where Blake takes this series!