Practice makes perfect

*Starred Review* After eight years of grueling yet friendly competition, both Payton and J. D. anticipate partnership at their prestigious Chicago law firm. But after putting aside their personal animosities and working together to sign an important account, they realize each is vulnerable to, and attracted by, the other. Unfortunately, their boss then announces that only one partner will be named this year from the litigation department, and suddenly the competition is very real and not at all friendly. In her second novel, following Just the Sexiest Man Alive (2008), James presents a sophisticated contemporary romance set in legal circles, and proves that she is a master at conveying both courtroom and behind-the-scenes maneuvering. As her charmingly arrogant and ambitious characters spar endlessly and entertainingly, they inadvertently reveal their insecurities and personal foibles, while competing for high stakes in both business and love.--Welch, Lynne Copyright 2009 Booklist

Both Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are up for promotion after eight years of hard work as litigators for a big Chicago law firm. They work together well on a big case-and off the clock-but complications arise when they learn that only one of them will be made partner. Narrator Karen White's slightly husky, mature voice fits the feisty 32-year-old big-city lawyers she portrays here. White is equally proficient as bombshell vegetarian Payton or as tall, dark, and handsome Harvard grad J.D, who enjoys fine clothes, cars, and perfection. Her suggestive, just-in-time stops before naughty words and her self-denying tone as the two refuse to admit feelings for each other are exactly what the text requires. Verdict Highly recommended for public libraries and for college or universities with leisure collections.-Karen Perry, Univ. of North Carolina, Greensboro (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.