4 "Skirting the Rules for Love" Stars for the story & 5 stars for the narration!

Jax is a sexy romance that brings to the forefront the ethical dilemma that arises when an attorney and his or her client become interested in one another for more than just legal representation. Furthermore, Jax also drives home the message that appearances can often be deceiving bringing us a story that reminds us that when judging a character you should always look beneath the surface, not just base your impression based on societal stereotypes or biases.

A few words of caution are in order though. As I know cheating is sometimes a trigger for romance readers, this story does involve cheating (even if the character that is being cheated on is definitely one that readers will not feel sorry for). Additionally, a number of the interactions between the hero and heroine most definitely violate legal ethical rules, and therefore would be unlikely to happen in the real world (for example, I can't imagine an attorney would go on vacation with a client with a pending case). Nonetheless this is romance fiction which frequently includes events that are unlikely to happen in the real world--and in my book that's ok, because most readers read to escape the real world for a little while and for entertainment and sometimes dramatic, nonplausible events are the most entertaining.

Page Davenport is a newly admitted attorney who in addition to proving her worth the normal way that every young associate must do, also has to prove her worth to her family, who have always seen her as second best. But Page is up to the challenge, and when the other attorneys at the firm she works for (which include her father and brother) are too busy for a criminal case involving an alleged rape by an MMA Middleweight World Champion (Jackson "Jax" Malone), Page jumps at the chance to prove her worth, even if she suspects she might be in a little over her head.

Jax, in turn, is not troubled by having this young, beautiful attorney defending him in this fight which could mean the difference between an acquittal and many years in jail. However, what does trouble him is her insistence that she can't entertain their mutual attraction due to ethical rules (rules which, by the way, may mean she loses her license to practice law even before her career has really begun). But when Page's existing relationship with the perfect man on paper (a man with White House ambitions) turns violent, it's Jax who is there for her. Under these circumstances, will Jax and Page be able to resist their mutual attraction? Moreover, can Page adequately defend Jax and ensure he's not convicted?

Having listened to and thoroughly enjoyed Aaron Shedlock's sexy, baritone renditions in the past, I knew I was in for a treat from a narration perspective from the start. And boy does Mr. Shedlock deliver! Nailing the voice of a cocky, MMA fighter to a T while at the same time being able to heighten his voice sufficiently to convincingly portray Page, Mr. Shedlock does a fantastic job of rendering distinguishable genuine voices for each of the characters in this story.

Mr. Shedlock's pacing is also perfectly suited towards maximum enjoyment by the listener. From his adjustment of the speed to adequately convey the mood of the scene to his ability to import emotion into his voice, everything about Mr. Shedlock's narration is tailored towards allowing the listener to sit back and enjoy the story.

All in all, while the story line is Jax is somewhat predictable, it is a fun, sexy listen with some angst to keep a romance listener entertained. Moreover, if you're going to give this title a try, I highly recommend that you listen to it as Mr. Shedlock's sexy rendition makes the story that much more alluring.

Source: Review copy provided for review purposes. ( )

Jax must rely on Page to clear him of rape charges so he can get back to defending his cage fighting championship. Page does not like nor trust Jax but she will defend him to the best of her ability. It does not help her case or life that she is attracted to Jax. I like these characters. I also like the secondary characters. Page finally comes out on her own against her father (it is nice that he is afraid of Jax) as does her brother. I like that the two of them begin to have a better relationship because of what happens with the trial. I am glad that Page stops being a "Stepford"-type person and becomes her own person. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. ( )