Wranglers: the Defense Rests by Vivien Dean is the third novella in her lawyers in love series that centers upon litigators Derek and Sam who work for the same law firm in San Francisco. It features the same explicit hot sex scenes, passionate conflicting reactions, and comical dialogue that made the first two novellas so memorable. As with the second novella Wranglers Voir Dire, Sam is our viewpoint character, which is good because he is the more flexible and observant of the two of them. He’s also arguably more in love with Derek than Derek is with him, and so he is
more motivated to watch, interpret, and try to influence the evolution of their relationship.

The story opens when one of the partners, Rudy, assigns Derek and Sam to an unusual case. Rudy wants the two of them to defend an HIV-positive woman who is being sued by her health insurance provider for fraud. Sam thinks, with his cheerful arrogance, that they’re the best lawyers in the firm and therefore perfect for the case, which seems to hold personal significance for Rudy. However, Derek, who keeps his sexuality very private, is furious. He thinks that his and Sam’s unique status as gay men who are a couple is being exploited. He doesn’t want his public relations value as a “gay lawyer” to overshadow his actual legal expertise. Now, if Sam can’t manage to reach some understanding with Derek over this case, they both face not just a setback in their careers, but possibly the destruction of their relationship.

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