Sorry to say I wasn't exactly part of the intended audience. And I really, REALLY wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. *sigh* Why not? Well, I'll try my best to explain. Sorry if it's chaotic, but here goes.

The MC...
Despite her flaws (the main being her willingness to endure unnatural levels of workplace abuse for a promotion of ambiguous value, if you truly think about it), Mackenzie is an okay main character. I didn't care for all her complaining (sorry, I don't like whining), but it is warranted. Her job, her treatment at work (even her relationship woes)...yeah, their horrible. But she voluntarily went into and stayed in that mess. A stronger woman would've probably left sooner or not chosen that path at all. So, obviously, Mack had some growing to do. And grow she did.

A couple of things I like about Mack is her attention to detail and her willingness to question things--circumstances, even people that are close her are not above suspicious. She carefully notes if your actions match your words. I respect that. No one should walk around delusional; it's a recipe for disaster. (And, now I'm hungry. -_-)

On the subject of language...
Way too much profanity for me. More like rated Aargh (than R) for pirate speak, 'cause too many of the characters curse like sailors (and in too many ways that don't make sense). But I should've expected that from a book about lawyers. (Lawyers don't have the rep when it comes to scruples. But I try to stay out of trouble, so I don't have too much personal experience with them.) I don't take too much issue with certain language in books, but I prefer moderation. If it's overwhelming the dialogue it's a problem.

The writing...
On the hand, Cameron does a great job of drawing her readers into her story emotionally. I had to put the book down several times because I thought I'd blow my top over how poorly Mackenzie is treated. How rude, unfair, indeferent her superiors are to her needs, wants, outside obligations. Or how oblivious they were to fact that most of what demand of others was ridiculous, impossible, or unnecessary. And did they have any appreciation for the sacrifices, hard work, emotional and mental strain and degradation that went into satisfying their foolish whims? Do I really need to answer that?

...Sorry about that. But, you can tell, this book got to me...

The plot...
I had suspicions early on about certain characters that grew and took shape as more details came to light. Still, I obviously didn't know how deep the rabbit went. How characters I overlooked were involved. (Without more information, more clues, you can't truly tie them all together. So, in that respect, it's kind of like watching Foyle's War.) And, yet, the conclusion was still lacking something. The confrontation with the culprits behind the scheme that could've destroyed Mackenzie was okay I guess. Well, at least, with one of them (I liked the first take down better). The other was...well, disappointing. The villains on Scooby-Doo put up much more of a fight. (Meddling kids.) And everything seems to tie up so neatly. So, I'm all, "Really?! That's it?" So, yeah, after all that buildup, I felt a little let down. Felt like watching the final scenes in a scary movie, with the panic-driven MC running breathlessly from a villain; and when she finally faces him and says "Boo" the bad guy surrenders. -_- Yay. The day is saved. whoohoo. -_-

Hmm... I think that's pretty much it for me. So, overall, it's like...well...I'on'no' (translation: I don't know). If I had a chance to start over, I probably wouldn't read it again. So...you know...it's just not for me. But, who knows? Maybe you'll think/feel differently.

*I received a free copy of BIGLAW from Goodreads First Reads.*

BIGLAW is a surprisingly new version of ChickLit for me. The novel is written by a lawyer with attention to basic legal terminology and legal procedures while simultaneously developing a story most women will connect with.
Although I had some issues with the main character the bulk of the novel regarding Mackenzie’s experience working in BIGLAW was actually exciting.

I know a lot people have said in reviews that the way she was treated was horrific, but it was exciting to feel the rush of competition pouring off the pages. Honestly, this is why I had always wanted to be a corporate lawyer: the competition, the rush, the around the clock schedule. It sounds fantastic! Plus, the fact that they have it set up so you can get everything you need and not have to stop working? I’d like to sign up to that, please! It’s annoying having to leave your desk to grab food when you’re on a deadline that doesn’t really allow for meal breaks – in my experience sometimes you just don’t eat at all to save time.

The novel starts out with Mackenzie being pulled into her boss’ office with a strong sense of foreboding and fear. Mackenzie keeps rethinking her day, trying to figure out where she could have made mistakes or done the wrong thing. The whole chapter ends with her wondering if the partners had learned of her tiny misbehaviour and if she was going to be fired for it. It was a really great line to hook in readers before they are thrust back months before this ill fated meeting takes place.
I loved the legal aspects of this novel and would have given it five stars if only it had stronger lead character..

Mackenzie’s motivations for becoming a lawyer were incredibly selfish, considering it to be the epitome of success and not taking into account the actual job she would be doing. She often considered herself a victim in an environment where everyone is exposed to the same pressure and probably just as worn out and exhausted as she is. She was irresponsible; constantly pointing fingers at others for her mistakes. She honestly spent more time describing what designer labels she was wearing than focusing on the deals she was managing. I think that I just really couldn’t connect with someone with such different motivations and priorities..not to mention background. I couldn’t best my own biases on this one.

Regardless, I really enjoyed BIGLAW for it’s fantastic story telling and realistic look at corporate law in New York City. I was both excited and inspired by this book in multiple ways. I definitely recommend reading BIGLAW if you are a ChickLit fan or a fan of novels that are slightly outside their genres. I will definitely be checking out more Lindsay Cameron in the future! ( )

I’ve always been fascinated by the law and those whom practice it. I like the orderly nature of the law, and how people can pull pieces of the material found within in (the more obscure, the more dramatic) to prove and win their cases. However, I realize not everything is The Good Wife or a John Grisham novel–and Lindsay Cameron’s Big Law reiterates that fact.
Mackenzie Corbett worked HARD to get all she wanted–she’s an associate at a high-profile New York City law firm. She has money to spend on designer shoes (thanks to the firm’s large food expensing policy), but when the demands of being an associate wreak havoc with her social life–boyfriend, friends AND family, Mackenzie realizes ust how much she is sacrificing. Soon, the job she thought she enjoyed is riddled with the stresses of the boys club at the office and the double standards she, herself, faces. Mackenzie soon starts getting more stressed,pieces of her life fall apart, and she’s dragged into a meeting with federal investigators. She has to start looking at who might want a target on her back, and must determine her next move–will she finally be able to stand up and fight for herself, or will she continue to sacrifice all of it for Big Law?
I really enjoyed Big Law. At 270 pages, it is the perfect book to take you from the Summer reading mindset into the Fall mindset, without sacrificing an enjoyable read. The characters and story were well-developed ad it was great to read Lindsay’s debut–I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
I thought Mackenzie was a very sympathetic character. She was self-possessed and smart, but found herself in a position where her knowledge was needed, but at the cost of her respect. And people find themselves in exactly that position at work. I loved her voice, especially the nod to one of my favorite movies, Working Girl.
Rita, Mackenzie’s secretary, was my favorite character. She was written perfectly, part of me wanted to adopt her and part of me wanted to BE adopted by her. I have the perfect image of Rita in my head, and I think she is not going to leave very easily. I hope Cameron’s next novel focuses on Rita.
I was not fond of Jason from the start of the story. Sure, I was rooting for Mackenzie to be in love and have a great guy that respected her, but subtle hints about his character emerged early on that were, for me, deal breakers. I also felt like there were a lot more questions about him that were unanswered throughout the book.
I also questioned the story about someone taking a partner’s call while with their daughter on the Matterhorn at Walt Disney World–I am a bit of a Disney geek, and while the Matterhorn is only at the Disneyland location in Anaheim, I can say that Space Mountain’s track (in Florida’s Walt Disney World) is partially based on the Matterhorn in California. I am chalking this error up to the office game of telephone or an urban legend.
Overall, Big Law by Lindsay Cameron was a great Fall read–the perfect way to start BookSparks University for the fall term (#FRC2015). Thanks again for the opportunity to read this. ( )