Risk Assessment: Cabrini Law Book 1, Parker St. John

It's always hard to begin again whether after a significant breakup, past mistakes, or whatever seems to drag you down or hold you back.  For Elliot he's staring middle age in the face and has completely changed his life to reflect what he feels in his soul is the right thing to do.  And for Lucas it's coming face to face with his past and the fear of success now that he's finally staring true freedom in the face.  Together their road to a new beginning is rocky, but worth it when they let go of pride and strive for more than they feel they deserve.

I loved the premise of the story and felt that we were on pretty good ground from the get-go.  I wasn't warming to Lucas right away because his facade was so forced and yet solid at the same time.  He seemed like he truly enjoyed playing with others in a way that bothered me, like he needed to feel power in his powerless life so he was intentionally a d-bag sometimes.  Not a fan.  He did come around, thankfully, it just took a couple rough starts for it to stick.

Elliot was far more likable and relatable from the beginning.  His meltdown later in the story was something I could see coming, but the actual details of the meltdown felt out of place.  I didn't believe that that's what his big issue was, he was all-of-a-sudden afraid of something that he willingly sought out and I just didn't see that as something that would cause what happened.  I'm glad it was Maksim that could give him the words he needed to pull his head out, but I still had such high hopes for Elliot that I found myself disappointed.  The interactions with his ex were unpredictable and not exactly in good ways, though I will say that the final one was necessary to give Elliot perspective.

I wish the person who let go of his pride first was the right one.  It was the other MC instead and it just didn't feel right.  To say I was annoyed that the person who broke down and apologized first was the one who needed to receive the apology more than they needed to give it would be quite an understatement.  It did force honesty and something deeper from the other man, which was good, I just thought it was a bit backward.  The epilogue, however, was a fantastic way to end things, that dreams and hopes came full circle to give both men what their souls craved.  Without that the story would have suffered.  It was a really great ending for the men I had grown attached to.

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All they have left is their pride.

Elliot Smith was once a hotshot attorney, but those days are long gone. A midlife crisis of conscience has left him with shattered confidence, abandoned by his former friends and scraping by at a legal aid clinic. When a smoking hot bad boy rescues him from the side of the road, Elliot is sure he doesn’t stand a chance.

After a misspent youth boosting cars, Lucas Kelly runs his own garage and is finally getting his life back on track. He isn’t about to risk everything by daring to hope for something more, especially not with a man so far above his pay-grade.

The heat between them is enough to have them questioning everything they thought they knew about themselves. But is explosive chemistry enough to keep them together when Elliot’s career threatens to drive them apart?