Marisa Tanner works as a successful lawyer in Memphis and her speciality is sexual harassment cases. One of her biggest clients, family-owned company Branco, suddenly finds itself dealing with several sexual harassment lawsuits at the same time which means Marisa has her work cut out for her. Branco's general counsel is one of the accused and is forced to retire. As soon as Marisa meets his replacement, Trip Branson, sparks fly between them. Yet, Trip is known as a playboy and Marisa knows she shouldn't get involved with a client. When Trip makes clear he is definitely interested in Marisa, things start to get tricky and Marisa finds it more and more difficult to ignore the obvious chemistry between them. But is she willing to risk everything for a guy? The storyline of this novel is not a particularly original one (a professional develops feelings for a client, someone they shouldn't fall for) but it has been executed well and author Mae Wood has definitely given it her own twist. I instantly liked the characters, particularly Marisa who's the prototype of a strong, passionate and independent woman who has build a great career but as readers we also get to see her more vulnerable side. Other characters, such as handsome businessman Trip and Marisa's best friend Erica, are also well-developed and really added something to the story. The novel not only deals with a romance story, but also focuses on the sexual harassment lawsuits and how Marisa needs to find a way to solve things. I really enjoyed both these storylines and combined they made for a thoroughly enjoyable read. Overall, Risking Ruin is an entertaining contemporary romance novel with great chemistry between the main characters. A promising debut! (JoH)
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