Courtroom Drama by Neely Tubati Alexander had so much potential, but unfortunately, it didn’t deliver in the ways I was hoping. The premise is fantastic; jury duty meets reality TV scandal with a second chance romance thrown in? Sign me up! But the execution just fell flat.

The trial itself, which should have been the most gripping part, felt underdeveloped and ultimately unsatisfying in how it wrapped up. I wanted more twists, more tension, more depth to the case, but instead, it felt rushed and, at times, unrealistic. Sydney’s perspective as a juror was interesting, but the legal aspects didn’t hold up in a way that made the story feel immersive or believable, and she and her fellow jurors did things that... would not actually be okay for jurors to do. 

Then there’s the romance. Sydney and Damon had potential, but their dynamic didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The tension from their past was there, but I never felt fully invested in their connection or why they were drawn back to each other. I also think the book leaned a bit too hard on pop culture references, which were fun but could make the story feel dated quickly.

I wanted to love this, but I needed more; more from the trial, more from the romance, and more from the execution overall. If you’re looking for a light, reality TV-inspired legal drama, this might work for you, but if you’re hoping for a gripping courtroom thriller or a good second chance romance, you might end up feeling underwhelmed like I did.

Thank you to NetGalley, Neely Tubati Alexander, and Harper Perennial for the eARC of this book.