ALL IT TAKES

When an attorney discovers there’s a question of ownership on some valuable family property, she and the opposing counsel fall in love as they dig into a century's worth of records and uncover information that threatens her family in ways she never expected.

When Sienna Hendricks discovers someone is challenging land her grandfather bequeathed to the Bronx for park space, she takes a leave of absence from her city attorney position to research the situation. The challenge consists of a letter asserting that the property was offered as collateral for a loan in 1913, but there is no evidence the loan was repaid. Quinn Cavanaugh represents the claimant, but neither side has proof of ownership, so the judge orders the attorneys to work together to gather information, which means digging through an attic full of Hendricks family records. Sienna and Quinn are immediately attracted to one another, but while the relationship heats up, time is running out. Quinn learns a secret he can’t share with Sienna due to client privilege, but it motivates him to help her even more. However, when the case takes an unexpected turn and Sienna learns the secret on her own, her life is turned upside down, and she’s not sure how to trust Quinn moving forward. Proby shines in dialogue and authentic, realistic characters, but both the plot and the romance are low on conflict, and those are almost all external, so when Sienna blames Quinn for doing the right thing, she comes across as childish and unfair. On the plus side, checking in with the Cavanaughs from the first Romancing Manhattan title (All the Way, 2018) and cavorting with Sienna and Quinn across New York in unique ways are both special fun.

Engaging but uneven.