Roxie Cooper - The Law of Attraction

Amanda Bentley has always dreamed of being a barrister…

But as a platinum blonde bombshell from the wrong side of town, with a perfect tan and sleek high heels, she doesn’t exactly look the part – or fit in with the brash public school boys and cold posh girls of Newcastle Crown Court’s robing room. Amanda’s never been one to back down from a challenge, and so when she wins a prestigious pupillage following law school, she’s determined to make the most of her chance – and make all her dreams come true.

Only three things stand in her way: Sid Ryder - the sexy, irresistible barrister who she absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, sleep with. At all. Marty Gregg - her smarmy law school nemesis, who she’s in direct competition with for the top job. And her big, dark secret that could jeopardise everything she’s worked so hard for.

Who said that following the laws of attraction was going to be easy…?

Fans of Legally Blonde , Joanna Bolouri, Catherine Bennetto and Nicola Doherty will fall head over heels for The Law of Attraction.

The Law of Attraction

Roxie Cooper

ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES

ROXIE COOPER

was born and bred in Middlesbrough. After studying Classics at university, she became a dancer in a nightclub for a few years before going travelling and living in Australia. When she returned, she swapped dancing on a bar, to practising at the Bar, and became a barrister for seven years.

It was after being constantly told ‘Ooh! You don’t look like a barrister!’ by absolutely everyone she met that the idea for her debut novel was born.

Roxie lives in Yarm, a pretty little market town in the north-east. She’s a bit (lot) obsessed with Prince and spends far too much time watching him on YouTube. Her hobbies include watching musicals, making her hair as big (and blonde) as possible, and wishing she was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

To the lovely and amazing Sarah Manning – thank you for finding me in the slush pile and falling in love with the characters and story I created. Thank you for being the best agent an author could hope for and giving me the best advice and support I could ever want. But, most of all, thank you for the best lunches and crazy chats (thank God nobody else can hear them!).

A huge thank you to my fantastic editor, Anna Baggaley, and the whole team at HQ and Harper Collins. I will never forget that boiling hot September day I first came to your offices and you were bursting with excitement about this book, and it hasn’t stopped since. I am so lucky, and proud, to be part of this incredible publishing house.

It’s no exaggeration to say that this book would never have been completed without the immense support from my author network and followers on Twitter. Sorry about the cliché, but there really are too many to list. However, special mentions go out to Katie Marsh, Cesca Major and Isabelle Broom for very kindly inviting me to their snazzy book launches in London, where they’d always fill me with encouragement and send me back north full of fire to get this book finished. Extra special thanks to Katie for holding my hand at the very beginning of the process – you gave me the confidence to send my work out into the world.

Thank you to my long-suffering friends, who have had to put up with me going on and on about pretend people and edits for the past year. Laura Knights, Dawn Chaplin, Andrea Bruce, Caroline Wilkinson, Clare Beaumont, Emma Watson and Paula Binney – thank you for pouring wine down my neck when I needed it most and allowing me to just sit and do all the stress-y faces.

Thank you, Sasha Wagstaff, for everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you over the last few years. But I think I’ve finally managed to nail that hashtag shizzle we created.

To my beautiful friend Carol Nuttall, who was there from the start. Who’d have thought a TV movie would be so inspirational? Let’s never stop believing…

My adorable Costa boys in Yarm! Thank you Allan Brown, Mickey Brown, Jonny Fish, Greg Kent, Ollie Mash, Dom Pugh and Bradley Walker for cheering me on with smiles, laughter and the best medium skinny lattes. Thank you, also, to the customers in Costa for clearing off as soon as they see me come in now so that I can sit at ‘my writing table’ – you guys truly are the best!

Thanks to ‘This Guy’ for the trip to Roseberry Topping and getting me to the summit with the Rocky soundtrack and beers. Steve Dobson, thank you for being such a magical, glittery, purple star.

A last massive thank you to anyone who has ever asked how the writing is going, what the book is about, when it’s out, or supported me in any way – it never, ever went unnoticed. Thank you to all my family, friends and people in Yarm. You have made this girl feel loved.

For those who thought I couldn’t

Contents

Cover

Blurb Amanda Bentley has always dreamed of being a barrister… But as a platinum blonde bombshell from the wrong side of town, with a perfect tan and sleek high heels, she doesn’t exactly look the part – or fit in with the brash public school boys and cold posh girls of Newcastle Crown Court’s robing room. Amanda’s never been one to back down from a challenge, and so when she wins a prestigious pupillage following law school, she’s determined to make the most of her chance – and make all her dreams come true. Only three things stand in her way: Sid Ryder - the sexy, irresistible barrister who she absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, sleep with. At all. Marty Gregg - her smarmy law school nemesis, who she’s in direct competition with for the top job. And her big, dark secret that could jeopardise everything she’s worked so hard for. Who said that following the laws of attraction was going to be easy…? Fans of Legally Blonde , Joanna Bolouri, Catherine Bennetto and Nicola Doherty will fall head over heels for The Law of Attraction.

Title Page The Law of Attraction Roxie Cooper ONE PLACE. MANY STORIES

Author Bio ROXIE COOPER was born and bred in Middlesbrough. After studying Classics at university, she became a dancer in a nightclub for a few years before going travelling and living in Australia. When she returned, she swapped dancing on a bar, to practising at the Bar, and became a barrister for seven years. It was after being constantly told ‘Ooh! You don’t look like a barrister!’ by absolutely everyone she met that the idea for her debut novel was born. Roxie lives in Yarm, a pretty little market town in the north-east. She’s a bit (lot) obsessed with Prince and spends far too much time watching him on YouTube. Her hobbies include watching musicals, making her hair as big (and blonde) as possible, and wishing she was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Copyright

PROLOGUE

12.03 p.m.